JAAGO

When will India take charge of India?!!!

We have been sitting in our armchairs for too long .We have complained about corruption, debated about poverty, ranted about overpopulation. But, when has an armchair sparked change?

We are arrived with the resources and expertise. What we need is the initiative. And, once we stand up, we can turn India around. One problem  at a time, because isn’t “charge” one letter away from “change”?

It has come –do we want early elections or not? Well, the answer may differ person to person, but an inevitable truth is we want somebody; rather everybody to take CHARGE. Get up and do it –this call of the hour.

When will we grow up? Enough has been said and told to us-about the right and wrong, about the cheats and cheater, about scams, about our so called “LEADERS”; about the whole of India.

CHANGE.  CHANCE. CHARGE.

Change is what we Indians want; chance is what mostly politicians grab with our help and charge is something which is left behind in the portfolio!! Learn to take responsibilities and get your responsibilities clear- its not just to vote and wash your hands off after voting....this is just a part of our duty. The actual one is to know and scrutinize the candidate to vote for. The responsibility does not end here-you need to take the sword and become warrior if you don’t see change happening.

Don’t  become a part of India , be it. We have seen few people who got up and fought for their place and today those places have flourished. India should not just breathe, it should live! Get out of your rosy and cosy life and pick up the sword. Corruption and poverty are indeed having deeps roots but you can rule the skies and with it clear the system. Fight for your country, with your country and release it from vicious clutches. Release it.

No one shall cause another pain or injury;

All mankind shall live in peace together;

Under a shield of  administrative  benevolence.

Let us build an India.

Don’t sit in the group waiting. Raise your head, put up your hand and turn a war cry that could change the course of history. You can turn hope into conviction, anger into purpose and cynics into converts. Today our nation stagnates. Under  the dark shadows of a billion fingers pointing at one another , shouting about what should be done, how it should be done and who should do it. We don’t need any more finger-pointers. We have enough. We just need a few who will put up their hand and say I WILL. It’s the time the real India stand up. Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. As a matter of fact, that’s all who ever have.

  

VERTIKA AGARWAL
Creative Team
IBC

Review: INFERNO

I am the Shade.Through the dolent city, I flee.Through the eternal woe, I take flight.

When a novel starts with such a prose, one can expect it to be spectacular. And Dan Brown doesn't disappoint.
As in the previous Dan Brown novels, Harvard professor Robert Langdon, a symbologist, is in the middle of a crisis that only his knowledge can resolve. A mysterious woman emerges with skills of her own, and everything happens within 24 hours, with bodies piling up because the villain's worldview requires some sacrifices. Seemingly having an impossible reach to everyone and everything, a shadowy organization looms spectrally over Langdon’s head.
 But there are twists, quite good ones I might add. Firstly there is Langdon’s temporary Amnesia which leads to many chapters being flashbacks. This was a very effective move by Brown as it prevents the readers from second guessing the ending, which makes the climax all the more worthwhile.
Dan Brown is a master of connecting our world to the ancient world and he doesn’t disappoint the reader. "Inferno" travels through the secret hideaways of museums, cathedrals and monuments in Florence, Venice and Istanbul, with the usual dazzling array of art. I spent an inordinate amount of time online looking up the artworks of the Renaissance Masters Botticelli, Giorgio Vasari and Michael Angelo. But "Inferno" also includes an adventure ride through a literary text - Dante's description of hell.

Set against an extraordinary landscape inspired by one of literature’s true classics, the book is completed by a genius fanatic who is a leader of one of the foremost international cultural and intellectual movements, Transhumanism.
The first Langdon novel (Angels and Demons) dealt with the Vatican, the Illuminati and antimatter. The second (The Da Vinci Code) dealt with a truth hidden to protect the very foundations of Christianity. The third (The Lost Symbol) treated the U.S government as a faction of Free Masons who practiced rituals dating to the 15th century. Inferno deals with one of the most dangerous problems our world is facing right now and how a fanatic tries to deal with it.

It is a must read for Dan Brown loyalists and skeptics alike. I guarantee you cannot keep the book down till you have finished it.

Ravi Kiran

From A Million Hearts To A Billion Wallets

Mahatma Gandhi- The Father of the Nation. 

The nation that we call India, lets stick to this only because calling it Bharat does not really help our cause. Some random thoughts began brewing in my mind as I took a hundred rupee note out of my pocket and handed it to the worker who knows me well and has been working in this ice-cream shop for some time. No, I don't even know his name, but a "Bhaiya" is more than sufficient to get my order placed quickly.

