Making of History Education

 

A few days back, there was a post floating on social media about the government asking opinions about how we can teach our correct history. If we want to create youngsters who can make history you need to educate them and make them understand the history and be a part of the progression of Humanity. Here I do not want to get into any debate about nationalism or anything about the dividing lines of History. I know some people think that not teaching History will erase conflicts. Though I do not want to argue this line of thoughts I want to highlight some positive things we can learn from the US system. There is a huge debate even in the US about the wrong focus of the US to exclude controversial topics. But even that is beyond the scope of this post. 

 

I had read HG Wells as a teenager. I watched a few movies like Back to Future which focused on hyper-local history or series like Making History which focused on American revolutions. I conclude that the best way to teach history is through Time travel. As a teenager, I wanted to invent the machine and pack it in my rucksack and then climb Rajgad and set the console to the year 1650 to experience the best thing that happened in modern Indian History. I then wanted to set the console to various years from 1857 till 1947 to witness sacrifices made by real patriots like Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Pal,  Bhagat Singh, and his team, Azad, Savarkar, Patel, Netaji Bose just to mention very few among the score of unknown heroes.  I also wanted to witness the golden era from the 10th century BCE till 10th Century CE. This was the time when India was the center of the world with the highest % GDP of the world and had centers of Knowledge and civil rule. This golden era was plundered by the invaders and corroded by internal divides created for personal gains by few and unscientific tempers systematically implanted among masses creating ignorance.

 

The next best thing to Time Machine as a tool is to understand how they teach in countries like the USA. Students are first introduced to a stand-alone history class in 5^th or 6^th grade. US History, World History, and Geography are the typical offerings.  

 

In the HighSchool, the state's expectation is the desire to produce informed citizens. The US systems offer courses that build upon each other and electives. Students generally are required to take a minimum of 3 years of Social Studies credit and they are required to pass Civics and US History to graduate. They offer Western Civilizations I and II, United States History, AP Euro, AP US, AP Gov. and Politics, Psychology, Current Events, Civics, Law & Order, and Advanced American Studies. (AP is Advanced Placement ie college-level courses)

 

The scope of the Western Civilization course starts from the Greek and Roman Empires, covering the middle ages and then Renaissance and Exploration of the New World. American History starts from Pangea's to Beringia Strait where humans theoretically entered American Continents, Indian History, Colonial Era, Colonies, American Revolution, Civil War, World War, Civil Rights movement, Cold war, 9/11, Economic Depression. The teaching methodologies include Projects, Roles took by students in history, Socrates' seminars, Exams, assignments also are thought-provoking as against memorization we have in India. It would be very interesting to follow your child doing all this as a parent.

 

I had a chance to interact with a History Teacher, who had taken it upon herself to ensure that the students are provided with a sound foundation in terms of historiography and understanding historical bias. In her own words: “This is a natural extension of my own experiences at the college level. Informed citizens must be able to evaluate information presented to them with a critical eye. This is an important life skill and is why I place such importance on it. I have been told before by my students that this is the first time that they have been told that history is what historians say it is.   We discuss these items in Socratic Seminars (Debates). This is where we hone our critical thinking and argumentation skills”.  

 

It is an expectation that the curriculum is updated regularly, but there is no hard and fast deadline. Courses are revised every few years. However, teachers make small changes to how the curriculum is delivered on a regular basis based on individual reflection and collaboration with teachers teaching the same course. Departments typically guide the revision process with administrative oversight.  Yes, the ruling governments here have a say in the matter as we have in India.  

 

No wonder students find History interesting and equipped to analyze history independently as compared to what we have government-sanctioned chapters and dreadful memorization. Even then some people are very critical of US education despite all efforts taken. 

 

Debates over history-class outcomes surface periodically in the U.S. Such controversies are usually about a prescribed set of historical facts, subjects, and themes about America that students ought to know, be it American Exceptionalism or the civil rights movement.   Similarly, it was noticed that students did not remember what they should really have: the Louisiana Purchase, the judicial precedent set by Marbury v. Madison, reasons why Loyalists opposed independence, and so on.

In India, we have a total blank about the Golden Era I just mentioned:  between the 10th Century BCE till 10th Century CE. Though the Scope of Indian History is very huge compared to the US History or even Western Civilization for that matter we need an innovative approach to be able to create that understanding and outlook in the young minds to choose his/her area of interest in History.

 We in India are quick to imitate everything from the US, let's try to do that by learning how they teach History. Going as per much controversial slogan in the Indian context: let's Make Learning History Great Again.

