Uttishtha Bharata

Chanakya was a serial which created lot of interest in me as a child but little did I understand from the few episodes I watched. Recently I took the opportunity of watching all the episodes from youtube.

The serial gives a vivid picture of the life of people and the political situation of the Indian Subcontinent during that period. This was the period when India as a country had not born. The Indian subcontinent was divided into Kingdoms. The weakness of these Kingdoms and their self interests were exposed when Alexander invaded the Northwest Frontiers of Indian subcontinent during 326 BC. Porus (Parvateshwar), a king of Punjab, was the only local king who challenged Alexander, but was defeated. Using the political turmoil to their advantage Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya built an empire that brought most of the Indian subcontinent under a single unified rule. This is whence we can say, India (Bharat) as a country was born from governance point of view, even though all the cultural and religious factors were already in place.

Chanakya (written/directed and played by Dr. Chandraprakash Diwedi) is a treat and must watch for every Indian. The script of the serial due to its pure Hindi, is very refreshing. There are numerous occasions in the serial where Chanakya addresses his pupils. One such occasion is after Alexander's invasion, when the Northwest Frontiers of the Indian subcontinent are ruled by Greek or Indian satraps (governors) appointed by Alexander. Chanakya realizes the need to throw away the foreign invaders and unify the Indian Kingdoms under one National rule. The speech below in many forms is still applicable to the current scenario, where factions within India and its neighbours are ready to exploit any opportunity to weaken India. So here goes Chanakya's speech from the serial - a truely inspiring one (and brought to you due to the Hindi typing efforts done by my loving wife).

तक्शिला के द्वार आम्भी ने आक्रांताओं के लिए खोल दिए और आक्रांताओं का मार्ग कैकेय भी नही रोक पाया | वाहिक प्रदेश के गणराज्यों में साहस था, शौर्य था, न था उनमें कुछ, तो वो थी एकता | अलेक्क्षेन्द्र के पथ पर मस्तक बिछा दिए पर राष्ट्र के वेदी पर अपने अहंकार को समर्पित नहीं किया | रुचिकायण और मद्रक के मार्ग व तथों की भूमि रक्त से नहा उठी और खोपड़ियों को भी अपनी ठोकर में दुकरा कर अलेक्क्षेन्द्र आगे बढ़ गया | कोई नहीं था कोई नहीं था जो उसका मार्ग रोकता | धन्य है भारत की वो पग पग भूमि जहाँ प्रति ब्राह्मणों ने अलेक्क्षेन्द्र का विरोध किया, विद्रोह किया और हस्ते हस्ते मृत्यु को स्वीकार किया | नतमस्तक उन अस्वटकों की भूमि के वीरों को जिन्होंने अलेक्क्षेन्द्र के भारत में रहते ही अलेक्क्षेन्द्र के विरुद्ध विद्रोह किया | दुर्भाग्य ही था इस धरा का की अपनी ही भूमि की संतानों पर आक्रमण करने के लिए आक्रांताओं का साथ आम्भी, पौरव और अन्य शासकों ने दिया. अपने ही वान्धवो के खडग से अपना ही रक्त बहा था | अपने ही बाणों से अपने ही वान्धवो के सिने छलनी हुए थे | अपने ही हाथों से अपने ही घरों में आग लगाई और विजय का रक्त चंदन यवानों के माथे पर लगा | मालव गणराज्य की भूमि शवों से पट गयी थी | स्त्रियों व अबोध शिशूयों तक को यवन सैनिकों ने काट दिया पर कोई प्राज्य राज्य उनकी रक्षा के लिए नहीं आया | मालव गणराज्य में अलेक्क्षेन्द्र की कराह पर हज़ारों स्त्रियों व शैशव में खेल रहे शिशूयों को हथियारों से छलनी कर दिया, पर उन निहत्थे निर्दोषों का अर्धनाध किसी को सुनाई नही पड़ा | ब्रम्ह्स्थल नगर के समस्थ ब्राह्मणों में यवानों के विरुद्ध हथियार उठा लिए, अपने प्राण दे दिए, पर राष्ट्र का सम्‍मान नही दिया | वीरों की भूमि निर्दोषों की मस्तकों से पट रही थी और तब भी पराजित जनपदों के तथाकथित स्वामी प्रत्यावर्तन कर रहे अलेक्षन्द्र से भूमि पर अधिकार पाने के लिए आपस में लड़ रहे थे |  

