Life-uncertain, probabilistic and bound to butterfly effect

It started sometime around Test-1 and during those hectic days, we did not pay much attention to it. During test-1, AH-2 and AH-6 had started reporting more cases of Jaundice infection and the severity hit us home only when advisories on how to wash hands were stuck near all wash-basins. A meeting was held to inform students about the issue and the necessary precautions to be taken to avoid contamination. It was all normal until Thursday afternoon when juniors asked me whether a shutting down was possible and then I saw a host of cars parked infront of the main building while waiting for my Transducers tut to begin.

By the end of it, it was almost sure that campus was going to be closed for atleast 2 weeks and all that was needed was an official confirmation, which came at a meeting held in the auditorium at 7pm. There were frantic phone calls to decide how to get home, which was not a difficult ordeal for us since our journey takes less than 16hours. But those from Hyderabad, Delhi and other far off places had a really difficult time I suppose.

After much deliberation and some trick plays from my side, some of us decided to leave the next morning. Enough with the background and foreplay, what I would like to focus on is the great uncertainties of life and the ability to do things at a moments notice and take things as they come. That Thursday morning, going home was not even in my wildest dreams and I had company too! We had decided on another "outing" that Monday, I had planned to do some of my project work that weekend, I wanted to catch up on quizzing after the exams and infact we had held a meeting the previous evening to decide on a schedule for rest of the semester, our second attempt after the previous one had to be ditched since we did not get any LTs. So, a lot plans and ideas ditched, but for many it was perfect timing as they had already decided to go home for a week and for them, it was just an extension of their short break. It must have come as a surprise to the first yearites, who now must be enjoying their unexpected break, but atleast some of them must be cursing the boredom. Perhaps not, since they have not yet been institutionalised by DC, Gaming, Night-outs, Movies, Beach Trips, Faculty bashing and other activities that keeps a BITSian engaged (studies also in the list, only for ten pointers and for the rest of us one the eve of exams).

One day we are celebrating end of exams and relaxing a bit, next evening, we are planning to get back home urgently, from chilled out birds to near-refugees. If there is one thing that I have learned in college, it is never to plan too far ahead in the future, there is simply no point since something will come in the way and we will have to face things as they come. On a bigger scale as we step up from the trivial aspects of campus life to the real world, one moment can change everything. A cyclone or earthquake can change the lives of millions. Sometimes it can just destroy the individual and leave everything else intact, disease, accidents, just bad luck or may be something beyond our understanding. It can destroy everything that we call ours, or change us to something new entirely. Our lives are dependent on so many variables that it would be folly to take anything for granted for it can change upside down in the blink of an eye. One small insignificant action in one part of the world (might have been performed years ago- I take the example of G.D.Birla who started a school for his children which has now become BITS-Pilani, affecting the lives of thousands of students directly every year and several thousand others indirectly) can change our world and we have no control over it.

It is therefore almost liberating to realise that nothing is mine. I do not say we should relinquish everything, but just stop fighting for it. I say work for it, make yourself deserving whatever it is that you want, work hard, give it your best shot and work with all your heart, whether we get it or not is inconsequential since we have little control over the minds, decisions and actions of others. A philosophy, mentioned in the Gita, but each day, I realise new meanings hidden deep within. Make the right decisions and stick to it whatever happens (there is no point in complaining it once you have already committed to it), stop complaining and do what is necessary to carry out that decision and also do what is right and just.

On God, Belief and Patriotism

Voltaire said 'If god did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him'. Whoever we are, whatever god means to us, ours is a society that is built on religion. Our life is centered on religion, especially in India, where every event in life is given a religious and ritualistic significance. Do I think religion is necessary? I think yes, since it is the only thing that keeps our society from disintegration. Whether we admit or not, our sense of morality and justice and virtue comes directly from religion and destroying religion will destroy ourselves. Epics, stories and ancient writings explain to us what is right and wrong, what is good and evil. We generally fear the unknown and gods are definitely a mystery to us and we fear them too. If we do wrong, we will be punished and who will punish us- the gods will. This is a very simple belief, but quite effective. God is the manifestation of our hopes, an enforcer of true justice, a protector of the righteous and the one who brings the corrupt to the right path and forgives them and gives them an opportunity to recant their sins.

Now that the need for religion and its gods has been discussed, I would like to discuss about places of worship.

Is there really a need for them? I say yes, we humans are incapable of remembering words, but images stick with us better- We remember faces, not names. The symbol for peace and nuclear disarmament that we see in t-shirts and lockets was created just for this purpose- the creator of the symbol felt they needed a symbol to drive home their message and to unite the masses and bring them together. One image works far better than a thousand speeches and temples (any place of religious worship) are places to provide an imagery of god or to represent god.
But a perfect believer need not go to any place of worship as he/she will be capable of finding god in everything(A philosophy that I have found in the Hindu belief, I do not know of other faiths). For such a person, a temple is just another place where god resides, but that is the only place where those who cannot find perfect belief can see god. I do not know what perfect faith is, but I guess it involves loving, respecting and treating everyone and everything fairly and unselfishly. I do not think I will ever be capable of this since I am bound to myself, to my own senses, desires, idiosyncrasies, narrow and selfish views and my own efforts to survive and succeed in this world.

As there is a perfect believer, there is also the question of a true god, a god who provides and nourishes and protects his/her/its folk. There is an obvious manifestation of this- our country (and our world). It provides us with everything we need (the only problem we take more than what we need. We want to satisfy our greed), protects us and makes us what we are. (I wish I could say the entire world because I do not really believe in nations. Boundaries and a sense of nationalism prevent us from becoming true believers since we see rivals or enemies or competing economies when we bring nationalities into the picture and we are unable to bring unselfish love into our faith.) Since a boundary free world is never going to be a possibility (which is quite unfortunate), I must accept that fact and proceed further. So, our country provides for us, protects us and only asks one thing in return- love your country and fight for it when duty calls- which is actually a plea to love your brethren unselfishly and to do what is necessary to preserve country for the future generations and ourselves. Patriotism is worshipping our god and we become true believers and I am sure it is something we can all do.

In a country where politicians build statues, issue statements and make train journeys announcing their simple lifestyles, where armed men (under various names- goondas, naxalites, dacoits) determine the lifespan of citizens, where the depth of a persons pocket can determine his power and influence and all this is one huge consortium- worshipping and supporting the country comes about only when there is a cricket match. People say 'vande mataram' and 'jai hind', but whom and what are they really worshipping and supporting? Our country must be our god, its citizens the children of god and all deserving fair and unselfish treatment, respect and love. Love, camaraderie and respect must overcome greed, lust for power and selfishness, only then will we have a world devoid of poverty and suffering and war and conflicts, disease, hunger and inequality.

God, belief and patriotism- all must come together to make this a better world.