Indian Roads again and the Public Transport Experience

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Not that I had not been using public transport during my busy career days as a SW educator, and later, as the HoI of a leading HEI of Keralam. But occasions were very limited, and it was Keralam. Now back to UP after 3 decades, I am observing with interest what the public transport experience of this enormously huge state. In less than 1 year I already had three long rides. 

Bus services in general have improved a great deal. The buses, the seats, the frequency, parallel services etc are much better. The roads definitely are - with the added national highways and expressways and the improved state highways.

In western & central UP, we have buses of UP roadways, Uttarakhand Parivahan Nigam, Delhi Transport Corporation, and not so infrequent Haryana, Punjab, Himachal & Rajasthan transport corporations. 

After the CMI gathering at  Coimbatore on our responses to our Common Home (where we discussed use of Public Transport as an indicator of our committment to our Common Home), I get a ride to Kochi airport as my good friend was travelling in the direction by the official Innova car. The odd 160 kms are covered in 3 hours & 15 mts. My attempt at online check-in with Air India is somehow converted into a Digi yatra in spite of not having the required app. That makes the various entry points at the airport easier. 

The flight takes off 15 mts late, but does a smooth landing at 11.50 pm 15 mts ahead of schedule. It takes half an hour to get out and almost 12.40 when I am finally ready to get to ISBT Kashmiri Gate. The prepaid taxi requires Ra 2500. An Uber biker induces me for a bike ride  and shows the Uber bid of Rs 460. It's a tough ride of around 45 minutes, and the last leg requires my assistance with waze support. He has managed to trick the arch Trickster like Uber while getting the benefits of the Uber label to get his due. I have no quarrel. 

It's past 1.50 am. And I find no direct services to Bijnor direction. My past experience of 1980s prompts me to take the Haridwar bus ready to move. It takes off at 2 am. The driver is very accommodating - he stops by a pan shop where one of the apparently inebriated young riders can get some bidi. The privileged seat across from the driver is given to another 2 so that they could have their fag while the bus is in motion. Apparently, a gracious gesture meant not to cause disturbance to fellow riders! 

The other bunch is making boisterous comments ranging from Har Har gange to Modi zindabad (more in a sense of disapproval than respect), feeling hungry etc. Finally forcing the conductor to warn him, and eventually show him the door forcefully. Fortunately, it ended there. No violence. I resigned to putting up with the smoking. Didn't just feel like challenging.  Halfway, I find an empty three-seater and managed to stretch on it till Haridwar. We are there by 5.50 am. I get a bus to Najibabad without delay, salute ganga mayya from the bus, and notice the drastic changes brought about on the tarmac patch running through the forest and farmlands. Just 15 kms before Najibabad, they stop for breakfast and I manage to get down at the Bijnor mode, just about 300 mts. From the ashram. It is some 300 kms and the cost is Rs 460.

Evening, I plan to board any bus going in the direction of Lucknow to reach Sitapur early morning. Fr Vijay takes initiative to arrange for a seat I  teh Lucknow bus from Haridwar with a driver Madan, a catholic, who drives the roadways on that route. I wait at the bus stop from 5.10. I get a call from the conductor Neeraj that they are not far away. It arrives at 5.25, I board and get the most comfortable seat with free space to stretch my leg - the double seat behind the first seat across from the driver. The google map indicates it is 395 kms. The ticket is for Rs 645. But the bus is not moving - a family comes out with an old man who needs to empty his bowels. He needs the support of his aging wife to accomplish it, and wash himself clean? Right in front of everyone - and all are putting up with it with no murmur.  The old man appears unconcerned about anything other than taking his next wavering step and be back on the bus. That duly accomplished, the bus moves and leaves Najibabad township only to turn in the opposite direction and stop for another 20 minutes for tea and snacks. These dhabas have greatly improved, with tolerably clean toilet facilities, snacks and typical North Indian food. I feel least attracted to any of the items including the kulhad tea. The noticeable addition is the welcoming announcement regarding the food with the warning that the bus will now go nonstop. 

The bus proceeds further and a very heavy rain lashes out at it, making the ride cool, but visibility minimal. The wipers are not functioning, both the driver & conductor make some effort to clean the glass. By now we are at Dhampur and they locate a small workshop, get a screwdriver, do some maneuvering to get them work. This is very unlike our KSRTC where the duo would have happily called off the trip,  calling up the office, and leaving the riders to fend for themselves, except for the support in putting them up on the next bus. Another 20 mts! And the rain is also gone. 

2 hours gone it has covered just about 30 kms. And from the target of 12.05 waze indicates now 1.24 am!  The bus moves on away from the expressway, and we are confronted with loud wailing from behind - I guess it is from a child who is looking for her dad gone out and not returned; but the wailing is persistent, the child appears inconsolable, while she babbles about the 'baba', and there is some effort by the fellow passengers to put her at ease. We realise that the senior person who had the problem with his bowels has now reached his destination - not the planned Lucknow hospital, but the ultimate one! That was why the young woman, presumably his daughter, was inconsolable. Now this has to be tackled. Another 10 kms or so, the bus stops by Kaanth Thaana in Muradabad, and another hour, police reporting is done, now the family is at peace, and the trip resumes.  All are at their ease and pace.  And the baba is made comfortable on his seat by his wife. At rare intervals, the muffled cries of the daughter emerge. At Rampur, the conductor tries to comfort the family by bringing some tea for them. I am at a loss as to what I could do to make things better.  I say a small silent prayer. 

There is another break for 15 mts. The bus has blocked off cars parked in the bus yard unauthorised.. They ask to adjust the bus so that they could go. There is no big argument - the driver comes back and adjusts the bus so that the unauthorised vehicles could get away without trouble. 

10.40 pm. It's now 5 hours of the trip. And we have covered just about 170 kms. The last stretch from Dhampur seemed to have been mainly through a forest patch. Now, we are on the expressway which means no humps, no red lights and greater speed. And the waze indicates the target time as 2.20 am. But I observe that even on the best stretches, the bus does not exceed 80 km. The conductor explains that the speed is limited by default. 

