Mind sapling: Lachen: Blending austerity with rich beauty: "My Blog List"
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Sikkim, Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Aranuchal Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur,Miroral travel plans and planners. Food for planning trip to the north east of india.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Lachen: Blending austerity with rich beauty
Even as he negotiates a sharp bend ahead, Passang Lepcha makes little secret of his happiness. For one, he is in a chatty mood, with his exuberance leading him to the point of offering me tea when we stopped for refreshments. Passang’s gaiety finds easy explanation in the fact that after a brief hiatus enforced by onset of winter, tourist season in Sikkim is on the roll again. This also explains why on a beautiful March morning in Gangtok, huddled up in Passang’s cab, I’m journeying eagerly to Lachen.
Any trip to North Sikkim is always a special one; wrapped as it is into layers and layers of exquisite beauty, each journey involves peeling of one layer after another to savour the beauty of the kernel.
Located on the northern fringes of this tiny Himalayan state, about eight-six kilometres away from the capital town and at an altitude of 2750 meters above sea level, Lachen markedly manifests what booming tourism can do to a tiny and remote village comprised by no more than hundred odd families. Tourism though, is only a recent phenomenon; industrious as they are known to be, the Lachenpas, before the advent of tourism, were waging a remarkable battle against weather conditions ordinarily regarded as rather harsh for vegetation. The potatoes and cabbages grown in the high terrains of Lachen are famous all over the state: apples grown in Lachen valley were once considered good enough to be exported all over the world, although in recent years the production has dwindled acutely. A perfect counterpoint to the perennial cold of the valleys is provided by the warm and hospitable nature of the people of Lachen.
While it primarily serves as a stopover for tourists venturing further north towards the famed Guru Dongmar Lake, Lachen, in itself, has all the enchantments that should ideally constitute a good tourist destination. Guru Dongmar Lake, a high altitude desert is situated little over sixty kilometres from Lachen. The lake is famous for its clear beautiful lakes and is also regarded as a place of pilgrimage by the Sikhs.
Lachen’s popularity as a tourist hotspot is indisputable, and the measure of it is amply provided by the fact that almost every house placed along the main road has now been morphed into a comfortable retreat for the travellers. All meals are taken care of by the lodges, which is a big deal considering there are hardly any proper restaurants in the area. Notwithstanding the impressive number of lodges in Lachen, during the peak season- which is between March-April and October-November- nothing meets the demand posed by a steep rise in tourist footfall.
After over five hours of continuous ride, Passang brings his vehicle to a halt in front of what reads as a lodge. “Sir, your hotel awaits you”, he affirms with a ready flourish. Few minutes later, I find the ‘flourish’ replicated in its entirety, when Dakpo Lachenpa, the proprietor of the lodge, presents to me my room for the night- a commodious room with a large window overlooking the snow covered valleys. Dakpo and his enterprising wife, as I’m made to understand later, have been running this two-storey lodge for over five years now, and it takes but few glances in the direction of the newly polished wooden floors and recently acquired high end furniture set, to infer that the business is in sound health.
Barely few minutes after I have ensconced myself in my room, I witness my first snowfall. Falling dreamily and, yet, not without an odd-sense of purpose, each flake of snow seems to lay an end to its earthward descent not before putting a little show of reluctance. Soon they are everywhere. Even as the chill escalates sharply, the sight of the valleys, the trees and the slanting corrugated tin-roofs covered in pristine, white furry blanket of snow, is strangely comforting. Enticed by such a comely sight, I feel inclined to take a walk around. As I step outside to indulge the whim, my eager host suggests why not I visit the village monastery. An enquiry in regard to the directions to the monastery produces a response in the form of a squat forefinger pointing in the up-hill direction. The directed route shapes into newly constructed village foot path, which, meandering aimlessly through the many houses and their mandatory courtyards, finally veers, with certain newfound intentness, into the direction of the monastery. As is true of almost all the monasteries in these parts, Lachen Monastery too forms an integral part of the village social life, not only facilitating social cohesion but also providing a physical space for village meetings, ceremonies and gatherings. I find the monastery wearing a deserted look, the Kue-gne or the priest having retired for the day. Sharing an identical regal air, the monastery bears an uncanny resemblance to the Tshug-lakhang in Gangtok; exuding the same pervasive air of aloofness underlined by the loftiness of its location. The overlooking hills- both cold and secular- vying against the monastery for the sky, seem hardly game for companionship. The view of the village from the monastery is, to say the least, panoramic; there being not a single roof hidden from its hallowed glare. If Gods resides in Lachen Monastery then, (omnipresent, as they may be) with the entire village laid out before them like a well-spread mat, they will have no problems dispensing what they may construe as ‘justice’ to the individuals below.Dinner is announced not long after I have returned to the lodge. The meal is simple and homely; showcasing not even a hint of adventurous gastronomic streak in its maker. Next morning, soon after breakfast, the ever punctual Passang honks in front of the lodge. Greeting with a warm smile is all he does before he restarts the engine; no word about how the stay was. Perhaps, he knows too well that some things in life are all so apparent that any interrogations in the regard are superfluous.
Any trip to North Sikkim is always a special one; wrapped as it is into layers and layers of exquisite beauty, each journey involves peeling of one layer after another to savour the beauty of the kernel.
Located on the northern fringes of this tiny Himalayan state, about eight-six kilometres away from the capital town and at an altitude of 2750 meters above sea level, Lachen markedly manifests what booming tourism can do to a tiny and remote village comprised by no more than hundred odd families. Tourism though, is only a recent phenomenon; industrious as they are known to be, the Lachenpas, before the advent of tourism, were waging a remarkable battle against weather conditions ordinarily regarded as rather harsh for vegetation. The potatoes and cabbages grown in the high terrains of Lachen are famous all over the state: apples grown in Lachen valley were once considered good enough to be exported all over the world, although in recent years the production has dwindled acutely. A perfect counterpoint to the perennial cold of the valleys is provided by the warm and hospitable nature of the people of Lachen.
While it primarily serves as a stopover for tourists venturing further north towards the famed Guru Dongmar Lake, Lachen, in itself, has all the enchantments that should ideally constitute a good tourist destination. Guru Dongmar Lake, a high altitude desert is situated little over sixty kilometres from Lachen. The lake is famous for its clear beautiful lakes and is also regarded as a place of pilgrimage by the Sikhs.
Lachen’s popularity as a tourist hotspot is indisputable, and the measure of it is amply provided by the fact that almost every house placed along the main road has now been morphed into a comfortable retreat for the travellers. All meals are taken care of by the lodges, which is a big deal considering there are hardly any proper restaurants in the area. Notwithstanding the impressive number of lodges in Lachen, during the peak season- which is between March-April and October-November- nothing meets the demand posed by a steep rise in tourist footfall.
