From Bhognadih to Dandakaranya: The Continuing Relevance of Hul Diwas

 

Hul Diwas is observed every year on 30 June to commemorate one of the most significant, yet often underappreciated, anti-colonial uprisings in Indian history, the Santhal Hul (Santhal Rebellion) of 1855. Led by the Murmu brothers, Sidhu, Kanhu, Chand, and Bhairav, along with their courageous sisters, Phulo and Jhano, the uprising was a powerful assertion of dignity, justice, and self-rule by India's tribal communities against colonial oppression. More than a commemoration of a historic rebellion, Hul Diwas invites us to reflect on the enduring questions of tribal identity, development, and justice in contemporary India.

The Santhal Rebellion did not arise overnight. It was the consequence of systematic economic and cultural exploitation of tribal communities under British colonial rule. The Santhals, who had traditionally lived in close harmony with forests and the land, found themselves dispossessed by an exploitative colonial land revenue system. Christian missionaries, along with British-backed zamindars, moneylenders, and traders, subjected them to cultural erasure, usurious debt, illegal land alienation, and forced labour. Their traditional social, cultural, and economic order was dismantled in favour of a colonial system and Christian evangelism. The British colonisers viewed tribal forests and land merely as sources of revenue, while the missionaries sought to convert the tribal communities to Christianity.

On 30 June 1855, more than 10,000 Santhals assembled at Bhognadih, in present-day Jharkhand, where they declared themselves free from British authority and pledged to fight against oppression. Armed largely with bows, arrows, axes, and other traditional weapons, they challenged one of the world's most powerful colonial empires. Although the rebellion was brutally crushed by 1856 through overwhelming military force, it shook the foundations of British administration in eastern India.

The rebellion left a lasting legacy. It forced the colonial administration to acknowledge the distinct nature of tribal land rights. Eventually, it further led to legal protections such as the Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act, 1876. Hul Diwas therefore commemorates not merely an uprising but the assertion that tribal communities possess inherent rights over their land, forests, culture, and way of life.

Unfortunately, political independence in 1947 did not automatically translate into justice for India's tribal communities. Despite constitutional safeguards and affirmative policies, many tribal regions continued to experience neglect arising from inadequate infrastructure, poor governance, limited educational opportunities, and weak healthcare systems. Large sections of tribal India remained geographically isolated and economically marginalized.

This vacuum was exploited by multiple forces pursuing different ideological objectives. Christian missionary organisations expanded their activities in several tribal regions, particularly in the North-East and later across eastern and central India. In the name of providing education and healthcare, evangelical groups of various denominations have engaged in religious conversions through inducements and the exploitation of poverty. This has led to significant changes in traditional tribal faith systems and cultural practices. As these concerns have grown, many tribal communities have come together through organisations such as ‘Janjati Suraksha Manch’ to raise their voices in defence of their identity, culture, and existence.

An even more serious challenge emerged from the spread of Left Wing Extremism. Following severe state crackdowns in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh during the 1970s, Naxalite strategists searched for a secure "rear area" from which they could rebuild their movement. The dense forests of Dandakaranya, including Bastar, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Gadchiroli, and adjoining regions, appeared ideally suited for this purpose. The merger of the People's War Group and the Maoist Communist Centre in 2004 led to the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), thereby significantly strengthening the insurgency.

For decades, Maoists claimed to represent tribal interests. In reality, tribal communities frequently became victims of prolonged violence. Schools, roads, communication infrastructure, health centres, and development projects were often targeted because they strengthened the state's presence. Tribal youth were recruited into armed cadres, while ordinary villagers remained trapped between insurgent violence and state counter-insurgency operations. Instead of enabling development, the conflict condemned many tribal regions to prolonged isolation, poverty, and insecurity. Tribal lands and people became instruments in an ideological struggle that was not necessarily their own.

Recent security operations have substantially weakened Maoist capabilities across several affected regions. As the security situation improves, these areas are increasingly attracting investment due to their immense reserves of iron ore, bauxite, coal, manganese, and other strategic minerals essential for India's economic growth and manufacturing ambitions. This changing landscape presents India with both an opportunity and a warning.

India undoubtedly requires mineral resources to become a developed nation and a leading global power. Infrastructure, renewable energy, defence manufacturing, and industrial expansion all depend upon secure access to critical minerals. Yet the pursuit of economic growth cannot repeat the mistakes that triggered the Santhal Hul over 170 years ago.

Across several states, mining projects, industrial corridors, and large infrastructure initiatives have generated conflicts over land acquisition, forest clearance, displacement, and rehabilitation. Although governments have introduced legal safeguards, implementation has often remained inconsistent. Corporate influence, administrative pressures to expedite clearances, weak consultation processes, and inadequate rehabilitation have frequently undermined the spirit of laws intended to protect tribal communities. Numerous expert committees, judicial observations, and reports by constitutional bodies have repeatedly highlighted shortcomings in obtaining genuine consent from Gram Sabhas, recognising community forest rights, and ensuring fair compensation before projects commence.

This is precisely why the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 assume immense contemporary relevance. PESA recognises the authority of Gram Sabhas in Scheduled Areas over community resources, local governance, and decisions concerning land acquisition and development. Similarly, the Forest Rights Act acknowledges both individual and community rights over forest land and resources while requiring that forest-dependent communities be meaningfully involved in decisions affecting their livelihoods.

Yet these landmark legislations have too often remained stronger on paper than in practice. Several states delayed framing PESA rules for years after the Act's passage. In many instances, Gram Sabha consultations have been reduced to procedural formalities rather than meaningful democratic participation. Community forest rights under the Forest Rights Act have progressed unevenly across states, and implementation has frequently lagged behind legislative intent. The consequence is growing distrust among tribal communities whenever large development projects are announced.

If India genuinely seeks inclusive development, these laws must be implemented not selectively but in both letter and spirit. Development cannot become synonymous with displacement, dispossession, or cultural erasure. Tribal communities should not be forced to choose between preserving their identity and participating in modern economic progress.

The central lesson of Hul Diwas is therefore not opposition to development; rather, it is opposition to exploitative development. Tribal communities aspire for quality education, modern healthcare, employment opportunities, digital connectivity, entrepreneurship, and political representation like every other section of Indian society. They want their children to become doctors, engineers, civil servants, scientists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. At the same time, they wish to preserve their languages, customs, sacred groves, festivals, and traditional ecological knowledge.

India's development model must accommodate both aspirations simultaneously. The tribal citizen must not remain merely a beneficiary of welfare schemes but an equal stakeholder in national development. Consent must replace coercion. Partnership must replace paternalism. Participation must replace tokenism. Most importantly, dignity must become the foundation of governance.

Hul Diwas reminds us that the Santhal rebellion was not simply about resisting colonial authority. It was fundamentally a struggle for justice, dignity, and the right of communities to shape their own future. Those aspirations remain relevant even today.

If governments, corporations, and policymakers are committed to upholding constitutional safeguards, they must faithfully implement the provisions of the PESA and the Forest Rights Act. Ensuring transparent rehabilitation and making tribal communities equal partners in the process of economic transformation are essential. Only then can India achieve rapid development alongside social harmony, making development truly sustainable. However, if land, forests, and mineral resources are pursued without respecting tribal rights and sentiments, history cautions us that resentment and unrest will inevitably follow.