28th June: A Forgotten Date

 

28^th June is not an important date in the Indian Political Landscape.  But it is a date that new so-called aspirational India should keep a note of. It is the birth anniversary of India’s 9^th Prime Minister P V Narasimharao. The Millennial or Generation Z population in India, who have benefitted from the deeds of this particular politician in the Indian Landscape may or may not be aware of the significance of few actions that were taken by the prime minister who inherited empty coffers and braved all the political brunt of something as unthinkable that time as the opening of economy to foreign investment.

Many would attribute credit to then FM Dr. Manmohan Singh. But though as economist Dr. Singh would have suggested the norms or policies, it was another thing to run a coalition government always under threat of political instability to have pushed these economic measures. The politics of India from 1989 till as late as 2014 was marked by coalition governments. Barring the infrastructure focus of the Vajpayee regime during 99-04, the years always had political compulsions which resulted in political majority abused for wrong policies or policy paralysis.  Thus the period of 91-96 when PV Narasimharao ruled was the base of India Story.

As a kid, I grew in the small window of economic growth in the mid-80s. The reforms came in and allowed opportunities for middle and lower-middle-class kids like me to look forward to global careers, opportunities which earlier were very scarce. I remember getting jobs in banks, factories, the public sector was so difficult. Entrepreneurship was something out of the syllabus for any middle-class constituent. Money really trickled down due to liberalization. We now can think of eating out, spending large sums on an outing, shopping, traveling every week. Earlier which I mean as late as mid 80s was an annual event. Our kids dream of international careers, jobs that can post you globally, jobs in MNC and brands. The Investment has trickled into booming construction, (un) real estate, transportation, agriculture, logistics, banking, and so on. Tier two city children compete with metro kids thanks to communication and technology. Though we have severe gaps in basic infrastructure, urban planning, education, and healthcare, we had driven our population under poverty to the middle-income category which is reflected in GDP with purchasing power parity. Thus it is very important for current incumbents to focus on many concrete reforms to revive the Indian story after corrections of GST and setback due to economic impact of a pandemic arising out of virus originating from Wuhan.

Younger generations may know his role in guiding the economy through reforms but they may not know his key role in many things that can be termed as political suicide in earlier politics. He guided a minority government through policies and steps which ensured free elections in Punjab and got a democratically elected government which led to the resolution of the crisis. He initiated India’s look east policy and facilitated the entry of India into ASEAN. Under his regime, India started diplomatic ties with Israel and Taiwan (partially). Dr. Kalam admits his role in rekindling India’s nuclear program Though it was the Vajpayee government that actually did the Pokharan II, Narasimharao shared many briefings to Vajpayee Govt. He kind of cleaned up the mess created in Kashmir by VP Singh government with a tough stance against militancy.  In 1994, when the UN was voting against India for Human Rights Violation in Kashmir, some nimble diplomatic steps taken in Iran, Our Government led by Narasimharao saved the day for India’s Position in Kashmir.

As a person, Narasimharao was soft-spoken. He was educated, multilingual, and even equipped himself with IT skills then like many professionals. I would say he was the first prime minister of India who mastered Sanskrit. He was the first prime minister from the non-Hindi speaking belt and peninsular India. His ascent to Prime Minister Post was a boost to the national integration of India. I still remember his speech in Marathi during the inaugural world Marathi meet. What he said that languages cannot remain sacrosanct with technical correctness they have to evolve and include.  He was the one who created the identity of leaders within Congress who had their own standing outside the dynastic successors. Though because of that, he stood the brunt of the neglect during his last days.  One event in Dec 92 and allegations done by the mastermind of the stock market scam maligned his reputation. Also, his political maneuverings during parliamentary votes were questioned.  But for me, it was a (non) action of a statesman. He had a unique style of doing things correctly yet making them appear as things taking their own shape out of his non-action. That’s why maybe he did not get credit for many stellar and difficult things that any Prime Minister of India has ever done.

As a representative of Gen X which saw liberalization unfurl, I feel very thankful to PV Narasimharao. Our Gen-X rode on the waves of free economy and easily acclimatized ourselves from deprivation to consumption. We have seen boons and banes of new tech coming in. We got accustomed to global brands and got recognized worldwide. We became a part of the world and the world saw there was more to India than snake charmers and elephants. We have a long way to go but our young economy and numbers definitely matter for the world. Eventually, globalization would have caught up but maybe our generation X or millennials would have missed out. And our infrastructure would really have made it difficult for the population we have today. Sometimes I wonder if we would have seen new lows thanks to our stagnant economy and limited investment. Thankfully there was one man at the guard during those delicate years and after the lowest level of politics seen in India. But then his contribution still remains unsung and 28^th June doesn’t get any recall in our collective memories.

