The Wrong Side of Red

Naxalism - what started as a protest has turned out to be what the Indian PM says is the biggest threat to its nation. Arising from a little known place called Naxalbari in for notoriety, it should be noted that it was the breeding ground for feudal land relations and hapless poor in the thousands were oppressed by landlords. Their needs have remained the same ever since they began in West Bengal and Kerala in the late 60’s – a classless society. But in the past couple of years, they have become bloodier than ever.
According to the Naxalite ideology, India as a nation is yet to acquire freedom from hunger and deprivation. They believe that the current system should be overthrown. The general notion that to change the system, we need to be the system seems to make not much of a choice among Naxalites.
The current issue of Telangana is said to be the manifestation point for the Naxal movement. But the movement caught fire after the Naxalbari Uprising, where the tribal’s attacked the landlords. This was in retaliation to the attack of a tribal by local goons for acquiring land under the tenancy laws.
The Naxalites in India are against entering the political scene and complain the basic democracy of India, which according to them has rotted to the core and is being ruled by the elite. Only a revolution according to them can set up a true democracy.
Nepal, one of India’s closest neighbors were faced with a similar kind of problem, but after a decade of ‘People’s War’, the guerilla warfare came to an abrupt halt with the Communist Party of Maoist Nepal finally entering the political scene.
But the Naxal movement in india seems to be going violent day after day. As many as 455 persons have been killed by Naxal violence in 2009 alone. The more they go on with these violent acts like the gruesome murder of 37 police personnel, and giving messages in bloodshed will eventually make people lose interest in it.
The Indian government is still on its stand that they will have no negotiations with Naxalites. But instead of widening disparities, the ignorance tends to grow and with that a rise in violence and poor souls at stake. The sooner done, the more lives saved.

Some Love, Some Patience

Special children have always been kept out of the limelight for their low level of intelligence. A look at one organization that defies the odds.

Diwali is the festival of lights. It marks the return of Lord Rama after the defeat of Ravana and signifies the victory of good over evil. But on this auspicious day, there is a slaying of a different kind - one of ignorance over special children. The myth that children with disabilities cannot perform any normal day to day functions were dispelled by the Okhla Centre for Special Children by the sale of handicrafts for Diwali made by these special children.

Out of the 1 billion population that India boasts of, more than a million people are said to be disabled in one way or the other. These disabilities range from various mental illnesses, to birth deficiencies and physical handicaps. The Okhla Centre for Special Children is an organization comprising of social workers, doctors, parents and well wishers who have devoted their life to giving special children a better life through proper care and training.

"It is not generally realized how much of a difference loving care and scientific training can make to a child with special needs. The difficulties of the special children are complex, cumulative, multidimensional and there is no simplified prescription for its solution", says the Director of the Centre. For more than four decades the Okhla Centre for Special Children have been equipping mentally retarded children with simple repetitive skills in printing, candle making, handloom weaving, caning of chairs, and making of file covers and envelopes.

The centre has various programmes for training people to take care of special children too. One of their pioneer projects is the creative schooling which tries to enhance the communication of these special children through music, arts and creativity. "This method of enhancing the senses of mentally challenged children, can in turn prove developmental to their behaviour and improve their interaction quotient with the society," says Sarah Alam, a psychologist who has been practicing privately and has been associated with a lot of NGO's related to disabled children.

For their exceptional strides in special education, this organization has been awarded the Derozio Award, the US Asia Foundation Award and the R.C.I.­ Hong Kong Foundation International Institutional Award.

In order to facilitate the rising number of mentally challenged children, the organization has been working round the clock to improve its facilities and incorporating the latest techniques and new methods being put into practice. But their biggest challenge is to let the society around them be aware of the simplicity of taking care of these special children. All they need is some love, and all we need is some patience.

The Burning Mountain of Chembra

Kerala in India is known for its varied beauty and is often referred to as "God's Own Country" world over. And most of the concentration of scenic beauty of Kerala is covered by the southernmost part of the State, comprising of the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Allapuzha, Kochi etc. Very little is known of the northern part of the state which comprises of districts like Calicut, Wayanad, Malappuram, Kannur and Kasragod. And for that very reason its quite a relief that most of it's natural beauty is in its pristine virginity (although the scenario is changing quite radically at the moment).

