It traces the life journey of a deeply loved grandfather. Starting with a magical ring, an aristocratic marriage and sheltering the entire village during a huge cyclone to acts of revolution and refusing the much coveted title of ‘RAI BAHADUR’, AJA’s life is an eventful one in which he finds enlightenment at the feet of his guru. When the end comes, his beloved deity Lord Jaganath stands still in mourning.

‘AJA’s HOUSE’ according to his granddaughter was like Aladdin’s cave, full of splendour. Murals on the walls and a room with a picture library, Aja’s house is the fabled house of the village where gold coins are dried in the sun, and the goddess of the house moves about, her anklets tinkling in the night. Yogis visit the house, and a restless ghost moves about crying while a pet monkey sits listening to the village gossip. A hand pops out from the fields asking for its share of the marriage feast, while a swirling tiger drags its tail around and snakes dance. A mysterious face reader visits the house and Gizzi the cook, serves hot pakodas.

Written by Lippi Parida, a member of IASOWA, ‘AJA’s HOUSE’ is priced at Rs.150. Limited copies left. For a copy please contact 26264261.

Publication: Times Of India Delhi; Date: Dec 11, 2009;
Section: Editorial; Page: 22

Women Power

Manning Everything

Alady traffic constable was directing the traffic at the junction just as we drove out of Tulihal airport at Imphal in Manipur. I remarked at this sight, used to gender prejudices common to people from the cowbelt states of India and said, “Wow! good to see gender equality moving into the police force”. My sister-in-law, a resident of Manipur for the last 37 years, smiled indulgently, as though silently intoning, forgive her for she knows not what she says. I was a little puzzled at her quiet indulgence but saw the same sight again just a kilometre down at another crossing and again until the novelty wore off. I realised that this was the norm in Manipur. Manipur’s strong, spirited women take the lead in every sphere of life, social, political and economic. My sister-in-law took it upon herself to show me around. Our first stop was the Ema (mother) keithal or market where scores of women of all ages sell wares from vegetables to utensils to clothing displaying a business acumen born of years in the trade. Then we went to see handlooms and handicrafts, another area preserved by women. So, whether in the local market or in traditional arts and crafts or their organised role in public observances and protests, in this torn state it is the women who are visible and active.

Deceptively delicate and fragile looking, they have exhibited great strength, both physical and psychological, in times of tribulation. Way back in the 1900s when their men were taken away as bonded labour to harvest Burmese teak, it was the Manipuri women who banded together and bravely fought the British in what is known as the first Nupi Lan or war fought by women. Then in 1931, when the British decided to export paddy at a time when the state was facing a famine, they protested and fought fiercely to stop the export so that their own people did not starve. This strong sense of community continues to this day. Today, there are informal women’s groups in every area. Known as Meira Paibis or torch-bearers, they spontaneously get together in large numbers to protest any perceived wrongdoing. Every morning the newspaper has pictures of women activists sitting in peaceful protest pressing solutions for a plethora of issues. Their areas of concern broadened, their struggle continues.

Sangeeta Verma

The Importance of Human Values

In a world of strife, uncertainty and turbulent unrest, good values are the pillars that give us stability. They are the anchors that we lean on for support, peace and happiness. Yet little does the world realize this simple key to humanity's evolution, joy, progress and prosperity.
Blinded by prejudice, mindless rage, insatiable avarice and ceaseles pursuit of worldly riches and material pleasures--- Man seeks in vain the peace and contentment that always elude him.

Actions powered by noble thoughts and intentions always bear fruit, however long they take.Values like love, trust, truth, patience, compassion, mercy, unselfishness and selfless service are all bliss in themselves. To experience them and to live a life based on them, is the soul's contentment which has no substitute.

Every generation enjoys the use of a vast hoard bequeathed to it by antiquity, and transmits that hoard, augmented by fresh aquisitions, to future ages.Therein lies our inspiration to tread the path of human values, and unswervingly reach the goals we've chosen for ourselves.

But for Human Values.
What is History?
What is Humanity?
What is this World?
What is God?

