Smoke, Drink and Enjoy!!

It was a very happy day for Mrs & Mr Krishnankutty, the day when their son Deepak was going to college for doing pursuing graduation studies at a college in Coimbatore. His parents never got a chance to complete their schooling at all. And so, their happiness knew no bounds in sending their son to college. The happiness that lasted for nearly four months ended with a shock. “Your son Deepak never attends classes properly. He roams around with his friends and spends time smoking and drinking. We’ve given him last warning. If he repeats the same, your son will be suspended and will be fined.” – The Principal told them over phone.

This is the story of one among many parents who gets terribly horrified when they know their children are drunkards and smokers. They never suspect their children when they stay out with friends with their “so called” assignments and projects. All the colleges have come up with very strict and stringent rules to avoid smoking and usage of toxic substances inside the college and college hostel. But, hardly a few becomes practical. Some people even take pride in saying that they do smoke and booze. Due to the restrictions in college hostels, some have shifted to rooms outside so that no one would question them or stop them from doing things that they want to. “First when i came here, my friends use to make fun of me telling that being a boy why don’t you smoke, just al least try taking a puff. I tried taking it once and then i had a tendency to try smoking one whole cigarette. It became a habit then. Now i smoke a minimum of four cigarettes per day. Not inside the college compound but in our rooms outside”. – Says Husain, a 2nd year Civil Engineering student.

It’s tough to get an answer from the youngsters if they are asked about why you do all these. Some says it’s for fun, just to know the taste of it, just to enjoy with friends.... and some even says, Mind your own business!! “We prefer smoking more than drinking because a bottle of beer costs Rs. 50 – 60 whereas a packet of cigarette costs only rupees 30 and one cigarette costs only Rs.3. which we can afford with our pocket money”, Says Nisham and friends of a leading college in Coimbatore.

Shopkeepers near colleges make a big sale out of students. According to Mr. Mayan and Ms. Kanimozhi, the two different shopkeepers near the Navakkarai bus stop, their business comes down during the college semester holidays. A minimum of 40 – 50 students comes to these shops during working days. Since public smoking was banned few months ago, there are shopkeepers who made their shops with a separate room for these students to sit and smoke so that the students won’t fall into any types of troubles.

“Some of the teenagers smoke and drink occasionally when they are in party mode. They are good at studies too. May be not in the top list but they don’t flunk in any subjects. Some students smoke and drink 24 x 7, never attends classes and finally they fail...!” says Mrs. Sandhya Balakrishnan, lecturer of Sree College of Engineering, Neelambur. Students who are not into all this seem to be very much bothered about their friends. “Not all my friends are from high class families, some are from middle-class families who studies with the help of bank loans, but then once they get into habits like smoking or drinking, they make money in many ways to satisfy all their needs. I’ve tried talking to them about stopping this, but then nothing will happen other than we fight with each other at last”, says Mithun Varma, a final year MBA student.

The situation has become so bad that tobacco and alcoholic products have taken control over our teenagers and everyone fails to make them understand. Let us hope that Deepak would no longer smoke or drink as he promised to his mother and he’ll become the future Ambani as his mother dreamt of him!!

(The names of the characters in the articles are not real. They are faked due to security reasons)

Snehajwala - The Story Of Life !!

THE STORY OF LIFE!!


God is here among the 22 inmates of “Snehajwala” – the old aged home in Kottekkad, Palakkad. They live here with joy and pleasure hiding all their sorrows inside. At times, they do cry in silence remembering their past where they lived with their children and loved ones. Now they have nothing more to do or to get. All that they expect is only one thing – their “death”!!



Thankachan, the all in all of Snehajwala is everything for them. Some calls him brother, son and even father too. He is like a cherub for all those who live here. Snehajwala is a service society that came into being on 15th August 2002. It is as an abode for all the children of God who are physically and mentally weak, in abject poverty and ailing with no roof over their head and abandoned by their parents and children.

The main inspiration to do such a service was after a visit to the isolation ward of District Government Hospital Palakkad, where 16 people, both men and women suffering from various incurable diseases where put together without providing proper food or medicines. Hardly twice or thrice in a week will the staff go to this ward and give them something to eat, when they cry aloud in hunger. People eat, drink and excrete in the same place. Dogs, cats, cows and pigs also keep coming here to eat the debris as the ward was near to a forest area and people seldom comes here. – says Thankachan.
It’s only because of the people in the city that he’s able to meet all his expenses. He doesn’t have any source of income or bank accounts to meet the expenses everyday. Per day he needs to spend about Rs 2000 to 3000 for food and medicines. Within these 6 years of service 23 people have died due to age related reasons and diseases. He himself will make arrangements to cremate the dead body as per the religion in which the person believed.


With very innocent smile they will welcome each and everyone who comes to meet them. I am happy here, I’ve nothing more to give or get, I don’t want anything, I’ve my father(Thankachan),he’ll take care of me till I die. That’s enough for me. – says Madhaviamma who is an inmate of Snehajwala and A great fan of the Malayalam film actor Mohanlal.
There have been days when I’ve cried thinking about how to feed this people the next day as there won’t be any morsel of food in the kitchen. But, solely because of the God’s grace someone will call me up early in the morning telling that they’ll sponsor that days’ food because it’s their daughter’s birthday or their father’s death anniversary or something like that. That’s the only news that can make me happy than anything else. - says Thankachan with a smile. He is unmarried and has got two brothers but, he visits his relatives once in a blue moon.


Along with Thankachan Sister Rosily of the S. D Convent (Sisters of the destitute), Kottekkad is also there at Snehajwala to take care of the inmates. She takes care of the health of these people and provides them with medicines in proper time as she’s the nursing superintended of the District Government Hospital, Palakkad.
I’m happy to take care of these people, now this is my home. I cook, wash and clean here and at times I do play with them or read out stories for them. It’s a wonderful experience. My colleagues use to ask to me why do I spend my salary here, but I’m happy to spend my salary here rather than doing anything else. - Sister Rosily said.


