India: Democracy versus Mobocracy and Gandhi by Gandhi Scholar: Dr. Ravindra Kumar

The roots of democracy in India are very deep. Probably it is India where democracy started functioning first. It is evident from the existence of institutions like Sabha, Samiti and Viditha in the Vedic era. Afterward, the existence of many republics during the time of Gautama Buddha and Shakyamuni’s advocacy in favour of democracy, his stress upon development of democratic institutions and noteworthy suggestions made by him in this regard strengthens India’s claim to it.

Generally, the democracy is recognized as a political institution. On the basis of it a political system of governance is conducted. But, in ancient times, the Buddhist assemblies in India have worked successfully in a democratic manner. Hence, it has been more or less applied in religious sphere also. From this the significance and relevance of democracy for India can be well understood.

We can firmly believe that democracy is the best form of governance for a country like India. Along with political field there is a possibility of its functioning in economic and religious fields. We can assert this for the reason that India is a country of diversities and its unity is possible only by a democratic system of governance.

Democracy versus Mobocracy

Mahatma Gandhi, himself felt the importance and necessity of democracy for India, despite its being liable to be greatly abused. That is why; he emphasized upon its constant development and maturity. Through this he wished transformation of his dream of Ramarajya into a reality. In the Ramarajya of his imagination each and everyone, weak or strong, gets equal opportunity to rise and his security and honour are guaranteed. In short, Gandhi’s Ramarajya is an advanced form of democracy.

Now, the question arises, is there a possibility of transformation of Gandhi’s dream of Ramayana or an advanced form of democracy into a reality? If yes, then when? In this respect Mahatma Gandhi himself was not sure. Hence, he was not puzzled on these hypothetical questions. He knew that a human being always commits mistakes knowingly or unknowingly. He was also aware that one cannot get rid of them immediately and completely. Similarly, a manmade institution, it doesn’t if it is a democracy, can also not become free of evils entirely and right away.

Therefore, Mahatma Gandhi, along with other necessities, particularly stressed upon discipline, equal respect of law by all and priority to social will over the individual will in a democracy. He was of the opinion that indiscipline, disrespect of law and priority to the individual will over the social will are among the main causes behind evils in a democracy. So, it is necessary to minimize them for making the democracy disciplined and enlightened.

Moreover, Mahatma Gandhi laid great emphasis on a healthy public opinion and expressed the need for responsible representation. The reason being if public opinion in democracy is not healthy and matured it can be converted into a mobocracy instead of giving strength to it. On many occasions and at different levels this can be observed in many counties of the world including India.

Similarly, if representatives in a democracy are not responsible, they weaken it instead of becoming its defenders. Sometimes it can also be experienced particularly in India. Therefore, Mahatma Gandhi called upon the people to reduce possibility of abuse in democracy to the minimum from time-to-time. He time and again emphasized upon making democratic system of governance firm, healthy, disciplined and responsible. Mahatma Gandhi’s call to save democracy from becoming a mobocracy and to make it people-friendly and finally transforming it into a Swarajya was, and is, worth giving a thought.

Despite the large number of people coming together mobocracy can never be the reflection of a democracy. Due to lack of discipline and control over the crowd a mobocracy cannot transmit the will of the people. Hence, a mobocracy sometimes becomes more dangerous than a dictatorship. That is why; Mahatma Gandhi also said, “They [who are in a mob] have no mind, no premeditation. They act in frenzy.”

How can a democracy be devoid of mobocracy? How can it be transformed into a real people’s rule? How can it become a Swarajya? Mahatma Gandhi was of the opinion that it was possible through the process of constant reforms in democracy and not in avoidance of it and that too in accordance with demand of time and prevailing circumstances. Simultaneously, for the rise of the institution of democracy he rightly called upon the people to carry on their duties and to maintain discipline.

In this process he further spoke about people’s awareness: it meant people’s consciousness of their duties, rights and responsibilities towards the nation. For, he fixed the responsibility of people’s representatives on the one hand and the government on the other. He opposed the idea of such a democracy in which a handful of representatives, it doesn’t matter if they are elected for a fixed period by the people itself, sat at the centre to work for it. Through that the real aim of democracy can never be achieved; the system cannot become a self-rule. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi himself:

“Democracy cannot be worked by twenty men sitting at the centre. For, it has to be worked from below by the people [consciously] from every village.”

