THE ‘A to Z’ OF BHARAT DARSHAN.

Bharat Darshan: Perhaps the most glamorous part of training. Its definitely exciting to explore the lengths and breadths of a country which is as good as a sub-continent. But giving a deeper thought, it was more of an opportunity to study the idea of India in nuances, by observing places and people. Not to forget, it was more about people and less about places.

                While looking back at this span of two months, where life was moving at scorching pace, I tried to spot some key moments. And look what did I get!!!

A for Andamans.

The highest point of our journey!! Andaman Islands are altogether a different world, a surprise indeed for all carrying the Kaala paani perception. Its simply awesome in the span of October to April.Navy made it even more memorable- especially the Floating Dock.

 And the icing on the cake happens to be Havelock island. One of the cleanest beaches you can ever see lies here- Radhanagar beach. We also had some adventure here in Scooba diving, a chance to fight some fears within…

B for Borders.

Its always a thrill to explore borders. We were lucky to see the LAC with China at Dichu in Arunachal as well as International border with Bangladesh at Agartala. At LAC the situation was really tough. Hats off to jawans of Indian Army and ITBP who protect the nation despite rough terrain, erratic connectivity and harsh weather.

In Agartala, it was a more friendly affair. Still the flag ceremony in evening raises levels of patriotism and adrenaline. Land, people, environment- everything was absolutely indistinguishable on the other side. The tales of partition can still be sensed in the air…

C for Chill-ong.

Scotland of the East- They call Meghalaya. Its unique- in history, geography, culture and many other things. This land of hills is ruled by Shillong. There’s something soothing about this city. We had a great time here. The Air Force attachment, Cherapunjee, Root bridge, Shillong peak everything was as pleasant as the weather. And moreover, it feels great to celebrate birthday in a chilled out city!!

D for Dressing.

Being an official affair, dressing mattered throughout the Bharat darshan. There were many questions:When to (and when not to) wear formals, Why to carry Bandhgalas, What to do with winter clothes in South India, Why we did not get army uniforms, all of which were consequently answered. It was fun to get a tourist look on the islands, to buy sarees in Chennai and to lookout for authentic local clothes in the vibrant markets of North east.

E for Entertainment.

Entertainment adds zing in life. Thankfully, we got our own share of entertainment in the tour. It came in different forms. We enjoyed some movies, watched some and tolerated some. Songs were regular entertainers, especially the song dedication for groupmates. Moreover, we even had a Sangeet Rajani arranged for us. And when the time came, we ourselves turned entertainers on demand!!

F for Food.

Being a foodie, Bharat Darshan offered an opportunity to taste cuisines of the nation. Litti-chokha, Kheer-sag, Roshogullas, Thupka, Ghee roast dosa,Bisbellibhaat, Four Uthappam, Hyderabadi Biryani, Prawn achaar,  Zunkaa, Kharchoon Parantha…. That explains why India is a dream destination for food lovers.  And yes- Our NGO attachment was related to food- Akshaypatra.

G for Gurudwaras.

We started our journey with the blessings at Harmandir Sahab Patna and ended at Nanded’s Huzur Sahib Sachkhand Gurudwara. In Nanded, we had an attachment with Gurudwara. It felt blessed to pray and have prashad at langar there.

H for Heritage.

Be it limestone caves of Cherapunjee or Pancha Rathas of Mamallapuram or British era buildings in Kolkata and Chennai, India stands tall in heritage. This heritage is not merely about buildings and architecture, its more about the link with history and traditions.

I for Indianness.

India is a mammoth and complex entity. This journey helped us to understand the idea of India. The diversity, common socio-economic underpinnings make India a very complex idea. Many factors help to weave the fabric: progressive thought, armed forces, movies, cricket and many such linking pins. P.S. For sceptics, youth in Arunachal were playing cricket, listening hindi songs. It is India.

J for Jamui.

A small, neglected district on Bihar-Jharkhand boundary. An unknown name, which became a defining feature of our tour. We saw the realities and challenges of Naxal-infested region. Our visits in the interior areas were cut short because of information about some mobilization in the forests. There was a tension in the ambience- in schools, temples, CRPF camps. The challenge needs some serious consideration, addressing the root cause.

K for Kolkata.

This metro city has its own enigma, its own culture. The trams, small and congested lanes, street food,Kaali ghat, Park Street- everything just gives this city a different aura. It was fun welcoming New Year in the Roshogulla city.

L for Luggage.

Travelling for two months with average 25 kg weight is a management exercise in itself. Getting down at Durgapur station with 40 bags within 1 minute wasn’t easy too. And then the eternal air traveller’s balancing act of avoiding extra charge had also to be performed…

M for Madras.

Chennai- Filter Coffee, T nagar, Kancheepuram silk, Lungi, Marina beach, Malls, Jewellery shops, Port, Larger than life posters…. Chennai is fun!! It’s a place to be for a foodie with ample variety in veg and non-veg food. Its bliss to enjoy the mountains of rice and fountains of Sambar!!

N for NPA.