The Divinity, the Cosmic Glory, the mysterious celestial spark that manifests itself in every bit of Creation--- Speaks to us through Human Values. That's the 'Life Force' that animates us and makes us what we are. How can we contemplate a life without Human Values?

Let us spread happiness and peace---- every drop makes an Ocean.
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching
Or cool one pain;
Or help one fainting Robin
Unto its nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

Poem by- Emily Dickenson.

Prose by Mrs. Jaya Chandrashekhar

It is again that time of the year when lakhs of families in India are very tense and stressed out – right from children to parents. The reason being the impending announcement of the board results. After a lot of nailbiting suspense, the announcement brings with it waves of happiness and sadness both. The papers are full of various stories.

One news item which caught my attention was one which said that thousands of children had scored 100% in subjects like Maths, Economics, English and Social Sciences, etc. I was quite clueless as to how could children be scoring a 100% in subjects like literature and social sciences. The explanations to this perplexing question that I could come up with were – (a) either the present generation of children is very smart, (b) my understanding of these subjects is outdated, or (c) there is some serious flaw with our examination system.

After giving it a lot of thought I concluded that, yes, children these days are very smart, but the real season has to be our flawed examination system. Where are we heading? In a few years time 50% of the children appearing for their boards would be scoring a 100% in all subjects. There will be at least a lakh students in that category. What criteria will the board adopt to rank these lakh odd children. Howe will positions be awarded? After 100 what?

For a child to score 100 in literature and language paper is quite unthinkable. The board wants us to believe that these few thousand children are perfect in their subject. I would beg to differ. I have yet to come across an adult who has a perfect command over any language, and we are speaking of children This is certainly not to discredit the children who managed this feat. Full credit to them and the labour they put in to reach where they did.

But our policy makers need to do some hard thinking. What are we achieving? And what are we producing? Is this how we want our future to be? Children are forced to bear by rate and prepare for the exams. This preparation is solely exam oriented or rather marks oriented. From classes 9 to 12 children are discouraged to even to think outside their text book, they have no option but to restrict themselves as told. All attention, energy is focused on the chapters in the book, the expected questions and the possible answers. Teachers in a few prestigious schools give out ‘hand outs’ of the answers to various questions. All that the children have to do is learn them and reproduce it as it is, in the examination hall. Voila? The children have a 100% on their marksheet. The numbers on the marksheet of a child actually are an indication of his/her capacity to mug up the answers and how well the child can reproduce it on the answersheet.

Is this the kind of brilliance we are looking for in our future generation? I don’t think so and I am sure you also agree with me. Not having the scientific skills to make a robot. We are turning our children into robots – doing what they are programmed to do. The spark of inquisitiveness, that hunger for knowledge is just not there. It is a pity, we have managed to kill that. To rectify this very sorry state of affairs we must do something to undo this and act fast. Seeds of change we decide to sow in today will take time for fruitation.

The remedy the board adopted for the last few years has been to reduce the course of various subjects in order to reduce stress and suicide amongst children. What it probably did not realize that course content is not the reason of this mess we find ourselves in today but the marks-oriented, exam-oriented way of education. Children are made to study for marks and not for knowledge. Any quest for knowledge is suppressed. While studying for marks if they gain knowledge, good, otherwise also it is fine. The message our system passes on to children is – get marks, knowledge is secondary. Grades will go a long way in alleviating the stress of our burdened children.

Internal assessment must be made mandatory to a larger extent. A child’s performance on the answer sheet in three grueling hours may not truly reflect his/her performance over the two years that he has slogged for his exams in class. Marks in board exams are no indicator of the capability of the child.

We have to look for means to develop the interest of the child to motivate him to seek knowledge and in the way secure good grades. Our teachers need to be taught first. They must ignite the child’s mind to develop a passion for the subject without which knowledge cannot be gained. Stress should be on knowledge rather than marks.
Premium on marks at the time of admission to higher education must go. Let the child and not the marks decide what subjects the child can take. Give them this little freedom and see how they bloom. We will have a generation of capable bright, happy people who will take our country to greater heights.

Prose by Ruchi Swarup