Corona, a curse or boon

Corona, a Curse or Boon

Message is loud and clear that in this boundless régime of God, man is no better than a midget; don't mess with the nature; live as a servant of nature not the master of nature

By Mukesh Sharma

From Wuhan to Washington, with over 24,000 deaths across the world and still counting, the invisible, inexplicable, indefatigable, invincible, indefinite etc ' thing' so named Coronavirus is feared more than Yamaraj (God of death in Hindu  Scriptures) today. Death penalty by Reverend Yamaraj can never be without justification; it is always, of course, self certified reasoned order like the Supreme Court of India - no appeal, no appellant Court. But Corona seems to know no reason except merciless 'man' hunt. Though Corona's unnerving enemity against human 'animals' is yet to be understood and studied by the so-called all- know man, this blogger thinks that Corona's curse is not without a boon.

Coronavirus

The valued readers would agree with this blogger that the 'life' exists in dualities  - there can be no right without wrong; no knowledge without ignorance; no happiness without sorrow; no darkness without light; no failure without success; no death without birth. So there can be no curse without boon.

Look at Corona from an eye of an optimist - the glass is not half empty but half full. Corona's relentless attack has united the world. Hostilities have been put to rest in most of the disturbed countries in the world like Afghanistan, Syria, South Sudan, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, Libya etc. for the time being. Even arch rivals US and China have joined hands for the concerted efforts in a fight against Corona.

For the first time in post independent history, it has been witnessed that India has risen above the region and religion in a bid to give corona a good fight. Phenomenal unity has been seen in the diversity from Kanya kumari to Kashmir. Ever squabbling opposition parties have not opposed the PM Modi's call for nation wide lockdown.

Thanks to Corona terror, the people contend that the crime rate has come down dramatically - no news of rapes, murders, dacoity, theft etc. What is more, the most of Indian metropolitan cities which were known for smothering air, are free from pollution - no noise pollution and air pollution - the sky is so clear. The deserted roads give the cities the feeling of a western landscape. The sun shines brightly. The moon gleams with full glare at night.

  

Frankly speaking, it occurs to my mind that the Corona has taught perverted man to behave. Lockdown in houses has re-established family values.

Corona seems to have reaffirmed the faith of the world in Indian culture and cuisine – so called civilized people of the developed west are exchanging pleasanteries by saying namaste with folded hands. The respect for veggies has increased manifold in the world. The government and the rich have loosened the strings of their purses to help out the poor - the food free of charge along with other essential services. In fact, Carona has revived the socialism, maybe, for sometime. But the people wish to live in present. IMF, World Bank and other institutions are contemplating the much needed help to the poor nation battling for life and survival. The most of the nations have announced stimulus package as relief. Even RBI has also suggested the bank to declare moratorium for at least 3 months on all kinds of loans. Loanees are shouting hip hooray! hip hooray! hip hooray ! Socialism has come. The humanity seems to have been re-structured.

Undoubtedly, Corona has reminded the man his place. God made the beautiful earth for all kinds of non-living and living organisms – Protozoans, Amphibians, Raptiles, Aves and Mammals. But the wily man has encroached upon the rights of other creatures too. To assert his phony hegemony, the man has abused his powers and misused the natural resources; the man has drawn lines and divided  the earth into countries. Surprisingly enough with just an average life span of 60 years, the man has declared himself the owner of the earth.

Though the man boasts of his material progress touching the moon and mars sending robotic machines into space to travel, supposedly, through intra-galaxies, he has failed to face a tinniest virus to the size of 60 mm micron – his ego stands shattered. The virus Corona has cut the man down to size; it has shown the mirror to man.

The message is loud and clear that in  this boundless regime of God, man is no better than a midget. Don’t mess with nature. Live as a servant of nature not master of nature.

‘Gods’ of Earth

‘Gods’ of Earth

If supreme God has created this universe and its’ all the creatures, Netas have, categorically, created countries, and thus they control the destiny of all the human beings on the earth

By Mukesh Sharma

The teeming millions were spurred to vote in the name of democracy to elect their so called ‘representatives’ in the recently concluded general election in India. Further, over 8000 formally invited VIP guests witnessed the ceremonial ‘coronation’ of a few blessed elected eligibles as Hon’ble Prime Minister and ministers in the palatial precinct of Rastrapati Bhavan, well in accordance with the holy ‘rule book.’ And, as usual the poor populace which is eulogized as ‘masters’ by the netas, remained glued to TV channels and watched the grand and gala show of deification of ‘servants’ as Gods of India. Needless to say, the situation is same throughout the world, and collectively, the netas of all the countries can be called as ‘ Gods’ of the earth.