We had the privilege to visit the prestigious National Police Academy, Hyderabad- the alma mater of Indian Police Service. It was great to reunite with our Foundation course batchmates. NPA made the Hyderabad stay special, overshadowing SERP attachment and Paradise Biryani.

O for Officers.

One purpose behind Bharat Darshan must be to observe how the officers work and manage things on ground level. We met many officers, each having a different personality and different style of working. And there was a lot to learn- Determination in Patna, enthusiasm in Jamui, IAS-IPS camaraderie in Gaya, presence of mind in Durgapur, sincerity in Guwahati, humbleness in Agartala, efficiency in Chennai, dedication in Hyderabad, calmness in Nanded and much more…

P for Pobitora Rhinos.

We weren’t really excited to visit Pobitora sanctuary after Kaziranga was cancelled. But we forgot Kaziranga when we saw Rhinos within 15 min after entering the sanctuary. Makar Sankranti/ Bihu couldn’t be better…

Q for Questions.

Serious questions, unanswerable questions, obvious questions, rhetorical questions, funny questions… A lot of questions were asked in different attachments. Even a Question Policy was framed. Impact of the policy was questionable too!!

R for Religion.

Religion runs through the very fabric of this nation. And the values of secularism and tolerance run parallel to it. There were many religious moments in our tour: Bodhi temple at Bodh Gaya, Lachhuar jain temple, Christmas celebrations in Patna, Kamakhya temple at Guwahati,Meccah Masjid at Hyderabad, Sachkhand Gurudwara at Nanded- the journey was full of religious places.

S for Steel.

Durgapur Steel Plant is a microcosm in itself. It has entirely different ways of work. One of the most valued PSUs in the country; DSP has a bureaucracy of its own, professional ethics of its own. It still stands proud as a witness of India’s story of development.

T for Tripura.

Tripura is quite different from the other states in North-east. Its very much like Bengal in its lifestyle and culture, despite having a distinct tribal identity. Tripura has many tales to tell from the past- including the royal legacy, temples and of course, the Burmans.

U for Urban India.

Cities in India are growing at a booming rate. And each city has a different identity. Patna is moving ahead. Kolkata is balancing traditions and modernism. Guwahati is fast becoming the commercial and cultural hub of the far east. Shillong stands vibrant in the hills while Agartala is in transition phase. Port Blair has a class of its own. Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad are progressing at a scintillating pace. But still, there are many issues to address in these growth centres. The Janaagraha attachment was focussing on the same.

V for Virtual world.

E-governance is now becoming the reality in government business. The RTPS implementation with help of e-governance in Bihar was an apt demonstration of the fact. Administration is transcending into virtual world. The real world is happy to welcome the virtual space. Our group also used ICT to coordinate in form of Whatsapp.

W for Walong.

The peak point of our Army Attachment- the legend of battle of Walong. The story of valour and sacrifice, the tale of fearless patriots. It was an honour to visit the sacred battlefield. Our feelings had no words, except for the Walong sonnet.

X for X-factor.

India has something that makes this nation special, despite all its problems. This is the X-factor which drives India. Its about those frugal innovations, the jugaads that help Indians to cope with scarce resources. Common sense works big time in India. For instance, to improve attendance of children in Anganwadis, Tripura government allowed their grandparents to accompany. Result: Increase in attendance, adult literacy and happiness!!

Y for Yaari dosti.

To ensure a travel to become memorable, make sure your companions are good enough. We were lucky to be an awesome group. We had a great camaraderie which helped us create some wonderful magic memories together. There was a lot to learn from each other. Great to have such buddies!

Z for Zero mile.

After being on the roll for 52 days, we ended up where we started- Delhi. We had attachment with Parliament and call-ons with dignitaries. Amidst this busy schedule, we also found time to enjoy the essence of Delhi. It turned out to be an apt climax of Bharat Darshan…

Perceptions.

A lot depends on how we perceive the world. Our reaction to anything is basically a reflection of our perception. As C.S. Lewis says, what we see or what we hear depends on what sort of person we are. Hence our perception of others is in fact a reflection of our own self.

We never like or hate something or someone. We create an image of that person or that thing in our mind and like or hate that image. Now take example of Akbar, the Mughal Emperor. Talk of Deen-e-Ilaahi or the lore of Jodha-Akbar (controversial?? ) and you can imagine Akbar as a hero, a protagonist. Now remember the Akbar-Birbal stories we have read in childhood. What is the image of Akbar now? Most probably he will appear as an old man who is quite a simpleton. Now remember the epic cinema Mughal-e-Azam.  Hows the image now? Is it a stubborn, ruthless villain who disapproves of Saleem and Anarkali’s love? So we basically know three different Akbars. A hero, a neutral person and a villain. Why? Because as per the given context, we perceive him differently, and contrastingly.

Our perception is a function of the information we have, our ability to analyze and utilize it and our past experiences, biases and prejudices which impact the images in our mind. Every person has a mental framework of past experiences in which we try to fit in the information obtained using our analytical skills. This happens subconsciously most of the times. Wrong perceptions can therefore be created because of a problem in any of these three attributes.

