Book Review - Small is Beautiful

Small is beautiful

-By E.F. Schumacher

Written during the 1973 energy crisis, it was a very influential book which is divided into four parts of 'The modern world', 'Resources', 'The Third World' and 'Organization and ownership'. The ideas discussed and lessons learned are also very much relevant even today.

Frankly I was not able to clearly interpret everything that I read but sometimes that fact itself makes a book much more interesting.

To start with I was told that the book is on economics but it covers a lot many things and yes all that is done from the point of view of economics. Many a times I felt like the things what I am
reading are no way near to economics(It is off course my inability to connect) but it is fun to read anyways.

At first you start reading and you feel like it is a collection of authors thoughts on various issues which are vaguely organized and the chapters flow in a direction that don't seem to make sense but soon as you get the big picture you realize that the agruments made were very much affable to the given conclusion. The thing that I liked especially is the abundant reference text from other books and wise wording of various great persons are included at
regular interval.

Since I found it a bit hard to read, I might as well include my
way to do it :)
The best way to read (According to me),
1) Start the book with aim that you will read at least two chapters
(Because if you don't do so, there is very high probability that you
will not understand a para, loose interest and keep the book aside)
2) Stop in between and think about what you read. (Only then you
realize the beauty of the ideas conveyed)
3) Finally keep the book aside and you will feel happy that you read
significant part. (Don't read lot because I felt like the material is
bit heavy to digest)

To describe the things in short, man in his excitement to utilize and develop his scientific and technical powers has built a system that ravishes nature. His ever-increasing infinite needs cannot be satisfied by finite resources. The importance to consider the human factor while measuring various economic parameters, importance of land as a resource, ownerships in
large scale organizations and many such interesting topics are discussed.
So people who like to put their thinking cap on and are interested in
studying various systems should surely read this one.

Note :- You need not know any economics to enjoy the book. :)

-Anwar Sahib

Book Review - Duishen

Duishen
-by Chingiz Aitmatov
(Translated from the Russian in English by Olga Shartse)

The description “If there is one single book on education which will make you weep, this is it.”, stands very true.

The story is narrated by an artist who is given the responsibility to convey a touching story of an orphan who for the first time ever is treated with love and respect by the teacher who is like an elder brother to her. This story revolves around an illiterate teacher, his student and the two poplars (type of tree) standing tall like forming a link between the past and the present.

The background is the rustic village of Kurkureu where a girl has to bear with the harsh treatment of her aunt as she is an orphan with only other refuge of her aging grandmother. Ignorant of her rights and potentials she quietly endures everything until the day hope in form
of Duishen arrives. Duishen in spite of himself being barely literate sets about to achieve a nearly impossible task of setting up a school in a place where the notion of schools itself is unheard of.

With unwavering courage he sets about his tasks of teaching children whose and forefathers had all been illiterate. Naturally he receives absolutely no help from the villagers and is mocked at when he works in freezing temperatures to build a school out of an old stable on a hill. Hardly able to read, with no textbooks and completely innocent of grammar he gives in his best, teaching whatever he thought children should know giving them glimpses of a new and wonderful world. Although at that time it seemed like his hard work was in vain but in long run he accomplished more than he realized.

The fact that it is narrated by an artist who is puzzled as to what picture he should draw related to the story, made me instantly connect as I love both, writing and drawing. Some things are left untold in the end adding a sense of incompleteness to the story leaving the reader to predict the rest. The sentences are very picturesque describing the scenic beauty of the place and the language used makes you think that you are reading a literary masterpiece but unfortunately as opposed to masterpieces it is only 35 pages long... :(

35 pages of pure emotion and inspiration with many dramatic scenes. Duishen's patriotic nature, his struggle to keep his promises made to children, effort to make children laugh in spite of himself facing insults and the fighting spirit showed by a simple village girl make you want to read this book again and again....

-Anwar Sahib

Surely you're Joking, Mr.Feynman!

-by Richard Feynman

To start with, book along with being extremely inspirational is also strangely extremely humorous.

Intelligence had always fascinated me and so I find myself reading about intelligent people.Although I am still not sure what are the criterias which ensures that a particular man belongs to a specific grade of intelligence but after knowing about the Howard Gardner theory of multiple Intelligences one thing is sure, everyone is intelligent in one or other field. Intelligence traditionally is primarily associated to scientists, so I stumbled upon this book on a very famous and curious character Richard Feynman-he won a noble award in physics.