After over five hours of continuous ride, Passang brings his vehicle to a halt in front of what reads as a lodge. “Sir, your hotel awaits you”, he affirms with a ready flourish. Few minutes later, I find the ‘flourish’ replicated in its entirety, when Dakpo Lachenpa, the proprietor of the lodge, presents to me my room for the night- a commodious room with a large window overlooking the snow covered valleys. Dakpo and his enterprising wife, as I’m made to understand later, have been running this two-storey lodge for over five years now, and it takes but few glances in the direction of the newly polished wooden floors and recently acquired high end furniture set, to infer that the business is in sound health.
Barely few minutes after I have ensconced myself in my room, I witness my first snowfall. Falling dreamily and, yet, not without an odd-sense of purpose, each flake of snow seems to lay an end to its earthward descent not before putting a little show of reluctance. Soon they are everywhere. Even as the chill escalates sharply, the sight of the valleys, the trees and the slanting corrugated tin-roofs covered in pristine, white furry blanket of snow, is strangely comforting. Enticed by such a comely sight, I feel inclined to take a walk around. As I step outside to indulge the whim, my eager host suggests why not I visit the village monastery. An enquiry in regard to the directions to the monastery produces a response in the form of a squat forefinger pointing in the up-hill direction. The directed route shapes into newly constructed village foot path, which, meandering aimlessly through the many houses and their mandatory courtyards, finally veers, with certain newfound intentness, into the direction of the monastery. As is true of almost all the monasteries in these parts, Lachen Monastery too forms an integral part of the village social life, not only facilitating social cohesion but also providing a physical space for village meetings, ceremonies and gatherings. I find the monastery wearing a deserted look, the Kue-gne or the priest having retired for the day. Sharing an identical regal air, the monastery bears an uncanny resemblance to the Tshug-lakhang in Gangtok; exuding the same pervasive air of aloofness underlined by the loftiness of its location. The overlooking hills- both cold and secular- vying against the monastery for the sky, seem hardly game for companionship. The view of the village from the monastery is, to say the least, panoramic; there being not a single roof hidden from its hallowed glare. If Gods resides in Lachen Monastery then, (omnipresent, as they may be) with the entire village laid out before them like a well-spread mat, they will have no problems dispensing what they may construe as ‘justice’ to the individuals below.Dinner is announced not long after I have returned to the lodge. The meal is simple and homely; showcasing not even a hint of adventurous gastronomic streak in its maker. Next morning, soon after breakfast, the ever punctual Passang honks in front of the lodge. Greeting with a warm smile is all he does before he restarts the engine; no word about how the stay was. Perhaps, he knows too well that some things in life are all so apparent that any interrogations in the regard are superfluous.
The man who speed-climbs summits, pauses for Sikkim
WORLD RECORD HOLDER FOR FASTEST SEVEN SUMMITS IMPRESSED WITH TREKS IN SIKKIM
“Challenge enthralls me and courage, conviction and free spirit define me; Never give up, never give in! is the mantra I live by,” exclaims 34-year-old Malli Mastan Babu, the world record holder for the Fastest Seven Summits across the world.
Hailing from Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Babu is the first person, and the only one at that, to have scaled the summits of seven mountains across the world, including Mt. Everest, in a record time of 172 days between 19 January to 10 July 2006. Not only that, his feat had been planned such that the seven summits were successfully scaled on different days of the week and in each month of the seven-month period.
During the stupendous feat, the climber became the first Indian to summit Mt. Vinson Massif, the tallest peak in the Antarctica, and Mt. Carstensz Pyramid, the tallest peak in Indonesia/ Oceania, and the fastest Indian841 ft in 8 days), Mt. Kilimanjaro (19354 ft in 3.5 days), Mt. Denali, USA (20,320 ft in 7 days) and Mt. Elbrus, Russia/Europe (18,512 ft in 2 days) and the first person from Andhra Pradesh to summit Mt. Everest, Nepal (29,035 ft), the highest mountain in the world. These are the seven peaks which stand tall on the world record.
Besides, he has also scaled Mt. Kosciuzsko, Australia at 7,310 ft. In an exclusive chat with NOW!, Mr. Babu shared his experiences and multi-pronged achievements as well as his insatiable affinity for the alpine trails of Sikkim which has brought him here once again.
“I am here to do the Yuksom-Dzongri trek in West Sikkim with a friend, K Jayashanker from Pune. We are conducting a Corporate Training Trek for executives of a Denmark-based company from Delhi, DANFOSS. There will be a total of eight members in the team which will begin the trek on 28 April and we plan to complete it in 4 days, which is a huge challenge. The main objective of this undertaking is to help the team members get important lessons on leadership skills wherein the extreme weather and tough trekking requirements are expected to put their skills to real tests of endurance,” he informed.
On the selection of the Dzongri trek amongst the numerous trekking destinations in the world, he explained, “The world renowned Kanchendzonga National Park lies within this trail and also this is one of the most challenging and spectacular trekking trails in the world, while the feeling one will get after accomplishing this feat is simply unmatchable; Sikkim is also one place in the world which is in close proximity with the Himalayas, where else can you view them after a mere four hour drive from the sea level? This is surely amongst the best trekking trails across the globe and there is something about this place which compels me to come here again and again”.
This is his third visit to Sikkim and the Dzongri trek will be his second, while he has also done the Goechala trek when he had organized several adventure courses for IIM Kolkata, from where he passed out with a PGDM in 2004, in West Sikkim. He has also worked as a senior software engineer between 1998 and 2001.
A legend in the making, the man arrived here on 18 April and is a guest of the Black Cat Division here. He was part of the inaugural function of the Water Shed War Memorial at Sherathang where he met with the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling.“The Chief Minister has assured us all support towards promoting adventure tourism through trekking and mountaineering here and he has even asked for my expertise in this field which I am more than glad to furnish,” he mentioned.
Mr. Babu also met with the Secretary Tourism who invited him to be part of the International Trekking Expedition to begin 01 May but to which he is unable to commit since he will be part of another expedition in the same area.“However, I shall return to Sikkim soon and encourage and inform more people to come explore the rich trekking trails and mountains here,” he added.
Among his other achievements is the first Indian Solo & Fastest Ascent of the tallest peak of Western Hemisphere, Mt. Aconcagua (22,841 ft) in 01-08 February 2005 and the fastest Indian Ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,354 ft), the tallest peak of Africa, in 3.5 days in January 2005.
Last year during 07 June to 25 July, the phenomenal mountaineer also bagged the record for the first ever High Altitude Traverse of ‘4 Dhaams’ spanning trekking and climbing of 900 km, while the following month, on 15 August, he led the first exclusive Indian team to summit the Kilimanjaro, becoming the first Indian to summit the mountain thrice in the process.
