Touchstones: Between hope & despair

I can’t remember another time when I sat down to write a column on the first day of a new year. So how can one not let in some thoughts regarding hope and despair creep in? I sincerely hope that I will manage to evoke more hope than despair so let me begin with what has really shaken my faith.

Look no further than the shameful behaviour of Hindu mobs over Christmas celebrations in the last week of 2025 (to say nothing of similar behaviour spread through the year). What joy does one get after destroying a fellow Indian’s happiness in the simple joys of buying and wearing Santa caps or going to church? Time was when we all liked to attend the Midnight Mass if only to imbibe the peace under a magnificent dome and listen to some Christmas music. The sound of an organ is truly uplifting in a way that no other music can be. This is as true of the Gurbani that is continuously sung in gurdwaras as well. Or the sonorous chanting of Buddhist mantras that seem to arise from the solar plexus of the earth. The sound of these chants and hymns reach out to men and women of all faiths — so what were those goons wielding lathis and swords trying to convey? Did they not realise how much harm they did to their own religion by their disgusting behaviour?

I have another problem related to this. Throughout that evening and for the next few days, all our media could do was play these ugly scenes on a loop and invite guests to provoke a larger debate. What should have been ignored was provided the oxygen that the goons wanted. Believe me, now every time there is another non-Hindu celebration, these worthies will arrive to seek attention. There are so many examples that can be mentioned on such occasions but if our media and social media platforms only sensationalise the lowest form of human behaviour, we will get more and more of it. Equally, why haven’t our political leaders condemned these despicable specimens of Hinduism? It makes one wonder at the silence in every party to speak up for decency and mutual respect.

While on despair, let us also acknowledge the alarming state of our environment and the killer pollution levels all over North India. Delhi is now officially labelled as the most polluted city in the world, so join me in lowering the decibel levels of our rah-rah walas when they speak of our rising trillions. If our children are in danger of serious health damage, then what do we care for having overtaken Japan’s economy? Has anyone seen the level of cleanliness there and the respect with which the Japanese treat their older folk and the world around them?

I will never forget how moving it was to watch Japanese fans at the last World Cup (which they lost), clearing up the litter left behind by the other beer-bloated, pot-bellied football fans. That is what I regard as a true indicator of civic responsibility and God knows when our paan-spitting, nose blowing, red-light jumping hordes will reach there. Until then, fourth or third economy, India ranks at the bottom as far as I’m concerned.

Let us now start on what makes me happy. It is seeing little children, shiny faced and neatly dressed in clean uniforms, going to school. No matter what the quality of that education may be, the fact that there is a universal acknowledgement that all children — girls included — must study, is a huge victory in a country where parents, who were themselves uneducated, never considered education a vital parental responsibility. However flawed, the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan and the incentive of a free lunch have played a role in raising this awareness. Leaders such as Jayalalithaa and Nitish Kumar deserve our gratitude for having made the effort to make education — especially for the girl child — a pivotal axis of development. Remember that many of our best athletes, cricketers and boxers (to name just a few stars) come from small towns and villages and have struggled to reach the top. Today we have reached a stage where sport is no longer looked at as a waste of time but the means to a successful career. I can see India doing really well in this century.

I am also hopeful that there will be a reverse flow of Indian talent. More and more young people are turning to start their own ventures or joining a start-up here rather than opting for a life as a second-class citizen abroad. Trump and stray incidents of violence against non-white citizens in the western world have made many bright young people reconsider their decision to bring up a family cut off from the warmth of the Great Indian Family.

These days, many friends and relatives have their NRI children visiting them and it is a joy to see the children soak in the attention and indulgence of the grandparents. If we can somehow build on this mood, we will have achieved a dream I’ve always nurtured of living within close distance of my grandchildren.

Finally, here’s hoping that we pick up more languages than shedding them. My generation grew up listening to and speaking at least three (more if our parents came from different states) and what a difference that has made to our acceptance of differences!

— The writer is a social commentator