The book is so inspiring that you actually dont feel like putting the book down, you feel like going and doing something, anything to make yourself a bit moreintelligent because the freedom and pleasures that he experiences owing to his intelligence makes one really jealous.

Like every autobiographical book, it starts with the description of his childhood wherein his curious character makes him famous as 'the child who could repair radios just by thinking!!'. He describes many incidents where he tries to reason and change things to accomplish his end in his very own peculiar way. Some experiments succeed while others turn out to be disastrous, nonetheless he continues with the experiments describing everything in a very humorous way.

His interest in drawing and music adds color to his character. His curious nature with readiness to experiment with anything(he conducts experiments even with ants, plays around with locks),outgoing personality, mathematical genius and a mischievous attitude combines to create a lot of interesting events. He refusal to accept the conventional, frankness in pointing out faults and problem solving attitude makes him stand out of the ordinary.

His love for teaching, the faults in textbooks and his way to infer students real understanding are a joy to read.

Finally, I think that if I had read this book earlier during my college days it would surely have helped me be a better learner.So especially for technical folks this is a must read.

Note: - Looking at the book one might get impression that it is a pure technical book but it is not, So don’t miss reading it under this wrong impression as sufficient effort is made to keep it simple for normal reader.

-Anwar Sahib

Letters to Shivani

Whenever difficult terms and concepts are told in simple format they are better digested. Here is a book which tries to summarize and make us understand basic concepts of ‘Bharateey sanskriti’. Bharateey sanskriti was written by Sane Guruji in 1937. He tried to explain different facets of Indian culture. In this book, he has given different relevant examples from Vedas, puranas and worldwide history. The most beautiful part of this book is Sane Guruji relates all these concepts to day to day life and makes them relevant to time.

It has become routine to say that now a day people do not follow Indian culture. But have we ever realized the real meaning of culture? Does following an Indian culture just means to blindly follow all traditions of Ganapati and Diwali Festival or does it have a meaning beyond these traditions? Indian culture does not only have great history but also has some vision. Sane Guruji spoke about this vision. In ‘Bharateey sanskriti’ written by sane Guruji, there are 23 articles. Starting from the concept of ‘Advait’ (oneness), he has covered different edges related to culture. He has spoken about importance of knowledge, work, mental and physical health, non-violence etc. The concept of four stages and ends of life as explained in puranas is very nicely explained by him in this book. He has given different Sanskrit shlokas (along with meaning), Marathi stanzas to make them interesting and simple for common people. Language in the book is lively and contains many conversations. We feel as if the writer is talking to us and making us understand the great Indian culture.

The last article in this book is the most touching article, I feel. The title is ‘mrutyuche mahakavya’. The philosophy and the beauty in the concept of ‘death’ infact reveal the beauty of life! Bharateey sanskriti not only looks at life as an art but also at death!!

कर ले श्रिंगार चतुर अलबेली.
साजन के घर जाना होगा..

मिट्टी ओढावन मिट्टी बिछावन..
मिट्टीमें मिल जाना होगा..

नहाले घोले शीस गुंथा ले..
फिर वहांसे नही आना होगा..

Converting such beautiful yet difficult concepts in simple article form can not be an easy task. G.P.Pradhan has written 18 letters in the book ‘letters to Shivani’.He has focused on important concepts. Language is simple. Even though he has attempted to write all the articles in ‘letter form’ (as a sane Guruji had done in ‘sunder patre) they do not really have a feel of letters.

So, ‘Letters to Shivani’ is a simple book to understand few facets of Bharateey sanskriti and sane Guruji but it is not at all a replacement for the book ‘Bharateey sanskriti’ written by sane Guruji.

-Mukta Gundi

नसत्या इंगळ्या डसल्या नसत्या.......

दया पवार- अर्थात ’दगडू मारुती पवार’. (१९३५-१९९६). स्वत:च्या ’दगडू’ या नावापासूनच त्यांनी आपल्या अस्तित्वाचा शोध घ्यायला सुरुवात केली. ते दलित साहित्य चळवळीतले एक महत्वपूर्ण लेखक. जन्म धामणगावातला (अकोला). १०वी पर्यंतचं शिक्षण संगमनेर इथल्या शाळेत. नोकरीच्या शोधात त्यांनी मुंबई गाठली. परळ इथल्या पशुवैद्यक महाविद्यालयात त्यांनी सहाय्यक म्हणून काम पहायला सुरुवात केली आणि त्यातून मिळणाऱ्या कमाईवर आपले शिक्षण पुढे चालू ठेवले. anatomy department मधे काम करताना मेलेल्या प्राण्यांची कातडी सोलून त्यांची body preserve करण्यासाठी त्यांच्या शिरांमधे अल्कोहोलचं इंजेक्शन देण्याचं काम त्यांच्या वाट्याला आलं. एका संवेदनशील माणसाला हे काम करताना काय वेदना झाल्या असतील...

