Devil in the Dream

Idle mind is devil's workshop. Being idle now, devil is starting to play all it's games. One of it's favorite game is, asking questions to me, to check whether I'am subservient to whatever happening around me or not. I knew it would do something like that. So I tried to upgrade my knowledge with Covid-19 attack. 

If you have not met devil, keep this in mind; It is very clever, so it asks questions for which you would not be prepared.

It came in my dream during early morning to pose a question. It asked, "why do you have public exam for 11th standard?" I replied, "during this Corona time..." It interrupted. 

"No. This question has nothing to do with Covid-19. You have taken public exam decision a long time ago".

"Well, yes. OK. I'll try to explain. When students go into college they are lacking in few basic concepts. This has been found out recently. To resolve this we have come up with few solutions and one of them is to conduct public exam for 11th standard students."

"Why? isn't that a burden and emotionally worrying for them?"

"I agree. Fact is 11th standard syllabus covers basics of science or commerce, accounting etc. Students tend to ignore them because they concentrate more on 12th public exams, marks of which shape their future."

"But you only mentioned that those students struggle in college!"

"Hmm...yes. What to do? They are worried."

"Who?"

"Students, schools, parents...everyone."

"Ignore parents. They will always be worried. What about schools?"

"Yes. They are worried. Because they want their students to get good marks, go into good colleges, nicely educated..."

Devil interrupted. "Don't give me halwa, which we don't get in hell. Why are the schools worried?"

"Schools want to maintain their good reputation, give us the feeling that our kids will get good marks..."

Again it interrupted. "Now I'am coming to my main question. Do schools teach 11th standard lessons during a student's 11th standard academic year?"

"Hmm...yes..."

"Be honest."

"Ok. One person known to me said that for his child 12th standard lessons were started from 11th itself. May be in that school..."

"So, you accept a school doesn't cover 11th standard syllabus due to, let's say, unknown reasons?"

Slowly I started to realize where this guy is coming. I can't deny it.

"Yes. But that is why public exams are introduced, so that schools will cover 11th syllabus."

With a big smile on it's lips, devil questioned me, "in that case, who should be punished first, a school or a student?"

I was stupefied.

Devil started laughing. "Asking few schools to do what they must do, is the punishment you give to them? And do you really need a public exam, because it questions that school teacher's ability."

I couldn't say anything. Devil prepared to leave and it gave a nasty look at me and said, "now you understand why I exist!"

It laughed and flew away.

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R. Bharathram
27-Apr-2020

Covid-19 pandemic - lessons learnt so far (Battle with Corona - 2)

Covid-19 attack is in peak now. Many countries,  regardless of their economic, social advancements, are now in the grip of this tiny, reckless and furious attacking virus. I firmly believe that we will come out of this horrendous situation pretty soon. But I, personally learnt few lessons, which I thought must be noted down.

There were few beliefs (rather hope), I had in my mind, created by our mainstream and social media. (Yes, I was such a fool.)

It was believed that virus will not survive in hot and humid weather. I must admit my ignorance, that is, I too believed Covid will not spread in Chennai. Well, when it comes to hot and humid weather, isn't Chennai the perfect place?

To my dismay, I found that it was not true. There were additional conditions required for such miracle to happen. In open, public places, however hot and humid it may be, virus will spread from one person to another via droplets.

What a disappointment, considering I was welcoming the month of April in Chennai this year!

Then after few trial and error, social distancing is found to be best until a vaccine/medicine is found. But it was a bit late by that time because in this part of world, having a high population density, social distancing was very new. State Governments are trying their best to educate people about social distancing so as to contain this highly contagious virus. unfortunately, it can not be refuted that virus is one step ahead of us already.

Comparing to earlier pandemics in history, the number of death this time is very less. At the same moment, the disturbing fact is, we are scientifically, medically, communicating / educating wise, very much advanced today while comparing with the recent 19th or 18th centuries. Therefore, direct comparison of number of deaths is not appropriate and unacceptable.

Social distancing is perhaps one of oldest methods to escape, like evacuating village in case of one cholera case! We have no choice but it is a mystery where and how we missed out 'that choice'.

That is not for me to worry. I am just another common, ignorant, normal person. But I can't resist myself from pondering over other actions required from us. Since social distancing is essential and possible let's move to others.

Nutrition food: Here we encounter the first issue. We have a large percentage (may be the largest by means of population) poor people. In a normal day, getting two meals per day itself is a problem for them. How can they even dream about nutritious food? The word 'Balanced diet' will be a joke to them. Undoubtedly, poverty kills first. So, we have a very long way to go towards reaching nutrition for poor.

Next, old people having health issues are considered risky, for example, commonly prevailing conditions like diabetes and cardio issues. Do we really care or do we just sigh with a relief?