The true tribute to the heroes of the Santhal Hul is therefore not confined to annual commemorations or ceremonial speeches. It lies in building an India where tribal identity is protected, tribal rights are respected, tribal culture is celebrated, and tribal citizens stand as equal partners in the nation's ongoing journey towards prosperity and civilizational renewal.

Reclaiming Education: From Colonial Conditioning to Civilisational Awakening

"What is taught in the classrooms today will be the philosophy of government tomorrow." This oft-quoted observation, attributed to Abraham Lincoln, underscores a profound truth that education is not merely about producing employable individuals. It is about shaping a civilization's character, values, and intellectual orientation. The future of a nation is determined not only by its economic policies or political institutions but by the philosophy that guides its education.

Ancient India understood this truth with remarkable clarity. The purpose of education was never confined to acquiring information or vocational skills. The Taittiriya Upanishad, through the doctrine of Panchakosha, conceived human development as the harmonious unfolding of five dimensions of existence, namely, the physical (Annamaya), vital (Pranamaya), mental (Manomaya), intellectual (Vijnanamaya), and spiritual (Anandamaya) selves. Education, therefore, was an integrated process of nurturing the whole person rather than merely training the intellect.

This holistic understanding found expression in the distinction between Vidya and Avidya articulated in the Isha Upanishad. "विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह" meaning, one who understands both Vidya (higher knowledge) and Avidya (worldly knowledge) together attains completeness. Material knowledge enables human beings to master the external world, while spiritual wisdom enables them to master themselves. A truly educated individual requires both.

This civilizational insight deeply influenced Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of education. Gandhi's Nai Talim sought not merely to produce literate individuals but responsible citizens whose intellectual growth remained inseparable from moral discipline, productive labour, and service to society. For Gandhi, education was "an all-round drawing out of the best in child and man's body, mind, and spirit." Such an approach resonates strongly with India's classical educational traditions.

The very word "education" derives from the Latin educare, meaning "to nourish" or "to bring forth." The emphasis is significant. Education is not the mechanical transfer of information; it is the nourishment of human potential. It prepares individuals not only for livelihood but also for life. One function of education is undeniably utilitarian, which equips the young with the knowledge and skills necessary for participation in the material world. The higher purpose of education lies in cultivating intellectual discernment, moral responsibility, and spiritual sensitivity.

The British historian H. G. Wells famously observed, "Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe." The urgency contained in this statement is even more relevant in the twenty-first century. Scientific and technological progress has vastly increased human capabilities, but without ethical wisdom, these capabilities can become instruments of destruction. Education divorced from values produces efficiency without conscience.

This distinction brings us to the crucial difference between education and indoctrination. Education liberates; indoctrination imprisons. Plato illustrated this beautifully through the Allegory of the Cave. Prisoners mistake shadows for reality until one among them steps outside the cave and discovers the truth. Education, in Plato's conception, is precisely this liberation from ignorance. The educator does not manufacture opinions but awakens the capacity to distinguish appearance from reality.

Indian philosophical traditions express the same aspiration. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad prays, "तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय," meaning lead me from darkness to light. Darkness signifies ignorance; light signifies knowledge rooted in truth. Genuine education, therefore, enlarges the mind, encourages inquiry, and cultivates humility before truth.

Yet every educational system inevitably raises an uncomfortable question: whose values should education transmit? Modern India's educational experience cannot be understood without recalling Thomas Babington Macaulay's famous Minute on Indian Education of 1835. The colonial project consciously sought to create, in Macaulay's own words, "a class of persons Indian in blood and colour, but English in tastes, in opinions, in morals and in intellect." Education became an instrument of cultural displacement rather than civilizational continuity.

Independent India inherited much of this colonial intellectual architecture. For decades, Indian students often learnt more about Europe's civilizational achievements than about their own knowledge traditions. Ancient centres of learning such as Nalanda, Takshashila, Vallabhi, and Vikramashila remained marginal to mainstream educational discourse despite representing some of the world's earliest and greatest universities. Likewise, the Indian conception of the Chaturdasha Vidya (fourteen branches of knowledge) and Chatushashti Kala (sixty-four arts) reflected an extraordinarily broad understanding of education encompassing philosophy, science, mathematics, medicine, linguistics, music, architecture, governance, and ethics.

Recovering this heritage, however, does not imply rejecting global knowledge. Indian civilization has never been intellectually insular. The Rig Vedic declaration, "आ नो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वतः," which means let noble thoughts come to us from every direction. This verse embodies perhaps the most cosmopolitan educational vision imaginable. The Indian approach has always been to welcome truth wherever it emerges while retaining confidence in one's own civilizational foundations.

The challenge before contemporary India is, therefore, neither blind traditionalism nor uncritical imitation of the West. It is a creative reinterpretation. Every civilization must make its inherited wisdom yuganukul, meaning relevant to the needs of its own age. Ancient insights into ethics, ecology, social harmony, and human flourishing must be re-examined in dialogue with modern science, technology, and democratic aspirations.

Universities occupy a central place in this intellectual enterprise. Traditionally, they performed two indispensable functions: professional education and the pursuit of higher knowledge through research. Universities exist not merely to produce engineers, doctors, lawyers, or administrators but to cultivate independent scholarship and preserve humanity's intellectual inheritance. Their responsibility extends beyond immediate utility.

Unfortunately, many universities across the world increasingly face a different challenge, the politicisation of knowledge. During the social upheavals of the 1960s, sections of academia increasingly came to view universities as instruments for advancing ideological movements rather than impartial centres of learning. The distinguished sociologist Edward Shils warned against this tendency, cautioning that some academics considered it their moral obligation to incorporate revolutionary objectives into university curricula. In doing so, he argued, they risked subordinating scholarship to political activism.

The influential Brazilian educationist Paulo Freire's theory of Critical Pedagogy profoundly shaped modern educational discourse by interpreting society largely through the binary of the oppressor and the oppressed. His work contributed significantly to debates on social justice and participatory education. Yet when any single framework becomes the exclusive lens through which students are taught to understand society, there is a danger that education may narrow rather than broaden intellectual horizons. Universities should cultivate critical thinking through engagement with multiple philosophical traditions, not replace one orthodoxy with another.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 offers India an opportunity to move beyond inherited colonial assumptions by integrating Indian knowledge systems with global scholarship. Its emphasis on multidisciplinary learning, holistic development, mother-tongue education in the foundational years, value-based education, and research reflects an attempt to restore balance between Vidya and Avidya. Its success, however, will depend less on policy documents than on the conviction and creativity with which educators implement its vision.

India today stands at a civilizational moment. As it aspires to become a leading global power, it must also recover confidence in its intellectual traditions without succumbing to either nostalgia or ideological rigidity. Education must produce neither deracinated imitators nor unthinking activists. It must nurture thoughtful citizens rooted in their civilization, open to universal knowledge, and committed to truth.

The ultimate purpose of education is not simply to fill minds with information but to transform consciousness. A nation that succeeds in educating its young in this spirit will not merely create a skilled workforce; it will cultivate a wise society capable of combining material progress with moral purpose. That is the educational vision India inherited from its civilization, and one worthy of reclaiming in the twenty-first century. 

