Aparna – As she has stepped in on the next leg of her travel…

Aparna – As she has stepped in on the next leg of her travel…

Aparna in ancient Indian tradition is Parvati, and the name was on account of her severe tapas to attain her goal – fasting to the extent of even avoiding leaf (parna ) for her food. Aparna B Anilkumar I B Com Taxation and Finance division, was endearingly called as Parukutty (Parvati) by her family.  She was admitted to Sacred Heart College, on her merit as a sports person.  She excelled in throw ball, soft ball and base ball.  Represented the state in soft ball at national level. She was poised to be a great promise, apparently all determined and confident. People who knew her found her bold and daring.

However, what humans propose is not always accomplished. Last week she was with us, today she is not around. This is human life, this is human mystery – which humans have been trying to grapple with from time immemorial.  Sri Buddha defined it as suffering, the reality of life – dukha satya.

Now dukha  is a satyam for her beloved family – her mother Binu, her father Anilkumar (employed in the middle-east), her two sisters – Anjali, the elder, and Arunima, the younger.  We witnessed the terrible anguish the family is suffering from. May God of all consolation being them solace is my prayer today.  Let that be the prayer of all of us. Let us do our best to console the family and hold them close to our hearts in solidarity of prayer.

It is also a time for us to reflect on how we deal with the reality of dukha or suffering in our life. Suffering in silence is one mode, but a healthier mode is to be willing to share our sufferings with someone. Sometimes, we find ourselves at a loss to have someone with whom we can share our pain.  Dear students and staff, let us make it a point that we will determinedly do that. That we will train ourselves to share our pain.  And each of us will be willing to listen to the sufferings of our fellow learner

And I would like the students to take this to your heart that even when you find the members of the staff or the Principal, dealing with you strictly, being severe in our treatment regarding assignments, attendance, campus discipline etc. please, please feel free to approach the staff, HoD, your principal, or the Counsellor when you feel troubled.  We are there for you, in spite of our severe demeanour.

In Hindi we say, Khuda ko pyara ho gaya! It is a believer’s statement regarding fellow human’s departure – become beloved to God!  Let us rest assured in that hope that she has become dearly beloved to God.

Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind;

And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Let us all remember this and hold her close to our heart and pray that she rests in peace.

And as the poem by Fr. Sajan goes:

ഒരു മഴയും തോരാതിരുന്നിട്ടില്ല 

ഒരു കാറ്റും അടങ്ങാതിരുന്നിട്ടില്ല 

ഒരു രാവും പുലരാതിരുന്നിട്ടില്ല 

ഒരു കോളും കുറയാതിരുന്നിട്ടില്ല 

... അമരത്ത് എന്നരികെ അവനുള്ളതാം 

I hope in the Lord that Aparna’s family will find the end of the rain of this suffering, and see the light of dawn, and so too will Aparna find rest beside the source of eternal rest!

Fr. Prasant CMI

​ചിന്തിക്കുന്ന മസ്തിഷ്കങ്ങൾ ഭക്ഷിക്കപ്പെടുമ്പോൾ  - When the thinking brains are being eaten!
What kind of a title for a discussion! I feel challenged by the title. I am glad that my students are able to think things like that.   
Dr. V.S Sebastian, Dean of our Student Services, interpreted it as the situation where brains are flavoured with condiments - masala mix - which is uniform, and made to 'eat or swallow' the same tastes of 'modern-urban-global-unipolar' world. I thought it was about thinking brains being 'eaten' away by the ideological monologues, that there is hardly any brain left for thinking. 

However, the series of killing from Dhabolkar, Govind Pansare, Kalburgi, now reaching Gauri Lankesh - a woman, a senior citizen, a renowned media person, in front of her house - this has been the background.  It is threatening! It can be me or you - anyone.  If you dare to question!

The panel was young, vibrant - 
Lazar Shine - a young entrant in the film world.  He spoke about the manifestations of fascism in and around us.  He indicated that the very imposing installation of Edappally Church is that and it is an act of violence against Earth.  He said that he would rather hear others speak than go on speaking. 
Shahina, the vibrant activist media person was eloquent as she spoke with a background of personal knowledge bordering friendship with Gauri Lankesh.   She narrated her connection with Gauri, and pointed out how daring she was to confront people and situations, ready to risk her life and comfort for matters she believed in.  She concluded that fight against fascist tendencies would start in our life which shows 'concern and care' for others. 

