Check and Mate and the King.

Majestic is the word for them. They are sure fear-worthy, but such is the magic around them when one sees them still or move, one is like hypnotized or dumbstruck.

Their reputation often precedes them. Amazing presence they have, we borrow its name to depict the element of strength and royalty, we have been naming our kids or teams after them. Their name is an attitude and a lifestyle in itself.

They have expansive territories, extending up to 100 square mile, no one can dare trespass. They carry a special mark on their forehead, similar to the ones worn by kings. Actually they are the king of their lands. Following their footsteps is the closest we can get to them, of course, in all fairness.

Though they are born blind but after some time their night vision is six times better than ours and the magnificent stripes they wear is pretty remarkable, beautiful and unique too, much like finger print is to us. And they are right at the top of what probably matters or should matter most to us, arguably, The Food Chain.

Don’t we all know it starts with a Tiger….!

Tiger is an umbrella species, which means, to save the tiger we need to protect its habitat and its prey, essentially, the complete food chain. And the converse is also true……no tiger - no food chain…which essentially terminates at us. So one need not be clairvoyant to see if we put in to save tiger we are doing our bit to save ourselves……unless we are very sure about December, 2012.

So, is it like do we need a selfish motive every time…..well yes may be….!

But the Tiger is dying.

Today the situation is critical, mind you, it’s not that new facts have come into being, it’s just that a shockingly insignificant number, numerically, has been stated now, 1411. Not decades before, they were being poached at a deadly rate of one kill a day. And the most convenient truth is that, a tiger has only one predator…..MAN.

Or probably that is the fate of National "things"...in our country.

National sport---- Hockey (dying).
National flower--- Better known as a political symbol.
National fruit---- Mango (best variety exported)

People and Peace

Privatizing Peace.








The enemy has changed, it’s no more a customary or defined by regular attributes such as flags and uniforms and neither is it affected by sovereignty or borders.

Enemy today is devoid of any such status symbols. The yard-stick for gauging power is no more indigenous resources but technology and science.

And so the definition of peace has changed and, it is no more an instance or an objective, it has become an obligation and a process that needs to sustained and maintained round the clock.

Not disregarding the blistering issues and events that still haunt the nation more often than frequently, what is remarkable is that the “unfortunate event” that disrupts peace is not the focal point but its expectancy and its aftermath is what claims the major chunk of attention and analysis, not to mention the subsequent weaving of it to rather weird aspects, often devoid of any sense or logic, much to the irritation and disheartening of a sane common man.

Peace, hence, and has grown beyond the scope of state machinery and percolates well into culture, religion, industry and simultaneously enables the smooth flow of people, and their thoughts without any hassle or qualm.

One might just wonder that while we are bearing the sweet fruit of privatization we experimented with earlier, why would one not think of privatizing peace as well, so there again we have an industry where it’s the people who deliver and it’s the people who receive.

Our existence in synchronization with globalization today would require the defeat of all such elements which ever led to any differences of any sort.

And knowledge is the right answer to it. Knowledge is today’s weapon and shield, and it’s the duty of everyone to share it as much as possible, democratization of knowledge is imperative. In fact the essence of democracy lies in the inference that it’s a collation of all possible, probable and different interpretations over a uniform understanding. To be different is as much democracy as much it is to be similar.

Such an ecosystem can be established if and only if in our ethnic, religious and historic differences we are successful in introducing benevolence and patience, so that movement is not only among the individuals but also between communities and nations.