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, Gandhi’s stress upon an alert democracy is vital and significant. We should see no reason for an institution of democracy becoming unhealthy if its holders are disciplined and responsible. If citizen are conscious enough the democracy will definitely step forward towards a true self-rule. A disciplined, responsible and conscious democracy can become a true government of the people. Such a rule can turn into a Swarajya and can pave the way towards the Ramarajya of Mahatma Gandhi’s imagination.

Hence, Gandhi’s views regarding a democracy cannot be taken slightly. They must be analyzed minutely. An open debate on the vitality and relevance of them in the current perspectives should be organized. If they seem relevant as per the demand of time, they should be examined and adopted.

Today the whole world is looking at Ahimsa-based ideas of Mahatma Gandhi. Particularly, institutions of higher learning are making critical analysis of his views on democracy. In such a situation the relevance, significance and utility of his ideas for India can be understood thoroughly.

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*Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a renowned Gandhian scholar, Indologist and writer. He is the Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Meerut [India], and the Editor-in-Chief of Global Peace International Journal.

More Media Coverage, Michael Jackson Or Farrah Fawcett

Not too long ago, give or take a few years, some people fussed over who got more media attention over whom.

Say, for example, we had news item number one. A non white female turns up missing or worse, her body has been discovered. News item number two. Similar situation, the only differences are, the victim is a white female from an affluent background.

Most times, the one from the affluent background ended up getting more media coverage. But when you have two celebrities dying on the same day, one Farrah Fawcett whose battle with Cancer was a painful one and one Michael Jackson who died suddenly, one might wonder, what gives with the media attention.

And how is one to share the media coverage here? It didn’t take long to realize that  nothing was shared here. The one star once famous for her role as a ‘Charlie’s Angel’ got a few mentions here and there.

But the one with the more glamorous and  controversial lifestyle, Michael  Jackson,  got and up to this day is still getting more coverage.

Farrah Fawcett’s funeral was a quiet  one. Michael Jackson’s,  which   will  occur next Tuesday, July 7th 2009 is set to be a  huge event with a Memorial Service at the Staples Center in LA.

An event many fans will be left out of due to the space at the facility and an internet drawing, something like a lottery. His funeral will be televised, hers was not.

I liked Farrah Fawcett. I thought she deserved more coverage than she got. I also liked Michael Jackson for the musical genius that he was.

But when you have  Michael Jackson, the mega star also  checking out from this world on the same day as you, Farrah Fawcett,  someone who was best known for her role on  “Charlie’s Angels’ what’s a person to do.

A World Without Michael

Leaving your mark on the world can be a great achievement. Moreso, if your actions inspire others to want to do positive things with their lives.

And  some  people go to extreme lengths to leave their print on this entity known as life. Others do it so naturally that they are not even aware they are quietly leaving behind quite an impression.

So while we are, in our own way,  paying a sort of tribute to Michael Jackson, I thought I would do mine on what the world would have been like had ‘The Gloved One’ not been around to leave his mark.

Infectious melodies such as: Thriller, Billie Jean, Beat It and others would not be here for all of us music lovers to enjoy.

Neverland Ranch might not have been a ranch.

There would be no supposed Michael Jackson  Child Molestation scandal.

The name ‘Jacko’ might have been used in reference to someone else.

There would be no Prince Michael, Paris Michael and a third  child whose  biological mother is a mystery.

There would have been no baby hanging over a hotel rail scare.

And  no one would have  to wonder  how many surgical procedures  Michael Jackson has had  and this article would not have been written.

I will miss Michael Jackson. He  was  a great musical genius and we have many reminders  of that in the repertoire he left us.

Rest In Peace, Michael, rest in peace.

The Dark Spire DS

If  you are looking for something a little more challenging than SNES’  Eye of the Beholder, then let me welcome you to  take Dark Spire  Nintendo DS for a spin.

Along for the long trek through Dark Spire’s  vast dungeon, you will need a good dose of patience and some time. For you will spend a good many hours just building up your party’s levels.

So come along, build your party from  the beginning, arm them and get ready to battle.

And when you feel your heroes are good and strong  enough,  you can venture forth to the quest of finding the monster, Tyrhung, at the top of the tower and slay  him  to regain the Royal Family Necklace.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it?  But some of the monsters you will encounter  are rather fierce, so level up all you want, your heroes will need every ounce of  health point they  can get.

And unlike other RPGs you have played, this one is quite different.

Here, you won’t find any 3D  animated graphics. What you will find  is the classic Retro wire frame version, as well as the modern, colourful one.