Adv. Muhammed Abdusamad, a former student of SH recalled his vibrant and active days at SH, saying that the system and institutions do not give sufficient time for the free expressions of individuals  They are stymied by the dominant ideologies starting from homes, nurtured by religions etc. He indicated the dominant perceptions by which oppression and domination moving in the direction of fascism and intolerance of all that is not what the dominant ideology is. He recalled those days of strikes (agreeing that they were few in number) but presenting a heroic picture of himself and an incident when one of the students fainted hearing the call 'inquilab zindabad'! But often this very slogan itself become manifestation of the very fascism they are critical of. Also tolerating 'no other way of inquilab' than what the proponents of this particular 'inquilab' put forth. 

The floor was open and there were quite a few takers, who spoke in more or less similar direction, and in spite of Muhammed's insinuation that they should speak fearlessly imagining that father was there! 

There were hardly any women speaking, and Shine intervened that women should speak.  That prompted couple of girls to come up and share something which was a good sign.  As a moderator, Principal introduced the topic and concluded the discussion.

We are confronted with culture of silence on the one hand - where we are forced to keep silence against situations not right.  On the other hand there is a culture of silence which happens because we are comfortable and not bothered in our lives. On the other hand there is culture of violence.  The very suppression of voices of dissent by the state, religion and other institutions is part of this violence.  It may be institutional. There is also physical violence by which voices are quelled. This may happen in an institution like a college, where concern for 'discipline' may lead to such tendencies, it may have a range - from institutional suppression of voices so that the primary purpose as accepted by the dominant ideology or state or university is ensured. 

However, while discouraging both these extremes, extremes of right and left, what we ought to develop is a culture of dialogue which implies a readiness to 'listen' as well. Listen to what people say, listen to what people don't say, listen to what is not said while something is being said. 

What is feared? Is it domination or oppression? We have no choice but to have some 'domination' or authority unless we accept the idea or ideal of enlightened anarchy, which is utopia.  Of the lot, democracy is the best choice. 
Again, it has to be a continuous education in democracy where we question and re-frame our perceptions.  Like what is top and bottom, what is South and North, what is left and right...

In this we also encounter the reality of religion as an institution.  We critique religion, especially the left does that.  However, that very ideology sometimes replaces religion in a much crueller fashion is an irony.  And they go about in a  more rigid hierarchy just substituting religious texts with political texts and Gods with the present or past day leaders of the ideology. So any corner of power has to be vigilant about metamorphosing into fascism!

It also calls for constant self-examination of individuals and collectives - that we don't cross into that border, but remain open to ideas, peoples, differences and diversity.  Here comes the relevance of 'kannadi pratishtha' which was incidentally referred to by Abdusamad.   Mirror calls for introspection - self-reflection. It is also religious in the sense, it speaks about God being in you! aham brahmasmi! That immediately has a sequel - tatvam asi!  So a true religion will take you to accepting yourself and accepting others, finding God everywhere.

But alongside religion, we also recognize the market as a force to be reckoned with - which today 

A theme that was repeatedly emerging in the discussions was that we need to be united in this endeavour to confront such forces - 
മൂർച്ചയുള്ളൊരായുധങ്ങൾ അല്ല പോരിനാശ്രയം/  
ചേർച്ചയുള്ള മാനസങ്ങൾ തന്നെയാണതോർക്കണം  

But can this happen? Or as Madhusoodhanan Nair puts it: 

ഒക്കെ ഒരു വെറും ഭ്രാന്തൻറെ  സ്വപ്നം 

നേര് നേരുന്ന താന്തൻറെ  സ്വപ്നം

Shahina put its practicality by saying that each of us develop a culture and sense of 'caring' - caring for others, caring for those who are affected, afflicted. It could be the Rohingyas, it could also be those who are affected by the forced displacement of Narmada Dam, which is again, wherein states become ideologically blind to the aspirations of peoples who are deprived of their livelihood and culture, saying the 'expected benefit of the many' is better the experienced deprivations of the few.