The Tehelka Foundation

Ishara International Puppet Festival

2009-01-29T00:20:00.000-08:00

Salaam Baalak Trust invite

2008-08-04T03:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

You are invited to the inaugiration of Girls home of Salaam Baalak Trust on 9th November 2008, at 4:30 pm.

Address and route map can be found on the card attached.

Thanks..

Nukkad Natak

2008-06-17T04:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

The Summer Programme that the Foundation ran this year has developed with great promise and we would like to share my excitement with you.

A batch of 60 young people signed up for the Youth Empowerment workshops that brought together students from different schools as well as diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
Meeting 3 times a week at Bluebells School from 20th May, the children played, acted, laughed, fought and shared experiences with each other.

Teenagers from privileged backgrounds walked the streets of Paharganj with their new friends from the NGOs Salaam Baalak Trust, Aarushi and Aakanksha, in an attempt to understand the lives of street and working children.

Together, they arrived at issues of relevance to all of them, and have attempted to articulate their thoughts about what social changes they would like to see around them, through these street plays that have been scripted, directed and acted by them.

The students have also opened a page on Facebook called Active Citizen, in which they have posted some of their pictures and comments. The link is http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13331299796.

Today, they have become the core team of Yuva Ekta:YOUTH UNITE - a melting pot of volatile young people, fired by the desire to do their bit to bring about social change.

It is with great pride that we invite you to the performance of the Yuva Ekta NUKKAD NATAK on the 19th & 20th of June. The details are enclosed.

Hope to see you there!

Warm Regards

The route to Empowerment

2008-06-10T04:42:00.000-07:00

Friends, here's this question which has been on my mind since always HOW DO WE EMPOWER THE HAVE NOTS AND WEAK ............. but have not been able to reach an acceptable decision .......... my solution is not accepted by many, so I ask you guys to help me with your innovative ideas as to how to reach to a solution because you know what ? Am not going to wait to help the have-nots till I get power and money but am going to start now, no matter what it takes. In fact I have a strategy which involves you guys also but that we'll talk about later, firstly I want your ideas, well as far as my thought goes … until we are dragons ourselves we cant make others even jugnus (fireflies) and that we have to do with money. We have to shell out our bank balances to make channels through which the actual needy can make his/her way out to the right world. What do u guys think? Be truthful yaar ..........
Luqmaan Hasan Kazim on Jun 6, 2008 at 9:37 AM

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Thank you so much for posting this topic Luqmaan, & bringing up the question of Empowerment. This is a word bandied about so much these days, but can we first define what we think empowerment truly is? And by that definition, am I empowered? Are you empowered? Are all of us in the group empowered? Only when I am empowered can I begin to even think of empowering an another....so everyone out there, what do You think empowerment is?
Puneeta Roy on Jun 6, 2008 at 9:27 PM

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First of all thank you for asking the grass root level question ma'am puneeta.I completely agree with the fact that we as human beings need to go through the process of our empowerment before thinking of others' state.If giving money and providing the underprivileged with basic necessities is our idea of their empowerment, then it holds a lot of meaning but the duty doesn’t end there.Being really frank, I think their empowerment is basically they becoming strong individuals, which is extremely similar to our empowerment. Because by the end of the day whatever society we come from, we’re all of the same category: living beings.I think empowerment is the ability to be happy in any circumstance; it is taking full responsibility of our decisions, of being a channel of tremendous light and energy.So once, we ourselves become a channel then without “trying” we empower people around us. When the question of shelling out money comes, I personally believe that without our help in the financial respect the have-nots, cannot grow, cannot study, cannot exercise their creativity. Hence, completely agreeing with Luqman, I’d say that WE need to empower ourselves to make a difference, to make dragons out of ourselves, to change.Thank you.
Gauri Saxena on Jun 7, 2008 at 8:05 AM

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I totally agree with what Luqmaan and Gauri to what they have said above. Empowerment actually begins from your own inner self like we have been pointing this same point again n again that talking about empowerment does not always mean that its from the societies point of view but also yourself.Do you also think that you yourself have so much strength in yourself that one day you can rise up to a certain level where u can get a change in the society.... By just helping out a needy doesn’t mean empowerment but its more 2 it. I myself am in a fix to know the meaning of it.We all do need to become the jugnus so that one day we can say "yes I have the strength and I can bring about a change" we all have to spark that light in ourselves then in orders to declare that we all r empowered.....Thats what I think.......
Bindiya on Jun 7, 2008 at 10:54 AM

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Luqmaan...you've asked a great question and given an answer that I believe is a the SECOND 50% of the problem, that of giving have-nots money. In my belief a soul comprises a little bit of fire and little bit of light and ignition of the two inner forces is knowledge. Be it knowledge of history, science politics language or any sort of knowledge that exists. And empowerment is a process that will never stop till we as beings end our cycle.Empowering to me means a transfer of knowledge, an interaction between all living beings at a level where the knowledge flow is constant and unprecedented. When the knowledge flows so will the modern world opportunities along with it the necessary evil that we all love called money. There are rich and powerful who choose to withhold their knowledge from the world and there are middle classes that share their knowledge to help the have-nots and vice versa. I think at a personal level we need to realize that any knowledge we hold and share is a gift we give...and any knowledge we receive is a gift as well... and should be given and taken unconditionally...for in the end even a business transaction is conducted with a certain amount of knowledge.Therefore I think that empowerment will never stop as long as human knowledge exists and till we earn our money and make our own independent lives the least we can do is be a part of this sublime transaction of knowledge, learn what the economically weak have to offer and give in return unconditionally what you have received. Another request, somehow I find the term Have-nots derogatory, economically weak Yes,.but have nots indicates they do not have anything to offer, and believe me they have much knowledge to offer. Things nobody else may ever be able to teach us. My view may not be shared by all, but I agree that once we take part in a transfer of knowledge we ourselves will realize how we can individually help.
Shaman on Jun 7, 2008 at 11:33 PM

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Wow! I simply love the thoughts that are flowing through this discussion!Thank you Shaman, lets not call them the "Have-Nots" on the basis of monetary health. I know that this is a term used to define a certain class of people based on economic parameters, but now that you have interacted so closely with children from such backgrounds, re-think these terms and form your own opinions. From whom are you learning the max during the workshops? Who seems to have strength and grit, and can survive in any circumstances? We don't need to name anyone, but let connect with the Truths that are within us.Empowerment as the transfer of knowledge, as a constant process of being in the flow, of being strong and responsible.....I agree with all of this.

