martial arts.. a useful thing

There are a few things which Indian parents often forget to teach the children, and as a result they are either deprived from some great joys or suffer dearly. I have jotted down six of them, and have distributed them in six posts. Even though I don’t and wont have a child of my own, but thought about sharing it with parents:
One: Self defense:-
The need of learning self defense arts may seems unimportant in the eyes of most of the Indian parents. Who somehow have built a strong misconception that nothing can go wrong with children, because no one harms innocent children. They need to snap out of that reverie, its not that thing any more, with the violence on the upward move, and too many provocations, life has become very complex. And mostly the innocent and weak bear the brunt. This harsh truth has been dished out time and time again that innocent, weak and naïve children or people are the main target of bullies.

The second main target of assaulters are women, especially women who go out to do different activities either in isolated areas or at odd hours. Recently I have read a few incidents and articles about harassment, in western countries, where women have the extreme liberty and have to face the extreme violence, they carry few things with them when they are going out at odd hours, simple available things like chilly powder, a bottle of perfume or legal guns which is capable of temporarily paralyzing the offender by giving him a low capacity electric shock. Combination of martial art with one or more of these weapons can give them lot more confidence to move around independently.

In today’s world these are the practical steps for career women in my eyes. As for martial arts, I always suggest my friends who have children to train them with self defense.

Learning self defense skill is full of boons from every angle, in one hand it gives a person the confidence to go out and meet the world without a bodyguard. Which most of the women still prefer to have when they are going out, especially during odd hours. On the other it gives immense physical fitness. I have trained myself to karate classes, could not finish it, but the immense feeling of physical well being that I enjoyed during those years was too self satisfactory.

Its not possible for us to have the luxury of simply playing some game every day, but once we have enough training in martial arts we will feel the inner urge to practice every day from home. Most of the exercises can easily be done from home and independently.

So in gist, one will have the confidence and physical fitness almost free of cost. These institutes charge minimum fees. All we have to do is be careful that the trainer doesnot messes up the muscles and bones, have the license and expertise to understand the correct methods of exercises.

Disaster management in India

This article was written last year, when bihar was facing a horrible flood disaster, as the monsoon are approaching, I will love to share this article with everyone especially people of bihar, hoping it may give them some ideas if the disaster strikes again. Which environment specialists doubt as true. If the skies pour down again.

I have been reading about the Bihar flood from the very first day, and the havoc that it has caused. I have listened to the non government organizations coming forward and collecting money from the common people to do some thing for the flood victims, but all we could hear from government quarters was squabble.

When a hurricane hit Galveston island in 1900 six thousand people perished, another hurricane of similar capacity struck Galveston in 1915 only a dozen or so people perished, reason? The government has built a sea wall, and most probably have evacuated the city, like it has done when Ike was heading for Houston.

The citizens of America will survive if their homes are destroyed, but the poor people of rural India who don’t even have a proper house, can they survive if they lose every thing that they have? I believe not. Its scary to think what will be their condition, and scarier to think what will government do to re establish them, and when!

To add up to their misfortune, I have read that the soil which Kosi is bringing is poisonous, its not the rich, fertile soil that rivers bring down. So once the waters recede the people had more miseries in store.

The victims of Tsunamis have not yet recovered from their wound, they are constantly exploited by greedy people, my friend’s sister works for Tsunami affected people, so I know a little bit of inside stories. I wonder what was in store of the extremely poor Bihar people.

In a country like India where relief materials rot, I think the voluntary organizations can take a few humanitarian steps. In small towns reputed organizations like Ramkrishna Mission and Bharat Sevashram Sangha goes door to door with authentic papers and collect even worn dresses from people. Naturally they are quite cautious about hygienic side, and select only appropriate dresses. I remember they used to take only cotton, tant or light synthetic saree and pants and shirts and of course kid wear, monetary help was welcome and they took 11 rupee donation with dignity. I have seen school children fishing out one rupee coin for their boxes. If such people collect relief materials most of the people will give without hesitation. That covers the preliminary part, the collection of donation.

Second is they can locate the nearest ashram to the affected area and dump the relief materials there.

Third is they can request the service of ex army men who were expert in relief work and hand over the relief material to them from that point onward, they will do the distribution.

I think instead of waiting for government officials to have pity on dying people this will be a lot more effective way of working. I have a lot more faith on charitable organizations than government officials. And whatever I said, I think is quite easily achievable if they really want.

Hope we wake up and make some homeworks before entering the examination hall. When we are sitting in the hall we don’t have much choice about what to answer. But if we study before it we will have our feet on ground.

And it will be wise to keep these points in mind as having one or other natural calamity every year is a natural phenomenon in India, the land of geographical diversities.