Samar magzine december 2013

Volume 3 Issue 1

Special Edition

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Our Team Chief Editor Amin Reza Khan Sub Editors Govind Ballabh Pandey Nitin Narang Homa Afroz Nurullah Qamar Managing Editors Shahbaz Haider Asim Abdullah

Letter from the Editor As I sit to write the editorial piece for our fledgling venture, the Samar Magazine I feel inclined to share with you a few things about Samar and the origins of this magazine itself. It has been some time since Samar came into being as an organisation from just a grouping of like-minded individuals, which intended to work amidst the youth and for the youth. Samar started off with the simple motto of creating “ awareness amongst the youth”. It has been working towards that goal ever since. The idea of the magazine traces its origins in the idea of study circle that was initiated earlier.

The origins of the Study Circle are very beautifully talked about in the first article that we have featured in this special edition. From the Study Circle to the Magazine was a definite but small step. The magazine from Samar came into being as a reflection of its motto of creating awareness amongst the youth as well as creating a space for them that gave them the opportunity to express their opinions, when very few exist. The magazine had an instant connect and was well received by its audience. The initial iteration of the magazine wasa paper-based effort that required substantial capital inputs, which were met by the supporters and well-wishers of Samar. Though in the long run in the absence of any substantial financial corpus, proved to be its undoing.

After much careful thought this year, it was decided to restart the magazine. I can assure you, that decision did not come easy. It was only after endless rounds of discussions, weighing the pros and cons that we finally arrived at the decision about the need to re-start it. So, you might be wondering what has changed and what is going to be different this time. The only change that we have done is to move from a paper-based format to a completely electronic format. Now you can easily read the whole magazine online and download it. The rest remains the same.

For the current issue, we have selected a sample of articles from our previous issues.

It is with fondness and pride that we look at our prior efforts, when we take newer steps.These are bridges for those who have been our readers in the past, to reconnect with them and for our new readers, to show them what we have already done and what more we are capable of. Though this edition is in no way a collection of the best of Samar Magazine, for that would have forced us in coming up with countless issues, such was the amount of brilliant material available.

Soon, we shall be inviting our readers to contribute for our upcoming issues. The magazine comprises entirely of material submitted by the readers and it is with their contributions in the form of articles, view, opinions that shall sustain us. So, I shall request you all to not hold back your opinions and to contribute copiously. We believe in a democratic approach and shall try to include as much material as possible that we receive, provided the contributor is mindful of our own timeline in coming out with an issue within a fixed timeframe.

I would close, with the fond hope that the current issue is to your liking and you shall continue to read our magazine and support us. As the saying goes, “This is Just the Start”……

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Photos used in the magazine are for representational purposes only

Content 1. Let us Know About Study Circle - Sarfaraz 2. Democracy - Shahbaz and Asim 3. Social Impact of Rock and Roll - Faroghe Azzam 4. Corridors of Cultures - Milind 5. Humanity - Faroghe Azzam 6. Poets of the World - Milind 7. Code of Conduct - Shahbaz 8. Facts for You 9. Some Recollections - Shahbaz and Samreen Fatima 10. The Truth Behind Doctors 11. Book Review : Animal Farm - Faroghe Azzam 12. Fun Zone

Special Edition

Let us Know About Study Circle This article has been written by Sarfaraz. This article featured in the magazine in Feburary 2006.

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efore we talk about study circle, why not we hear this story first. Once upon a time there lived a prince, as innocent as a child. His name was Siddhartha. Siddhartha married a girl called Yashodhara. They had a child; they gave him a beautiful name – Rahul. Siddhartha had everything, enjoyed every material and non-material luxury of life. He was perfectly happy as definition goes about a happy man. One day he saw an old man, a diseased man, a dead man and an old sage with a peaceful face. He thought and thought deeply and came to a conclusion. He left his home, his expensive clothes; he left everything and went away on an unknown journey. He then became a seeker of truth.

After a long and hard journey he reached a place where he pondered and contemplated.

Suddenly he got what he had been seeking.

He got his new name Buddha. From there on he traveled more frequently and more swiftly. He told everybody what he knew. He gathered people from his surroundings and shared his knowledge with them. His language of conversation was Pali and Magadhi –a kind of prakrit language. He had broken the jinx of Brahmanism. The shrewd Brahmans who were repositories of knowledge but never shared anything – got an intellectual shock. They tried but failed to stop all the enthusiastic seekers of truth. All of them made there own study circles. They called it a Vihara. They gathered at places

and shared what they knew. They would debate, discuss, recite, elocute, observe, and practice what they would learn. Slowly and slowly they discovered some marvellous wonders of the universe. The simple key was sharing of knowledge.

So we get an idea that we must contemplate about wonders of this universe and then share our knowledge. This exercise gives us a peaceful pleasure. We brought to action this beautiful idea on 2nd October '04. We had a meeting at a small but encouraging place. We drew an outline of our proposed study circle. We decided to meet once in a week. We decided to read something that would be useful for everybody. We decided to make a books-pool, to increase our accessibility to books. In weekly meetings we discussed what we have read or are reading.

On 21st October, a second meeting was held and we found that it had profound impact on our attitude towards knowledge sharing. And, from then on we are going on.

We got many new friends at various stages.

Some of them went away and never came back. Some of them remained with us. Some of them went for new vistas; new places to have new study circles. This is a chain process, multiplies itself briskly but regularly.

We got new friends and learnt many new things from them by sharing of knowledge from different fields. We all decided to, and 4

established a small library, which is running successfully. Then we thought why not we lend our hands to those shoulders that have been bent down due to loads of works and apathies of destiny, to those children who have no option of reading and sharing their knowledge. We did it on occasions of celebration like Diwali, Eid, New Year, and Republic day. We spent our time with those down trodden children and learnt how they celebrate their happy moments. On the occasion of New Year, we had a very delightful rare experience of learning.

We went to Patna railway station and met those children who live on platform and face very harsh realities of life. It is only because of our destinies that they are there and we are here. We have had no personal contribution whatsoever in our present situation. It is only chance that we do not have to live and survive on a railway platform. Study circle stands with these ideals, which stand for not differentiating amongst humans.

sometimes, very out spoken students needed to make themselves calm and serious in our weekly meetings. In the process of discussion and debate, we have found and developed many aspects of our personal behaviour.

In fifteen months, we have learnt many lessons of discipline, simplicity and honesty.

Now, we all know that anything, which is not true, will not survive. This study circle has inculcated a sense of social responsibility in us. We tread our steps on soil of reality. We feel a tantalizing fragrance coming through an orchid full of unknown beauties.

We have come to understand this lesson that the beautiful picture of nation and society is only a beautiful album. The real picture, which has several patches of poverty, depression, pain, darkness is now in front of us. We are trying to accept and internalize the picture. Thus creating better set of human beings on the fore, on the brim, which will draw this ship to the shore. As A.P.J Abdul Kalam in his book- Ignited minds Another instance I would recount is when on writes – our dreams of future depends on a fine pink morning, we had a reading from a these young minds. We've to nurture and magnificent book called “The Song of the strengthen these minds. So that we get a Bird”. This book took us to the unexplored developed India by 2020. vistas of spiritualism. We decided that every week we would have a reading of a single In conclusion we remember Sahir who lesson from this very book. Simultaneously, writes: we also promised the book (which she had “Woh subah kabhi to aayegi urged in plain voice), we will try our best to woh subah hamin se to aayegi reflect upon what we learn from each lesson woh subah hamin to layenge”. onto our life. This is how we believe in broadening our scope of learning. Slowly Translation- the chosen morning has to and steadily, exploring those tools of come, we are the ones with whom the learning, which are not part of conventional morning will come, we are the one who will mode of learning. We therefore get bring the morning. experience in several dimensions of learning.

In study circle no topic is chosen, anybody can present anything, any topic from atom bomb to safety razor can become a topic of fierce debate. Sometimes, introverts have shown the quality of splendid oratory and 5

Special Edition

Democracy There are two writers for this article. One is Asim who is studying Engineering and other is Shahbaz who is also pursuing Engineering. This article featured in the magazine in August 2006.

