Hindustan Times
A salute to our new leaders — our children
Why do celebrations mean noise? What is this need in the urban Indian that makes him want to show that he’s having a good time? Can a good time be had in silence?
These are questions I asked myself when I saw grown ups in a crude competition to burst the noisiest firecrackers. And while I was delighted to see that children were not active participants in this vulgar display of burning money, it was disappointing to see adults behave like, well, adults.
Diwali is a festival that apart from celebrating the return of Rama and Sita from exile after vanquishing Ravana, invites Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. Is she deaf? Or is that the loudest crackers will attract her faster and get her to pour her bounty? Finally, will her abundance dry up?
I think not. And if you do, you’re not a true believer.
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I salute the children who displayed a strong leadership in controlling the urge to merge with adults and pollute cities. We have much to learn from them, as this piece suggests:
“This Diwali, I saw a new wave of leaders rising. From the depths of a dark past, it rose and lit up a present whose beam shows a secure future. This leadership neither carries nor needs a designation. It doesn’t have an organisation in the traditional sense of the word. It doesn’t even know it leads. But in the relatively silent Diwali 2009 lies a future that has already happened — the leadership of India 2020 is in small but safe hands.
“Corporate India with all its size, wealth, jargon and management theories, courses and gurus can learn much from these children whose spontaneity carries a force that many leaders of today would give their bonuses to get. In its need-of-the-hour, spur-of-the-moment simplicity, our children are unknowingly directing us towards not merely an ideal world but a new leadership.
“The idea of not bursting crackers and avoiding pollution — noise and smoke — is a positive but difficult rebellion of school-going children against popular norms, prevalent culture. Celebrating Diwali, they have realised, is no longer about burning money. It can be done by lighting lamps, giving charity. It is the harmonious mutiny of the next generation comprising my daughter, nephew, niece and their classmates, who said: “No crackers for us.”
“They did not have to convince or coerce their friends into their belief system. That has been evolving for the past two years. This is a leadership that has germinated from the raw power of an idea that has drawn followers by its compelling logic and emotive appeal from ground up. It displays a rare and unexpected mass-scale concern for society and the environment, an experiment of a generation that is going to take up India’s leadership in the next decade. A generation that is already looking generations ahead.”
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Loading ...Posted by Gautam Chikermane on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Filed under Research · Tagged celebrations, children, crackers, diwali, environment, generation, hindustantimes, India, Lakshmi, leadership, news, pollution
Your Article reminded me of a day more than 20 years back when I was a child myself. Being the better in the society, diwali was a festival of show for my family. My younger and me had the most crackers among our friends. And our parents never said No to a cracker. But in those good old days of Doordarshan, we as children saw a documentry on how child labour was being used and exploited in fire cracker factories. The picture of a child covered in silver gun powder, pain my little hearts. My younger brother wept, he was just 7 year old then. And told our parents, that he wouldnt light a cracker again. The entire followed suite. Truely, as adults we talk big talks. But as children my take steps, even if they are small.
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Gautam Chikermane Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
shasha: as children we take smaller steps, but those, I believe, are spontaneous and more honest steps. They are the steps driven more by instincts and emotions than by the mind that has the power to justify just about anything.
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Now, now, now, let’s not be intolerant about our stands, however legitimate and logical they may be. It’s a sure path to the kind of self-righteousness which organisations like the CPM practise, even while steeped in corruption themselves as is coming out lately.
“And if you do, you’re not a true believer”. While Diwali is certainly a religious event in its origins, the bursting of crackers may not have a religious grounding, so why rake up the believer/non-believer debate in this context?
“…children were not active participants in this…”. Well, many were. So do we now come to criticising our little ones for trying to have a good time once in a while, free of all worries about school exams, tuitions, sports classes, etc. etc. for once?
I’ve a close relative who suffers from asthma, and I’m aware of the perils of Diwali day. In fact, two of my nieces have forsaken crackers for some years due to this, and I sure support that. I myself dislike excessive noise & smoke inducing crackers, and say so. But that doesn’t mean that I’ll have to play a spoilsport for all children. While one can argue about the need for moderation in this (which I’d strongly support), I feel we shouldn’t get political correctness get the better of us at all junctures and feel compelled to spout holier than thou sermons about all and sundry.
JL Nehru (reputedly in parliament): While I disagree with you, I’ll protect to my last breath your right to disagree with me.
A proverb: The problem with the world is that intelligent people are full of doubts, while fools are *c*o*c*k sure.
[Reply]
Gautam Chikermane Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Deb: I like your argument, but disagree with your conclusions.
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