Raashtra-Pati to Raashtra-Pramukh

Should we not revise the title- From Raashtra-Pati to Raashtra-Pramukh and correct error ?

Since ancient times people living here have considered themselves as Children of Maa Bharat. That relationship is part of our continuing ethos. President of a country is ‘Head of the State’. Its nearest equivalent word in the Indian languages is ‘Raashtra-Pramukh’ (translated, ‘Country’s foremost face/leader’).

Among many innocent translation mistakes India has done in her naivety, one is ‘Raashtra-Pati’ for “President”. After Independence, gradually freer minds are now able to look more independently at Indian ethos. ‘Pati’ with ‘Raashtra’ is not a good fit. In Indian languages ‘Raashtra-Pati’ conveys the sense that the incumbent is Mother India’s ‘husband’, ‘owner’ or ‘boss’. That he or she is not and Indian ethos do not even imagine so in its wildest imagination.

Therefore, it is time we correct this error and make changes as “Raashtra-Pramukh”, ‘Oop-Raashtra-Pramukh’, ‘Raashtra-Pramukh-Bhavan’ etc and so on as applicable.

Fortunately for us, the current incumbent Pranab Mukherjee is a man who has insight into Sanskriti and is well versed in Indian Ethos and languages. Surely, therefore, the title ‘Raashtra-Pati’ may be already bothering him. I am seeking his help in taking initiative. The process of this change would fill citizens with patriotic fervor. He can herald this change and create history. We know him as a person who has heralded many innovations and changed perception of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

People are people and among all, Indians are the most argumentative. If above change is mooted, some may start quarrelling over usage of ‘Raashtra-Pitaa’ title of Mahatma Gandhi. They should not. Even if ideally no one can claim to be ‘Pitaa’ (Father) of India as it has been a well-known entity from the time immemorial, the case of today’s India as geographically defined current territory is different. There is no harm in accepting Mahatma Gandhi as Father of Nation, he being one of the main leaders, a father figure (people spontaneously addressed him as ‘Baapu’-Father) and internationally acclaimed person who shaped what is currently known in world as “India”. The word, ‘father’ is applied not to only a biological father, but also to creator of things too. To the best of my knowledge, there is no title or position as ‘Raashtra-Pitaa’ (Father of Nation), specified in the Indian constitution. Therefore, at best it is only an informal term, lovingly bestowed by her people.  

Chances that above feared feud may take place among argumentative Indians can be eliminated to a great extent and transition can be made from ‘Pati’ to ‘Pramukh’, if incumbent President himself takes lead and requests for change in his Indian language title. His English language title ‘President’ needs no change.

‘Pati’ of Indian ‘Raashtra’ is an outrageous idea.

Game of Chess and Secularism...It is elementary, my dear Watson

I must figure out what the hell is this ‘secularism’. The word ‘secularism’ is a magic word or so it seems, at least in the Indian context. It is magical because that word has helped Nehru-Gandhi dynasty to lord over a billion gullible people and the largest loot-able coffers of the world.

My love for the game of chess helped me clearly understand what ‘secularism’ is, who needs it and who does not.

Europe needed secularism because their chess board has four bishops meddling into affairs of state and where two queens calling the shots. King was made into an almost tottering imbecile, immobile idiot by queens.

India hardly needed secularism because in Indian Chaturang (Chess) there are neither bishops or Hindu clergy nor wives of kings meddling in the affairs of state. King here abides by the advice of his appointed commander in Chief.

Elementary, my dear Watson.

Not "Sanskrit" but "About-Sanskrit"…an interim solution

Sanskrit?.....Just one chapter is needed in school text book of ever grade to begin the process of change in mindset and bring about love for essential Indian-ness..... So, what would that one chapter be?

This is a suggestion to those who are in the enabling circumstances- Please include one chapter in school textbook that helps students to understand how Sanskrit relates to their own language and other major international languages and why many intellectuals have described it as ‘mother language’  they have opted as medium of education. 

For example, the chapter can include, the presence of elements of Sanskrit language that are adapted in other languages.  Further, the content can also include the logical arrangement of Varnamala in Sanskrit. Abundant synonyms of each word and yet how each synonym has a slightly different meaning, other anecdotes and humor related to Sanskrit, quotes from experts, its IT enabling characteristic, etc., wealth of literature, some examples of fine descriptions (Extracts from ‘Shakunta’l, description of citizen of Ayodhya from ‘RaghuVansh’ etc.) A word of caution, just describing language features will not give enough impact unless it is contrasted and shown how different it js when compared to some popular international languages. (example: Absence of many syllables (p, ch, etc) in Arabic, its architectural inability to combine syllable ‘r’ with following letter(there is no way, you can write or speak, chocolate… written and spoken as Shokulate, or Petrol..written as spoken as Betatorl, etc..) Plus the artificiality in assembly of letters to create  spellings in the European languages and their inability to write what is spoken…Absence of many vital words. There is no word for ‘Punya’ the antonym of Sin, no proper word for Tapasya, … austerities-asceticism-penance-etc. are not equivalents) http://nmsresolution.blogspot.ca/2014/04/sequencing-of-alphabets-in-sanskrit-and.html

http://nmsresolution.blogspot.ca/2014/10/diwali-and-famous-sentence-what-is.html

The scope and content of text should vary, based on grade. A lesson in class 5 will have less depth but as one progresses upward, the 12^th grade, will have maximum depth to unravel all that is special about Sanskrit and all that is absence in other international languages.