I doze off for a good 2 hours and find the suave driver unfamiliar to this route struggling to turn the vehicle back, having missed Shajahanpur. He has to trace back another 3 kilometres to find the stop. 

Now finally, the conductor Mr  Neeraj is at peace. He relaxes into the front seat parallel to the driver's seat and enjoys a fag. I am in no mood for arguments or adjustments. He gives the plan for the babaji for whom his people would arrive at a pre-determined spot.  

Contrasting Employee Responses: A family wants to get down at a convenient location before the Migelganj station - he facilitates that. It's late night. The family is made comfortable. That is in sharp contrast with Kerala conductors who work to rule in 'their best interests' - exceptions notwithstanding. I began this trip with a ride in a packed FP bus to Muvattupuzha from Karingachira. I had to get down at a convenient location to move to the private bus stand. When I told this to the young lady conductor she admonished me - oh you should have gotten down there and got into a private bus. (My all-grey [white] beard, apparently does not yet cut a venerable old figure with people it seems - at least no one shows the sympathy one ought to get at 60 of being a senior citizen.) The bus had just left the stop. She could very well have stopped the bus once again. I thought the bus would stop at the next junction, from where we could get a bus or an auto. But no! Then some youngsters pulled the bell string and the bus halted. I was about to get out, and then there was an argument between them and the conductor, and the bus moved on, and with my age and baggage, I didn't want to run the risk. A fierce argument erupted between the two parties and by then the bus reached the bus stand. I slipped out quietly while the argument continued. 

Here, I find the conductor directing the bus for a detour just to help the people of the Babaji (he was sporting a Gheruva dhoti & shirt, and was sporting long hair and a beard) to receive him into the awaiting tractor with ease. That is done. And that is the farewell trip. The driver had turned off the music after the news of his death by way of showing respect to the departed fellow traveller and his family. 

Contrast: At Muvattupuzha bus stand, the auto wallah asked Rs.60 for the trip which would have cost me. Rs. 40 if she were to let me off earlier. I didn't haggle. On reaching, I asked the driver politely if he would have change for Rs 40. He reacts rather fiercely arguing that it was Rs 60. I said peaceably that I did not ask for any less! Here in Sitapur, I cover a much longer distance by e-rickshaw and I pay Rs 50 happily for me and him, that too at midnight. What does that speak of? Standard of living or coat of living or organised labour power?  (However, the e-rickshaw ride along the bumpy 4 km track was really back-breaking! Unless you adjust yourself according to the bumps, you are bound to have the impact on your vertebral column without fail! I feared if the driver was being vindictive in some fashion.  Perhaps, the driver seat does not get the impact as would the passenger).

It's 3 am. In less than 48 hours, I have covered the Indian roads of Keralam, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, UP and UK in an Innova car, on a taxi bike, on Kerala SRTC, UP & UK buses, on foot, on a scooter and on an e-rickshaw. Altogether over 1000 kilometres - enjoying the rain and the changing landscape - generally green all over thanks to the monsoons, witnessing the haughty organisational power of labour in God's own country making it Dogs' own country (literally), the accommodative ownership of the state buses by its employees in North India, which help them to run on profit, and bidding farewell to a fellow traveller who just went thus 'tathagata:' 

I am still to come to terms with the bindas UP style where anywhere any road is a 'road to freedom' for them - oneway easily overcome by anybody charging in the opposite direction and the rest of the crowd accommodating that, barring the exceptional bad mouthing or cursing from those who think themselves to be 'trafficly sophisticated'.  The culture perhaps makes it God's own land for them! 

Raksha bandhan - Celebrating sisterhood - brotherhood - family

Rakshabandhan

As we celebrate this day, and I get a day free from office, I thought I would pen down my random thoughts for the day. 

The last day of the sacred month of Sravan (the fourth month) is celebrated as Raksha Bandhan in the Northern part of India. The most popular ritual is that of the sister tying a raksha - raakhi (an amulet or a talisman) around the right wrist of the brother. My coworkers tell me that usually this is done in the afternoon around 1.30 pm as that is considered auspicious for the same (I do a google search to find that the most auspicous time is between 1.43 pm and 4.20 pm for this year!).  The amulet is supposed to ward off evil and protect (raksha) the brother, while the tying of rakhi would imply the assurance of protection of the sister by the brother. Though there are well-known instances in history where Indian queens have sought such protection from more powerful male rulers of the region, essentially, this is a family festival and explicitly promotes the bond between siblings. 

There is an Indian tradition which speaks about the real scholar (naturally, a male!) based on his perception - perhaps education should lead to that stature. Of the three aspects, the first is 'maatruvat para daareshu' - the ability to see women who are not in immediate kinship as 'mother'.  This festival inspires me to tweak it to consider them as one's sister - though, not an easy task.  But achieving that status you are a learned person - pandita:! Another attribute for the enlightenend learner/scholar is the ability to perceive 'every being as oneself' (aatmavat sarva bhooteshu).  This appears to go along with the great statements (mahaavaakya) of Vedaanta - aham brahmasmi (Brihdaarnyaka Upanishad) and tattvam asi (Chandogya Upanishad)! If education leads to the ability (competency) of recognizing oneself as a God-presence and the other as the reflection of the same, treating everyone as if one would have treated oneself (as taught by Jesus, Luke 6:31), then the world would be Kingdom of God or Raamraajya. 

