Anna and I live in the southern part of India, where the scenes like what is above are not common. But it is a common sight in villages in some northern parts of India.
In our part of India, cycles have been replaced by motorised two wheelers and it is uncommon to see even children on bicycles except a few who would go by bicycles to schools. The majority of school children get dropped or use the school bus as the conveyance mode to school.
It is uncommon to see in our area peddling tricycles, which is still used for carrying goods in many states in India. Most local governments would offer bank loans to buy motorised tricycles or other three or four wheelers for transport. We have a neighbour who uses a three wheeler motorised vehicle to transport goods in the village for fifteen years now.
I come across only seldom women, who take care of animals like cow or goats. That is usually done by men. Seeing the woman walk her goat for grazing to a public place beside a waterbody held my attention. She does it in the hope that the goat would bring some returns in due course by yielding milk.
Yesterday in the Raja Sabha, the upper house of Indian parliament, Mr Derek O'Brown and Mr P. Chidambaram, raised an issue for discussion: When will children who go hungry will have enough food! When will families have enough income to move away from the poverty state! When will young people after graduation find an assured job!
When these two parliamentarians raised this issue, they highlighted something that stared at us, to put us to shame even after seventy years of independence: About five percent of rich people control the 40 percent or more of wealth of India. The statistics about the disparity between those in the apex of the pyramid and those in the bottom was so embarrassing and equity is not in sight as the government policies favour those who are wealthy and can access all the benefits.
The nationalised banks give huge loans to industrialists and the defaulters in payment are too many. Whereas, if a person from the low socio economic background has defaulted to pay back the loan taken to build a small house, that family will be made to be accountable.
The ugly, inhuman and arrogant way Israel bombs and kills the palestenians to take revenge on the Hamas attack on October 7, and the silence of super powers of the world tell us a story of distressing injustice. When the Prime Minister of India is silent over 13 people killed in an ethnic clash in Manipur yesterday, as continuation of the violence in Manipur for several months, one wonders, who would bring respite for those who suffer!
The three photos above tell me the story of the majority in India.
When I see the extravagant ways, medical conferences are conducted, and lavish arrangements made to add luxury to the occasion, I know that even medical professionals are users of the benefits for themselves rather than live mindfully of children who live below the poverty line. I wish that conference organisers offer simple food during the conference and save the money to make a large contribution for a worthy cause! Such acts of mindfulness is needed to sensitise us to turn our attention to live to lessen the burden of daily agonies of many.
Ever since I have been a doctor since fifty years , I have come across the cost of health care escalating, and more getting left out from receiving medical care, unless the government hospitals provide subsidised care. Only 20-25 percent of people can afford health insurance.
The burden of living is leading people to distress. The statistics I heard from the discussion in the parliament yesterday, made me aware that farmers take their lives, for not being able to pay back their loan as the crops did not yield good returns.
The three photos above tell me of the way majority live their lives in a subsistence level, which awakened me to ask: Do I live mindfully of others in need!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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