Friday, September 28, 2012

Who won ?


 As a growing up teenager, I always wanted to be a psychologist and was thinking of taking this subject in my college also. But this plan came to an abrupt halt, when I found out that the only college here in Nepal offers this course, and which needed me to wear dhoti as a college dress. That information instantly forced me to change my subject in college.

My fascination with this subject had grown, because I grew up in a big mass, as I grew up in Bal Mandir. The huge mass around me never left me later in my life also. My first job, well almost, was in a five star hotel. When I joined The Everest Hotel  in 1996, there were more than 700 people. In Casino, which had leased one of the biggest conference hall of the hotel then, had hired almost the same number of staff as of hotel.

Having grown up in a huge crowd and getting chance to work in even bigger number of people, has an impact in my mind. I read people. No, not the words coming out from their mouth, I mean I read body language more than language used by them.

It sure covers every details of gesture and posture including the color of dress, makeup and scent used by the person. Because the spoken words alone, make no complete sense; unless its matched with body language.

It may be too much for some people, but maybe my subconscious mind is trained that way as I grew up in big mass. Therefore, I scan it all in three seconds to get my information. Many times said words, do not have to do anything with what the body language is saying. Some are expert in hiding it, but not all are trained to do so wisely.

My time in Bal Mandir have thrown me in the mass of raw and crude language, both in  terms of language and body language, but my time in hotel needed me to deal with more sophisticated and educated people, from good family background. They knew how to hide or tackle the emotions when needed.

So, when I posted the picture of Kali and Mahadev on my facebook with a joke, “hey kali, you are you wearing your underwear”, invited loads of comments around the world from Nepali community. Some of my loyal and intellect reader did not like this post. However, this is the only post, which has been liked and shared by most people. This is also the only post which defied the normal rule of getting hit within 24 hours, which surprised me.

Of course, some of them hailed me, for my audacity to joke on [our] God/Goddess. But some also came forward to support me, saying that we should be more tolerant on this kind of joke, as long as we are not mocking our god/goddess or religion.  

Honestly speaking, I thought; this post could have seen me dragged to the police station.

When I responded some of the comments hinting, its a joke that make full sense reading by what is on the picture. This in fact, is the good example of how men treat women under any circumstances and even when ‘he’ is under her feet, this raged some of my male readers.

On this picture, Mahadev is lying on his back and Kali is stepping on him. But, that is not all I see here. Watch carefully, when somebody does this kind of audacious act, it should give a sense of pride. Her pulled tongue out from her mouth, falls on body language. This is the language of embarrassment not the sense of pride. Then, why her long tongue is out from her mouth ? Where is that sense of pride and confidence gone ?

Her next to impossible way pulled tongue out from her mouth, keeps nagging me everytime I see this picture. I can't help but wonder, is this the artist’s interpretation; about seeing the situation ? Why she has been depicted that way in the picture ? Why she is wearing such accessories and holding high blood stained weapon ? When she is so gutsy, to nab a person like Mahadev for his provocative behaviour, does she has to wear garland made by human skull ? Was she accessorised intentionally to diminish the true feel on her face for her achievement ? Her short skirt tells me that, she could not have chosen the kind of accessories, she is wearing.

Here, no one can disagree with me, when I say, her long tongue out, sure is not the language of anger or sense of pride.  

When she can bring down Mahadev on the floor and stand on top of him, then why the confidence and the sense of pride can not be seen the picture ? Why that embarrassed expression ? This is something very unusual language to use for someone, who is so bold like Kali, who in Hindu religion is worshiped as the ‘lady with power’.

Then again the perplexing question is, why she let her tongue out ?

Is this the artist, who could have twisted the language, or it is actually Mahadev; who had  guts to say that joke, that too, from under her feet, which forced her to give that reaction. In fact, the picture seem to be saying, “you pervert, I am wearing the one, that is of my skin color and you remain like that until you see the difference.”

What really hammers my brain in all this is, Hindu religion worships both equally and why I am seeing only a battle of sex, here in this picture ?

However, what can not be ignored is, what women need to know seeing this picture is, this really tells a lot about, not just the power of women, but it clearly speaks highly of men’s mentality. How he can make you feel, even if; he is under your feet, therefore that long tongue out from her mouth. So, its upto you to get the message. What is said and what is not said yet, you better know your true strength and feel it and act accordingly.

Do you really have to be psychologist to read the body language ?

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Why our media persons lack ethics and vision ?


More I surf news to read or watch more I get frustrated. It may be because first, I  am not a news hungry person; second, I can survive without news. But more than that I have to protect myself from all the negative thinking, defeating mentality and hopelessness  which I get after watching news, that comes from all over. It seems that I am not much against the news. When I say news, I must and tend to avoid all political and negative news regardless of its nature. I do avoid both national and international news, but more than that I avoid reading or watching our local political news. Please, don't get me wrong, when I say I hate political news, this does not necessary mean I hate politicians, its only that I just could not show an inch of respect to our media persons, journalists or think tanks for what kind of news and views they are giving on any channels or papers.