 

 

Protecting the Protector of India

 By now the Meghadoots of Monsoon must have covered Peninsular India. Another Kalidas Masterpiece which describes the end destination of the Monsoon Clouds becomes relevant now. This is also the destination of high-altitude trekking that happens around the time of year. That sets in Nostalgia for those separated to India reminding them of days spend amidst the Mountains, Valleys, Glaciers, Villages, peaks all of which is an experience called the Himalayas. The romance of a Himalayan trek is magical.   The entire transformation from plains to the British-built hill stations through winding romantic mild mountains then the mystery of fold Mountains as you climb amidst flora and fauna to the higher reaches and finally, you have misty glaciers and snow-clad peaks.   

Kalidas writes at the beginning of KumaraSambhava as translated from Sanskrit: There is in the Northern Direction, the supreme lord of mountains, possessed of a divine nature by name Himalaya, who has plunged into eastern and western Ocean, stands as if he is the measuring rod of the Earth. KumaraSambhava celebrates the love story of Shiva and Parvati, whose love results in the birth of their son, the young god Kumara.  The story begins with a description of the birth of Parvati, in the Himalayas the poem proceeds and her courtship with Shiva. It plays out their tale on the immense scale of supreme divinity, wherein the gods are viewed both as lovers and as a cosmic principle

This immortal description of the Himalayas has certain Keywords to highlight. ‘Devatma’ means a divine soul who is the protector of India. The Himalayas protect India from the chill icy blasts blowing from the arctic region as well as from the destructive incursions of invaders. The Himalayas further protect India through the origination of great rivers like Sindhu, Ganga, Yamuna, and Brahmaputra perennially fed by melted ice irrespective of the monsoon rains.  The other keyword is 'Manadanda". This means the pride of Indian Civilization to be a standard against which other human civilizations can be compared and tested in the past, present, and future.

Kalidas has described various types of trees, herbs, and several flowering plants growing there in KumaraSambhava. He mentions many Himalayan trees such as Devadaru and Sarala (Pinus)with a specific environment in which they grow.  It is interesting to note how the poet has shown the Inner Himalayan plants like Bhurja (Betula utilis) growing in the vicinity of low-level flora of Nameru (Mammea Longifolia). He also shows Kasturi Mriga (musk-deer), an animal exclusively of very high elevations (above 2,500 m above sea level), also cohabiting near Nameru trees.  

The entire story of the Himalayas is intriguing. In ancient times, there was a vast shallow sea named the Tethys that existed where the Himalayas is today. The submerged landmasses on both sides started pushing towards each other giving birth to the Himalayas Mountains. This was a relatively recent occurrence according to the geographical time frame. It only proves to show that the Himalayas can be considered to be a young and fragile land formation. Scientists studying these mountains speculate that the entire process took about five to seven million years.  The Himalayas has risen about 6,600 feet in the past 20,000 years and continues to rise at the rate of 3 to 4 inches a year. No other mountain range can boast of having peaks of 26,000 feet. The Himalaya has 14 such peaks and hundreds of summits with over 23,000 feet high above sea level including Everest. The Himalaya Mountain range stretches 1,700 miles across an area between Assam Himalayas and Kashmir. At the east, Namche Barwa stands as sentinel and the west part is guarded by the awesome Nanga Parbat .

Having protected the Indian Subcontinent from Icy winds and Invaders for Centuries we have new threats looming across the Himalayas.   Recently our neighbors across the Himalayas have threatened us in Ladakh, which our brave soldiers have fended off. They have been trying that since 1962. But the current regime is more expansive in nature strengthened by the economic success of the China Model worldwide.  To add to the military threat, the viral threats they have posed have rendered us vulnerable.  The first wave was brutal for America under Trump, Europe, and other parts of the world. The second wave has hit India badly. Though there are a lot of conspiracy theories going around definitely there is more to the nature of this Virus that needs a lot of unbiased investigation.

The biggest threat to the protector of India itself is the uncontrolled urban and tourist growth which was one of the contributing factors to the tragedy at Kedarnath in 2013. We need to really have a handle on sustained development. Another threat is in form of Climate change and Global Warming.  Researchers indicate that the temperature is rising at a higher rate in Nepal and the Chinese regions of the Himalayas compared with the rest of the Himalayas. A declining trend of monsoon in the western Indian Himalayas and an increasing trend in the eastern Indian Himalayas have been observed, whereas increasing precipitation in many parts of the Tibetan Plateau is noted. Glaciers in both the eastern and western Himalayas are mostly retreating, but the majority of the glaciers in the Karakorum are either stable or advancing slowly. Expansion of glacier lakes is reported, with the highest rate in Nepal and Bhutan. Research predicts increases in temperature and monsoon precipitations and decreases in winter precipitations in the future thereby leading to monsoon flooding and increased sediments in streamflow.  The reduced rainfall and shrinkage of glaciers will lead to a shortage of water supply for power generation and irrigation in winter, particularly in highly glaciated basins. Projected economic impacts of glacial lake outburst floods can be substantial on the developed river basin with infrastructures and population centers.

