Eulogy for a grandmother

Our most adored Nani passed away on 7th April two years ago.She left behind a huge treasure trove of wonderful memories which is the richest legacy possible. We were blessed and lucky to have her as our Nani. On the anniversary of her death, I am sharing with you the eulogy I read at her funeral.

We recently visited the Wagah border for the changing of the guard ceremony, and had my trend-setting nani been alive she would have smiled with joy two see two smart young lady soldiers lead the change of guard !

April 7 2010.....

We are gathered here in memory of  Mrs Sushila Tandan, a wonderful lady who left our midst on 7^th April. She died at the age of  87, peacefully, suddenly and in the presence of her loved ones .

Born in 1922 in Aligarh she was a witness to almost an entire century, and adapted remarkably well to the changing times.

Over the years, the lens through which we, her grandchildren, have viewed our greatly loved  nani has changed and matured. As we became older we became increasingly aware of just how privileged we were to have her as our nani.

As small children, we thought our nani was the most glamorous lady and probably the best cook in the whole world. I can still visualise nani in one of her beautiful chiffon saris, moving briskly about the house smelling of a lovely perfume. She would cook these fabulous meals for us, mainly mughlai food, Biryani and Kebabs, and my brother Rahul and I would compete to see who could demolish more of Nani’s cooking. We spent many idyllic summer holidays with Nani/nana where we woke up in the morning to the smell of lovely jasmine flowers which my nana had gathered during his morning walk and lovingly placed on our pillows as we slept. Nani was an expert driver and would drive us to our favourite places in her green Herald (after we could get it to start!). Nani and Nana were very warm and hospitable and there was a constant stream of friends in their house. I remember the pride with which they used to highlight our little accomplishments to their friends. They had instituted a prize for any acheivement, big or small, and my brother and I had built up a little treasure trove of pens and diaries which our doting Nani/nana had given us for our scholarly successes.

 As we grew older, we began to see her as a social being rather than just our nani. From the stories told to us by family and their friends , I gathered that Nani/nana were very progressive and compassionate people. Nani was the first batch of girls in Aligarh to gain an MA in English and Geography during a time when girls were not educated beyond class 8, if at all they were. She told me she had to be very responsible in her behaviour all the time as the slightest slip up could have had a great negative social impact with people commenting “See this is what happens when you educate girls” !  Later, as the wife of a civil servant, she did a tremendous amount of social work specially for the up liftment of rural women. Her welfare model carried out in Lakhimpur Khiri when nana was the district magistrate was greatly appreciated and was replicated in other parts of UP. She was highly active physically and  right till the age of 75, when she suffered a stroke, she was even traveling in trains by herself.

Our multi-faceted Nani was also greatly recognized in her community as a teacher. Generations of girls at Loretto convent lucknow were taught by Mrs Sushila Tandan and by all accounts she was a very popular teacher. She later also taught English at Delhi college of engineering Kashmere gate and her teachers accomodation there was always full of young students and collegues. I spent a lot of time with her and she used to take me to several ghazal concerts with her. She also took me for my very first -movie - ‘Julie “. The experiment was not very successful as every time Julie shed tears on the screen, I would start weeping loudly in the audience. Thereafter we confined ourselves to other activities.

Nani was highly relied upon by all members of the family as she had an outstanding sense of responsibility. When my father was posted in faraway places in his army tenure, it was nani who would drive up to Nainital and bring me home for the summer holidays. All the nuns knew her well. Similarly, when my parents were abroad she helped settle my brother into college. She was an ideal companion to any age group  and was able to stand on pavements and eat roadside food with my brother as effortlessly as any college friend of his. She also came to visit me in AFMC Pune and played the role of a batch grandmother, telling stories late into the night to my friends.

Nani was amazingly well read and well traveled. She had backpacked alone in Europe in her young days and used to tell us wonderful stories of  her travels.

Later, when we got married nani extended her special relationship to our spouses and children. Kapil used to really enjoy discussing various books and current affairs and used to remark on how well read and insightful she was. Yogita used to marvel at how nani, always the ever gracious hostess remembered her favourite food items and made her feel even more special than she would  her own grandchildren. Our kids loved their parnani. Like so many years ago with us, she  now delighted in the acheivements of our children and  very recently she bought a beautiful book on flowers for my daughter who had run very fast on her sports day.

