My Mind....

We all know the high spirit of mumbai and the culture that has helped Mumbai go through its difficult and bad days. These bad days of floods, riots, bomb blasts etc are always fresh in our minds. the way the city comes together and works selflessly for the wellbeing of fellow citizens. But why do we also have a history of riots, religion biases, and other disturbing factors n our society??? Or is it that we always need a bad event to get the good out of us??? or a inhuman event to get the Human out of us?? Why do we need a flood to get Hindus and Muslims come together and help the people?? Why do we need the blood from the riot victims to make people ashamed of their acts?? Or is it the age factor that we love to Cure rather that to Prevent??

The answer is probably hidden deep in our society and our culture. We in India don't like to discuss topics which might hurt now, but might help clear the differences and misunderstandings. We don't like to watch movies which show the truth, how hard it might be. We hate to add such events in our history text books with the fear of another unthoughtful reaction from the people. Why do we love to stay in a state of Illusions or rather to be frank, why do we always prefer to keep the Hard truth away and the sweet and happy illusions near?? We all talk about India becoming a Super power, fastest growing economy, etc etc....but is our internal frame structure of Beliefs and Religions capable enough to adopt to the changing needs of this advance growing world economy??? We still have riots being purposely planned and worked out, just for few amount of money. We still have Government being least interested about the future and very much interested in increasing their revenue balance. Its not that we don't know all this, but the fact is that we just like anyone else prefer to ignore it. We think that these issues affect us the least where the fast is that they really affect us a lot. When we pay our taxes, its our responsibility to see to it that our efforts and our hard earned money is being utilized properly.

Thats only the money aspect. What about the atmosphere or rather the social culture? These days there is a lot of hype about the kissing and about the couples sitting at Bandstand,etc. I agree that its not good for the couples to sit in a obscene manner, but then why not have a lovers park or garden exclusively for couples?? So many countries have lovers park, why cant we? Its only a matter of we respecting them and giving them the privacy or rather the right atmosphere needed.

During this controversy, any senior citizens were talking about our Indian culture and traditions. We all are proud of our culture, but also we should understand that there should be few changes in the beliefs and thinking of the society. I think that Mumbai is not at all safe for women. Just stand on the railway platform and see the way men traveling in train tease or pass vulgar comments on the girls or women standing on the platform.Is this our culture? A women who has consensual sex with her husband is given all the respect and dignity in our society and a women who is raped, is looked with awe and disrespect! IS this our culture? When we talk about our culture, we hide what is wrong in it, and only emphasis on what is good.Why? Why can't we talk about and discuss that faults and drawbacks of our society? Why do we hate to watch movies which bring in the hard truth about our society and its practices? Or is it that we like to stay in a illusive atmosphere where everything seems to be so nice and happy!

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