Apart from mountain climbing, Mr. Babu is also an avid marathon runner which has earned him more records to his overflowing cup of achievements.
In October 2007, he became the first Indian to run the half marathon of 21.2 km distance in 14 days across 14 states, including Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerela and Andhra Pradesh. The same year in December, he also became the first Indian to run 8 full marathons (42.2 Km) and 3 half marathons in 13 days, spanning 10 Indian states, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, UP, Chattisgarh, W. Bengal, Mizoram and Orissa.
Mr. Babu has been honoured with the Conjee Rustamjee Cohoujee Bey Award for Outstanding Youth of the Year-2006 for his world record of the Fastest Seven Summiteer from Senator John Kerry (2004 US Presidential Candidate) at Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles. He has also been conferred the title ‘Pride of India’ by Indo American Friendship Council at Dallas Texas, also in 2006, and further felicitated in New York, Silicon Valley, Chicago, Dallas and California by various organizations. He was also conferred the Army Commander’s Commendation at to ascent Mt. Aconcagua, Argentina (22, 841 ft in 8 days), Mt. Kilimanjaro (19354 ft in 3.5 days), Mt. Denali, USA (20,320 ft in 7 days) and Mt. Elbrus, Russia/Europe (18,512 ft in 2 days) and the first person from Andhra Pradesh to summit Mt. Everest, Nepal (29,035 ft), the highest mountain in the world. These are the seven peaks which stand tall on the world record.
Besides, he has also scaled Mt. Kosciuzsko, Australia at 7,310 ft.
In an exclusive chat with NOW!, Mr. Babu shared his experiences and multi-pronged achievements as well as his insatiable affinity for the alpine trails of Sikkim which has brought him here once again.
“I am here to do the Yuksom-Dzongri trek in West Sikkim with a friend, K Jayashanker from Pune. We are conducting a Corporate Training Trek for executives of a Denmark-based company from Delhi, DANFOSS. There will be a total of eight members in the team which will begin the trek on 28 April and we plan to complete it in 4 days, which is a huge challenge. The main objective of this undertaking is to help the team members get important lessons on leadership skills wherein the extreme weather and tough trekking requirements are expected to put their skills to real tests of endurance,” he informed.
On the selection of the Dzongri trek amongst the numerous trekking destinations in the world, he explained, “The world renowned Kanchendzonga National Park lies within this trail and also this is one of the most challenging and spectacular trekking trails in the world, while the feeling one will get after accomplishing this feat is simply unmatchable; Sikkim is also one place in the world which is in close proximity with the Himalayas, where else can you view them after a mere four hour drive from the sea level? This is surely amongst the best trekking trails across the globe and there is something about this place which compels me to come here again and again”.
This is his third visit to Sikkim and the Dzongri trek will be his second, while he has also done the Goechala trek when he had organized several adventure courses for IIM Kolkata, from where he passed out with a PGDM in 2004, in West Sikkim. He has also worked as a senior software engineer between 1998 and 2001.
A legend in the making, the man arrived here on 18 April and is a guest of the Black Cat Division here. He was part of the inaugural function of the Water Shed War Memorial at Sherathang where he met with the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling.
“The Chief Minister has assured us all support towards promoting adventure tourism through trekking and mountaineering here and he has even asked for my expertise in this field which I am more than glad to furnish,” he mentioned.
Mr. Babu also met with the Secretary Tourism who invited him to be part of the International Trekking Expedition to begin 01 May but to which he is unable to commit since he will be part of another expedition in the same area.
“However, I shall return to Sikkim soon and encourage and inform more people to come explore the rich trekking trails and mountains here,” he added.
Among his other achievements is the first Indian Solo & Fastest Ascent of the tallest peak of Western Hemisphere, Mt. Aconcagua (22,841 ft) in 01-08 February 2005 and the fastest Indian Ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,354 ft), the tallest peak of Africa, in 3.5 days in January 2005.
Last year during 07 June to 25 July, the phenomenal mountaineer also bagged the record for the first ever High Altitude Traverse of ‘4 Dhaams’ spanning trekking and climbing of 900 km, while the following month, on 15 August, he led the first exclusive Indian team to summit the Kilimanjaro, becoming the first Indian to summit the mountain thrice in the process.
Apart from mountain climbing, Mr. Babu is also an avid marathon runner which has earned him more records to his overflowing cup of achievements.
In October 2007, he became the first Indian to run the half marathon of 21.2 km distance in 14 days across 14 states, including Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerela and Andhra Pradesh. The same year in December, he also became the first Indian to run 8 full marathons (42.2 Km) and 3 half marathons in 13 days, spanning 10 Indian states, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, UP, Chattisgarh, W. Bengal, Mizoram and Orissa.
Mr. Babu has been honoured with the Conjee Rustamjee Cohoujee Bey Award for Outstanding Youth of the Year-2006 for his world record of the Fastest Seven Summiteer from Senator John Kerry (2004 US Presidential Candidate) at Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles. He has also been conferred the title ‘Pride of India’ by Indo American Friendship Council at Dallas Texas, also in 2006, and further felicitated in New York, Silicon Valley, Chicago, Dallas and California by various organizations. He was also conferred the Army Commander’s CommendatiShillong in October 2007.
“For me, life has only just begun after this world record of mine and I am proud to be an Indian. I am hopeful that it will be another Indian who will break this record, if anyone does and I also hope that my feat will inspire and motivate the youth in the country,” he expressed.“This is an original record and is hard to beat but I hope that this record will be broken by another Indian and that my feat would inspire and motivate millions of our youth”, expressed Malli Mastan Babu.
“Challenge enthralls me and courage, conviction and free spirit define me; Never give up, never give in! is the mantra I live by,” exclaims 34-year-old Malli Mastan Babu, the world record holder for the Fastest Seven Summits across the world.
Hailing from Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Babu is the first person, and the only one at that, to have scaled the summits of seven mountains across the world, including Mt. Everest, in a record time of 172 days between 19 January to 10 July 2006. Not only that, his feat had been planned such that the seven summits were successfully scaled on different days of the week and in each month of the seven-month period.
During the stupendous feat, the climber became the first Indian to summit Mt. Vinson Massif, the tallest peak in the Antarctica, and Mt. Carstensz Pyramid, the tallest peak in Indonesia/ Oceania, and the fastest Indian841 ft in 8 days), Mt. Kilimanjaro (19354 ft in 3.5 days), Mt. Denali, USA (20,320 ft in 7 days) and Mt. Elbrus, Russia/Europe (18,512 ft in 2 days) and the first person from Andhra Pradesh to summit Mt. Everest, Nepal (29,035 ft), the highest mountain in the world. These are the seven peaks which stand tall on the world record.