Thus we the people of India should lead our defense against Global warming and Climate change more than anyone else who dare the world community with empty words and theatrics.

 

Meghadoot: The Monsoon Musings.

 This is that time of the year when we look up to the skies to expect the Monsoon Clouds to shower all the moisture in form of rains on the dry parched soil and equally thirsty souls.  But imagine a poet approximately 1600 years ago using his imagination looking at a lonely advancing monsoon cloud around this time of the year and describing the journey of this monsoon over the Indian subcontinent.   The romanticism of poetic mind of Kalidas is equally amazing as his scientific mindset of the Monsoon Process. I know some people will have an objection to romanticize science in olden scriptures but when it comes to Monsoon one can forget the nitty-gritty, debate, and enjoy the beauty of Sanskrit coupled with Magic of Monsoons.

Meghadoot meaning a cloud messenger is a Sanskrit poem written by Kalidas.  There are 160 Sholkas or stanzas.  Here goes the story as translated by scholars: Yaksha is banished from the Himalayan abode of gods. He shares his sorrow of separation from his beloved and requests this cloud to send a message about his well-being to his beloved. He lives in a place called Ramgiri in central India which many believe it to be modern-day Ramtek near Nagpur.  He is standing on the top of the mountain peak on the first day of Ashadha month looking at this lonely cloud. This solitary cloud overlooks the region around standing proudly over this mountain. The cloud announces the arrival of monsoon rains to people suffering from the scorching heat of prolonged summer.  How Majestic feeling it is to have brought happiness and relief to everybody. This cloud is spearheading the monsoon movement of the cloud and ensuring that the path is clear for clouds following. Yaksha requests him to deliver a message to his beloved as an additional responsibility apart from his noble cause.

Kalidas’s Yaksha knows that cloud has to reach from Ramgiri in Central India to Alakapuri in the foothills of the Himalayas.  To gain the cloud strength he asks him to rejuvenate himself by resting awhile over several rivers like Vetravati, Shipra, Gambhira, Ganga, and others.  Was he suggesting a process of evaporation of water to cloud formation? Yaksha also suggests an itinerary for clouds to visit places like Vidisha, Ujjaiuini, and Devgiri which were beautiful places then.  Yaksha tells the cloud to gain height to move faster. As observed by modern-day meteorologists, monsoon clouds over northern India are taller than those over peninsular India and are associated with thunder and lightning.  Kalidas’s Yaksha also describes the contents of clouds: Water (Salila), Wind (Marutam), Smoke (Dhoomra), and Electricity (Jyoti). Imagine 1600 years ago someone tried to correlate science with poetry.   In the end, Yaksha wishes that unlike him the Cloud and his beloved lightning should not be separated.

 Here in this part of Northeast US, the Indian mind really misses this romance and magic of Monsoons.  The weather pattern is an important variable of daily lives unlike in India. In India, we had anticipation of three months of magic starting in June. And no wonder thousand years ago someone was inspired by it to write so romantic and scientific epic.  

This Monsoon romance had an added twist for the students in India. It also coincided with the start of the new calendar year. I am sure most of us remember the smell of those new books, uniforms, and various resolutions to study regularly during the next year. Reunion of friends after the summer break was also a good thing to look forward to.     

Our festivals and traditions also revolve around the Monsoons.  Wari starts immediately after the sowing of seeds in the farms after tilling of the soil. There is nothing to do but wait during those months for crops to grow.  So to avoid people wasting money on vices etc. the whole energy is channelized into devotion. The month of Shravan and fortnight of Bhadrapad is filled with festivals going close to Nature like Nagpanchami, Rakhi, Janmashthami and Ganapati. Once all the farm work is done, the same peasant used to go out on wars after Dussehra.  Finally, Diwali celebrates the bounty of the harvest. In Northern India Rabbi Crop bounty was celebrated during Baisakhi.

Last year has been bad for the economy thanks to the Virus originated from Wuhan. This year we have a good monsoon predicted. This is a relief amidst the havoc the pandemic has caused. How important the monsoon is for the Indian economy is a well-proven fact. India is primarily an agrarian economy— agriculture contributes 15% of India’s gross domestic product. Past data has indicated a positive correlation between actual rainfall and the growth rate of agriculture GDP. Normal rains will help the economy. It will not only boost agricultural production but increase consumer demand, which will help keep inflation in check.

