Peace: the only way to move ahead

By Ravi Nitesh

Alot has already been said about the relationship between India and Pakistan. From their separation, to wars between them, to issues of conflicts, many things have been written and said through many angles by writers and speakers. The only thing that remains is communication, yes, communication with each other. Intellectual articles are available on the web, but it doesn’t mean that we know each other very well. Besides this, it is also felt that it is the common man on both sides between whom the real communication is required.

The two countries are similar in many ways, both are dealing with similar developmental issues and both have a major part of population that consists of lower and middle class families. We happily accept that we were one, we all were living together, but then why have we become too weak to communicate? Just a geographical partition will be able to make difference in our lives? No, it must not. Our lives are still the same and will remain like that. Strategically, both the countries are situated in a very important geographical area. Both have their own importance (associated with internal and external politics) in Asian and world context. In view of all these, the only way to move ahead is the way of peace and love. Here, it must be noted that bonding with each other must not be based on helplessness, rather it should be natural. One salutary factor is that the natural feeling is already there, we just have to give it a chance, a chance to meet with each other, just like two fragrances that cannot be identified apart when mixed. The same theory should be adopted here in the case of the two nations. We should focus on more and more interaction with each other. Many initiatives are going on between the two nations, but almost all of them are limited to political dialogue. Some very good activities have been organised in the field of art and culture, but most of these are limited to big cities and a few people. At a time when we accept and believe that there is no other way than living together, will it not be a true initiative to start people to people communication in more appropriate and easy way? Though, the effective communication will again require to address many issues and political initiatives will certainly help much, but initiatives from the people and organisations can attract major changes. These initiatives should start with the organisations and individuals that believe in social solidarity and peace. This can be started with small steps like talking with each other on social platforms, sharing the situations and social news of one another and creating social dialogues on a joint platform. Initiatives should also include children as the first priority because they are the future citizens of society and they will lead the society after some years. It will be quite logical to include and focus on them to shape their minds as leaders of peace.

I believe that such initiatives will be taken by the people and will be purely based on love for one another with an objective to form an everlasting attachment. These small steps will be like twinkling stars in the firmament and will assure that dawn is not far off. Let us move ahead on the path of love.

The writer is founder of Mission Bhartiyam, core member of Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign and member of Khudai Khidmatgar

(Published in Daily Times, Pakistan . Link: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C04%5C28%5Cstory_28-4-2012_pg7_23)

(Also published with Rising Kashmir, J&K)

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THE INDIAN BIKER: STORY OF A COMMON YOUTH

After invention of zero and then a circle, the next turn was it’s conversion in to wheel and we finally got something that can be rolled fast and smooth. After an era, human got bicycle. Inventions were parallel occurring in other fields as well, where they got electrical equipments like motor and mechanical equipments like gears, chain and pulley, engine etc. This development dragged human in modern era and combined all these technologies under one cabinet that resulted in speed machines running on wheels (bikes) and thus travelling became much faster.

Modern era bikes are the updated versions of all these primary efforts, but there were lot of innovations contributed through innovators such as designers, researchers and engineers in this machine (bike) and these innovations implemented through automobile companies.

Bikes on Indian roads are common today and probably the most popular medium of travelling. In our Indian scenario, I am witnessed of its popularity among all age groups and income level. Though bikes are more popular among youths but not limited to them only. My newspaper hawker comes with bike, the milkman too and the uncle who is my neighbor. This popularity is constant even when there are lots of other mediums available. The common Indian biker is the common man who belongs from a middle class family. I am writing here as a third party on behalf of that common man.

He was so fascinated about the bikes, during his graduation; he had a routine to travel the nearby city to attend his classes. He was too fascinated by bike because his heart liked it. The bus was not regular and it took so much time to reach city. Even from bus stand, he used to go everyday to college by shared auto rickshaw that again took much time on that congested road filled with huge traffic. Though he knew the short cuts of streets, but auto route was fixed. He during summers wanted to enjoy some road side cold drinks, but it was not possible because there was no stop of bus at that place. He also noted that it was costly to travel and to reach college through these modes. His sister too was studying in nearby college and it becomes difficult for her too when she stayed in college till late evenings during her assignments and extra classes. Now, all these pushed the man to search for alternate mode of travel, and finally he thought about a bike. Yes, the bike, because it could easily remove all of his problems at a larger extent. The only problem was the capital amount to buy it. He had a reason to collect this amount; the reason was speed, comfort, passion, time management, safety and betterment. He decided to buy it with his own earning and started part time teaching work and established a coaching class for engineering and medical examinations in his town. After few months, he bought a bike. Now, he don’t need to catch the first bus of 8 AM to reach city, instead he along with his sister leaves the town at 7 AM and established takes class in another coaching class in city too where he along with his sister teach students preparing for engineering and medical examinations. After this class, they attend their college, and then return to home followed by their own coaching class in town especially for students of low income families. I heard that their classes are going well, and two months ago they also gifted a bike to topper of their coaching class.

When, I met this man, he told, that as a student of science, he is aware about little pollution caused by bikes, but he use it only to benefit himself along with the society. He told that he is too concerned about the timely maintenance of his bike. He uses the standard engine oil to increase fuel efficiency and engine life and to reduce wear and tear, noise and pollution. He is proud to be a youth who sometimes participate in various bike rallies for various social causes and sometimes he go for adventurous bike tours. After all, bikes are everybody’s choice and in context of India, it become more than the choice of an Indian biker.

Written for: http://www.facebook.com/CastrolBiking

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