Besides, he has also scaled Mt. Kosciuzsko, Australia at 7,310 ft. In an exclusive chat with NOW!, Mr. Babu shared his experiences and multi-pronged achievements as well as his insatiable affinity for the alpine trails of Sikkim which has brought him here once again.
“I am here to do the Yuksom-Dzongri trek in West Sikkim with a friend, K Jayashanker from Pune. We are conducting a Corporate Training Trek for executives of a Denmark-based company from Delhi, DANFOSS. There will be a total of eight members in the team which will begin the trek on 28 April and we plan to complete it in 4 days, which is a huge challenge. The main objective of this undertaking is to help the team members get important lessons on leadership skills wherein the extreme weather and tough trekking requirements are expected to put their skills to real tests of endurance,” he informed.
On the selection of the Dzongri trek amongst the numerous trekking destinations in the world, he explained, “The world renowned Kanchendzonga National Park lies within this trail and also this is one of the most challenging and spectacular trekking trails in the world, while the feeling one will get after accomplishing this feat is simply unmatchable; Sikkim is also one place in the world which is in close proximity with the Himalayas, where else can you view them after a mere four hour drive from the sea level? This is surely amongst the best trekking trails across the globe and there is something about this place which compels me to come here again and again”.
This is his third visit to Sikkim and the Dzongri trek will be his second, while he has also done the Goechala trek when he had organized several adventure courses for IIM Kolkata, from where he passed out with a PGDM in 2004, in West Sikkim. He has also worked as a senior software engineer between 1998 and 2001.
A legend in the making, the man arrived here on 18 April and is a guest of the Black Cat Division here. He was part of the inaugural function of the Water Shed War Memorial at Sherathang where he met with the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling.“The Chief Minister has assured us all support towards promoting adventure tourism through trekking and mountaineering here and he has even asked for my expertise in this field which I am more than glad to furnish,” he mentioned.
Mr. Babu also met with the Secretary Tourism who invited him to be part of the International Trekking Expedition to begin 01 May but to which he is unable to commit since he will be part of another expedition in the same area.“However, I shall return to Sikkim soon and encourage and inform more people to come explore the rich trekking trails and mountains here,” he added.
Among his other achievements is the first Indian Solo & Fastest Ascent of the tallest peak of Western Hemisphere, Mt. Aconcagua (22,841 ft) in 01-08 February 2005 and the fastest Indian Ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,354 ft), the tallest peak of Africa, in 3.5 days in January 2005.
Last year during 07 June to 25 July, the phenomenal mountaineer also bagged the record for the first ever High Altitude Traverse of ‘4 Dhaams’ spanning trekking and climbing of 900 km, while the following month, on 15 August, he led the first exclusive Indian team to summit the Kilimanjaro, becoming the first Indian to summit the mountain thrice in the process.
Apart from mountain climbing, Mr. Babu is also an avid marathon runner which has earned him more records to his overflowing cup of achievements.
In October 2007, he became the first Indian to run the half marathon of 21.2 km distance in 14 days across 14 states, including Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerela and Andhra Pradesh. The same year in December, he also became the first Indian to run 8 full marathons (42.2 Km) and 3 half marathons in 13 days, spanning 10 Indian states, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, UP, Chattisgarh, W. Bengal, Mizoram and Orissa.
Mr. Babu has been honoured with the Conjee Rustamjee Cohoujee Bey Award for Outstanding Youth of the Year-2006 for his world record of the Fastest Seven Summiteer from Senator John Kerry (2004 US Presidential Candidate) at Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles. He has also been conferred the title ‘Pride of India’ by Indo American Friendship Council at Dallas Texas, also in 2006, and further felicitated in New York, Silicon Valley, Chicago, Dallas and California by various organizations. He was also conferred the Army Commander’s Commendation at to ascent Mt. Aconcagua, Argentina (22, 841 ft in 8 days), Mt. Kilimanjaro (19354 ft in 3.5 days), Mt. Denali, USA (20,320 ft in 7 days) and Mt. Elbrus, Russia/Europe (18,512 ft in 2 days) and the first person from Andhra Pradesh to summit Mt. Everest, Nepal (29,035 ft), the highest mountain in the world. These are the seven peaks which stand tall on the world record.
Besides, he has also scaled Mt. Kosciuzsko, Australia at 7,310 ft.
In an exclusive chat with NOW!, Mr. Babu shared his experiences and multi-pronged achievements as well as his insatiable affinity for the alpine trails of Sikkim which has brought him here once again.
“I am here to do the Yuksom-Dzongri trek in West Sikkim with a friend, K Jayashanker from Pune. We are conducting a Corporate Training Trek for executives of a Denmark-based company from Delhi, DANFOSS. There will be a total of eight members in the team which will begin the trek on 28 April and we plan to complete it in 4 days, which is a huge challenge. The main objective of this undertaking is to help the team members get important lessons on leadership skills wherein the extreme weather and tough trekking requirements are expected to put their skills to real tests of endurance,” he informed.
On the selection of the Dzongri trek amongst the numerous trekking destinations in the world, he explained, “The world renowned Kanchendzonga National Park lies within this trail and also this is one of the most challenging and spectacular trekking trails in the world, while the feeling one will get after accomplishing this feat is simply unmatchable; Sikkim is also one place in the world which is in close proximity with the Himalayas, where else can you view them after a mere four hour drive from the sea level? This is surely amongst the best trekking trails across the globe and there is something about this place which compels me to come here again and again”.
This is his third visit to Sikkim and the Dzongri trek will be his second, while he has also done the Goechala trek when he had organized several adventure courses for IIM Kolkata, from where he passed out with a PGDM in 2004, in West Sikkim. He has also worked as a senior software engineer between 1998 and 2001.
A legend in the making, the man arrived here on 18 April and is a guest of the Black Cat Division here. He was part of the inaugural function of the Water Shed War Memorial at Sherathang where he met with the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling.
“The Chief Minister has assured us all support towards promoting adventure tourism through trekking and mountaineering here and he has even asked for my expertise in this field which I am more than glad to furnish,” he mentioned.
Mr. Babu also met with the Secretary Tourism who invited him to be part of the International Trekking Expedition to begin 01 May but to which he is unable to commit since he will be part of another expedition in the same area.
“However, I shall return to Sikkim soon and encourage and inform more people to come explore the rich trekking trails and mountains here,” he added.
Among his other achievements is the first Indian Solo & Fastest Ascent of the tallest peak of Western Hemisphere, Mt. Aconcagua (22,841 ft) in 01-08 February 2005 and the fastest Indian Ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,354 ft), the tallest peak of Africa, in 3.5 days in January 2005.
