Holi: Hiding Your True Self

They say and I am quoting from the 'Indialine.com, a website that helps tourists from around the world in planning, designing and organising everything they require for a trip to India, right from fulfilling their need for information on India to actually making big and small arrangements for the trip, 'After New Year, Holi is probably the most widely celebrated festival of colors in India diluting all the physical boundaries where people associated with any caste, religion or class meet with love and affection leaving behind all grudges, tensions and hatred of previous times.'

This could'nt be farther away from truth.

I have messaged my greetings to people with who I have not been on talking terms. I am yet to receive a response or thank you note. And I am talking of Indian Hindus who would be celebrating this festival with full fervour.

Holi is an occasion to indulge in the satisfaction of desires and consumption of products laced with bhaang. People lose inhibitions, self-control, sway and dance in complete disdain.

If this is what holi is all about, then I do not want to be a part of it. Do not even smear a dry color on me.

If this is what celebration is all about, then, there is nothing to celebrate at all. Its rather sad.

What are we celebrating for? What is the significance in today's time? If the celebration takes us back to a period, through brief it may be, of anarchy, lack of discipline, no inward analysis, uncivilization, then, there is nothing to be proud of.

There is actually speaking, no reason to celebrate. Are we progressing or digressing.

Are you a better person as a result of playing, enjoying the festival of holi? Do you think that you have changed a little better as a result of this festival? During this period of festivities, have you given a thought about forgiveness, reconciliation, building bonds, bridging gaps?

Is India booming at all? Are we progressing ahead? or are we just a hypocritic nation that colors itself on this occasion, more so physically.

Suicide by students

It has been very disheartening, though the apt word would be depressing and saddening to read of the suicides being committed by students in their teens or early twenties.I wonder what the parents are doing? Are they living in their dream world with their misconception that, 'my child wont commit suicide'?

Is passing or failing an exam all there is to life? Is passing an exam so much important that we are dragging our kids to the point of death? Are we willing to lose our kids for the sake of our prestige, status, respect, standing in society, and reputation? Is life all about making our kids doctors and engineers? Is not life more then that? Is going up the ladder or success all there is to life of a kid?

Would it not be better if we as parents teach, imbibe in our kids, problem solving skills, independence, confidence, communication skills, inquisitive nature, so that they are ready to face the world rather then just become money-minting machines?

How happy a child would be if we parents would rather build a bond with them by talking, reading, playing with them. To ascertain the strength of a tall building, you only have to see how deep the foundation is. Its the same with a child. How you raised your child, how much time you spent with your child, how you spent those times with your child, what experiences your child had to go through, what you communicated to your child, verbally, physically or psychologically, will have a direct bearing on his ability to respond to stress, negativity, failure, difficulties, humiliation, and resistance in life.

You cannot delegate your responsibility to kid's grandparents, uncles, aunts etc. At the end of the day, you are accountable for that little life that was snuffed out. Only because of education.