But for me, a a very fundamental level, empowerment is about Choice - of being aware that I am always making a choice at very moment - a choice of thought, word, action, and this choice determines my emotions, and that I am totally responsible for the repercussions of my choice.And as Gauri says, I am a channel of love and light, and when I radiate this awareness of myself as an empowered being, I enable the empowerment of those around me. I do this by connecting with the spark, the fire they have within them that Shaman has referred to. As they become aware of their own inherent strength, they begin to grow too.So its not with monetary help that I empower people, but with the dignity and respect I give them, that enables them to grow into strong trees themselves, without feeling the need to cling to my shadow!Looking forward to your thoughts on this....
Puneeta on Jun 8, 2008 at 12:17 AM

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I am empowered. I make my own decisions. I have a range of options to choose from. I have access to information n resources, which help me in taking a proper decision for myself. I am assertive. I feel free to express my thoughts, feelings n desires. I am aware of my rights, and have the courage to stand up for them. I believe in the virtues of positive thinking, and its ability to bring about a change. I like to see the glass as half full rather than as half empty. I am a keen learner, always trying to hone on my skills so as to improve my own power, and that of the group of which I’m a part. I believe in equal opportunity for all. And I also believe that others’ perceptions can be changed through democratic means. I have a belief n a value system, which allows me to communicate my ideas with conviction. In spite of the hardships that surround my life, I have a positive self-image. For me, ‘empowerment’ means all of this, and much more. I would like to ask Luqmaan what he means when he says that he cannot wait till he gets ‘power’? For me, the whole concept of being in power is more fundamental than how it is conceived usually. I feel empowerment and power are very closely related. To begin with, if we think that power is inherent in certain people or positions, then I dont think empowerment is quite possible. So the first change needs to be brought about in our perception of power. I consider myself to be powerful now, as I stand today, both as an individual who doesn’t let people/circumstances dictate her life, and as a member of a group (Yuva Ekta) where individuals belonging to various social backgrounds have come together voluntarily to deal with issues that they find important. Empowerment is multi-dimensional. It’s a process that instigates power in people, which they can use not only in their own lives, but also in their communities and in their society by acting on issues they tag as important. So together, we can strive to bring awareness, and teach people skills and knowledge that lights up the motivation in them to improve their lives.. to be empowered.And I agree with Shaman. Money is just not the solution. Monetary assistance is important too, because many a times it’s a question of their very existence, but that is not the answer to the question we’re looking at. Empowerment requires enabling them to ‘be aware’, to have the knowledge that they CAN and that they HAVE all the rights of the world to deserve a better, healthier and happier life. My solution: well we are on the right track. As I once said in a group discussion, the goal is to cover the distance between a thought and the execution of that thought. For me, this journey is a destination in itself.. Empowerment is a life long process.. and all that we need to understand, is that its something worth achieving.
Saman on Jun 8, 2008 at 12:33 AM

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Empowerment ... guys, the very meaning of the word is a debatable issue. When I say that I am empowered I mean that I hold the power to do things that I want to do whether with this power is used in the destruction of mankind, for our own benefits or for the benefit of the common man.Million-dollar Question no. 2. What is power is, power is an aid with which the empowerment comes. Now the fact that power is only money is a very wrong misconception according to me. When you have the skill and ability to mobilize people and people follow you, that is also power as the mere collection of our people can bring about a change …Examples ??? Mahatma Gandhi and the terrorist leaders.... Both people had the power of mobilizing people but used it for different purposes ...
Im not saying that these people did not use any other sort of power, but this kind is a major one.
No need for me to explain the power of money, but a small tit bit, in the world today Money is every thing, well almost. In the world of today ANYTHING can be bought and sold and I mean ANYTHING. People Sell off their values, their bodies and they let themselves lose their self worth just to gain this money and the worst part is that god has made this world in such a way that most of the people who hold this kind of power are complete IDIOTS and …. The third kind of power is the power that we have. The power that puneeta mam is trying to nurture, the power that can create money, the power that can help in mobilizing people .... The Power of ABILITY/TALENT AND POTENTIALEach person has a Talent and if the talent is used properly it can create an army of people ... an army of talented people, but some people are exceptionally talented. They have the ability to do wondrous things. That person is a leader in its true sense IF nurtured carefully other wise they will be lost in some Railway station or the other ...
Shashank on Jun 8, 2008 at 7:51 AM

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Listen guys… till now the world has been talking a lot about giving knowledge and empowering people through it, but the fact that remains is that TO CHANNELIZE KNOWLEDGE TO THE HAVE NOTS U NEED RESOURCES and my friends resources are not available for FREE ............ IT COSTS BIG BUCKS FOR IT, and let me inform everybody that I am using the word have-nots and not 'economically weak' coz it is that way economically weak implies only if u don’t have money but as shaman himself said that one is empowered only if he has knowledge and light and since a person who maybe rich but doesn’t have knowledge and light is a have not…hence the term have-nots is apt.
Everyone here has taken me in a negative sense for empowerment when I mentioned money, well if shaman is agreed to then empowerment is spreading of knowledge but here I have a question Here's the question, throughout the annals of mankind thousands of prophets and philosophers and thinkers and social reform movements have come for the sake of spreading knowledge, but yet we have this problem of people who are not empowered. Why so? …I think and not only think but believe that for everything u do u need to study a financial side for it as well when we talk about empowering we have to think on a large scale. I am not talking of empowering two or three people, am looking for empowering five or six million… Okay so here I go, I will see what I need to achieve that objective of mine..

1. EMPOWERING according to me means giving knowledge in its purest form to which we can also refer as 'formal education' .

2. NOW HOW CAN I MAKE A CHANNEL TO GIVE IT you guys have to think here and think real deep, if you even come for the workshop you pay for the fuel of your car or of the auto fare so when u look to empower five to six million how can u go around spreading knowledge without a channel which we also call management.

WE NEED MONEY AND POWER AS WELLp.s. here by power i mean authorityNow there's an important question as to what is POWER,. WHEN I CAN STAND FOR THE RIGHT WITH EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE CAN SUCCESSFULLY CARRY OUT THE CAUSE WITHOUT GETTING MYSELF HARMED IS WHEN I AM POWERFUL well if people you guys disagree by my definition do tell me because then I can make you prove that this is right because you know what, no one in today's date wants to do something for someone else and in the process end up being hurt or being at an uncomfortable stand. So keeping the needs of the individual and also respecting his desire to change I have coined this definition ...Finally people if you have to make a change you have to go to the grass root level and start educating people because that’s the only solution as my master Hazrat Imam Ali said, 'Education is the only solution to poverty'.
Luqmaan on Jun 9, 2008 at 5:51 PM

Views on leadership:

2008-06-03T01:46:00.001-07:00

What exactly one would define a leader as.... is he the one, one would like to follow or is he the one who would encourage an initiative among others while staying out of the spotlight himself or is he just a role model who is only admired and looked upon at.... just to be like him...???Well coming down on one's individual viewpoint, I personally feel a leader is one who has a blend of leading people but keeping in mind that each and everyone of the group gets an equal and fair platform to ventilate his feelings, suggestions, ideas and viewpoint. A leader should be able to use the ventilated ideas and feelings of all the members as strength to get his group on the top…However, I would not take any sides i.e. A leader is one who is always on the front or the one who encourages the team from behind... as it may be mistaken as sheer dominance or reluctance by some people, so being brief and concluding it here I would say a leader is a combination of taking charge and giving charge.
Posted by: Amrita Dwivedi

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Actually I kind of agree with Amrita. I don’t think we can classify a leader... but we can discuss about the qualities that a leader should possess. I mean we need a person, who can bring out the best in everyone, this one is a must. The person should never try to bag all the biggies for himself and always try to stay in the limelight. But on the other hand we don’t want a guy who makes the group work and not do anything himself. A leader should be a part of the group, a member who is responsible for making the group do its best and also keep the discipline and all. I think aggressive people are a strict no no for being leaders, passionate, yes but aggressive no. Well I could just go on and on about this but am running out of time... kudos then...