मानसून की पावन लय: अंबुबाची, रज पर्व और तल्लिन पंडुम

जैसे-जैसे भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप के ऊपर मानसून के बादल घिरने लगते हैं, विभिन्न क्षेत्रों के विविध समुदाय ऐसे उत्सवों को मनाने की तैयारी करते हैं जो उर्वरता, नारीत्व, मातृभूमि और प्रकृति की पुनर्योजी शक्तियों का सम्मान करते हैं। यद्यपि ये परंपराएँ भौगोलिक स्थिति, भाषा और सामाजिक पहचान के आधार पर एक-दूसरे से भिन्न दिखाई देती हैं, फिर भी ये भारत की सांस्कृतिक संरचना में व्याप्त एक अद्भुत सभ्यतागत निरंतरता को उजागर करती हैं।

असम में कामाख्या मंदिर में मनाया जाने वाला "अंबुबाची" देवी के वार्षिक रजस्वला होने का प्रतीक है। ओडिशा में "रज पर्व" धरणीमाता के रजस्वला होने और उसके पुनरुत्थान का उत्सव है। वहीं गडचिरोलीऔर बस्तर के वनों में माड़िया जनजातीय समुदाय "तल्लिन पंडुम अथवा बीजा पंडुम"  का आयोजन करता है, जिसमें बुवाई के मौसम के आरम्भ से पूर्व धरणीमाता और पूर्वज देवताओं का आशीर्वाद प्राप्त किया जाता है।

पहली दृष्टि में ये परंपराएँ एक-दूसरे से भिन्न प्रतीत हो सकती हैं। किंतु गहराई से देखने पर एक ऐसी साझा दृष्टि सामने आती है जो नारीत्व की पवित्रता, स्त्री की सृजनात्मक शक्ति, धरती की उर्वरता और मानव जीवन तथा प्रकृति के मध्य घनिष्ठ संबंध को स्वीकार करती है। ये सभी मिलकर यह दर्शाती हैं कि भारत की विविध आध्यात्मिक परंपराएँ ऐतिहासिक रूप से सह-अस्तित्व, पारस्परिक प्रभाव और साझा सांस्कृतिक संवेदनाओं के माध्यम से विकसित हुई हैं।

अंबुबाची : देवी के रजस्वला होने का उत्सव

असम के कामाख्या मंदिर में प्रतिवर्ष आयोजित होने वाला अंबुबाची, जून के महीने में (22 जून, 2026), पूर्वी भारत के सबसे महत्वपूर्ण धार्मिक आयोजनों में से एक है। इसे प्रायः “पूर्व का महाकुंभ” कहा जाता है, जो भारत और विश्व के विभिन्न भागों से लाखों श्रद्धालुओं, साधुओं और तांत्रिक साधकों को आकर्षित करता है।

यह उत्सव शक्ति की सर्वाधिक पूजनीय अभिव्यक्तियों में से एक देवी कामाख्या के वार्षिक रजस्वला होने का स्मरण कराता है। इस अवधि में मंदिर तीन दिनों तक बंद रहता है, जो देवी के मासिक धर्म और सार्वजनिक पूजा से उनके अस्थायी विराम का प्रतीक है। मंदिर के पुनः खुलने पर श्रद्धालु उर्वरता, समृद्धि और आध्यात्मिक शक्ति से जुड़ा आशीर्वाद प्राप्त करते हैं।

अंबुबाची का प्रतीकवाद अत्यंत गहन है। यहाँ मासिक धर्म को अशुद्ध या लज्जाजनक नहीं माना जाता। इसके विपरीत, उसे पवित्रता के सर्वोच्च स्तर तक प्रतिष्ठित किया जाता है। देवी रजस्वला होती हैं क्योंकि वे स्वयं सृष्टि का स्रोत हैं। उनका मासिक चक्र एक लौकिक घटना बन जाता है, जो भूमि की उर्वरता और मानसून की वर्षा के आगमन से जुड़ जाता है।

ऐसा दृष्टिकोण एक ऐसी सभ्यतागत समझ को प्रतिबिंबित करता है जो स्त्री शरीर को अशौच का विषय नहीं, बल्कि सृजनात्मक ऊर्जा की अभिव्यक्ति के रूप में देखती है।

रज पर्व : जब मातृभूमि विश्राम करती है

इसी प्रकार का एक दार्शनिक विचार ओडिशा के रज पर्व में दिखाई देता है, जो मानसून के आगमन के समय जून माह में मनाया जाता है। यह उत्सव भूदेवी अर्थात् मातृभूमि को समर्पित है, जिनके बारे में माना जाता है कि इस अवधि में वे रजस्वला होती हैं। इस दौरान हल चलाने और भूमि की खुदाई जैसी कृषि गतिविधियाँ परंपरागत रूप से रोक दी जाती हैं, जिससे धरती को अगले कृषि चक्र के लिए बीज ग्रहण करने से पूर्व विश्राम और पुनर्जीवन का अवसर मिल सके।

इस उत्सव के केंद्र में महिलाएँ और युवतियाँ होती हैं। नए वस्त्र, झूले, लोकगीत, पारंपरिक व्यंजन और सामुदायिक समारोह इसकी विशेषताएँ हैं। मातृभूमि का रजस्वला होना उर्वरता, समृद्धि और पुनर्नवीकरण का प्रतीक बन जाता है।

रज पर्व समाज को यह स्मरण कराता है कि सृजन के लिए विश्राम भी आवश्यक है। जिस प्रकार स्त्रियाँ जैविक चक्रों का अनुभव करती हैं, उसी प्रकार प्रकृति भी पुनरुत्थान की लयों का अनुसरण करती है। मनुष्य इन लयों से पृथक नहीं हैं, बल्कि उनके सहभागी हैं।

तल्लिन पंडुम: धरित्री के प्रति जनजातीय श्रद्धा

माड़िया समुदाय महाराष्ट्र के गडचिरोली और छत्तीसगढ़ के बस्तर के वनों में निवास करता है, जिसे भारत में विशेष रूप से संवेदनशील जनजातीय समूह (PVTG) के रूप में वर्गीकृत किया गया है।  उनके द्वारा जून के महीने में मनाया जानेवाला तल्लिन पंडुम अथवा बीजा पंडुम भी इसी प्रकार का संदेश देता है।

मानसून के आगमन से पूर्व मनाए जाने वाले इस उत्सव में बीजों का आशीर्वाद प्राप्त किया जाता है तथा धरती माता और कुल-देवताओं को अनुष्ठानिक अर्पण किए जाते हैं। कृषि कार्य प्रारंभ करने से पहले समुदाय समृद्धि और दैवीय संरक्षण की कामना करता है।

माड़िया भाषा में “तल्लिन” शब्द का अर्थ माता है, जबकि “पंडुम” का अर्थ उत्सव होता है। इसका नाम ही जीवन और आजीविका के स्रोत के रूप में धरित्री के प्रति समुदाय की श्रद्धा को व्यक्त करता है।

अंबुबाची और रज पर्व की भाँति तल्लिन पंडुम भी इस सत्य को स्वीकार करता है कि धरती की उर्वरता जीवन की निरंतरता से अविभाज्य है। बीज बोना केवल एक आर्थिक गतिविधि नहीं माना जाता, बल्कि कृतज्ञता, विनम्रता और दैवीय आशीर्वाद की अपेक्षा रखने वाला एक पवित्र कर्म माना जाता है।

यद्यपि भौगोलिक स्थिति और सामाजिक वर्गीकरण के कारण इसे मुख्यधारा की हिंदू परंपराओं से अलग देखा जाता है, फिर भी तल्लिन पंडुम की दार्शनिक आधारभूमि अंबुबाची और रज पर्व में निहित विचारों से गहराई से मेल खाती है।