India depends on Monsoon to replenish the water supply for domestic and irrigation purposes. One bad season adds to misery for the urban and rural populations for drinking water and sanitization purposes. We have seen the rise of the tanker mafia which rules the outskirts of our cities, towns and the villages. Climate change has made monsoons stronger and chaotic. Researchers say that there is strong evidence that every degree Celsius of warming would likely increase monsoon rainfall by about five percent. This raises the possibility that key crops -- including rice -- could be swamped during crucial growing stages. It will flood the roads and train tracks which will impact economic productivity. It’s imperative for the global community to agree to the 2015 Paris Climate Conference target of 1.5 degree Celsius and control the emission accordingly. Otherwise we the Indians will suffer most thanks to our reliance on Monsoon.  

Summertime in the US means more outdoors and coming close to nature: Mountains and Beaches. The sheer transformation of Sahyadris in India into heaven with the advent of Monsoon simultaneously is what a Punekar in me misses out on the most like that Yaksha.

Modern Age Vishwamitras and Trishankus

 In Mythology, there was a powerful King named Trishanku who wanted to perform a ritual to go to heaven while he was alive. He approached his Guru Vashistha who replied, "It is a law that no living person can go to heaven. Go and do good deeds and you will go to heaven when you die." Disappointed, Trishanku requested Vashistha's sons to help him. They got angry and cursed him to become old.   Persistent Old Trishanku went to the great sage Vishwamitra, for help. Vishwamitra promised to fulfill his wish. Vishwamitra performed a big Yajna; he chanted mantras and made offerings to gods. But the gods did not want anyone to break a law; they did not accept the offerings. Vishwamitra was furious and said, "I will send you to heaven by my own powers. “ Rise Trishanku" As he said this, Trishanku began to rise and reached the gates of heaven. The gods stopped him and said, "You can't come to heaven alive. Fall back to earth." Trishanku started falling back. Vishwamitra said, "Don't fall! Stay!" And Trishanku hung between heaven and earth. Then Vishwamitra decided to create another heaven for Trishanku." He created the parallel universe and as he was going to create another Indra, the gods stopped him.  By this time, Vishwamitra had lost all his powers as a sage. He agreed to stop but said, "I have to keep my promise. Trishanku will live in the universe." The gods agreed but declared that Trishanku would live in his heaven upside down.  After this, Vishwamitra had to start his prayers again to attain the status of a Brahmarshi which was his lifelong dream.

This story has a modern similarity: The social media companies headed by the likes of Zuckerbergs and Dorseys are the modern Vishwamitras who have tried to create a virtual world with their own set of rules transcending the rules set by nations around the world. We the people have remained hung upside down like Trishanku hung between the real and virtual. While modern Vishwamitras have taken on governments around the world, it’s to be seen if they will remain still remain powerful after the showdown or lose their powers. They should rather focus on their lifelong mission of creating value for their companies rather than catering to their own egos like Vishwamitra.

Many of us have seen The Social Dilemma the documentary on how big tech is influencing individual and collective lives. Many in the IT industry have known for decades about the intrusive capabilities of web technologies to expose digital footprints and the commercial impact through search engine algorithms. The Intellectual property issues on news and other content have been litigated across worldwide courts and tribunals.  But the opinion-making and politically intrusive features of social media are where these modern Vishwamitras have taken on modern Governments. The rules of the land made by a democratically elected government in India have been made to look like tyrannical oppression against freedom of expression. But India should not budge against tech giants taking a cue from democratic governments over the world.

Facebook is fighting litigation in European Union. EU has a rule called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which is the toughest law in the world which enhances how people can access information about them and places limits on what organizations can do with personal data. Facebook’s business model is selling comprehensive user profiles to advertisers. If the social media giant is unable to combine user data from across its platforms like FB, Instagram, and Whatsapp, as well as third parties, its ability to create comprehensive profiles, will be hampered. The European Union hit Google with a record antitrust fine for abusing the dominance of its Android mobile operating system. Google has unfairly promoted its own services by forcing smartphone makers to pre-install Google apps Chrome and Search in a bundle with its app store, Play.  Australia has passed a world-first law aimed at making Google and Facebook pay for news content on their platforms. As retaliation Facebook blocked all news content to Australians over the row. Facebook agreed to reverse its decision after robust negotiations with the government, which led to changes to the law to address some of their concerns.

 

In the US,   the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google testified before Congress in 2020 over concerns they engaged in anticompetitive practices — and   I remember IITian Google CEO grilled like what  our IIT professors used to during viva-voce exams. After that Justice Department has filed a landmark antitrust suit against Google, one that's expected to impact the tech industry. States within the US are passing or contemplating laws that can impact tech giants. Maryland State is trying to impose new taxes on rich tech companies for all ads viewed in their state on Facebook and Google. Indiana and Connecticut are considering taxes to help fund rural broadband or online bullying prevention. New York had proposed reforming its antitrust law to make it easier to sue tech companies. A bill introduced in Florida can prohibit companies from suspending the accounts of political candidates.  

