A Tale That Stood The Test Of Time

It’s been 15 years since that day...the day that shook my world and started a journey for years to come. But let me rewind the story to two years further down the line.

I was happily chatting away with my friends during a class. I was in the sixth grade and was known for being talkative ever since I joined this school. To escape the teacher’s attention, we chose the last bench. As we discussed issues of utmost importance to a bunch of 11-year-olds, a friend spotted a drop of blood on the collar of my white shirt. I dismissed it as a drop of watercolour with a mistaken target. But the drop grew bigger and bigger. Blood oozed out from my left ear. I froze! Blood always drove me dizzy. I rushed to the school phone booth and called up my mother, who took me to an ENT specialist. Through various tests and a constant pain, the doctor diagnosed an infection behind the eardrum. And there was just one way to remove it - surgery in Mumbai. 

What followed were days of visits to the doctor and severe pain. There was a procedure called the cleansing of the ears through irrigating the ear canal, like a small machine being inserted inside your ear. You could feel a terrifying burst of water inside. I had slowly started to lose my hearing. Attending school was tough, especially if a teacher was soft-spoken. I felt ashamed to let anyone know I couldn’t hear soft voices. Nobody knew the reason, and I was ridiculed. I felt stigmatised. The doctor recommended getting me tested for hearing aids. I even tried them out in a hearing lab. Throughout this, I could see my parents’ distraught faces as their only child grappled with pain and uncertainty. The surgery was a 50-50 chance. I would never regain my hearing. 

This chapter of our lives was definitely a tough one. But as a child who only attended church because of parents, I saw them clinging onto God. I didn’t understand then. But I understand now. One particular Thursday, I was running around my school playground as far away, my parents invited my pastor and his wife to our house to pray together. The following evening, my mother asked me if I felt anything. I nodded in dismay. 

But things were about to take a turn for the best. That Sunday, as I prepared for church, I heard a loud blast in my left ear. It confused me. I checked my ear. Suddenly, everyone seemed to shout. I entered the church. ‘Why was everyone shouting at the top of their voices?’ I thought to myself. But gradually, I realised I could hear well. I waited for the church to end to be able to tell my parents. And the joy stayed forever. I could hear. My ears felt normal. There was nothing that oozed out. And it’s been 15 years since then. No surgery, no medicines. There has been no turning back. My parents joke I hear too well. 

It’s been an amazing shift from shame and pain to a miracle I never expected. This change caused me to know the Father for who He is, that He was more than just a God whom we met on Sundays. I found out He was ready to have a relationship with me, as my Father. He was so full of love for me, that He gave up His Son for me. Suddenly, the Cross and the Resurrection made sense to me. I have learnt to ask Him boldly, knowing He is ever-ready to answer my prayers. 

My life has never been the same. 

A LETTER TO MY LAND

Picture Credit: Google Images

                                             

Dear India,

Hope you're fine. Or hope you are able to survive. I have been hearing countless stories of lynching and rapes. And I shudder to think what you have been going through.

In the day and age I was born in your land, everything was so serene. Okay, this isn't about how I feel. I wanted you to know there are thousands who are still with you. I know this isn't what you wanted your future to look like...an 80-year-old man being beaten up, a Muslim or a migrant worker being lynched, an 8-year-old girl being raped and murdered. After every gruesome incident, hashtags emerge. And then, everything fades off. You must be wondering how many of us still remember Asifa, the blue-eyed girl. When you were freed from bondage 71 years ago, you wanted violence to end. Now, it is rearing its ugly head again. It seems it never wants to go back to its bottomless pit.

I have heard patriotism is by choice. One shouldn't love their country, just by being born in it. I fell in love with you when I saw how different and classy you were. Songs like 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhaara' gave me goosebumps. It still does!

You have loved your people, no matter how much they betrayed you. And I sincerely hope your love and sacrifice yield you true results. Even as politicians fight and tear off each other’s heads, let me tell you one thing. There are many of us who want you to prosper. We are worried now! But we hope for the future that you dreamt of.

Even as you are traumatized by the turn of events, please be assured of a better tomorrow. I know it's too much optimism. But, it’s worth hoping for.

Yours sincerely,

A Patriotic Indian

In His Presence

 Leaning on the metro door, I scrolled through my mail inbox, skipping the numerous devotionals that I received. One mail caught my attention, ‘Five Ways to Receive Financial Blessings’. And here’s what triggered this article.

What do we approach God for? In this age of prosperity gospel and sermons prioritising materialistic blessings, every Christian should ask God this question, what do we approach God for? Firstly, a disclaimer, I am not against materialistic blessing. I would be a hypocrite if I seemed to oppose such prayers. However, what is our priority when we pray? I have heard so many sermons on chalking out a layout for your dream house or imagining an interview for that dream job. But, how many preachers dare to stand up and say, we need God and just Him? Very few, I feel.