त्यांचं बलुतं हे आत्मचरित्र नुकतच वाचून झालं. ’दगडू’नं दयाला सांगितलेलं हे आत्मकथन.जणू स्वतःलाच स्वतःची जुनी ओळख दिल्यासारखं. ”आयुष्यात किमान एकाला तरी घडलेलं सगळं सांगावं” या आईनं दिलेल्या शिकवणीशी प्रामाणिक राहून घडलेलं ’सगळं’ त्यांनी सांगितलं आहे. सगळ्यात शेवट मग ’दया’नं लिहिलेलं एक मनोगत आहे. ही कथा कुण्या ’हिरो’ची नाही. यात आयुष्यात काही ’कर्तबगारी’ करून दाखवलेला कुणी ’पुढारी’सुद्धा नाही. कुठल्याही एकाच कडव्या विचारानं यात बाजी मारलेली नाही. यात एक साधं विश्लेषण आहे. आलेले अनुभव, विचारांचं उठलेलं मोहोळ, जीवनाच्या पटावर भेटलेली टोकाची माणसं.... या साऱ्या भूतकाळाकडे बघणारं एक संवेदनशील मन. स्वतःच्या झालेल्या चुकांवर पांघरूण घालायचा कुठे केविलवाणा प्रयत्न नाही. नरेंद्र जाधव यांनी ”आम्ही आन आमचा बाप” मधे जशी ग्रामीण बोली वापरली आहे तशी बलुतं मधे दया पवारांनी वापरली असती तर ते जास्त जिवंत वाटलं असतं का, असा मनात विचार आला. असो.

आश्चर्य एकाच गोष्टीचं वाटत राहतं की या माणसाचं मन इतक्या भयंकर जीवनानुभवानंतरही इतकं संवेदनशील राहिलंच कसं? दारू आणि स्पिरिट च्या व्यसनी लागलेला बाप, काबाडकष्ट करून नवरा गेल्यानंतरही मुलांना शिकवण्यासाठी कष्ट उपसणारी आई, समाजात सतत वाट्याला येणारी उपेक्षा, शिक्षणामुळे येत असलेलं सामाजिक भान पण ते व्यक्त करत असताना होणारी घालमेल, आजूबाजूच्या स्त्रियांचं हलाखीचं जिणं, लहान वयात पाहिलेले, अनुभवलेले भयंकर प्रसंग या सगळ्यात ’दगडू’ हरवला कसा नाही? किंवा तो नावाप्रमाणे ’दगड’ कसा झाला नाही?? आयुष्याच्या प्रत्येक टप्प्यावर त्यांची सत्वपरीक्षा घेतली गेली जणू. त्यांच्या एका कवितेत ’चिलया’ बाळाच्या कथेचा उल्लेख येतो.

”देव एवढे का दुष्ट असतात..

चिलयाचे रक्त,मांस मागतात...?”

...... दया पवारांनी आयुष्यात कधी चिलया बाळाचे तर कधी त्या चिलया बाळाच्या आई-बापाचे अनुभव घेतले.... या कथेला आपण ”भाकड कथा” का म्हणतो?

बलुतंची पहिली edition १९७८ सालची. त्या काळातलं हे साहित्य ’विद्रोही’ म्हणावं का. खरं पाहता बलुतं ने प्रस्थापिताला धक्का दिला पण तरीही ते ’आत्मकथना’च्या पठडीत जास्त चपखल बसणारं आहे. वाट्याला आलेल्या दुःखाचं त्यात शेअरिंग आहे. दुःखाकडे ’अन्याय’ म्हणून बघण्याची त्यात द्रुष्टी दिसत असली तरी ती तितकी ’विद्रोही’ स्वरूपात व्यक्त मात्र होत नाही. ती खरी व्यक्त झाली आहे त्यांच्या ’कोंडवाडा’ या काव्यसंग्रहामधे. बलुतं च्या निमित्तानं मी कोंडवाडा सुद्धा वाचलं. यातल्या कविता दुःख आणि अन्याय या दोन्ही पातळ्यांवर व्यक्त होणाऱ्या आहेत. आंबेडकरांच्या विचारांचा प्रभाव, महार समाजाच्या उन्नतीसाठीची आतून व्यक्त होणारी तळमळ, दलित समाजाला, तरुणांना प्रत्यक्ष व अप्रत्यक्षपणे केलेलं आवाहन आणि अंतर्मुख होऊन मांडलेला अनुभवांचा लेखाजोखा; हे सारं त्यांच्या कवितेतून व्यक्त होतं. कोंडवाड्यामधे आणि बलुतं मधे केवळ सामाजिक बाह्य संघर्ष नाही. यात सामाजिक संक्रमणाबरोबर आंतरिक संघर्षही आहे. शिकल्यामुळे होणारं white collar मन आणि त्यातूनच आपल्या समाजापासून तुटल्याची येणारी भावना यात वेळोवेळी व्यक्त झाली आहे.