Finally I need to mention how remarkable and courageous my nani was. About twelve years ago, she  was uprooted from her home, lost her husband and sufferd a near fatal accident all in the space of one or two years. All this was not enough to daunt this brave lady. She later suffered a stroke  which left the right half of her body paralysed but this too did not diminish her joie de vivre and she led a full life even in her severely handicapped condition. A great deal of credit for that goes to my mother, family and close friends who were a constant and remarkable support to her when her body was weakened. But her spirit retained an infectious joyousness and she was always very hospitable even from her bed, offering all of us our choicest foods when we went to have a cup of tea with her, engaging in deep discussions on our families and professions, participating in all family and colony functions from her wheelchair.

This remarkable and lovely lady remains a true inspiration and although we had her with us for a long while it never seems enough. A couplet from one of her favourite singer, Mehdi Hassans songs expresses very eloquently the sentiment we feel…. “ Tu jo mila hai , yeh ehsaas hua hai mujhko, yeh meri umr mohabbat ke liye thodi hai ….”

I would like to thank you all very much indeed for being here with us today.

Message for woman’s day

Dear friends ,

Mrs Kodian asked me to write down a few words for women's day for her group.The steady work she and her association have been doing in the last couple of years to make Dwarka a safer and cleaner place is truly inspiring for all of us. It makes one realise that there is a lot one can acheive if we put our mind to it. Here is the message which I shared with the group :

Wouldn't it be most rewarding for all of us women if we could discover our full and true potential some day ? But how are we to make it happen ? Reflecting on this brought out these thoughts which I put before you.

“It is never too late to be what you might have been” – is an inspiring quote attributed to George Eliot .

Well , I thought, what if someone had a sports trophy in mind ? Agewise, it may be much past the time where one can truly excel  as an athlete . But then, it occurred to me that one could instead just play the game of life with excellent sportsman spirit. It gives as much satisfaction as momentarily holding up a shining cup does.

In his book “The last lecture”, Prof. Randy Pausch talks about his childhood dreams and explains in a delightful manner how he came to achieve some of them. I thought about my childhood . At a very  tender  age I dreamt of being able to play with water for unlimited periods without being scolded or stopped by any adult. Now, as a doctor, I see one childhood dream coming true every time I have to thoroughly scrub my hands with soap and water before a surgery!

Perhaps one of you always wanted to be a professor and are currently a busy, harried housewife.Try  to remember why you wanted to be a professor in the first place. Did you enjoy reading or love a particular subject ? Was it the thought of moulding young minds or just the academic atmosphere? Once you are able to answer this question correctly to yourself, the rest becomes easier. If you  already have a thorough knowledge of your subject, but don’t want a conventional job ,you could sign up with an NGO in the teaching field ( they are almost always looking for skilled volunteers.) If you want to brush up your experience before embarking on the task, many schools offer learning programmes where you can observe the teachers at work. If not looking for a formal training, you can request a friend who has a school/NGO to let you observe other teachers for a few days. Any combination is possible to ease you back into your chosen field.

Some people wanted to be at the best institutes  and interact with the “brightest minds” in a particular field.  They just didn’t get the chance . I would urge you not to fall into the trap of thinking that good theories are formed only in elite institutes. The most pathbreaking ideas have come from uncluttered minds of diverse backgrounds and inspiration can come from anywhere. A simple question asked by a simple mind may lead to the discovery of the most profound truths. Some women enjoy what they are doing but want to be paid much better for what they do. It would not be an exaggeration to say that 90% of men and women feel that they are underpaid for services rendered. Join the gang !