Last year during 07 June to 25 July, the phenomenal mountaineer also bagged the record for the first ever High Altitude Traverse of ‘4 Dhaams’ spanning trekking and climbing of 900 km, while the following month, on 15 August, he led the first exclusive Indian team to summit the Kilimanjaro, becoming the first Indian to summit the mountain thrice in the process.
Apart from mountain climbing, Mr. Babu is also an avid marathon runner which has earned him more records to his overflowing cup of achievements.
In October 2007, he became the first Indian to run the half marathon of 21.2 km distance in 14 days across 14 states, including Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerela and Andhra Pradesh. The same year in December, he also became the first Indian to run 8 full marathons (42.2 Km) and 3 half marathons in 13 days, spanning 10 Indian states, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, UP, Chattisgarh, W. Bengal, Mizoram and Orissa.
Mr. Babu has been honoured with the Conjee Rustamjee Cohoujee Bey Award for Outstanding Youth of the Year-2006 for his world record of the Fastest Seven Summiteer from Senator John Kerry (2004 US Presidential Candidate) at Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles. He has also been conferred the title ‘Pride of India’ by Indo American Friendship Council at Dallas Texas, also in 2006, and further felicitated in New York, Silicon Valley, Chicago, Dallas and California by various organizations. He was also conferred the Army Commander’s CommendatiShillong in October 2007.
“For me, life has only just begun after this world record of mine and I am proud to be an Indian. I am hopeful that it will be another Indian who will break this record, if anyone does and I also hope that my feat will inspire and motivate the youth in the country,” he expressed.“This is an original record and is hard to beat but I hope that this record will be broken by another Indian and that my feat would inspire and motivate millions of our youth”, expressed Malli Mastan Babu.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Children’s' Day: Are we really celebrating?
Children’s' Day: Are we really celebrating?
Concerns and issues faced by the children’s of India.
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Nothing can explain it more when you look into the eyes of a child. Its purity, honesty, inquisitiveness and warmth simply make even the toughest soul melt in admiration.
As we celebrate this year Children’s day with pomp and gusto let me try to bring in the readers focus to the concerns and issue facing the Indian children. Every parent tries their best to provide utmost care, protection, education and upbringing for their children. But there are a lot of unfortunate and underprivileged children who has to struggle even for a single meal, a piece of cloth and a roof above their head.
As some one rightly said that the winds and the stars are my roof, sounds poetic but in reality, the children’s face the same and that’s reality not poetic. Why are there so much of inequalities around, and if anyone believes in God, I guess God made every one equal. But where all these discrimation does arises from, is it the society where we live in, where materialism is the Holy Grail. Of course someone can’t just remove these ill effects with a stroke of a magic wand but yes, someone can definitely make an effort to help.
Sometimes I feel, do we really believe in the rule of the jungle, where it’s the survival of the fittest, but tell me, are the children really have to follow the rule of the jungle. I doubt!!
In-spite of a lot many of the organizations helping and aiding underprivileged children, the problems exists and it’s my sincere effort to bring in the issues to all readers, who might be in a better position, to understand what happening around you and also to realize that they are reading this because there are the fortunate ones.
India is a vast nation, and will definitely overtake China, if not in economy, but surely in population count. Children’s in India constitute about 42 % of the population and are at risk on the streets, at their workplace and even inside their own homes. In India children vulnerabilities and exposure to violations of their protection rights remains spread and multiple in nature.
The issues ranges form child labor, child trafficking, various forms of abuses, health problems, malnourishment, AIDS, illiteracy, child marriages, etcs. So lies the problems that a lot of children face. Realities bites, but let’s strive to make the situation from worse to good.
Issues facing children in India
· Polio remains a serious threat, notwithstanding a massive campaign to eradicate it. Children continue to die of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles.
· Malnutrition affects nearly half of all children under age five.
· Anemia affects teenage girls, stunts children’s growth and is a leading cause of maternal death and babies with low birth weight.
· Diarrhea, often caused by unsafe drinking water or poor sanitation, is the second leading cause of death among children. Access to clean drinking water has improved in recent years, but 122 million households lack toilets.
· School enrollment is increasing, but retention and completion rates remain low in part because of the poor quality of the education system, which emphasizes memorization over problem-solving.
With an estimated 12.6 million children engaged in hazardous occupations (2001 Census), for instance, India has the largest number of child laborers under the age of 14 in the world. Although poverty is often cited as the cause underlying child labor, other factors such as discrimination, social exclusion, as well as the lack of quality education or existing parents’ attitudes and perceptions about child labor and the role and value of education need also to be considered.
Trafficking of children also continues to be a serious problem in India. The nature and scope of trafficking range from industrial and domestic labor, to forced early marriages and commercial sexual exploitation.
Despite health improvements over the last thirty years, lives continue to be lost to early childhood diseases, inadequate newborn care and childbirth-related causes. More than two million children die every year from preventable infections. Infant mortality in India is as high as 63 deaths per 1,000 live births. Most infant deaths occur in the first month of life; up to 47 per cent in the first week itself.
Malnutrition is more common in India than in Sub-Saharan Africa. One in every three malnourished children in the world lives in India.
Malnutrition limits development and the capacity to learn. It also costs lives: about 50 per cent of all childhood deaths are attributed to malnutrition. In India, around 46 per cent of all children below the age of three are too small for their age, 47 per cent are underweight and at least 16 per cent are wasted. Many of these children are severely malnourished. The prevalence of malnutrition varies across states, with Madhya Pradesh recording the highest rate (55 per cent) and Kerala among the lowest (27 per cent).
Malnutrition in children is not affected by food intake alone; it is also influenced by access to health services, quality of care for the child and pregnant mother as well as good hygiene practices. Girls are more at risk of malnutrition than boys because of their lower social status.
1 in 3 of the world's malnourished children lives in India.
Malnutrition in early childhood has serious, long-term consequences because it impedes motor, sensory, cognitive, social and emotional development. Malnourished children are less likely to perform well in school and more likely to grow into malnourished adults, at greater risk of disease and early death.
An estimated 400,000 children under five years of age die each year due to diarrhea.
Several million more suffer from multiple episodes of diarrhea and still others fall ill on account of Hepatitis A, enteric fever, intestinal worms and eye and skin infections caused by poor hygiene and unsafe drinking water.
Diarrhea remains the major cause of death amongst children, after respiratory- tract infections. Unhygienic practices and unsafe drinking water are some of its main causes. More than 122 million households in the country are without toilets. The lack of toilets also affects girls’ school attendance. Of India’s vast rural primary and upper primary schools, only one in six have toilets, deterring children - especially girls - from going to school.