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he word democracy is derived from two Greek words – demos (meaning people) and kratia (meaning rule). It means rule of people. The definition of democracy as given by Abraham Lincoln (16th president of USA) – it is a government, which is of the people, for the people, by the people; defines politics.

Now, come back again to the politics. Ride on a time machine with reverse gear and come to Greece. The great Greek philosopher Aristotle who was champion in political science and science of government said that there are six forms of government—

1. Tyranny 2. Aristocracy If we delve in history and find from where the 3. Oligarchy 4. Polity idea has arisen, it becomes very difficult because the history of human civilization is 5. Monarchy 6. Democracy run concurrently alongside the history of democracy. But still there are some bold According to him - Polity is the best kind of markings and clear indications of when government and democracy is the worst form civilized humans started thinking about democratic ideas. The NCERT text book on of polity. Polity reconciles all the good values of monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. political science says that, first glances of Tyranny is the worst kind of government democratic ideas were exchanged at the where the king becomes oppressor and time of Vedas itself. For example recall the famous line – Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the cruel, above par. He does everything for self satisfaction. There are several examples of whole world's a family). The concept of tyranny in history. Thus monarchy is the best family makes a sense of equality and fraternity because in a family a talented and form of tyranny. In other words, monarchy is pure from all the evils of tyranny because the an ordinary are treated equally. king is not supposed to be an oppressor.

The Holy Quran says – kannaas o, Oligarchy is the rule of few people. This is a ummatunwahidun (indeed humanity is one limited version of democracy, when only few nation). The concept of nation is defined in affluent people rule over the nation. terms of humanity and all of us know that humanity is boundless, it doesn't know about Aristocracy is the government of the best. the difference between creed, caste and The best people like noble men rule the other boundaries. These are only two country. So it is also similar to oligarchy. examples from history, but there are Anyhow, the debate of various forms of innumerous ones and no doubt examples government ends at democracy because it is given here above are very much related to the rule of people and people here means India. each and every citizen of the nation. Plato 6

has said that democracy is a rule of the mob.

A system of anarchy can be created from democracy. He advocated monarchy but he made one qualification, i.e., the monarch of the country must be the greatest philosopher of the nation but question arises here that who'll decide on the verdict of who the best philosopher of the nation really is. Only the citizens of nation can answer the questions like who is the best philosopher. Who is the best choice? And this they will inform by giving their opinion. And, the mode of giving opinion is voting. Hence, we return to democracy. It means anyhow till yet, the democracy is accepted as the best form of government.

With monarchy a positive point is that if the king were to be a good human being then people of his state would be happy and prosperous. Examples in history are – Vikramaditya of India, Haroon Rashid and Hatim Tai of Baghdad. But, a serious drawback of monarchy is that his countrymen can't catch him if he does anything wrong. He is unaccountable. It's only up to him to decide whether he does good or bad. Nobody can punish him if he indulges in any wrongdoing.

elected directly by government, it led to a written constitution, which talked about justice and equality.

2. Second incident was the French revolution. The French public was in revolutionary mood; it killed the king and set the rule of public. This revolution has coined three basic concept of democracy called – liberty, fraternity and, equality.

3. Russian revolution – in 1917 the proletariat revolution in Russia established the idea that labourers, farmers too have equal right in governance. They have equal right in each and every property of the nation.

4. The independence of India in 1947 – It initiated a series of independence and selfdetermination among third world nations.

The biggest part of the world got the taste of democracy. Idea of a right to development, right to practice one's own culture, religion, and economic right was included in democracy. So, slowly the idea of a democracy became broader and broader.

Now we'll talk about sociological aspect of democracy. Till now, we're talking about politics and governance in democracy.

Sociologically, democracy means giving space to everybody. There are various kinds of men and women in the society and each of them has right to develop and pursue their desires. You can't suppress anybody's space According to the NCERT textbook, there are of creativity in a democratic society. Since four incidents in modern history of world that world is changing every day, new kind of gave great fillip to the idea democracy. They ideas in field of science and technology, art and culture, politics governance are being broadened and enriched it, which is still developed. A democratic society will surely getting richer day by day. give each idea required space for its development.

1. The first incident is the independence of America in 1776 and the Philadelphia Rule of road – there is a theory in democracy Convention, which was held just after the called rule of road. Imagine you are walking American Independence. This convention in the middle of the road, and other vehicles showed to the world what a democratic are being disturbed due to you. You are country is. It led to the formation of a republican form of government, its head was asked to walk on footpath or on left side of In democracy people can punish the ruler for his corruption. Ruler has to be disciplined and honest otherwise he'll be dethroned by people.

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road but you say that you have right to walk on road anywhere because road is public property. Here the rule applies, you have right to walk on the road anywhere but you can't snatch anybody else's space to walk on the road. As you have right, so do others.

While enjoying or exercising your right you can't encroach upon anybody's right. But, alas nobody cares for that. Every day we crowd out some part of other's space.

of Punjab) in which Mr. Gill was accused of pinching Ms. Bajaj in a party without her permission some fifteen years ago. She had fought case for fifteen years and it is only now that she got a judgment in her favour.

Two points can be drawn from this case; first even high society intellectuals do not respect women's position and her reservations. Even a woman IAS officer is vulnerable among men. She had to protect her rights at every single moment. Second, the justice delivered after such a long span of time loses its Similarly, you are allowed to speak but you importance because justice delayed is can't defame anyone. But in India, we find that political leaders of various parties do not justice denied and public memory is very hesitate in defaming their rivals. The series short. of spitting on each other, once it starts, and then goes on and on. They can say anything Similarly, children are also made victim of to anybody. Even they attack the modesty of many violations of their democratic rights. women with their words in public but no law Perhaps we don't know that taking a child to a place where he or she doesn't want to go prevents them or punishes them for doing is against his democratic rights. There are this. Extremist leaders with their speeches innumerous jargons and lessons of instigate people to kill somebody or set ablaze a religious shrine, as it happened in democracy which we have to learn to make Gujarat in 2002.Recently, a Muslim leader in a healthy and beautiful society. We have to U.P. encouraged people to kill the person test whether we are democratic or not. For who made cartoon of Mohammed (PBUH). example some of your friends are frank and The failure of law in apprehending and show very light attitude towards you, you can punishing such utterances is the reason back-slap him or her on their back or share behind these acts. any kind of joke with him or her. But, there are some friends who have some reservations about their public relations, you The marginalised groups like Scheduled can't force them to share a joke (it doesn't Caste or Scheduled Tribes women and matter how much hilarious your joke is). And, children often become victim of some time you have to tolerate other's antics encroachment of rights. Among these, the biggest section is of women. Each and every and nuisances (it doesn't matter that you like woman feels suppression of her space in her them or not), this is part of a democratic society. daily life. Men encroach upon women's rights everywhere like in work places, in Politics in our country is not democratic in full homes, in market, even in vehicles though which they commute to other places. A man measure but we can make it by our gallant would enjoy in acquiring bigger part of seat efforts. First we have to become democratic when there is a women sitting beside her in in our personal and social behaviour. We a public carriage. He would try touching her have to rise from the level of petty values and feeling of self importance and think hair or hand. towards one better and bigger goal.

There is a example of famous case of Rupan Deol Bajaj (IAS) vs. K.P.S. Gill (former DGP 8

Special Edition

Social Impact Of Rock n Roll This article was written by one of the founder member of SAMAR, Faroghe Azzam. This article featured in the magazine in August 2006.

“Rock music can change things. I know that it changed our lives.”~ Bono

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don't remember where I have read it or heard it but I am certain that in few occasion I have seen the existence of Rock mania in the Society. This may not have been the most perceptive analysis but it draws attention to an important point. The music of a country - a culture, an era can tell us a great deal about that country - that culture, that era.

Musical production and consumption are not accidental.

They do not exist bracketed off and isolated from the country - the culture, the era - as a whole. Music is integral.

to smoke marijuana, grass, and tobacco in joints and then they would start feeling very happy and it seemed it stimulated their mind.

Even I believed that someone who is “high”,has a positive view on the world and on life.

Rock music is one of the world's most popular and adaptable musical forms.

