Fidayeens are Few

The marvelous side-effect of the #ChineseWuhanCoronavirus is the redrawing of definitions, priorities and boundaries of multiple living entities. From dolphins swimming in Venice to Elephants roaming in Dehradun, to deers frolicking on urban roads to birds chirping more sweetly than ever either on trees or while riding the travelators! In all this, humans have a chance to bond with their families, invest time in introspection/spirituality, ponder on 'what is peace' and more! Amongst all these jolly good opportunities of revisiting or redefining, lies an opportunity to revisit & redefine another misunderstood definition - it has been a bane to Indian politics and society for too long but nature has ensured that barricaded-at-home Indian populous gives it a thought, i.e. secularism. Now I'll leave that to each fellow Bhaaratiya to ponder as I move towards the focal point of my blog today which is the conundrum of 'a few'. Let me state outright that I consciously with a sound mind completely support and subscribe to the assertion "Not ALL Muslims are bad/evil! A 'few' of them are".  The point of divergence lies in a single word, 'few'. What do you mean by 'a few' ?

Of Truth and Terror ....

I remember those days when I was "the angry young man" - picking fights on roads with errant drivers and pedestrians alike with immense satisfaction. I enjoy it still but a lot has toned down. Every time I get behind the wheel, I remind myself of my father's golden rule of driving - "I am always wrong. All others are always right". When I drive, I call it the 'Dravid' mode and it has helped me calm down a lot especially in the "wonderful" city of Pune where one invites immense audiovisual hostility if one unfortunately chooses to halt at a red signal. What it has done is to increase my perseverance and patience as well on the road and off it. This simple rule of my father's has put my entire existence into perspective that Truth alone is not sufficient to triumph - me being right and abiding by the rules is irrelevant when it comes to the road - that is my truth and I have a choice to stick by it or let it go; it is hardly something which will be valued in times of an accident. One of the greatest discoveries of mine in this spiritual quest called life is my firm belief that Truth is one of the most weakest forces ever on a standalone basis. Truth derives its strength from time. Truth has only tenacity and perseverance to count among it's allies. Everything else withers out with time but Truth grows stronger if persisted with and in the right direction. At the same time, strength commands weight - strength takes the shape of power with this weight; as Mohan-ji spoke, over this past Sunday at the 1.58 lac Swayamsevak Strong Shivashakti Sangam 2016, "Who speaks the truth is more important than the truth itself." A powerful nation can direct global affairs; a powerful truthful nation can lead the globe to peace and prosperity. Pathankot, as another episode, I see in the same light.

Understanding India's Security Strategy : Jammu & Kashmir

25-27 Feb 2013, I had attended a seminar Understanding India's Security Strategy : With a special reference to Jammu & Kashmir and North East India at Keshav Srushti, Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini located at a picturesque location near the Uttan village, Bhayandar, Mumbai. The Knowledge Centre built up at this place is an excellent location for study, thought and development of the mind. The melodious chirping of the birds in early hours of the day is a rare experience in a place like Mumbai for obvious reasons!

As clearly as the title suggests the seminar dealt with our security issues, current and future of the same along our borders and most importantly the need of enlightening the wide mass of Bhaaratiyas against these threats. Many sections of the seminar had thankfully reached upto me via the internet, through attending related seminars in the past and the general awareness created by many patriots and fighters in action before me. To say I didn't learn anything new would be a foolish mistake and some insights can only be presented by men on the field. When a multitude of ex-armymen Lt. Gen. Shekatkar, Lt. Gen. VM Patil, Brigadier Hemant Mahajan, Col. Gidh, defence/security/political analysts Nitin Gokhale, Alok Bansal, Historian/Witness/Professor K. Pandita (an elderly Kashmiri Pandit who has seen the Jammu-Kashmir story by his own eyes, RSS karyakarta Arun Kumar (with active and vast experience in all these regions) concluded by Ex-Intelligence Bureau Chief and current director of Vivekananda International Foundation Ajit Doval share talk space one should be certain that enlightenment is guaranteed! Describing the entire 3 day seminar (atleast 20 hours of talk) in its entirety would be an extremely cumbersome process and even if I manage that somehow it will be far off from live listening and interaction with such personalities. I will try and put up the gist.