Response by Aarushi Jha

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hey amrita I have a perfect idea of who a leader is .......... but cant explain it to you on facebook ....... I will tell you when you ask me wen we meet ......... and am damn one hundred percent sure that you will agree .............

Response by Luqmaan Hasan Kazim

Editors note: Amrita, Aarushi and Luqmaan are resident of Delhi and member of the Yuva-Ekta Club.

City walk: My experiences

2008-05-28T03:50:00.000-07:00

I was asked to write about my experiences of the city walk, but as I sit here to write, I realize that I haven’t come to terms with what I saw as yet. Its very difficult to put in words but I would try none the less.. I had been looking forward to the city walk since the time Damini first mentioned it to me when she told me about this workshop. It sounded really interesting even though initially I had no idea of what it could contain. It started raining cat’s n dogs in the morning when we were supposed to go for the walk, but not once did the thought of not going occur to me. (As Shivani once said, the chance is being given, its up to you to avail it, if u don’t, its just one opportunity lost).I would say it was a very tiring day, not so physically but yes mentally it was very disturbing..

Shekhar led the walk telling us his story, a story of being the son of a Govt. official in a far away district of Bihar. People would come to her talking about her addicted and spoiled son mocked at her for no fault of hers. A guilt of a child to b the reason of his mother's tears, his frustrations eventually led him to run away from his home and he landed in Delhi. Big dreams in small eyes struggling to survive on the streets of the metro, feeding on garbage for months together, got trained to be a thief, but look at the irony of the situation. In reality, it was he who was being robbed of his right to a healthy and happy life. He smoked away his years of perhaps the most beautiful phase of our lives which makes our fondest of memories, a phase called 'childhood' where every child has every right to live a life like a free bird, where there exists no prejudices, no biases against anyone, where innocence rules and unconditional love survives, But its so different for these kids.

Physical abuse... sexual exploitation… poverty... hunger... big words aren’t they?
But do we know wat it means?

Do we realize what it is to sleep with n empty stomach for days together; can we ever understand the plight of these children?

I don’t know... Something scares me... and I don’t want to think about it. Its a reality we choose to overlook as its so displeasing to the eyes and the mind that we all tend to almost believe that it doesn’t even exist in the dream world ewe live in. I don’t feel the same way anymore... I saw it happen… I saw the kids sniff the drugs, eat the leftovers from food packets... I saw it all happen in front of me... aur ankh band karne se sach sirf chup sakta hai... khatam nahi hota.. par ise humein khatam karna hai.. main nahi janti kaise.. par iski hum sab logon ko sath milke kuch larna hoga. aur shuruaat ho chuki hai..

We went to the Salaam Baalak Trust shelter home and I saw the walls painted with the jungle story… yes, the hope is still alive, the work is being done. Small steps are being taken which will eventually make a difference… and I shall take it forward, all of us will… the stormy clouds will give way to a bright sunny morning and one more thing, Shekhar would become a bollywood star. Inshallah. :-)

Written by: Saman Quraishi

Minor Edits: Akif Ahmad

WE

2008-05-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

Krishan Singh Rajender Ritesh Kumar Shahadatt Sanjay Vijay laxmi Kanchan Jyoti Narayan Rahul Joyti Anish Nasreen Pooja Heena Ritu Ram Anju Rajan Sanjay Raju Singh Rakesh Shekhar Saini Kunal Gosain Saman Quraishi Shashank Nitin Gupta Vikrama ditya sunder Avik Roy Priyanka Nath Sakshi Gera Navita Gulati Gauri Saxena Ketan Puri Shailendra Rawal Lalit Bhushan Vipin Gupta Mahima Copra Anukriti Gulati Swati Mehta Bindiya Bhathija Sukhmani Lamba Luqmaan S.Hasan Arushi Jha Amrita Dwivedi Bushra S.Kazim Snigdha Jha Greeshum Panesar Jyoti nair Tripti Singhi Ayush Gupta Varun Karishma lamba Damini Ralleigh

have joined hands together.

Want to know why ??? just wait and we will invite you for the same..

Yuva-Ekta Summer Program: 2008

2008-05-06T03:05:00.000-07:00

Dear friends..
Its long since we have been in touch. Apologies for a long absence, but we will now try to be regular here..
To start, here are the details of the Summer Program 2008, more details and Program schedule can be accessed through the foundation website.

The Tehelka Foundation understands the importance of a platform where young people come together, connect and work towards social equity. The Yuva-Ekta: Summer Program, 2008 is one such opportunity for young people from different socio-economic backgrounds to interact with one other and ideate on a number of socially relevant issues ranging from the Right to Information to appreciating what one already has, to human rights issues and environmental concerns. Students from various schools, colleges and non-profit organizations will come together for duration of one month to work together and learn from each other. Beginning with a three day “self empowerment” workshop, the participants relax through activities that enables them to get to know each other as well as get in touch with their “inner selves”.

Another salient feature of the program is the “City Walk”, organized by Salaam Baalak Trust, an NGO that works with street and working children. Volunteers from the trust will guide the students through the New Delhi Railway Station, recounting the hardships they had faced when they initially ran away to Delhi. The walk leaves an indelible impression on the students who are exposed to street life for the first time, as it dawns upon them that millions of children live in our country under such harrowing circumstances!

During this month long program, the students will also spend time at the children’s shelter home in Paharhganj and engage with them in fun learning, games, music art and craft and so on. Their experiences, their hopes and insights get expressed in a street play, conceived, scripted and acted by the students, which is later staged at many public places as well as schools. The workshop will also include many fun filled activities like film screenings, group discussions, singing and poetry. Sports activities will also be a part of the program.

info : Shivani +91.9910001164 / akif [at] tehelka dot com
venue : Bluebells School International
Opposite LSR College
Kailash Colony
New Delhi 110048

imaginathon: A plug for Tehelka Foundation

2007-07-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

http://www.thetehelkafoundation.org/

Being Human.........

2007-07-01T23:40:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for something as expected then I am sorry. It is a contemporary issue but just that it has been contemporary since civilization began.