When it originated in the United States in the early 1950's, rock music was known as rock 'n' roll. From the start, it was party music, dance music, and music that appealed to young listeners.

It often celebrated the joys of being young, and it occasionally expressed the frustrations I have spent my precious two and a half years in a famous University of India though of the youth.

I was not a legal student of that University.

Many adults dismissed rock 'n' roll as a There, I got chance to meet real rockers.

Like other teens, I was also addicted to rock passing fad or condemned it as a threat to society. By the mid-1960's, however, rock 'n' music. I had accepted rock music as a roll had earned wide respect as a legitimate fashion and followed it with punk style art form. The music's popularity spread uncombed hair, cigarette in hand and wearing torn out jeans. There were few rock internationally and among older listeners as bands in the university. Many of them used well. By the end of the 1960's, the music had 9

moved far from its roots in blues and country We are pestilent and contaminate music, and it became known simply as rock. The world Demonic legions prevail" In the 1970's, rock became a bigger business than ever. It not only dominated the music industry, but also influenced everything from film to fashion to politics. As rock music became increasingly accepted, it lost much of the rebelliousness that had originally given it its power.

Since the early 1980's, rock music has continued to defy musical barriers and has drawn much of its strength from international musical influences. Today, rock music is no longer only the music of young Americans. It is music of the world.

The massive popularity and worldwide scope of rock and roll resulted in an unprecedented level of social impact. Far beyond simply a musical style, rock and roll influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes, and language in a way few other social developments have equaled. The social impact is so large that rock stars are worshipped worldwide and often performances of several artists in diverse arts and cultures are scaled to and appreciated as being close to that of a "rock star".

Rock as a culture has some darker aspects.

Rock is often linked with sex, drugs, suicide, and violence. Today, at almost any "heavymetal'' rock concert one can hear the audience being exhorted to rape and murder in the name of Satan. Lyrics such as the following are typical: "We come bursting through your bodies Rape your helpless soul Transform you into a creature Merciless and cold We force you to kill your brother Eat his blood and brain Shredding flesh and sucking bone Till everyone's insane

"DEMONS" by Rigor Mortis Any loving parent today would be horrified and shocked to learn that their sons and daughters are eagerly listening to such evil.

Long hair, torn out jeans, long t-shirts, satanic necklaces, tattoo, leather jackets, pierced body and all accessories that normally parents call as indecent are all qualified as rock style. Basically rock is all about being rebellious. Rockers want to look tough both physically and mentally. Listeners want to look like their favourite rock star. A cultural war broke out in the mid-1960s in the UK over the rivalry between the "Mods" (who favoured high-fashion, expensive styles) and the "Rockers" (who wore T-shirts and leather); the songs were composed to praise one style and abuse another. Today we can see among teens that majority of them have long hair and wear printed t-shirts of their favourite rock star. Like in India t-shirts of Kurt Cobain, Bob Marley, Linkin Park, Eminem etc. are very popular among urban teens.

Drugs use was often a huge part of the rock music lifestyle. Rock music also espoused the use of marijuana. Reggae singer of 70's, Bob Marley popularized the use of marijuana in his famous song “smoke two joints�. Even in many colleges and universities in India one can find students smoking joints, marijuana is mostly smoked in a joint. This experiment is now internationally recognised and practised everywhere in the world.

Marijuana is very common among youth because they believe taking marijuana affects and stimulates thinking and leads to a philosophic, positive life attitude. It causes a euphoric feeling. The use of marijuana was not the worst; the mass distribution of LSD, a recreational drug came next.

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Special Edition

Corridors of Cultures This article was written by Milind. This article featured in the magazine in April 2006.

any of us have seen or heard, perhaps imagined in our mind about the puzzle of corridors where, several corridors intermingle with each other.

One of them crosses another, two or three of them enter a big one, and then get locked.

Few of them go side by side and end in nowhere. All of the corridors have their own significance; make their impact on one another. You may find a best example of it in the Imambara of Lucknow.

But, here I wish to talk about cultural corridors. These are corridors on which people travel, on their way to reach the places where they may get their desires fulfilled through spiritualism. The unknown god becomes mortal and mundane. The divinity is derived through age-old customs and traditions. So subtle and delicate is this art of walking on these corridors that if a little vitality is lost you are going to lose a big chunk of spiritualism.

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I remember such a place I had visited many years ago. I was present in one of the shrines on a very ordinary afternoon. It was the mazaar (grave) of Hazrat Nizam-ud-din Aulia, a great Sufi of thirteenth century. The corridor on which I was walking was neither very busy nor too calm. Since long several masters of their arts had come along this corridor and they have cut various slices from various beautiful cultures. They would walk briskly and they would rest in shade.

They would never be very busy and never be workless. I too was following suit, enjoying my struggle to catch the cocktail of traditions and cultures. This cocktail was a mixture of beautiful traditions found in the far-flung nooks of our beloved country. I thank those talented masters, for their effort made my journey easy. At length my corridor ended in a courtyard – I sat beside a wall. In front of me 'Qawwals' were singing. It was their daily duty. I closed my eyes and heard them –

In India there are numerous places, which are either a place of worship of a particular religion or a religious preacher's private religious asset. Even then a large number of God-fearing people are seen there all the time. These places can be mazaars (graves) of Sufis or babas or, red and black stones called 'Manokamna Devi's (Goddess who grants wishes). Also, it can be a very sacred tree, which has many pieces of clothes tied to its branches signifying wishes. One can find a web of corridors coming from all the directions towards these places, carrying hundreds of men and women. This is atypical part of Indian culture.

Mera haath dekh kar bata de birahmana Mera yaar mujh se milega kab Tere munh se nikle khuda kare Isi manh mein isi saal mein (O! priest look in my hand and tell me when I will get my beloved. For God sake this will happen in this month this year) I opened my eyes only to see different kinds of women flying like bees. They were in large numbers. No doubt, like mine their corridors too had ended in the same courtyard. There were several groups of women because women are bearers of cultures and 11

traditions; they are regular walkers in the corridors of cultures. For me philosophically they were women but what they were physically I don't know. I say this because

in the courtyard. As legend has it, they are travelling through very long corridor but alas they go nowhere. They have remained in the same courtyard. Although their corridor

only word woman was left there with all the delicate and slow and curious behaviors.

Some behaviours were old and some were youthful. And you know that the behaviours are felt, not seen. My feelings were enhanced by the 'qawwali' –

possesses several windows, showing them artifices of spiritualism. But the entire opening possessed by the corridor leads them to the same place where I was listening to the 'qawwali'. These men are called “Mujavirs” (caretakers of Muslim shrine).

They boasted about their blessed lineage.

Chashme masti ajabe Zulf darazi ajabe…..

The most beautiful and well-bred mujavirs (Drunken eyes are wonderful, long hairs are would attend to the most elegant ladies. wonderful….)

These ladies were coming through some other set of corridors, which join the big There were some tall and beautiful, clean corridor of traditionalism, and modernism shaven men, clad in Turkish caps and long where women do not need to ask which way white kurtas. They were spread like bubbles the corridor is turning from their husbands.

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They can easily go to the shrine without asking or taking any help. Married women were leading the unmarried ones, though they knew that next generation is more wellinformed than theirs. And, those young women covered their heads with dupattas, they were clutching themselves in their long clothes, they followed their co walkers. They had little or no idea about the benefits of touching the brim of the door of the mazaar or the corner of cloth put on the mazaar.

There were some high level attendants who had big registers. They were wrapped in a kind of green cloth. These men were leading these women to the door of the mazaar and asking the elder women to fetch few bunches of flowers and a pack of agarbattis (fragrant sticks). The women were doing so.

After a close inspection I found out that these rituals were being done for the future prospects of those young ladies. And the young ladies in question were either, whispering in each other's ears or laughing while, keeping their mouths shut with the help of handkerchief.

In far end of the courtyard I found some small & congested corridors, which very rarely reach destinations, because they are lopped off in the path. These corridors make ways for the poor & huddled sick men, who jump from these corridors to those shrines.

They were in large numbers too. Only touching the mazaar was not enough for them. Their relatives had to pay in currency or kind to get small square piece of green cloth called 'Taveez'. These taveezor amulets would show their divine power when people tie them on their arms or hang them from their neck.