A friend always wanted to be a nightclub singer.  She was now past forty and had never managed to get behind a mike. Two fears she had prevented her from doing so. According to her , her voice was too raspy and her figure slightly plump . Only her love and knowledge of music matched the glamorous club singers she had grown up hearing and seeing. It was pointed out to her that most singers had predictably melliflous voices , hers being slightly husky, would be a refreshing change. Also, age had lent some gravitas to her comportment which most people would find attractive . As far as tyres around her middle went, there were two aspects. Firstly, it showed how well she represented nature. After all , even trees showed off  their age by adding rings around their trunks ! More to the point, one of her designer friends could easily make her suitable dresses which concealed the bulges. Most importantly, her target audience had also aged alongside her.Our friends were more refined in their tastes, a lot kinder and some, deafer. All this made for a great audience. I think what really clinched it for her was watching the video of Susan Boyle who was ‘discovered ‘ at the age of 47.

So friends, on the occasion of woman’s day, I ask you to just express yourself in any way that makes you happy. Don’t let age or fears or circumstances hold you back. Work with them or around them and achieve what you want to . Or at least live with the satisfaction that you tried !

Wish you all a wonderful woman’s day !!

My first ( disaster of a ) dinner party

Living alone in a small town, I was often invited for sumptuous meals  at people’s homes. Being poor at cooking, I used local catering services to return the hospitality. Life followed a smooth pattern until one day, a senior officer insisted that I cook a home meal for everyone. No amount of protests by me or my divulging what a hopeless cook I was would cause him to relent.” Ours is not to question why, ours is to do or die! ” I thought and took up his request. A date was chosen and invitations made.

Being the only other medical officer, apart from the commanding officer (CO), I could not get leave from my morning OPD duties for that date. Also,the CO did not at all seem to share my perspective that the situation fitted the ‘emergency leave’ category. I enlisted the help of two bais (lady helpers) for the cooking.  My Sahayak (male helper) was entrusted with  sprucing up the house and carrying over drinks from the canteen.

On the day of the party, I returned from work in the afternoon to the aroma of cooking and assumed the menu would be mostly prepared . I thought of the special finishing touches I would give. I was in for a rude shock : only two dishes were done; one bai had not turned up at all  and the other had to leave in a hurry as she was urgently needed at home. So there I was, with five hours left to go for a big party with poor culinary skills and no manpower ! Various plan ‘B’s raced through my mind. A cancellation would seem I was evading my social duties. I wondered if I could ask one of the invitees to come and help cook ( their own dinner) but then decided against it. Whereas this practise was acceptable on travel and living shows, in real life it would not go down well at all !

Desperate measures were needed. I explained my predicament to the Sahayak and told him that he had to venture far beyond his normal call of duty for that day. Some time later, I was preparing the gravy and seasoning and the Sahayak, whose only relationship with food so far had been eating it , was cutting vegetables. I tried not to let it perturb me that the vegetable pieces , being so slowly and painstakingly cut by him, were of completely different shapes and sizes or that tiny bits of peel were still sticking to them. I reminded myself that at this juncture our sole aim was just getting food (of any sort) on the table. Anything else was a luxury. I strategically put large quantities of gravy over the vegetables to hide their unevenness.

Later in the afternoon, a dear friend, my CO’s daughter, called to check how I was doing. In the course of describing the reasonably grim situation, I discovered that I had not factored in dessert !  My wise friend had a brainwave which mitigated my feeling of despair. All we needed was a  quick ride into town to pick up fruit and fresh cream -a timeless classic. She soon brought her moped to my house and I instructed  my Sahayak to keep a benign overwatch on the last dish, mutton curry, for the short while I would be away. The reluctant chef was petrified at the thought of being left alone in a kitchen with a simmering dish but I told him the situation just could not accommodate a breakdown on his part. I pointed out to him his robust innings with the vegetables. I told him the tough part was over, now only a delicate flick of his wrist was needed - to turn the burner knob from high to sim after the requisite whistles.  My counselling worked.Thankfully.

We quickly found the fruit and cream but on the way back, luck deserted us as my friend’s moped had a flat tyre. Providentially,a boy she knew lived nearby. I was greatly releived to learn this. She told me however, that she found his attentions unwelcome and  normally went to great lengths to avoid him. I pleaded with her to make the supreme sacrifice of being showered with unwanted attention for the sake of my dinner. Half an hour later, the boy, whose cup of joy had run over ,was dealing with the puncture at an unhurried pace (he wanted his lady-love near him for the longest), my friend was fuming  and I was fretting. The supreme irony was eating the tasty snacks served by his mother even as I worried about my own amateurish  menu.