I am talking about a very personal issue, personal to me and maybe to you too.. because it resides in the very closed corners of every human heart today. It’s about being human.
What I am referring to is the nascent idea of humanity, quite different from the present and so called progressive idea of humanity that encompasses more of charity than humanity.
Humanity for me is not the compassion one is supposed to have towards fellow beings. For me it is about living and not merely existing.
It is about the common intrinsic impulse that has been numbed today by the worldly mutings. Its about giving in to those impulses one gets of stopping on the way to see a blooming flower, of sitting idly just watching purity personified in a sleeping child, of helping a cripple cross a busy road. I am talking about the most innocent, most beautiful impulses we encounter but we push them into oblivion under the pretext of a busy existence denying ourselves those few chances to learn living as different from existing.

Undoubtedly, life is a hectic affair today and the present concept of a meaningful life has obsessed us so much so that all it allows us is a feeling of pity at the site of a hungry, tearful urchin. Maybe sometimes our conscience penetrates our thick skin deep enough to manage out a coin for him but never does this present hectic and difficult schedule allows us to wipe his tears, pick him up, say a few loving words and then offer him a nice meal. It never allows to listen what our conscience says, what our instincts indicate at. Our humanity is far too adulterated for a true instinct’s innocence.

Today at the sight of the needful we do feel pity but unfortunately that’s all we do, just feel, no actions to liberate the choked pity follows. I realized this disability, or better describe as a world spread epidemic of passiveness just a few days back.
No no I am not going to tell you one of those heartening incidents or any of the great life changing moral stories. It was just another one of those incidents where nothing happened, thanks to my passivity.
It so happened that just a few weeks back as I was on my way back after a watching a show of the latest flick, thus, in a pretty elated mood, I saw a man lying on the road divider with the upper half of his body on the road. Amazed like everybody else I turned for a second look to grasp in the unusuality of the situation, he was middle aged man in rugged clothes and was probably lying there in a drunken stupor completely unconscious.
Just then I saw an auto take a sight detour to avoid hitting him, so did the rest of the following vehicles. Everybody was taking the care of avoiding his head but no one stopped over even for a second to place his head safely back on the divider. By the time my mind was rattling with these thoughts my auto had already left the scene behind, out of my ken. But, it remained… the sight of that man lying there unaware of everything and more glaring than that the passivity of all his fellow beings around. Like all the conscious beings around I also criticized the whole human race for its indifference but then another realization shook me from within, the realization that I too was one of the fellow beings around him……Why did not I do it? I tried hard to overshadow my conscience with an excuse of “I COULD’NT” but this time I failed .Then dawned over me the passivity of my life more appropriately my existence. I have not been able to push this incident out of my mind.

I am not saying that since then my every act has been with a philanthropic intent…Infact, I have been living the life very much the same practically if you can forgive me those few moments when I have stood and stared at the blue sky or when I have held a grandpa’s hand to help him cross the road. These incidents haven’t been many in number but I have been making efforts to try and live every moment, to try and listen to the unadulterated innocent soul in me. I have faltered, I have turned a blind eye to situations where I could help and I have even now ignored the conscience sometimes but I have also succeeded many times and I am ready to keep trying all my life.

I sincerely feel that an experience like mine must have come to you too, its just that for some the realization might be awaiting, for some it may already be there and maybe for some it was there but now no more. I did not intend to teach you a lesson in humanity but this was just one experience that needed a vent and this medium could not get better because some one of you must be identifying with this realization somewhere down the line.

What I feel today can be summed up as-‘Let us live while we can still have the essential humanity alive in us.
Let us live while we still have a Zest for living.
Let us convince ourselves that living is more important than a successful existence.
Let us enlighten ourselves with the true meaning of life.
Let us LIVE.’

by Yashna Shravani
Symbiosis Law College (Pune)

Yuva Ekta Summer Program, 2007- An Intern's Experience

2007-06-22T01:27:00.000-07:00

I joined The Tehelka Foundation as a volunteer for the Education Summit, 2007. The Summit dealt with access to quality education and inclusive education and was unique because the delegates consisted mainly of students. The objective was to provide school children from diverse backgrounds an opportunity to voice their opinions on 'education'- an issue in which they are undoubtedly the majority stakeholders.

I then became an intern at the Foundation and my first project (along with the Coordinator, Gauri) was to figure out a way in which the Summit could be carried forward at a grassroot level.The idea that emerged was that we would conduct a one month workshop, wherein we would work with kids from a variety of backgrounds. The workshop would culminate in the preparation of a play on socially relevant issues.

The big day was 14th May. 18 kids from different schools and NGOs- Salaam Baalak Trust, Bluebells International, St Columbas, Convent of Jesus and Mary, Amity University gathered at The Tehelka Office for the first time. From then on, it has been an endless roller coaster ride. For the first time, I fully appreciated the job that teachers do, managing little devils year after year. The first 3 days we did 'ice breaking' exercises so that the kids could get comfortable and get to know each other.

The next few days were spent in brainstorming on what topic the play would be on. It was interesting to see that most of the children agreed that education, awareness , civic sense and participation in the political society are the keys to solving almost all social problems facing our country. Finally we all decided that the play would be such as would convey the message that since we are all a part of the system, any change that needs to be done has to begin with us.

What did I feel about all this? Was it educational? Undoubtedly. Was it fun? Absolutely. Did I get irritated at times? Sure. Did some days try my patience? Undeniably. But would I trade it for the world? Most definitely not. I have definitely become better at interacting with people. Thankfully since Gauri was there to oversee things, I could afford to play the fool. Yours truly was always the first one to suggest a break or playing dumbcharade or even chain chain at that. What a blast!

As part of the workshop I also got to visit a children's shelter home at the New Delhi Railway Station. I hadn't done something like this since my school days, so it revived fond memories.

I used to sometimes have qualms about the project- would it really make any difference to any one at all? But as the workshop progressed, as I spoke with all the kids about their experiences, I realized that this was an opportunity for most of them to break out of their cocooned existence. All of them (me included) got to interact with kids who have had really difficult times in their lives that they have overcome with sheer grit and determination.

Finally after all the fun and hard work, we presented our play at Central Park in CP. Those three hours were the most fun I have had in the past 3 months. We received a good response to our play. But more than that, it was the journey to that performance that I cherished and learnt from.

Anindita

Yuva Ekta Summer Program, 2007- Student Participants' Experiences

2007-06-21T23:29:00.002-07:00

Srishti Gandhi- Bluebells International
“This was the first time that I participated in a workshop of this kind. On my first day, I was really skeptical about where this would take me, but as the days progressed I started enjoying myself a lot and made a lot of new friends. It was loads of fun.”

Pallavi Arora- Bluebells International
“This workshop was a great learning experience for me. Friends I made here are more caring and supportive than the ones I have known for so long. I would definitely like to participate in such workshops repeatedly. But the one change I would like to see is that the participants value each other’s time and arrive punctually. Further, once a student has volunteered for such a thing, he/she must be committed to it and must not shy away from his/her responsibility towards the other participants of the workshop.”