There is no big, epic storyline a la Final Fantasy style. But if you love RPGs, then you will love this dungeon crawler. Although the auto mapping feature allows you to see how much of each floor you have covered, it won’t let you see where your party is.

But if you  get too lost, and want to see where you are, just have your mage use his Visum Sitis mapping spell. Filled with more than enough   treasure boxes for your Thief  to disarm and open, you will find a treasure indeed in this Dark Spire game for the Nintendo DS/DS Lite/Dsi.

Don’t forget to level up your  band of heroes, save often (you can save anywhere in the dungeon) and bring along some heal potions as well as some antidotes.

You will also need these in case your Priest runs low on his  Heal spell. Oh, and it does get addicting after a while, just in case you were wondering.

And the  music is also great.

My Rating: 10 out of 10 For Graphics

Music: 10 out of 10

Gameplay: 10 out of 10 for simplicity but can get addicting

Nintendo’s Rating:

E for Everyone 10+

For: Alcohol Reference

Fantasy Violence

Language

Suggestive Themes.

Paying A Website To Find You A Match? Try This, It’s Free

Usually, when I think about dating, finding romantic love or looking for a mate, other notions also enter my mind.

Notions such as: Love comes when you least expect it, or if you are not looking for it. But when you go out of your way to pay an online website  like eharmony or match.com to find you a match, what you are, in fact doing is looking for it, love, that is.

And if you are tired of paying all those hefty fees so the aforementioned websites can find you a match, here is a website that will bring some financial relief to you, your wallet  and your credit card account.

It’s: www.Plentyoffish.com and it’s free. Yes, free. Here, you can post photos of yourself, submit a profile, fill out a questionnaire and communicate with those whom you think are compatible with you.

And you can find people on the POF website from anywhere you like. Be it right there in your own city, state or country or from far off places as well.

So if  you want to lighten your wallet a bit or your credit card account, give Plentyoffish,com a sample. You just might be pleasantly surprised at who you will find without bothering about those hefty fees that other match making websites offer.

India’s unity: democracy and minorities by Gandhi Scholar: Dr. Ravindra Kumar

India is a country of diversities. Her population is basically made up of descendants of six ethnic groups. It doesn’t matter if all of them are of Indian origin or not. It is also not important whether they came from other parts of the globe. Today, what is important is that all of them are Indians. They all are followers of the Indian Way.

The adherents of world’s six major religious communities – Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism and Christianity – dwell in India. People belonging to other religious communities, such as Zoroastrianism [Parasi], Judaism and Bahaism, also live here. Over 1,600 local languages are spoken throughout India. Indian people celebrate 29 major religious festivals. Hence, India can be seen as an exemplary nation of the world. It holds a special status among the countries of the world.

India is also known as a country of unity in diversity. The basis of India’s unity has been its harmonious and composite culture, but today democracy plays a vital role in maintaining and strengthening the unity of the country.
Undoubtedly, democracy is the rule by the people. But the basis of its management is the will of the people in terms of a majority. So there is always a need to pay attention to those in the minority within a democracy and particularly during the implementation of policies in equal public interest. If attention is not paid, the system is liable to be abused, and it is possible that interests of many people to be ignored, particularly those in the minority within society and the nation.

Democracy could become ideal and exemplary in a country like India if minorities were essentially coming within the scope of practical equality as well. It could flourish if minorities became more conscious, on the one hand, and part and parcel of the social, political, and economic life of the nation, on the other.
It is ironic that, after 62 years of independence from colonial rule and despite an increase in literacy rates, India’s minorities, particularly the Muslims, who are approximately 15 percent of the total population of the country, are comparatively backward in almost all walks of life, which is, indeed, a matter of serious concern.

Figures issued by the government and other reliable sources from time to time indicate that, despite a rapid increase in literacy rates among Muslims, Hindus are generally far ahead of them in the field of higher education, as is evident from the total number of university graduates in the country. Approximately 48 million men and women in India are university graduates. In the Hindu population, 22 percent are university graduates. Contrary to this, among the whole Muslim population only 3.5 percent hold university degrees. Furthermore, Muslims are far behind Hindus in literacy in rural areas, particularly in northern India, where up to more than 85 percent of Muslim women are unable to read or write. Moreover, Muslims are deprived of value education, which is necessary to get more job opportunities for one reason or the other. This disparity is unfortunate.