साझा सभ्यतागत आधार

ये तीनों उत्सव भिन्न सामाजिक और सांस्कृतिक संदर्भों से उत्पन्न हुए हैं। अंबुबाची शाक्त परंपराओं से जुड़ा हुआ है। रज पर्व ओड़िया सांस्कृतिक जीवन में गहराई से समाहित है। तल्लिन पंडुम माड़िया जनजाति की परंपराओं से संबंधित है। फिर भी ये तीनों अत्यंत समान विचारों का उत्सव मनाते हैं। 

प्रथम, ये सृजन के स्रोत के रूप में स्त्री तत्व का सम्मान करते हैं। द्वितीय, ये उर्वरता को केवल जैविक प्रक्रिया न मानकर पवित्र मानते हैं। तृतीय, ये धरणीमाता को एक जीवंत सत्ता के रूप में देखते हैं, जो श्रद्धा और सम्मान की अधिकारी हैं। चतुर्थ, ये मानव गतिविधियों को ऋतुचक्र और पारिस्थितिक लयों के अनुरूप स्थापित करते हैं। सबसे महत्वपूर्ण बात यह है कि ये एक ऐसी सांस्कृतिक निरंतरता को प्रकट करते हैं जो "जनजातीय" और "गैर-जनजातीय" के आधुनिक विभाजन से परे जाती है।

जनजातीय और गैर-जनजातीय जैसी श्रेणियाँ प्रायः गहरे सभ्यतागत संबंधों को ओझल कर देती हैं। यद्यपि अनुष्ठान, मिथक और सामाजिक संरचनाएँ भिन्न हो सकती हैं, फिर भी भारत के अनेक समुदाय प्रकृति, उर्वरता, पूर्वजों, पवित्र भूगोल और जीवन की परस्पर संबद्धता के बारे में समान धारणाएँ साझा करते हैं।

अंबुबाची, रज पर्व और तल्लिन पंडुम के बीच की समानताएँ यह संकेत देती हैं कि ये परंपराएँ एक व्यापक स्वदेशी सांस्कृतिक आधारभूमि से विकसित हुई हैं, जिसका विकास भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप में सहस्राब्दियों के दौरान हुआ।

भारतीय सभ्यता के अनुभव में विविधता और एकता

भारतीय सभ्यता की एक प्रमुख विशेषता यह रही है कि उसने एकरूपता की अपेक्षा किए बिना विविधता को आत्मसात करने की क्षमता विकसित की। विभिन्न समुदायों ने अपने विशिष्ट अनुष्ठान, स्थानीय देवताओं और सांस्कृतिक परंपराओं का विकास किया, जबकि वे साथ ही व्यापक सभ्यतागत ढाँचों में भी सहभागी बने रहे।

विचार एक क्षेत्र से दूसरे क्षेत्र तक पहुँचे। समुदायों ने एक-दूसरे से ग्रहण किया। स्थानीय परंपराएँ क्षेत्रीय परंपराएँ बनीं और क्षेत्रीय परंपराओं ने व्यापक सभ्यतागत आख्यानों में योगदान दिया। यह प्रक्रिया एकरूपीकरण पर आधारित नहीं थी। बल्कि यह पारस्परिक स्वीकृति, अनुकूलन और सह-अस्तित्व पर आधारित थी।

एक जनजातीय समुदाय अपने पूर्वज देवताओं की पूजा कर सकता था और साथ ही पड़ोसी हिंदू समुदायों के साथ व्यापक सांस्कृतिक मूल्यों को भी साझा कर सकता था। कोई क्षेत्रीय देवी एक ओर स्थानीय संरक्षिका हो सकती थी और दूसरी ओर किसी व्यापक पवित्र सिद्धांत की अभिव्यक्ति भी। अनेक मार्ग एक साथ विद्यमान रह सकते थे, बिना किसी एकमात्र आधिकारिक सिद्धांत की आवश्यकता के। 

'जितने दर्शन राहे उतनी चिंतन से चैतन्य भरा'। 

विविधता में एकता का यह सिद्धांत भारतीय सभ्यतागत चिंतन में बार-बार रेखांकित किया गया है। अंबुबाची, रज पर्व और तल्लिन पांडुम जैसे उत्सव यह प्रदर्शित करते हैं कि अनुष्ठानों की विविधता के पीछे जीवन, प्रकृति, नारीत्व और सृष्टि की पवित्रता के प्रति एक साझा श्रद्धा विद्यमान है।

भारत की सांस्कृतिक बहुलता के समक्ष चुनौतियाँ

इन परंपराओं का सह-अस्तित्व भारतीय स्वदेशी आस्था प्रणालियों की एक मूलभूत विशेषता को भी उजागर करता है, वे सामान्यतः अनन्यतावादी (exclusive ) नहीं हैं। ऐतिहासिक रूप से, समुदायों ने पूजा और आध्यात्मिक साधना के अनेक रूपों की वैधता को स्वीकार किया। सांस्कृतिक आदान-प्रदान, अनुकूलन और पारस्परिक प्रभाव सामान्य बात थी। परंपराएँ कठोर एकरूपता के बजाय देने और ग्रहण करने की प्रक्रियाओं के माध्यम से विकसित हुईं।

यह बहुलतावादी दृष्टिकोण अनेक बार उन धार्मिक ढाँचों के साथ तनाव की स्थिति में आया है जो विशिष्ट सत्य-दावों (exclusive truth claims) और सार्वभौमिक अनुरूपता (universal conformity) पर बल देते हैं। जहाँ कहीं भी अनन्यतावादी विचारधाराएँ स्थानीय परंपराओं के साथ संवाद स्थापित करने के बजाय उनका स्थान लेने का प्रयास करती हैं, वहाँ स्वाभाविक रूप से तनाव उत्पन्न होता है।

अतः चुनौती केवल धार्मिक नहीं, बल्कि सभ्यतागत भी है। प्रश्न यह है कि क्या विविध परंपराएँ आगे भी सह-अस्तित्व में रहकर एक-दूसरे को समृद्ध करती रहेंगी, अथवा एकरूपीकरण के दबाव उन सांस्कृतिक पारिस्थितिक तंत्रों को कमजोर कर देंगे जिन्होंने उन्हें अब तक जीवित रखा है।

इसलिए तल्लिन पंडुम जैसे स्वदेशी उत्सवों का संरक्षण, अंबुबाची और रज पर्व जैसी परंपराओं के साथ, केवल सांस्कृतिक विरासत की दृष्टि से ही महत्वपूर्ण नहीं है, बल्कि भारत के बहुलतावादी सभ्यतागत चरित्र को बनाए रखने के लिए भी आवश्यक है।

निष्कर्ष

कामाख्या में देवी रजस्वला होती हैं। ओडिशा में मातृभूमि विश्राम करती है। माड़िया समुदाय वर्षा के आगमन से पूर्व अपने बीजों के लिए आशीर्वाद प्राप्त करता है।

यद्यपि ये उत्सव विभिन्न अनुष्ठानों और भाषाओं के माध्यम से अभिव्यक्त होते हैं, फिर भी वे एक ही शाश्वत सत्य का उत्सव मनाते हैं कि जीवन स्त्री की सृजनात्मक शक्ति से उत्पन्न होता है, धरती की उर्वरता से विकसित होता है और प्रकृति के साथ मानवता के सामंजस्यपूर्ण संबंधों में फलता-फूलता है।