Mohd Danish- Salaam Baalak Trust
“Mujhe is workshop se bahut kuch seekhne ko mila, jaisi ki sabke saath mil jul ke naatak taiyaar karna. In sab logon se milke, mere andar bhi aage padhne ki aur padhai mein accha karne ki uksukta jaagi. Yahaan aane ke baad mera self confidence bhi bahut badha, jo mere andar bilkul hi nahin tha. Main yahan se bahut si meethi yaadein lekar jaa raha hoon aur main mere sab doston ko bahut miss karoonga.”

Greeshum Panesar- Bluebells International
“Being a part of this workshop has helped me become more independent and confident. I was never good at interacting with people before, but now that has changed and I can express myself much better. The 'City Walk' which is a walk around the New Delhi Railway Station organized by Salaam Baalak Trust with kids recounting their harrowing experiences at the station, was a real eye opener for me.I became aware of the magnitude of problems that so many children in our country face everyday.”

Shahadutt- Salaam Baalak Trust
“Is workshop mein mere kai naye dost bane, jinhe main kabhi nahin bhoolonga. Mujhe pehle lagta tha ki apni umar ka main ek hi hoon jo apne desh ke liye bahut kuch karne ka sochta hoon, par is workshop mein mujhe kai aise log mile jo Bharat ke liye kaam karna chahte hain aur duniya badalna chahte hain. Yeh dekhke mujhe bahut accha laga. Aise logon ke saath humaara desh bahut tarakki karega.”

Luqman S. Hasan- St Columbas School
“I remember being very nervous on the first day because there were new faces everywhere and I didn’t know what to expect. However, the various fun exercises that we did in the Self Empowerment workshop really helped me to unwind and also to get to know the others well. I also learnt many tricks of the theatre.
When I visited the shelter home at the New Delhi Railway Station, I was shattered by the stories of the children who come there. I sat with them and taught them to draw Superman. The kids were happy and started calling me Superman. This brought tears to my eyes. The experience gave me an adrenaline boost to work for and with children in the future.”

Swati Mehta- Amity University
“This workshop provided all of us with the opportunity to get out of our shells, meet new and different people and expand our social circles. We had a lot of fun, played a lot of games but there were some misunderstandings and tensions as well. However, I feel that these were necessary so that we could get to know each other better. Some friction did develop between some of us, there were some instances of ‘groupisms’ too, but our coordinators did their best to get us to talk to each other, so that we could all work together as a team.
Another tremendous learning experience was our visits to children’s shelter homes. I felt that the one very noticeable thing about these children was their insecurity, which was explicit in their need for love from others.
I really wish this workshop didn't have to end. I want us to take our message all over the city, the country, the world.”

Brajesh Pandey- Salaam Baalak Trust
“Zindagi ke chote- bade anubhav hamesha humein kuch naya sikha jaate hai. Kuch anubhav humein kathin paristhitiyon mein bhi dhairya na khone aur saahas banaaye rakhne ki seekh de jaate hain, to kuch khushi ke shanno ko yaadon mein banaaye rakhte hai aur unhe yaad karke hum kabhi bhi has dete hai. Aise hi yaadon se bhara raha mera anubhav. Yahan par apne doston ke saath bitaaya hua har ek pal humesha meri yaadon mein rahega. Sabse aham baat jo maine isse seekha, wo hai teamwork, sabke saath milkar kaam karna. Humare is group mein sabhi bahut acche hain, milansaar hain. Is mahine mein har din humne kuch na kuch naya seekha, har din picchle din ke mukable khulta gaya. Beshak mein is experience ko zindagi bhar yaad rakhoonga.”

Shivani Mehta- Bluebells International
“This workshop was definitely a most wonderful experience. I was very apprehensive on the first day because I didn’t think I would get along with anybody. But thankfully I was proved wrong! I met loads of different kinds of people and made many new friends. Visiting the shelter homes was also a very educational part of the workshop. But the most fun was working together on our play. Brainstorming, testing various ideas around with the others made me more familiar with them and I also got to know myself a bit better. The most important I learnt in this workshop is teamwork. We must learn to work with everyone and also face everything, good and bad.”

Vijay Nath- Salaam Baalak Trust
“Being a part of this group was fantastic. I loved spending time with my new friends and would be really happy if we could continue with this program of spreading awareness of various socially relevant issues among the youth of our country.”

Bushra- Convent of Jesus and Mary
“This workshop was really cool. I met some people who think like me and it was great getting to know them better and spending time with them. Next time though, I would love to be part of a bigger group.”

Manju- Salaam Baalak Trust
“Jab main pehle din aayi, toh mujhe bahut darr lag raha tha ki kya karna hai aur kya hoga. Par dheere dheere mera confidence badha aur maine sabke saath milke bahut mazaa kiya. Yahaan par maine jo bhi kiya, jo bhi seekha usko sirf karne ke liye hi nahin kiya. Uspe main zaroor gaur karoongi. Mujhe play main jo role mila, use karne mein mujhe kaafi mazaa aaya.”

Ride On Delhi Roads - Joy or Misery

2007-05-18T03:12:00.000-07:00

A ride on the Delhi roads is just like one on the moon where there are craters everywhere and this too when the city is on the verge of holding an international sporting event of the Commonwealth games’ status.
The roads of “The national capital” are bumpy, full of potholes and sometimes even with open manholes which make me feel inferior about my city as even small towns have roads better than ours.
The root cause for this condition of roads, according to me, is the corruption involved in their construction i.e. the usage of inferior quality of materials by the contractors for the construction when they are paid for the best ones. This leads to poor quality of roads which do not last for too long and then the condition mentioned above prevails. Also the problem is a crop of the occasional digging up of the roads by the corporation for setting up of “new pipeline system”.
But however, I have seen “good” roads in Delhi in the areas of importance to the Delhi Government such as Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Chanakya Puri, and all the cantonment areas where the vigilance is kept tight during the construction of the roads.
The results of making these types of roads are many. Every time it rains the roads are badly water logged because of the manholes overflowing due to which there is a huge risk of water bourn diseases being caught by the area’s local residents. Also this situation brings in the risk of pedestrians falling in the uncovered manholes which are not visible because of the water logging. The roads are this bumpy that the suspensions of “the best of the best” cars fail to provide comfort. Also many a times these “killer” roads are responsible for big road accidents.
Talking about my personal experience, when ever I go to my school by a “rickshaw”, the journey makes me feel that I am a person sitting in a dirt racing car which is accustomed to the occasional “jhatkas”. This journey takes the hell out of me and in the school I am in a very less position to study. On experiencing all this, the thought off filing an “rti” form regarding the repair of these roads passes my mind but on remembering about my board class, I say to my self that “kaun time waste kare(who will waste time)”.
It seems that the contractors responsible for the construction of these roads have no sympathy for people like us and follow the ideology of the politicians that says “apna kaam banta bhaad mein jaye janta (if we get our job done, then what’s the need of thinking about others)”.
But I strongly feel that if this remains the story of the Delhi roads till the Commonwealth games, then certainly the foreigners coming to India then will take back a very bad impression about the country and this might have a negative effect on the “world city” as it might not get a further chance to hold a precious international event Of the Commonwealth games’ status.
In the end ,to sum up ,this is an effort to shake up the government to save the image of our beloved city in the eyes of the world by improving the condition of roads.