For some reasons, Gandhiji's photo has decreased in both its affluence and influence and has been limited to currency notes only. In primary classes there are essays that students have to mug and replicate in their exam copies. A nice holiday on 2nd October is always welcomed. A couple on minutes of silence on 30th January, well that gives a nice break from all the commotion around, doesn't it. A framed picture on the walls in government offices, with an inch-thick layer of dust. Yes he is still the father of our nation but the peon does not bother to wipe the dust now. The people do not remember him on days other than these two of course. Yet their was a time when this now forgotten man walked on the face of the earth, right where the British were on the peak of their atrocities and lead an entire country to freedom without even raising a stick. But then, Bharat turned into India, we came civilized and modern, Gandhism turned into Gandhigiri and all the noble deeds of this man ended up in our pockets, with his bespectacled face in our wallets.

However one would contradict with me in some regards, what with Anna Hazare and his revolution. His method, his fasting and the lathicharge on protesters in Delhi. For a moment, even for a bleak one, it felt as though the times had reversed- a nation going head-on against the incumbent government without any act of violence. But it did not last for the Jan Lokpal Bill is still under "consideration". The very root of the problem that it intended to cut off- corruption, has grown in its domain day by day. The movement which began as protest has turned into a political party, deprived of support and muscle. But what was it that really made the difference back then, during the struggle for independence, because the principals are more or less the same- but why are they ineffective in the present context?

I think we can narrow it down to a couple of simple facts. Firstly it was the man himself- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, for his charisma and intensity is yet unmatched. Perhaps it was far more convenient to forget the man, rather than following his principles he stood for. The social values and beliefs he stood for were and always will be easier to admire than to follow. While he was alive, he was impossible to ignore- the British tried to at their demise. And once when he was gone, he was impossible to imitate- which is quite apparent in the present scenario. Apart from this, the other thing which drove his engine forward was his pursuit of Truth. Truth with a capital T. For he believed in the the fact that if you are correct, and the Truth is on your side nothing can hold you back. Truth cannot be attained by unjust or violent means. For he said, "Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth." Such was his deep-lying belief in this philosophy. Its hard to break resistance of able bodied men, but for a man whose spirit is as indomitable as his, it was next to impossible.  

Secondly, and maybe this one holds the edge, it was the people who made Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi into Mahatma Gandhi- and not just in name. He was their leader, their saint walking in front of their eyes.They followed him and he lead them towards truth, towards light, towards freedom. Had they absconded his pursuit in the middle of this epic struggle, things could have shaped up very differently indeed. Those people did not sit back in their homes, waiting for things to happen. They did not flock to the cyberspace to extend their support via innumerable "shares" and "comments" on virtual "walls". They stepped out and wrote "Inqualab Zindabaad" with their blood on the walls of jails inside which they were beaten down to pulp. They did not walk away when the police drew lathis on a a couple of girls in Punjab. They did not walk away with indifference when a group of young men protested on the main square of the city. They stood there, abiding his command not raising their hands even once. They joined shoulders forgetting their petty differences- yes those very differences which have become the basis of communal politics.

They stood their by his side

I wonder how Gandhiji would have reacted when he would have seen what has happened to his beloved country. Maybe he would have asked for a bullet, and said "Hey Ram" (though this time in a very different sense) and put it inside his head. Probably saving another Nathuram Godse from the trouble, for he is our father, and he took this blame too upon himself.

Summer is here, I feel like an ice-cream now. The old man in my wallet needs some air too.

Bye.

Nishant Chaturvedi
Electrical
3rd Year

AN AWKWARD COINCIDENCE

'Things doesn't happen twice the same way'....Unless they have a reason.... Some might frame that as coincidence.. but for me it happened twice with the same person, at the same place. Seems strange.?

Rather awkward, as i had the same conversation twice, on the same train with the same stranger. First, i thought of it as deja vu. HELL NO..... Its an awkward coincidence or is it.?

Journey dated - 31/10/2012

It was such a such a beautiful morning. A pleasant day to start. My mom was packing things for the journey, my brother left for school and my dad went for the market to get some snacks. I got up had a bath and looked at the train ticket languishingly. My departure was scheduled at 5:20 PM. I returned home after three months and i stayed for 6 days which was quite pensive. I continued to move on keeping the winter vacation in mind(entire December). Time has passed quickly and i was in the station. The train was delayed by 30 minutes, i had half an hour to spend. But i was in the station which is not likely my home.

I continued to wait for my train.....

Finally at 6:00 p.m, i boarded the train. Even the delay time was not correct, I said to myself and had a shrewd smile on my face remembering the 'Indian train timings'. I occupied my berth, arranged my luggage underneath, showed my ticket and started listening to music. Soon it became dark and the train began to slow down. Hucksters began to board the train. They were in such a hurry. They could have waited till the train stopped. Maybe each and every minute was important to them to make their living. I thought of buying some, but soon realized that i had plenty. I peeped through the window. Finally the train stopped and there was a such a rush. Passengers began to board the train. There was this tired look of waiting on their faces. People started occupying the seats near my place. To my surprise it felt like a deja vu. 

I was travelling on the same train, with the same stranger.