A well-known Bible verse goes like this, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) It is a hard truth, but yes it is. He wants us to seek Him first and His kingdom. He wants us to rely only on Him. He wants us to thirst for His presence. When we spend time in prayer, He wants us to enjoy His presence, acknowledging His love and faithfulness. Oh, how He loves when we relax in His presence, as a child would do.

He loves it when we try to fix our eyes on Him, when it’s dark and stormy outside. He loves it when we call out to Him from the pit. He loves it when we spend time with Him, shutting out the world. And won’t you love it if the Creator and the Master says, “This is my daughter/son, with whom I am pleased.” That would give me joy beyond the world’s understanding. A verse that I have consistently been encountering, “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalms 46:10), has made me think a lot about stillness lately. How ready are we, to spend time in Him, without the worries of the world? It’s difficult, I agree. But, it’s worth a try, being still and knowing He is in perfect control. You and I cannot do it alone, but only with His help. However, it is important to experience this stillness with joy.

One of my favourite Bible verses has been Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” And I sincerely hope I am able to embody this joy in my darkest times, so that the King and my Father looks down at me and says “She is my daughter, with whom I am pleased.”

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Where’s My Joy?

As is the usual custom for me, I opened my Bible app to know the verse for the day. Expecting a beautiful promise to come up on the screen, enough to rejuvenate me for the day, much to my dismay, the verse was ‘Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.’ (James 1:2-3) For a moment, I thought, ‘Huh! Easier said than done.’ Who finds joy amidst hardships and trials? Who considers having faith like a mustard seed, while facing tribulations worse than one can imagine?

And that is Christian life. Jesus defeated sin on the cross. As we believe in Him, we believe in the power of God who raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11). But, does any of this mean our life will be a bed of roses? Never! The day we accept Christ as our Saviour, He gives us the power and authority over serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19). But, that doesn’t guarantee a life full of only good things. We, as Christians, will have a life just like others...a life full of highs and lows. But, as children of the Most High, we have to learn to find pure joy amidst our trials.

This is why many Christians fall apart when they face trials. We have been taught by grace preachers that life is a fairy tale...speak positive words and whoosh! everything is just about fine. If it were so, wouldn’t everyone run to Christianity? Some of us may face sorrows in heaps, and find it preachy when I refer to the James 1:2-3. But, that’s the truth. And God allows us to face trials and hardships. This might contradict our perception of God as our compassionate Father. How can a good God let us face troubles, instead of eliminating them? In this world ruled by the powers of darkness, He does not put a full stop to our troubles, but helps us develop perseverance when our faith is tested. There may be many views opposed to this. But, any view that does not help you be joyful during trials is a useless one. For, when we face trials (which are unavoidable), God wants us to stop lamenting, shake the dust off our pants, fight it out like one of God’s soldiers and become victorious. And in all of this, find pure joy.

I can say this with confidence, that my Father enabled me to find joy during trials. Watching your mother fight for life, watching her lay helpless as doctors advise her complete bed rest and watching her recover with the help of Divine intervention made me question my beliefs. Didn’t I think prayers would always be answered instantly? Didn’t I think all problems would vanish the moment I pray? What went wrong? Didn’t we speak positive words or words of healing every single day? But, that’s what God made me realise...everything happens at His right time! It’s not always the way I want it. It’s His ways, not mine (Isaiah 55:8). He has always been faithful. He will never change! Through our trials, as He shows us His faithfulness, He wants us to develop perseverance. As God worked behind the scenes, He taught us His timing is perfect. Today, as my mom recovers extraordinarily, she smiles with glee, because God enabled us to find pure joy amidst our trials. Yes, we have stumbled. Yes, we have fallen. But the One who is faithful picked us up and carried us through the wilderness.

Picture Courtesy: Google Images

Even when everything around seems dark and devastating, He trusts you and me to find joy. As Habakkuk says, ‘Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!’ (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

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Why Cracking Jokes On God Is Not Cool

It was a normal day for me, though sweaty and humid. As I scrolled through the unread WhatsApp messages, I read a joke in one of the groups…a joke on God! People reacted with laughter emoticons, as expected, because the joke was funny. The reactions were from Christians. But I cringed.

God joking to a husband about his wife, or a to a man about all the women in the world, these are popular ones. How is it that we find it funny to joke on God? We might not joke on a particular person, because he/she might get offended. But we indulge in God-centric humour so easily. Billy Graham once said: “The society is careful not to offend anyone, except GOD.”

