Quick mantras for the moment

The millennium arrived amidst enough fuss and hoopla to last for the next thousand years. Yet, if we were to look back at how the world, gen...

The millennium arrived amidst enough fuss and hoopla to last for the next thousand years. Yet, if we were to look back at how the world, generally, and India, specifically, progressed over the last 1096 days, we are left with a sinking feeling.

If this is the direction in which we is heading, one can only wonder about what the future has in store for us. So far, the dreams we have cherished are as yet elusive. We thought we had it in us to gift a better tomorrow to the coming generation. But, today, scepticism crowns that project.

So what can we, as little people, do to make a fresh beginning? For starters, let us not be carried away by the irresponsible statements made by those who wish to come to power quickly, and work towards ensuring peace and security in our own lives. To achieve this, religious tolerance should be the first and foremost mantra of every community. If we are to truly put Godhra and its aftermath behind us, let us ensure that such events never occur again.

Second, since the very existence of the nation-state is in jeopardy, let us join hands to strengthen it as it negotiates its way through these globalising times and tries to enhance the quality of life of all its citizens. The days of believing in the maxim 8216;ignorance is bliss8217; are over.

No nation can progress if it teaches fiction and myth as history, if astrology takes precedence over astronomy and the world of obscurantism overtakes higher learning. The world, today, is just a click away. The IT revolution has pushed India to the forefront. But we still cannot shake away the contradictions that beset us, including the big one of nuclear tests taking place in a country where one lakh habitations lack water.

Third, we have to get our priorities right. Gandhi said 8216;there is enough for everyone8217;s need but not enough for everyone8217;s greed8217;. Our greed has left forests barren. It has resulted in many species becoming extinct and weather patterns being dramatically altered. Pollution, global warming and melting ice caps are some of the burdens we will pass on to our children. We then need to take measures to do right by the natural world.

Times are changing and so are we. This is only to be expected because change is the law of life. But can we try to change for the better? That, to me, is the biggest challenge facing us as we rush headlong into a new year. Perhaps, too, we need to remember an ancient expression at this present moment: Vasudeva kutumbam 8212; the world is a family.