 We know that these platforms have no unrestricted reach in many autocratic parts of the world like China, Russia, etc. They are submissive to these regimes conveniently. Twitter has remained largely silent on China other than voicing its sadness at not being able to access the country.  Twitter was caught in a controversy after deactivating the accounts of over a hundred Chinese political commentators days before the anniversary of the Tiananmen protests. Twitter apologized for the event, claiming it was an error in their programs. No one believed.

So while these modern-day Vishwamitras are creating an independent universe with its own set of rules, we the people should not get influenced by their egos and believe that our freedom of speech is at stake. Like Trishanku we have already complicated balance of our lives due to social media and should not allow them to break the laws of our land.

 

UnMasked

 Remember Stanley Ipkiss played by Jim Carey in the film Mask.  The Nerdy banker turns into a superhero when he wears the magical mask. The way he says: “Somebody Stop me” while admiring his image in front of the mirror was an iconic movie scene remembered by many.   Here in the United States CDC has removed the public restriction to wear the mask. Are we consigning the superheroes that fought the ‘Wuhan originated Virus’ wearing masks to their normal lives? Or will they lose the magical protection offered by the mask is something only time will tell?

As per known references, the word "mask" appeared in English in the sixteen century, from French word masque "covering to hide or guard the face". This French word was itself derived in turn from Italian maschera based on from Latin masca. This word is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Arabic maskharah or buffoon from the verb sakhira "to ridicule. One German author claims the word "mask" is originally derived from the Spanish más que la cara (literally, "more than the face" or "added face"), which evolved to "máscara", while the Arabic "maskharat" – referring to the buffoonery which is possible only by disguising the face.  So ultimately it all boils down either to ridicule or disguise. And maybe destiny has compelled us to wear the masks as a disguise to ridicule us.

Masks have historical origins in rituals and entertainment the world over.  Masks were also used for protection during battles and in sports. Some ceremonial or decorative masks were not designed to be worn. Although the religious use of masks has waned, masks are used sometimes in drama therapy or psychotherapy.  We still remember we used to wear demon masks during Holi Campfire. That was the only day we could swear and curse under the disguise of those masks.  It was so therapeutic to lose all inhibitions under the protection of anonymity due to these Masks. We wore a medical version publicly for a brief period in 2009 during the Swine Flu mini pandemic.   

Covid Pandemic spread the world over in Mar 2020. When Covid infected individuals talk, cough, or sing, they generate large, wet droplets containing the virus that causes COVID-19. If you’re within 6 feet of someone who is infected, those droplets can land on your eyes, nose, or mouth and infect you, too  The main benefit of wearing a mask is preventing the spread of the virus  by blocking these droplets both for the infected and others non-infected wearing mask around them.

The way life has changed since Mar 2020 is nothing short of a dramatic transformation of Stanley Ipkiss played by Jim Carey. The global jet-setting, all-conquering, urban yuppies have been grounded hooked on the world-wide-web-like spider-men wearing their superhero masks.  All the branded designer wear and grooming accessories lie stored in unused travel luggage inside the unopened closets. Comfortable T-Shirt and Bermuda is the global uniform. The only fashion-ware that can be used is the Mask.    Just as people in this part of the world headed to normalcy, CDC order to allow unmasked vaccinated people indoors sounds premature as only 60% of the population is vaccinated as of now.

 Remember the days in Jan Feb when the people in India flooded their social media accounts with social gatherings, picnics, parties, events. Masks were used but with no 100% compliance. And things turned into a nightmare by April-May 21. I sincerely wish this relaxation of the mask rule turns out alright in the US.

 

When an indoor mask mandate was in place, employers were forced to protect their employees and customers. That protection has now gone. The CDC’s baffling decision has caused immense frustration among those on the frontline working on U.S. pandemic control. In theory, the CDC’s new guidance was aimed only at those who are fully vaccinated, who are highly unlikely to catch or transmit the virus. While it makes scientific sense for vaccinated people to stop masking indoors, the guidance gave states the green light to drop indoor mask mandates for everyone.

One also might agree that this provides the state an opportunity to provide an incentive to people to vaccinate themselves but on other hand, it creates few challenges for local businesses.  Few Local businesses I know here in my state will continue asking their customers to wear masks indoors. On the plus side, they prevent the businesses from needing to ask about vaccination history or worrying that customers might unmask without being vaccinated. Just because someone does not wear a mask does not mean they are vaccinated.  On the downside, they may lose business.  So the debate is on but with past experiences, it makes more sense to keep wearing them as we have mutants of the virus that defy vaccines, and still, we are not reached herd immunity. And what’s the harm?  Fashion sense or discomfort?