I was calm and still. A sentence passed through my mind – how easily they crossed their corridors and came down to this congested corridor. They could hardly travel from one essence of philosophy to another

but they can come to this shrine. They are in urgent need of a helping hand of any kind; perhaps they assume that a spiritual one would be best solution for all their chronic and fatal problems.

Finally, I saw the ideal middle class Indian women. They are the one who care most for the rites and rituals. It's very hard to weaken their beliefs. Between that hustle and bustle I could find those half pensive half happy faces.

Most of them were with their father or their husbands. They had come through the corridors of a very distant and old culture.

They were poor and unaware. They were neither Hindus nor Muslims, just that they were needy. Their needs (as I could guess) varied from the desire for a tubby and healthy child to a suitable match for daughters. The mujavirs recited them the entire particulars about the rituals they had to perform. And no doubt, their orders were strictly followed. After all their remunerations were paid instantly without delay.

When I was about to leave the sanctum sanctorum, took my sleepers in my hands, qawwals changed the tune and recited in high pitched voiceChashme masti ajabe Zulf darazi ajabe‌..

(I had come with ill fate and ruined, I will go flourished and prosperous) They were singing it to light a small lamp in every corridor, to make the path easy. I watchfully walked through the mess of the corridors wondering one day every corridor will carry those travelers who had found their real path.

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Special Edition

Humanity This article was written by one of the founder member of SAMAR, Faroghe Azzam. This article featured in the magazine in January 2007.

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ational anthems have been written by poets or composers to create patriotic feelings among the citizen. However, the sentiments of national anthem vary, from prayers for the monarch to references to nationally important battles or revolts (“The Star-Spangled Banner,” United States; “La Marseillaise,” France) to expressions of patriotic feeling (“O Canada”). The national anthem of England “God Save the Queen” or “Jana Gana Mana” of India, none talks about humanism. From feudalism to socialism, from capitalism to communism, none of the economic systems have succeeded in maintaining peace. Humanity has seen different social systems and in spite of this, has somehow managed to survive. This world of ours has seen many number of wars and oceans have tasted blood. Enemy is categorised on various grounds like religion, origin, colour, caste, and creed. But, one thing is common in all of them and that it is always human. Every nation is worried about their identity and in this the identity of humanity is losing its existence.

However, a completely different story takes place in the history of Hindustani music where, we see that a Hindu singer used to take inspiration from a Muslim singer. What is the source of this story?. The famous singer of Indore, Sri Gurukulatasvya Maharaj ji used to practice his music in front of a statue of a Muslim singer, Ustad Amir Khan.

Maharaj ji was a Brahman and even a priest of a temple, still he used to serve god through his music. Here religion does not even matter.

In India, people who play politics on the basis of religion have no real interest in religion. They have their own hidden political motives. They hijack religion and twist and turn the basics of religion to increase their vote banks. Recently, a right wing party raised a slogan that those who do not sing “Vande Mataram” are not Indian. Vande Mataram means motherland is above all but for Muslims, their religion says that nothing is above God and he is the most supreme and at the same time, Islam says that one who does not respect his motherland is not a perfect Muslim. Then the question arises, Secularism replaced religious authority and why some people wants them to prove themselves Indian by saying Vande with time major interest of the age shifted from religion to politics. Now politics is mixed Mataram. Even some Muslims hijack Islam and interpret it in their own way, targeting with religion. While turning the pages of people for their own hidden motives. history we see the massacre of Jews, communists, socialists and even artists, In every age, we see conflicts among philosophers and professors in Nazi Germany. Even now, we see the same in the people. Subject of fight may vary. In history, we see many battles between the kingdoms massacre of Muslims in Gujarat when of same religion, Christians invading people brutally raped women and killed Christian, Muslims ruining Mosques and children on the basis of their religion.

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Hindus ruining Temples. In the medieval age, many Muslim rulers had destroyed mosques and many Hindus had destroyed temples. Gaznavi once asked approval of Sultan to cross Multan to enter India and the Sultan rejected the proposal. Source of these historical events need to be mentioned and cross-checked for correctness of information.Ghaznavi got angry and attacked Multan and in the battle, Ghaznavirazed the Jama Masjid (Mosque) of Multan. Likewise, the Maratha Sena attacked Tipu Sultan in Mysore, the war ended with no result and the frustrated Marathas razed a Hindu temple to aware. What does the writer intend here by use of the word awaring? Tipu Sultan. In the medieval age, battles occurred for wealth and property. Before independence, Muslims and Hindus together fought against the British. But immediately after the independence, conflict between Hindus and Muslims started happening.

From that time onwards, we see politics being done on the basis of religion.

something happens in a place far from us we don't care, but when it happens to us we blame the system and the government.

System is something that has been created by the people. So directly or indirectly, people are at fault. Humanity is targeted every time due to lack of concern or awareness. We know how many fundamental rights are bestowed upon us but we do not know anything about our fundamental duties. This again proves lack of responsibility on the part of citizens.

Youth are essential part of this system. In this era of globalisation, we see youth are more career oriented. Major part of their life goes in building a good career. This does not mean that the youth of this country do not have any social responsibilities. Each day we kill our sensitivity and try to make ourselves more professional. The same youth of the country who will run the system in future. However, a very small percentage of youth are social oriented while, rest are in the spider web of mobile age. Humanity is in Social system of today is in a terrible trouble and it demands the youth of this condition. Humanity is again under attack. A country to be more sensitive and aware of system of hatred has been established in the problems of the society. society. A Hindu hates a Muslim because he is not a Hindu and Muslim does the same for With time, people are becoming more a Hindu. What is wrong and who is wrong, insensitive. This is a threat to humanity and religion or the people? No, people are not this world cannot survive without humanity. wrong and neither is the religion. What is So the need of the hour is to revive humanity wrong is the system, a system where a and a small step in this direction would be feeling of terror, hatred and insecurity exists take make the youth of this country more among the people. Now the question arises, sensitive to the problems and inequalities do we want a better society? When spread in the society.

~~“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.�

Albert Einstein 15

Special Edition

Poets of The World This article was written by Milind. This article featured in the magazine in August 2006.

W

henever I read and recite the poems of Kabir, I feel a sensational effect on my mind and soul. He reveals innermost beauty of the creation and creator which is hidden under seven beautiful curtains. When he says – Laali mere laal ki jit dekho tit laal Laali dekhan main gayee main bhi ho gayi laal

say 1518. He was born in a small place called Maghar near Banaras. The legend has it, that he was found amongst water lilies in a small stream and a person called Neeru, took the child with himself. He became Kabir's father and his wife Nima became his mother. Neeru and Nima were poor weavers belonging to a modest sub caste of Muslims.

They took the child to a nearby mosque, where a maulana gave the name Kabir to the child which meant “the great”. Some overenthusiastic people tell other stories about the circumstances related to his birth and death but we as simple humans (and nothing else) can discard all the fanatic stories about Kabir because Kabir himself discarded anything fantasy about his life, his upbringing his education, his death. He says – Masi kagad, chhuo kalam gahi nahin haath

Kabir

(Colour of my beloved is spread all over the sight, when I tried to observe it, too get coloured in the same colour) Listening to this, you will sink in the place where you are sitting, and you will flow to some unknown destination where you will find inexplicable and unexplored beauties.

And no doubt when you'll return back, you too have become a beautiful soul.

Kabir as some historian say was born in 1398 and some say 1440 is the actual year of his birth. The same confusions are about the day on which he left for his final abode.

Some people say it was in 1495 and some

(I've never touched pen and paper) Main kahta hoon aankhon dekhi tu kahta hai kagad ki lekhi (I say what I feel and observe and you say what you read in books.)

Simply put, he was a purist. He was illiterate but observed, meditated and got everything what other big scholars could not get. But still people make stories about him, which are not compatible with his teachings. Some people say that Kabir was a son of an unwedded Brahman woman. She left him in a pond due to fear of society. Some say he was incarnation of Prahlad or any other god 16

living in the heaven. Sadly Kabir never boasted anything divine about himself because he practiced the tenets of unity and harmony among humans, which he professed too. He was a simple human being who developed himself into a beautiful soul.