Virtual 'Gods' of the Earth

If supreme God has created this universe and its’ all the creatures, the netas have categorically created the countries, and thus they control the destiny of all the human beings. A few such Indian ‘gods’ are alleged to have bifurcated India into Pakistan and Hindustan. Dance of death and destruction can be seen in many parts of the world being ravaged by war or civil wars: Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Mexico, Somalia, Nigeria, Sudan, Libya, Pakistan, Egypt, Congo, Yemen and Ukraine. Of course, it is not Supreme God but these virtual gods of earth who are responsible for the sorry plight of the people across the world.

The agnostics maintain that unseen god is just a religious perception; no living man has ever seen the God; no living man has ever met the God. The belief is born when material logic ends. God is just an indispensable hope of the weak man. Since man is a creature of hope and he breathes and lives by hope, in fact the hope is personified as God.

The believers contend that God has made the sun, the earth, the moon and all the visible or invincible, known or unknown innummerable planets and stars, and of course the whole boundless universe. However, one of the most respected and renowned members of scientists fraternity and a vocal champion of the ‘Big Bang’ theory Stephen Hawking says: “I think the universe was spontaneously created out of nothing, it is not the work of any so-called God.”

Anyway, let us not get into this endless debate who created this universe. But one thing is crystal clear that these netas have drawn the geographical boundaries on the earth, and have divided this beautiful planet into countries. Today earth houses 195 countries. Obviously, these netas are the gods of their respective countries.

Once ‘defied’, these ‘gods’ visit their ‘temples’ (ministries) with all airs and graces. The ‘temple’ is decked up with flowers. The army of assistants of these ‘gods’, usually known as principal secretaries, additional secretaries, joint secretaries etc. line up at the very entrance to welcome the ‘god’ with bouquets. Such is the sanctity of these sanctum  sanctoriums that no common man can ever dare to dream to enter.

Whenever, these gods move in or out of their respective  temples, they are followed by the convoy of cars occupied by gun-totting well-touted commandos, surprisingly, for the security of the gods. A commoner can’t get even near to these gods; any misadventure shall send the intruder to jail.

These gods are truly omnipresent; wherever they go or whatever they do, can be seen on TV channels from any corner of the earth. These gods are truly omniscient; they have answers to all the question of journos or the people; they sound like oracles. These gods are truly omnipotent; they can move heaven and earth just by fluttering their eyelashes.

Evidently enough, the supposedly supreme God can only create celestial bodies or the creatures inhabiting such bodies, but these virtual gods of earth control the destiny of the creatures; they have full control over the past, present and future of the poor earthlings. 

Of Wayward Words

(Humour)

Of Wayward Words

More coquettish than the sulking girl friend; it is easier to persuade her than the words

By Mukesh Sharma

After the unseen so-called omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent god, the three ‘abstract’ nouns which remain incomprehensible and inscrutable to the most of moron men like this blogger too throughout their fugitive like span, are: World, Women and Words.

The Way of the World remains unknown to celebrated playwright like William Congreves. Renowned Indian scribe Khuswant Singh said to have died at a matured age with lots of confusions about women. And the words are still a mystery for the most of the people and populace across the world. Expressing his doubts, even a learned writer W.Somerset Maughm says:

“I often think how much easier life would have been for me and how much time I would have saved if I had known the alphabet. I can never tell where I and J stand without G, H to myself first”

like words, cocking a snook

In this man known universe, everything is a word. The man knows nothing that is not a word. The man tries to know and understand everything through words only. The knowledge is acquired through words; it is transferred from one generation to other through words. Even the almighty God is at the mercy of the words. The man can’t think of a life or existence without words. It is the words that separate this two-legged so-called man from other creatures of vast animal kingdom.

Words are nothing but the distinctive sounds. And sounds often dissipate in space. To stop this, the man has tried to give shapes to each sound what these different shapes are called words. It is the sound and shapes that have helped the man to get so-called civilized in comparison to other animals.

Love is a word. Sex is a word. Man is a word. Woman is a word. Marriage is a word. Child is a word. Family is a word. Society is a word. Government is a word. This world is a word. All celestial objects  are mere words. Even the God is a word.