In today's world where in spite of all the big talk about the equality of genders, everyday atrocities against women are reported, such celebrations should go beyond the rituals to a collective resolve of ensuring protection for the more vulnerable sections of the family and the society, without making that a pretext for subjugation.  Even today, the Manu Code (9:3), often taken literally is the norm: 

पिता रक्षति कौमारे भर्ता रक्षति यौवने ।
रक्षन्ति स्थविरे पुत्रा न स्त्री स्वातन्त्र्यमर्हति ॥ ३ ॥

pitā rakṣati kaumāre bhartā rakṣati yauvane | rakṣanti sthavire putrā na strī svātantryamarhati || 3 ||

The other Manu statement on women, is often twisted to ritualistic sanctification which would further curtail the freedom of women. 'yatra naaryastu poojyante ramante tatra devataa: (यत्र नार्यस्तु पूज्यन्ते रमन्ते तत्र देवताः 3:56).  This calls for honouring and treating the women well. 

Unfortunately, this noble culture of protection gets confined to the homes, and at times takes a virulent form of over-protection, where the women are denied their rights to choose their lifestyle, profession or means of livelihood, life partner etc.  The changed contexts are not applied when it comes to the status of the more vulnerable of the society - it could be women, it could be those who belong to the lower rungs in the caste hierarchy. 

Selective Rage

The festival is happening against the backdrop of the raging anger against the cruel rape and murder of a senior medical intern at RG Kar Medical College, Kolkotta on August 9, 2024 night. The anger just doesn't subside and it is spreading, apparently in an organised manner. Understandable. However, I am really surprised that a similar incident where a young nurse working in a hospital in Uttarakhand was reported missing on July 31st and her body was found on August 8th in Bilaspur, UP and the perpetrator of the crime is said to have been identified and arrested on August 13th.  There isn't heard a whimper of a protest or there hardly is any rage about this woman's rape and murder. There is hardly any problem with any governments by anyone since the finding of the body on 8th and the arrest of the alleged rapist murderer on the 13th. Today, the newspaper reports the gang rape of a minor in Dehradun, the girl is alive and apparently with the Child Welfare Committee of the state. Yes, the gang is identified and those involved are arrested. 

I am unable to distinguish between this selective rage spreading over the entire nation over one elite victim, and hardly any mention or even reporting on similar incidents happening in other states - especially in UK and UP.  Or does it have something more than mere empathetic rage for the victim? Or is it because it has happened in the assumed safety of an institution - or a hospital (which have become soft targets for violence against health professionals)?

Right to Safety, Security and Protection - for Women and for Everyone, Everywhere

Today's newspaper also reports the attack of an AI stewardess in her hotel in London - indicating that the issue of women's vulnerability and need for protection is not a matter confined to India.  I recall instances of preying on women leading to rape and murder reported in the US last month. 

Protection of the life of everyone is the need and the right. A state can claim that it is a welfare state only when this is ensured. It implies that the state is a friendly place for all and it is tested true, when the most vulnerable enjoy such protection - the women, the ageing, the physically-mentally-socially challenged, the children! Where every individual citizen is 'honoured' and 'revered' as a dignified presence as guaranteed by the constitution of India. 

An Inspiring Model 

The Catholic church celebrates St. John Eudas of 17th century France this day (August 19).  

He founded a women's society dedicated to the upliftment of women who were found to be leading a disorderly life, rescuing them back to lead a life of dignity. 

 

He lived in an era where the Church had become extremely degenerate, with the higher clergy leading an ostentatious life exploiting the commoners and even waging wars, and the ordinary clergy ill-educated to guide and inspire the faithful.  He tried to reform by establishing an order of well-educated priests who would take up educating the priests as their primary mission. 

While it is fitting to demad protection from the state as a right, St John challenges us to do our bit to make our homes, our institutions, our communities safe spaces for all! 

My Sisters

Though we don't have any such festival in the South (or at least in Keralam), I have found our sibling bonds to be rather strong - they used to be.  Now being sort of away from such circles, I am not sure whether this is still so. 

Our student Soumya of II BCA is playing sister for all of us today. A first-time rakhi experience for me. 

Today, I remember my beloved sisters with love.  The three of them elder to me had been a great support to all of us as we grew up as siblings. I remember how well they managed their studies while taking upon themselves the daily chores of our small family of 9 siblings😀😃! I have also seen them delicately balancing their professional life actively involving in the same, while managing their homefront, not leaving room for any of their children to complain of neglect. Perhaps, in doing that they set aside the possible heights they could have scaled in their careers.  But I think they have no regrets, though, at times, I do. 

I also remember my sister-cousins - good many of them - with whom even now, we all maintain very healthy and warm relationships. 

Sisters and Mothers for the World

But I remember also those sisters, hundreds of them, who have left their homes to be the sisters of everyone in the world - many of whom were my teachers or promoters, who still treat us all with motherly care - especially those sisters of the destitute who have been our sisters thanks to the schooling we all received from them. My teachers Sr Elsius, Sr Gennet, Sr Lisa, Sr Barthol (+), Sr Christa (+), our headmistresses Sr. Lucy (+), Sr Florine (+) and several others including the beloved Srs. Philamine, Josephath (Roseline), Maris, Kusumam, Beena, Geena, Chrisalda, Ann (+), John Mary (+), Eusabia, Floria (+), Rozario (+), Rosalind (+), Evlalia (+), Donald, Bertilla, ....a host of them.  All of them dedicating their lives as per the gospel of today - Mtt. 19:21 - left everything and followed Jesus, to be sisters and mothers to all the world. 

PS.  Watched the movie 8 AM Metro directed by Raj Rachakonda, where a man and woman get to know each other quite unexpectedly, developing a friendship, and in the process healing each other. Felt good watching the movie told in a very simple manner, but indicating the possibilities of healthy human relationships that lead to wholeness - human potential for intimate relationships without the nomenclatures of brother, sister, friend etc. 

www.samskritabharatiuk.org

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/manusmriti-with-the-commentary-of-medhatithi/d/doc201361.html

Women Professionals - Equality myth and Vulnerability

On the eve of Rakshabandhan Day 2024, when brotherhood and sisterhood are  promoted from within the family  to circles beyond that, to ensure protection (raksha), safety and security of the more vulnerable sex, as thus conceived and perhaps perpetrated by the society.  While brotherhood and sisterhood are worth celebrating, attaching the concept of security and protection further asserts the age-old perception of a 'weaker sex' or 'unequal sex' requiring additional protection, as opposed to the vehement stance taken by proponents of equality of sexes. 