Slowly with time he grew up with the teachings he got from his parents and guardians and started helping in family vocation of weaving clothes. He was an industrious person, so many a times he would get so immersed in his work, losing track of time too. In later years, he exchanged glances with his vocation too. He created verses, which are reminiscent of his love for his occupation and so he says – Jheeni jheeni beeni chadariya So chdar nar muni odhin Odh ke maili keeni chadariya Das Kabir jatan se odhin Jyon ke tyon dhar dini chadariya (The blanket has been woven with ultra delicacy and softness. The sage and the priest used this blanket but they made it dirty. The poor Kabir also used the same blanket; he kept it as it was given to him.)

over north India. The delicacy Kabir prepared was not only delicious but rare too. It was easily digestible for all the men and women folk living in his vicinity. He used Sufi concept and words like – khaliq, dozakh, bahisht, Muhammad, peer, qalander, mast, sharab as well as local traditional concepts like – bhahiya, dulha, barat, shehnai, birahni, maya, sawan, barat, kailash, brahma, and gave his first and foremost message that love is the most important work and goal of life for all the human beings – Pothi padhi padhi jab mue pandit bhaya na koi Dhai akhar prem ka padhe so pandit hoyee (The whole world is reading heavy books but even a single person could not become a sage. But the one who earns the small word of love become the master instantaneously.)

He professed that you acquire all the knowledge of this world or you learn the lesson of love, both the things are equal. He must have written this magnificent couplet after pondering and contemplating over the beauties of this world for many long years.

Ramanand taught him about brahman, alaukikprem, the relation between god and One can imagine how an illiterate weaver his creator. Kabir learnt tasawwuf and ideas was getting lessons of spiritualism through of ishq from Sufis, the only difference was the threads of blanket. Kabir was a reckless, that in Sufism, God the beloved is a beautiful insincere young man. He would roam here woman who attract humans with her various and there in search of nothing. One day he naaz – adea while in kabir's philosophy of met a sage called Ramanand. He was love – god is lover and human soul is the master of ancient Indian philosophy. He was woman who is weeping and writhing in said to be one who prophesied about agony of separation. vishisht adwaitwad – an off shoot of adwaitwad. He gave all his knowledge to Sawani chot birah ki sab tan jar jar hoi Kabir. Kabir was a village man, brought up in Maranhara jani hai ki jinhi laagi soi an environment of traditions and cultures of north Indian village. What he leant from (The pain of separation is so severe that Ramanand and from his environment, was whole body gets decapitated; two persons mixed up with spice of Sufism brought by only can understand the intensity of the Muslim Sufis who had already spread all agony, the one who has got the pain and the 17

one who has delivered the pain)

(O gentleman, see the world has got mad, I say truth but they run to beat me and believe the fake. I have seen a lot of religious people The day when she will meet with her beloved, all the impurity of soul will be wiped who follow the strict routine, bath early in the morning but leaving their soul to worship a out in the freshness of meeting— stone. I have seen a lot of Muslim leaders Daag sab chhuti hai jab saaheb milihi jayen. who read Quran and preach to worship the grave. O, gentleman none of them is the true love of god) (All the blots will be removed when my beloved will meet me) This kind of poetry drew downtrodden people This sounds something, which has a sense in masses towards Kabir. But he also invited of finality also. When you have suffered a lot problems for himself from the side of rulers in your life as you suffer in love, you will be of the time. He was beaten, defamed, thrown honoured to get peace while all of your out of sight but he remained calm and cool. sufferings are exchanged with supreme With the passage of time, his teaching happiness as it happens when you meet spread all over north India and it became with your beloved. This is the final stage virtually impossible for the establishment to after that nothing is needed; even a sense of stop people from visiting Kabir. He raised need disappears. The demarcation between serious philosophical questions among his life and death, sleep and awakening, sorrow people. and merry fades out.

Kabira khara bazaar mein, liye lakuti haath He believed in no shape and description of Jo ghar jaare aapne chale mere saath God. He felt sensitivity and asked others to sense it. He did no prophesy about God's (Kabir is ready to start his journey and calls immense power and criticized all the rites people to come with him but only those and rituals, which dilute the relation between people will come who have already burnt God and his creation. His remarkable their houses) criticisms were like hammers on the religious bigotry of his time and are still haunting and He asked truth seekers to come and fellow reminding us with full measure in our time. the path of truth. But before that you have to He says— burn all the knowledge you have acquired, Sadhu dekho jag baurana because truth will be very ruthless in piercing Sanchi kaho to maran dhawe your knowledge bank. The basic idea is that you have to reform yourself; you have to pick Jhoote jag patiyana and throw out your inner sins like ego, Bahute dekhi nemi dharmi sexual aberrations, greed, emotional Praat kare asnana weakness etc. then only a pure love erupts Atam chari pashan puje and resides inside you. He says – Thotha unka gyana.

Prem na kheto upje, prem na haat bikay Bahute dekhe peer auliya Raja parja jehi ruche, sir ko de so le jaye Parhe kitab kurana.

Kare mureed batlawe kabar (Love is not produced in field, nor is it sold in Unhun khuda na jaana. market whether he is king or common, one Kahe Kabir sun bhai sadhu, who gives his head can take love with him) Dono mein kou na dewana.

18

Or, Tera jaan, ek Aandh hai koi kaam krodh aru lobh vivarjit, haripad chinhai soi.

poem you'll find in the Hindi syllabi of Std One to M.A.; he has said something which is understandable to everybody. A child can learn and recite –

(The person who sheds down, anger, greed, Aisi bani boliye man ka appa khoye lust, will walk on the path of God) Auron ko seetal kare aaphoon seetal hoye As Kabir became more and more popular so did his poetry but he did not ask people to practice hard and rigid rules of religion but to make themself pure and simple, thus achieving the goal of life. The cleansing of inner impurity is more important than offering prayers in mosque and pilgrimage to kailash or ka'ba. He says— Mala pherat jag bhega phira na manka pher Karka manka dari de manka manka pher (Counting the beads of rosary do not wipes impurity in mind, leave the rosary of hand and take the rosary of mind) On other occasion, he says Na main dewal na main Masjid na main ka'be kailas mein dhoondhi hauin to turthi mili haun palbhar ki talas mein (I do not reside in temples nor in mosque, neither I live in ka'aba nor in kailash. if you have will to search will you get me in seconds) His popularity was not only wide but deep too. The parameter of depth is that even today village folks in north India sing his couplets with a sweet voice. If you'll ask them what you are singing, they will say its nirgun or chaupai. They know what is sabadsakhi, ramaini but perhaps they do not know who had composed them because these poems are travelling for seven hundred years only through a heart to heart communication. Kabir's poetry has become the poetry of masses. Another parameter can be cited that Kabir is the poet whose

(Talk such language which wipes disappointment from heart. Others get peace and you too get peace) Scholars can read and discuss – Kheh bhaya to kya bhaaya, udi udi lago ang Harijan aisa chahiye jyun pani sabrang (Even if you become so modest like dirt of a road, it flies and makes people's cloth dirty.

So a noble man should become like water which has no colour of its own) Kabir died in 1495 (not definite) in Maghar.

He lived the whole of his life in the city of Banaras but when his last time came, he migrated again to his birthplace maghar.

Only, to show his followers that dying in kashi is no divine. If you have done good things in life you'll get moksha anyhow, whether you die on bed of roses or on bed of spears. Even after his death people started quarreling with each other for the performance of the last rituals of Kabir.

His life is also a teaching which at the same time talks about melancholy tone and merry carols both. He for whole of his life by setting examples taught people about living a noble life. It pained him when he saw society is not listening to his words and therefore he says Sukhiya sab sansar hai khaye aur soye Dhukhiya das Kabir hai jaage aur roye It seemed to me that he is asking the God to give him all the pains which are due to those ignorant people, whom he was showing light.

Anybody like me can't forget Kabir once he meets him in a moonlit night.

19

Special Edition

Code of Conduct This article was written by Shahbaz who is currently pursuing Engineering. This article featured in the magazine in April 2006.