अंबुबाची, रज पर्व और तल्लिन पंडुम यह उद्घाटित करते हैं कि भारत के आध्यात्मिक परिदृश्य की प्रत्यक्ष विविधता के नीचे एक गहरी सांस्कृतिक एकता विद्यमान है (beneath the apparent diversity of India's spiritual landscape lies a deep cultural unity)। वे हमें स्मरण कराते हैं कि जनजातीय और गैर-जनजातीय परंपराएँ लंबे समय से ऐसे साझा सभ्यतागत आधारों से जुड़ी रही हैं जो प्रकृति के प्रति श्रद्धा, नारीत्व के सम्मान और सृष्टि की पवित्र लयों की पहचान पर आधारित हैं।

जिस प्रकार मानसून प्रत्येक वर्ष धरती को पुनर्जीवित करता है, उसी प्रकार ये उत्सव भी एक प्राचीन ज्ञान को पुनर्जीवित करते हैं कि एकता के लिए समानता आवश्यक नहीं होती, और सबसे समृद्ध सभ्यताएँ वे होती हैं जो अनेक परंपराओं को फलने-फूलने का अवसर देती हैं, साथ ही उन गहरे सत्यों को भी पहचानती हैं जिन्हें वे साझा करती हैं।

The Day Kaki Maa Became Mother and Kaku Became Father: A Story of Love, Community, and Our First Jamai Shashthi in Bengal

"Family is not always defined by blood. Sometimes, it is defined by those who choose to stand beside us when life leaves an empty chair at the table."

On 20th June 2026, my wife Suchandra and I celebrated our first Jamai Shashthi after our marriage on 4th March 2026. For many Bengali families, Jamai Shashthi is a cherished annual tradition marked by rituals, family gatherings, laughter, and elaborate meals. For us, however, it became much more than a cultural observance. It became a profound reminder that even in a rapidly changing world, there are communities that continue to uphold the timeless values of affection, solidarity, and human connection.

The memories of the day will remain with us for the rest of our lives, not because of the food that was served or the rituals that were performed, but because of the love that surrounded us.

The Cultural Significance of Jamai Shashthi

Jamai Shashthi occupies a special place in Bengali Hindu culture. Celebrated on the sixth tithi of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the month of Joishtho, it is a day dedicated to strengthening family bonds. Traditionally, married daughters and their husbands are invited to the daughter's parental home. The mother-in-law performs Shashthi Puja, seeking the blessings of Goddess Shashthi for the well-being, prosperity, and fertility of her daughter and son-in-law.

The son-in-law, affectionately called the "Jamai," is treated as an honoured guest and served a grand feast prepared with love and care. The day is often accompanied by family reunions, blessings from elders, and moments of shared happiness.

The origins of the festival lie in an earlier era when daughters were often married far away from their parental homes. Travel was difficult, expensive, and time-consuming. Parents seldom had opportunities to meet their daughters after marriage. Jamai Shashthi evolved as a social institution that ensured regular family reunions and maintained emotional bonds between married daughters and their natal families.

The ritual, therefore, carries a deeper meaning. At its heart, Jamai Shashthi is not about the son-in-law alone. It is about preserving relationships, reaffirming affection, and reminding daughters that they continue to remain an inseparable part of their parental home.

The Void Left by Loss

For Suchandra and me, our first Jamai Shashthi came with a unique emotional context.

Suchandra is the only child of her parents. Her father, Shri Sankarnath Mukherjee, passed away in 2009. The loss was devastating, but she found strength in the loving care and guidance of her mother, Smt. Bharati Mukherjee.

Then, in 2024, tragedy struck again.

She lost her mother.

With her mother's passing, Suchandra lost not only a parent but also her closest companion, guide, and source of emotional strength. The absence of both parents inevitably created a void that no one could truly replace.

She continues to be blessed with loving relatives. Her paternal aunt and uncle have always stood by her. However, this year they themselves were coping with an unimaginable tragedy, the loss of their own son. Understandably, they were not in a position to host our first Jamai Shashthi.

Her maternal uncle and aunt also remained affectionate and concerned. Yet age and health-related challenges prevented them from travelling from Barrackpore to Ranaghat to organise the occasion.

As the festival approached, a quiet question lingered in our minds.

Who would host our first Jamai Shashthi?

The Daughter of an Entire Neighbourhood

The answer came not from relatives but from a community.

Suchandra grew up in Sidhanto Para in Ranaghat, a historic town in Nadia district of West Bengal. She spent her childhood there, attended school there, built friendships there, and developed bonds that have endured over decades.

Over the years, the people of the locality came to regard her not merely as a neighbour but as one of their own. To some, she was a daughter; to others, a sister; to many, a cherished member of an extended social family.

This sense of belonging is perhaps one of the most beautiful aspects of Bengali social life. Even today, many Bengali neighbourhoods function not merely as residential spaces but as living communities bound together by shared experiences, mutual support, and emotional investment in one another's lives.

Among the many people who have stood beside Suchandra throughout her journey is her school classmate, Partha Singha.

Their friendship has always carried the warmth of a sibling relationship. To Partha Ji, Suchandra has never been merely a friend. She has always been his sister.

And perhaps because of that, the possibility of Suchandra spending her first Jamai Shashthi without parental affection was simply unacceptable.

Kaki Maa and Kaku Step Forward

What happened next touched our hearts in ways that words can scarcely capture.

Partha Ji's parents-in-law, Shri Achintya Kumar Mondal and Smt. Meera Mondal graciously invited us to celebrate our first Jamai Shashthi with them.

What may appear to an outsider as a simple gesture was, in reality, an extraordinary act of love.

On that day, Kaki Maa prepared a lavish meal with her own hands. Every dish reflected affection rather than obligation. Every preparation carried the warmth that only a mother can offer.

Kaku welcomed us with equal warmth. He ensured that we were fed generously and comfortably, constantly expressing concern about whether we had eaten enough.

As Suchandra and I sat before them, receiving their blessings, we felt something profoundly moving.

For a few precious hours, the absence of Suchandra's parents faded into the background.

Kaki Maa became her mother.

Kaku became her father.

The ritual remained the same, but its emotional significance deepened beyond measure.

They were under no social obligation to do what they did.

They chose to do it out of love.

And that made all the difference.

A Wedding That Revealed the Spirit of Community

Our experience during Jamai Shashthi was not an isolated incident.

In fact, it reflected the same spirit that had defined our wedding earlier in March 2026.

Suchandra and I chose to have a simple wedding conducted according to traditional Bengali rituals. Yet despite its simplicity, the ceremony became one of the most memorable events of our lives.

The reason was not extravagance.

It was people.

The residents of Shirish Kunj, where Suchandra owns a flat, and the people of Sidhanto Para embraced the wedding as though it belonged to their own family.

Partha Ji and Sucheta Didi were at the centre of countless arrangements. Their care, guidance, and emotional support were invaluable.

Alongside them stood Pradesh Da and his wife, Abhimanyu Da and his wife, Ganesh Da and Sushmita Didi, Pooja and Amit, Pinaki Didi and her family, and many others.

Each contributed in their own way.

Each invested time and effort without expecting anything in return.

Each helped transform a modest ceremony into an extraordinary celebration.

Friends Who Became Family

Equally touching was the role played by Suchandra's close friends.