When we reached back home around 7.00 pm, the first few guests had already arrived. The Sahayak (who was in the loop over telephone) had told them I would be back very shortly and they were wondering about this most unusual welcome. I tried to slip in quietly, but unfortunately, the guests managed to glimpse my dishevelled clothes and the large packages in my hand. I smiled weakly at everyone, murmuring excuses, and they smiled back encouragingly. I changed faster than Superwoman and went to the rescue of the dishes and the chef. My heart sank completely at what I surveyed-the Sahayak had clean forgotten the whistle count and the mutton was in shreds ! I thought the only way out was to give the dish an exotic name and pretend they made it like that in some less-visited country. My brain toyed with names such as ‘Rare fibril mutton venison’and ’gourmet stringy surprise’as I regarded the damaged dish.

During the course of the evening, I alternated between kitchen and drawing room while the guests chatted amiably. My friend helped me cut the fruit and blend in the cream. Finally,the time came for dinner to be put on the table. The women called their little children to eat first. One look at the dishes on the table and the adults quickly grasped the situation. The innocent children however, stared suspiciously at the slightly strange looking food and loudly asked what each dish was. Even after their mothers had somehow correctly identified the base vegetable, and told them the name,they were not easily convinced ! They kept voicing their doubts loudly, despite stern gazes from their parents and my ears kept turning a deeper shade of red. The adults, in contrast, were kindness personified, going about their business of eating very silently, hiding their disappointment  well. I noticed that all took very small portions of everything except the two dishes which the bai had cooked. Many asked for bread alongside, which thankfully, I had.

When the dessert came on, there was a palpable sigh of collective relief.  Everyone was still very hungry and there was nothing that could go wrong with fresh fruit and cream. All heaped their plates high. But they had not reckoned with my persistent streak of bad luck that day. The grapes were sour. The guests laboriously picked small fruit pieces off their plates trying to avoid the grapes, which was rather difficult given the creamy disguise each little fruit  piece wore. Unfortunately for all (by Murphy’s law of disasters - if he has one such) grapes just  happened to be the signature fruit of the dish.

At last the guests left. I imagined hearing hunger rumblings in their stomachs as they said their goodbyes. In silence, I  contemplated the day’s events and the used plates with uneaten grapes arranged along their perimeters. I consoled myself with the thought that the guests had certainly enjoyed each other’s company at least. Life went back to the usual pattern and for a long while no one tried to disturb the system by introducing novel concepts such as home –cooked meals at young officer’s residences!

Safeguarding our mental health

Dr Anjali Mehta

Defining what really constitutes good mental health is difficult although the meaning is instinctively understood  . It is a state of mind that enables an individual to function efficiently in society. Understanding the complexities of the mind needs a heightened degree of awareness. Mental illness that does not fit into a well-recognised syndrome often goes undiagnosed. Sometimes, the sufferer does not recognise his own affliction though it may be apparent to others.

In the past, mental illnesses were not well documented. People recognised “eccentricities’ in their friends and relatives but were fairly accepting of these and the “eccentric” party usually found at least some support within the ranks of the family. Actually a really thin line separates normal from what lies just beyond it. For example, a person who washes his hands three times daily is deemed hygeinic, but handwashing twenty times daily would possibly come in the realm of obsessive compulsive. The grey area is with handwashing 6-8 times a day. In such a case, must we start to worry that something may be brewing in the brain? Caregivers are often  in a dilemma about how much to let the natural personality develop and what and how much to curb in the child’s behaviour.Many of us are on one side or the other of the active child versus Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder debate. There are no easy answers.

Why are we more vulnerable than ever to mental problems ?