I

n our daily life, we respect and like those people who display qualities of good conduct such as control over their tongue, cheerfulness, tolerance, avoid unnecessary criticism and complaining, aims at integrity in life. A person may have achieved high academic distinction but if he does not behave with politeness, courtesy and gentleness, nobody likes him.

tongue is the medium through which one express what one feels within oneself.

Control of mind means a calm mind; that means courage to face the difficulties of life without fear. Lord Chesterfield used to say that it is only the man of good conduct who can make real progress in life. Shakespeare said, “Mind is at its own place and in itself can make a heaven of hell or hell of heaven”.

While trying to control the mind, we must Our young friends, who are preparing for bear the difficulties and remember that all high positions and posts of responsibility, evils are transitory. In this situation our duty must bear that without good conduct they is to be always cheerful as no one likes to wouldn't succeed as an excellent employee. live with a person with a funereal look and We should remember that good conduct is irritable temperament. More you control your the gold standard of life. The major factor for mind, more you believe in yourself. good conduct is the control over one's mind.

There is no doubt that the mind is an A sage had once said that to start a spiritual unstable commodity and is just as difficult to life, you must bring thought, speech and control as the air, but it can be brought under action in one line. After that, your mind control and made to behave through becomes peaceful and then you travel constant effort. Serious contemplation beautiful terrains and valleys. You become creates control on nerves and, one who has calm, you throw aberrations from your control on his nerves has control on his characters. Friends, such small things have tongue, his actions, his deeds, and his such long lasting repercussions. You can try thoughts. Control of mind means control your best to get control on your nerves today overone's tongue and thought. It is more and you can eat the fruits for the whole life. important to control the thoughts, as the 1

~~“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

Pablo Piccaso 20

Special Edition

Human Horses This article was written by one of the founder member of SAMAR, Faroghe Azzam.This article featured in the magazine in Feburary 2006.

D

id you know that the 'hand-pulled rickshaw' was designed in the year 1870? A design that consists of a light wooden cart supported with large wooden wheels. It was probably invented for the purpose of transporting the royals. It was in 1914 that the hand-pulled rickshaws were introduced on the streets of Calcutta as Kolkata was known then.The rickshaw pullers on the busy city streets that we see; most of them are migrants from Bihar. The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya announced a ban on these meaningless and degrading means of livelihood. Will this solve the actual problem?

There are around 25000 'human horses' that run on the streets of Kolkata on any given day. After all, isn't it time that the human horses experienced real freedom, about 58 years too late after the British rulers left

Indian shores? It is a fact well known that these men carry other human beings for earning a few rupees, in the process they lend their bodies to an unnatural form of exploitation. Kolkata - most densely populated city of India - experiences enough toxic gas and pollutants to choke the lungs of these rickshaw pullers, who have to compete with buses, trams, cars, and scooters for their place on the streets. The Chief Minister plans to bring cycle-rickshaws or motorized auto-rickshaws in place of the hand-pulled variant. Along with the uneasy inequity of man pulling man, these rickshaws today, deserve a place in the Calcutta Museum, not on the roads. After all, isn't it time that the human horses experience real freedom, 58 years after the British rulers left Indian shores?

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Special Edition

Facts for You Parliament Session This article featured in the magazine in April 2006.

I

t costs around 1.23 crore rupees to run a session of the parliament which, according to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, implies that every minute of the session costs the exchequer a little over Rs 23,000.

But how often, do the front pages of newspapers reflect what's going on inside the Parliament where a huge amount of the taxpayer's money is being used every day?

What are elected members of the lower and the upper house discussing? What new policies are taking shape? And, what issues of national importance are being thrashed out between the Government and the Opposition? People do have a right to know. Media cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the proceedings of the sanctum sanctorum of our democracy. It is time the Indian media behaved more maturely and accorded due respect to the parliament and its proceedings.

Much Ado About Mars This article featured in the magazine in April 2006.

M

ars is called the red planet as it is covered with dust, leaving the planet with a red looking hue, which makes it appear as red. Mars has been named after a Roman God Mars.

A day on Mars (24 hours 37 minutes) is almost the same length as a day on earth but a year on Mars(669 days) is almost twice that of Earth.

The gravity on Mars is 1/5 that of Earth. The Earth has one Moon while Mars has two, Phobos and Deimos named after the Noss that pulled the chariot of the Roman God Mars. The study of martian geology is called Avesology. The rocks on Mars have been named after cartoon characters including Bamale Bill and Scooby Doo.

~~“Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people.�

Nelson Mandela 22

Some Recollections

Special Edition

Beautiful days This article was written by Samreen Fatima. This article featured in the magazine in April 2006.

o

ne Saturday morning, I was taking a walk in the park. The sky was clear, the sun was rising in between the hills, the bird were flying in the sky, it was a beautiful morning and the park was surrounded by the beautiful sights of nature.

I was in Mumbai, spending my holidays. I was taking in the fresh air when suddenly I saw a big crowd and I was surprised to see that the shooting of a film was going. David Dhawan was directing the film and there was a splendid scene of the movie, which was going to be shot in that park. I was shocked to see my favorite film stars so close. The film stars were Preity Zinta, Isha Sherwani, John Abraham, Shahrukh Khan & Siddharth Singhania. The name of the

movie was Beautiful Day. The film stars were giving Autograph to their fans. So, I rushed quickly to take the autograph of my favourite co-stars. The film stars were ready to take their shots. As I went nearer the director called me; and I acted clumsily when he offered me a small role in his movie. Though, due to the excitement of acting with my favourite film stars, I didn't act thoroughly.

The director was not happy with my performance so, he chose another person from the crowd for that role. She did a great job and everybody appreciated her for her performance. There I was, standing far from the crowd, tears in my eyes and with that sad face, I went back home. So, this was best day as well as the worst day of my life.

~~“ You must not lose faith in humanity.

Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.�

Mahatma Gandhi 23

Some Recollections

Special Edition

Apathy This article was written by Shahbaz who is currently pursuing Engineering. This article featured in the magazine in April 2006.

O

ne Saturday morning, I was walking in the park. It is my daily routine to go for a morning walk. It was nearly midst of January, a damp and cold morning.

It was a holiday in my school. So, I hardly took note of time that I had been there. It must have been around 8:15 am. The sun was peeping from northeast corner of the sky. The park was full of young and old people. I was already tired of walking so finally, decided to rest on a wooden bench in the park. I was busy having a glimpse of activities like touching nose with toes, jumping on knees like frog happening in the park. While looking here and there my eyes stuck to northwest corner of the park. I saw another aspect of the park. For few seconds, I looked on those rich fellows and him alternatively. There was a marked contrast; I marched towards him. He was a teenager of nearly 15-16 years of age. He was shivering due to cold as he was wearing only a torn half trouser and a dirty vest. I asked the reason for his lying there. He told me that he worked as a servant of a proud and rich businessman. He was treated badly by his employer and had been thrown out of his

master's house just because he dared to touch books of his master's son. Since then he had been lying there and at night had slept under a tree. A gentleman gave him a shawl, which was carried away by another gentleman. I offered him some biscuits, which he snatched from my hand as if I was going to take back by offer. I asked him to come with me. He looked at my face with suspicion. I repeated but he refused saying that I will beat him for silly mistakes and not give him proper food. I urged him a lot but all in vain. I had spent a few minutes talking to him and while returning, I offered him some money, which was accepted by him. I looked at myself and thought that he was more in need than me of a jacket that I was wearing.

I took it off and asked him to wear that. He was very happy. I returned back.

The whole night, I kept thinking about him.

He was born the same as me; God is there for both of us. But why, I was here and he was there? It was fate or inhumanity? Next morning while reading the newspaper, I saw a news item whose title read, “ A teen dies in city park”.

~~“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries.

Without them humanity cannot survive.”

Dalai Lama 24

Special Edition

The Truth Behind Doctors This article featured in the magazine in August 2006.