कोंडवाडाचं मुखप्रुष्ठ बोलकं आहे. त्याचा ३/४ भाग हा दगड-विटांनी बांधलेल्या (एकही खिडकी नसलेल्या) कोंडवाड्याची भिंत आहे. त्या शेजारून एक ठिपक्याएवढा दिसणारा माणूस (ज्याचा चेहरा दिसत नाही. खांद्यावर झोळी आहे. अंगावर कपडे चांगले आहेत) चालला आहे. दया पवार यांची कविता ही त्यांच्या आयुष्याच्या कोंडवाड्यातून बाहेर पडण्यासाठी त्यांना सापडलेली पायवाट होती. त्यांनी कष्टानं घेतलेलं शिक्षण, केलेलं वाचन एका अर्थानं त्याना मोकळा श्वास घ्यायला शिकवत होतं तर कधी त्यांच्या वेदनांच्या खपल्या उघडणारं होतं. त्यांनी कोंडवाडा कवितेत म्हटलं आहे-

”कशाला झाली पुस्तकांशी ओळख? बरा ओहोळाचा गोटा..

गावची गुरे वळली असती, असल्या इंगळ्या डसल्या नसत्या..”

दया पवारांची कविता वास्तवदर्शी आहे. ”मला निसर्गात रमणं आणि त्यावर कविता करणं कधीच जमलं नाही.” असं त्यानी म्हटलं आहे. किडे-मुंग्यांकडे कौतुकानं बघण्याची त्यांची मानसिकता नव्हती. ते शक्यही नव्हतं. इथे किड्याना खायला रव्याचा दाणा मिळू शकतो पण आमच्यासारख्या माणसांना एक वेळचं खायला मिळेल याची शाश्वती नाही, हे त्यांचं वाक्यच त्यांची मनःस्थिती सांगतं. बलुतं मधे जरी त्यांनी म्हटलं असलं की ही कथा माझ्या पराभवाची आहे तरी तसं पूर्णपणे खरं नाही. ’दगडू’ ते ’दया’ हा प्रवासच मुळी त्यांच्यातला सकारात्मक बदल दाखवतो. कोंडवाडामधे त्या कोंडलेल्या जीवनातून बाहेर येऊन ते म्हणूनच आवाहन करतात-

”प्रखर तेजाने तळपणारा सूर्य केव्हाच अस्तास गेला आहे

ज्या काजव्यांचा तुम्ही जयजयकार केलात

ते केव्हाच निस्तेज झाले आहेत

आता तुम्हीच प्रकाशाचे पुंजके व्हा

अन क्रांतीचा जयजयकार करा.”
सुरक्षित जगात जगलेल्या माझ्यासारख्या मुलीला बलुतं आणि कोंडवाडा हादरवून सोडतं.......

- मुक्ता गुंडी.