God is not someone we should be scared of, but He is to be revered. In the Old Testament, the Israelites called him YHWH, afraid to call Him Jehovah or Yahweh. If God appeared to them, they feared they would die. Such was God’s holiness! He didn’t want to kill people, but His holiness couldn’t stand the sight of sin. He appeared in storms, clouds, fire or a burning bush. Moses wanted to see Him, but God allowed Him to look only at His back (Exodus 33:18-23). God’s holiness is beyond our imagination. Prophet Isaiah saw God in His full splendour, with the seraphim calling to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3b).

The third commandment from the Ten Commandments that God gave Moses says, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” (Exodus 20:7)

The God of New Testament gave us more access to Him, through Jesus’ death and resurrection. He tore the veil so that we can enter the Holy of Holies. He gave us His grace which allows us to enter His presence as we are. But, should we take His grace for granted? Yes, He is merciful, slow to anger and full of unfailing love. But, does that allow us to take Him for granted? He doesn’t punish us according to what we deserve. But can we continue to joke on Him?

A conversation with two like-minded believers made me understand this behaviour of Christians indulging in God-centric humour. Most of us are church-goers because our parents are also church-goers. We read the Bible because our parents told us to do so. But a person who has understood the message of the Cross and Jesus’s sacrifice will never dare to crack a joke on God. A person who understands that God, despite His awe-inspiring holiness, bows down to listen to us, will refrain from forwarding such jokes.

I am not saying that people who forward such jokes are far away from God. But in the first place, how can they accept such jokes? I am not trying to be self-righteous or super-spiritual. But most of us have failed to comprehend God’s grace.

Some have crossed their limits by joking about the Holy Spirit. I shudder at the very thought of even remembering what they say. Jesus says in Mark 3:29, “…but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin." Isn’t this enough for us to stop joking about the Holy Spirit? It’s difficult to imagine that our Father, who’s quick to forgive, will not forgive if we blaspheme (also read, joke) against the Holy Spirit.

Again, I claim I am not trying to be super-holy. But how must God feel when His own children take Him lightly? Something for all of us to ponder on…

How A Particular Sunday Morning Changed My Approach Towards Women’s Issues

It was a Sunday morning, the weather was confusing...cold enough to wear a sweater, but hot enough to sweat. I was boarding the metro to go to church.

Image Source: Google Images

As I entered the ladies’ metro coach, I found a seat, much to my surprise. A 30-something lady rushed in to the coach, with her little daughter. She sobbed uncontrollably. After a lot of prodding, she revealed how her husband beat her up that morning. 2-3 women came forward to comfort her, saying how her daughter would be affected by her. What no one understood was that the lady wanted to speak out about her problems. Seeing her crying, I tried hard to control my emotions. After a little hesitation, I told her she needs to be strong for herself. She nodded, still sobbing. A pause followed, and she said, “I am a working woman. But, I never knew that I would face such a situation. I am going back to my parents’ place. I’ll never return to my husband.” Saying this, she wept again. Her daughter looked at her, understanding nothing. She held on to her doll.

The metro announcement speaker sounded, ‘Next station is Laxmi Nagar.’ I wanted her to stop crying, and asked, “Where do you want to go?” Her tears fell down on her blue T-shirt and she said, “I’ll get down at Moti Nagar and take an auto. I can’t get down at the station near my parents’ place. My husband might follow me there.” Her daughter was hungry, and she gave her biscuits.

For once, she stopped crying, and looked at me, saying, “This has been going on since 8 years. From the day I got married, he has beaten me, kicked me and abused me. I kept quiet all these years. After my daughter was born, I thought he’d change. But, the violence only continued. We didn’t give him the dowry amount as promised. His parents and brother force him to ask me for dowry. My husband is a good guy.” I was stunned for a minute. Like an ‘adarsh’ wife, she found her abusive husband to be a good guy? I exclaimed, “The man who beats up his wife is never good at heart. He could’ve stood up against his family, when they demanded dowry.” She had nothing to say.

But, she continued, “I’ve worked as a journalist with a magazine. I did two stories on women, one in Rae Bareilly and the other in Vrindavan. I thought I stood for women empowerment. But, today, he snatched away my mobile phone, broke the battery in to pieces, and tried to throw my daughter from the balcony. I stopped him; otherwise she would’ve been dead by now. He wasn’t letting us leave. Somehow, I ran away, taking her.” Saying this, she wept! I looked at the little girl. That innocent face made me wonder how any father could do such a thing. Aghast, I murmured, “He’s a monster.” Surprisingly, the little girl looked at me and smiled, as if she understood what I said.

The lady became paranoid and said, “I need police protection. He’ll come after us.” Some of us told her to lodge a complaint with the National Commission for Women (NCW), and that she would get adequate support. She nodded in relief. My station had arrived, I had to leave. She asked, “You’re getting down here?” I said, “Yes. I have to.”