H

Another incident I remember is of a famous dental hospital of Patna. This is a place where people are supposed to be treated free of cost. I had to visit it once. After waiting for four hours, my sister and I were attended finally. But there was an old man with his young son, I was told, that he was waiting since morning. They were poor villagers and even didn't know how to speak All of us have gone through experiences of proper Hindi. The boy had some severe problem. He was crying bitterly but nobody pain and agonies and all of us have visited cared to attend them. Once or twice, when doctors at least for once. Yours truly, too hashad some experience of visiting doctors. the father dared to go towards the cabin of In my life there have been many occasions, dentist, they treated him as if he were a dog.

We were done in few minutes and had to which have revealed the darker side of leave but I still don't know if he was ever doctors to me. I narrate them one by one attended. here. ere, I am going to share some of my experiences about doctors ,the one who save our lives. Sometimes, I think of them as lifebuoys and sometimes, I think they are only interested in making money and are rank opportunists. Well, there may exist differing opinions of different people about doctors.

Once when I was a child, I was playing on a fine soothing evening in Sharif colony of Patna. While enjoying the game of hide and seek with my friends I saw a lady crying bitterly. I asked her the reason. She told me that her husband had been thrown out of the hospital because she had no money to pay the prescribed fees of the doctors. The patient needed an urgent operation. I asked my parents and neighbours to help. They helped but the amount wasn't enough. The doctors and the hospital didn't show any mercy. Due to lack of proper medical attention he died. The lady (his wife) committed suicide. She jumped from the top of the same hospital. On questioning the doctor, he said “I can't go on helping every person, if I do that soon I'll be one of them who beg for medical attention”. He walked away.

Third instance related to a famous orthopedic hospital. This is one of the best hospitals in Bihar. I was admitted in this hospital for the treatment of my old disease.

It was indeed very costly affair. But as phrase goes –“no money, no care”. I saw patients lying outside the hospital in the rainy season. They weren't even allowed to take drinking water from the hospital. I remembered, one day when we, by mistake ordered an extra plate of lunch. My mother called Akka (one who cleans the floors, etc.) to take it but suddenly a nurse came. She scolded the Akka and told us that we couldn't give food to them. Akka ran away from there and the food was ultimately thrown in the dustbin.

These are a few incidents where some doctors never cared for the poor but there is 25

another set of doctors. These are the ones who obtain fake degrees and then due to these fake doctors, also called as quacks, both rich and poor patients suffer for no fault of theirs. The status of patients is not a qualification in suffering. Not only that there is a nexus created by doctors and medical care homes, they will ask you to run from one place to another for numerous kind of tests and treatment. Even if you have a very simple disease like nausea it will get translated into a big disease, having big and horrifying names. Since you know nothing about medical science, you will bend on your knees and beg to the doctors; please cure

me. This is the big drama they are playing to make money.

Yes, people suffer, they do. I can say that because I am one of the victims. I met an accident at the age of six, in which I got multiple fractures and I fell in the trap of a quack and things went horribly wrong from there. But, I thank God because it was my hand. Had it been my leg; then the story would have been very different.

I call upon doctors and I request them to remember their Hippocratic Oath; to listen to the call of their duty because answering their duty to ease suffering is to do work in line of God.

~~“What is tolerance?

It is the consequence of humanity.

We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly that is the first law of nature.�

Voltaire

26

Book Review

Special Edition

Animal Farm

This review was written by one of the founder member of SAMAR, Faroghe Azzam. This article featured in the magazine in April 2006.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR George Orwell (1903-1950) whose real name was Eric Arthur Blair, was born in 1903 in Motihari, Bengal, India. Richard Walmesley Blair was his father, a civil servant for the British government. In 1904 Orwell moved with his mother and sister to England where he remained until 1922. He began to write at an early age and was even published in college periodicals but he did not enjoy school.

Orwell failed to achieve a university scholarship and without the opportunity to continue his education, he went to Burma and served in the administration of the Indian Imperial Police from 1922 to 1927.It was when he resigned, in part due to his growing dislike of British imperialism, a dislike he vocalized in his essays Shooting an Elephant (1950), and A Hanging (1931).

from 1943 to 1945. It was toward the end of the war that he wrote Animal Farm, and when it was over he moved to Scotland.

It was Animal Farm that made finally Orwell wealthy. His other worldwide success was Nineteen Eighty-Four, which Orwell said was written, "To alter other people's idea of the kind of society they should strive after."

Sadly Orwell never lived to see how successful it would become. He died of tuberculosis in London on January 21, 1950.

BACKGROUND

"Animal Farm� was the first book in which I tried, with full consciousness of what I was doing, to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole." - George Orwell, "Why I Write".

George Orwell--novelist, journalist, and critic-is one of the best-known political writers of the 20th Century. In today's world, should a During the1930s, Orwell had adopted the views of a socialist and travelled to Spain to person's position in society be determined by wealth, power and education alone? In report on their civil war. He took the side of the United Workers Marxist Party militia and Animal Farm, George Orwell examines this question by paralleling the way society fought alongside them, which led to him functions with a fictitious farm governed by being wounded in the neck. It was this war animals. By using the different animals as that made him hate communism in favor of the English brand of socialism. Orwell wrote the people in society, he seeks to show the reader how people are positioned within a book on Spain, Homage to Catalonia, society. which was published in 1938.

Of all Orwell's writing, Animal Farm (1945) During the Second World War, Orwell served has inspired a particularly strong response.

Though the short animal fable has an as a sergeant in the Home Guard and also worked as a journalist for the BBC, Observer elegantly simple plot, it is also a multilayered story of the early history of Soviet and Tribune, where he was literary editor 27

Russia and its leader, Joseph Stalin. The novel's pointed politics have earned it enduring notice in the years since it was published, especially during the Cold War when political tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union made critiques of Russia and communism especially welcome.

the farm properly after a night of excessive whisky drinking. Old Major, the venerable and well-respected pig, has called all the animals together for a meeting to take place after Mr. Jones has gone to bed, and they gather outside the big barn on the farm. Old Major tells them all that he had a miraculous dream last night, in which he saw his approaching death, and also understood THE STORY more clearly the life of animals. He wants to impart his realizations to the rest of the Animal Farm is set on an English farm animals while he still can, as well as rouse named Manor Farm, owned by Mr. Jones. them to take the action that he has come to The fable-like story concerns the rebellion of feel is necessary. the farm animals, and is told entirely from their point of view. The story opens with Mr. Old Major points out to the animals that the Jones stumbling into bed, unable to lock up cause of their miserable existence is the 28

dictatorship of Man, who is a lazy, incompetent creature, who steals the fruits of animals' labour for his own benefit. Old Major describes his vision of an England where animals could live in peaceful and plentiful coexistence with each other, free from the cruel tyranny of Man. He exhorts the animals to band together to defeat their common enemy, and teaches them all "Beasts of England," the song which becomes their revolutionary anthem and battle cry. The animals are greatly moved by Old Major's speech, and rally around the rebellion idea, singing "Beasts of England" until Mr. Jones is roused from his sleep and fires a shot into the air, quieting the animals to sleep.

over the farm to examine their property, and celebrate with extra rations of food. The next morning, Snowball repaints the sign reading "Manor Farm" to say "Animal Farm�.

The cows by this time need milking, so the pigs manage to milk them. Several of the animals want some of the milk for themselves, but Napoleon distracts them, saying that they have more important things to attend to and that he will take care of it.

Later that day, the animals notice that the milk had disappeared.

The Animalism regime begins very promisingly, with all the animals working industriously to improve the farm, and enjoying the feeling of self-governance and "animal pride" which their regime produces.

