Onam spirit thrives in the shadow of social distancing

 PC THOMAS

Onam, one of the key festivals, is being celebrated in Kerala or Malayali Diaspora across the globe.  The 10-day festival which started on August 22 comes to close on September 2. The key celebrations are on August 31, the day of Thiruvonam.

According to legend, Kerala had its golden era during the sovereignty of King Mahabali, and Onam marks the King's annual visit to see his subjects. All through the years, Onam has become one-single festival celebrated by all sections of Kerala people. Onam is also celebrated by Keralites with high spirit and enthusiasm even under social distancing.

Onam is a harvest as well as divine festival from God's own country, Kerala. It is the time of the year when Kerala is elated with trumpets, drums, art, dance, music, boat races, floral carpets, lights, colours, rituals and the delicious Onasadya without which the celebrations are unfinished. Onam is welcomed with a various range of activities and celebrated with immense pomp and fervor. The spirit of Onam is worldwide regardless of caste and creed. Read more article PC Thomas

This year, however, the glitter, fervor and enthusiasm for traditional festival Onam seem to have been subdued and restrained in low key-note as the celebrations and merriments are impacted in isolation, due to the corona pandemic. Rising corona cases, social distancing and identification of hotspots clad the season of celebration across states kept the residents in shelter, taking away the festive mood, which our diverse culture is known for.

Indore Keralites are set to keep up Onam fervour amid social distancing due to Covid. The Indore Keraleeya Samajam President Joseph Thomas expressed– “It has been immense joy to celebrate Onam in Indore even with restrictions and social distancing. It reminds all the Rule of Great King Mahabali where Equality, Fraternity & Liberty were practised. Keeping with the solidarity and harmony in mind”.

Arun Kumar PK, the Joint Secretary of Indore Keraleeya Samajam expressed "We observe Onam to honor a glorious past. We all of us desire for a time like that of King Mahabali, a time when success, unity and brotherhood of love uniformed. Be that as it may, so as to realize this dream, let us put forward a creative and sustained energy to keep up"

Let us also follow the message of Onam by Kerala Health Minister K.K Shailaja - “Malayalees should celebrate the first Onam since the COVID-19 outbreak with care at home, celebrate this year's Onam with soap, mask and gap. Let us make ready to celebrate the spirit of the harvest festival Onam in its entire inner zeal and splendor. Let us decorate our homes with Pookalams, listen to the melodious Onam-Songs and enjoy the auspicious festival of Onam!

 

Will local reservation strengthen the unity of India?

 PC THOMAS

While the COVID-19 pandemic is aggravating the economic crisis, an already emotional issue of job reservation is brought to spotlight in Madhya Pradesh. On Tuesday, 19^th August, the Honorable Chief Minister Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that all government jobs in the State will be reserved only for the “children of the State”.

While reading the news, I remembered a story in the Bible. In the New Testament of the Bible, we read in St. Mathew’s Chapter 15, verse 21- 28 the story of a “Canaanite Woman’s hope”.  Jesus was going off to the territory near the cities of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman who lived in that region (local) came to Jesus and said “Son of David, Sir” she begged. “Have mercy on me, my daughter is possessed by a demon and is in a terrible condition” she cried. To test her faith, Jesus made an apparently humiliating statement. “I have been sent only to the lost sheep of the people of Israel” – “It is not right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs” (that means Jesus is not bound to help a non-Jew). But the woman’s answer was even more powerful.  She answered “That is true Sir, but even the dogs eat the leftovers that fall from their master’s table”. Jesus was amazed at her faith and said quickly “You are woman of great faith! What you want will be granted to you” And that very moment her daughter was healed!

I do agree that adequate reservation must be given to the children of the State by the respective state governments. At the same time, MP Government has to bear in mind that people from other states living in MP are also contributing to the development of Madhya Pradesh.  Last year, the Kamal Nath government had directed industries in Madhya Pradesh to provide 70 pc reservation to people from the state. In July, the Haryana government promulgated and ordinance reserving 75 pc jobs in the private sector for local people. And, on August 5, the Telangana cabinet approved a policy to reserve 60 pc of skilled jobs and 80 pc of unskilled jobs for the people of the state in the new industries. Read more PC Thomas Article

M.P government has to take into account the current insecurities of all people arising from the jobless situation, especially in the midst of the spread of corona-virus pandemic. Job is needed for all people of India for their survival whether they are sons of the soil or not.

In line with the wish expressed by the Canaanite Woman, Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s government should reconsider its decision and reserve only 80 pc of government jobs to the children of Madhya Pradesh and leave 20 pc to the people from other states. All Indians are the sons and the daughters of Mother India whether they are born in one geographical area of India or the other. Like Covid-19, hunger affects everyone without any distinction or discrimination! If all the State governments follow the policy of reserving 100 pc jobs only for the people from their States, it can lead to tensions and conflicts among the different States of India and the unity and integrity of India could be adversely affected.