In such a situation, Muslims are affected in all areas of life – social, political and economic – which is not good for the health of India’s democracy. Therefore, as a first step, the greatest need of the hour is to awaken Muslims. They must receive more education and particularly have more opportunities for value education, which, as said already, paves the way in getting suitable work and making one self-sufficient in the workplace.

It is not only the responsibility of government and Muslim leadership, but also the responsibility of the majority community to come forward to do something concrete in this regard. Particularly, those who are committed to democracy in India, who desire the consolidation of democracy and through it the unity of the country, need to work honestly and sincerely and without prejudice for it.

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*Universally renowned Indologist and scholar Dr. Ravindra Kumar is a former Vice Chancellor of CCS University, Meerut, India

Items I Would Not Purchase Online

Going shopping for things you like is always an enjoyable experience. And just like everyone else, I enjoy shopping. Depending on where you shop, sometimes you will be amazed at what treasures you are likely to come across.

It makes the shopping experience all the more exciting. And even though online shopping has become an important part of  our lives, there are a few items I would hesitate to purchase online. Listed below, in no particular order, are some of those items.

CLOTHES: Because of my not so tall stature, some people have used the word ‘petite’ to describe my physique, I have to try on clothes before I buy them. Because the sizes vary according to the design, style and so on.

In fact, when I go shopping, sales persons who take a glance at me, have a way of directing me to the girls, juniors or petite section of the store, unless I am there to get a gift for someone.

VIDEO GAMES: If I cannot find what I am looking for at one of the local Gamestop stores, I wait until it’s in or move on to something else. Because with the computer age, also came the age of  software bootlegging. Anyone can make an illegal copy of a video game and try to sell it online.

And when you make that online purchase out of desperation or maybe you can’t find  that particular game anywhere else, you open it up and discover that it won’t play on your system. To be on the safe side, I visit a reputable video game dealer like Gamestop or Gamecrazy to ensure that my copy is in good working condition and not some non working, illegal bootleg copy.

SUNGLASSES OR SHADES: Whether you refer to them as sunglasses or shades, just like the clothes, I prefer to try these on before making that purchase to see if they fit and look right.

DISHES AND CUTLERY: Shipping weight can get costly. Unless it’s a souvenir from a reputable website, I prefer to buy those items from a store I can get to.

SHOES: It’s been said that when strangers are judging or checking us out for the first time, one of the items they tend to glance at on our person are the shoes we are wearing. And what’s also important about the way a pair of shoes looks, is the way it fits. The more comfortable you are in them, the better.

Just like the clothes, sizes may vary according to style and design. So I will want to be there to try these on as well before purchasing.

INTIMATE APPAREL: Since women should be measured once a year just to make sure they are wearing the right bra size, I prefer to be in a store where I can see these garments and be measured as well.

So there is my short list of items I would not purchase online. It’s not a lot of items, but they are important items. Just remember, you are the one who will be using and/or wearing such items. Be comfortable, and most of all, make sure you get your money’s worth.

Missing Jay Leno On The Tonight Show

I always found Jay Leno to be a creative, comic genius. From the Jaywalking segment on the Tonight Show down to the Iron Jay character he sometimes portrayed, Mr. Leno’s brand of humor always brought a smile or a round of laughter to me.

And although Conan O’Brien seems to be doing a fine job as his replacement on the Tonight Show, it is one show that will never be the same for me. Especially without Jay Leno at the helm.

I miss segments such as: the Monday nights’ Headlines portion of the program, the once popular and humorous Jaywalking part, items you can find at the 99 cents store segment among others and also the Monologues.

But most of all, even though Jay Leno is returning to the small screen in September with another nightly show, I just miss the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Thanks Jay. You always managed to bring a smile to the days that did not end on a high or cheerful note for me. And no matter how well your successor does, the Tonight Show will never be the same for me without you.

Thanks again, and I wish you well.

Summon Night: Twin Age For the Nintendo DS

Sometimes  when I am not certain about  certain books, games, movies or music cds, I  start looking for reviews.

And reviews are important. They give us insight into items or forms of entertainment  we are interested in. But what if you do not always agree with some reviews.

Take, for example, the Nintendo DS/DS Lite/Nintendo Dsi’s game, Summon Night  Twin Age. Some reviews said this game is lightly entertaining, not long enough, and some said it was fun. And had I based my decision on whether I should or should not get this game on  a few of those reviews,  I think I would have missed out on a great RPG.

