In the name of God March 20, 2008

I am writing this article right after watching the movie Khuada ke Liye (In the name of God). I have never seen such a practical movie in my life. And the best about this movie is that it is a Pakistani movie J. Basically this movie is about the various dilemmas and controversies present in society regarding the Islam. It has highlighted issues like the status of music in Islam, the clash between western and Islamic society and some what the conditions of Muslims in US after 9/11. I was wondering why I hadn’t watched this movie before.

This movie has raised a very critical issue of concept of religion. Being a non-Muslim in a densely Muslim populated country, I can feel the every nerve of this movie. Controversies regarding Islam can be understood by this fact that after 9/11, the most searched keywords on search engines like Google and yahoo are related to Islam. Islam is the one of the most beautiful and peaceful religion but few people to fulfill their evil purposes using its name. For me every religion teaches us how to be a good human being? Every Religion teaches us how to make this world more wonderful place to live instead of a hell. There is no religion on earth which encourages violence, addictions (smoking, drinking) or injustice. No religion allows anyone to filch, kill or cheat.

But unfortunately, people have made the religion as the centripetal point of confrontation between civilizations. It is not the sad story of today’s so-called modern world, but even if you take up the history in your hands great battles have been fought on this issue and the most studied one WWII is one of them. I wish people who claim themselves as the true servant of God could ever understand the real concept of God and his message. I wish they could understand the purpose of being in this world. And I wish they could understand the responsibility, role and purpose of a human being. Then what is true religion? It is better if you ask this same question from yourself because for you, no one else can answer this question. The answer is present and buried in our heart, all you need to do is to dig it out. While excavating we go through a process and basically that process itself is the best answer to this question. I am not a religious scholar or PhD in some religious subject. It’s just what I feel and believe. I have written something on this process in my blog Spiritual Realization in which I have shared some what of my personal experiences.

But the most unfortunate part of this story is we haven’t learnt from our past. The things are getting worse day-by-day. The few anarchists are spoiling this beautiful world in the name of God and people are making them able to do that. I still can not understand that how can one teach a religion to anyone else. Religion is not a computer science, it is neither the economics nor accounts. It is a belief, a faith. And these things are far above from our senses to taste.

- I apologize if my words, unintentionally, aggrieved anyone’s feelings or emotions.

Understanding the Democracy March 15, 2008

Sometimes I wonder what the democracy is. This question pops up in my mind when I see, the people chosen by them, actually robbing them and again common man start complaining about their choice. Democracy has become the buzz word nowadays. Practically, it’s not what I have read about it and neither it’s what I have experienced about it and nor it’s what I feel about.

Considering the ideal situation in democracy, is the rule of people. But what will be the use of this democracy when the people doesn’t know what the rule is and most importantly what is the responsibility of this so-called “rule”. Rule doesn’t simply mean power. But it is the puzzle, a jigsaw which is yet to be solved by the people of Pakistan. I remember when I was a kid and used to solve puzzle games, my papa always explained me the rules of the game but never help me solve it. But what happened over here is there is no one to explain the rules of game it is because there is no one who in reality understands the game (democracy). I don’t want to murmur around today and open up the books of history. The thing that is nudging me around today is that we are still away from the so-called the platform of democracy. Our journey may be and I mean just may be has just begun towards the system of “people”.

Now let see what are the system requirements to install the Windows of Democracy on our hard drives?

1. Education: It is the fundamental requirement of this system for understanding and implementing, which are co-related things, the rule of people. Our people have to be enough conscientious to take the burden of system. Having an elite community doesn’t mean a elite group of people who become the representative of masses but the masses themselves who chooses their representatives. We have to integrate education in such a way that the next generation wouldn’t have any other choice other than to follow the path towards our destination (Democracy). If we even see the statistics, the majority of votes were casted by illiterate. One of my closed friend who is also a toper in our college said me I didn’t register myself for voting because I don’t want to part of this corrupted system. Everyone is there to criticize the system which is the easiest job to do on this planet but no one is daring to enter in lion’s mouth to revolutionize it. But before I go on further I would like to define education as well because it has become a topic of debate in today’s society. Education is being taken as the source of income nowadays rather than a tool to socialize people, a weapon to fight against every evil thing and a best possible solution of every previous unsolved (or solved) problem. Nowadays, people are asking about the value of fields or their careers rather than their skills, talent or interest. For me, if a person having hundreds of master degrees is not an educated (which is very broad word) till he become a +ve aspect of society. An aspect which some how contributes to make this world more inhabitable, more loveable and most importantly more peaceful. Therefore, we are still far far and far away from being an educated society. We have to change the ways of approaching the word education. There is a lot of room to improve and to work upon and may be in that process we may have to compromise at some stage of our life. And believe me that compromise will work as a seed which will result in fruitful tree to coming generations.
   