Despite a major improvement in literacy rates during the 1990s, the number of children who are not in school remains high. Gender disparities in education persist: far more girls than boys fail to complete primary school.
190 million females in India are non-literate But 20 per cent of children aged 6 to14 are still not in school and millions of women remain non-literate .Several problems persist: issues of ‘social’ distance – arising out of caste, class and gender differences – deny children equal opportunities. Child labor in some parts of the country and resistance to sending girls to school remain real concerns. Girls belonging to marginalised social and economic groups are more likely to drop out of school at an early age.
My intention of putting these facts forward is not to make you crib, as we generally do, but to make you aware of the situation and to bestow the responsibility to you, and yes every individual can make a difference. What it requires is an extra involvement. Your participation!
Now participation can have different meanings. Participation is not merely attending a function. That is decoration and not participation. Participation is also not when children are being merely consulted when adults make all the decision. It’s not being spoon fed for ideas, logic and opinions. It’s all about making choices and understanding the value of you to the society.
Children and young people have the right to participate in family decisions, in school and class decisions, in faith communities, in their cultural and sporting organisations, and also in local and national. Children have the right to freedom of expression, to form and join associations and to seek and receive appropriate information. These rights should empower children to bring about changes in their own lives, to build a better future.
Why should children (you) participate? There are benefits to children and young people themselves, to adults and to society when children participate. You can help shape policy, practices and erase the perception about, sayings like "all children are helpless against violence" or "cannot reason until they turn seven".
Children who participate are more likely to go on to become capable and involved citizens as they grow up. They learn democratic procedures and responsibilities by participating. SO lets us participate in making ourselves responsible and mature to understand what’s happening around us and believe
We are the world,
We are the children,
We are the ones who make a brighter day.
Concerns and issues faced by the children’s of India.
Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Nothing can explain it more when you look into the eyes of a child. Its purity, honesty, inquisitiveness and warmth simply make even the toughest soul melt in admiration.
As we celebrate this year Children’s day with pomp and gusto let me try to bring in the readers focus to the concerns and issue facing the Indian children. Every parent tries their best to provide utmost care, protection, education and upbringing for their children. But there are a lot of unfortunate and underprivileged children who has to struggle even for a single meal, a piece of cloth and a roof above their head.
As some one rightly said that the winds and the stars are my roof, sounds poetic but in reality, the children’s face the same and that’s reality not poetic. Why are there so much of inequalities around, and if anyone believes in God, I guess God made every one equal. But where all these discrimation does arises from, is it the society where we live in, where materialism is the Holy Grail. Of course someone can’t just remove these ill effects with a stroke of a magic wand but yes, someone can definitely make an effort to help.
Sometimes I feel, do we really believe in the rule of the jungle, where it’s the survival of the fittest, but tell me, are the children really have to follow the rule of the jungle. I doubt!!
In-spite of a lot many of the organizations helping and aiding underprivileged children, the problems exists and it’s my sincere effort to bring in the issues to all readers, who might be in a better position, to understand what happening around you and also to realize that they are reading this because there are the fortunate ones.
India is a vast nation, and will definitely overtake China, if not in economy, but surely in population count. Children’s in India constitute about 42 % of the population and are at risk on the streets, at their workplace and even inside their own homes. In India children vulnerabilities and exposure to violations of their protection rights remains spread and multiple in nature.
The issues ranges form child labor, child trafficking, various forms of abuses, health problems, malnourishment, AIDS, illiteracy, child marriages, etcs. So lies the problems that a lot of children face. Realities bites, but let’s strive to make the situation from worse to good.
Issues facing children in India
· Polio remains a serious threat, notwithstanding a massive campaign to eradicate it. Children continue to die of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles.
· Malnutrition affects nearly half of all children under age five.
· Anemia affects teenage girls, stunts children’s growth and is a leading cause of maternal death and babies with low birth weight.
· Diarrhea, often caused by unsafe drinking water or poor sanitation, is the second leading cause of death among children. Access to clean drinking water has improved in recent years, but 122 million households lack toilets.
· School enrollment is increasing, but retention and completion rates remain low in part because of the poor quality of the education system, which emphasizes memorization over problem-solving.
With an estimated 12.6 million children engaged in hazardous occupations (2001 Census), for instance, India has the largest number of child laborers under the age of 14 in the world. Although poverty is often cited as the cause underlying child labor, other factors such as discrimination, social exclusion, as well as the lack of quality education or existing parents’ attitudes and perceptions about child labor and the role and value of education need also to be considered.
Trafficking of children also continues to be a serious problem in India. The nature and scope of trafficking range from industrial and domestic labor, to forced early marriages and commercial sexual exploitation.
Despite health improvements over the last thirty years, lives continue to be lost to early childhood diseases, inadequate newborn care and childbirth-related causes. More than two million children die every year from preventable infections. Infant mortality in India is as high as 63 deaths per 1,000 live births. Most infant deaths occur in the first month of life; up to 47 per cent in the first week itself.
Malnutrition is more common in India than in Sub-Saharan Africa. One in every three malnourished children in the world lives in India.
Malnutrition limits development and the capacity to learn. It also costs lives: about 50 per cent of all childhood deaths are attributed to malnutrition. In India, around 46 per cent of all children below the age of three are too small for their age, 47 per cent are underweight and at least 16 per cent are wasted. Many of these children are severely malnourished. The prevalence of malnutrition varies across states, with Madhya Pradesh recording the highest rate (55 per cent) and Kerala among the lowest (27 per cent).
Malnutrition in children is not affected by food intake alone; it is also influenced by access to health services, quality of care for the child and pregnant mother as well as good hygiene practices. Girls are more at risk of malnutrition than boys because of their lower social status.
1 in 3 of the world's malnourished children lives in India.
Malnutrition in early childhood has serious, long-term consequences because it impedes motor, sensory, cognitive, social and emotional development. Malnourished children are less likely to perform well in school and more likely to grow into malnourished adults, at greater risk of disease and early death.
An estimated 400,000 children under five years of age die each year due to diarrhea.
Several million more suffer from multiple episodes of diarrhea and still others fall ill on account of Hepatitis A, enteric fever, intestinal worms and eye and skin infections caused by poor hygiene and unsafe drinking water.
Diarrhea remains the major cause of death amongst children, after respiratory- tract infections. Unhygienic practices and unsafe drinking water are some of its main causes. More than 122 million households in the country are without toilets. The lack of toilets also affects girls’ school attendance. Of India’s vast rural primary and upper primary schools, only one in six have toilets, deterring children - especially girls - from going to school.