The cruel rape and murder of a senior medical intern at Kar Medical College, Kolkotta has really traumatized citizens across the nation. While the medical fraternity and thousands of others join in the protest against the lack of security to women (and) medical professionals, there is another instance of  brutal murder of a health professional of Uttarakhand in Uttar Pradesh. 

I stand by them both, their families, and hold them before the source of all life and healing, and demand justice not only for them, but for all, as promised by our constitution. 

However, several questions well up in my mind some of them likely to be interpreted as misogynist. 

1. The issue of protection of the life of women.  Does it imply that for women there should be additional measures of protection and security? (Perhaps, this is valid for children, the elderly, the physically or mentally challenged etc. as well.)

Apparently, that is the demand from all. I have no difficulty in accepting and supporting this demand.  However, that definitely would imply that women are not all that equal with men. Equal in diginity, but not equal in capacities - they are different, with differing physiological structures and consequent roles, and at least some social roles also are derived from that which may have implications regarding their claim for equality in all domains. 

The ultra-feminist argument of equality is antithetical to the frequent demand for additional protection, reservation for getting represented etc. However, the value of equality should ensure that there is no bar for any woman to have access to any human domain, forum or office on her merit. 

2. On the other hand, the acceptance that women and men are not equal with respect to capabilities, should lead to special treatment for women - ensuring that 50% of humanity is adequately represented in all fields - flowing from the angle of the greater common good and collective human wisdom. 

3. The issue also has further stressed the need for the protection of health professionals, especially doctors who handle human lives and who are called to the duty of promoting life - there appears to be increasing violence against them in this land.  While there are instances of errors and malpractices, there are equal or more number of emotionally fuelled violence against health professionals and institutions.  There indeed needs to be much more efficient systems and procedures that the lives of the professionals responsible for protecting life are safe; while also ensuring that they function in a manner that is life-promoting, as there are evident violations on the part of the medical fraternity as well.  The latter aspect is monstrously evident in the sectors where the health professionals engage with the most vulnerable sections of the society, especially in the public sector. 

4. However, can the collective organised strength of one of the most valued professions of the country in leading a protest that imperils the lives of several thousands be justified? 

Protests, lobbying and pressurizing for apt policy may be necessary for the required results, but would depriving those thousands who are not responsible for the situation of their life in any way be justifiable? 

Would the well-knit and organised doctor fraternity-sorority thus come up if a life is lost evidently on account of the neglect on the part of one of their professional colleagues? And, there are cases galore proving the same. Would the value of the life of such victims be any the less than the present victim? 

* I am still too naive to understand the dynamics of protests when CM Mamta has shown explicit solidarity with the victim and the health professional fraternity, has initiated an inquiry, with a deadline and has also volunteered to hand over the case to the national agency if no results are obtained within the deadline.  The court has found deficiency in the functioning of the state police and has transferred the case promptly to the national agency, and I look for better results from their intervention daily but do not find the national agency accomplishing anything drastically different to make things better.  (I am neither a fan of Mr Modi or BJP, nor of Mamta or TMC; though I do admire certain aspects of their leadership. I do fear the politics of the state and the nation have entered this case in a nasty way). 

Picture - <https://www.meaningfullife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/women_and_men_Different_but_equal.jpg> Aug. 19, 2024

Bread for a Hunger-free World - July 28, 2024, XVII Sunday of the Year

I make these reflections with an FAO report (SOFI - State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World*) dated July 24 indicating India being the house to the largest under-nourished population. 194.6 million people. Under-nourishment means habitual food intake inadequate to supply energy needs for leading a normal active life. It is indicative of hunger. 

Is it possible that there will be no one going to sleep hungry? Is such a world possible?

Today, the first reading (2 Kings 4:42-44) presents to us Prophet Elisha, feeding over 100 people with the 20 loaves offered to him by a devotee.

The willingness to share and spare leads to ‘enough for all’.

The 193 world nations have agreed upon 17 goals of development with target 2030 and the second in the list is NO HUNGER, indicating the global resolve to ensure that no one is forced to go hungry to sleep.

The Psalmist assures us that God provides for the needs of all people, all creatures (Ps 145). It is that divine spirit in humans that can make it possible for human beings to have a hunger-free world.

In the letter to Ephesians (4:13), St. Paul reminds us of the call to 'bear with one another' as we are all one family in Christ. Not just bearing with, but bearing one another's burdens, and caring for one another, as when any one is deprived we are deprived as one family of God. 

Jn 6:1-15 Multiplication of the Bread

We understand that St. John had done his narration of the good news of Jesus, last in the order of the gospels, with several years of reflection and preaching having taken place by then. Hence, when St. John narrates it is not a mere narration of an incident or teaching, but with definitive Christian reflection behind it.

 

This miracle is happening against the background of the feast of Passover – commemorating the redemptive act of God, from the slavery and want of Egypt, to the possession of free promised land of abundance. When John presents this miracle of the multiplication of earthly food to thousands, there is a reminder of God’s provision of ‘enough for everyone’ – neither more nor less – of food in the forty years of their march to the promised land. There is also an indication towards the Passover of Jesus and the future spiritual food of Eucharist offered in abundance for all for the forgiveness of sins.

 

However, I would like that we dwell on some very earthy dimensions of Christian spirituality in this connection today. This very impressive miracle of feeding a large crowd of about half a dozen thousand people – assuming there were women amounting to at least one-fifth of the men present. The Lord Jesus shows a realistic approach to human concerns – the so-called basics of food, water and shelter (now we add Education and labour with dignity), while we take for granted air and earth.

 

This concern of Jesus for human needs is reflected in the prayer he taught us, where he places God as the Father providing for the needs of the family of creation. Bread is not merely indicative of food to sustain the body, but is also a symbol of human needs for psychological, spiritual and social support.