There exists an intricate link between perceptions and rationality. A more rational mind tries to filter out only correct information, uses analytical skills sharply and minimizes the prejudices. Thus, the real issue is not perception, but how personal the perception is. Our perceptions are always influenced by external factors. These biases come mainly from the cultural underpinnings. The perceptions are created and distorted in a quite strange way!

    Most of our mistakes are in fact mistakes of perception. This is especially true for errors in interpersonal relations. We handle our emotions within the frame of our perceptions.  The ability to handle our emotions is nothing but Emotional Intelligence. What complicates the discourse is the fact that emotions are often registered as patterns. And a slight change in perception can cause huge repercussions on the patterns of emotions.

    We need to understand that the perceived world is different from real world. This alters human actions significantly. In Human Geography, there is a classic case of a horse-rider who rides over a huge expanse of snow only to know later that it was a frozen river. He would have not crossed it had he known the truth. But this is how perception works. Many feats of bravery have been performed under a wrong perception.

It is said that there are three truths- your truth, my truth and the real truth. Because of perceptions, we try to identify with one truth somewhere between this continuum. Its upto us that how rationally we perceive the world and then react accordingly.

     “The world isn't just the way it is. It is how we understand it. And in understanding something, we bring something to it. Doesn't that make life a story? You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it.” ~ Yann Martel, Life of Pi.

Graduation Goggles.

There are certain phases in our life where we are restless, unhappy, often cribbing. We feel like getting through such phases as sooner as possible. But then, towards the fag end of these times, we start to view them with a different frame of reference. Somewhere, our mind starts yearning for the good things that happened. Even more, we start to miss the supposedly unpleasant things to which we are well attuned. And we start missing that time like anything….
          I got this term "Graduation Goggles" from a sitcom HIMYM. It basically means the relief and nostalgic feeling one has about a time in their life when it is about to end, even if the time was completely miserable. It’s nothing but a manifestation of human psychology. We humans can’t just leave anything outright, even if it is unpleasant or undesirable. The term “Graduation” suggests the nostalgia when one leaves college after graduation. And “Goggles” simply stands for a perspective different from the routine one.

                Yet, it’s different from nostalgia. Nostalgia is simply missing certain people, things or times. But “Graduation Goggles” suggest a change in perspective for a short time. This feeling is temporary one. Sooner or later, we return back to the initial view, and things become the same again. It’s not that we develop a feeling of love or liking for that time or place. We just start to see the past in an altered, positive light. And this is the best part about it!! We see even the most unpleasant times through a positive prism, appreciating that everything has the “other” side too…

                “Graduation Goggles” need to be overcome. For some things must fall apart to make way for better thing. One can’t get stuck in the memories instead of moving on. That’s why one needs to be cautious about “Graduation Goggles”. They can’t be relied upon. One might end up taking an emotional decision under its influence, only to repent for it later.

                I feel the other reason behind this behaviour is the fear about the uncertainty of life. We all are afraid of moving on, for future is not familiar to us. Hence we like to delve into the past, which is familiar. But then, life is about moving on!! So let’s enjoy the “Graduation Goggles”, overcome them and move on…

               

               

Travelling through the misty mountains-2.

THE LIGHTS.

A chilly winter night.

Time- Somewhere around 11.00 pm.

Location- Somewhere on Mall road.

Your 'dinner and walk' programme has gone late. You are walking along the Mall road (which is quiescent by then) with friends, busy chitchatting. Somehow you manage to get the attention out of the leisurely winter walk to look down to the scene visible down the valley. And suddenly you shriek out- Aw mannnn!!!! Whatta scene!!

 You can see the entire expanse of Dehradun down the hills. Its glittering! One is ought to be awestruck looking at such pageantry of golden yellow and white lights. It feels like the entire galaxy of the sky is being reflected in a vast ocean. The chitchat suddenly turns into a eulogy of the spectacle…

                Then you happen to look at the hills above. The sight of Mussoorie is equally astonishing. The lights here are primarily white. The scene looks as if the hills are adorned with a glittering diamond necklace, wherein every diamond bead is shimmering with maximal intensity. And the stray, isolated lights in the neighbourhood give a feel of some diamonds which have been unchained from the necklace. Just look at the valley!  Its still and calm as a meditating sage…

                And then, your mind starts diverting towards the bookish stuff of human encroachment on nature. The scene you are enjoying now turns into a crisis in making. The horrors of over-possibilism seem real now. The unending festival of lights down the valley turns into an imagery of urban sprawl. The glowing hills turn devilish. You start to foresee possible hazards of this human bravado. From an aesthetic site-seeing chap, you turn into an environmentalist, worried about the future of humanity.

                Meanwhile you reach your destination. Your mind is now engrossed into the “what next” conundrum. The thoughts about human encroachment, future of humanity are now being gradually subsided. You start focusing on new challenges presented by the moment now. Life moves on. The environmentalist goes into deep hiding now. And all the bookish stuffs returns to the books now, with a fragile hope of entering somebody’s mind again…