We can't complain! After crossing a age limit, contribution of elders towards our economy is very bleak and they're also a burden economically. Alas, it is a relief for few families!

Though we see mortality rate is high among elders above certain age, we tend to ignore that the next generation is also mostly having the same issues at younger age. We see a high percentage of diabetic patients in 40's or even in mid 30's.They'll be missed from this wave of Covid-19 but next wave of an epidemic could be around the corner. How are we going to rescue ourselves?

Next is children. That is a big subject to discuss so leaving it out here.

Going back to 40's age group having diabetes or other health issues, we are being told that the primary reason for this situation is believed to be stress in minds.

Oh! Where and when we didn't have stress? From morning to evening,  from home to office - we run fast, adrenaline shooting high into brain as if a devil is chasing. Or as if believing that I am the core of this world and earth's rotation will stop abruptly if I were not here tomorrow?

The best lesson this virus taught us is that we are just another living species on this planet. We must slowdown our pace because now it is very evident that even if entire human race is extinct this planet will still go on with other species.

Therefore,  summarizing all above, I feel - and believe you also will agree that, we must slowdown, to live peacefully, spend time with family and nature. We need not run blindly to satisfy someone's greediness.We must observe that poverty kills. Rich or poor, we all live on same planet and we are all interconnected. I can see and enjoy a person falling too far away but i must realize that the chain link will come to me sooner or later and my fall is inevitable.

Let us live our life thoroughly; let us live for our family; let us live for entire human progress, let us strive for each and every human's happiness. It may sound impossible but do we have any other choices?

Humans, the greatest living species this planet has seen, have done innumerable impossible acts. Our journey was tough and long, but we succeeded so far. We will progress further learning one lesson from this critical event; throw away greediness and stand united.

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R.Bharathram
15 April 2020

Corona - Another battle for humans to succeed

On this day, 7th April 2020, the entire world is struggling and fighting against a small microorganism - COVID - 19. A virus, which shakes the foundation of human societies. We never thought such a thing could happen because we always believed that whatever we built for many centuries is unshakeable unless otherwise, the creator himself (the humans) destroys it. The thought (ego) we had that, we have mastered nature and more importantly, we have certainly overpowered whatever living on this planet - is burst like a water bubble. Reality couldn't have slapped us more painfully than how it has done now.

We can see that the entire human progress is in a battle. And whatever military power that we had gained has gone worthless before this unseen, common enemy. No missiles, ICBM, nuclear weapons, spy satellites are worth now. Hence, a basic question arises in many minds now.

Where did we lose? What did we miss to notice? Which link our eyes were blind to see? How can we kneel down and bow to nature, we are humans and we don't even bow to each other? We were looking high in space, try to find which planet has minerals and where can we go and settle after, say few hundreds of years later, but we missed to see what is lying down near our feet, on this planet!

The governments are trying to do their best, relentlessly trying to save people, doctors, and medical staff work for us, sacrificing their own lives, safety, police and government officials and staff sleeplessly work to protect us ignoring their safety.

We, the common people are staying inside our homes, scared to go out, praying for those who are helping and protecting us. That is the best we can do now.

Asking questions is easy. But retrospection is necessary, to go inside our minds, ask questions which were present there all the time but to which we chose to be oblivious. We must seek answers. Blaming each other is not a safe game. If my neighbor suffers, I must admit to myself, I will also suffer. A 'dog eat dog' strategy is not for humans.

This situation is not very new to humans. In their long history of more than ten thousand of years, we survived by changing our way and adapting to nature. We started learning science, started inventing machines and tools and then the 'progress' took up a lightning speed and eventually we started to think that we are the masters.

Nature taught us that every living thing will struggle to survive, by adapting, changing characteristics, and by mutating.  Virology teaches us that viruses mutate to survive from our immunity or medicines. So ideally we should prepare for future attacks from billions of microorganisms that surround us. The contingency plan should not only include medicinal research but it should include protecting humans too.

In the progress as such, we have developed a huge economic disparity among ourselves. I don't want to think about whether it was deliberate or not, at this point in time. Such discussion now will only lead to a diversion of our focus in the fight against the virus. At the same time, when we devise a plan for the future, in my opinion, we must ensure the best medical facilities and essentials should be available to all humans irrespective of economic or demographic situations.

It is time for us to realize only the unity made us to progress. It is again the time for us to realize that only unity will take us forward. Science is for humans, animals and plants to survive.

The government is doing the best of what can they do. Our prayers will always be with the people, who work for us. We will pray for their safety and success. Humans have succeeded in many struggles in the past. In the same way, we will overcome this crisis successfully.

Stay inside and be safe.

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R.Bharathram
7 April 2020