India & Independence

Indian school girls wearing traditional Punjabi dresses dance the 'giddha' folk dance during celebrations for India's Independence Day at the India-Pakistan border in Wagah on August 15, 2011. Indians are celebrating their 64th Independence Day after British ceded independence to the country in 1947. - Getty Images

by Gaja Lakshmi Paramasivam

(August 16, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) There have been many messages of various forms relating to India’s Independence which is officially celebrated on 15 August. To me it is a celebration of the life of Mahatma Gandhi. It is true that many others also fought for Independence. But Gandhi is the one I identify with as the form through which India’s Independence from the British was finally achieved. To me therefore Independence and Gandhi are one and the same. I believe that anyone who genuinely seeks Independence would identify with Gandhi and v.v.

Gandhi to my mind, was conscious of the need to become Independent of his desires – emotional as well as intellectual - to feel a part of the Nation and then be the Nation itself. Once we become the Nation whatever we do, naturally benefits the Nation – through others who also genuinely think at that level. Gandhi’s intellectual, discriminative thinking was of the highest level. This was heightened by abstinence.

Abstinence helps the mind control the physical senses. This helps focus. When we focus – we use the mind to go deep – as in research – to become the ‘root’ of an issue. At the root there is no distinction between problem and opportunity. We are just part of that root – we are that root. As we start the upward travel – in the consciousness of that root – we surface and express at the physical level. At that level – there are always two sides. So long as we can identify with both- cost as well as benefit – we are in control – because we are the whole.

However high we grow – we must not forget our roots. The moment we forget – we become top-heavy and unsteady. The root is the essence of our past. The more we remember ‘what happened’ the less our ability to consolidate and get the essence. When we balance costs with benefits – we complete the picture and therefore remember the whole. The role of leaders is to help bring about this balance – so we could carry forward the essence rather than work-in-progress which is often used inappropriately in other environments.

Recently when analyzing the work of my brother in law – Mr. Yoganathan of Vattukkottai – I related to Devolution of Power through the Solar system. Mr. Yoganathan merged the Science of Astrology with Astronomy. My realization was that the Earth which is a Devolved Power draws Light and Heat from the Sun. When one half is Day the other half is Night. It is when our pleasures equal pain that we are able to complete the picture of independence at the physical level – for others to see.

Souls like Gandhi did not ‘show’ all their work at the highest levels available to them to derive status and money benefits. They showed very little ; ‘sacrificed’ the rest into the Common Pool – which then was naturally shared with others. In other words – they ploughed back to strengthen those at the root level.

Most of us do sacrifice immediate employment benefits to invest in Tertiary education. This is also investment in the vertical hierarchical system. But the mistake most of us make is – once we get the certificates – we convert it into money and status and do not plough back into the education system to strengthen its roots. Hence once we start making money by actively using our certificates – we neglect our own education.

India’s Prime Minister, the Hon Manmohan Singh is reported to have said ‘In the last few months many instances of corruption have come to light. In some cases, functionaries of the central government face allegations of corruption. In other cases, it is the functionaries of various state governments’

To me this is merely ‘show’ of corruption. Unlike in the U.K. the gap between the official system and the real system of Justice in India – is wide. The difference is belief in the elders and unseen forces. India’s economic power is relatively strong (as per Asian Human Rights Commission’s article in Sri Lanka Guardian, India is reported to be third largest economy in the world in terms of purchase power parity). But it does not ‘show’ as much as the U.K. would show – to keep up appearances. The main reason to my mind based on my belief – is that Indians are able to complete an experience through belief whereas the average westerner who is habitually used to keeping up appearances – needs to ‘show’ and therefore ‘see’ to complete the picture. Hence the system of Democracy with its emphasis on Objectively measurable outcomes. There is a part in India that does this. But at the root level India is driven more by belief than by observation. Most People rich nations have to be believers if they are to follow Capitalism and Laissez-faire principles and values. Their economic power is related to through their buying power. The economic power of money rich countries is measured more through their spending powers.

Those who are able to ‘believe’ without needing to see – have the ability to forego and hence would feel ownership by completing the picture at that level by attributing to the form through which they believe. Hence the work gets done.

At any point in time – they are likely to produce more funds for ownership purposes than the money rich countries – whose people are not likely to have the forbearance to sacrifice for a common cause based on belief. Reliance on Money over People – leads to the need to see to believe. This leads also to separation by thinking that we are independent when we have enough money to spend. This is also the reason why we are not able to complete the picture in Sri Lanka. Both sides are spreading their wins – economic as well as territorial – to ‘show’ strength and independence. Neither side has done enough to be wholesome at the level equal to strength of One nation including the work of all races.

Devolution would be successful only when the devolved unit – like the earth - is able to ‘show’ both sides within its own territory and yet stay close enough to the Central Unit/Sun. This Central Unit is neither Sinhalese nor Tamil. It is Sri Lankan – drawing energy from the Global sun – the United Nations. To qualify as a planet, the earth has to be physically independent of the sun and yet close enough to be drawing Energy from it. The Sun in turn needs to be independent and BE the root source of Energy.

A Government driven by majority vote – is dependent on the earth – and cannot be the Sun. In India’s Solar system – its Spiritual Leaders are the Sun. When Sri Lanka has enough Spiritual leaders who are independent of votes and popularity – Sri Lanka would be a warm and independent nation – with various races operating independently and yet staying close enough to Central Power to draws on its Spiritual Energy. This Spiritual leadership could be through Politics also but to achieve that height – politicians need to plough back their majority votes to strengthen the roots of Justice for One by One. At that level – the citizen would complete his experiences in his own world – filling the gap through personal belief.