Because  after playing  Summon Night Twin Age,   I found it to be rather interesting, intriguing and no, I was not expecting anything  that  is similar to a Final Fantasy epic.

Especially after playing the GBA  Summon Night Swordcraft Story. What I did get here in Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS  was something deeper than I expected.

Sure you have the same find the items you need to create weapons similarity as there is in Summon Night Swordcraft Story for the GBA. But  in Summon Night  Twin Age for the Nintendo DS,  there are characters your hero, Aldo/Reiha meet along the way that help you with all that fighting.

In fact, as the story opens, you and your hero find yourselves in the world of Clardona. In this world, the Spirits  take part in all activities, but lately, those Spirits have grown restless and aggressive.

It is up to our hero, Aldo or Reiha to find out the source of all this restless behaviour and calm the areas that are affected. Reiha, a magic user, is a great help to Aldo who uses physical or weapon based attacks. And you can get Reiha to help Aldo by opening the menu and  going into the Party Action option. When you are there, just  click on the OFF button. In the GBA Summon Night Swordcraft Story, our hero met many interesting characters, but he was the sole fighter.

Other than that, the Nintendo DS  capabilities allow you to use a touch screen style of play for fighting and advancing the game. There is also some voice acting here in Summon Night Twin Age in certain cut scenes.

Spread out into 20 chapters, with the last one being the longest, Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS will keep you coming back for more.

I found it to be neither too easy nor too difficult. But as in any Summon Night RPG video game, you will have to level up your fighters, craft your weapons after finding the items you need for that, prepare yourself for those nightly talks with other characters and have fun.

Oh, and some of the decisions you make will have an effect on the outcome of the game, so decide wisely, and  make good use of the auto mapping feature in those dungeons. The red dots are the enemy and the white dots are you and your party.

And after you have conquered Summon Night Twin Age for the Nintendo DS, you can play as the other character in the lead, whether that character is Reiha or Aldo. If you want to, of course.

Another aspect I liked about this offering for the Nintendo DS, is you had several dungeons to visit. Not the same 50 or 100 floors of the same dungeon as you had in GBA Summon Night Swordcraft Story.

My Rating:
Graphics: 10 out of 10
Sound Effects: 10 out of 10
Music: 10 out of 10
E for Everyone but contains:
Animated Violence
Suggestive Ideas (from a few of the characters)

Nintendo’s Rating:
E10+ For Everyone 10+
Mild Fantasy Violence
Suggestive Themes

Board Games And Video Games

When I was growing up, a few of my adult relatives  introduced me to Board games such as: Monopoly, Clue, Boggle and even UNO, just to name a few.

And those games  proved to be quite entertaining  if you had two or more persons  with whom you could play them. But I soon realized that if you did not have  all that company all the time, that trying to play one of these Board Games just by yourself, meant that  the fun factor was not exactly there.

And  for this reason I am grateful for the great minds  that  created  the video game genre  of entertainment. This article  is not about  a sharp critique about Board Games, but rather a slight comparison between Board Games  and Video Games.

Now, I will admit that when I first got used  to the original NES controller and that Super Mario Bros. video game, I was pulled in to the world of video gaming.

And  even though that game came with a two player mode option, many people quickly realized that if you were also alone, you could play this game, quite unlike your regular Board Game in which you had to throw a die or two, wait for it or them to come to a complete stop then move your symbol along the board that corresponded with the number(s) on the die or dice.

There were no special sound effects that made that more entertaining. Just you, your fellow players and the Board Game. In addition, there was also no character that ran, jumped and stomped on the enemy  on your television screen or  the portable video game system of your choice.

The good  aspect about Board Games? You don’t need  electricity or a television to connect  the board to,  nor do you need a battery power charger  like most portable video gaming systems come with today.

All you need is a few friends or relatives  who want to play that Board Game too.

But what happened if you were having all that fun playing your Board Game with your friends and everyone had to leave.

The gaming fun ended, but that is not always the case with your average video game.

That basically means, you could play your video game any time you wanted, providing you had the free time to do so, and you did not need to wait around for added company like you would if say, you wanted to play a Board Game like Monopoly, Clue or UNO.

The video game allows  players to entertain themselves and even though today, the internet and the world of online gaming seemed to have changed the single player mode in  some  video games, it’s good to know that  you can still pick up that controller or portable video gaming system and enjoy  yourself  if there is no one around  to play one of those games with you.