Walk on the life’s path
With resolution’s torch
Bring sunlight
To remove the haziness
To split the darkness
Don’t leave anything unresolved
Don’t let anything unvoiced….
As I sit to pen down my thoughts, I try to listen those all whispers that echo within me or I can say that these haunting whispers force me to sit and pen down even though at times I try not to voice through lexis. The soft voice than starts knocking on the door of my heart, day and night, commending me to give expression to the unspoken, to shed light on the societal ills that plague us, hurt us, are the hurdle in holistic growth.
Folks often perceive my writings as a personal catharsis, a therapeutic release of emotions, and some have even dared to say it directly to me. But I see these writings as an awakening call to wake up our conscience; a light on the dark recesses of our collective psyche as society. I generally seek to probe the very frame of our society, to expose the loopholes that disseminate inequality and injustice.
A tiny, soft voice within me has been growing louder, refusing to be silenced from past few months. It kept asking the questions that we often shy away from what our heart and mind wish to speak about. Why do we discriminate at every turn? Why do we reserve our respect for those in positions of power, neglecting the inherent worth of every individual? What kind of education we have gained if we discriminate and disrespect?
In a conversation with a poet of unparalleled prowess from Punjab, I came to know about the cruel irony of fate how he has suffered throughout his life, the discrimination at various levels. Despite an incredible range of around two hundred books into his credit as an author and poet, this literary luminary remains sidelined, denied the recognition, he deserves from the Punjab government and literary associations of Punjab though he has been widely acknowledged by global literary societies.
While delving deeper into the poet’s journey, I discovered a disturbing trend, a prejudiced mindset that elevates more the mighty and the powerful, while neglecting the true visionaries, people who labour behind the curtain. It is a curious phenomenon, wherein IAS officers, politicians, and government officials are lionized with awards and accolades, often for accomplishments that are wishy-washy and pale in many ways, in comparison to the poet’s remarkable body of work, he did throughout his life, many around us keep on doing but with no recognition.
This glaring disparity prompted me to pose the questions that have haunted me for a long time. Why those who are already privileged are given more opportunities of recognitions and respect than those who are capable but less privileged? Why can’t we think beyond the confines of convention and honor the unsung heroes, the poets, artists, and thinkers who enrich our world with their creativity and wisdom?
While watching a poignant narrative, “Thukra Ke Mera Pyar”, a Disney Hotstar series, I also confronted with the same kind of harsh realities beset by the toxic triumvirate of caste, class, and power. The tale revolves around a young boy from a humble background, who is pitilessly deceived by a girl from a higher social stratum, leaving his family to suffer the slings of outrageous fortune.
I pondered over the drama as the protagonist negotiates the traitorous and two-faced backcloth of social hierarchy, he becomes determined to take revenge and reclaim his dignity by ascending to the pinnacle of power, the sought-after position of an IAS officer. It raised a reflective question in my mind: why must one be compelled to seek power and position to merely assert their inherent worth and deserve respect in society?
Another incident I would like to put forth about the hallowed halls of academia, a tale of negligence. A journalist friend, told me how he was tasked with imparting wisdom to fledgling scribes, the students of the undergraduate course of Journalism and Mass Communication as a guest faculty; how he had to exert extra to complete the syllabi of whole year within ten days like any crash course hence no professor came to their class in the whole academic session he started teaching them.
A esteemed government university, a temple of knowledge for students who come from far rural areas to get good education there, there they face blatant reality in contrast. The reason? A gaping void left by the absence of their government professors, who, like phantom figures, failed to materialize the teaching-learning process throughout the year, yet enjoying big fat salaries and all other benefits provided by government to such high profile government employees.
Ah! More than a personal experience of a friend, I call it a generalization. Since I, breathing as a trivial creature, have also seen such white elephants in the society throughout my life. Folks just do hard work till they get a government job in India, what about their responsibilities after getting the job? The job is giving you everything, position, power, wealth and honors, moreover a comfortable life, a right to suppress others and disrespect and discriminate but what do you give in return, can’t even justify your role and responsibility that is assigned to you.
This is the cruel paradox: positions of power, wealth, and accolades are coveted; yet the responsibility to serve, to nurture young minds, is callously discarded. The burden falls upon such unsung heroes, the daily wage laborers of academia, who toil in obscurity, their contributions downgraded to the shadows at the end, and they are meant to disappear. Their sweat and toil will ultimately remain unacknowledged, unrewarded. The credit, like a will-o’-the-wisp, vanishes into the ether, leaving behind only the faint scent of neglect, hopelessness and disillusionment. The harsh reality is that they are just daily wage laborers, not first class officers. Their respect and hard work both don’t matter.
The stark economic, social, caste and status related disparities that pervade our society are blight on our collective humanity. The entrenched mindset of people, perpetuated by centuries of systemic oppression, seems impervious to change. And yet, we must persist in our quest for a more equitable society, where every individual is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their caste, class, or creed. The transformation of our collective consciousness is a daunting task, but one that is essential for our society.
Mahatma Gandhi has said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” It is time for us to shatter the shackles of societal norms and expectations, to embrace our true selves and respect the diversity that surrounds us.
We should join hands to create a world where every voice is heard, where every individual is valued and respected. For, as the 13th century mystic poet Rumi so eloquently puts it, “Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.”
Dr. Shalini Yadav is a Professor, Writer, sand Columnist from Jaipur, Rajasthan.
