Sunday, 5 February 2017

A letter to Mr Harish Rawat

Dear Mr Harish Rawat,

At the onset we want to wish you good health and good luck for the upcoming Uttarakhand elections. We also bow down in respect to the God within you. So kindly accept a loving namaste from us. Dear sir, we have been highly impressed by your slogans for these elections which says, 'सबकी चाहत हरीश रावत' (everybody's desire is Harish Rawat); perhaps sir, we are living in the Devbhoomi comprising of Kedarnath, Badrinath, the land of Shiva, the land from where the holy Ganga originates, the land which has emanated the message of peace, love, joy and renunciation to the world from ages. The perennial source of not just river Ganga and Yamuna but also of knowledge that takes the mankind to the eternal bliss, to the place where there is no misery, no sorrow. Dear sir, would you really like men and women of Uttarakhand to make you, your heart's desire or the Great beingwho, though being omnipresent expresses himself in a very special way in this land?

It is said that power corrupts the mind and absolute power corrupts the mind absolutely but no one whatsoever can ever corrupt the spirit within the man. Dear sir, we want to know from you, did your spirit ever raised questions to you while you were ruling the state? Did your spirit, your inner voice asked questions to you while the millions in Uttarakhand were suffering? Let us take you to a small village who's MLA is of your party. A village called Shyava, where around 15 people have lost their fingers because of a faulty mechanical trolley that takes them across the river. Where so many times little children cry out loud as they get stuck in the midst of the river. In this village the farmers work hard to till their fields but most of the crop gets swallowed by the wild animals. The people of these villages have suffered heavy loses after the floods of 2013 but they haven't received any substantial help from the government as yet. Do you know sir, the patwaris and the bureaucrats find it quite burdensome to visit these places and NGOs see them as great pastures to attract heavy funds. Every morning the mothers walk for 5 kilometres with their kids to help them cross the river so that they can reach the school. But sir, people are not in misery, for they are able to smile at their challenges, quite inspiring indeed.

The entire village of Shyava was nearly destroyed after the infamous earthquake of Uttarkashi in the 90s; however the villagers did not run away from the village, they built it again, they reconstructed it, perhaps they did not want to run away from the problems. It is not a good idea to run away from the problems, even Arjuna wanted to run away from the war when Krishna guided him not to do so. Perhaps these beautiful villagers are like Arjuna, fighting it out and not running away. Actually sir, they love their village. Perhaps you also love the seat for which you are contesting, you also don't want to give it up, do you? Dear sir, these people are not other than your own self. How can you see them suffering? We don't want to see you suffering, no not at all. Sometimes the people of this village need help in the case of medical emergency, in the case of pregnancy; trust us sir, its very very difficult for them to obtain it sir. Do you know sir, that carrying a sick person on someone's back until the mechanical trolley on someone's back and then to the other side of the river is a very common site in this village. Trust us sir, this is just one example, there are many. While you ruled us for more than 2 years, did these villagers, who are none other than your self, came to your mind's eye?

Neither to you sir, nor to those who are standing in your opposition do these people bother. Pleasurable indeed is the post of the Chief Minister, pleasurable indeed is the power, the luxury, the comforts that come along with it. But sir, our great Swami Vivekananda once said, 'I sought pleasure without pain; it never, never came'. No pleasure comes without pain is the eternal law. Those standing in your opposition don't understand it either or else they will not openly express their lewd character in their elections rallies where alcohol and eve teasing is so common. We have seen their rally and the girls in our group were extremely uncomfortable by the eyes that were fixed upon them.

We are confused lot sir, about deciding whom to vote. Dear sir, the way out of pain is experiencing oneness with everyone, this has been the message of the great seers of our Devbhoomi, which has given salvation to millions. Dear sir, as you prepare your self for the elections, please remember that some eyes of village Shyava and other places of Uttarakhand are also your self, these eyes say something, if you can experience oneness with them you will be able to read what these eyes want to say. These eyes do not look upon you sir, they look upon the great Shiva and perhaps you have an opportunity to be that beautiful instrument of Shiva, or Shiva himself for them. While you experience good life in the pristine Himalayas in Gairsain, in the newly built palatial vidhan sabha either as a Chief Minister or as a leader of opposition, do remember a meaningful and a life full of contentment and happiness awaits you. That life is the life of service of your Self, your self in the form of people of Shyava and the like.

Warm regards and a loving Namaste once again,
Team Tvam