These places up north of Kerala have quite a lot of history and is considered a treasure trove of cultures, cuisines and architecture. For example, Calicut is where Vasco De Gama landed in the 15th century, it is a also a cultural hotspot for the many Rock Bands that grew during the 70's. Thalassery, a town in the Kannur district is known as the city of three C's - Cricket, Cakes and Circus. Almost all the present generation Indian circus artists have their roots to this place. It is also considered to be the first place in India where cricket was played, almost 150 years back. Then there is the football crazy district of Malappuram, known for its evidently Muslim population and the declaration of being the first e-literate district in India.

The Wayanad district or forests, which it is comprised mostly of has been inhabited for the past three milleniums and there are cave paintings to just prove this fact. It is amazing that this place has not been on the map of Kerala tourism for so many years. The cave paintings at Edakkal being a World Heritage Sight Umpteen number of lush green mountains, waterfalls, and tribal authenticity make this place a hidden paradise. It is just around 60 Km from Calicut and is at an altitude of more than 1500 metres.

Our last trip took us to Chembra peak, the tallest mountain in the district at 2100 metres. According to research on the net, which prompted this trip, it is a beautiful trek up to the top of the mountain, ending in a small lake shaped in the form of a heart. It is often referred to as the 'Heart Lake'. The scenic beauty of the place is in itself an inspiration to head up to the locale.
But things had changed. The entire peak comprising of acres of forest land was burnt down. It was a case of arson. Some youngsters had entered the peak illegally and set alight the dry shrubs and grass. It spread at a massive rate and engulfed everything in its way, including lush green trees, shrubs, plants and grass. We were take aback by the scene that was in front of us, and these are just a few of the images that were taken on that day. The lake at the top was also polluted due to the ashes blown from the fire.

The Wedding Down South

Love, life, luck? A look on the contemporary Muslim wedding south of India in God's Own Country - Kerala.

“All weddings are similar, but every marriage is different” – John Berger

India is known for its liberalizing economy, rising stature in the world affairs -- and the big fat Indian wedding.

The upper northern region of Kerala is known as the Malabar, with a predominant Muslim population. Contrary to what Berger said, weddings there not only differ from place to place but also from family to family. The notable factors are wealth, religion or educational qualification. But mostly the couple, no matter how wealthy, religious or educated, cannot remove themselves from the social norm.

Ahmed Rasheed met Fathima Ali at a chosen place under the supervision of a group of old people. Wealth, family status and even the grandfather's family (digging up gossip on the ancestors!) would have already been looked into and matched. All they are allowed is a five minute conversation.

The Ali family comes from the more rural district called Malappuram, while the Rasheed family is from the more urban district of Calicut.

After the initial meeting and a go-ahead signal from both Ahmed and Fathima, another gathering is called by the Karnavars (elders) to fix the date of the elaborate wedding. Rasheed and his relatives are invited over to the Ali’s to discuss matters. The elders fix the date according to the convenience of the groom's side;. The bride usually has no say, so Fathima sits and smiles while the ladies adorn her with jewelery from the future in-laws.

Once the date is fixed, the three-day celebration can be arranged, with every family wanting to outdo the other in terms of the show put on in a wedding.

The first night being the ‘Mehendi’ night. Fathima’s hands are intricately decorated with henna, a paste of freshly ground leaves making a temporary brownish tattoo. Older ladies gather around to tease her and sing, often horribly off key. Children dance to a choreographed song, and so do the teenagers, Fathima all the while smiling in the exquisitely designed bridal costume which would suit her more for a winter's day. The night is rattled by firecrackers and the air filled with the aroma of biriyani, a local delicacy.

The next day is the ‘Nikkah’ when the bride’s father hands over his daughter to the groom. Ahmed makes it to the lavishly adorned stage at Fathima's place along with his relatives. The exchange of vows is held, with a nervous Ahmed holding Ali's hands. The groom gives the bride a compulsory gift to complete the marriage. The meher can range from gold to a laptop to a piece of cloth, according to the groom's means. Ahmed offers the usual, a souvenir of gold for his bride to be. Lunch follows and then the bride is escorted to her groom's home, with women shedding plenty of joyful tears along the way.

Surrounded by her new in-laws, Fathima is asked to sing or dance -- the price for eventually being left alone with Ahmed.

The third and final day features a reception at the groom's home. Fathima's relatives come to "inspect" her new home. No home ever fails inspection, however, so the tradition is believed to be nothing more than an excuse for the woman's family to feed themselves at the groom's expense .

The day continues with more special meals by invitation from both families, capped by the groom's mother hosting all female relatives of the bride.