Antara Roychoudhury, Ayantika Ghosh-Ganguly, Imon Majumder, Pooja Saha, Haimanti Bhattacharya, Sumona Dasgupta, Parmita Bose, and Moumita Pal stood by her throughout the wedding preparations.

They were not merely friends attending a wedding.

They were sisters standing beside one of their own.

Their affection, encouragement, and participation reflected bonds that had been nurtured over years of friendship and shared experiences.

Watching them interact with Suchandra, I realised that some friendships eventually transcend friendship itself and become family.

The Warmth Extended to a Maharashtrian Groom

As a Maharashtrian marrying into a Bengali family, I was entering a cultural world different from the one in which I had grown up.

Yet at no point did I feel like an outsider.

My mother, brothers, sisters, and other relatives who travelled to Ranaghat experienced the same warmth.

Shri Sureshrao Kulkarni Ji, an RSS Pracharak and a guardian-like figure in my life, attended the wedding and witnessed this remarkable hospitality firsthand.

Dhanu Da and his family, Piku Da, Tapashi Boudi, and their families welcomed members of the groom's side into their homes. They ensured that everyone felt comfortable and cared for.

Pampa Didi, who has been associated with Suchandra's family for nearly twenty years, worked tirelessly to oversee arrangements. Over time, she had ceased to be merely someone who assisted the family. She had become family herself.

Their collective efforts demonstrated that hospitality is not merely about accommodation or food.

It is about making someone feel that they belong.

Beyond Caste, Beyond Boundaries

One aspect of our experience deserves special mention.

People from different social backgrounds participated in our wedding and Jamai Shashthi celebrations with equal enthusiasm and ownership.

What stood out was the absence of visible barriers based on caste or social hierarchy.

People came together not because they belonged to the same social category but because they cared about Suchandra and wished to contribute to her happiness.

In contemporary India, where discussions often focus on divisions and differences, such experiences offer hope.

They remind us that communities can still be built around shared humanity rather than inherited boundaries.

The Real Meaning of Jamai Shashthi

As I reflect on our first Jamai Shashthi, I realise that its true significance lies far beyond ritual.

The festival teaches us that relationships require nurturing.

It reminds us that daughters never cease to belong to their parental homes.

And in our case, it revealed something even more beautiful, that when the biological family is absent, society itself can step forward and fill the void.

Kaki Maa, Kaku, Partha Ji, and Sucheta Didi did not merely host a ritual.

They gave us a memory.

They gave Suchandra the experience of parental affection at a moment when it could easily have been missed.

They transformed a cultural tradition into an emotional blessing.

For that, Suchandra and I shall remain forever grateful.

I came to Ranaghat as a Maharashtrian groom.

The people of Ranaghat embraced me as their Jamai.

And on our first Jamai Shashthi, they taught us a lesson we shall carry throughout our lives:

Blood may create relatives, but love creates family. 

युद्ध के बीच मानवता की एक अमर कहानी

 

कुछ कहानियाँ समय और स्थान की सीमाओं को लाँघ जाती हैं। वे किसी देश, भाषा या युग की नहीं रह जातीं, बल्कि पूरी मानवता की धरोहर बन जाती हैं। ऐसी कहानियाँ हमें याद दिलाती हैं कि मनुष्य के भीतर अभी भी करुणा जीवित है; कि युद्ध, हिंसा और स्वार्थ के बीच भी कहीं न कहीं प्रेम का एक दीपक जलता रहता है।

यह कहानी द्वितीय विश्वयुद्ध के दिनों की है।

सन् 1944 का जनवरी महीना। इटली का एंज़ियो (Anzio) क्षेत्र। चारों ओर युद्ध की विभीषिका फैली हुई थी। धरती बारूद की गंध से भरी थी। आसमान में उड़ते विमानों की गर्जना और तोपों की गूँज लगातार सुनाई देती थी। घर खंडहर बन चुके थे, खेत उजड़ चुके थे और इंसान अपनी जान बचाने के लिए दर-दर भटक रहे थे।

अमेरिकी सेना का एक युवा सैनिक, कॉर्पोरल जेम्स व्हिटेकर, अपने कुछ साथियों के साथ गश्त पर निकला था। उसकी उम्र मात्र चौबीस वर्ष थी। वह जॉर्जिया के एक छोटे से गाँव का रहने वाला था। युद्ध उसके लिए केवल एक सैन्य अभियान नहीं था; वह हर दिन मृत्यु को अपने सामने खड़ा देखता था।

उस दिन भी वह एक बमबारी से तबाह हुए पुराने फार्महाउस की तलाशी ले रहा था। अचानक उसे एक अजीब-सी आवाज़ सुनाई दी।

वह रोने की आवाज़ नहीं थी।

शायद रोते-रोते थक जाने के बाद निकलने वाली वह करुण ध्वनि थी, जिसमें दर्द था, भूख थी और जीवन से चिपके रहने की आख़िरी कोशिश थी।

जेम्स उस आवाज़ का पीछा करते हुए तहखाने तक पहुँचा।

वहाँ जो उसने देखा, उसे वह जीवनभर नहीं भूल पाया।

एक लकड़ी के बक्से में, ऊनी कोट के ऊपर, एक नन्ही बच्ची लेटी हुई थी। उसकी उम्र आठ-नौ महीने से अधिक नहीं रही होगी। चेहरा पीला पड़ चुका था। होंठ सूख चुके थे। शरीर ठंड से काँप रहा था।

आसपास कोई नहीं था।

न माँ, न पिता, न कोई पड़ोसी।

सिर्फ़ वह बच्ची और चारों ओर पसरा हुआ सन्नाटा।

जेम्स कुछ क्षणों तक उसे देखता रहा। शायद उसके माता-पिता बमबारी में मारे जा चुके थे। शायद वे उसे बचाने के लिए वहाँ छोड़ गए थे। शायद वे लौटना चाहते थे, लेकिन लौट नहीं पाए।

इन प्रश्नों का उत्तर किसी के पास नहीं था।

उसके सामने केवल एक सच था और वह था यदि अभी कुछ नहीं किया गया, तो यह बच्ची जीवित नहीं बचेगी।

जेम्स ने उसे अपनी बाँहों में उठा लिया।

लेकिन समस्या यहीं से शुरू हुई।

वह एक युद्धरत सैनिक था। उसके पास न दूध था, न कोई दवा, न बच्चों की देखभाल का कोई साधन। निकटतम फील्ड अस्पताल लगभग चालीस मील दूर था। रास्ते में दुश्मन की गोलियाँ थीं, बर्फीली हवाएँ थीं और मृत्यु हर मोड़ पर घात लगाए बैठी थी।

फिर भी उसने निर्णय ले लिया।

वह बच्ची को लेकर चलेगा।

चाहे कुछ भी हो जाए।

उसने बच्ची को अपनी सैन्य जैकेट के भीतर, सीने से लगाकर रखा ताकि उसके शरीर की गर्मी उसे ठंड से बचा सके।

यात्रा शुरू हुई।

रास्ते भर जेम्स उसे पानी की छोटी-छोटी बूंदें अपनी उँगली से पिलाता रहा। उसे अचानक अपनी माँ की याद आई, जो खेतों में जन्मे छोटे जानवरों को इसी तरह पानी पिलाया करती थीं।

उसके पास एक चॉकलेट बार थी।

वह उसके छोटे-छोटे टुकड़े करता और अपनी उँगली पर लगाकर बच्ची को चटाता, ताकि उसके शरीर को थोड़ी ऊर्जा मिल सके।