’बदलते विश्व’ आणि सॉक्रेटिसचे ६ प्रश्न

कुमार केतकरांचं ’बदलते विश्व’ पुस्तक नुकतच वाचून झालं. पुस्तकाबरोबरच मनामधे एक आपसुख विचाप्रक्रिया सुरू झाली. पुस्तकाचे एकूण १० विभाग आहेत. ते वाचकाच्या सोयीसाठी केले असावेत. कारण संपूर्ण पुस्तक एकसंध आहे. कुमार केतकर वेगवेगळ्या विषयांवर स्वतःची मतं नोंदवतात, सर्व बाजूंनी एखाद्या गोष्टीचा विचार मांडतात पण विचारांची साखळी तुटू देत नाहीत. पुस्तकाबरोबर आपले सुरू झालेले विचार पुस्तकाच्या विभागानुरूप बदलत नाहीत तर त्या विचारांची एक साखळी तयार होत जाते. कुमार केतकर हे पुस्तकात अनेक नोंदी, दाखले देतात, आपली मतं ते नोंदवतात, आपल्याला अनेक प्रश्नांच्या वेगवेगळ्या बाजू दाखवतात पण कुठल्याही ’निष्कर्षाप्रत’ येण्याचा अट्टाहास धरत नाहीत. निष्कर्षांच्यासुद्धा अनेक शक्यता आपल्यासमोर मांडल्या जातात. आपण नकळत विचार करायला लागतो. पुस्तकाचं नाव ’बदलते विश्व’ आहे. केतकर या पुस्तकात खरोखरच ’विश्वाविषयी’, त्याच्या इतिहासाविषयी, भविष्याविषयी, प्रश्नांविषयी, झालेल्या, होत असलेल्या चुकांविषयी आणि सामाजिक, राजकीय, मानसिक, आर्थिक परिणामांच्या शक्यतेवर बोलतात.

मला आठवतंय, २.२ च्या वेळी केतकर आले होते. आपण त्यांना कित्तीतरी प्रश्न विचारले होते. अपेक्षित होतं की आपण त्यांचं ’बदलते विश्व’ वाचून यावं. मी वाचलं नव्ह्तं. पुस्तकाचा काहीच भाग मी वाचून आले होते. त्यामुळे ते जी काही उदाहरणं देत होते ती मला क्लिष्ट वाटत होती. सिस्टिम विषयी ते बोलले, दहशतवादाविषयी बोलले पण त्याआधी मी त्यांचा ’माणूस दहशतवादी होतो म्हणजे काय?’ हा लेख जर वाचलेला असता तर मला काही गोष्टी नीट कळल्या असत्या. त्या माणसाचा वाचन, अनुभव यांचा अवाका इतका मोठा आहे की त्यांच्यापुढे बसताना मला ''basic logical and analytical power'' वापरून विषय समजावा इतकं तरी मी वाचलेलं असलं पाहिजे!

त्यांच्या एका लेखात त्यांनी क्रिस्टोफर फिलिप्स यांच्या 'सिक्स क्वेस्चंस ऑफ सॉक्रेटिस' या पुस्तकाचा उल्लेख केला आहे. हे ६ प्रश्नसुद्धा त्यांनी दिले आहेत, ते असे-

१) चारित्र्य म्हणजे काय?
२) धैर्य म्हणजे काय?
३) न्याय म्हणजे काय?
४) श्रद्धा म्हणजे काय?
५) औचित्य म्हणजे काय?
६) ’चांगले’ कशाला म्हणावे?

मी हे पुस्तक वाचलेलं नाही. वाचायला आवडेल. पण हे प्रश्न वाचून मनात आलं की त्या काळात विचारल्या गेलेल्या या प्रश्नांची किती उत्तरं आजच्या काळापर्यंत मिळाली आहेत? हे प्रश्न आजच्या काळाशी सुसंगत आहेत का? या प्रश्नांना उत्तरे आहेत का? socrates ला हे प्रश्न का पडले असतील?! यातल्या प्रत्येक प्रश्नाचं उत्तर तसं पहावं तर व्यक्तिसापेक्ष बदलणारं आहे.

यातला पहिला प्रश्न वाचला आणि मला आपल्याला २.१ मधे दिलेल्या एका group discussion च्या विषयाची आठवण झाली. ”नदी ओलांडताना” असं त्या कथेचं नाव होतं. माया नावाची गरीब मुलगी आपल्या नदीपलिकडे राहणाऱ्या, आजारी असलेल्या प्रियकराला भेटायला जाऊ इच्छित आहे. त्यासाठी मायाला नाविकाला शय्यासोबत करावी लागणार असते. कारण तिला तिचे नातेवाईक पण मदत करत नाहीत. परंतु तिचा प्रियकर मात्र तिने आपले शरीर विकले हे ऐकून संतापतो व तिला हाकलून देतो. शेवट प्रश्न होता- ”तुमच्या मते यातील सर्वात वाईट व्यक्ती कोण?” यात प्रश्न उभा राहिला होता की ’चारित्र्य’ म्हणजे काय बरं? या एका प्रसंगातून आपण मायाला ”चारित्र्यहीन’’ ठरवणार का? तिनं जे केलं त्याला आपण ”धैर्य” म्हणू शकतो का? जेव्हा प्रश्न विचारला जातो की ”तुमच्या मते वाईट कोण?” तेव्हा नकळत आपल्याला ”चांगले” कोण हेही ठरवावं लागतंच की! बर तिनं जे काही केलं ते त्या परिस्थिती नुसार ”उचित” होतं का? तिच्या प्रियकारानं तिला घरातून हाकलून दिलं, हा तिच्या त्यागाला मिळालेला ”न्याय” होता का? तिनं प्रेमावर आणि प्रियकरावर जो विश्वास ठेवून हे धाडस केलं ती तिची त्यांच्यावर असणारी ”श्रद्धा” चुकीची होती का? कथा एकच- प्रश्न मात्र बरोब्बर ६... socrates चेच प्रश्न.... उत्तरं किती? नाहीच की असंख्य???

