The first seed of Sathyagraha

It sometimes becomes interesting to find out, if there is any precedent for some events which are considered original and the brain-child of the innovator. I had long thought that Mahatma Gandhi should get the full credit for having invented a unique weapon of non-violence called 'Upavasa Sathygraha'. But no. There was another person much before Gandhi who had already done it! She is a Scottish woman Marionne Wallas Dunlop.

Marion Wallace Dunlop was the first female suffragete go on hunger strike , on 5 July 1909, demanding voting rights for women prisoners in Scotland's Halloway Prison. Her Satyagraha later inspired great personalities around the world to adopt this mode of agitation to fight for their rights.

Historians and policians celebrate the centenary of Upavasa Sathyagraha.

Sometimes, the power of an isolated incident, in a remote place, by a less known mortal can act as a catalyst setting in motion a chain of events marking the beginning of a new path.

In the meanwhile, Suffragette is a term originally coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for the more radical and militant members of the late-19th and early-20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). However, after former and then active members of the movement began to reclaim the word, the term became a label without negative connotations. It derives from the word "suffrage", meaning the right to vote.

Of what use is such blind worship?

The photo shows the idol of Mahaveera. Behind in the cup board contains rare and ancient Tala Patra (palm leaf) texts. The above photo was taken at the renowned Kanakagiri Jain temple situated in Chamarajanagar district, about 55km from Mysore.

This one photo captures the mindset of the majority of the Indians. Did you observe what is the striking feature of this photo? The rare and ancient Tala Patra, palm leaves on which our ancients once wrote, placed neatly piled in a cupboard covered with cloth!

The 'knowledge' that should have seen the light of the day, is actually rotting in the corner of a cupboard, becoming a good fodder for mites and silverfish. Left like that, it may one day even crumble to dust, given the fragile nature of the palm leaves when left untreated and exposed to light and moisture in the air.

We Indians adore more in worshipping, rather than exploring and understanding and quizzing. Shouldn't we be reading those palm leaves, tyring to understand and analyze what it contained and dwell on the things it had to say? Shouldn't we be displaying posters illustrating what was written on those plam leaves, so that everyone who visited the temple could get an 'insight' as to what it contained?

This way we are doing a grave injustice to the creator of those works, by killing his intentions in not propogating the thoughts he wanted to convey, of whatever inherent value it may have had, rather than using it as a mere idolatry obejct?

But that's how we Indians are. We seek enlightenment through 'blind worship with closed eyes' rather 'active debate with open minds'.