I am also not saying that politicians are not bad by bone and corrupt and doing everything right but, all our political journalists have been unable to empower our public in true sense to take action against them ? If our politicians have failed to deliver result then the media persons also have not been able to do any better job than them, in terms of enforcing our state to take strong action against them. My personal opinion is, if done correctly the power of media is ten times stronger than the combined force of politicians. Politicians are there [ with some exception] to indulge in power play games and kill time rather than to serve nation and public. Okay get this, but, why journalists are only giving negative news only, about politics and politicians ? Are you telling me we don't have any exception in our country or you better not talk about someone unbelievably good in the pile of rottens ? Because, I strongly  believe that a moon is more than sufficient to see in the night rather than millions of stars. You sure is not telling me, you are just not aware of this fact ?

Is journalism is all about busting scam and making money selling negative news, frustrations, depression and hopelessness ?  In recent days, if there has been anything that that has been kept nagging me most for months, then this is the question. Just to find answer, I switch to other international channels, mostly CNN and BBC. It took me time to adjust with my believe not to watch news channels, but if I avoid political news I just got hooked to watching CNN and kind of liked it also. They don't sound sarcastic like our journalist, when they ask questions and hears about possibilities. I am huge fan of, most of the journalist, well not the political journalists, but, still I see no reason, to judge them and show any less respect. CNN and BBC seem to be giving me news other than politics or corrupt politicians. They cover everything that happens in the world and their angle is so big and  convincing than our journalists, who are not inching any further, than politics or the things that happened here but coverage is just negative only. Not surprisingly, news plays a huge role in terms of changing perception in the public mind for good and for bad. Public, not just locally but globally. They are the ones, who gave me clarity and understanding that news means much more than political news and they have wide range of news to keep me busy even if I say, “I don't need to see news to survive.” They still have plenty of news to give me and expand my horizon and vision as well; whereas, our country has been staggering for so long and then all the media person are indulging in blame game saying its all because of bad politic and corrupt politicians.  “Nothing is going to chance in this country if our political situation will not change.”

This is what annoys me most when I hear this above  line from all walk of people in my life. It is purely because the journalist, media person  and think tanks has been saying so, for so long. They only seem to be focusing on short term vision, rather than long term vision and that to commercial aspect of running publication house I mean national dailes. Of course, it has to be there, but without giving anything back to society and country ? this is really scarry. Therefore, I am so vocal on this subject on my social network, knowing I have plenty of journalists, media person  in my circle from national dailies to small papers to TV channels and FM channels and think tanks who can influence society from various aspects on their own.

If I go by the facebook status of the general mass, majority of them never get tired of cursing in foul language and blaming politicians, system also for the worst condition of this country, on top of that adding, ‘the situation is never ever going to change’. Not surprisingly, people are very hopeless, frustrated, defeated and see no future in this country. I can't blame public for holding that kind of attitudes, towards our system and politicians. They are just tuning into the songs sang by journalists, media persons and think tanks for ages, and this is what exactly frustrates me. This section of the so called intellectuals are to be blamed for injecting negativity, defeated mentality, hopelessness and no sign of improvement here in all this in the future too saying, ‘nothing good will ever happen in this country’. Why these section of the society is wasting time only on politics and not inching towards the other areas of society that help grow it and as a whole nation too ?

Agreed, politics sure has so much negativity within its system, okay fine bureaucrats also are to be blamed for the staggering growth as a whole, of our society, but  my question to all this intellectuals is; is politics is everything to help grow a society or a county ? well I do not want to argue on this, with those who strongly believe on this notion.

I just would like to copy a paragraph from The God Particle by Bibhushan Shakya which appeared on THT on July 15, 2012. “...when Time magazine produced a list of most influential people of the 20th century, Mahatma Gandhi, who led India to independence and inspired non-violence throughout the world and Franklin Roosevelt, one of the greatest US presidents who led the country during the great depression, were only the runner ups on the list and the individual honored was the person of the century was a man of theoretical physics - Albert Einstein.”

If I go by the above thought, it clearly agrees with my strong believe,that politics alone is not the supreme reason to help grow a society or a nation and whole world. Then, why my country’s journalists, media perosns and think tanks are moving other directions to help this country's people ? When they are going to realise this ?

When are you going to stop injecting negativity, frustration and depression and hopeless in the mind of public ?

Its  not the politics that is at faults; the journalist, media persons and think tanks must pause and look into themselves for that flaw which lies within.

 
In the meanwhile, I would like to extend my great thankfulness to Bijay Kumar for admitting on national television channel, “that talking politics and with politicians is purely waste of time and saying I should have given that time to other areas I could have seen really good change.” Its been couple of month, since then he had been only inviting social workers on his show. Oh, yes last week there was Gagan Thapa on his show, But, its okay, he is the only young and good politicians of my country.