The predominant culture in North of India

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/woman-should-be-covered-from-head-to-toe-says-khap-leader/article5249821.ece

There is something typical about the predominant culture in the north of India. I have been in Delhi for a year now and seen the diverse cultures that have inter-mingled with the predominant groups in and around Delhi.

The latest diktat from the Khap is symptomatic of this predominant culture. The Talibanisation of society is representative of the region. By forcing women to wear veils or as per a dress code the Khaps are Talibanising the society.

At times I have wondered why the people behave the way they do in Delhi. But gradually I have begun to understand the rationale behind their behaviour. The predominant culture overtakes their original culture, coming as they may be from whatever region of India. Delhi-NCR is home to people from almost all parts of India. People from each region have their own culture. But gradually they begun adapting to the predominant culture. So the person who pushes you while getting on a metro coach may be from Bengal and not necessarily Punjab or Haryana. The Bengali has learned how to 'push' to survive. 

On being a Teacher

It was indeed a curious quirk of fate that I was suddenly pushed in the role of a teacher three years ago. The time since then has been a dream run, despite the break of 11 months now. Once a teacher, always a teacher. That is how it has been for me. The love and adulation of students and teachers has kept me going through the worst phase of my life.

Thanks a lot - all of you.

Everyone, in his or her childhood dreams of being a teacher. The teacher is power personified. Everything that she or he does is a model to follow. We try to talk like them, walk like them and even plan to dress like them. A teacher who does not care for us is despised too. But coming down from that pedestal takes time. A teacher is held in high esteem till she or he does something drastic.

But is there a recipe for success for a teacher? No, none at all. Each one has to find his or her way. We have been all affected in some way or the other with teachers whom we have held in high esteem. The moment I was offered the job of Principal of BSP Senior Secondary School, Sector-10 (SSS-10), Bhilai, the images of Bhatnagar Ma'am, Raghavan Sir and Sister Christopher flashed in my mind. They remain my models even today and on this auspicious day - Teachers' Day, I pay my respects to them for making me what I am.

In my two plus years in school, I came across some exceptional, some good and some ordinary teachers. The distribution of teachers too follows a normal pattern, statistically speaking. They are, like other segments in our society, similar in nature. As happens in all fields, very few have the knack for teaching and a smaller percentage of them are really good at their jobs.

For a teacher to be good, she or he has to connect with the young ones. They have to be not only very good in their subjects, but also be highly sensitive and approachable. Unfortunately, I found many teachers drawing a wall around them making it difficult for students to come closer to them. The child needs them and they cannot afford to be keeping them away.

Though I had never dreamt of working in a school, when the opportunity came my way, I did not have a planned reaction. My room would be open to students all the time, though I would insist them to come during recess or before / after school. The students would bring all sorts of problems and complaints. These would include complaints against teachers. This obviously created a mistrust amongst some teachers towards me. But not even once did I convey the complaints to teachers or take action against them based on what the students had to say, unless the complaint was of a serious nature. Let me confess, 99 per cent of the complaints would not be heeded to. You listen to them and they would walk back satisfied. That is what is required. Sometimes their small apprehensions become big in their minds and they did not an avenue to express themselves.

Even after being away from school for almost a year now, I have been part of it thanks largely to the connectivity that still exists between me and the students and teachers. So thanks a lot once again and may you all excel. That is a small wish for what you have all given me.

Karnataka election results - a pointer to the future

The dethroning of the BJP in Karnataka has lessons for all political parties via-a-vis the next Lok Sabha elections. Corruption is an issue to the common voter. Despite having taken the moral high ground of parting ways with a tainted Yedyurappa, BJP's decision to replace Sadanand Gowda with Jagdish Shettar due to pressure from Yedyurappa did not go well with the electorate. BJP also failed to act swiftly in getting rid of Yedyurappa.

The Congress, facing umpteen corruption charges, needs to be on its guard. Though the Anna movement may have been scuttled, the imprint of the same on the voter's mind remains as is evident from the results in Karnataka.

So the next Lok Sabha elections will be the voter's response to inaction on corruption. The BJP is hardly comfortable on this front what with its President having to go. But at least the BJP is taking action. However it will have to set its house in order, particularly on the leadership issue to take any advantage of an anti-Congress sentiment.

The Karnataka polls have set the tone of things to come.

Passing through a tough phase in life

The last five months have been perhaps the toughest of my life. Pitch-forked into a job I badly dislike, away from family and friends, and also form children whom I so much love and miss at SSS-10. The separation from these children was heart-wrenching. My two kids too are at a crucial phase of their student career. They need me more than any other time.

I must blame my own 'visibility' for this assignment which is more of a sham than anything else.

But then who cares.

In these past few months I have passed through stages of depression, disbelief, doubt, what not. My self-confidence has taken a beating. At times I find myself tentative. Perhaps I have been worrying too much about pressures from people who are not accountable.

But I have not given up. I couldn't afford to give up.

The project is high-profile, being monitored by top people in my organisation. It is necessary that I do justice to my own self and reputation by not letting go. So things have moved, even if at a pace that has been too slow for my own comfort.

Surprisingly for an atheist like me, there have been lessons in faith that have helped me overcome fears. Every night I have been praying for mental peace. and that has helped me cool down.

Thankfully for me I have been with close family members. First two months with my younger brother's family and the last three with my elder brother-in-law's family. They have been a great help.

The six-month period is about to end. Hope I can go back to a place I long to be at.