२.१ मधे दिलेली एक कथा. त्यावर झालेली घमासान चर्चा... चर्चेतून एक उत्तर निघेल आणि अमुक एक व्यक्ती ”वाईट” एकमतानं ठरेल अशी आशा ठेवणं, हा विनोद आहे. कारण प्रत्येक व्यक्तीच्या जडणघडणीवर, विचारांवर, संस्कारांवर,सामाजिक आणि कौटुंबिक पार्श्वभूमीवर आणि संवेदनशीलतेवर यातल्या प्रत्येक प्रश्नाचं उत्तर अवलंबून आहे. माणूस, काळ, परिस्थिती जशी बदलते तसं त्याचं उत्तरही बदलत जाणार असे हे प्रश्न. म्हणजे फ़क्त व्यक्तिसापेक्ष नव्हेत तर कालसापेक्षसुद्धा!! मी २.१ च्या वेळेला या कथेविषयी विचार करताना खूप गोंधळलेली होते. खरं तर अजूनही आहे. मला ”सर्वात वाईट कोण” ते अजूनही नीट ठरवता आलेलं नाही. म्हणजेच मला या प्रश्नांची उत्तरं सापडलेली नाहीत. आपल्या दैनंदिन व्यवहारामधे आपण याच प्रश्नांना भिडत असतो ना? प्रत्येक प्रश्नाच्या कित्येक छटा आहेत. माझ्यावर होणारा ”न्याय” हा दुसर्‍या कुणवर कधीतरी ”अन्याय” असू शकतो निदान त्या व्यक्तीला तसं वाटू शकतं. श्रद्धा आणि अंधश्रद्धा यांच्यातली सीमारेषा ठरवताना होणारे वाद आपल्याला माहीत आहेतच. आधुनिक युगामधे ’चारित्र्य’ ही संकल्पना झपाट्यानं बदलत आहे. चांगले कशाला म्हणावे; हा प्रश्न तर रोजच्या जेवणापासून सुरू होतो! भाजी मला ”चांगली” वाटेल.... कुणाला ”बेचव”...! नोकरी सोडून गावात जाऊन काम करणं कुणाला ’धैर्य’ वाटेल, कुणाला ’कर्तव्य’ वाटेल तर कुणाला ’मूर्खपणा’!!! किती साध्यासुध्या गोष्टीतून आपल्याला हे प्रश्न भेटत असतात. पण आपण त्यांची मांडणी socrates सारखी करत नाही.... :)

दररोजच्या व्यवहारात आपण या ६ चाकी प्रश्नांच्या गाडीवर बसलेले असतो. ideal system ती का ज्यात यातील एकही चाक puncture झालेलं नाही...? गाडी इतकी सुरळीत चालण्यासाठी काय बरं करायला हवं...???

’बदलते विश्व’ मनात खूप प्रश्न निर्माण करतं. ”बदला” प्रमाणे ते गतीमान आहेत आणि ”विश्वा”प्रमाणे खूप मोठे आणि अनाकलनीय.........विश्व-बदल झपाट्यानं होतोय... आपल्याला या ६ प्रश्नांची उत्तरं कधी सापडणार आहेत..?

- मुक्ता गुंडी.

The new realities, Peter Druker

"This book is hard to understand”, was the way I was introduced to this book. That only motivated me more to read it.(I hope it does the same for you).

Published in 1989 by the management guru Peter Drucker who has actually transcended above this title. He has became a specialist when it comes to matters of management, organizations and inadequacies in economy and government. Every chapter puts forward an idea/s which more than often challengesthe traditional beliefs. This is done with help of numerous examples, events and data to support the idea. The best thing that I liked about the book is the way in which author looks at the current situation from a very broad perspective. This coupled with his immense knowledge about sociopolitical history and its apt use in relevant places makesit a really interesting read.

