WEEKEND LIGHTER: A PAGE FROM HISTORY
WEEKEND LIGHTER: A PAGE FROM HISTORY
(May 21/22, 2016, No. 21/2016)*
Weekend
Lighter is posted every Saturday @mgwarrier.blogspot.in
*Posted on May 21, 2016 from
Thiruvananthapuram.
I
Opening
Remarks
A page from history*
“Even
if we could suppose that it were practicable without the aid of a single native
to conduct the whole affairs of the country both in the higher and in all the
subordinate offices, by means of Europeans, it ought not to be done, because it
would be both politically and morally wrong. The great number of public offices
in which the natives are employed is one of the strongest causes of their
attachment to our Government. In proportion as we exclude them from these, we
lose our hold on them, and were the exclusion entire, we should have their
hatred in place of their attachment, their feelings would be communicated to
the whole population, and to the native troops, and would excite a spirit of
discontent too powerful for us to subdue or resist. But were it possible that
they could submit silently and without opposition, the case would be worse,
they would sink in character, they would lose the hope of public office and
distinction all laudable ambition, and would degenerate into an indolent and
abject race, incapable of any higher pursuit than the mere gratification of
their appetites. It would certainly be more desirable that we should be
expelled from the country altogether, than that the result of our system of
government should be such a debasement of a whole people.”
-Sir
Thomas Munro, December 31, 1824 (Excerpt from East India Papers, Vol iii,
London,1826, quoted in Economic History of India, Romesh Dutt, C.I.E)
*Will be back with more on this in future editions of WL
New Kerala CM-designate
Pinarayi Vijayan
Vijayan was born on March 21, 1944 to Mundayil Koran and Kalyani in
Pinarayi in Kannur district, the place where the Communist movement in Kerala
began.
He became the Kannur district secretary of the Kerala Students
Federation while studying for BA (Economics) in BrennenCollege in Thalassery
and also worked as a handloom weaver after his schooling for a year before
being able to continue his higher studies.
He went on to become its state secretary and, later, state president of
the KSF. In 1968, at the age of 24, Vijayan even found a place in the Kannur
district committee of the CPI-M.
Two years later, the party gifted Vijayan a sure ticket at Koothuparambu
and he became MLA at the age of 26. Vijayan was elected to the state
legislative assembly three times later in 1977, 1991 and 1996.
He rose to prominence when he won in 1977 and again in 1991 from the
same constituency. With better grip on the party, he became the CPI-M district
secretary in Kannur in 1978.
Vijayan, who took part in various agitations, was subjected to torture
during the Emergency and during earlier agitations. He once recalled that six
policemen continuously beat him on the night of September 28, 1975 till he
fainted in the lockup.
After his release, he came to the assembly and made a powerful speech
holding up the blood–stained shirt he wore during the assault on him in the
police lock-up.
His speech attacking then Home minister and senior Congress leader late
K Karunakaran was considered to be a glorious chapter in the legislative
papers.
II
Recent
responses
May 16, 2016
Rude analogy
This
refers to the excerpts from the interview given to Manojit Saha by RBI deputy
governor S S Mundra (The Hindu, Banks need to change their lifestyle, May 16).
I wish, Indian Banks Association (IBA) and Indian Medical Association (IMA)
seriously study the context and content of the rude comparison made and the
terms used by Shri Mundra to make his point that the health of Indian Banking
System is in bad shape.
Asset
Quality Review as the three words indicate can at best be termed a diagnostic
tool. The deputy governor says, ‘RBI termed the AQR a required surgery’. Words
like ICU, patient, surgery, operation table, sick and doctor are used in the
answers given by the deputy governor with ease. The Indian Banking System,
thanks to the care with which GOI and the predecessors of Mundra nurtured it,
is not yet in the precarious state of health as is now being made out by the
critiques and media. Still, observations like those made in this interview by
the top executive can impair the banking system, as the institution of banking
is built on trust and if the trust of the depositors is not easy to recoup,
once shaken.
M G Warrier,
Thiruvananthapuram
May 16, 2016
Out of court*
This
refers to your editorial ‘Mediate,” (The Hindu Business Line, May 16). This is
a timely suggestion at a time courts in India are burdened with over 30 million
pending cases across the country with inadequate infrastructure and manpower to
handle even a fraction of them during the current decade.