दिन-रात का भेद मिट गया।

जेम्स चलता रहा।

गोलियों की आवाज़ों के बीच।

बारूद के धुएँ के बीच।

ठंडी हवाओं के बीच।

और सबसे आश्चर्यजनक बात यह थी कि वह उस बच्ची से लगातार बातें करता रहता।

उसे पता था कि बच्ची उसकी भाषा नहीं समझती।

लेकिन शायद प्रेम की भाषा समझती थी।

वह उसे अपने गाँव के बारे में बताता।

जॉर्जिया के हरे-भरे खेतों के बारे में।

अपनी माँ के हाथों के बने भोजन के बारे में।

अपने बचपन की शरारतों के बारे में।

और हर थोड़ी देर में कहता,

"सब ठीक हो जाएगा।"

हालाँकि उसे स्वयं भी नहीं पता था कि सब सचमुच ठीक होगा या नहीं।

लगभग दो दिनों की कठिन यात्रा के बाद, भोर के समय वह फील्ड अस्पताल पहुँचा।

बच्ची अभी भी जीवित थी।

नर्सों ने तुरंत उसे अपने संरक्षण में ले लिया।

जेम्स ने उसे अंतिम बार देखा।

फिर वह अस्पताल के बाहर जमीन पर बैठ गया।

शायद थकान से।

शायद राहत से।

शायद उस भावनात्मक बोझ से, जिसे वह दो दिनों से ढो रहा था।

कुछ देर बाद उसे बताया गया कि बच्ची अब सुरक्षित है और उसे रेड क्रॉस के हवाले कर दिया जाएगा।

बस इतना ही।

युद्ध ने उसे आगे बढ़ने का आदेश दिया और वह वापस अपनी यूनिट में लौट गया।

युद्ध समाप्त हुआ।

जेम्स घर लौट आया।

उसने विवाह किया।

बच्चे हुए।

फिर पोते-पोतियाँ।

जीवन अपनी सामान्य गति से चलता रहा।

लेकिन उस बच्ची की स्मृति उसके मन से कभी नहीं गई।

कभी सुबह चाय पीते समय।

कभी रात को सोने से पहले।

कभी अपने बच्चों को खेलते हुए देखकर।

वह सोचता-

"क्या वह जीवित होगी?"

"क्या उसे कोई परिवार मिला होगा?"

"क्या वह खुश होगी?"

इन प्रश्नों का उत्तर उसके पास नहीं था।

और शायद यही अधूरापन उसके जीवन का हिस्सा बन गया।

साठ वर्ष बीत गए।

सन् 2004 में उसकी पोती सारा स्कूल प्रोजेक्ट के लिए द्वितीय विश्वयुद्ध पर काम कर रही थी।

उसने अपने दादा से पूछा,

"क्या आपके पास युद्ध की कोई कहानी है?"

जेम्स ने पहली बार विस्तार से उस बच्ची की कहानी सुनाई।

सारा ने वह कहानी इंटरनेट पर डाल दी।

और फिर एक चमत्कार हुआ।

तीन महीने बाद इटली के बोलोन्या शहर से एक ईमेल आया।

उस महिला का नाम मारिया कॉन्टी था।

उसकी उम्र साठ वर्ष थी।

उसने लिखा था कि उसे उसके दत्तक माता-पिता ने बताया था कि वह युद्ध के दौरान एक अमेरिकी सैनिक द्वारा बचाई गई थी, जिसने उसे एंज़ियो से उठाकर सुरक्षित स्थान तक पहुँचाया था।

वह पिछले चालीस वर्षों से उस सैनिक को खोज रही थी।

जब सारा ने यह ईमेल अपने दादा को दिखाया, तो जेम्स की आँखें भर आईं।

उन्होंने पत्र दो बार पढ़ा।

फिर धीरे से कहा,

"वह जीवित है..."

साठ वर्षों का बोझ जैसे एक क्षण में हल्का हो गया।

अगले कुछ महीनों में दोनों के बीच पत्रों का आदान-प्रदान हुआ।

फोन पर बातचीत हुई।

और फिर 2005 में मारिया इटली से अमेरिका आई।

वह इकसठ वर्ष की थी।

एक स्कूल शिक्षिका।

तीन बच्चों और पाँच नाती-पोतों की माँ।

जब वह जेम्स के घर पहुँची, तब जेम्स पचासी वर्ष के हो चुके थे।

दरवाज़ा खुला।

दोनों आमने-सामने खड़े थे।

एक वह सैनिक जिसने उसे मौत के मुँह से निकाला था।

दूसरी वह बच्ची, जो अब एक पूर्ण जीवन जी चुकी महिला थी।

मारिया धीरे-धीरे आगे बढ़ी।

उसने जेम्स के दोनों हाथ पकड़ लिए।

उसकी आँखों में आँसू थे।

उसने इतालवी भाषा में कुछ कहा।

सारा ने अनुवाद किया-

"वह कहती हैं कि वह जीवनभर आपको धन्यवाद कहना चाहती थीं। उन्हें खेद है कि इसमें साठ वर्ष लग गए।"

जेम्स मुस्कुराए।

उन्होंने उसके हाथों को कसकर थामा।

और बोले-

"उसे बताओ कि साठ साल कोई मायने नहीं रखते।"

कुछ क्षण रुककर उन्होंने आगे कहा-

"मुझे बस इतना जानना था कि वह बच गई।"

उस क्षण वहाँ कोई सैनिक नहीं था, कोई युद्ध नहीं था, कोई राष्ट्र नहीं था।

वहाँ केवल दो मनुष्य थे।

एक जिसने बिना किसी स्वार्थ के जीवन बचाया था।

और दूसरी, जिसका पूरा जीवन उस करुणा का जीवित प्रमाण था।

शायद यही मानवता है।

युद्धों से बड़ी।

विचारधाराओं के दम्भ से बड़ी। 

सीमाओं से बड़ी।

समय से भी बड़ी।

और यही कारण है कि ऐसी कहानियाँ कभी पुरानी नहीं होतीं। वे हमें बार-बार याद दिलाती हैं कि दुनिया चाहे कितनी भी कठोर क्यों न हो जाए, एक दयालु हृदय अभी भी हमें मानवता और उसमे निहित करुणा का पाठ पढ़ाता रहेगा। मानवता और करुणा के आगे सारी चीजें कितनी छोटी लगने लगती हैं। 

किसी कविता में कहा है ना.....

रात का नाम अँधेरा है, ये जितना सच है,

सच ये उतना ही है कि कुछ जलते सितारें होंगे।  

Educating the Educators: Reflections on the Disturbing Incident at Satyawati College (Morning)

The recent news report regarding a professor named Md. Irfan Alam of Satyawati College (Morning), University of Delhi, allegedly clicking photographs of a female student wearing a backless dress in an examination hall is deeply disturbing. The matter is currently under investigation, and the facts will ultimately be established by the competent authorities. Nevertheless, the incident raises important questions about professional ethics, teachers' conduct, and the larger responsibilities associated with the teaching profession. As a teacher myself, the news compelled me to reflect not only on the conduct of an individual but also on the broader culture of higher education and the role we play in shaping the lives of young people.