The book is divided in to four parts of 'The political realities','Government and Political Process', 'Economy, Ecology and Economics' and the last 'The knowledge society'. The first two parts are pure treasure of political/history knowledge and how to interpret that knowledge (those who are interested in such things please don’t miss it). In third part the ‘paradoxes of economic development’ i.e. 10th chapter is really good. For me the last part was most interesting as it is more recent and most of us form a part of this knowledge society. Besides this some very nice terms like "Transnational" (i.e.spread or existing in many nations) are used.

To be frank sometimes one feels like there is too much information, especially for a person who has little knowledge about world political history (like me :) ). Thus one should only aim at understanding the main core or crux of the chapter. No need to panic even if you are not familiar with the various examples that the author is citing. The various intermediate headings inside the chapter actually help a lot to keep one on track about what author is emphasizing. Besides content the other things that I really liked about this book is its font, a bit bigger than conventional but very soothing to read.

To conclude I will pick up the lines from the preface of the book itself This book is not futuristic but it does attempt to define the concerns, the issues and the controversies that will be realities in years to come. The author contends that the toughest problems we face are those created by the successes of the past - the success of thewelfare state, the invention of the fiscal state and the knowledge society. This book does not focus on what to do tomorrow. It focuses on what to do today in contemplation of tomorrow.

Note: The last chapter "Conclusion: From analysis to Perception: The new World View" is just outstanding in terms of the facts that are mentioned. So if you find the book, sit, read the chapter then and there. It will surely be worth the 15 min time you spend.

-Anwar Sahib

Book Review -Diva Swapna

I had seen Gujibhai’s name mentioned in Shikshan - Anandashan by Panse Kaka. I was searching for some books on  primary education and found this one. The moment I saw that Gujibhai were its author it was decided that I will read this book. A decision, which proved to be very good one.

The book was first published in Gujarathi way back in 1932.  Strange that the struggle for improvement of primary education was started long back and still there is so much to do. Written in extremely simple language, the book tells a fictional story of a teacher who seeks permission from the education officer to conduct experiments related to education on 4th std students.

Trying to swim against the current by purposefully shunning the orthodox methods of education he faces many difficulties. He is largely disappointed to see theoretically ideal things were not so easy to implement practically. He then devises various creative and intelligent ways to help teach children in a completely new way.

I am very much tempted to reveal some of the methods of his teaching but I won’t, read it for yourself.  One thing that I liked very much is the way he goes into the details of his experiments and reader is amazed at how nicely he devises ways to solve the problems that are confronted due to the syllabus that is mandated for him to teach.  This book shows that teaching primary children is no child’s play which requires lots of creative hard work and patience. Now method to read this book according to me, 

1) The book is again a small one with only 58 pages. The language used is simple but   since events take place at a very fast pace I suggest that it should be read with appropriate breaks.

2) 4 to 5 pages of reading in a sitting and about couple of sitting in a day could help you finish the book in a week.

3) Sometimes the author goes in more details. It can be a bit boring to read narration of actions of student by a third person when the experiments are being conducted but the way and the outcome of experiments compensates for it.

4) The best part which I liked is the way he teaches grammar to students by helping them understand the core concepts.

NOTE :- Even if you don’t read the entire book, One page Preface given at start is a must read as it gives a hint of present  education system.

