Au revoir 2011

When I look back and reminisce the blithesome moments that transpired in 2011: those sweet nostalgic remembrances are making me euphoric; this is a very special year for me. I learned a great deal of new things which includes my indulgence in a plethora of new/positivistic happenings that took place. 2011 will always be remembered, owing to the fact that the major portion of adventures and events, which I was part of, added spirit to my jocund and lively persona. The uniqueness of 2011 is ascribed to the new mates around me, who made the latter part of 2011 worth remembering/ unforgettable. In 2011, I came to know about the new doctrines which insisted on un-learning and re-learning mechanisms, for the amelioration of uncertain future. For me 2011 is totally attributed to Change, Change which I at times wished to see and at times, disliked the most; nonetheless witnessed.

I wish a very happy New Year to all my acquaintances, friends and relatives. May the coming year permeate more happiness, love, affection and bonhomie among all the fellow mates! I pray to almighty Allah, for the better future and the fulfilment of every individuals dream. Amen!

By Yasir Reshi.
 

Ebullient Odyssey To Pahalgam

From initial Disinterest to the Sheer Joviality: A Trip worth Remembering.

It was my first university expedition. Initially, I was not interested because of the reason that my close acquaintances or the jocund mates around me were not coming due to their personal reasons. The main cause of my disinterest was coordinating and managing the jaunt, which in our class is always a difficult task. We are a class of diverse ideologies and multifaceted opinions accompanied by an outlandish attitude, always ready to dissent, whatever the issue may be. Sometimes, the dissension is positive for our class and sometimes badly counterproductive.

When I woke up in the morning of 22 October 2011, it was 7.25 AM and I was still wondering whether to go or not. But, when I got the call from my classmate and that call was immediately followed by a call from the faculty member, enquiring about the number of candidates coming and from which place. Then I thought it would be grossly unjustifiable to defy the directives of honourable director and other accompanying faculty members. When I reached the pick-up location, it was appalling to learn that only five or seven classmates were present out of thirty, who have already assented to the idea of picnic by forwarding their names in writing. That signifies the level of responsibility, we all share.

Finally, we left the pick-up location amidst inclemency. It was raining terribly; heightening the enthusiasm as well as disinterest. Our bus finally departed with a large number of faculty members on board. Classmates were very enthusiastic and their cheerful alacrity was providing me a kind of impetus, which made me euphoric. I think if people around you are happy, you are also happy and if people around you are unhappy, you are unhappy as well. My classmates were ceaselessly singing and shouting the songs that I have rarely heard. I was confounded by the song selection and as a result of that I switched on my headphone and started watching a movie ‘Up’ (animated). But, I was enjoying the happenings around me; it was an ultimate playfulness, where everyone was trying to enjoy the moments.

When we reached Pahalgam, the climatic conditions were totally gelid. It (Pahalgam) was outrageously frigid with fast-moving breeze and enshrouded with impenetrable clouds. The initial panoramas made me reminiscent of harry potter fighting the dark lord amid volatile natural surroundings. When I came out of the bus, faculty members invited me and the class for a cup of tea, as it was shivery cold. Then we planned a trip to betaab valley which was later on countermanded due to non-availability of transportation. We had a hearty lunch accompanied by the beautiful lot of jokes and continuous laughs, which made it unique in a positive way. Now, we all were ready to encounter the climatic severity, fast-moving breeze and the haunted clouds. I and my classmates were enjoying the moment: Chatting, Singing, joking, jesting and shooting snaps of everything around. Some were very enthusiastic about photographs; group snaps and individual clicks as well. Photographs generally capture the lovely moments with the help of which it becomes easy for every individual to reminisce and cherish. But, I don’t know why I took only scenic shots - obviously, owing to the reason that nature intrigues me more than anything else.

Camp fire (sic) and the events surrounding that beautiful place (picket), from where we took the entire panoramic view of Pahalgam was staggeringly awesome. A cup of tea which we all had there, proved to be very lucky for our class because at the same time, we got a call from the university about some of our classmates winning awards, for their splendid performance in Sonzal (Event). Everybody was enjoying, and enjoying to the fullest - “The Delightful moments.”   

The aforementioned enjoyment was followed by a handsome horse ride which we decided to go for, after the insisting efforts of my classmates and my personal desire. It was raining enormously, but I found the coalescence of rain and ride very idyllic.

After completing the joyous ride, our prescribed time of pleasurable roaming came to an end. I with my classmates rushed to the location of buses, where we bussed ourselves, and took off amidst the torrential rain and cheerful screaming. I was highly ebullient; the feeling was totally antithetical to what I perceived in the morning, when I came out of my quilt/ duvet. I also shouted with my classmates even if I scantily know the songs or most of the time I could only recollect the first line, because of my close propinquity with English songs/ celluloid. It was a moment of high-pitched excitation and zestfulness for all of us.

En route to Srinagar, we took a brief hiatus and went to the local Akad Park. In Akad Park, we played different games and most of them (games) were providing me with the nostalgic vibe of puerility. It was the absolute pinnacle of playfulness and enjoyment, which I was part of and witnessed. Once again, bus engine revved up and we all went aboard! The enjoyment continued till we reached Srinagar.

Songs of all sorts were whistled out and dedicated to all the faculty members in general and the teachers present in our bus in particular. First I thought the faculty members present in our bus will accompany us in various enchanting acts but, they restrained themselves from all sorts of jocund activities and were just mute spectators/ onlookers, keeping that teacher-student line intact. Nonetheless, teachers present in our bus were young, yet outdated. Sometimes, “we have to be undisciplined, to know and contrast it from the discipline.”