We smiled at each other. Unlike last time he was travelling alone. The train began to move.I didn't think he remembered me as he asked my whereabouts(name, occupation..e.t.c......typical Indian mind). I began to contradict Paulo Coelho, as he said "Everything that happens once can never happen again". He asked me about my studies. I answered. I talked as little as possible, as i didn't want to conversate, with a stranger. It was dinner time and i had my dinner. My journey time was 23 hours. I slept early and got up early. It was 9 a.m and i felt like i travelled more than a day already. The stranger began to talk about coincidences that are strange and likely to be remembered. First i thought of him as an astrologer, though i never cared to ask. Later i assumed him to be some person who might be a huge fan of final destination. He told me of some weird coincidences. Some of them are incidents from my past. I had goosebumps. All of a sudden there was this familiar tone playing in my head. I realized that it was my alarm tone set earlier before night. The picture began to fade away, may be it was because of the music. I intended to stop it. Seems like it was coming from a distance and i had to move to stop it. The music stopped. I opened my eyes and soon came to my senses. 

I realized that it was a dream linked to my past. I couldn't recall whether it was from a dream or memory or a dream from a dream within my memory. Bad things come in three. I had two but thrice is an enemy action.

Hoping for the best....

DHEERAJ DHAKE,

ECE,

FINAL YEAR

‘SECONDS’ RE-LIVED

Every action of ours has a consequence. And that consequence is based on what we did, how we did act, how we did think and what path did we choose for our journey. Destiny gives back everything it ever took from us and takes back everything it gave us. Amidst all this, there is one ultimate reality which cannot be altered however we might neglect it or whatever perception we possess on the world around us. Life of an individual undergoes evolution, by being churned in the vicious circle of all these facts. And my life was no different. The day I met with an accident, was the day that changed my perception towards the world forever and ever. As soon as my car did slide off the cliff, I lost my control on the brain, besides gravity. How much time was I left with? May be 15 seconds! And in those 15 seconds, I understood many things that my 15 year education did not teach me!

  I recollected the lives of 4 persons who were an integral part of my life. 4 different ‘persons’with 4 different mentalities and I am going to introduce them to you all…

5 Year old me:

As earliest as I can remember. We were residing in one of the best colonies and childhood was a fun filled one. Gully cricket, I Spy and many more games used to carry forward our days besides the daily routine of acting out a stomach ache drama so as to escape the tedious activity of attending school. Everything was a cake walk for me.

17 Year old me:

Everything around me started making sense to me. On the alternative days, my mother and father used to sleep on the floor to make enough space for me on the bed. In a locality where people stand for ten hours in front of a shop for the ration, my parents made me feel like we were in a heaven! Sacrifices made by them and struggles taken by them were like a thick carpet spread over on the path of thorns. That was the moment when I decided that struggles would be my back pack from now on and I would never let them down. My vision was clear, I decided that I shall not leave any loose strings in achieving my dream of clearing the civils and I sacrificed my social life entirely from then on.

24 year old me:

Became the first person from my locality to clear the civils and the environment was festive all over the colony. The first thing I wanted to do is to improve (provide!) the basic facilities of my society. But my posting was done in a far away city and that came as the first disappointment to me. I had to bribe a huge amount of 1000k to re-shift my posting to my area. Our family was in huge debts then and I had to take the big risk. I know nothing is more to me than the colony I was brought up in, but not more than my parents’ comfort. They have suffered enough. As soon as my fix up my family problems I would be starting with the development of the colony.

35 year old me:

I became a successful person, responsible son and caring father. Got everything I wanted in my life. Of course drifted off my path a little by taking the bribes and approving the projects. It all started because of my cornered situation where I had to pay off all the debts and I wanted to do that soon. Started taking some low profile harmless bribes. And it continued as my desire to see my parents in a more and more comfortable position increased, until we had a duplex in one of the costliest areas of the state. And then came the responsibilities of being a husband and a father. Needed to secure their lives first and that became my primary goal. This continued as life gave me different challenges in different ages. Then one day, I did read a news on my ex-colony which I swore to develop. A kid died due to infected water, taking the tally of deaths to 13 that month. 13 deaths! That means a huge distress to 13 families! What was I doing! I ruined everything just by not holding on to my responsibility. I hardly slept that night and that’s the last thing I remember.

The colony, it’s problems, lives of it’s residents and their pleas- everything remained the same. What changed was my perception towards the life as I grew up. But does that soothe my conscience and can the reality be altered because of the change in my perception! Of course not. That’s what philosophy of life is about. And such a disappointing life is going to end within few seconds. Wait! It’s been some hours and those 15 seconds are yet to be finished and if the above mentioned thing is the last thing I remember, how the hell did I end up in sliding off a cliff! Then the car hit the ground and I opened my eyes. It’s been a ride of realisation for me. I started walking to my working room to settle the things once and for all, however hard that may be! 
Vivek Reddy