A student who goes through this grind will have a natural respect and appreciation for Sanskrit and will know why Sanskrit is recognized by many intellectuals, world over as ‘mother language’. For those who do not know, even Tamil language has about 50% Sanskrit-sourced words and a lot of elemental Sanskrit grammar. Sanskrit as source language is one factor that unites Indians despite their diversities. Know it.

At the present pace of education reforms, Sanskrit is not likely to get a place it really deserves. Hence as an interim measure, above suggestion will help produce many citizens who will love Sanskrit and will also know why, even if they may not be able to read of write or understand too much of Sanskrit. It is Sanskrit language that gives us ‘Sanskriti’ while devoid of it, rest of the people merely have their ‘culture’. We already know culture is an organic growth in a given ecosystem. Culture is more or less bottom-up situation. On the contrary, ‘Sanskrit’ is a top-down system of behavior where grandeur inspires an individual to grow above pettiness and then generates an evolved bottom-up ‘sanskritik Culture’.

Skill development begins from early age

Skill development begins from early age. My suggestion: From grade 3 till grade 12, every class of every school gets a chance once or twice in a year to visit an industrial activity, a factory or municipality water works or a food processing facility, farm, port, fire-station, etc. This activity is not mere visit but is well planned with education and ‘values’ in mind. For example, every child visiting a place would be given a special gift on which student has to work after going home. For example, if it is a visit to farm, then flowering seeds which student can plant at home. If it is an auto plant, a plastic replica of working pistons, if it is an electrical plant, solar operated small light or fan etc. Thus, the gift is something ‘to do’ in addition to play or decoration. The visiting group should be small so that the designated staff at the industrial site can impart working knowledge to the students. Budget can come out of CSR of each industrial organization. This measure will help in a big way to give an idea to students as to what skills mean and how much important it is for their later working life. This will, in addition give the students ideas as to what sort of work would they like in future.

One more practical soIution to help prevent illegal Migration or Infiltration through porous borders

Countries from where illegal migration happens are generally happy getting rid of their population. They are never serious to stop human trafficking. UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING SERIOUS AT STAKE.  Land is a valuable commodity. It is consumed by the illegal immigrants. To compensate for their land use, the recipient countries should begin claiming territories of sending countries in a proportionate, pro-rote basis to accommodate illegal immigrants.

Of course, there is a problem here. No one knows exact number of illegal immigrants, and if you do know it, it is the responsibility of government to send those illegal back. However, the practical ground reality stays that illegal immigration is not possible to eliminate due to economic compulsions of sending countries and receiving countries,

This can be taken care of either in a friendly way or in a hostile way.  Hostile way is obviously not first choice. A receiving country can enter into a long-lease or purchase agreement with sending country for its territory in a friendly spirit of mutual accommodation.

Once, the receiving countries take up this suggestion aggressively with the sending countries and start claiming/demanding territories, these sending countries will get messages and will stop sending illegal immigrants by creating appropriate mechanism in their countries. Then they will know that something serious is at stake if illegal trafficking is not stopped.

If India can act on above suggestion and convince Bangladesh government on this legitimate requirement, they would either solve influx of Bangladeshis or help create wider land corridor to North East states or even obtain corridor to Bay of Bengal for North Eastern states.

If USA tries this suggestion, they would get some territories of Mexico or a strategic foothold in Cuba.

Adopting Sanskrit Numerals in everyday Yogaasans and PT excecises

RSS is an outstanding organization doing incredibly important work at grassroots level. Their love for devbhasha  Sanskrit is known. Their daily prarthana is not in Hindi, but in Sanskrit. However, during physical training exercises, they use Hindi numerals, ek, do, tin, chaar etc. They can make a very easy little modification in that. Use Sanskrit numerals:  शून्य एक द्वि त्रि चतुर् पञ्च षष् सप्त अष्ट नव दस... The shakha going kids will learn these numbers easily while doing their Surya-Namaskaars, in just a few days. This would add to his Sanskrit-awareness and understanding how ‘das- दस’ of Sanskrit numeral became root of the European/English word ‘decimal’ and that decimal  based mathematics was Indian Invention and how thousands European words have their root in English.

It would add distinctiveness and pride among swayamseveks.

If you are running any school, its PT or Yogaasan teacher also can start using Sanskrit numerals instead of currently used numbering.

Even, private yoga teachers can begin using Sanskrit pronunciation of numerals in their work.

Mumbai Suburban Trains: Obnoxious advt stickers on the walls of train compartments. How to eliminate them.

Mumbai suburban railway: Stickers of obnoxious, immoral and misleading advertisement are pasted on the inside walls of train compartments.

Advt of witch doctors promising relief from 'bad eye’ bad luck, marital problems etc,

Advt of quacks offering pain free relief from piles, kidney stones etc

Advt of instant loans without documents,

Advt of application forms for jobs,

Advt of marital services, companionship services, passports, pancards, Jobs for young boys and girls where 'no experience’ is required

etc.

Surely, these are illegal and unauthorized. To stop this I have a simple suggestion. All the stickers carry phone numbers of the advertiser. Let someone nominated from railway/Railway Police contact them as a respondent and then collect address/names etc details of the advertiser. Armed with the details, a full-fledged FIR be registered with police. FIR can be withdrawn if the advertiser pays fine to railway (amount not less than double of the estimated cleaning cost + estimated litigation cost). In case of delay (for whatever reason except due to fault of Railway) the advertiser should pay every month an interest equivalent to bank rate. To eliminate corruption, there should be no discretionary power wrested in anyone to reduce/change the fine amount. The failure to pay the fine after certain time will automatically attract imprisonment. With this measure, unsocial elements, both, the advertisers and their agents will come under control and Railways will accrue income. It will attract genuine advertisers as well.