Recently, while referring to unfilled
vacancies in courts and helplessness due to shortage of hands to handle pending
cases at various levels, the Chief Justice of India became emotional on a dais
where Prime Minister Modi was also present. For a moment even
the Prime Minister must have been shocked which made him search for
words and make a guarded official statement that ‘if constitutional barriers do
not create any problems, then top ministers and senior Supreme Court judges can
sit together to find a solution to the issue’. Knowing the ‘Modi’ way of
looking at issues, one would have expected a promise to ensure quick action to
fill up existing vacancies in the judiciary at all levels and an assurance to
resolve other issues flagged by CJI in a time-bound manner.
The wake-up call from CJI on April 24
is more than a warning and nation can ill-afford to ignore the message
demanding prompt remedial action. The immediate measures could include:
i)
Segregating cases which need to be
decided within a year and taking them on a priority basis by the courts now in
position.
ii)
Leaving the remaining cases to new
Special Courts to be put in place at all levels depending on the number of
pending cases.
iii)
Ensuring vacancies of judges at all
levels are filled quickly.
iv)
Making it compulsory for government and
public sector organizations to expedite procedures where they are on either
side of the matters before courts. This is necessary as there is laxity on
their side as cost and delay seldom affects the individuals who handle cases in
government and public sector. This position is slowly creeping into big
corporates also, where individuals do not feel the burden of cash outflow for
fighting court cases.
v)
Making necessary legislative changes to
reduce procedural delays.
vi)
Simultaneous efforts to encourage
concerned parties to settle issues out of court. This method would bear fruit
where party on one side of the dispute is government or quasi-government
organizations.
vii)
Advocates can play a proactive role by
sharing the responsibility for procedural delays by charging less for appearing
for cases depending on the category of clients and their capacity to pay.
M G Warrier, Thiruvananthapuram
*Submitted version.
III
LEISURE
FAITH/spirituality
1
Manakkal
Nambi**
Rama
Misra was the disciple of Uyyakondar, who in turn was a disciple of the great
Vaishnavite preceptor Nathamuni. There is an incident in the life of Rama Misra
which shows his devotion to his Acharya and also shows us the best gift one can
have, said Akkarakkani Srinidhi in a discourse.
Uyyakondar’s
wife departed from this world at a young age, leaving behind her two young
daughters. On the last day of the funeral rites, the girls had to be taken to
the river for a bath and escorted back home.
Rama
Misra was put in charge of the girls. But the path to the river was slushy and
if the girls went back the way they had come their legs and clothes would get
dirty. So Rama Misra came up with an idea.
He lay
prone on the muddy track and asked the girls to step on him and make it across
to the dry ground. The little girls did accordingly. Rama Misra then hurried to
Uyyakondar’s house with the girls. Because he had allowed the little girls to
walk on his back and because their feet had left sandy imprints on his back, he
was given the name Manakkal (sandy footprints) Nambi.
His
Acharya was moved by his disciple’s devotion and whispered the dvaya mantra* in
his ears. This is a great gift from an Acharya to his disciple. Ramanujacharya
has stated that while kings chewed edible camphor to while away their time, Sri
Vaishnavas spent their time reciting the dvaya mantra.
Vedanta
Desika has observed that nothing is superior to the dvaya mantra. It ensures
our welfare and that is why it is called mantra ratna — the gem among mantras.
So Manakkal Nambi could not have been blessed with a greater gift than this by
his Acharya.
*SRIMAN NARAYANA CHARANAU SARANAM PRAPADYE
SRIMATE NARAYANAYA NAMAHA
SRIMATE NARAYANAYA NAMAHA
** The Hindu, May 16, 2016
2
VISHNUSAHASRANAAMAM: DHYAANASHLOKAM
I loved the
following dhyaanashlokam quoted in the Sahasranaama stotra bhaashyam (Sanskrit)
written by ‘Aryavaidyan’ S R Iyer, Special Officer, Aryavaidyasala, Kottakkal
(Kerala) published in 1982. Thought I should share with you. The English
meaning has been accessed from website(Google search!)
bhUH pAdau yasya
nAbhir-viyada-suranila-candra-sUryau cha netre
karNa-vASaH Siro-DyauH mukhamapi dahano yasya
vAsteyam abdhiH
antas-stham yasya viSvam
sura-nara-khaga-go-bhogi-gandharva-daityaiH
chitram ramramyate tam tribhuvana-vapusham vishNum
Isam namAmi.
[ I bow to Lord vishNu who has the three
worlds as His body. The Earth is His feet, and the sky His navel.
Wind is His breath and the Sun and the Moon are His eyes. Directions are His ears, and the Heaven is
His head. Fire is His face and ocean His abdomen. In Him is situated the
universe with diverse kinds of Gods, men, birds, cattle, serpents,
gandharvas and daityas (demons)- all
sporting in a charming way. ]
*******
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