“Our country doesn’t need Acts, but Action”
What a statement. Referring to the Centre’s boasts about many acts like the RTI, NREGA, IAY, Right to Food and Education Act, etc., he rightly pointed out that our country needs Action, but not Acts. What a man.. I call him ‘The other Chandrababu Naidu‘. Incidentally, both were born in the same year 1950.
There is no greater happiness than doing what you are passionate about. That is when work becomes play. You never have to work later.
- Martin Yan
Not the exact words, but a man called Martin Yan said it. He must have learnt from someone or by his own experience. But the point is, I’ve begun to implement it and I’m very happy… 
The world has seen many Yugapurushs in the past. All of mankind’s history and mythology is full of deeds of those men, the events that led to those deeds and it’s consequences. Our country, being one of the oldest civilised cultures has seen a number of them, while there were many in other parts of the world too. Nevertheless, there is one recurring theme in all those stories. When lawlessness reigns, these ‘people’ have brought order and fought to drive evil away.
Hindu mythology speaks of Lord Vishnu descending to the earth in a mortal form to save our people from the evil that has dawned upon the earth. He has done so, several times, once in the form of a fish, then a turtle, once a boar, once half man and half beast and the other times as a human being, as Rama, Krishna and others. They changed the course of history and created order and harmony in the world.
The other religions too, had their own special men. The Jews called him Moses, Christians the Jesus and Muslims, the Muhammad. The central theme of all these stories is the triumph of good over evil. When evil has grown powerful, we needed a Yugapurush to get over it.
Even in the contemporary world, we have had a few special people. To channel Indians agony and protest over the British, a person called Gandhi has come to us. He devised a new technique – The Satyagraha, based on the principles of Ahimsa and active resistance. His mission was accomplished and he left us. Using the same principles of Ahimsa and Satyagraha, other special ones of the time, be it Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela, triumphed over the evil and achieved their purpose.
Another important feature in the concept of a person coming to save the civilization, is that the masses idolised them. They listened to him, they followed him. People followed the principles of those men to help them achieve their common goal. While the mythological purushs were powerful and supernatural and achieved what they had to by themselves, their modern counterparts mobilised masses through their principles and made them fight.
Indians under the leadership of one such person called Gandhi could drive the British out. South Africans under the leadership of Mandela could get the Africans into power. The Blacks in America could achieve equal rights on par with the whites, under the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr.
Based on those observations, I did conclude that those Men were able to directly inspire and influence people. They were successful in convincing the masses that their principles are right. They were able to mobilize people against something wrong. They helped good reign over bad.
This whole thing brought me to a question. Is our current society in need of That One person? I tried to look into the world I live in.
A few days back in Jaipur, a woman and her daughter died in a road accident. Her husband and his 3-year-old son cried for help for about two hours, but none came to their aid. What a disgrace to humanity.
Before that, in another shocking incident in Delhi, a girl and her friend were attacked, the girl was brutally raped and her friend was badly injured by a gang of men and were later thrown away on the road. The girl later succumbed to her injuries. The act was terrible and a blot on humanity. There were widespread protests demanding that the accused should be severely punished, even by death if necessary. It received widespread media attention.
After that incident occurred in December, at least 100 rape cases were reported in India. The number of unreported cases? We can’t even imagine. Did the protests really change anything? No.
Ruling class. There is utter lawlessness in the Government, favouritism, corruption from the lowest to the highest levels both in government and bureaucracy, extremely biased media and people who don’t care about anything unless they directly get affected.
I would not refrain myself from saying that our country has gone to the dogs. Wouldn’t you agree? Do you have a solution to change the perception of the life and world we have? Is there a way where people regain their long forgotten moral values and culture? I was wondering if evil has reigned over good and affecting the people? Is it time for the one to dawn and bring a change in the system?
I genuinely believed, Yes. I was confident that the only way to bring about a change in the society is through a special person, to whom everyone would listen. One person who would have the power to command millions towards good. One person, just like those great ones of the past, like Krishna, Jesus and Gandhi. I was waiting for the one.
But questions remained. Why should one person come to the rescue of millions of people? Even if one did, how would I be motivated to blindly follow a man? The whole concept of a person emerging to put us through the right path seemed hypothetical. I then realised that normal people, through their great deeds have earned the title. Nobody is a leader by birth. The title is an after effect, not the beginning.