The faster pace of life nowadays gives us less time to heal naturally from traumatic events . With families becoming increasingly nuclear and people less tolerant, social isolation makes people more prone to mental illness. People spend an increasing amount of time on their computers but it can’t compare with the warmth of a direct human interaction . The life span of humans has increased and there is a larger population of elderly people. Also, diseases like cancer and AIDS  took the lives of their patients with great impunity earlier but now there are many survivors. However, chronic illnesses cause significant morbidity  and this leads to greater prevalence of sickness related depression. In today’s strife torn world, many children are growing up seeing war and bloodshed all around. This plays havoc with their mental health in the years to come. Also, soldiers who are increasingly being sent on peace keeping missions around the world are prone to post- traumatic stress disorders.

We are susceptible to mental stress at almost every stage of our lives. Right since birth. Psychiatrists have ascertained that  emotional coping mechanisms are formed in the first few years of life. In the school years, shy , affable children are the ones who are the most easly bullied and can be left with long lasting emotional scars. Often the bully himself is riddled with deep insecurities which makes him/her behave thus. Teenage has its quota of confusion, succumbing to peer pressure and experimenting with drugs and alcohol. As adults, the three big areas which may prove challenging are marriage, work and chronic illness. Old age brings loneliness and vulnerability .

Why is mental disease more difficult to diagnose and treat

A mild mental health problem is rather difficult to pick up . It is not very clear where “mood” or “personality” ends and where mental health disorders begin, even for a trained psychologist. A physical disease causes a lump, pain, discoloration or other visible and often quantifiable symptoms. How does one describe a heartache ? And how would a layperson know when natural sorrow has ended and given way to depression? These illnesses therefore simmer under the surface for a longer period than physical ones.

Making a diagnosis is not easy for a psychiatrist . The patient may not want to reveal everything in their history if they feel ashamed of something or they want to impress a psychologist they have developed a rapport with . From another perspective , for a psychologist to deal with confused, irrational ,slow patients usually requires good listening skills and the fortitude of a saint. Drawing out information on the status of the mind is clearly not an easy task.

Assuming the diagnosis is made; cures are not easy. Individual sessions with the doctor are lenghthy and the course of therapy spills into weeks and months, requiring large investments of time and not many patients or even doctors possess the staying power . Cures are not easily attainable : we all know that removing a lump surgically is far easier than changing the way a person thinks.The results are not clearly identfiable though improvement can be ascertained. Relapses occur often.

Mental health, including hospitalisation is not covered by insurance and the cost has to be borne by the patient in totality.

The drugs used in psychiatry often have side effects that may impair a person’s ability to function as they can lead to drowsiness or a dullness of affect.  A patient may have to take these for long periods.

How we can safeguard our mental health

At an individual level

Being proactive :  If we have troublesome physical symptoms such as headache or toothache, we are likely to promptly consult a doctor, but how many of us would consult a psychiatrist that routinely ? Acknowledging that all is not well your mind is fraught with unpleasant social implications . We should learn to pay more attention to our minds also. In fact, a mental health check up should form an integral part of the routine annual health check up offered by hospitals .

Being alert :  A high index of suspicion should be maintained for changes in behaviour or uncontrollable behaviour. For example , sudden onset of mood swings in a person may be attributed by the family to his/her alcohol consumption or lack of professional success whereas it may be a result of a hormonal disorder or a  brain tumour. Likewise, a person’s uncontrolled eating may be attributed to his lack of will-power whereas it may be a hypothalamic disorder.

Mental exercises/meditation:   A sound mind is our most prized possesion, to be guarded well. The buddhists are known to indulge in mental exercises to make their minds strong. Yoga and meditation are effective and healthy ways to lessen stress. We must build in a mental health routine into our daily life just as we build in physical exercise.

At a group level

Mind lifeguards : School consellors or work counsellors, being trained people can pick up subtle mental disease in the group they are in charge of and provide good advice and treatment. They also build in general stress releiving games and activities into the daily routine as a preventive health measure.

Promoting mental health and peace at a social level.

Spiritual groups and other initiatives.  Concious promoting of mental peace is being done by several organisations including  Art of living , Brahmakumaris, Buddhist monks and such like . In a novel development, the Indian army decided to train its army priests to be counsellors .The priests could recognise early signs of depression in those who they came across during daily prayers and also counsel the concerned soldier or officer.