Despite a major improvement in literacy rates during the 1990s, the number of children who are not in school remains high. Gender disparities in education persist: far more girls than boys fail to complete primary school.
190 million females in India are non-literate But 20 per cent of children aged 6 to14 are still not in school and millions of women remain non-literate .Several problems persist: issues of ‘social’ distance – arising out of caste, class and gender differences – deny children equal opportunities. Child labor in some parts of the country and resistance to sending girls to school remain real concerns. Girls belonging to marginalised social and economic groups are more likely to drop out of school at an early age.
My intention of putting these facts forward is not to make you crib, as we generally do, but to make you aware of the situation and to bestow the responsibility to you, and yes every individual can make a difference. What it requires is an extra involvement. Your participation!
Now participation can have different meanings. Participation is not merely attending a function. That is decoration and not participation. Participation is also not when children are being merely consulted when adults make all the decision. It’s not being spoon fed for ideas, logic and opinions. It’s all about making choices and understanding the value of you to the society.
Children and young people have the right to participate in family decisions, in school and class decisions, in faith communities, in their cultural and sporting organisations, and also in local and national. Children have the right to freedom of expression, to form and join associations and to seek and receive appropriate information. These rights should empower children to bring about changes in their own lives, to build a better future.
Why should children (you) participate? There are benefits to children and young people themselves, to adults and to society when children participate. You can help shape policy, practices and erase the perception about, sayings like "all children are helpless against violence" or "cannot reason until they turn seven".
Children who participate are more likely to go on to become capable and involved citizens as they grow up. They learn democratic procedures and responsibilities by participating. SO lets us participate in making ourselves responsible and mature to understand what’s happening around us and believe
We are the world,
We are the children,
We are the ones who make a brighter day.
Gandhigiri Vs Rang De Basanti
Gandhigiri Vs Rang De Basanti
" I want freedom for the full expression of my personality. " M.K Gandhi.
As we celebrate 60th year of our Indian Independence, it is really important for us to understand what has shaped us in the way we think and the way we believe of ourselves as being Indians.
Is this the India what was 20 years back or has it changed? Such questions are raised every now and then, lots of debates and discussion are undertaken, but does it lack in its practicality. Yes and no. What comes to your mind when you first think about “ Gandhigiri Vs Rand De Basanti” Well its nothing about a comparison but somewhere down the line the two have a common thing of their own…Both voiced in their own way the importance if Independence and freedom. No matter what ever we think but recently what have really taken The Indian Youths by storm are the two schools of thoughts, which originated during the Indian struggle for independence. Both with a single minded focus of Independence from foreign oppression. Independence for freedom to speech, action, expression.
Well words like Gandhigiri or Rang de Basanti are not just word for itself nor just a title of the film, these are philosophies in which we the youth of Indian are proud to have and believe in it and will continue to follow and preach it.
Gandhigiri:-
Gandhigiri is a colloquial neologism in Bambaiya Hindi (a dialect specific to Mumbai, India) which is used to express Gandhism (the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi which include Satyagraha, non-violence, and truth) in contemporary terms. The term "Gandhigiri" was popularized by the 2006 Hindi film, Lage Raho Munna Bhai.
The Basic teaching of Gandhism include satya (truth) and Satyagraha: "Truth (satya) implies love, and firmness (agraha) engenders and therefore serves as a synonym for force...that is to say, the Force which is born of Truth and Love or non-violence." Gandhi further noted of the term, Satyagraha, its root meaning is holding on to truth, hence it can also becalled as truth force, love-force or soul force.
Gandhigiri" has had an impact on all. "Nobody thinks of Gandhiji these days. If nothing else, 'Gandhigiri' has ensured that Gandhi’s ideas have entered the collective conscience of people,"
Its understandable that these are not practical there days, but its it also important to keep it at the back of your head. Believing in love, persuasion and truth, there is nothing wrong in believing it. What’s the harm? At least if you believe in these fundamentals it ensures that you can be a good human being and can definitely make an effort to improve one’s condition, and if one’s condition improves he/she can definitely aid in improving other condition. Believing in it will help in getting your things done, because such values make others believe in you.
I don’t see any thing wrong in making Gandhi the Next Gen Pop-icon. Thanks to Munnabahi, in bringing Gandhian thought back into the lives of the Indians with” Gandhigiri’.
Rang De Basanthi:
The generation awakens. Yes and its true we are no more living in the past but we are moving forwad with the values left by our great freedomfighters .
The Movie “ Rang De basanti” has really managed to evoke an awareness and message amongst the Indain youth that if you want want to make your country better, then its in your own hands.Like the dialogue from the movie,” NO country is perfect, you have to make it perfect”.
"There are only two ways to lead your life -- Either, let things happen in their own way, keep tolerating it. Or, take responsibility to change it."This is a powerful message to all youths that what is important is that you have to take the rensopilibility, be responsible, be an aset to the cout not a liability. Rang De Basanti is essentially a post-modern interpretation of freedom as it throws light upon the true identity of the Indian.
Indian Independence was not just a cause it was an idea, which shook the sleeping Indians to their toes. And the rest is History. As Bhagat Singh stated,”It is easy to kill individuals but you cannot kill the ideas. Great empires crumbled while the ideas survived”.
Now the idea of independence is not form opperesion from a foreign rule,it lies with- in the system which we have created. Its time to get things at the right prospective, do thing in a different manner and correct the system. Rang De basanti is an evolution of an idea ,that enough is enough, lets be practical and logical and do things that will not only help single individual but will inspire generation to come.
From Bhagat Singh's prison diary, an inspiring note:-
The aim of life is no more to control the mind, but to develop it harmoniously; not to achieve salvation here after, but to make the best use of it here below; and not to realise truth, beauty and good only in contemplation, but also in the actual experience of daily life; social progress depends not upon the ennoblement of the few but on the enrichment of democracy; universal brotherhood can be achieved only when there is an equality of opportunity - of opportunity in the social, political and individual life."
It is pretty interesting to notice that we are currently in the vices of our regular cores of life. We are like puppets either working for someone or obeying someone’s order be it in class, offices. Well all these things are necessary, but it is equally important to understand the meaning of life. We are here to make a difference in the smallest area possible or bringing the difference to the masses. No matter what, there will be lot of hindrances that one will face in its course of life. But it equally important to understand the meaning of what Gandhiji and other revolutionaries taught and believed.
They brought county first in their agenda and everything later. They lived and died everyday. Because of their effort, now we can comfortably relish and taste of freedom and independence. Thanks and kudos to their hardship and untiring vision and faith in the independence movement.
Similarly it is equally important to know the power what lies with- in you. Its you who is responsible for shaping the future and well there has to be a strong foundation for anything. The cornerstone for the foundation will come from the philosophies of Gandhigiri and rang De Basanti.