Moreover, a particular State may not have adequate number of skilled persons or experts in a particular field and some other State may have excess of experts or skilled persons in that particular field. In that case a policy of reserving hundred percent jobs for the sons of the soil will be harmful to both the States. From the perspective of the holistic development of India and the unity of the nation, hundred percent job reservation for the sons of the soil is not a bright idea.  – Stay Updated with Best Blog PC_Thomas

Let celebrations strengthen unity in diversity

 Indian people want to show the message of communal harmony in festivals, which is very significant at this time of corona crisis..

PC THOMAS

Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival which is observed every year to mark the birth of Lord Ganesha, the God of fresh start and a new beginning. It is celebrated following the Hindu mythology which says that Ganesh Chaturthi is the birthday of the Lord Ganesha. Hindus refer to Lord Ganesha as the remover of all obstacles and barriers.  This year, the 10-day festivities start today, August 22. The final immersion of Lord Ganesha’s statue in the river or ocean marks the end of Ganesh Chaturthi that will take place on the 10th day or Anant Chaturdashi day, on 1 September.

As we are now witnessing that the coronavirus pandemic has impacted religion in various ways, including the cancellation of collective worship-services of various faiths and the abandonment of pilgrimages surrounding observances and festivals. Therefore, so far this year, people over the world have not been able to celebrate any festival outdoors collectively due to the pandemic and they have limited themselves in safe confinements of homes with prayers and meditations. Read more articles PC Thomas

States like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu generally witness festivities on large-scale during the 10-day-long Ganesh Chaturthi celebration. But, this year, with the virus calling for social distancing, most families are avoiding the act of welcoming more friends and family members at home. People are reportedly making their own clay Ganesha idols this season and online and offline workshops are helping the devout make eco-friendly idols at home.

India is the country where all religions of people are seen. Every one of them celebrates different festivals. Celebrations assume a significant role in our day-to-day life. In our everyday life we will be similar, but in the event of festivals we will be in a unique way. India is known for unity and all people irrespective of religions, celebrate the festivals together. There are numerous celebrations that all of us celebrate such as Baisakhi, Dussehra, Diwali, Christmas, Ramzan, Muharram and so on. Therefore, India is known as the country of festivals.

Indian people want to show the message of communal harmony in festivals, which is very significant at this time of corona crisis. Yes, India has already witnessed the religious harmony – Last year, in Hubli village of Karnataka State, both Hindus and Muslims gathered at one Panthal, where arrangements have been made for Ganesh Chaturthi and Muharram. According to the locals, people in the Hubli village are eager to celebrate all the festivals together, be it Holi, Diwali or Eid al-Fitr !

Ganesh Chaturthi festival of today is an occasion to promote goodwill, unity and solidarity among the people, which will empower us to keep up the harmony and goodwill across states. There is something awesome about this festival – It transforms the ordinary into the extra-ordinary, darkness into light and desolation into ecstasy. A devotee shared his feeling in such a way: “Nothing can supplant the peace and happiness that Ganesha brings to the faithful each year”.  Let all celebrations strengthen unity in diversity so that coronavirus pandemic may be over – Here is wishing you a very happy, prosperous and healthy life on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. This Article published in Metro Vaartha on 22.8.20. Stay Updated- The Best Blog PC Thomas

 

Will Schools be Reopened on September 1?

PC THOMAS

Coronavirus has captured the imagination and thoughts of governments, educationalists, scientists, the media and common man. As businesses revive gradually following the months of lockdown, now the debates about the reopening of schools and colleges have gathered momentum in India. 

In the United States all schools are all set to resume.  In fact, some have already reopened and normal classes started from the first week of August amid rising number of cases. According to a report, it is known that just fourteen days after schools reopened in the U.S, over 97000 children have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. This has been a matter of great concern worldwide, indicating that more cautious steps are to be taken before the normal functioning of the schools amidst the spread of pandemic.  However, considering the gravity of the situation and variation of the pandemic across the globe, many countries are at different stages regarding when and how they plan to reopen schools. These decisions will be made by the governments, often in discussion with local authorities.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in his address on the Independence Day said that the schools in the Delhi city will not be opened until the Covid-19 situation is brought completely under control. Besides, the Deputy CM and Education Minister Manish Sisodia confirmed before the media that the government would be slow on the issue of opening schools considering the current situations, especially the lesson learned from the condition of school children in the US. In a separate statement, he said that if the parents and teachers together with the 16-lakhs students of Delhi would start praying, it is certain we will soon be able to re-open our schools.