In short, “Snehajwala” is like a heaven for all those who have lost everything in life. It gives them a hope in life. They smile amidst tears when they are here in Snehajwala.

My interview with the Member of Parliament

INTERVIEW
With Adv. M.B. Rajesh, Member of Parliament



Adv. M. B Rajesh is the M. P of Palakkad, he’s a very familiar person to the people of Palakkad as he was born and brought up here. Even though he’s an advocate by profession, he is more into politics. He joined the Students Federation of India (S. F. I) during his college days and he became the state president also. He has done many notable services during that time. While he was doing his L. L. M, he became the state president of Democratic Youth Federation of India (D. Y. F. I) and dropped his studies. Later, he became the Communist Party candidate of Palakkad during the 15th Lok Sabha elections and won the election with the second lowest margin.
A chat with him about his two months of experiences at the Parliament and as an M. P and much more....



1. How is your experience so far as an M.P?
I had two types of experiences. One is that am getting more prominence everywhere. I’ve been to Delhi many times before but, after becoming an M. P, when i get down at the airport, am getting warm welcome. I need not carry my brief case or i need not open my car door, things have changed a lot. This was not the case before and i know this is not going to be the same always.
The second experience is that, so many people are approaching me every day, a minimum of 100 people. Most of them are coming to get the Prime minister’s Relief Fund (P. M. R. F) issued. There are so many people, in very pathetic situation. Not even having a shelter and proper water facilities. I could do something for them at least with my M. P fund.
2. How do you differentiate between your profession as an advocate, a student activist, a youth leader and now as an M. P?
I have chosen the profession of a lawyer to be against corruption and to social service. But, later when i joined the party, i couldn’t continue all the time with my profession even then, through S.F.I and D.Y.F.I i was able to many things. Now, I’ve become an M.P and I’ve got power, so i am becoming more answerable. I might lose this power at any time but, till the last moment I’ll be aware of my social responsibility and I’ll do the best of what i can to help the people.
3. We know that Parliament is entirely different from any other government offices, how did you feel while you got into the Parliament for the first time?

I’ve read A.K.G’s (a communist leader) auto biography, in that he has told that, ‘Indian Parliament is a mesmeric World. Its beauty and elegance might change you a lot. So never forget about what you are and how did you get over there’. I’d kept this in mind when i enter into the parliament for the first time. There are about 300 crorepati’s in the parliament this time, for them, their job as an M.P is just a side-business. But, for me this is my main duty, to work among the people.

4. How about your agenda for the development of Palakkad and for solving the problems?

Palakkad is my own place and so i very well know about every nook and corner and the problems of the district. This will help me to make my work easier. The first problem i introduced in the sabha was that of bank merger. Ie, 7 small banks are going to get merged with the State Bank of India (S.B.I), State Bank of Travancore(S.B.T) is also going to get merged like this. We can’t allow this because S.B.T is Kerala’s own bank and if it gets merged, many people will lose their jobs. Then, i was able to attend the railway budget and got a good result out of it. Now, we are trying our level best to bring ‘coach factory’ to Palakkad as early as possible.
5. The election manifesto of the Communist Party for the 15th Lok Sabha elections said that, more importance will be given to increase the standard of education and for the goodness of students. As a person who started the political life as a student activist, what do you have in store for students?
As Lenin (former communist leader) said, there are three things that every student should do, ‘Study, study and study’. That is duty of every student. Best education system with very finest technologies will be provided for them. Everybody says that politics makes students worse, but politics doesn’t mean to hold a flag and go for a rally alone. It’s meant for good reasons. In my case, politics have brought me to this position.

6. Do you have any family background as a politician?
No, In fact, my parents are anti-communists. I had strong oppositions from my family. As i was the eldest son, father expected a lot from me. He wanted me to become a successful lawyer and at last a judge. But, i hardly did practise only for just two years. There have been days when I was not allowed to get in to my home. I’d my own decisions for everything. I’ll do whatever i feel is right; i did the same in case of my marriage also.
7. A lawyer and a politician, both are more or less related to social service. How do you get satisfied for the services rendered to the public?
As i said earlier, now as an M.P, I’ve become more responsible. Other than being in the sabha, i need to be among the people. I’ve to take part in marriages, inaugurations and even at the funerals. Even if I’m not an M.P I’ll continue with my services. Anyways, I’ve decided not to go back to the court again. After my tenure gets finished, I’ll get more time to read and write and to bring about people’s needs. Economics is my favourite subject which i always love to read and write about.
M.P is an M.A Economics degree holder along with L.L.B and he’s the author of three books. In his busy political life, he has Mrs. Ninitha as his life partner and daughter Niranjana.

Life's beautiful !!

For me, life's so beautiful that it has taught me almost all the feelings...
The feeling of love,care,affection,sorrows,missing etc... I feel happy when I'm around my loved ones no matter where the place is. To me,beauty of a person is one's heart that contains the essence of love and care along with the mentality to help and serve people. I love finding happiness in small things like toffees and shake hands and that's the secret behind making our life worth living.
Within my 18 years of experience in this world, I learned many things from many people. I knew that life's not that easy as we find in Novels. There has been many people around me to wipe of my tears when am crying and to clap both the hands together when am laughing; to me that's the biggest asset in life. My Father is the greatest person whom I admire the most. His life itself was a lesson for me in many ways.
Smile at everyone you see,even if you are seeing them for the first time because that's the only gift that you can give even to the strangers.

Life's beautiful only when we try to make it so.