- by Rohit Gupta
New Era Public School

Yuva Ekta: It's time to erase the divide between 'Them' & 'Us'

2007-04-04T11:28:00.000-07:00

Have you ever inhaled and exhaled like you’ve never tasted the air before?
Enveloped young fingers into the earth’s soil,
Seen a seed nurture into a miraculous bloom,
Spread your spirit through forest laden trails,
Lived a moment when a five year old spelt his / her name for the first time,
Recited a poem with phrases that thanked the mighty one, for the food that we ate, the clothes that we wore, for eyes to see and a vision to frame a concrete future,
Have you ever just listened, to the sound of the plough, as it tears the earth’s breast to give life to a new universe?
Have you witnessed small hands fold and unfold pieces of paper, to give shape to a dream?
What were the farmer’s hands made off, when he labored through the day?
Why did a girl suffer her unequal existence? Was she not human enough?

How many of us think we’ve seen it all, know it all?

In Bharat the truth stood naked, but the citizens of India preferred it with clothes on.
Is the Indian adolescent just branded, stuffed with high-sounding phrases, grand glutinous words. Are all of us whitewashed?

The 25 of us from Bluebells School International, along with my colleagues from The Tehelka Foundation, lived through a million ‘humane’ experiences during our week’s stay at CHIRAG. Experiences that seeped through the pores of our minds and our spirits; and opened up new horizons to our disillusioned lives.

Some of us might be too naive to acknowledge this, but I personally have realized how I went there in search of answers and solutions for the lives of the people who lived in these rural communities.
Instead, I found answers and solutions for my own existence.

In the words of Jean Paul Sartre, “On the other side of the ocean....there was a race of less than humans who, thanks to us, might reach our status a 1000 years hence........when one day our human kind becomes full grown....its not defined as the sum total of the whole world's inhabitants.......but as the infinite unity of their mutual needs.....”

My friends, I request you to question what is put before us.
I also request you to find answers to any / all of the above mentioned experiences, or even add a dash of your own.

Remember, it is important for us to keep asking……..Why?

- Gauri Rishi
Program Officer
The Tehelka Foundation

Movie Review: Parzania

2007-03-30T23:16:00.000-07:00

Parzania

Director: Rahul Dholakia

Starring: Naseeruddin Shah, Sarika, Parzun Dastur

Music: Zakir Hussain.

Language: English (partly Gujarati).

Parzania is a traumatic journey of an event that shook the Nation with its ever haunting act of communal violence during Gujarat riots. It deals with the true story of a single Parsi family, but questions the whole community, every religion, every human and the whole Nation. It depicts with intelligence how religion can be a cause and search for solution of the same problem.

The story draws much of its power from the wisely modulated interpretation of the character of Cyrus- Naseeruddin Shah, being the father of the child lost in riots. Apart from him, Rahul superbly extracts the character of an emotional but strong mother from Sarika as well as innocence and sweetness from the two children. It tells a true story about a family, mother, father, and two kids living in Ahmedadbad. One of the kids is named Parzan, who has a dream of having his own world, own country, full of chocolates, ice creams, and happiness, called Parzania. After the Godhra incident, communal riot happens in Ahmedabad in which Parzan is lost. The movie deals with the search of their parents for their little child, and what all they face during this, the behavior of the police, government officials, their neighbors, Muslim friends. It tells how Gandhi values are in danger due to our new age politicians, in the world of Gandhi.

Its bold and gutsy cinematic showing fire all around, people running in curious, dead bodies all over, gangrene, not only adds up to its merits but gives Goosebumps and tears in eyes. The screenplay is good with strong dialogues being the main focus in many scenes, especially during the climax. The background score by Zakir Hussein is well gelled with the scenes.

Despite its strong subject, it becomes a bit slower at many points taking back the attained attention. Editing is at fault in some of the scene; especially sound editing, where the background score takes over the dialogues. Dialogues in such scenes are hardly heard. There are scenes where omni directional mikes are used, the environmental noise gets mixed up and becomes an obstruction against dialogues, either unidirectional mics should’ve been used or it should have been dubbed.

Some will definitely term it as a “one sided depiction of Hindu fundamentalism” although it does not particularly deals with Hindu or Muslim but revolves around a single family and tells how riots become a horrid, when the state keeps itself away from its very own responsibility of protecting its own people.

Rahul Dholakia exploits the actors to the fullest, and extracts the characters from inside them. He takes you on a ride to an eye widening journey with hard hitting dialogues and strong screenplay. Despite of some faults at editing and slow pace at some points, it scores as a director’s film, which succeeds in provoking strong reactions. It’s a film for the masses. It leaves you thinking at the end- why religion has taken over humanity?

- by Moina Khan
MCRC, Jamia Milia Islamia

RESERVATIONS

2007-03-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

RESERVATIONS, has become the most controversial term in recent times. It is one of the factors bound to change the life of millions through its impact on their lives. Does reservation mean providing special rights to one group or excluding the others from it? Well, the controversy depends on your position vis-a –vis the debate.
.Firstly, if we analyse the debate from the point of view of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and "other backward classes" we realise that they have been marginalized over the years. They feel that the time has now come when the government must make amendments and review itself in course of its past mistakes. The hour has now come to provide them with special rights in order to equalize their position with respect to the other sections of society.
On the other hand, if we view the controversy from another perspective, we realise that by accepting reservation these people are actually accepting a certain marginalisation from society.The general category on the other hand feels that they are being excluded from their rights.Does the government have the right to take away the rights of one category to compensate for the other?
The government needs to realise that reservation is not the solution to its problems . it needs to create a society based on equality. By introducing reservations based on caste the government is creating a larger social divide.We need to question the genesis of this divide. Are we ready to be divided again on the basis of caste?We need to be joined by forces of community, peace and brotherhood than to be divided by dirty party politics!

By: Nidhi Anjmani
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

The White Tiger

2007-03-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

“White Tiger – This rare and magnificent cat has been saved from extinction by rearing it successfully in capacity” This is what you get to read when on reaches the white tiger enclosure in the National Zoological Gardens, New Delhi.

The myth of the rare Bengal Tiger was an illusion meant to deceive the general public into thinking these cats were endangered and being preserved for future generations. The truth here is that they are not a separate sub – species of tigers, as they are promoted to be, but a result of severe genetic defects associating with the inbreeding necessary to cause the white coat.