I’ve read and heard many stories on domestic violence. I’ve read data, statistics and solutions on the same. But, for the first time in life, I came across a woman who shared with me her experience. It wasn’t a past incident for her; she was running away to safety. I’ve always been told that a financially independent woman would never have to face domestic violence. Case studies are proving this wrong. And moreover, I met a woman who was a journalist and later joined a banking firm, and was violently abused. I am not saying that all men abuse their wives. And I also blame the in-laws for creating the entire ruckus! But, it still sends shivers down my spine, when I recount the details of her experience. Today, I am still hoping she’s fine. I am hoping that she’s found respite from her husband. I feel helpless, that I couldn’t do anything to help her out.

But, since that day, my approach towards women’s issues has changed. I am no longer getting into theoretical stuff on feminism. No, I am not saying this is unimportant. But, I’ve realised the need to sit and delve into the grass root problems surrounding discrimination against women. So many women around us are getting hit and beaten up. What are we doing? It’s time we stop debating feminism with peers and just talk talk talk. It’s time we stop the blame game. It’s time we stop misusing the word ‘feminism’ so much so that men get wary of talking to feminists, thinking they’re anti-men. It has also given rise to a term known as ‘feminazi’. It’s time we stop debating feminism in air-conditioned rooms. Real action is needed. If one woman gets saved from her abuser by our efforts, women’s rights movements get a thrust. Women in urban and rural areas are victims alike.

I know my ‘lecture’ on feminism will be disliked by many. Some will criticise, some will just shrug it off. Some will understand, because they’ve got the same point of view. I don’t consider myself very knowledgeable in women’s issues, men’s issues, feminism, patriarchy, etc. I'm not even saying that I am now a champion of women's issues. But, I’ve realised one important point...if we don’t identify with the real issues faced by many around us, this movement is not getting anywhere. 

India’s Women Workforce: What Do We Lack?

Anuradha’s day starts at 6 in the morning. She first gets ready in the makeshift bathroom on the terrace. She knows it’s a tough day ahead.  

Anuradha starts with sweeping the staircase and the verandah, when the potted plants smell of early morning freshness. The dew drops get coated by the dust from the broom, but Anuradha doesn’t care. She then waters the plants, and hurries to the kitchen at the strike of 8. Her work has just started. She prepares breakfast for the entire family. Before she resumes her daily work routine, Anuradha gets a few minutes to have her breakfast, two slices of bread and a cup of tea. Cooking, washing the vessels and clothes are a part of her everyday schedule.  Well, Anuradha might seem like a middle-aged housewife to many. But, she’s a 14-year-old girl who works a domestic help in a 4-storeyed house in a posh locality in Delhi's National Capital Region.

Picture for representational purpose only. Source: Google Images

She lost her father in a freak accident at a construction site when she was 4. Her mother works as an agricultural labourer in their village in Bihar. Anuradha is the youngest of three sisters. The eldest works as a construction labourer in Greater Noida, while the second sister works as a domestic help nearby. None of them get to meet each other throughout the year, except for Diwali. Anuradha has never been to school, but knows alphabets and numbers. Her employer’s daughter, Priti, taught her for a while.

In India, 68% of illiterate adults are women. Earlier governments have introduced schemes to provide primary education to girls. There’s been an impact in terms of numbers and statistics, but considering the vast number of girls still left to enter a school gate, the outcome is negligible. And even after the ‘beneficiaries’ complete their primary education, they lack skill training. Skill development is one of the basic assets of the education system in any country. If ignored, it could lead to a major chunk of the population to be unskilled labour. Anuradha’s elder sister completed her education till 10^th standard, but couldn’t find a proper  job. As we debate over skill development in India, primary education is still lagging in a country of 400 million-strong workforce. The latest example is Prime Minister’s pet project Skill India Campaign,  Only 7% of this were employed in the formal sector, while over 94 percent of India's working population is part of the unorganised sector.

Priti says, "Anuradha is a bright young girl. When I taught her, she grasped things quickly. She should've been to a formal school." Many young girls like her need to go to school. But, the future voters of our electorate are instead being forced to take up menial jobs and join the swelling band of child labourers. And girls like Anuradha’s elder sister, despite being literate, cannot find a ‘dignified’ job as they’re unskilled. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government seems to do something. But, most of its policies are overshadowed by its actions, like the one against Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) or in Rohit Vemula’s case. The government cannot expect to revamp the education system in India (primary education, skill development, employment opportunities), if it keeps dabbling in petty politics. Prime Minister Modi has taken a few measures to overhaul the workforce in India. But it can be called a photo-op as alleged by many, or can be applauded for, only when we evaluate his performance during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Considering the volatile environment we live in, especially, the so-called debate on nationalism aimed at anyone who questions the government, I’d better stop here.

And as I return to my TV screen which shows Arnab Goswami shouting at the top of his voice, little Anuradha is busy washing the vessels, least bothered about the controversies around.

Names have been changed to protect identities

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