Three days later, Old Major dies and is The animals observe a flag-raising ritual on buried. His revolutionary passion lives on, Sundays, which is a day of rest for them. and the animals begin to flesh in the Snowball forms an array of committees revolutionary ideology with which they will aimed at social improvements, education, overthrow Mr. Jones. Two of the pigs, training, and the like. The education program Snowball and Napoleon, emerge as the achieves the greatest success. Boxer the leaders of the animals. Another pig named horse becomes the most admired of all the Squealer is also prominent for his animals for his zealous devotion to the cause persuasive speaking ability. These three pigs and his personal motto "I will work harder". create a system of tenets and name it After the discovery that the stupider animals "Animalism," and begin imparting it to the could not learn the Seven Commandments, rest of the animals, often simplifying and Snowball reduces the tenets down to the slowly reasoning with the less-intelligent maxim "Four legs good, two legs bad," which animals such as the Sheep, or the frivolous even the sheep can memorize, and bleat for animals, like Mollie the white mare. hours on end. After the apple harvest, the pigs announce that they will reserve all the Revolution comes earlier than anyone apples and milk for themselves, to fuel their expected, when Mr. Jones gets so drunk that strenuous efforts to manage the farm. The he is unable to go feed the animals. After a other animals reluctantly acquiesce. day and a half without food, the hungry animals finally riot and break into the feeding News of the rebellion at Animal Farm area themselves, prompting Mr. Jones and spreads quickly to the rest of the animals in his field hands to come outside. The animals England, all of whom learn the words to attack them with a vengeance, and the men "Beasts of England". Mr. Jones gathers flee, leaving Manor Farm to the animals. some townsmen and attempts to reclaim his Mrs. Jones wakes up during the commotion, farm, but the animals successfully defend it. and when she discovers what has Snowball and Boxer are given medals for happened, she runs off with a suitcase of their courageous fighting. Soon thereafter, clothes herself. The animals rejoice, walking Mollie runs off, to work pulling a dogcart for a 29

man who feeds her sugar lumps, and she is never spoken of again. When winter comes, Snowball begins talking of a plan to build a windmill to increase the productivity of the farm. Napoleon, who by this time disagrees with Snowball about almost everything, is bitterly opposed, and the animals become divided into two camps of supporters. During a debate, Napoleon whistles for nine large dogs that he has trained, and they attack Snowball and drive him off the farm.

Napoleon becomes the single leader of the animals, and announces that they will go through with the windmill scheme after all.

The animals begin working like slaves to complete the harvest and build the windmill.

When Napoleon announces that Animal Farm will begin trading with the men who run nearby farms, the animals think they remember Old Major speaking against evil human habits such as trade. Squealer convinces the animals that they are only imagining it. The pigs then move into the farmhouse, and Squealer again convinces that animals that they are only imagining the earlier rules against sleeping in beds. Some of the animals go to check the Fourth Commandment, and discover that it now reads, "No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets". The windmill is destroyed in a storm, and Napoleon blames it on Snowball, and places a reward on his head.

A hard winter comes, and the animals face near-starvation. Napoleon announces that the hens will have to give up their eggs to be sold for money to buy grain. The hens refuse at first, but Napoleon cuts off their food rations until they relent, after nine of them have died from starvation. Soon after, Napoleon announces that an attempted rebellion has been discovered, and has several of the farm animals executed. The remaining animals react with fear and horror, and huddle around Clover the mare for comfort. She reminds them of Old Major's glorious speech and leads them all in "Beast

of England," which prompts Napoleon to forbid the singing of the song.

The animals discover that after the executions, another commandment is different from how they remembered it; the Sixth Commandment now reads, "No animal shall kill another animal without cause".

Napoleon has a long poem praising his leadership painted on the side of the barn.

The farm is again attacked by neighbouring farmers, who the animals repel, but only with great difficulty. Napoleon celebrates the victory by drinking lots of whisky, and the Fifth Commandment soon reads "No animal shall drink alcohol in excess". Boxer's injury sustained in the attack is slow in healing.

Rations continue to be reduced for the animals, except for the pigs, who are allowed to wear green ribbons on Sundays, drink beer daily, and actually seem to be gaining weight. Boxer falls ill and Napoleon promises to send him to a hospital, but the animals read the sign of the truck as he is hauled away and discover that he is being taken to the butcher's. Squealer eventually convinces the animals that they are mistaken.

Years pass, and many of the older animals die off. Squealer assumes a position of power, and learns to walk upright. He teaches the sheep to change their chant to "Four legs good, two legs better," and the Seven Commandments are replaced with a single commandment: "All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others". The pigs invite the neighbouring farmer to dinner to inspect the efficiency of Animal Farm, and the men congratulate the pigs on their achievements, noting that the animals at Animal Farm did more work and required less food than any farm in the county. As the animals watch the dinner proceedings through the window, they realize with horror that they can no longer tell the pigs' faces from the human ones.

30

we are all brothers".

The Seven Commandments, which form the Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts tenets of their "Animalism": absolutely and this is clearly and powerfully 1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an proved in Orwell's short novel. "Animal enemy; Farm" is a simple fable of great symbolic value, and as Orwell himself explained: "it is 2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has the history of a revolution that went wrong". wings, is a friend; 3. No animal shall wear clothes; The novel can be seen as the historical 4. No animal shall sleep in a bed; analysis of the causes of the failure of communism, or as a mere fairy-tale; in any 5. No animal shall drink alcohol; case it tells a good story that aims to prove 6. No animal shall kill another animal; 7. All animals are created equal. that human nature and diversity prevent people from being equal and happy, or at "Animal Farm" successfully presents how the least equally happy. mechanism of propaganda and brainwashing works in dictatorial regimes, by showing how "Animal Farm" tells the simple and tragic the pigs could make the other animals story of what happens when the exploited farm animals rebel, drive out Mr. Jones, the believe practically anything. Responsible for the propaganda was Squealer, a pig that farmer, and attempt to rule the farm "could turn black into white". Squealer themselves, on an equal basis. What the managed to change the rule from "all animals seem to have aimed at was a animals are equal" to" all animals are equal utopian sort of communism, where each but some animals are more equal than would work according to his capacity, respecting the needs of others. The venture others". He managed to convince the other failed, and "Animal Farm" ended up being a animals that it was for their sake that the pigs ate most of the apples and drank most dictatorship of pigs, which were the of the milk, that leadership was "heavy brightest, and most idle of the animals. responsibility" and therefore the animals Orwell's mastery lies in his presentation of should be thankful to Napoleon, that what the horrors of totalitarian regimes, and his they saw may have been something they analysis of communism put to practice, "dreamed", and when everything else failed through satire and simple story telling. he would use the threat of " Jones returning" to silence the animals. In this simple but It appears that the revolution was doomed from the beginning, even though it began in effective way, Orwell presents the tragedy and confusion of thought control to the idealistic optimism as expressed by the motto "No animal must ever dictate over his extent that one seems better off simply own kind. Weak or strong, clever or simple, believing that" Napoleon is always right".

CRITICAL APPRECIATION

~~“In dreams begins responsibility.�

William Butler Yeats 31

Fun Zone

Special Edition

Riddles for You Q: What has a foot but no legs?

Q: What goes up when rain comes down?

Q: Poor people have it. Rich people need it.

If you eat it you die.

What is it?

Q: If I drink, I die. If i eat, I am fine.

What am I?

Q: What comes down but never goes up?

Q: I'm tall when I'm young and I'm short when I'm old.

What am I? Q: Mary's father has 5 daughters – Nana, Nene, Nini, Nono.

What is the fifth daughters name?

Q: How can a pants pocket be empty and still have something in it?

Q: In a one-story pink house, there was a pink person, a pink cat, a pink fish, a pink computer, a pink chair, a pink table, a pink telephone, a pink shower– everything was pink!

What colour were the stairs?

Q; A dad and his son were riding their bikes and crashed. Two ambulances came and took them to different hospitals. The man's son was in the operating room and the doctor said, “I can't operate on you. You're my son.”

How is that possible?

Q: Throw away the outside and cook the inside, then eat the outside and throw away the inside.

What is it?

Q: What word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?

Q: What travels around the world but stays in one spot?

Q: What occurs once in a minute, twice in a moment and never in one thousand years?

Q: What has 4 eyes but can't see?

Q: If I have it, I don't share it. If I share it, I don't have it.

What is it?

Q: Take away my first letter, and I still sound the same. Take away my last letter, I still sound the same. Even take away my letter in the middle, I will still sound the same. I am a five letter word.

What am I? Q: What has hands but can not clap?

Mail your answers to info@samar.org.in or samar.themagazine@gmail.com, answers and first five names with all correct answers will be published in the next edition.

32

Fun Zone

Special Edition

Change the Nine

Mail your answers to info@samar.org.in or samar.themagazine@gmail.com, answers and first five names with a correct solution will be published in the next edition.

33

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