Believe in yourself and follow the principles set out by our great martyrs. Be Responsible.
. Responsibility not only lies with the teachers, burecrats, politicians, editors .It also belongs to the students.
If you have heard that students cannot be responsible, just shun away these illogical notions, for it’s the light within you which is waiting to show light to the world or people nearby you. Prove the people who underestimate you, wrong. There is no harm in making yourself a good human being and worthy of being a true GEN Next Indian.
The Gen Next Indians are not those Indians who argues that Gandhi is right/wrong , Bhagat Singh was right/wrong, but are individuals who are aware of both the philosophies and are smart enough to distinguish where to apply what, when and how.
I would like to end this journey with an interesting dialogue from Rang De Basanti, with an appeal to students , "If yet your blood does not rage, then it is water that flows in your veins. For what is the flush of youth, if it is not of service to the motherland."
" I want freedom for the full expression of my personality. " M.K Gandhi.
As we celebrate 60th year of our Indian Independence, it is really important for us to understand what has shaped us in the way we think and the way we believe of ourselves as being Indians.
Is this the India what was 20 years back or has it changed? Such questions are raised every now and then, lots of debates and discussion are undertaken, but does it lack in its practicality. Yes and no. What comes to your mind when you first think about “ Gandhigiri Vs Rand De Basanti” Well its nothing about a comparison but somewhere down the line the two have a common thing of their own…Both voiced in their own way the importance if Independence and freedom. No matter what ever we think but recently what have really taken The Indian Youths by storm are the two schools of thoughts, which originated during the Indian struggle for independence. Both with a single minded focus of Independence from foreign oppression. Independence for freedom to speech, action, expression.
Well words like Gandhigiri or Rang de Basanti are not just word for itself nor just a title of the film, these are philosophies in which we the youth of Indian are proud to have and believe in it and will continue to follow and preach it.
Gandhigiri:-
Gandhigiri is a colloquial neologism in Bambaiya Hindi (a dialect specific to Mumbai, India) which is used to express Gandhism (the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi which include Satyagraha, non-violence, and truth) in contemporary terms. The term "Gandhigiri" was popularized by the 2006 Hindi film, Lage Raho Munna Bhai.
The Basic teaching of Gandhism include satya (truth) and Satyagraha: "Truth (satya) implies love, and firmness (agraha) engenders and therefore serves as a synonym for force...that is to say, the Force which is born of Truth and Love or non-violence." Gandhi further noted of the term, Satyagraha, its root meaning is holding on to truth, hence it can also becalled as truth force, love-force or soul force.
Gandhigiri" has had an impact on all. "Nobody thinks of Gandhiji these days. If nothing else, 'Gandhigiri' has ensured that Gandhi’s ideas have entered the collective conscience of people,"
Its understandable that these are not practical there days, but its it also important to keep it at the back of your head. Believing in love, persuasion and truth, there is nothing wrong in believing it. What’s the harm? At least if you believe in these fundamentals it ensures that you can be a good human being and can definitely make an effort to improve one’s condition, and if one’s condition improves he/she can definitely aid in improving other condition. Believing in it will help in getting your things done, because such values make others believe in you.
I don’t see any thing wrong in making Gandhi the Next Gen Pop-icon. Thanks to Munnabahi, in bringing Gandhian thought back into the lives of the Indians with” Gandhigiri’.
Rang De Basanthi:
The generation awakens. Yes and its true we are no more living in the past but we are moving forwad with the values left by our great freedomfighters .
The Movie “ Rang De basanti” has really managed to evoke an awareness and message amongst the Indain youth that if you want want to make your country better, then its in your own hands.Like the dialogue from the movie,” NO country is perfect, you have to make it perfect”.
"There are only two ways to lead your life -- Either, let things happen in their own way, keep tolerating it. Or, take responsibility to change it."This is a powerful message to all youths that what is important is that you have to take the rensopilibility, be responsible, be an aset to the cout not a liability. Rang De Basanti is essentially a post-modern interpretation of freedom as it throws light upon the true identity of the Indian.
Indian Independence was not just a cause it was an idea, which shook the sleeping Indians to their toes. And the rest is History. As Bhagat Singh stated,”It is easy to kill individuals but you cannot kill the ideas. Great empires crumbled while the ideas survived”.
Now the idea of independence is not form opperesion from a foreign rule,it lies with- in the system which we have created. Its time to get things at the right prospective, do thing in a different manner and correct the system. Rang De basanti is an evolution of an idea ,that enough is enough, lets be practical and logical and do things that will not only help single individual but will inspire generation to come.
From Bhagat Singh's prison diary, an inspiring note:-
The aim of life is no more to control the mind, but to develop it harmoniously; not to achieve salvation here after, but to make the best use of it here below; and not to realise truth, beauty and good only in contemplation, but also in the actual experience of daily life; social progress depends not upon the ennoblement of the few but on the enrichment of democracy; universal brotherhood can be achieved only when there is an equality of opportunity - of opportunity in the social, political and individual life."
It is pretty interesting to notice that we are currently in the vices of our regular cores of life. We are like puppets either working for someone or obeying someone’s order be it in class, offices. Well all these things are necessary, but it is equally important to understand the meaning of life. We are here to make a difference in the smallest area possible or bringing the difference to the masses. No matter what, there will be lot of hindrances that one will face in its course of life. But it equally important to understand the meaning of what Gandhiji and other revolutionaries taught and believed.
They brought county first in their agenda and everything later. They lived and died everyday. Because of their effort, now we can comfortably relish and taste of freedom and independence. Thanks and kudos to their hardship and untiring vision and faith in the independence movement.
Similarly it is equally important to know the power what lies with- in you. Its you who is responsible for shaping the future and well there has to be a strong foundation for anything. The cornerstone for the foundation will come from the philosophies of Gandhigiri and rang De Basanti.
Believe in yourself and follow the principles set out by our great martyrs. Be Responsible.
. Responsibility not only lies with the teachers, burecrats, politicians, editors .It also belongs to the students.
If you have heard that students cannot be responsible, just shun away these illogical notions, for it’s the light within you which is waiting to show light to the world or people nearby you. Prove the people who underestimate you, wrong. There is no harm in making yourself a good human being and worthy of being a true GEN Next Indian.
The Gen Next Indians are not those Indians who argues that Gandhi is right/wrong , Bhagat Singh was right/wrong, but are individuals who are aware of both the philosophies and are smart enough to distinguish where to apply what, when and how.
I would like to end this journey with an interesting dialogue from Rang De Basanti, with an appeal to students , "If yet your blood does not rage, then it is water that flows in your veins. For what is the flush of youth, if it is not of service to the motherland."
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