Before I could share the photos of my epic journey, journalism caught me off guard.
Scanning through the stories of the day (the journalist in me refuses to sit idle), I spotted something which forced me to leave whatever I was doing, turn on my laptop, and share this weirdness with all of you. Some of you may find it funny (not funny ha ha but funny peculiar), but it may ignite anger in most of you.
Every year, during the month of Savan (from the Indian calendar), people with strong religious faith, travel for miles to pray to Lord Shiva. These travellers are called Kanwaria (read more about them here) and this journey is called Kawar Yatra.
Years ago, these people were real devotees of Shiva and would travel on foot. They were simple, mostly rural people. Over the years, the trend changed. Now, convoys of vehicles with loud music, drunk and rowdy boys, dancing and shouting, is a common sight. Their indulgence in activities of vandalism, scuffle and violence with common commuters is reported every year.
Overlooking safety of every citizen, the Chief Minister of north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath decided to use choppers to shower these kawaria with flowers. That's not all, the state government will also use helicopters, drones and close-circuit-TV cameras to monitor the Kawar Yatra (their journey). The government servants will form Whatsapp groups to exchange information. There will be watch-towers set up. The paraphernalia is set to get huge amount of tax-payers' (you and me) money wasted in glorifying the ritual, which, today, is followed by very few genuinely religious people but mostly by the followers of the saffron brigade.
Think of this - so far, the government was not bothered about the rickety electrical system, but now they plan to change the hundred-year-old wiring, at least on that route which the kawaria will take. No one ever bothered to check the quality of food available at roadside dhabas, but now the government servants will check the food quality. The roadways bus drivers are notorious for drinking and driving at rampant speed (they know that if there is an accident, no action will be taken against them because they are part of the corrupt system). But now the roadways department will ensure that at least during the Kawar Yatra, these drives are not drinking and not driving at high speed either.
If this doesn't make you ponder over government's lopsided priorities, here is more. The government employees have been asked to use social media to educate Kawaria about dos and don'ts (as if this will discipline them!). The government is even working on a mobile app which is geo-mapping all shops, medical stores etc on google, to track the Yatra and ensure that the kawaria do not face any problem.
I was just wondering if the government had thought of paying even half attention to improving law and order, women safety, bringing down maternal deaths, infant deaths, upgrading the medical care of senior citizens, improving the quality of education (the list is endless), it would have done much favour to the state and its residents, than by spending recklessly on a religious ritual.
Lastly, the measures government is ready to take for a smooth Kawar Yatra, shouldn't these be taken in a routine way to benefit every citizen who has the right to get those services (of course, except showing flowers using helicopters!)
I am baffled! What about you?
Scanning through the stories of the day (the journalist in me refuses to sit idle), I spotted something which forced me to leave whatever I was doing, turn on my laptop, and share this weirdness with all of you. Some of you may find it funny (not funny ha ha but funny peculiar), but it may ignite anger in most of you.
Every year, during the month of Savan (from the Indian calendar), people with strong religious faith, travel for miles to pray to Lord Shiva. These travellers are called Kanwaria (read more about them here) and this journey is called Kawar Yatra.
Years ago, these people were real devotees of Shiva and would travel on foot. They were simple, mostly rural people. Over the years, the trend changed. Now, convoys of vehicles with loud music, drunk and rowdy boys, dancing and shouting, is a common sight. Their indulgence in activities of vandalism, scuffle and violence with common commuters is reported every year.
Overlooking safety of every citizen, the Chief Minister of north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath decided to use choppers to shower these kawaria with flowers. That's not all, the state government will also use helicopters, drones and close-circuit-TV cameras to monitor the Kawar Yatra (their journey). The government servants will form Whatsapp groups to exchange information. There will be watch-towers set up. The paraphernalia is set to get huge amount of tax-payers' (you and me) money wasted in glorifying the ritual, which, today, is followed by very few genuinely religious people but mostly by the followers of the saffron brigade.
Think of this - so far, the government was not bothered about the rickety electrical system, but now they plan to change the hundred-year-old wiring, at least on that route which the kawaria will take. No one ever bothered to check the quality of food available at roadside dhabas, but now the government servants will check the food quality. The roadways bus drivers are notorious for drinking and driving at rampant speed (they know that if there is an accident, no action will be taken against them because they are part of the corrupt system). But now the roadways department will ensure that at least during the Kawar Yatra, these drives are not drinking and not driving at high speed either.
If this doesn't make you ponder over government's lopsided priorities, here is more. The government employees have been asked to use social media to educate Kawaria about dos and don'ts (as if this will discipline them!). The government is even working on a mobile app which is geo-mapping all shops, medical stores etc on google, to track the Yatra and ensure that the kawaria do not face any problem.
I was just wondering if the government had thought of paying even half attention to improving law and order, women safety, bringing down maternal deaths, infant deaths, upgrading the medical care of senior citizens, improving the quality of education (the list is endless), it would have done much favour to the state and its residents, than by spending recklessly on a religious ritual.
Lastly, the measures government is ready to take for a smooth Kawar Yatra, shouldn't these be taken in a routine way to benefit every citizen who has the right to get those services (of course, except showing flowers using helicopters!)
I am baffled! What about you?
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