Let’s not think wearing masks to be too uncomfortable as figuratively each one of us permanently wears the mask. What we project our own image to others is completely different from our real persona. This pandemic also has unmasked many of us based on our reaction to the pandemic.  Take for example the rule of wearing masks. Many of us broke the rule of wearing masks and that unmasked the civil citizen image we wore all the time till then. Many of us tried profiteering from medicines, healthcare, transportation, basic supplies, and other essential goods. That unmasked the evil thieves that resided behind the façade of noble or legal businesses. Many of us in media resorted to vulture journalism creating sensation out of the pain and miseries of people for profit or political motives. That unmasked the human mask for this beast. Many of us tried singular agenda to malign us as a country of failures. That unmasked the nationalistic masks for the enemy agenda.

Let’s accept that masks are going to be part of our lives at least for the next two to three years.

Quotes to Fill in the Blanks

 

“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise”, says Victor Hugo in Les Miserables’. I have seen the most optimistic people around me losing hope.   The fear created by this invisible enemy originating from China seems unending. Vaccines, medicines, Oxygen supply, hospital beds are our main weapons to fight this virus and are falling short due to our population and other logistical nightmares. But can we afford to lose Hope? Hope is our most important tool to survive.  Words have given strength to those who survive to carry on the fight.

Let’s first start with a simple historical fact that can instill hope.   The deadliest virus in 1918 saw three waves that could last only for two years till 1920. At that time we did not have the technology and know-how derived from science like we have today.  Now we have vaccines and advanced care to support us. Other parts of the world have the luxury of less population density but we Indians will have to endure a bit more. Maybe we will reach herd immunity faster? Or maybe we can better logistics thanks to our innovative mindset or our inherited resilience to survive external threats historically.

Even if we discount that two years of suffering is a very small price in a larger context, tell this to someone who has lost a near one. They will disagree. Pain is the only emotion that they can feel. So how can those who around help these friends to recover?   Mental health during a pandemic for those locked down has been discussed. But more important than that is the healing of the minds of friends who have lost someone close. Though experts or counselors can help them if required medically, for those who are stronger to find self-help or for those around, our books can be our main source of wisdom described in some words by the masters of the literature.

Words mean just plain bytes occupying digital memory when written or they can be some momentary sound created in space when said, but when heard or read with open mind space, they can fill in the voids created by losses caused by death.  Tell this to someone anguished and maybe he will answer: "Time doesn’t heal all wounds. We know that’s bullshit: it comes from people who have nothing comforting or original to say" as said by Adam Silvera.

So how to make them ease out their pain using words?

You will have to convince them about the inevitability of death. Shakespeare has said, "All that live must die passing through nature to eternity."  Humans through their ancient scriptures and documentation have accepted that death is the most peaceful thing for those who face it. But those who are left behind need to be pointed to this collective wisdom through these quotes. As Isaac Asimov had said, “Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.” "Dying is a troublesome business: there is a pain to be suffered, and it wrings one's heart, but death is a splendid thing – a warfare accomplished, a beginning all over again, a triumph. You can always see that in their faces", said G B Shaw.

That’s where spirituality helps us to console the bereaved by making them believe that death is a transient part of the journey and a new beginning. Our ancient scriptures have told that across various religions.   Ravindranath Tagore has said;” In the dualism of death and life, there is a harmony. We know that the life of a soul, which is finite in its expression and infinite in its principle, must go through the portals of death in its journey to realize the infinite”   “What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly “says Richard Bach. Paul Coelho has said “When someone leaves, it’s because someone else is about to arrive”

The correlation between life and death is expressed by Yann Martel in The Life of Pi as “The reason death sticks so closely to life isn't biological necessity — it's envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous, possessive love that grabs at what it can. But life leaps over oblivion lightly, losing only a thing or two of no importance, and gloom is but the passing shadow of a cloud

The most powerful protection mechanism we have to shield us from the sadness and emptiness created from death is memories of the love we shared with the departed.   There is an unknown proverb:  “When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.”  There is another anonymous saying: “Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day
unseen, unheard, but always near; still loved, still missed and very dear.”  J K Rowling has said, “To have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever.”   “What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us.” says Helen Keller.  George Elliot says “Our dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them”

Then there are gems from the most practical of human beings teaching us not to be afraid of death and pandemic. “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it”, said Mark Twain. Paramhansa Yogananda said: “Fear of death is ridiculous because as long as you are not dead you are alive, and when you are dead there is nothing more to worry about!” Shakespeare himself has said, “"Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once."