Let us look at this beautiful miracle narrative to draw inspirations for our Christian life:

1.   The Lord’s concern for the basic needs of the people. Nobody has demanded food from him.  They were following him enamoured by his healing powers, and perhaps also by his person and teachings. However, he shows his concern for the well-being of his followers, and remembers that they would need nourishment for their body. A similar concern is expressed when he heals the girl thought to be dead: ‘give her something to eat’. 

This implies a call to all of us Christians not to wait to be invited or demanded to reach out in help to those in need – having an eye for the needs of others around or even beyond us.

As disciples of Christ, let us have this concern for the people around us. Can a Christian community be at ease when there are people in their neighbourhood having no food, clothing and shelter? Yes, we used to do much in this regard, and still do. (I hear that there are over 800 soup kitchens and food pantries run by ‘Food Bank for New York City’ and ‘City Harvest’ reaching out to over a million o But can we put on Jesus’ mind and ensure that there is no hungry person around in the geographical limits of a Catholic parish?

This is an excellent area for dialogue and Christian unity, where all Christians churches in an area can collectively address this issue; and perhaps even reach out beyond.

2.   Jesus elicits participation and involvement. He invites ideas from his disciples – some of them are negative, some are positive. We find Andrew, unsure, still hoping that Jesus will find some possibilities in the five barley loaves and two fish.  And Jesus proves that hoping in him will not be in vain.  Let that be our model of trust – that our modest efforts can make a change with the Lord with us – as St. Paul would insist: I can do all things in him who strengthens me (Phil 4:13).

3.   Jesus goes about his acts – his works of goodness -  blessing God – He knows that all that we have, even our limitations and limited resources, are gifts from God, to whom we ought to turn in gratefulness. Gratefulness for the gift of life, and gifts in life, especially food. This had been a Christian tradition, which appears to be gradually disappearing. The Holy Father, in his encyclical LS (227) mentions the significance of such symbolic actions as ways of sustaining the fundamental disposition one ought to have with God – of gratitude for the daily blessings – food on our platter, and several other things we take for granted – water to drink and wash and cook, air to breathe, the soil that nourishes and supports our lives. Let us reinforce that good Christian practice of saying grace before our meals, besides cultivating the attitude of gratitude for the blessings we don’t count.

4.   It is with that small contribution of an unidentifiable young man that Jesus could satisfy the thousands. This is significant – that our modest contributions can go a long way in fulfilling the needs of millions.  This is already happening today – however, this does not suffice. If Bill Gates could dream of a computer on every desk in every home and realise that target by more than 50% in less than 3 decades; how much more can be realized if the Christian community works together to dream that no one sleeps hungry in the world. The miracle of feeding the whole world is surely possible today, provided we are willing to share our barley loaves – nay spare what we do not need, or what we waste

5.   This leads to a significant area of ‘avoiding waste’ and sparing the resources.  Jesus sets an example with another symbolic act of 12 basketfuls of leftover saved indicating the abundance of the good news to be produced by each of his disciples. To a more earthy concern: the Holy Father teaches that "Whenever food is thrown out it is as if it were stolen from the table of the poor." Not that we have to overeat lest we waste, but rather we determine our needs, and use food and other resources – it can also be water, paper, tissues, packaging, clothes, footwear, energy or any other matter of consumption.  A 21st-century Christian virtue is not being wasteful and not generating waste – rather, making an effort to moderate our consumption based on our need, rather than our greed.

6.   And finally, Jesus’ clarity regarding his mission – establishing the kingdom of God. St Paul would say: Kingdom of God is not in eating and drinking, but in justice, peace and joy in the holy spirit.  But definitely, justice and peace imply that the basic needs of all are met.  For politicians of several nations, including India, the provision of free food for the hungry is an easy route to secure vote banks. India's NITI Ayog report of 2023-24 claims that 99% of the eligible beneficiaries are covered under the Food Security Act of 2013 through schemes like antyodaya anna yojana*.  

As far as Christian spirituality is concerned, the establishment of God's reign demands a new turn in life style of Christians - a lifestyle which cares for the way in which live – we cannot say: ‘our lifestyle cannot be compromised’.  It has to be, so that the world can have enough.

7.  A very positive step in this regard had been the encyclical Laudato Si of the Holy Father as a prelude to the Paris Agreement which decided upon 17 goals for the sustainability of life on the planet.  His follow-up letter 10 years later, Laudate Deum, regrets that our Christian community the world around is yet to tune our spirituality requiring a paradigm shift in conceiving our needs and the call for justice to people across the globe and for the generations to come.

Prayer

Father in Heaven, who takes care of our daily needs, we thank you for all your gifts. Lord Jesus, the bread of life who promised life in abundance we thank you for your message that the good news also implies that human beings and all creatures have enough to live their life with dignity they deserve. Lord, open our eyes to the possibilities of reducing our wastefulness, wants and wantonness, and of reaching out to others in need – that we are able to replicate your miracle of abundance through sharing, and become missionaries after the heart of the early Christians who dared to share everything in common.  Amen. 

*<https://thewire.in/health/undernourished-highest-global-india-un-report> July 27, 2024

Adieu Dearly Beloved Fr Joseph Pulloppilly CMI

Oh my God! Dearly beloved Fr Pulloppilly is no more! It was on  June 20th that I met him last. Offered him a Dasheri mango - daal ka pakka - from our garden in Sitapur, UP, which he refused saying that his sugar levels would not permit him to use that.  He had been my confessor for the past 28 years, and for the many hundreds, who approached him, and to whom, in spite of his ill health, he willingly ministered.  

Fr Pulloppilly was already a familiar figure for me while I was still in primary school with my elder brother, a Rajagiri student, sharing the school news at home or with me.  I knew most of the teachers through him - the headmaster Mr Manjooran, the Malayalam teacher Mr John, the Hindi teacher Mr Krishnan, the Catechism/moral science teacher Fr Jesudas, the Physical Education teacher Mr Xavier,  the biology teachers Fr Silas and Fr Pulloppilly and the headmaster(s) Fr Gregory and Fr Aaron.  