The inbreeding results in many defects, early deaths, still births, which is a total antithesis of conservation.

Consider this – Only one in four tiger cubs from a white tiger bred to an orange one carrying the white gene are born white and 80% of those die from birth defects associated with the inbreeding necessary to cause a white coat, of those surviving, most of them have profound birth defects such as immune deficiency, scoliosis of spine (distorted spine), mental impairments and grossly crossed eyes that bulge out of their skull. Worse still are those who are born the “wrong colour” or golden. Mostly in such cases the cubs are either abandoned or “ put to sleep “. Only a small percentage of the surviving cubs are suitable for display.

According to some trainers, only one out of 30 white cats will perform consistently. The number of tigers produced and disposed off in order to fulfill the public’s desire of seeing white tigers on display is staggering.

And to think of it, even the most coveted zoological parks like the famous Nandanhanan (Orissa) and the National Zoological Gardens (New Delhi) are infamous for mortality rates as high as 58% and 76% respectively.

Acc. To Dr. Ron Tilson, Conservation director of the Minnesota Zoo and manager of the world renowned “Tiger Species Survival Plan”. The white tiger controversy among zoos is a small part ethics and a long part economics. They serve no conservation purpose. Owners of white tigers claim that they are popular exhibit animals and increase zoo attendance as well.

This is an unspoken issue that shames the very integrity of zoos. Their alleged conservation programs and their message to the visiting public, zoos are meant to serve as conservation ground for species in distress.

As we all know, tigers hunt by distress and not by speed. Once it has chosen its prey the tiger creeps towards it perfectly camouflaged by its surroundings. With mathematically precise movements, the advancing hind foot meeting exactly the spot covered by the forefoot. Moving close enough to make a kill, it springs forward at great speed, performing a series of impressive leaps, covering distances up to 13 feet in a bound. Tigers do not approach directly, but circles around the animal. The tigers are not much of runners but are primarily stealthy. I would like to draw everyone’s attention to the fact that in a tropical country like ours it is not possible for a white tiger to survive. In order to survive it is the basic necessity of an organism to feed to its basic requirements. How can a tiger do that if the prey runs away from the mere sight of it?

The only convincible and legitimate reason for exhibiting a white tiger would be for educational purposes to clearly and unequivocally illustrate to the public the process of natural selection and how, when a deleterious recessive genetic mutation randomly occurs that is disadvantageous for the survival of the animal, such as white colour in a tropical jungle environment, the animal does not survive to pass on that genetic mutation or that disadvantageous characteristic to its offspring.

This was the normal course of natural selection and evolution of the tiger until the framed Mohan, believed to be the father of all existing white tigers was captured by Maharajah Martand Singh. The chronology of the white Bengal tiger up until the death of Mohan is as follows:

1820: A white tiger was displayed at Exter Change.

1915: White tiger cub captured by Maharajah Gulab Singh of Reva. Upon its death it was gifted to King George 5 as a sign of India’s Loyalty to the crown.

25th May 1951: A forest laborer reported sighting a white tiger cub.

26th May 1951: The cub’s mother and two of its three siblings were shot and killed.

27th May 1951:Maharajah Martand Singh captured Mohan.

30th May 1951: The cub escapes and a large party goes out to recapture it.

26th Feb 1952: A normal coloured tigress called begum captured.

10th April 1955: Begum produced a litter of a male and two female cubs. They were christened Raja, Rani, Sukeshi and Mohini.

December 1957: Mohan is mated with Radha, his four year old daughter from the second litter with Begum.

20th October 1958: Radha produced an all – white litter of a male and three female cubs. They were christened Raja, Rani, Sukeshi and Mohini.

Sukeshi was kept for mating with Mohan and remained with him until he was withdrawn from breeding. Her son showed no interest in mating with her and after six years without success, she too was transferred to the National Zoological Park in New Delhi, where she died on 2nd Feb 1975.

May 1964: Raja and Rani were mated. Rani gave birth to white cubs, a male and a female. The female died and the male “ Tippu” lost his tail and was hand raised with great difficulty.

August 1965: Two white cubs born to Rani and both die due to neglect.

19th December 1965: Three white cubs born to Rani, they were left in her care for just over a month after which she lost interest and the cubs were hand raised.

Breeding of Rani continues until she produced a total of 20 cubs, all white.

19th December 1969: Mohan dies at an age of 19 years 7 months. All captive white tigers descend from Mohan.

At the moment, Swaraj and Kaveri are parents to all the tigers at the National Zoological Park in New Delhi.

Like us even tigers prefer choosing their own mates. They are usually in heat all year round, but tigers have been reported to show a lack of interest in mating during captivity and it is very rare that they might produce a new litter every year. Apart from this the period of gestation is approximately 105 days after which the tigress gives birth to a litter of 2 – 4 cubs. That means in zoos, where tigers mate hardly 2 times in a year, producing a litter of 6 – 8 cubs in all of which only two have a chance of survival. An average tiger consumes around 10 – 12 kg of meat in one sitting.

Acc. To statistics released in 2004, there are 1576 tigers left in the wild in 27 wildlife reserves of all 11 states in India and their population over the world have plunged from 100,ooo at the beginning of the 20th century to 5000 – 7000 today.

In the conservation scenario, tigers are no longer “burning bright” in the world’s most famous tiger preserves. Thus anyone involved in breeding or exhibiting white tigers is doing a great disservice to honest conservation and preservation efforts to save the five remaining and endangered sub – species barely clinging to survival in their diminishing natural habitats. The time, money and energy spent in rearing one white coloured tiger cub is almost twice the cost of rearing a normal coloured one because of the unsurity of its survival.

Therefore, exhibiting and breeding white tigers is the very antithesis of conservation, catering to the public’s desire to see genetic aberrations rather than educating the public how the unbelievable diversity of life has evolved on our planet throughout the past 50 million years and the crucial need for us to preserve our global eco – system if we desire to save any threatened or endangered species from extinction.

By : Swathi Soren
Kamla Nehru College, Delhi University

City walk with SBT

2007-03-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

Imagining the life of homeless children and actually knowing it, are entirely different things and to make us understand this difference we, a group of nine students, were invited to New Delhi Railway Station on the 17th of March by The Tehelka Foundation. They had actually planned a ‘CITY WALK’ and the orientation of an NGO named SALAM BALAK TRUST.

We reached the station at about ten in the morning as were instructed. There we saw John, the social worker from England, & Gauri maam waiting for us along with reporters from CNN IBN and three boys who were later going to be our tour guides. Our meeting started with an introduction. They introduced themselves as Javed, Shekhar and Satnam but it took me in a bit of surprise as the introduction came to me in perfect English.