The arts and culture : We know that even the simplest minds do not fail to appreciate the beauty of music and music therapy is much in vogue for several mental disorders. Movies can be used to create awareness amongst people about mental disease and induce more sensitivity in people. Many acclaimed movies on various mental disorders have made a big impact on audiences. A few such are: “A Beautiful Mind” , “ Taare Zameen Par” “ The Prince of Tides” and on a lighter note, the incredibly funny “Analyse This”

To summarise, as far as mental health is concerned,even if we understand it only intuitively we must guard it zealously !

Delights of a small town …

    (Indian Express Buzz.... edited)

Dr Anjali Mehta

I had just got my posting orders to a small rural town and I was excited about the work. Well-wishers seemed worried about one aspect: “It’s a very small town” they said ,”you will find it difficult to get any entertainment  there”. Ultimately, we did find ways to amuse ourselves.

Fine dining

The town boasted of a single restaurant named ‘Surya’. Or rather, misnamed ; given it’s spectacularly dark interiors. The designers , while possibly trying to imbue the restaurant with romantic lighting had somehow crossed the line between invitingly dim and eerily dark.The easy part was getting a table there as the majority of the locals preferred to be able to see what they were eating. Only the waiters there were comfortable in the dark, the diners had to struggle. When attempting to serve oneself with food, one had to surreptitiously feel for the outline of the plate with the other hand.  Some of the food invariably missed the margins and some food missed the diner’s mouths.When the waiters cleared the plates , almost everybody had embarrasingly  dark shapes scattered on the tablecloth in front of them. On reaching home,people invariably  put on many lights as a reflex.

Shopping in the market

The markets bustled  with locals wearing flamboyant  dresses edged with gilt and designer glasses. Usually wealthy, they bought items in kilofulls, without even asking the price first. Our army crowd was very conpicuous due to our understated dresses ,modest purchases and detailed inquiries about prices prior to actual purchase. But what made us stand out was the vehicle we arrived in.The army typically earmarked it’s  old and not very  roadworthy (‘condemned’ in army parlance) vehicles for ‘family welfare’. We would arrive for shopping in this giant three tonne truck whose protesting engine sounded like a racing Ferrari. Consequently each eye in the market-place would be upon us. The disembarkation ladder at the back of the truck stopped well short of the ground and to actually touch earth we had to leap down from the last step. All in all, it was a rather dramatic entrance for the small scale of purchases that followed.

Sports

There was a single makeshift badminton court  which had very quicksand like, sticky mud. It tended to swallow up players’ feet which made the game highly challenging. The winning strategy was to first lob the shuttle to the back of the court , followed by a deft drop shot. Even the most nimble-footed  players  could not extricate themselves fast enough from the back of the court to reach forward in time.One might  wonder why we didn’t end up like Saina Nehwal given that we had such rigorous training. The answer lay in the fact that we were never able to play well on even or level surfaces.

Post prandial entertainment

There was a time-honoured tradition which called for all guests to sing at their host’s house after supper. The shy folk would  feel a slight sense of impending doom throughout dinner. Many people were sporting enough but there was a paucity of real singing talent. We did hear some wonderful songs occasionally but for the most part such evenings were merry but tuneless. It took a lot of management on the host’s part to ensure that things went smoothly. The host had to tactfully supress any laughter that threatened to erupt in the audience ; to not openly wince as song after favourite song was mauled to bits, and most of all, firmly take in hand those drunk guests who would begin singing and then refuse to stop!

As you can see, we did steal the little pleasures of life, make regular fools of ourselves… and ended up healthier and less self-concious…

Why we must stand behind Anna

Dr Anjali Mehta

In the past year, one Indian, among others, has really made his presence felt. This Gandhian has been exalted and criticized, both fairly and unfairly.