But I directly came into contact with him as a member of the Catholic organisation, KCSL - during its camps and student meets, where invariably Fr Pulloppilly accompanied the Rajagiri team. I could sense his enthusiasm and zeal. Some of my contemporaries from Rajagiri school still recall the lines of KCSL anthem - KCSL jayikka KCSL ... which he taught all of them, whether they belonged to the Catholic fold or otherwise. When we were in VIII or IX grade, he was invited to preach the annual retreat for the Catholic students of Sacred Heart High School. Perhaps, that was the first healthy introduction to human sexuality for any of us. (I am afraid, even now, this education is missing).  

Once I joined the CMIs as an aspirant and stayed on the same campus as he was for a few days, I tried to tap on my familiarity with him, and get a cross or some other charismatic pendant for pinning up on my shirt. But it was not as easy as I thought that he would be able to provide for me.  However, he did find something - perhaps, a 'PRAISE THE LORD' brooch or so, and I sensed that he had to really take some pains to get that for me.  Perhaps, that was the last time, I had a desire to have any such exhibits on me and asked for something of that sort from someone.  I did make use of it for some time.  Then, perhaps, I lost it. 

My next encounter with him was after my being assigned to the Provincial house, either for a period of one year regency, or as a deacon or a freshly ordained priest. Anyhow, I sensed that while he was his old zealous self, he was not generally very much accepted by the rest of the community members.  Perhaps, he was too zealous that the rest who could not match up to his mould of idealism could not gel with him. Or he could not be in tune with the rest of the Rajagiri campus company. At the school, he taught Biology and guided the KCSL unit. He tried to circulate the pictorial Christian education magazine by the Jesuits from Kottayam - Snehasena (later, Soldiers of Love in English) - among the students. He deployed 'slogans of Christian values' for value education and motivating the students - the students still remember his slogans. I think 'kodukku ninakku nalkappedum' (Give and it will be given to you) - a gospel song in that mould was either his creation or he helped it to gain currency. 

I think the students called him endearingly as Fr Pullo. He knew most of his students personally. Last year, while riding to Aluva to meet him, a car stopped by my bike and Anil, Rajagirian of my age, stopped by to say hello. When I said that I was going to meet Fr Pulloppilly, he asked me to convey his regards. And when I did that Fr Pulloppilly could recall him and his brother, who were his students in the 1970s.  As a good Zoology teacher, he tried to familiarise the students with life. Some of the boarders recall him giving them 'guppy' fish to grow. 

While remaining a full-time teacher at Rajagiri, he went about reaching out to the poor, trying to spread the good news in his own way - especially by printing leaflets with useful Christian doctrine and prayers, and distributing the same among those who came in touch with him.  While normally the religious men engaged themselves in some workout or manual labour, and found some half to one hour in a day in some recreational activities, games etc. for Fr Pulloppilly, it was always about reaching out to people in conventional pastoral ministry, home visits, helping the poor or spreading the good news through his leaflets.  I think, for that,  either he spent the meagre amount he received in pastoral ministry or some people of goodwill did help him with the printing charges, which he could not otherwise have managed. 

I am afraid that the CMI congregation which is usually generous with promoting individuals and their talents and qualifications, could not do justice to Fr Pulloppillil. He had joined the order after completing intermediate, and after completing philosophy training at Bangalore, he joined for B Sc Zoology at Sacred Heart College.  In spite of having scored well, and winning the gold medal (1963), he was not permitted to go for higher studies. He got himself qualified as a teacher with a B. Ed degree from St. Joseph's College, Mannanam. Despite his several years of experience as a teacher, he was not found to be a headmaster/principal material for the prestigious Rajagiri school; and by the time the CMIs of Kochi province launched other schools, he was already relieved of duties related to a typical education ministry. Perhaps he was a loner and was travelling the less-travelled path, and while all the required health support was given to him by the congregation, and while all appreciated the great ministry he was doing, I sensed that there was a general apathy prevailing against him. 

I think when he attained the age of 60  or the Kerala government-prescribed age for retirement - I am not sure, he was relieved of his service at Rajagiri School.  Though I did not understand the entire dynamics of the decision, I sensed that the provision was aptly utilised to remove an inconvenience from the scene.  I felt that he could not accept that decision happily, though apparently he did not revolt. I am afraid that decision did affect him adversely and led him, perhaps gradually, into a state of depression.  However, that did not deter him from carrying on the ministry he was at home with - that of ministering to the Catholic faithful - especially, hearing confession. 

As his depression-related status aggravated, his mobility became restricted and so too his ministry.  Yet that did not prevent him from being available at Aluva monastery for the great ministry of the sacrament of reconciliation. 

He lived a spartan life - his dress was always simple, and generally, only the prescribed religious habit - the traditional one and the modern one. I think he has never travelled abroad.  Perhaps, he has never had an occasion to fly. He is hardly found in any photograph*. I tried to find a picture of his younger days, hardly anyone has any such pictures.  Perhaps, he did have a collection. He never tried to migrate to the WhatsApp Facebook age. Yes, he did use a mobile phone.  I have never seen him using any vehicle other than public transport  - no bicycle, no motorbike, scooter or car.  Yes, when someone sent a car for his transport he would not refuse, and as he grew older and his health conditions deteriorated, he had to rely on the house vehicle for his very limited mobility.  It is my impression that  if he ever gathered anything it was meant to be for his ministry of the gospel or to support some poor person, 

I recall a year when, while still young,  he lost both his parents in quick succession - they had lived long. He took that in the right spirit.  Not long afterwards, he lost his elder brother, who was still a young person with a family to take care of. I came to know that it was a major blow for him. 