It has been more than nine years since I entered the teaching profession. I joined Shyam Lal College, University of Delhi, initially as an ad-hoc faculty member and have been serving as a permanent faculty member since 2023. As in most cases, teaching was never part of my original career plan. I came to Delhi and joined Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) with the sole purpose of preparing for the Civil Services Examination. Like many young aspirants from different parts of the country, I saw Delhi as a destination for pursuing a dream of joining the civil services. However, life often takes us in directions we do not anticipate. My association with Delhi University gradually introduced me to the world of teaching, and over the years, I have developed a deep affection and respect for this profession. Today, I consider teaching not merely a means of livelihood but a vocation that carries immense social responsibility.

This responsibility becomes particularly significant because most colleges of Delhi University cater primarily to undergraduate students. In the Indian higher education system, undergraduate education remains the broadest level of academic participation. Almost every student who enters higher education begins with an undergraduate degree. As one moves to postgraduate studies, the numbers begin to decline, and at the level of doctoral research, only a small fraction of students remain. Consequently, undergraduate classrooms represent the most important site of intellectual and social formation in higher education. Those of us who teach at this level, therefore, shoulder a unique responsibility. Although we are university teachers by designation, in many respects our role resembles that of senior school teachers because we engage with students who are still in the formative stages of their personal and intellectual development.

Most undergraduate students have only recently completed their schooling and entered college life. They stand at the threshold between adolescence and adulthood. This phase is characterised by enthusiasm, curiosity, emotional fluctuations, experimentation, aspirations, and a strong desire to establish one's identity. Young students often believe they know more than they actually do. They may attempt to impress their peers, attract the attention of the opposite gender, challenge authority, or occasionally test the patience of their teachers. Such behaviour is not unusual. Indeed, most of us who are teachers today have passed through similar phases in our own youth. Recognising this reality is essential if we are to become effective educators.

For this reason, I have always believed that a teacher must carry within themselves the heart of both a mother and a father. In most families, one parent is often perceived as stricter while the other is more nurturing and affectionate. Both roles are necessary for healthy growth. Similarly, teachers must know when to be firm and when to be compassionate. There are moments when discipline is necessary and moments when empathy is more important. The art of teaching lies in maintaining a delicate balance between authority and affection. A teacher must guide without intimidating, discipline without humiliating, and correct without alienating. Unfortunately, in the incident referred to above, what appears troubling is that the teacher himself seems to have behaved in a manner more befitting an immature undergraduate than a responsible educator. If such allegations are proven, it becomes a matter of serious concern because it undermines the trust that forms the foundation of the teacher-student relationship.

The incident also compels us to revisit a larger and often neglected question: who educates the educators? In India, considerable attention is devoted to the training of school teachers. Those who aspire to teach at the primary and middle school levels undergo specialised programmes such as D.El.Ed. or equivalent teacher-training courses. High school teachers are generally expected to complete a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree before entering the profession. These programmes are designed not merely to impart subject knowledge but also to provide training in pedagogy, classroom management, educational psychology, ethics, and student engagement.

However, when it comes to higher education, the situation is markedly different. A person completes a postgraduate degree, qualifies for the National Eligibility Test (NET), appears before a selection committee, and becomes eligible for appointment as an Assistant Professor. Subject expertise is undoubtedly important, but teaching requires much more than disciplinary knowledge. It demands emotional intelligence, ethical awareness, mentoring abilities, communication skills, and a deep understanding of student psychology. One may be an outstanding scholar and yet not necessarily an effective teacher. This distinction is often overlooked in discussions about faculty recruitment and professional development.

Therefore, I believe we need to seriously deliberate on the existing framework of teacher preparation in higher education. The one-month Faculty Induction Programmes (FIPs), Faculty Development Programmes (FDPs), Orientation Programmes, and Refresher Courses conducted through online platforms certainly have their utility. However, in many cases, they have become procedural requirements to be completed for career advancement rather than transformative exercises in professional development. The challenge is not merely to provide certification but to cultivate professional values and pedagogical competence.

Perhaps a more rigorous and structured system should be introduced during the probation period of newly recruited Assistant Professors. The first year of service could include intensive training in pedagogy, ethics, classroom management, counselling skills, gender sensitivity, student engagement, and institutional responsibilities. Such training would not only strengthen professional competence but also help inculcate the values expected from educators entrusted with shaping future generations.

The question of recruitment also deserves serious consideration. At the school level, teacher recruitment is subject to multiple layers of evaluation. Candidates often complete D.El.Ed. or B.Ed. programmes, qualify for Teacher Eligibility Tests (TET) or Central Teacher Eligibility Tests (CTET), and subsequently appear in competitive recruitment examinations conducted by state governments or educational boards. In contrast, recruitment to higher education institutions largely revolves around postgraduate qualifications, NET, and interviews. While the existing system has produced many outstanding teachers, there is certainly scope for exploring more robust and transparent mechanisms of selection.

In this context, one may consider the possibility of establishing a National Education Service on the lines of the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. Such a system could bring greater transparency, standardisation, and accountability to faculty recruitment while also elevating the social prestige of the teaching profession. The objective would not be to create additional bureaucratic hurdles but to ensure that those entrusted with educating future generations possess both academic competence and professional aptitude.

Another aspect that often prompts reflection is the issue of professional appearance and conduct. Sometimes I observe the manner in which certain teachers present themselves and wonder whether they see themselves primarily as educators or as participants in a fashion exhibition. While every individual enjoys personal freedom, teachers must remain conscious of the influence they exert upon students. Education is not confined to lectures and textbooks. Students observe how we speak, dress, behave, and interact with others. Every aspect of a teacher's personality communicates values.

I firmly believe that the way I present myself leaves an impression on the formative minds of students. Professionalism in appearance and behaviour reinforces professionalism in the classroom. When teachers conduct themselves with dignity and restraint, students are more likely to respond with respect and seriousness. Professional conduct, therefore, is not a matter of personal vanity but an essential component of educational responsibility.

At the same time, discipline should never be confused with punishment. Every teacher encounters students who are careless, inattentive, irregular, or struggling with personal challenges. Correcting such behaviour is undoubtedly part of our duty. We may occasionally need to scold students or adopt a firm stance. However, there must always be limits. Education is fundamentally an act of guidance rather than domination.

The experiences students gain during their college years remain with them throughout their lives. Long after they have forgotten specific lectures or examination questions, they often remember how their teachers treated them. They remember the teacher who encouraged them when they lacked confidence, who offered support during difficult times, and who believed in their potential. Conversely, they may also remember experiences that caused humiliation, fear, or resentment.

As teachers, we therefore possess an extraordinary opportunity to influence society indirectly through our students. If we treat them with affection, empathy, fairness, and respect, they are likely to carry those values into their professional and personal lives. If we misuse our authority or fail to uphold the ethical standards expected of us, we risk creating lasting damage not only to individual students but also to the credibility of the teaching profession itself.

The recent incident should therefore be viewed not merely as an isolated controversy involving one individual but as an occasion for collective introspection within the academic community. It reminds us that teaching is not simply about transmitting knowledge. It is about nurturing character, inspiring confidence, and creating an environment in which young people can flourish. The future of society is shaped not only in legislatures, courts, and government offices but also in classrooms. Teachers occupy a privileged position in that process. With that privilege comes responsibility, accountability, and the obligation to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct.

The question before us is simple yet profound: are we merely teaching subjects, or are we shaping human beings? The answer to that question will determine the future of our educational institutions and, ultimately, the future of our society.