Some State governments are also reportedly considering opening schools from September month. On the other hand, the Centre has clarified that it has not yet finalized any specific date for the reopening schools.  It is also reported that the Centre has prepared the modalities and the plan to restart schools and other educational institutions in a phased manner, starting from September 1.

The return of children to school is important and hopefully a welcome step, but parents and children raise many questions. A greater part of parents are anxious about school closure dampening their children’s education, about children missing social interactions and about children staying on track for the next grade.

Governments should make sure that the schools should be reopened only when it is fully secure for students. However, going back to school will be something totally different from what the children and parents were used to before. It is assumed that schools may restart for a period of time and then a decision may be made to close them again temporarily, depending on the local context. Nevertheless, in the evolving situation, authorities will need to be flexible and be prepared to adopt safety measures for the protection of every child.

In this time of uncertainty, what should a parent do if his child is struggling to get back into school mode?  Parents should keep in mind that their children may experience stress. In that case, they can create a supportive and fostering atmosphere and respond positively to children’s feelings.

It is obligatory for parents to help children to stick to their regular practice and make learning playful and enjoyable by incorporating other activities such as family reading time or games. Give additional support to your child at home by building a routine around school and schoolwork. This can be of great support if they are feeling restless and having trouble regarding focusing on studies.

We all need to keep in mind that the solution to COVID-19 is no longer only in the hands of the experts. Only God can intervene when God’s people pray in harmony, in suffering situation. The Education Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia’s faith is very much valuable. In line with his faith, let us pray the welfare of the country – If the parents and teachers together with the 40-crores students of India would start praying, it is certain all students of India will soon be able to go to schools safely and comfortably. This article publiashed in Metro Vaartha on 19.8.2020. Stay Updated- The Best Blog PC Thomas

You are the key to your freedom

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SHERLY MATHEW

Even when the Almighty God and the Indian Constitution gave us a lot of freedom, we, human beings are still dependent in many areas of our life. If we want to give something to ourselves and our society, the first criteria we should have in our mind is that - we feel experienced the freedom within ourselves.

What is freedom or independence? ... Independence and dependence are varied in each other's views and thoughts. Freedom is a great gift from God to man. God's creation itself is undoubtedly the greatest gift to Mankind.  It is not the power and right to do anything or everything we feel in our minds, but it is the opportunity and right to do what is right..  Freedom is an open window that enlightens the soul and personality of every human being. The beginning of all freedom lies in the area of stability of respect and recognition for the other.

Are we really feel free?... or where we fell freedom? .. I have often felt that we are still addicted to many things. There are many instances in our lives when we are caught in a wave of inconsistent emotions ... Sometimes we lose the ability to discern the right from wrong things...

We are the ones who experience this encounter every day and night. There are no human beings who don’t go through such experiences.. but the truth is that no one gives much importance to it .. or some people enjoy it and live .. that's all.

What is the reason?, We lose the mastery of our mind or thoughts – that is what the reason behind this. We who have good power, intelligence and ability in our life journey, sometime get addicted, with some dark forces to rule our life, willingly or unwillingly. It can be hatred, envy, lust, greed or some special desires ...But we have to realize that all our good qualities may disappear in a moment when we  unknowingly walk from our freedom to slavery.

Though it has been 74 years since India gained independence, there are still many narrow-minded thinkers who do not shed light on independence. The intervention and intrusion of others is the most important factor that undermines our freedom today. Our relationships are often broken down because of our unnecessary invasion into the freedom of others. And finally, our hearts are hurt by the nonsense of others. But we should always remember one thing, they only paint pictures about us. Those images are never realities. No matter how big waves and storms pound the surface, the ocean is clear and calm in its depths. Also, allow harsh words and obscenities to remain only on the surface. Do not allow the mind and eyes to be disturbed by passing them on to the inner core of the heart. Do not allow anyone from outside who does not deserve to lose our privacy or freedom. Then there will be peace in life. We are the "key to our freedom."

We need to grow our own self. We must gain the strength to retreat only when we hear the cry that our way is not right. You just have to be more discriminating with the help you render towards other people. He who conquers himself is greater than he who wins a thousand battles and conquers the empire. In spite of this loss, one must acquire the will to embrace the good or the right in anything and everything. This is true freedom. We must not let the shadow of our selfishness cause us to lose the light of the freedom of others. Nor should our freedom rob anyone of happiness.

May our thoughts, words and deeds lead us to true freedom ... This time let us remember our parents who raised us with free thoughts and our ancestors who gave us their own lives and the free country of India. ....Happy Independence Day to all of you. - Stay updated with Best-Blog

Stay Positive in the Negative Situation

PC THOMAS

The global economic recession and uncertainty set off by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the stringent lockdown imposed to contain its spread have impacted lives and livelihoods in India. Financial imbalance and social isolation have pushed many of them to the brink of despair and uncertainty.