His prolonged priestly ministry of over 50 years, I think, was based in two centres - Kalamassery and Aluva. When the former undivided Sacred Heart province was divided into four provinces, and when the members were given the option to make their choices, most of them chose the province where their native place was.  Fr Pulloppilly, though from the Muvattupuzha region, chose the Kochi region, with which he had been associating for more than three decades of his ministry. I gather from my confreres that he also served as the vocation promoter for the province and there are several CMIs who chose to be CMIs thanks to his efforts. 

I thank God for his long life and untiring ministry in spite of his adverse physical and mental conditions. I am glad that Fr Pulloppilly was an illustrious student of his batch at Sacred Heart.  I admire his simplicity and unwavering faith in the face of great despair and depression.  I feel blessed to have had him as a confessor for the 3 decades of my life as an ordained minister in the Catholic church. While in faith, we submit our sins to God through an ordained minister - young or old.  However, having a senior priest for this ministry, I deem a great blessing - but while I myself grow to be a senior, and those senior to me disappear from the scene, there is emptiness! May the Lord who had compassion on the crowd form us into shepherds after his heart! 

I look forward to seeing Fr Joseph Pulloppilly with the honours of the altar - for trying to live his faith, in spite of the odds in his life - with great simplicity and fidelity - not having led or built big institutions or parishes, never having had an opportunity to exercise leadership ministry in the congregation, not having been a popular speaker, but always and consistently being available as a shepherd, and enduring dark nights of physical and mental agonies! 

May the good Shepherd lead him to his evergreen pastures, spread his feast before him, and anoint him with his oil of sanctity. May the beloved Fr Pulloppilly dwell in the Lord's house and may his cup overflow with joy that shall not be taken away! 

*Rajagiri PTA 1981. From Fr Kariamadam's collection. 

Post Script

Shared by one of his colleagues: 

Fr. Pullo was simple and naive thru and thru. A few of my memories may be interesting.

Besides selling religious articles in class rooms he used to take up collections to help the poor! 

He was not happy when the Headmaster insisted on maintaining discipline in the class: One day half in jest and half in earnest, he knelt down before the HM and said, " You treat me like a fly/ഈച്ച!"  

Looking at the beautiful lawn in front of the Provincial house he said once, "I wish I was treated like a blade of grass in Rajagiri."  Rajagiriയിലെ ഒരു പുല്ലായി ജനിച്ചിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ!  

By one of his students: 

He taught us biology from higher standards and always had a very very soft corner for me and my twin brother. Never used to cane us. All students in school knew that we both were his pets. We used to butter him and everyone knew that too.

Very sad that we lost such a cherubic person that he was, then. 

He zealously promoted and sold Soldiers of God, Sneha Sena and Kuttikaluday Deepika DAILY before EVERY class of his, and myself and my brother used to buy one of them every time he started the class to avoid being asked questions and getting caned by him with a small cane. He never used to punish me and my brother and was always partial and favourite of me and my twin... He always had a small cane and gave us only small small cuts to others.

Resolving the Syro-Malabar Crisis - An Appeal to the Holy Father

To The Beloved Holy Father of the Church on Earth, from a few clerical members of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI)

cc: Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil, Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli - Apostolic Nuncio to India

Beloved Father, greetings and peace from the Church in India!

We would like to bring once again to your attention that we are deeply concerned for the Church to remain core to the message and person of Christ.  Though these matters have been brought to your attention from various sections, however, we are prompted to reiterate them and our concerns. 

As it has been communicated to us, you have pointed out that issues of liturgy have to be sorted out amicably at the level of the sui juris church itself.  The changes introduced in the Liturgy in the past few decades are indicative that this can be done and that there is no such absolute untouchability to the text or the rubrics, than what is beneficial to the celebrating faith community as decided by the synod (in a synodal spirit; not necessarily by mere majority). 

We are all for the unity of the Church, and those of us who had been in the practice of celebrating the Eucharistic Liturgy ad populum for the past many decades, have not felt any lack of unity, when we had to celebrate the Eucharist in the Chaldean way when the celebrating context was such.  We have never felt that such uniformity is required to maintain Christian unity.  If that were the case, we would not feel unity with the Holy Father or the very many neighbouring church communities who celebrate the mass in the Latin rite. 

We feel that the test of accepting a form of the ritual should also take into consideration how that communicates with the community of the faithful concerned. The Latin rite liturgical form adapted for children gives us the confidence that in the Church, such flexibilities are possible.  In this case, some matters appearing very trivial and highly ritualistic are raised as matters affecting unity, howsoever rich in symbolism they are purported to be - a) turning towards the altar and away from the people; b) having a separate table (Bema) for the liturgy of the word!

When the Holy Father sets a Christian example in trying to reach out to people considered to be in 'sin' - e.g.,  those in same-sex marriage or partnerships, those who are not married as per church regulations - to threaten almost 600000 people including their validly ordained priests with the medievalist and unchristlike excommunication threat, for the simple reason of not following the synodal decision of celebrating the Eucharist ad orientam, appears appallingly against the Spirit of Christ. 

There has been a clever manipulation bordering sentimentality of two principles of Catholic Christian life - (i) communion with the Church and (ii) obedience (including, obedience to the Holy Father). We feel the apparent intolerance to differences/diversity and blind adherence to ritual vestiges of an archaic tradition is a graver danger than the insistence on a tradition that has taken root in this region over the past six decades or more - with the majority of the present-day priests and the faithful having been born into it, and trained in it, and accustomed to it.  

Our humble requests to the Holy Father are: 

1. Permit the variant of the Eucharistic Liturgy as practised in the Ernakulam region as a valid Eucharistic celebration, till further consensus is reached on the issue. 

2. Instruct the synod and the episcopal leadership to avoid unchristian threatening language in eliciting compliance from the believing community. 

Looking forward to your paternal intervention, 

Your sons in Our Lord, 

1. 

2. 

