ON LOOKING BACK

“Time and Tide waits for no man”! Time swallows up the entire universe says a poet! “Kalo jagag bhaksahkaha”! The great Krita, Treta, and Dwapara yugas have vanished an we are in this dirty Kaliyuga eking out our mortal material existence! Civilizations and cultures are buried in the womb of earth! The age of maharshis, saints,and yogis who made our country great are no more!  Phenomenal changes have occurred in society both good and bad! Science and technology has reached the sky and has gone into the space beyond! Nature too

has changed beyond recognition! But human nature has not yet changed! He is the the same bundle of emotions and passions, a victim of the six inveterate inner adversaries, the 'arihadvargas’! He is unable to control his anger and desire! He is covetous. He is too much attached to his own people and things! He is not without pride and arrogance! Above all he does not love others; he hates them! He has become narrow minded and the center of egoism! Morals and ethics are things of the past, no more relevant today! With all these traits man calls himself civilized!  He is blown off by superficialities and misses the essence of existence!

The old order changes yielding place to new! Year 2017 is gone! New year 2018 has dawned!  This is a regular sequence. Is the new year going to be better? We do not know the future! Was the past year good? Different opinions are aired by people. People who sacrificed their lives for the country are no more! We have politicians who care more for themselves than the nation!  Politics has become a good business indulged in by the rich! Our Legislatures and Parliament have more crorepatis and lakhiers than the common man! The ordinary citizen has absolutely no chance to stand and win elections! Votes are purchased and the winner gloats over his victory! Power, position, and authority are misused and abused for selfish purposes! And yet we call ourselves a democratic nation! The basic tenets of democracy are violated according to convenience!

The poor have become poorer! Many villages have no proper roads and electricity and other infrastructure! Successive governments have failed in alleviating the distress of the farmers and the common man! Seventy years after Independence, the life of the citizen has not changed much! Different political parties governed the country and India made great strides in development and economy! But year 2017 gave rise to a few scams that shook the entire nation like the 2G Scam and Coalgate scam and others! These scams indicate the corruption of the mind of the people in authority who unashamedly want to derive personal benefits much against the principles of democracy!The country witnessed border violations by Pakistan our unfriendly neighbor! Many incidents of violence occurred in different parts of the nation! Pakistan continues to bleed India through its terrorists while India bears it with phenomenal patience, occasionally giving a befitting reply!

Hydra headed corruption has taken a deep root in India and though every government has been saying it will root it out, corruption is increasing! First step in arresting corruption and tainted Black money has been taken by the present Modi  government through Demonetization shaking the whole hoarders out of their complacency! Much money was traced and the source of money for terrorism was cut! Though an initial shock, it was accepted by the people at large! This was followed by GST, a tax reform replacing various other taxes! It will take time to settle down! Our Prime Minister visited many foreign countries and established very good rapport with countries like America, China, Russia and France and Britain! India as a growing economy is greatly respected than in the previous years!

Let us not ponder over the past! Let us look at the future! Let the new year usher in a new era of peace, plenty and prosperity for the people! Corruption should come down though it may not be totally wiped out! Farmers and the man in the street should be happy.  Food, clothing and shelter, the basic amenities should be provided by the government Properly! Unemployment should come down! Prices of essential commodities should be controlled! Politicians should do their duties with responsibility and accountability! Forgery, fraud, violence, abduction, murder and rape should disappear! Man should look within himself and do what his inner voice instructs! Morality and ethics should be given importance and strictly followed! Women must be respecte and treated properly! Let us hope the year 2018 shall make all these and many more good things possible and make life easy and worth living for the common man!!!