That person is one among us. One who stands against any wrong that comes to his notice. One who offends and questions those who commits a mistake. One who stands as a role model for all those who seek one. The path he is going to choose may not be an easy one. He would have to face all the odds in this world. He might have to protect his loved ones from those who oppose him. He might have to withstand all the pain in the world to achieve what he wants to, for us. That brought me to another question. Why would anyone take such pain to stand for what is right? Why does one person have to suffer for the benefit of all of us?
Evil would be strong if one person goes against it. What if it isn’t just one person, but every one of us? What if everyone fights against what is wrong? It eventually would have to bow down to all of us. Succumb to our will power. Does it have a chance? NO.
The problem with us is that we look for someone else who would bring us out of the problems we face. But rarely do we understand that we are the best beings in the world and we are the ones that has to do it. Yes, all of us have that special person in us. We are the ones who should stand for good. Should change the fate of the world.
Just as small specs of grass make a rope, our own actions, however small will bring out a larger good to the society. Rather than looking for someone , I prefer to stand for the benefit of our country. Small deeds make a big action. I’ve decided to take small steps. I’ve decided to be the one. Are you ready too..?
When was to go on a visit to Koppa on SELCO work, I wikied about it. A place in the Western Ghats with scenic beauty everywhere, lush green tea and coffee estates and the ‘Kashmir of Karnataka’ is what I read. But there is little or no mention about those amazingly sweet people and a silent revolution that has been in progress, very much unaware to the outside world. That revolution of turning towards sustainable solar energy for lighting and heating, thereby reducing its dependency on the grid. This little town can be a perfect example of how one can reduce being dependent on the grid and lead a happy life. Oh yes, these people don’t have to curse the others during power cuts. Don’t have to blame the government for not providing enough of it. Don’t have to sit down in the darkness and don’t have to study under the candle light. Don’t have to cook with a kerosene lamp on. Don’t have to suffer and hence be very happy while the others cry.
They have their own source of power. That never will die out. Can draw as much as you ‘need‘ (not ‘want‘. There is a difference, ask Harish Hande). Live a happy life. Yes, that amazing source is the sun and the way most tap it there, is SELCO.
Before I started to Koppa, I knew it has a SELCO service center (not a branch). I knew I was visiting the place to look at the street lighting project SELCO has implemented there. So I had this imagination that Koppa is a small hamlet in the mountains with a few houses, one street light at the center of the village and we could claim that SELCO has brought light to the lives of these unprivileged people.
As I reached Koppa the next morning, I understood that Koppa isn’t so small as I thought, I then met a lovely and sweet Mr. Vasanth anna, working for the branch (he later took me around those amazing tea, coffee and pepper estates around Koppa). As we were about to start to the hotel, he said to me. “Sir, I give you an option of two hotels. One, a normal hotel, the other one has its lighting and water heating powered by solar energy”. I said, “Why not go to the second one?”
The hotel lighting is powered by the solar panels installed above the building and water heating too. After refreshing, I went to a restaurant right opposite my hotel for breakfast, surprised only to see solar lighting there too. A chat with the owner Mr. Narasimha revealed that he had installed only solar lighting in his restaurant before two years and said that he is very happy with the performance of it. “Tumba Chanaagide. Very satisfied”, were his exact words.
Vinay anna then took me around to show a few solar installations SELCO has made in Koppa. Amazingly, I observed that most of the town has solar installations. A government hostel for girls has solar lighting installed. As I spoke to the warden of the hostel, she said, “Solar lighting is of great help to us. With the grid power so irregular, it wasn’t safe for the girls due to lack of any light. Now as we have solar installed, we stopped worrying about grid power, there is better safety and the girls can also study in peace”.
Koppa municipality administration also seems to play an active role in promoting solar energy as a main (not alternate) source of energy. The municipality is highly active and has already installed 100-110 solar street lights across the town. With the maintenance costs very low, the life span being very high and the advantage of not paying the power bills for street lights, they favor street lighting over conventional lighting. The parks have solar powered garden lights, the community hall, temples, what not, many of them are powered by the sun. Now, as the sun goes away, these lights come to life (thanks to the dawn to dusk sensor, one doesn’t have to switch them on manually).