The startling fact is that it is not easy to propitiate words, and earn their blessings. However, there are three categories of the people who are the blessed friends of the words -  Indian Baba, smart Businessman and  wily Neta, found across the world.

To a Baba (so-called religious guru), the words come naturally. In the choicest words, he evokes the emotions of the unsuspecting masses. His well crafted words couched in some parables and fables touch the chord. With the help of words, a Baba can make followers believe that he is God unto himself; he can emancipate them from all the ills of the life; he can make their life heaven. Mesmerized with the words of the Baba, the disciples listen the discourse with rather suspended disbelief as movies are watched, and surrender their soul to ‘devil’. The fall out of this all is many a Babas has been accused of sexual assault, sexual abuse and rape, and now incarcerated in jails. However, come what may, there is no dearth of their disciples who still believe that their gurus are god-incarnates and have been falsely implicated.

Next in the line is businessman. Blessed with words’ blessings almost all the successful businessmen right from small-time to tycoon, all know how to use the standardized words to get Yes Power. A businessman knows how to use words purposefully – if can’t convince, he confuses; if can’t confuse, he corrupts. His Yes Power is phenomenal. He is a practical Dale Carneige. Well versed with power of words, he knows how to use the right words  at right place and at the right time. And he touches the dizzy height just because of the undue favour of the words.

The second last in the list is the most blessed rather a blue-eyed boy of the words so-called Neta. He is the master player in using the words as a juggler shows his feats with the sleight of his hands. None can beat a neta in the art of circumlocution, elocution, sophism, rhetorics and demagogy. He lies convincingly. He can ‘die’ for the country without touching the ground. He can be declared martyred without firing or receiving a bullet. Even a PhD can’t stand against the gift of the gab. Like a warrior, a neta goes on the  stage; he speaks out and conquers the crowd. And analogy can be drawn from Julius Caesar: “He came, he saw, he conquered.” Not only that it is well said: “One who conquers the stage, conquers the word.”

A neta, perhaps, has an inbuilt qualities to tease out the wool and knit a sweater. He remains in full command of himself and his audience. As a dealer in ‘hopes’, he manufactures ‘hope’ faster than any mint plant printing currency. ‘Hope’ is a deadly weapon to tame the crowd. No need to fulfill. Hope often feeds on hope, and it is the staple diet of the common man.

Among all above blessed lots, the hapless writers/scribes are the least blessed. Like a pagan, a pen-pusher has to propitiate the words; invoke the muse. Despite all devotion and dedication, words don’t smile on them easily. Sometimes, words lay pliant in the arms of the thoughts of a writer but it is not necessary that they will reach the orgasm.

To a writer,  words never come straight. They come in the form of Simile – a literary challenge to bring a comparison between two objects of different kinds (she fought like a tigress). As a Metaphor, an implied simile but not simile (she was lioness in the fight). Lure of Personification is well known to all the scribes – treating inanimate object and abstract nouns as living being (laughter holding both her sides). Apostrophe, a direct address to the dead, to the absent or to a personified object or idea ( O Death, be my refuge). Hyperbole, to make an emphatic statement (if river were dry, I would fill it with tears). Euphemism, the description of a disagreeable thing by an agreeable name (it is a fairy tale). Antithesis, to bring about a contrast of words or sentiments in a sentence (man proposes, God disposes). Oxymoron, where two contradictory qualities are predicted at once of the same thing (people accept the kind cruelty of a surgeon’s knife). Epigram, a quip to attract the attention (child is the father of the man). Irony, where the real meaning is exactly the opposite if what has been conveyed literally (and Brutus is an hon’ble man). Pun, to produce the ludicrous effect (life depends on liver). Synecdoche, to designate the whole to designate the part (she has many months to feed). Transferred Epithet to transfer an adjective from its proper word to another (I passed a sleepless night). Litotes to convey an affirmative by negation of the opposite (the man is no fool). Rhetorical Question to ask a question for question sake (am I an Indian here). Exclamation to draw an attention to something. (what a piece of work is Modi). Climax to arrange idea in ascending order. And Anticlimax to show the sudden descent from higher to lower in order to satire or ridicule.

A writer always remains at war like India with its ever mounting population. Even Chanakya Niti fails in the matter of words. To an ever struggling scribe, words remain WAYWARD like a footlose teenager. It is easier to persuade a sulking girl friend than the words.