Yes, the children in the city of my birth coming from safe and stable backgrounds listened with smug complacence to these songs sung by the M.B.S Youth Choir. The lyrics pressurize the child to co-operate and tolerate, to be friendly and positive, helpful and kind…and most of all to live together in peace and harmony.īoth the songs are apt to be sung and taught on this day of Democracy. This also creates a world for the child to grow fearless, obeying parents, being respectful to elders and to follow the path of truth and justice. The second song is a Kannada one by R.N.Jayagopal which I am sure you would have heard…”Cheluvina Muddina Makkale” that addresses children. The lyrics encourage the child to resist and deny all injustice and never give space for that in life. The first one in Tamil written almost a century ago by Subrahmania Bharathi “Odi Vilayadu Pappa” motivates the child to be fearless and capable of spitting in the face of wrong and being honest and true. The last week I heard some songs that are sung for and about children. I keep wondering what the contemporary definition of strong/strength is…it keeps appearing everywhere and creates an ambiguous grey zone around itself…you have been described as “bold and strong” – the same virtues for which you paid with your life and blood! So is it fine and safe to be strong? When we say strong leadership and civil society is our starting point with children whom we call “father of man”?!!! If words are an indicator of larger vision and content in the 22 major Indian languages, then will each of these word have to be changed, given we are killing democracy and all that it stands for? That is as scary and final a thought as murdering and killing of all people who openly voice out their protest and resistance against violation of basic democratic rights… Likewise in your language Kannada, the word ‘Prajaprabhutva’ which you must have used million times in your writings and in Telugu ‘Prajasvamyam’ indicate the power of the people. In Malayalam, the word ‘Janadhipathyam’ denotes the supreme role and power of the people/citizen. Their anger and indignation at not being consulted when such a huge development project was being planned in their own vicinity, their safety and rehabilitation being treated with criminal negligence, their health and ecological integrity of the surrounding oceans not being factored in…all of this and many more became points that they saw as murder and death of democracy. She went on to make me understand how and where in their struggle against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, the villagers realized the depth and impact of negation of their rights as citizens of a democracy described as one of the largest in the world. She explained democracy as when people lead the country…she described it as governance “for, by and of the people” in the simplest style possible. It was Xavieramma of Idinthakarai village who taught me the word for democracy in Tamil. I was going over the word Democracy in 4 South Indian languages. Again and again we mourn the death of our dear friend, philosopher and guide, Democracy. As I write this and before this reaches you, more than 177 villages will be facing partial submergence. We cannot forget the tears and sheer waste of Bhakra Nangal that the first PM of India dedicated to the nation and described as “ temple of modern India”. Today as I write this, the Prime Minister is “dedicating the Sardar Sarovar Dam to the nation” – another rhetoric we are all a bit fed up and angry about. On August 15 th, the women and men carried a coffin with the body of Indian democracy… lamenting in the traditional Tamil style the death of a dear one, lauding his/her qualities and strengths, how the gap created by the death will create a disaster in the nation… It was a moving, poignant pointer to the denial of human rights that took place as the Nuclear Power Plant was established without addressing safety and environmental norms of the community nearest to this time bomb! The image that came up first in my mind as I heard about democracy was that of the women and children in Idinthakarai village that was the epicenter of the Koodankulam Anti-nuclear Movement in 2012. Somehow this day as many other days, I miss you…want to ask many questions and discuss many issues with you…On this day dedicated to democracy about which you have been discussing, debating and dialoguing for years, I think most about you, dear friend… It is 10 days since I wrote to you…2 days ago- September 15 th was the International Day of Democracy with the theme Democracy and Conflict Prevention focusing on strengthening democratic institutions to promote peace and stability through strong leadership, strengthen civic society and empower women…it goes on. Share on WhatsApp Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Telegram Share on Reddit Share on Email