The final quote here to all those who have lost near ones and feeling pain is written by CS Lewis:  “The pain I feel now is the happiness I had before. That’s the deal.”

 

It’s a Double Whammy, it’s a Double Loss, and it’s a Double Jeopardy

 

The first and the foremost loss is the most tragic one: Losing one’s friends and near ones to a deadly invisible Virus casting a dark web of disease and death around us. No one is spared: Young and Old, Rich and Poor, Famous Celebrities and Common People, Leaders, and followers.  Imagine a school friend so full of life posting all kinds of photos on social media: with his own kids enjoying ice cream, visiting a tourist destination. One fine morning you read in a school group that he is no more. The Facebook wall is still painted with fresh likes and comments posted twelve hours back. Imagine the Brother of a young employee calling you to inform his demise.  This employee had asked for his sick leave a few days back.  Imagine, your parents informing you about the death of an aged uncle. This has been a routine for the last couple of weeks for those living in this part of the world. Imagine the real individuals, living persons with whom you have spent some time, shared emotions, shared objectives, and shared events turning into a set of memories. These friends are lost and they won’t return though maybe normal life will resume someday.

Each day comes with tragic news and is filled with worry, uncertainty, and anxiety. Feelings of helplessness add up to the misery for those separated to the battleground by continents.  The only thing we can do from here is to help monetarily to those known and through channels of charity. The superego of having everything under control is bruised and beaten and we are at the mercy of the destructive effects of this virus. But then let’s accept that this is war and we have to fight. We have to fight to help each other. As a society we still see profiteering, black-marketing, flouting of rules and norms that will help us find this contagion.  Let’s try to have a conscience not to indulge in these.  We need to remove the bottlenecks in the supply chain of medicines, oxygen, and Vaccines. Remember, each one of us is a soldier. We need to help our own people. Each one of us has to do our job to ensure continuity. Those entrusted with Governance and Healthcare, have more responsibilities. And all the bureaucracy and leadership across political divides should unite to fight. And with this collective resolve, we will fight. Our nation, our cities, and our People are suffering.

The second loss I was referring to is the loss of something I call friendships.  Here what I mean by friendship is brotherhood or cohesiveness of a collective resolve during this calamity.  We are not a society of connected individuals fighting a common enemy. We are stranded individuals on ideological islands independently fighting the storm. Our social and mainstream media is filled with fights between ideologies.  I have seen some intellectuals discarding an honest charity drive just because the organization is affiliated with a certain ideology.  But so long as these individuals contribute it’s immaterial how they contribute. With stakes and stress due to the loss of life and livelihood, these fights further result in bitterness. People have unfriended or shut out friends due to these ideology-driven fights. These are the friends with whom they have had a great time in the past. The disease is already killing friends literally. Let this negativity not lead you to end your friendship with a few more in these difficult days.

 Our only line of thought process is through our political leanings these days. Most are blaming those in power for system failure while some are defending. Criticism is also right as its job of government to ensure wellbeing. There could have been a couple of wise calls regarding election rallies and people gatherings. There could have been some proactive efforts on modernization and planning of the already dilapidated health infrastructure inherited. During the first wave, we were spared. It was maybe due to our genetic resistance power or something else.  Also, there were some tough decisions taken by those in power for which they were criticized for failing economic growth and inflicting misery on the poor. It’s a complex issue controlling a democratic country of our size.  We relaxed our guards, we picnicked, partied. I still remember our Facebook walls were filled with such stories as late as in March. The mutant nature of the Virus beat us during the second wave. And hell broke loose as if on an enemy design.

Yes, we were caught in a storm and we were unprepared. Now that we are facing it we should all be now focusing on only one thing: How we can be a soldier in this supporting the Government?  This is needed at a village, town, city, state, or national level whichever political dispensation the government may be headed by.  Our media is collaborating with International media to point out our failures as a country. I know this is not a time to defend the mistakes but this is also not a time to pursue political agenda which anyway people will answer democratically. The whole negativity and helplessness portrayed by social media and mainstream media further impact this collective resolve.  I have nothing against international or internal media to point us as a failure and sensationalize the pain and grief we suffer. It’s their job. But it’s our job to be convinced that we as a nation are not failures. Let’s take care individually and follow rules collectively. We will fight back and we shall overcome. Then we will learn from this and come out wise.

Let’s focus only on positives. Let’s appreciate those who help. We have various individuals, organizations in India and across the globe trying unconditional meaningful help.   Winning small battles will lead us to win this war. We already have lost friends close by.  Let’s be friends together in this.