Resolving the Syro-Malabar Ritualistic Rift

On one of my rare evening meditations, on the feast St Anthony of Padua, the great preacher and critique of clergy of his times, the gospel presented to me was the death of Jesus.  Mtt 26:47 ff. where I read, 'then Jesus, crying out again with a loud voice, gave up his life (50). And behold, the veil of the temple was torn into two parts, from top to bottom...'(51). 

Isn't this gospel narration of the tearing away of the curtain of the temple signifying the demarcation between the holy of holies from the rest of the temple a pointer to the new phase in God-human, God-world relationship where such separation was not warranted; where God was no longer the punishing unapproachable God who wouldn't let anyone come near him, whose special presence was to be separated by a veil, lest those who approached it - human or animal - would be burnt to death, but rather, a God who dwells amidst people, with God's reign being established here (Lk 17:21)? 

I feel one of the consistent agendas of Jesus was to liberate people from slavery to rituals, but we are here literally being enslaved by ritualism, and behaving in an unchristlike fashion to preserve them or to challenge them.  Psalms (74: 4-11) of today's vespers aptly fit my meditation on Syro-Malabar Church of Ernakulam: 

O God, why have you rejected us forever?
4 Your foes roared in the place where you met with us;

5 They behaved like men wielding axes
    to cut through a thicket of trees.  

6 They smashed all the carved paneling
    with their axes and hatchets.
7 They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
    they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.
 8 They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!”
    They burned every place where God was worshipped in the land.    

9 no prophets are left,
    and none of us knows how long this will be.

10 How long will the enemy mock you, God?
    Will the foe revile your name forever?    

11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?    Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them.  They set up their standards as signs. We are given no signs from God...

Christ must be laughing at the incorrigible human nature which always wants a  'golden calf' to satisfy its aspirations, which in the Catholic Church, especially in the Syro Malabar church, has taken the mould of the elaborate ritual symbolic of the thanksgiving and self-effacing meal Jesus celebrated.  We have succeeded in making it a magical formula with grand narratives being written on the real presence,  and the magnificent and bombastic theories like 'transubstantiation'. 

I hope he repeats his act of cleansing the temple at least once more - whipping these bigoted leaders who perpetuate ritualism and fight over it totally against the spirit of Christ. 'Woe to you for making them twice the sons (or daughters - on this account also there is an effort to maintain gender justice) of hell that you yourselves are for the sake of your traditions?' (Matt 23:15).  (This doesn't imply any hatred towards these leaders - but just a figurative way of presenting a hope of being led in the Christ way, genuinely fearing that the present mode is away from it). 

• Why is this unchristian adherence to the details of the rituals? 
• While rite itself is built on the thesis of diversity, why is another addition to diversity not tolerated? 
• Is the (so-called) apostolic heritage the only valid basis for a valid liturgy? 
• Is it the purpose of the liturgy to lead people to God, and if that is not served, can't new modes be envisaged? 
• Is uniformity in celebration of the Eucharist to be the most distinguishing feature of a Christian community? What about Christ's compassion, forgiveness, inclusiveness, and self-suffering?  If the liturgical outcomes are not on these lines, aren't we treading a faultline? 
• Does a threat of excommunication for not adhering to a norm passed by the majority befit the Church of Christ? 

While the present understanding of God's revelation guides the Church to seek to understand God's presence and revelation through other cultures in dialogue, here, for the sake of establishing uniformity in the ritualistic celebration of the Lord's supper where the authority figure shows himself as the servant and washes the feet, our Church leadership wields the threat of excommunication to those who refuse to adhere to the ritualistic details. 

While till late it was the conventional catholic sentiment of obedience to the Holy Father which was utilised as the tool for bringing in compliance, now that the Holy Father himself has declared that such matters are to be decided at the local church level; and it has been amply proven that there is no such 'untouchability' in the details of the rituals by the drastic editing which took place in the last phase, isn't it the right time to allow flexibilities while mandating that the official version remains what is passed by the Synod? 

It is the scripture which insisted that 'obedience is greater than sacrifice' (I Sam 15:22 ) and it was the Master's example to sacrifice one's self in obedience to God's will (Lk 22:42).  This is indeed laudable and all Christians can arrive at an easy solution by obeying what is decided by the majority of the Synod. 

However, the question still remains about its 'christianness' and the very idea that rituals are the core of our Christian existence and adherence to the rubrics a great Christian virtue, appears totally in contradiction with the spirit of Christ's liberating gospel. 

His insistence that God is to be worshipped in spirit and truth and not necessarily on this mountain or that (Gerizim or Jerusalem - Jn 4:20-24) is amply indicative of his liberal stand towards issues.  This may be juxtaposed with his statement on the faithfulness in small things and that not even an iota of the law will be changed (Mtt 5:17).  But almost in the same breath, he cautions that our 'righteousness should surpass that of the Pharisees' (Mtt 5:20).  The big picture Christ tries to present appears hanging in favour of liberating humans from slavish adherence to ritualistic religion, where all such means should serve to build up the reign of God, not a reign of high handed superiority, suppression of dissenting voices, but a reign of justice, peace and joy in the holy spirit.  It is worth the while to examine if either of the parties, in their fanatical adherence to their version of this means, is contributing towards the larger and primary purpose. 

Can't the leadership facilitate a consensus formula? 

1. The officially recognized form of celebration of the Syro-Malabar mass will be the one approved by the Synod. 

2. Where there are strong sentiments against the new format, especially regarding the aspect of where the celebrant should face - the people or the altar - freedom be given to the local community to discuss and decide on the basis of a majority (preferably, consensus) decision to have regular masses in the parish ad populum or ad orientam

3. In any case, the mass considered to be the Sunday Mass be celebrated in the approved form of the Synod. 

4. It would be good that the Eucharistic celebration as part of Sunday Catechesis of the Young be also celebrated in this fashion. 

I hope by now the more involved and intelligent members of the Church might have put forward similar or better solutions before all concerned. I wish I were given an audience by the new Major Arch Bishop.  I would definitely make an effort this time, hoping to share these views as a concerned member and ordained minister of the Church.