And then the much awaited city walk started about which none of us had much idea. Actually the city walk was a tour through the station making us familiar with the life of children living on the station. These are the children who run away from their homes in small towns and villages and eventually land up leading there life on the station. The reasons for their running away from home are varied from family problems, to the search of the glamourous city life or to simply fulfill their dreams.

Salaam Baalak Trust protects these children from the life which they live on the railway station and helps them to lead a settled life. They provide these children with basic amenities like food, shelter, clothing and education and also work towards the developmentb of their overall personality. Our tour guides were similar children who were rescued and brought to Salaam Baalak Trust's shelter homes.

We were first taken to the area where trains were parked. We were told that children often come and spend nights in the stationery trains. A little walk on that platform we were shown people from Salaam Baalak Trust training street children to take care of themselves i.e. eat clean food, bathe and follow a hygienic life. This shelter based at the station's platform called "Prerna Centre".

We then moved on to platform no. 1, where all the luxury trains arrived. We were told that this platform was supposed to be kept ‘extra’ clean by the railway authorities.This is where all the VIP trains arrived, hence it had to be free from any of these street kids. Often the Railway Police authorities would use physical force to keep these kids off the platform.

We then made way onto a foot over bridge to change platforms from where we were showed the area where the trains were washed. We were informed that children living on the station often took bath there and went to watch films wearing cheap new clothes. On getting onto the platform Shekhar showed us sheds above the platform and told us that children climb up these sheds and play card games. Just then Satnam interrupted to share the unfortunate event where a kid had fallen onto the train tracks form one of the sheds.

Moving on, javed told us how a lot of these children join gangs with gang leaders and specified there gang areas. These gangs, in there gang areas, are involved in thefts, pick pocketing and collecting empty bottles and cans from trains to sell it to shopkeepers. He also shared a bitter experience of him being stabbed by a boy of a gang because he entered their gang area.

After this, we proceeded to a shelter just outside the station and above the railway police office. Here we met newly rescued children being taught by volunteers. We introduced ourselves to some of those children and played a lido game with them and made some friends.

After spending some time with them, we bid them bye. Later all of us hired ‘rickshaws’ and went to Salaam Baalak Trusts main shelter home called "Apna Ghar".
There were some children studying, some playing and some using a computer. All of us introduced ourselves to the children there. We played with them and learnt about their daily routine. Later in the day, some of the children performed a skit for us before we called the day off.

I happy to tell you all, that day i made many friends namely: javed, shekhar, satnam, sudhir, prince and sachin. I also realized that these children had a very strong determination abut what they are going to do in life.

Our day was full of excitement and adventure which showed the various lights of life to us, thanks to THE TEHELKA FOUNDATION

- By Rohit Gupta
New Era Public School, New Delhi

Cerebral Palsy: The End Or A Beginning?

2007-03-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Cerebral Palsy – The dictionary describes it as “a paralysis due to brain damage before or at birth.” But these few words of formal English can not describe the plight of those innocent faces whose dreams and desires are destroyed by a lot of innocence.

A paralytic body due to the brain is more or less like a chariot whose charioteers injured badly. When the words like ‘handicapped’, ‘disabled’, ’abnormal’ ring in ones ears, even the poor eyes refuse to shed tears on their ruined destiny. The bitterness of the society kills their confidence completely. For them, life is gloomy with darkness and solitude.

But I believe, a small spark is enough to turn into fire and here their SOLITUDE is the spark by which they enlighten their lives. With their stupendous confidence and incredible courage, they rise like a phoenix from its ashes. The charioteer was injured not dead. Leaving all the criticisms and grievances they strive for a new and colorful morning in their life.

So it is high time in making their ‘end’ a ‘new beginning’. A time to be a part of their ultimate glory, a time to listen to their heart’s voice.

‘We don’t want your pity, we want your understanding.’

- by Sapna Sharma
Kendriya Vidyalaya, Vikaspuri
New Delhi

India Shining

2007-03-20T00:59:00.001-07:00

A little homeless girl was standing
On a mound of pebbles and sand
Wishing for a fairy with a helping hand
And yet we say India Shining, India Shining.

'Happy Birthday' everybody was singing
As a knife went through a ten kilo cake
While a mother was searching for food for her baby awake
And yet we say India Shining, India Shining.

Innocence was flowingfrom his eyes
As that littke boy watched the car rushed by
Till one of them hit him and made him die
And yet we say India Shining, India Shining

The grey clouds are gathering upon us
It is for us to find the silver outline
And step up with efforts to make India really shine
And then say India Shining, India Shining

- Asiya Islam
Aligarh Muslim University

The Rights of One

2007-03-20T00:49:00.001-07:00

There’s an old saying that states if one person’s rights and freedoms are trampled with impunity, then no one’s rights are safe. If we, as a society,stand idly by and let freedoms be desecrated, then we’re all just standing in line to have our rights revoked next. In such a land, no man is truly free, instead, we're all just living off of borrowed time.

The idea is that we’re supposed to stand up for the rights of others,including those we don’t know and don’t agree with, to protect our own liberties in the face of oppression. Though it's definitely a significant and noble concept that has an importance which can not be understated, the notion has a flip side that’s seldom explored and, sadly, often ignored.

For, if we have an obligation to stand up for the rights of others, it is equally important that we stand up for our own. After all, how can we ever hope to effectively stand up for strangers if we refuse to do so for ourselves. Worse still, how can we ever hope to enjoy our rights when we refuse to play an active role in protecting them.

Yet how many times have we taken a wrongdoing simply because we don’t want to deal with it, we don’t feel like fighting or it’s just plain easier to let it go? Even though we all have to pick our battles, it never ceases to amaze me how many people refuse to stand up for themselves, even though their rights are directly tied to the freedoms of everyone around them.

A lot of this is because we’re in a society that values selflessness and frowns upon anything perceived as being selfish. We want people to keep their heads down, be quiet and roll with the punches. We look at society as a machine and we don’t want anything to interfere with its workings. However, we quickly forget that injustice rarely stops at one person and that by protecting our rights, we can protect the rights of others as well.

After all, if we don’t stop the infringement, it will just continue to roll on through to the next person and the next, until someone stands up to it. Sometimes the more selfless thing to do is to stand up for ourselves, to put forth the effort in protecting ourselves from an injustice to prevent it from happening to anyone else. Sometimes the effort we spend fighting for our own rights can save countless others from a similar fate.

So yes, we must stand up for others whenever possible, we must defend the rights of those we’ve never met and never will see. However, we must also protect ourselves. Security, in every respect of the word, starts at home and looking at it solely in terms of the big picture makes it far too daunting a challenge to tackle.

The real battle is going on right now and the time to take a stand is upon us all. Whether we choose to fight or roll over will not only determine our future as a person, but our destiny as a people. And that destiny, good or bad, is what our children and our children’s children will inherit. If we can’t do it for ourselves, we have to do it for them.

There simply is no alternative.

- by Ipshita Thakur