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Get rid of Caste Names

As a small but significant step towards casteless society, why not get rid off caste names, mostly the last names? Name is an important identification tool for a person and why should that be used to identify the caste one belongs to? Long back I asked some self proclaimed people I met online (of course they were strangers to me and expected the kind of reaction I could get), why the last name is important for you that identify you with your caste? Following were some of the interesting answers I got back,

• My last name rings bell?
• It is none of your business and mind your own.
• Hell, No. I don’t give a damn to caste and religion.
• This website doesn’t allow me to register without my last name.

In Tamil Nadu, it is very rare to see people identify themselves with caste names. It may be due to fear of being ridiculed by others or of self - embarrassment. Thanks to the great social reformer ‘Periyar’ and his ‘Self Respect’ movement. Still the caste and social prejudice is very much prevalent across Tamil Nadu. Blame it on politicians and self proclaimed Periyar followers for not doing enough to take his crusade forward but pocketing their own wealth by using his name.

So how the buzz about last name got settled?

Many people started using initials instead of last name. Initial is something that you put before your first name and it is usually a first letter of father’s first name.

For Example,

P.Chidambaram which expands as Palaniappan Chidambaram

M. Karunanidhi which expands as Muthuvel Karunanidhi.

Many others used father’s / husband’s first name as their last name mostly for passport and similar official documents.

For Example,

Karti Chidambaram

Sudha Ramalingam.

So what are your thoughts about it?

Face the Truth

Last night I was seeing ‘सच का सामना' (Face the Truth) in Star Plus. I saw one or two episodes before also. There I had a conversation with my room mate say Mr. X

Mr. X: This is too much to show in Television, it should be banned.

Me: What’s wrong in it?

Mr. X: This is against our culture and values

Me: If the participants don’t have a problem telling the truth in front of all, why should we have a problem?

Mr. X: No no, this is not correct and it is obscene

Me: It is our TV and we have a remote, if we don’t want to see this program we have the option of switching to other channel, nobody stops us

Mr. X: No no, why should not I see if they show? It should not be shown at all.

Me: Why should we live our lives hiding all the truths under carpet?

Mr. X: Then you should be in England not here

I didn’t had answers. This was just a lighter conversation we had. Then we went on to see the full episode. The same day there was a debate in Rajya Sabha (the upper house of Indian parliament) on this. The MP’s across party lines except ones in government insisted on regulating Television content through independent autonomous body (Don’t ask me how independent Indian autonomous bodies are). The Congress being a centrist party walks a thin line (dumb?) in all these kind of matters.

Needless to say anything about Indian television programs or movies. Some years ago I was shocked to see my neighbor, a young girl singing and dancing to the tune of ‘கல்யாணம்தான் கட்டிக்கிட்டு ஓடிப் போலாமா?' a Tamil movie song which goes on like this, the female lead asking the male lead ‘Shall we run away after marriage or shall we run away and then marry? Shall we marry and have child or shall we have child and then marry?’ So much important isn’t it?

After giving much thought I can’t accept with Mr. X neither morally nor rationally. But our vast country has diverse population, majority of them attached with lot of taboo, fear and superstition that goes hand in hand with various caste and creed they blindly follow. These programs serve only the minority, free thinking educated elite.

Wait wait i am not telling any story here! The need of the hour is to provide quality education to all which leads us to new generation and builds a new society based on modernity, prosperity, equality and justice.

Freedom Fighters and Terrorists

Why the Defiance?

Protest, struggle against organized, continued oppression and ignorance to achieve the goals of Right to Live as Equals, Human Dignity, Mutual Respect and Freedom. Here we should draw distinction between the ways and means of achieving this that in turn differentiates freedom fighters and terrorists.

We can put this ways and means broadly into two different categories as Moderate and Extremist.

The moderates are those who fight democratically or politically or by civil disobedience. In simple term ‘Political Activists’.

The Extremists are those who take up arms to protest and fight (But there is a real danger of crossing the line, the Extremists become Terrorists).

Both the ways are acceptable and we can name them as Freedom Fighters. But what is not acceptable is killing of innocents, here is where an extremist become a Terrorist and a victim become a coward. The greater responsibility lies with the government to address the grievances of victims (perceive them as agents for social transformation) before they take up arms before extremists become terrorists.

There is no doubt LTTE is a terrorist organization and those who subscribed to its armed struggle are terrorists as they killed innocents and moderates both Singhalese and Tamils. Having said that I still sympathize with the cause and support the armed struggle if it is only against equals (who are equals?). The LTTE deserves no sympathy as it hijacked the cause by its cowardly acts of terrorism which in turn gave excuse for the GoSL to project itself as Victim. I wonder how the Oppressor can be a Victim. The harvest is only what you seed and groom.

I must admit as a Tamil, I am still furious to hell about the plight of Tamils in SriLanka. I really don’t know when this can die down as time progresses. It is only the political system and influential people are responsible not the ordinary Sinhala or Tamil. The common man only battles to survive the difficulties of day to day life.

All of us who make huge hue and cry about terrorists and terrorism conveniently forget that they are not Aliens who suddenly came to earth to fight the mankind. I really wonder when I see our politicians and news anchors talking about Terror 100 times a day. We must understand there is something wrong with our system, society and our way of life. While fighting the terrorism with resolve and iron hand we should also fight to change the system, address the root causes and grievances of the victims with healing touch.

There are genuine grievances of Tibetans. They are protesting for over 50 years peacefully. Why their grievances are not addressed yet? Is it because they protest peacefully? Is it because you don’t see any threat for your interests? Don’t get surprised Tibetans taking up arms after Dalai Lama. Or you may think as I do, Tibetans may practice to live as victims.

I only hope greater sense prevails on everyone, especially those not on receiving end.

First Love

I think I’m in love with you..,No!
No, No,I’m in thinking of you,
may be I’m in love with you.
I really don’t know.

Is it love!first love?
It happens with one girl!
Will it last long?
Is my heart strong enough?

On your sight, on your touch,
On your smell, on your anger,
You stole my heart.
Oh, my girl, Tell me the reason.

Is it love! first love?
It happens with one girl!
Will it last long?
Is my heart strong enough?
I lost my sleep.
I’m in different state of mind.
Here only my life stands.

My heart is pumping fresh blood,
Sound of sweet words whispering in my ears,
War of glass bangles in my dream,
You are the meaning of
meaningless words in my poem.
My soul is stepping out through
your long hair.

Is it love! first love?
Or is it a change,
because of age?

Words are whispering,
Words are whispering,
because ofyou.

What had I spoken?
What had I thought?
Where am I going?
What am I doing?
I don’t know and I can’t understand,
I’m roaming in the air.

My heart is pumping fresh blood,
Sound of sweet words whispering in my ears,
War of glass bangles in my dream,
You are the meaning of
meaningless words in my poem.
My soul is stepping out through
your long hair.

Is it love! first love?