May is an eventful month for me. My parents were married on 6th May decades ago. It is my father’s birthday on 8th May. Besides my personal landmarks, month of May had other landmarks too. One of them went unnoticed and other was over-hyped.
May 10 was anniversary of our first Indian war for independence. Remember Sepoy Mutiny that took place more than a century ago in Meerut. A march from Meerut to Delhi to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Sepoy Mutiny was planned. Plays and exhibition of rare photographs were also planned. But I am not sure if they materialized. Rishabh, from Jai Hind blog (where I too write sometimes), laments about us forgetting such a landmark event in our history. He reminds ominously of George Santayana ‘s quote
“A country without a memory is a country of madmen.” in the comments section.
Here is a Mother’s day post that I stumbled upon while surfing. I thought it to be very insightful and different than a run-of-the-mill Mother’s Day post. It makes a point with faint humor and grace.
We all have heard about rape sometime or other. We all know it is a traumatizing experience. But we can’t fathom how much. A 5-part real-life account of how rape impacts your life has been published by a rape victim surviver, Joanna Connors, who is a reporter with Plain Dealer. I am usually a detached reader to protect myself from feeling too much. Because too emotional things play on my mind and if I can’t help them, they distress me. I read with curiosity, to find out facts and lessons. But despite best efforts, I ended up being very moved. I felt vulnerable. I felt it could be me. oh, believe me, it is not a sob story but a story of a surviver who decided to make peace with the event that scarred her life. She decided to track down her rapist. It is a rare story, read it here at Beyond Rape: A survivor’s Journey.
Visceral Observations 
Hey
belated Bday greetings to your dad..
good collection of links …. reading them now… I was planning to do a post like that … nice to see this one 🙂
and yea, I do have non-google posts now 😉
My parents wedding anniv is also on May 17. 😀
those links were good 🙂
For me, it seems everyones born in May. I know 8-9 people who are May-ers, my sister included.
@ Poonam: This is a very interesting format and you have managed to weave together an eclectic selection of themes, leaving us wondering if you left something unsaid at the end.
In the context of history, George Santayana’s words that have stayed with me are these:
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.
And I think all smart people are born in May 😉
very true, May is a very happening month. I have 4-5 friends who are having their Bday……… 🙂
About 10 May i have some differences , I don’t think it was 1st war of “India’s” independence……… we have distorted the history to suit our purpose………
I was born on 1 May. And yes, as Shefaly said, all smart people are born in May. 🙂
And thanks for sharing the Joanna Connors story. It was very moving and disturbing.
@ Poonam : Thanks for all the links. Indeed, Joannas past is disturbing. and dont u think the statistics mentioned by the editor is alarming? I mean, how ‘developed’ are these nations !!!
@ Sachin : “we have distorted the history to suit our purpose………” I have come across this statement a lot of times now. But could you be a bit more elaborate on yours?
Birthdays and Anniversaries-wise, April happens to be a tremendous month for me – imagine this: my dad’s bday is on April 1 (Fools’ Day! heh!), Mom’s bday is on April 6th and their wedding anniversary is on April 8th!! I keep teasing him that he didn’t waste any time!! 😉
And that mother’s day post was very good.. Thanks for sharing it! I enjoyed 🙂
I’m yet to read Beyond Rape, I’m saving it for later…
@dinsan: Good to know that you are doing non-ggogle posts, I will be soon be over there to read your posts.
@Liju: I read a post about your parents’ anniversary on your blog. Tell me were you born in February, you an aquarian?
@Shefaly: George Santayana’s quote resonates true. 🙂 Were you born in May? Which one?
@Sachin: Like Vimal, I too would like to know why you think we have distorted history? Because you think sepoy mutiny for purely for religious reasons?
@Amit: Yup, had read your birthday post. You were so happy you liked Tashan. 😛 May you remain happy always!
Yes, Joanna’s story is disturbing but worth sharing.
@Vimal: Often when people comment India is a third world country rampant with corruption, I have heard old people come up with the argument that considering the crime rate they have, how developed these nations can be considered!
@Nikhil: Well, so you just celebrated April. 🙂 Do read that BeyondRape story, you will be surprised.
@Poonam :
Sachin had left this link in my recent post —
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2007/03/25/stories/2007032500140400.htm
That should explain everything !
great links may is a month of great joy for your belated birthday wishes to your dad and hope he will have someone special to wish him on his next birthday D:)
amazing the way yo have stringed all and given links to each keep up the great work
pranesh
Iam Scorpio. Born in November. My parents are both Aquarians.
@Vimal: I read the article. I am not sure what to believe, which is authentic: What I read at school or this one. 😦
@praneshachar: Hey, where have you been, I hadn’t heard from you longtime. 🙂 I am glad you liked the links.
@Liju: I don’t know why I wildly thought you must be aquarian like me. 🙂
Maybe cos our thoughts match. Great people think alike, you see 😉
Eggjactly….but after reading the article, I felt it was something like a conscious decision from the editor to divide the north and south. The article claims that the South started the war long ago and it blindly meant that North keeps suppressing the facts. (No offence meant to any of the fellow Indians here)
I guess there is a thin line of difference between what to believe and what to have faith in !!!
@Liju: You have said that to me before. It still pleases as much to hear that. he he..
@Vimal: This north vs. South debate is something that I despise. That is why I could not take this article at its face value. I rever Hindu, yet I am still wondering about the authenticity of what is written.
Hey,
@ Poonam @ Vimal
few days back i was reading ………..Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India by Lawrence James ……. he has dedicated chapter on 1857 revolt……. if u folks get an opportunity do read that book…………
No i don’t think Mutiny as a purely from religious point of view………. The reason i say………. we have distorted the history to suit our purpose…… is for example take 1857 revolt by any stretch of imagination it isn’t India’s first war of Independence the reasoning is as follows……..
1) The revolt was a very localized event it never had a mass support.
2) There wasn’t any centralized leadership which was spear heading it, nor was there any agenda about what was gonna happen after the mutiny……
3) Most of the folks were fighting for their own cause………for example – Rani Laxmi was fighting for jhasi not for India (To be honest at that time there was nothing called India, we were a bunch of princely state who were ruled by the British )
for more reason and in depth analysis of the mutiny read the above mentioned book, or u can very well google about it……….. u will get enough material………
I hope I have answer ur question 🙂
@Sachin: I have not read the book. But as for your point 1, I can say that this was first where where rulers of princely states came together with soldiers to combine their powers.
I would not comment on 2 or 3. To me it is irrelevant aspect when deciding if it makes it first war of independence or not, it was the first strong voice of dissent against East India rule.
Thank you, Sachin, for expressing your views here!
@ Poonam: I find it interesting that Indians refer – still – to the 1857 uprising as ‘mutiny’ without flinching.
I can understand the British people calling it the Sepoy Mutiny but for Indians to describe it similarly kind of leaves me shaking my head in disbelief at the linguistic implications and associations and their puissance in political contexts.
As an Indian by birth, I think it was an uprising, an organised dissent, a rebellion, even the first war of independence but not a ‘mutiny’.
@Shefaly: I am not sure I understood you on this one. Mutiny means rebellion against authority, specifically rebellion by soldiers. If you agree 1857 was a rebellion, why not a mutiny? Whether we like it or not, British were authority then. Did I miss something between the lines?
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