2. Judiciary: This is another vital institution without which not only democracy can work but no nation can progress even an inch. Judiciary doesn’t mean a set of courts or law only. It is trust that a common man has in system of which he considers himself as a part of. It is that part of system which gives the power to a common man. The power which actually makes him to feel the freedom. The power which actually makes him intrepid of any evil thing. The power which actually makes him more responsible because it is well-said by some one with great power you have the great responsibility. And adding further, the power which actually makes him to love his country. Unfortunately, the people of Pakistan never realized the power of this power but it is well said by William Shakespeare that there is never too late. I hope this current wave of struggle will make every Pakistani more proud, more responsible and more powerful.
   

• I’ll continue this article in its second part but before that I would like you to comment on this. What you think of this?
  

Living without Brains March 3, 2008

After my visa for India was denied for second time I was quite disheartened. I decided to spend my rest of vacations in my home town, ghotki. Even though I have spent 12 years of my life over there that makes 60% of my total lifetime but this time I decided to live or see ghotki in different way, the way I never seen it before. This time I left my principles and my brain at home; so therefore no science, no psychology and no technology as well. Another thing, I promised to do was “I wouldn’t read anything.” and plus “I wouldn’t think about the time or the next moment.” That also means no books and not even newspaper; Even though it seemed impossible for me. Writing this blog on the last day of trip isn’t my intention at all but I just can’t curb myself. Though I haven’t broken my promise yet as it was for “Reading” not for “Writing” so I can write what ever I can. J

It was like living in a way that I had never experimented nor experienced before. Otherwise in those 12 years, all I used to do was computers, studies and friends. I wasn’t allowed to go out late in night nor visiting the farther places as environment isn’t as safe as it used to be in Karachi or in metro cities. Ghotki is a small town which is second most revenue generating district of the state after Karachi. People are quite business minded. Women have quite independence comparing other towns; they can go out for shopping on their own as there is a huge “ladies market”. It is also full of Hindus which ultimately gives more religious independence.

Now coming to a week long journey, I noticed something in that journey which I never did before. It may be because that living in metro city for last two years I have seen the different faces of life, some were stressful, some were sad and some wicked. But what I haven’t seen there is the true happiness and consensus with what they have. Everyone there, used to rush here or there to fulfill some materialistic desires for which even they know that this game is not going to end anywhere.

Coming to a common Ghotkian, the thing I loved most about the people there was they don’t know what time is; they really don’t care how we are spending the time; they just live the day as it comes. Wow. I wish I could have that tension free and un-materialistic life (though not even spiritual). Simple, decent, loveable and most importantly happy is what describes them the best. Someone said it right “Success is best described by how much happy and satisfied you are from your life.” And that’s why I call those people successful in their life.

An incident which I’ll never forget in my life was that three people were setting side-by-side in corner of a very narrow street enjoying the warmness of fire on very cold evening. They were discussing the current world affairs; while discussing everyone agreed whatever the other person says even though none was right. They made their own statistics figures and surprisingly even history. But in last, after spending the hours which even I didn’t notice; they were all happy and ready to live another day. What they’ll do? Even they didn’t know nor do they care about. I personally learnt a lot from that incident.

It isn’t the story of three people but it is the story of every common man living there.

Another place which I loved most and hadn’t seen before was Chana ki chae (tea). It was dhabha and very famous tea spot at national highway, 5 kms from Ghotki city. On other side, it was surrounded by green, beautiful and long farms, birds were sitting on the farms and farmers trying to keep them away, indeed every picture was a story itself; The story of nature. Me with my few friends used to go there daily in morning and spent hours and hours, indifferent to time, enjoying the cold weather with sunny sunshine and even sometimes cloudy.  I don’t like tea but as I said I kept my brain at home so therefore no rules. Those who know me, may be wouldn’t believe that I, Avinash Bhojwani, used to took 4 cups of tea in space of few hours but it is true. People coming there sit and discuss different things from politics to business with different point of views but the best thing was they discuss, they laugh and they leave with all those standpoints there. They never take home anything to think about; so next day, same people, same topics, same views and same life and yeah same tea. I was feeling that they aren’t revolving around life but they make life to dance around them and may be that is the secret behind their happiness. Surprisingly, most of the people coming there even didn’t have watch. And I was thinking why they should have.

I was thinking what they want from their life? What they used to dream? I still don’t have the exact answer but it could be they want to see themselves riding a bike or it can be they want a tractor so that their life becomes easy as most of the people coming there were farmers or the same as mine that their children going to school to educate society.

Then a sudden thought came in my mind that even they are human beings like me. When they are so happy even after not having a inch of what I have then why shouldn’t I be? My disheartened mood faded away and sudden real smile emerged. These vacations were the happiest and funniest that I ever had. It may be because I even didn’t see my watch for whole week. But I know I have to put it back on my wrist soon.

-This article was written a day before i got the visa. May be the God gifted me the visa on understanding his laws of nature.