Despite the fact that the unlocking has been in progress for past 65 days as of writing this piece, people are attempting to adjust themselves to the new normal life.  However, during this Covid-19 crisis, there are reports indicating to a growth in alleged suicides. On the flip side, there are stories of young people who have triumphed over adversity with life-changing success.

The challenge of Covid-19 is that it is a large-scale crisis affecting the entire society. Businesses go bankrupt, people lose jobs, no hike in salary and people face many struggles to survive during these difficult times.  However, it is a fact that even in the toughest of times, positive people are winners and the negative people are the losers. All of us have the opportunity to utilize this Covid time positively to prepare ourselves to build a better future for us and for our posterity.

Sometimes people, probably because they follow their zeal with passion or because they are by nature aggressive, brave, ambitious, they are willing to leave the comfort zones and move towards the discomfort zone to achieve what they look for in life. But there are some who drift through the present situation aimlessly.

The primary lesson that we need to take from this situation of pandemic is that it is a crisis or it appears to be a setback to the progress of the entire humanity, but the world is not going to an end. The world will emerge stronger and we will find a treatment for the disease and we will go about our lives and get stronger and get better. The most important thing that we can do today is to have that self-belief. Every crisis builds its own winners and even the absence of a crisis has losers. Hence, be positive and believe in you and in the Supreme Power that gives meaning to your life.

In addressing the social issues related to the suicides committed by Covid-19 positive patients or the disgrace and stigma attached to the disease, we need to educate people about reasonably confronting painful and difficult situations in life. Further, we need to be sensitive and caring about persons who need support and encouragement.  Therefore, it is very important for us to quickly reach out those persons in our society who show indications of depression. Timely financial and emotional support in this difficult situation can reduce the number of people taking an irreversible stride to end their lives.  The Central and State governments, on their part, need to take care that  the schemes announced to alleviate the sufferings of the poor and the needy reach the deserving people and that too without delay. For all of us, the need of the hour is to be positive about life and embrace life with confidence come what may! - This article published in Metro Vaartha on 14.8.2020. Stay Updated- The Best Blog PC Thomas

 

 

 

 

Engaging Youth to Act

 PC THOMAS

Once a youth was admitted to hospital following severe injuries attained in a bike accident. When asked him how it happened he said – After participated in the Youth Day’s cocktail party in the hotel and while returning to home late at night, I saw two motorbikes coming parallel in my opposite direction. I began to accelerate in order to race between their motorbikes. But it was they come nearer, that I realized the headlights belonged not to two motor-bikes, but to one car!

Different from the above scene, the youth of today has now become fully disciplined in roads as Coronavirus taught them a bouquet of life lessons in their way of thinking, driving, working and acting. Young people have become heroes of the pandemic now by adapting themselves with critical life situations, keeping careful behind the wheels, lifting spirits of others and letting people know the type of protocols to follow to fight against the pandemic situation. Let us send the virus thanks for these precious lessons it taught.

Today, 12th of August, the nation celebrates one of the awareness days, the International Youth Day. The day is celebrated to recognize the importance, role and hard-work of the Youth. It is one of the most important days to engage the generation of the youth of our world to help them and contribute more to our communities and society. The theme of the International Youth Day-2020 is “Youth Engagement for Global Action”.  The day intends to demonstrate the manners by which youngsters at the local, national and worldwide levels are upgraded.

In India, the youth constitutes about more than one-fourth of the total population. Therefore, Youth Day is important for India as it focuses on making a better India with a set of priorities according to improvements in the lives of children and youth.

Needless to say, this year’s International Youth Day comes amid an unprecedented global crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in acute social and economic impacts around the world.  Young people are particularly exposed to the disruptions the pandemic has caused, and many are now at risk of being left behind in education,   economic prospects and health and wellbeing during a critical stage of their life development. Young people are more likely to be unemployed or to be in precarious working arrangements, and thus they lack adequate social protection.  About one billion students and youth across the world have been affected by school and university closures. Economic miseries and social isolation have pushed many people to the brink or beyond.

In the light of the above, on International Youth Day this year 2020 youth can effectively spread the message and make it interesting and relevant. They can use all their channels to propagate the message about the World Youth Day and its significance in a manner handling with the pandemic crisis, by organizing a virtual public debate or meeting to discuss young people’s contributions to national and international levels. They can take the lead in fighting against false information which is intended to mislead people in the present crisis, as well as in spreading preventive measures. 

Let youth accelerate their drive towards goal and ensure that they have every opportunity to participate fully in the lives of their societies amid the crisis. To make all the goals a reality will require the cooperation of each individual, including Governments, the private sector, civil organizations and people around the world. This article published in Metro Vaartha on 12.8.20- Stay updated with the Best Blog PC Thomas