भय सिर्फ़ यवानों की दासता का ही नहीं है, पर उस सांस्कृतिक दासता का भी है जो धीरे धीरे समाज में जन्म लेगी | पराजित राष्ट्र तब तक पराजित नहीं होता जब तक वह अपनी संस्कृति और मूल्यों की रक्षा कर पाता है | पर क्या धर्म व जाती के नाम पर खंड खंड में बटा यह राष्ट्र, आक्रांताओं से अपनी संस्कृति की रक्षा कर पाएगा? यदि आक्रांताओं को इस धरती पर स्थिर होना है तो उन्हें व्यक्ति से व्यक्ति को जोड़ने वाली संस्कृति पर आक्रमण करना होगा और वे करेंगें, यदि हम सावधान नहीं हुए तो | और यदि हमने अपनी सांस्कृतिक विरासत को छोड़ा तो हमारा पतन निश्चित है | अनुभव कहता है की पराजित मन, पराजित राज्य व पराजित राष्ट्र प्रायः विजेता के संस्कार व संस्कृति को स्वीकार करते हैं | इसलिए यदि शीघ्र ही इस राष्ट्र की सुप्त चेतना को जागृत नहीं किया गया, इस राष्ट्र को संगठित नहीं किया गया, तो इस राष्ट्र को, अपने राष्ट्र को विधर्वित दासता से मुक्त करना कठिन हो जाएगा | विद्या ही मुक्ति का मार्ग दिखाती है और यदि वही असमर्थ है आज, तो वह व्यर्थ है | जन्म मरण के बंधन से भी मुक्ति चाहने वाले भारतीय क्या यवानों के बंधन स्वीकार करेंगे |

इस राष्ट्र को यवानों से मुक्त करना है और इस राष्ट्र की मुक्ति में ही तुम्हारी मुक्ति है | तो इस सोये हुए समाज को जागृत करो | इस राष्ट्र में शक्ति है पर वह सुप्त है | उसे जागृत करो | उस साहस को जागृत करो जो इस समाज में है | उस सामर्थ को जागृत करो जो इस राष्ट्र में है | पर ध्यान रहे स्वतंत्रता का यह यग्य यौवन का बलिदान माँगेगा, स्वार्थ का बलिदान माँगेगा और तो और जागृत हो रही रण चंडिका जीवन का बलिदान माँगेगी | पर ध्यान रहे जागृति लक्ष्य है, आक्रांताओ से मुक्ति लक्ष्य है | बलिदान साध्य नही साधन है, अतः बलिदान पौरुष रहित न हो, व्यर्थ न हो | वाहिक प्रदेश के प्रत्येक ग्राम व प्रत्येक नगर में, कैकेय, मालव, मद्रक, छुद्रक, क्षत्रिय, कड़वसते, रुचिकायण व प्रत्येक गणराज्य में स्वतंत्रता संग्राम की अग्नि को प्रज्यलित करना है और इस यग्य की अग्नि में आक्रांताओ को समर्पित करना है |

निश्चय करो की प्रत्येक ह्रिद्यय में मुक्ति का दीपक जलेगा और वो आक्रांताओ के लिए दावानल बनेगा | माँ भारती तुम्हारा मार्ग प्रशष्ट करें | 

उत्थिस्थ भारतः |

The above speech from serial Chanakya can be viewed at link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHKtWslXu_w

Northwest Indian subcontinent after Alexander's invasion.