Everybody loves a good drought. P. Sainath

Gem of a book, deserves to be read by every Nirmanite. A book which has the power of changing our very attitude towards the poor. The title seemed too interesting for me to overlook the book. Ifelt that there was a strange mocking irony in it. But once I started reading the book, the title was as straight as possible. Just that the title was written from the point of view of the rich. I had already heard Nanda kaka (Nanda Khare) and Arun kaka (Arun Deshpande) mention it. So there was added eagerness to read it. I picked up the book, it said 'Stories from the India's poorest districts'. I started reading it and I still wonder how and when I finished this 470 pages book. To start with the book provides a well-researched, real and a heart-rending account of the condition of poor in our country. Written with lot of passion it gives daily account of the way poor manage to make a living. In a world when only dry statics are provided regarding the poor, P.Sainath paints a clear picture of the real facts which are overlooked in statistics. As one reads the book, an unavoidable anger towards the oppressor mixes with the sympathy felt towards the oppressed. Few selected photos are sparsely distributed over the book. Some of them have such great impact that they still hover in front of my eyes. P. Sainath has beautifully captured how haphazardly government project are planned, reasons behind total failure of these projects, how rich people cunningly use such government schemes/projects for their benefit and finally how some projects do more harm than good. The book is nicely divided into various sections. Primarily there are accounts of rural poor in various areas like health, education, displacement, usury and drought. Each section contains very interesting insights in the life of poor with detailed study of the reasons leading to it. Postscripts are added at regular places to suggest the changes in situation when author visited the same place after some time. The book ends with accounts when poor have fought back. Like in the entire book here also P. Sainath maintains his style of reporting stressing more on facts and not describing it as a heroic story where the good triumphs over bad. According to me all those who aspire for journalism can very well consider this book as an Ideal to follow and all those who are searching for problems to solve can find many in this book. To end with one of the very important point that is brought forward here is that the poverty is covered as events i.e. when some disaster strikes or when many people die of mal-nutrition but the process that leads to such events is largely ignored. Journalism should attack that process and not just cover the events. Now we come to how to read. 1) Firstly the book is very much captivating and I say one should read each and every part. 2) There are some repetitions of couple of lines here and there so don’t skip paragraphs as that repetition is limited to some lines only. 3) If in worst case you want to have selected reading, then the chapters ‘Still crazy after all these years’, ‘Beyond the margins’, ‘Lenders, Losers, Crooks & Credit’,’ Everybody loves a good drought’ and ‘With their own weapons’ are must read. 4) Needless to say poverty, development and press should be read just to get an idea of how much away the press is from its actual purpose. Now the question that stands in front of me, aren’t somewhere we ourselves responsible for this deviation of press from its purpose? According to me the answer is, yes we are. 

- Anwar Sahib

Animal Farm

Comrades,

I finished "Animal Farm" by George Orwell in this week. I had read it in my childhood and had also seen the movie, but probably understood the novella in its truest sense this time.A fantastic book and a MUST READ for everyone.

The book is a satire of the Bolshevik revolution that took place in Soviet Russia in 1917 and the events that then folded up. A farm called Manor Farm owned by some Mr. Jones (Tsar of Russia) has many animals who are living in misery and suffering under the monarchy of Mr. Jones. An elderly boar on the farm, the Old Major (resembles Marx as well as Lenin) gives a passionate speech and incites the animals to fight for their freedom. As a result, the "Rebellion" takes place and Jones is driven out of the farm. Two pigs Snowball (Trotsky) and Napoleon (Stalin) then unite and lead the other animals. In the course of time, the rivalry and power struggle between these two increases and finally Napoleon captures the power. How does then the beautiful dream of Freedom, Self-governance, Equality and Happiness crashes is better to be read actually from the book than from me. The torment of the Proletariat (the lowest class of citizens) really astounds us. A glimpse of this can be seen from how the commandments that the animal originally decide for themselves are changed to suit the dictatorship of Napoleon.

The Original Seven Commandments

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.

2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.

3. No animal shall wear clothes.

4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.

5. No animal shall drink alcohol.

6. No animal shall kill any other animal.

7. All animals are equal.

Written originally by Snowball, the Seven Commandments were the "unalterable" principles of 'Animalism'. Since not all of the animals can remember them (or read them), they are boiled down into one basic statement: 'Four legs good, two legs bad!' (with wings counting as legs for this purpose).

All of the Seven Commandments are eventually broken by Napoleon and his pigs for their own personal gain. Squealer (Napoleon's media manager) constantly changes the Commandments to the pigs' benefit, taking advantage of the other animals. For example:

• No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets
• No animal shall drink alcohol to excess
• No animal shall kill any other animal without cause
• All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

In the end, the pigs learn to stand on two legs and regard the four-legged populace as inferiors. They start to wear Mr. Jones' clothes, sleep in beds and drink alcohol. They brutally order the killings of all of the confessing animals who try to oppose the despotism (who are forced to confess to crimes they did not commit)

The Commandments' summation "Four legs good, two legs bad!" is changed to 'Four legs good, two legs better!' as the pigs become more human. Finally they start dealings with those humans whom the animals have been hating all through the course of their revolution. (Socialism kneeling in front of Capitalism may be)

I will definitely say that the allegory is extremely subtle and just too good. Reading the document attached with this mail will give you a detailed overview of the book as well as the real life significance of characters in the story which is very interesting.

I will definitely like to discuss various issues that are raised in the book. Anyone interested, please communicate.

In the end, a must read. Just go for it!!

- Amrut