Dance of the Peacock

Sometimes it is difficult to say the truth, especially when we know that the truth is sure to prick the conscience of the listener. There are many whose conscience are made of thick skin, and so they may not mind whatever people tell about them, and we shall leave them in peace and would not venture to disturb them for a while. We do not say that people of this sort can be left scot free, just because they are stiff-necked people who would not listen to any one, even if God the Father were to appear before them and ask them to change. We have to find some way of letting them know that they cannot decide for the whole world; at least once in a while, they have to be human.

Today is the golden jubilee of a few nuns, and I had been invited to attend the celebrations, which is comprised of the Eucharist presided over by the archbishop, felicitation to the jubilarians, a dance drama of Tagore and festive dinner. I could make out that it would take at least five hours to complete these programs, and I did not want to waste my time sitting there doing nothing. It is not that going to attend the program would be useless, but I thought if it would be worthwhile. It would have been an occasion for me to meet some of my friends, and I had known at least two of the jubilarians, who wanted me to attend the function. But one of the most important questions that I was asking myself is : should I go there to attend the function, just to please some?

Yesterday as I visited the place and told one of the friends there that I would not be going for today’s program, she told me I could not afford to miss the program. After a little while, one of the most famous jubilarian came to tell me that I should attend the celebrations, since I was partly involved with the preparations. When I told her that I would not, then she jokingly said they would not be able to forgive me if I miss the program and dinner, for which I retorted I would not require their forgiveness. Later on the hind sight, I thought I should not have been so blunt to the nun, but I found no other way of communicating to her what I hope to tell her one day.

I was told that some 600 to 700 persons would take part in the dinner today, and I was just imagining how much it would cost to feed all of them, and having known the way how these nuns host dinners, I am quite sure it would cost them a fortune. Theirs is a poor congregation with a very limited resources, and I was told that all the convents of the congregation would be required to contribute for the celebration. Some of the convents are too poor to contribute, and yet they would have no other option to dish out from their bare necessity for the dinner. I was asking myself if such a dinner should be organized at all?

Often such dinners and programs are organized to show off, and to exhibit to others how important they are. I would have readily agreed to join them for fifty golden years of service to God and people, if the celebration were organized in a small-scale with only some friends and acquintances. I know that my attending or not attending the celebrations is not going to change any of their programs; they all will go on as planned; but I would be able to share with them the real reasons for my not attending the program, if they wished to listen to me. I had seen the dance of peacocks, and do not require to see yet another one dancing!

Cashing on Celebrations

When a friend of mine, who happens to be part of the administration of a prestigeous city college, which celebrates 150th year of its foundation, said that it costs them rupees twenty five lakhs, to setup a stage for the five day concluding celebrations of the jubilee, which would be attended by both the Prime Minister and Home Minister of the country. It is a matter of great pride for the college administration, and more so for the past students! I was just trying to imagine what twenty five lakhs rupees would amount to, and I can hardly imagine so much of money could be spent for a passing phenomenon as jubilee celebrations.

I had read a few days ago in a newspaper that the past students of the school and college had decided to raise about ten crore rupees (one billion rupees), to meet the expenses of the concluding celebrations of the jubilee. I dare not raise the issue if all these expenses are really required to celebrate the jubilee, and would it not be more proper to undertake a social or cultural project to commemorate the occasion! It is true the college and school administration are not going to spend so much money, but the past students are there to do their part to collect the money!

I wonder if we should blindly go in to spend money so lavishly, just because we are not going to spend from our pockets, and others are there to sponsor the expenses. I was told that one of the leading dailies and publishing house has undertaken the expenses of the stage (twenty five lakhs rupees), and the sponsor would have the honor to present mementoes to the Prime Minister, and the chief minister and other dignitories during the function. I find it hard to believe, leave alone accept this kind of planning and execution!

I am surely not against any meaningful celebration of the 150 years of commitment to value education to the nation; it is indeed time to reminsce and be grateful to God and nation for the glorious moments that have rolled by. In the light of the 250 odd families who have lost all their possessions at the Basanti Colony at Ultadanga Road railway station, I was thinking the twenty five lakhs rupees could have given them enough to restart their lives with dignity and honor; each of the families could have availed ten thousand rupees, which would have been enough for them to have a plastic or tin sheet over their heads and around them. The people would have been ever grateful to anyone who would reach out to them in such dire need!

It is true I am thinking out of the hat, and who would have thought that such a mishap would take place when no one ever expected; and when things have been already arranged, is it possible to cancel the celebrations, especially of the visit of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, and hand over the money to the people in need? I would have been happy if the institution had at least kept aside a portion of the money they were to spend on the celebrations for a specific developmental work, that would benefit the less fortunate ones. This was an occasion for the college and school administration to be different from the rest, and show the world how celebrations could be made more meaningful by sharing the joy with others, especially those would find it hard to smile!