Chandragupta's empire when he founded it in 320 BC.

Chandragupta's empire in 300 BC.

Making new sense (nuisance) of Indian Education

A recent decision by CBSE to replace the existing Class X Board exams by a grade-system would probably have a profound effect on Indian Education. Many state boards may fall in line with the decision. Some may even opppose as it could very well threaten the existence of education boards. Whatever it may be, for sure it's not the interest of students or infact the interest of the country that anyone is worried about.

Not to surprise that the decision didn't invoke enough debate and discussion within the country. After all who has enough time in India to think about such topics. Parents who don't have sufficient means to send their children to school need not bother, they are busy trying to meet ends. Many parents probably rejoiced as they could now save money by not sending their children to tutions. Some probably did think about it, but neither had the willingness nor the time to debate it. Others were busy making the Indian tv shows successful. The Indian media has already captured people's hearts with well scripted reality tv shows and people of India feel a responsible impulse to make such shows hit.

The decision ultimately affects the students. The students who would shape the future of the country. They should realize that this isn't an escape for them as they will feel the heat in class XII board exams. Further they have to face the stiff competition of other entrance exams. If the students were too premature to handle the stress of Class X board, one of the reasons in favour of moving to a grade-system, would they be ready in Class XII?

The grade-system we are talking about is round the year assessment of students on variety of academic and non-academic parameters. Our existing system of year-end examination had perfected the technique to screen the student's skill in three hours from an academic perspective. Once the student got through the system, his academic credentials were in place to be tapped by institutions of higher education. The current system forced the students to study the subjects that they were to be tested in. This had positive effects on their higher studies. It created a breed of Indian students who were academically better than their counterparts in the world.

Are the Indian Schools ready to access the non-academic parameters of the students? The answer is no. Schools will be looking forward for directions from CBSE on this. If CBSE was to include sports and athletics in its non-academic parameters, how many schools in the country today have proper infrastructure? The ones which have are mostly private not public. So through his decision Mr Sibal has ensured that education remains in the hands of private players. And who knows what else is cooking in the dark corridors of politics.

Oak Grove School - My First Insitution

When I had finished class III at Katihar my father took me to a private boarding school called South Point in Kurseong, Darjeeling. After a few tests I was admitted to the school to repeat class III. Class III was the highest that the school had and probably the best I was eligible for.

The principal said that I had done well in Hindi but was well below standards in English and convinced my father that I required extra tuitions. Already aware that the managing the school fees itself would be difficult, still agreed. We also received a kit list which I was supposed to bring when joining the school approximately a month later.

A month at Katihar passed very quickly. I didn’t have to go to school, so time seemed to fly by. People talked to me with more respect. I made numerous visits to the tailor and within a month I had a trunk full of clothes. But as the final day to leave for the boarding school approached I became uneasy. I cried on the day of departure.

South Point School must have had 300 students. My class was of strength between 35 to 40 students. There were quarterly exams held in the school. I remember not being in the top 20 in the first quarterly exam basically due to my poor English. But my tutor was working hard on me and I was reciprocating to his sincerity. In the half yearly I stood 18th in class, still nowhere to be noticed. Next quarterly was surprising for me and the class when I stood 3rd. I later learnt when I came home that my father had distributed sweets to his colleagues to accolade my progress.

When I passed out of the school I was different from my old friends. I seemed to be better learned. My father knew if I continued my next class in Katihar it would waste his and of course my efforts at South Point. So he was preparing me for another boarding school known as Oak Grove. Oak Grove enrolled students in class III and depending on vacancies, enrolled very few students in higher classes. I was going to appear for class IV entrance in January. Oak Grove was managed and funded by Northern Railways. Railway employee children enjoyed special concessional fees; otherwise the school was costly to the gentry.

