After a while my new blog. Its different (like maggi sauce is for Javed Jaferi) from my previous blogs.
The spark which ignited this thought in me; almost dead for a while was initiated by a series of incidents during my previous tour to Kahalgaon and Munger. I wish to ask pardon if this blog tend to hurt someone's faith. I like to clarify that these are my personal thoughts I'm not commenting on any religion or community of people.
As prologue I will like to mention that during this season KANWARIYAS ( followers of lord Shiva) came to pay visit to deoghar popularly known as BABADHAM. The numbers of visitors is huge.
Its known to us that we are residents of a poor and developing country and no matter what the data suggests I still believe that infrastructure supporting to such huge population is mere. I don't wish to mitigate the govt's feel good factor. And to add further Bihar being one of the last if not the last among indian states.
My journey encompassed the traditional path followed by kanwariyas to reach to their destination. In the entire span of journey I found all railway stations trains etc covered with GERUA (orangish) colour. At places it seemed that they outnumbered local people. Here please consider the fact that population density of Bihar is 880 as per 2001 census.
The trains, stations and other infrastructure crumbled under such a enormous pressure. The amenities meant for local catered these TIRHTANS ( holy travellers) the trains meant to carry people to their work places, homes were captured by KANWARIYAS. Though you will get your seat if you had your reservation but the shouting and smoking ( ganja ) by them will not let you comfort yourself, also you might have to share your seat.
During my outgoing journey I thought of these Kanwariyas as problems for others but it soon vanished as during my return I found how much they physically suffered for this journey. Heels bleeding, legs tired, some even lost their assets like money jewelry etc. Still they willing to do this again next year..
I wondered why? Why we are like this? We blame government for not providing enough facilities, but never think of caring them. We blame others when they are not performing their duties, I don't think all the Kanwariyas are jobless. Suffering in Pilgrimages is described as Tapasya, and causing troubles to others.. How can one describe that..
We are counting on our population as human resource, are these our resources or burden on resources. Mr Kalam visioned of developed India was he counting on these. Every year villages need to invest in facility for the guests ( kanwariyas) the same fund when used judicially would have added to development of village.
I had described a situation here, I guess similar things happen during seasonal pilgrimages like visit to Amarnath, Makka Madina visit as HAJ etc etc...
I only wish to understand us. Please leave your valuable comments.
I apologize for the poor language... but hope I was successful in conveying my thoughts...
The spark which ignited this thought in me; almost dead for a while was initiated by a series of incidents during my previous tour to Kahalgaon and Munger. I wish to ask pardon if this blog tend to hurt someone's faith. I like to clarify that these are my personal thoughts I'm not commenting on any religion or community of people.
As prologue I will like to mention that during this season KANWARIYAS ( followers of lord Shiva) came to pay visit to deoghar popularly known as BABADHAM. The numbers of visitors is huge.
Its known to us that we are residents of a poor and developing country and no matter what the data suggests I still believe that infrastructure supporting to such huge population is mere. I don't wish to mitigate the govt's feel good factor. And to add further Bihar being one of the last if not the last among indian states.
My journey encompassed the traditional path followed by kanwariyas to reach to their destination. In the entire span of journey I found all railway stations trains etc covered with GERUA (orangish) colour. At places it seemed that they outnumbered local people. Here please consider the fact that population density of Bihar is 880 as per 2001 census.
The trains, stations and other infrastructure crumbled under such a enormous pressure. The amenities meant for local catered these TIRHTANS ( holy travellers) the trains meant to carry people to their work places, homes were captured by KANWARIYAS. Though you will get your seat if you had your reservation but the shouting and smoking ( ganja ) by them will not let you comfort yourself, also you might have to share your seat.
During my outgoing journey I thought of these Kanwariyas as problems for others but it soon vanished as during my return I found how much they physically suffered for this journey. Heels bleeding, legs tired, some even lost their assets like money jewelry etc. Still they willing to do this again next year..
I wondered why? Why we are like this? We blame government for not providing enough facilities, but never think of caring them. We blame others when they are not performing their duties, I don't think all the Kanwariyas are jobless. Suffering in Pilgrimages is described as Tapasya, and causing troubles to others.. How can one describe that..
We are counting on our population as human resource, are these our resources or burden on resources. Mr Kalam visioned of developed India was he counting on these. Every year villages need to invest in facility for the guests ( kanwariyas) the same fund when used judicially would have added to development of village.
I had described a situation here, I guess similar things happen during seasonal pilgrimages like visit to Amarnath, Makka Madina visit as HAJ etc etc...
I only wish to understand us. Please leave your valuable comments.
I apologize for the poor language... but hope I was successful in conveying my thoughts...
3 comments:
I must rebuke your post. There are two fundamental weaknesses with your post, analysis and thinking. It is when inexperienced (or those who don't want to get some experience) people like you go in politics that things start getting messy. Let me point out these:
1. You did not think long term: Social and Cultural activities such as going on a pilgrimage en-mass help strengthen the country. In the past, sages used to regularly visit villages in our country and this gave people lots of moral education. I hope a little inconvinience is a price too small for the long term unification of country. And I am sure you did not talk to any locals if they are happy with this annual pilgrimage !! And I am also sure you did not find out if the government has spent any money on these activities (which you say could have had been used for education etc etc)
2. You are out of your domain and cannot seperate facts from opinions.
Kanwariayas, as the citizens of India, have the right to travel to any place they wish to. Similarly, you have no right to stop Hajis from going to Haj, by saying that they are crowding the airport!! Similarly, you have no right to publicly claim that they smoked ganja when you yourself are not 100% sure. Off course, these views are your personal but it can give a bad impression about your country. Hence, without investigating facts properly, dont make audacious comments, even if you think you have every right to do this by describing them as your personal opinions. Separate facts from opinions. What you wanted to give was 'your opinion' and what you wrote were doubtable facts (ganja, fund for pilgrimage etc etc)
A dream of highly developed and strong India is incomplete without strong cultural unification, which might have some side effects like a good medicine.
I strongly disagree with Jatayu.. a large amount of subsidy is given to Haj piligrimage and huge amount is wasted in Kumbh Mela.. cultural unification is absurd if the people have not availability of food, shelther and sanitation in our country. Our HDI (human development index) is worse than even war zone bosnia. This piligrims are more matter of faith and personal apathy towards religion.. but people are doing business in the name of religion by exploiting lower castes and class.
@ Jatayu: I just a rookie and than you for you spending your time to read this crap?
I just bogged what I experienced, the journey of mine was converted to hell by the people who pilgrimed to access heaven.
I was only raising a question. You are correct that I didn't focused on a side. by stressing the pains of kanwariyas I only wished to portray the worthiness of such seasonal Bhakti.
You are in United States, I dont know but have you ever been late to an important meeting due to Some religious/ political activity?
that country can easily bear load if human working hours are diverted, we can't.
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