Till the end, I was charged and continuously attempting to make every person around me happy. Irony of the whole trip is that, the classmates who put forward the picnic application didn’t turn up. Out of 30 written committals, only 19 surfaced. Responsibility is the word that struck my mind when I saw my classmates flouting their own written commitments.

The Pahalgam trip is one of the best jaunts I have ever had and will always remember. The ones who came are satiated with the gratifying remembrances, and the classmates who turned down or simply didn’t come have missed a great deal.

By Yasir Reshi

Anti-Corruption Crusade

”Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual; the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country.” -Karl Kraus

Corruption is a dreadful disease, which is immeasurably found in our society. Its ubiquitously existent nature is induced by the mass indulgence of people spreading across all the spheres of administration, which has made it more laborious to curb. People who believe in absolute probity are the worst sufferers at the hands of this plague. Honest people have to confront more problems as they are persistently harassed by corrupt officials, because the individuals who indulge in corruption presume honesty as a threat to the corrupt functioning and the channels of corruption through which it flows. Multi-faceted corruption is present in our society; it includes all sorts of grafts, gifts, nepotism and bureaucratic procrastination. There are many anti-corruption laws/ establishments which presently exist in India. However, they have also failed to curb this menace and are facing unceasing criticism from all the quarters of society. These organisations are as well, off and on alleged of corruption and government interference, which is sporadically ensuing in public distrust and suspicion.

We need a law which will stand immune to these aforementioned problems and could book the guilty culprits. An ombudsman that can thoroughly investigate and recommend the grievous punishment; besides, penalising guilty officers (of any rank and stature) for the losses they caused to the public money.

Mr Anna Hazare has launched a nationwide agitation against corruption on 16^th August 2011. The person is inspired by the high ideals of Mahatma Gandhi; he wants to exterminate corruption from all the levels of governance, which is a beneficial cogitation and the people of India are supporting him wholeheartedly. There is not any problem against promoting a national cause, but there is an incontrovertible disquiet among the diverse sections of society with his stubborn approach. As we all know that Mr Anna Hazare is on fast from last many days now, he has completely rejected the draft put forward by the Government of India. He wants the draft devised by the civil society members, to be passed in entirety. In India, law making is a protracted process involving many steps, which are to be taken by the prestigious parliament only after the long cognitive process of consultation. Everybody has a right to protest and should strive to posit his opinion before the parliamentary committees in a democratic/ constitutional way, and they can take consensually whatever they find productive for the country without undermining the parliament or the clauses of constitution.

Mr Anna Hazare is a respected person who has always worked for the amelioration of society. This arm-twisting approach of Mr Anna Hazare has coerced the government to act. There can a solid difference of opinion on the approach that he has adopted, but there can’t be any conflict on the cause of uprooting corruption. People are supporting the cause, because they suffer and at large India suffers. 

A strong Lok Pal will undoubtedly bring down the levels of corruption and it would work at all the degrees of Governance, starting from the central government to the state government. No law can assure a hundred per cent corruption free nation. Nonetheless, we have to start from somewhere and people unwaveringly believe that a strong Lok Pal (ombudsman) will help in providing the much needed impetus/ Launchpad to debilitate corruption.

By Yasir Reshi

Book Review : The Alchemist

by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist is an unabashed delectation and inspirational wonder. This fable is a sheer conflation of spiritual quest, existential puzzle, lovely sensitivity, and deep strength. Rarely, do I come across a story with such a candour and chasteness: It lifts the reader out of time and focuses through a believably unlikely tale on a young dreamer looking for himself. Paulo Coelho gives you the inspiration as well as the divine guidance to follow your own dreams by seeing the world through your own eyes and not someone else’s.

"WHEN YOU REALLY want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true." These words echo throughout the novel The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. The novelist urges that one should not shy away from his dreams and to find our personal myth and our mission on earth is the way to find God, happiness, fulfillment, and is the ultimate purpose of creation.

The novel unfolds the tale of a boy named Santiago, who has a dream and the commitment to pursue it. After heeding to the portents, the boy ventures in a journey of exploration and self-discovery, symbolically searching for a hidden treasure. The Alchemist is a stimulating novel that bursts with optimism; it is the kind of novel that reinforces that everything is possible as long as the person really wants it to happen... Coelho lays great stress on good omens throughout the novel and his protagonist unlearns that those who read most are not necessarily great observers and that it’s the observation that man can learn which books fail to teach. Coelho writes: "Simple things are the most valuable and only wise people appreciate them."

In his journey to unknown and unseen lands, the young Santiago sees the greatness of the world, and meets all kinds of exciting and crazy people; from kings to paupers, impersonate to genuine, and know-all to down to earth people, and eventually The Alchemist. However, towards the end of the novel, he discovers that ‘treasure lies where your heart belongs’ and that the treasure was the journey itself; the discoveries he made and the wisdom he gained. This is the core of The Alchemist’s philosophy and a leitmotif that echoes Coelho’s writing all through the novel. The secret of the fictionist’s success lies in the way he pronounces the entire tale, incisively what we want to hear or rather he wants us to wish, yearn and dream without any fear of defeat, and follow them (longings) till we get them. It is also emblematic that Santiago finds the secrets of wisdom in the wilderness of the desert. Santiago discovers himself verily and finally.

The Alchemist is a novel that appeals instantly, because we can easily identify with Santiago: as all of us have dreams, and are dying for somebody to tell us or inspire us, that they may come true. And if you are down and out it will help you immensely to come out of all that rut and feel positive and great about yourself. The novel deftly combines words of wisdom, philosophy, straightforwardness of meaning and language, which makes it undoubtedly intelligible and also pleasurable.