Taking the Oak Grove exam was a 4 day affair. The first day would be written exam. For the next 2 days the answers sheets would be evaluated and a list of shortlisted candidates would be displayed in the afternoon of the 3rd day. 4th day was the personal interview in presence of the parent.

My father has chosen the center as Calcutta, which was nearest to my town Katihar. He had been to Calcutta on several occasions but it was my first chance to visit the city. We started off for Calcutta with a 5 day plan. On the morning of the first day it would be an inquisitive visit to the test center. Since we didn’t have Google directions those days it made absolute sense to visit the test center a day in advance, so that there are no surprises on the exam day. We realized it was a bit off from the city and was probably a Railway Guest house. There were huts around were one could get tea and lunch. We came back to our Dharamshala. After lunch we spent some time roaming around the Howrah Bridge. At night before sleep I went through the few books I had brought for the last minute preparations. And finally I prayed to God before sleeping.

There was a good rush at the center, probably around 200 students accompanied by their parents. Calcutta was one of the 4 centers where entrance exams were conducted. The other being New Delhi, Bombay and Madras. And I had learnt that New Delhi center had the highest number of applicants. I was trying to figure out what my chances were to qualify the exam, given that every applicant looked bright and intelligent, while some were still busy with books.

Finally every applicant entered the exam rooms after enough encouragement and pat from their parents. I don’t remember in what order, what tests were conducted but when I came out of the exam room, it was lunch and there was one more paper to go. The last test also ended and all applicants including I felt relieved. I realized the competition for class IV would be very tough. There were only few seats, nobody knew how many. I got chance to speak to few other class IV applicants and everybody seemed to have done well in the tests. Finally my father and I headed to the Dharamshala after having tea.

The next day was a day to enjoy. My father took me a few sight seeing places. I remember we went to Victoria Memorial, roamed through the big markets of Calcutta. We also boarded Trams, which was a lovely and unique experience. The end of the day started the thoughts of the upcoming events scheduled for the next day – my father trying to search my registration no. in the list of successful applicants. What would be his reaction if I passed what if I did not qualify? My father has been a strict person and I always feared his anger. Did he expect too much out of me and would I let him down? Sleeping wasn’t easy that night. I prayed to the Almighty before falling asleep.

We were supposed to have breakfast and then leave for the exam center. It would be very early, I said. But my father was very eager. To our surprise there were parents already present at the exam center. Many parents had come without their children. Probably they had relatives in Calcutta and had left their wards at home. The results of the exams wouldn’t change if applicants were present.

Every now and then some parent would look towards a group and inform that results will be displayed soon. I realized I wasn’t eager as before. Fear was enveloping me and I was getting restless. Finally a person with few sheets of paper started approaching the notice board and parents, who had settled themselves in the sun few yards away from the notice board, started to march as if somebody ordered them to do so. I began my prayers again.

God was kind on me that day. I got the opportunity to appear for the interview, scheduled the next day. My father couldn't conceal his happiness. Evening passed going through some books.

In the best school dress, that I had saved for the interview day, I reached the exam center. Throughout I was receiving encourgement from my father, which actually made me nervous. I entered the interview room, when my turn came. My father and I were made to sit in front of a big rectangular table, occupied by the Principal and few others. I probably started well answering my name and few other questions that came on the way. But it couldn't have been so easy. The next question, "In Which Institution do you study?", didn't ring a bell to me. I haven't come across this question and perhaps the word, "Institution", in my life so far. Few seconds passed with people in the room eager to hear from me. Being very sure that I wasn't being questioned about the school I studied in, "I study in Katihar", was my reply. After all it either had to be the school or the place. The question was repeated by someone else in the room and I repeated the answer based on my self convinced logic. The questions changed, and so did my answers and very soon I was breathing fresh air out of the room.

After couple of months, a letter from Oak Grove conveyed that I had passed its Class IV entrance exam . The Institution was willing to enrol me for the 1987-1988 session.

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