Inspite of some erudite thinkers as well as some with vested interests trying to undermine his cause and intentions, many of us instinctively trust him and his team. More than we trust some of the current elected leaders of our country. The reasons for this are as follows:

Individual backgrounds and behavior: 

Mr. Hazare has led a fairly austere and exemplary life; Mr. Kejriwal showed a spirit of sacrifice for his convictions in giving up a secure government job and Ms. Bedi has been known to improve the quality of many an institution that she has been asked to watch over in her police tenure. I am certain other members of the team have made meaningful contributions too. In stark contrast to this are the criminal records of some current Lok Sabha members. Agreed that nobody is perfect but histories of heinous offences simply don’t inspire trust. Several Rajya Sabha members have illustrious backgrounds and have made weighty contributions to the country. Keeping this in mind, it is especially sad that some Rajya Sabha members so lost their sense of decorum that they resorted to tearing up papers during the serious Lokpal debate on the last day of the session. Even the fact that the proceedings were televised did not act as a deterrent. Such brazenness is unsettling to say the least. Such actions don’t inspire confidence.

Leadership qualities:

Mr. Hazare and his team have shown us a particular example of leadership; standing up for what they believe in. Anna Hazare feels strongly about corruption, as many of us do. While several of us have confined ourselves to discussions on this subject, he is standing up for what he believes in and taking the accolades and brickbats which come with sticking your neck out, quite staunchly. If ordinary citizens wore caps and t-shirts with Anna’s name on them, it shows that they felt inspired by his leadership. It does not mean he is narcissistic, as some have opined. Why have the Indian people not been seen wearing caps with the names of our elected representatives? Simple, they don’t inspire us with their deeds or thoughts and I am not sure how many of us want to be identified with them! Some parliamentarians and relevant NGO’s who are competent at their job and honest feel justly outraged that someone else (Anna and his myriad supporters) has seized the initiative from them. In which case, such elected representatives should wrest the initiative back from civil society as indeed some of them have been trying to do in a dignified and correct manner. By the strength of their convictions they should be able to carry the others in Parliament over to their point of view. It is all too easy to say that “we tried but circumstances took over’’. One either sees it through or doesn’t. Half-hearted measures take us nowhere. It is incumbent on them to demonstrate far more inspiring leadership!

Respect for popular sentiment:

When massive crowds flocked to his support in Delhi the first time round, Mr. Hazare took his duties as their representative most seriously. He did not make any compromises with the government despite entreaties, pressures or failing health. He capitulated only on the written promise of the Government to introduce the Lokpal bill in the parliament. However, recently, when the crowds did not seem to show up in Mumbai, he cancelled his fast for the time being. In contrast, we only need to look at the current prices of fuel and food among other things to understand if the elected representatives have the pulse of the common man!

Deliverance on promises:

Mr. Hazare has stated that he will not rest till the Lokpal bill has been passed by our parliament and, to his credit, he has been at it in different ways. His methods may have been criticized by some but his drive and commitment cannot be underestimated: it is there for all to see. The Government on the other hand has reneged on its promise to pass the bill this session. The popular perception is that the session could have been extended and/or much more efforts made to arrive at a working consensus at the very least. A clear sense of purpose and a time bound goal seemed to be lacking. Taking a break after a job well done is deemed by the public to be richly deserved; abandoning a cause and breaking off for the winter is viewed differently altogether! There is also seemingly no progress on the issue of the black money stashed overseas despite governmental assurances that it is being looked into.

Motive and intent:

Mr. Hazare will not benefit personally in any way except as a citizen of the country should the Lokpal bill be passed. He already has the stature of a respected national figure. Any added glory is only incremental. He also risked his life by putting his body under severe physical stress. The motives of some of our elected political representatives are not clear. Whereas some of them have been doing sterling work in their areas/ministries, others have been trying to better their financial positions. Some have been unfortunate enough to have been caught in the act of doing so. Since some have acquired their wealth in ways that are not legal, they stand to be exposed if checks and balances on corruption are legally put in place.

As concerned citizens, however, we on our part, should not depend solely on one (Mr. Hazare and his team) or the other (elected representatives) for change but should have the staying power and commitment to do our own little bit. As a country, all of us must together indulge in “tireless striving” as Rabindranath Tagore puts it: whether in courageously standing up for what is right, whether lending support and showing up at Mr. Anna’s rallies, whether in trying to pass legislations for our country or whether in making little changes for the better at our own individual level. None of us, citizens, activists, parliamentarians should give up on our efforts. A country is made up of its constituent citizens and if we don’t have any staying power, then neither does India.