A number of hospitals too have opted for solar lighting and heating. Dr. Ravish Kamat, a children specialist says, “We now have one less thing to worry about and our pockets are heavier since we’ve eliminated the use of a generator”. He has installed lighting and heating systems for his nursing home and a 1KW UPS system to power his X-Ray and other machines.
Many people have begun using solar energy, most of them done by SELCO. But are they happy with it? There has been one unanimous response. Yes. Everyone I spoke to, is very happy about the choice they made. Solar works great for lighting and heating. I was always doubtful if solar works during monsoon season, especially in a place like Koppa, where monsoon means very less sunlight. The customers amazingly have assured me that these work even during rains(The Manager of Sakleshpur Planters Club also shared the same view).
Koppa is one great example where solar energy is successfully implemented as main source of power for lighting and heating. The local body and people have realized the advantages of shifting to solar and also made sure they implemented it. With this level of awareness, anyone ever would’nt have to crib about power shortage and blame the government about it. A little part from the government is expected too, by providing more subsidies to people turning towards green energy (or atleast speeding up the process of exisiting subsidy policies). It can be a win-win solution where both people and government are happy, people because they got wat they need and the government because it faces less public resistance for not catering to their needs (hey gov guys, you could win another term, think about it)….
Pics Followed:
Lush green tea estates at Koppa
Solar street Light in front of the Town Hall, Koppa
Solar panels on the Government Girls Hostel, Koppa
Solar Street Lighting near a water supply facility, Koppa
One of the oldest street Lights done by SELCO at Koppa
Shama Nursing Home has solar lighting all through the hospital.
Solar Lighting in my room, Koppa
Little Children studying under a solar light – Govt Boys Hostel, Koppa
Solar Street Lighting at Town Panchayat Building, Koppa
Solar Light at the Koppa Town Panchayat Building
Solar Garden Lighting in a park at Koppa
Solar Indoor Lighting at a Textile showroom at Koppa
It all started when Harsha, who looks after projects across South Karnataka proposed that we go on a branch visit to Kumta and Shimoga for two days, starting Monday night… Since it was my first branch visit, I was excited about it. My role in the visit was nothing but to see what happens in the branches, get to know the people, see their work and visit a few clients for enquiries (along with Harsha).
We were on schedule, boarded the sleeper at Majestic by 9:00PM, and I started getting my share of SELCO knowledge from Harsha about projects at SELCO, mission projects, about Harish and many more (which by the way was just awesome)…
We reached Kumta by 7:00 AM and to describe Kumta, it is totally different in most ways from any place I’ve visited. The sedimentary rocks they use to build everything, those amazing two-storied tiled houses with huge compounds, a variety of indigenous short breed of cattle, the bowls they use to serve water at hotels and houses (yes, they use bowls to serve water), the sambar they make…
We reached the branch office which is right under the hotel we were in, got introduced to many people at the SELCO branch. The people were very friendly, and then the real trouble came in. ”Kannada”. Every one of them spoke in Kannada for the next three hours, where I had to ask Harsha at regular intervals on what was the point of discussion. All I could figure out was the English words they used like ”inverters”, ”solar”, ”watts” and a few Kannada words like “maad beku” and ”hut beku”…
We then, around 11:30, started to Ankola, a place around 40 KMs from Kumta to visit a client and propose him some changes in the design we’ve given him already. We 4 people started on two bikes; here comes the best part of my trip. We crossed Kumta, then Hegde, and there came a scenic place where I was excited to see what lay ahead of me.
A very replica of Konaseema in Andhra Pradesh (the delta area formed by the Godavari at the mouth of the sea) lay right in front of me, the river Aghanashini cutting its way through the mountains and running towards the sea, forming many islands and delta with thick forests. The best way to experience it is to see it with one’s own eyes.
We had to cross the river to reach the other side, there lay boats that could transit both people and bikes. Sufficient to transport 4 to 5 bikes and around 10 people, these boats connect two sides of the river.
Travel on boats to cross the river was a first time experience to me, and the scenic beauty this area possessed was amazing. Small fishing yachts that moved along the river, small canoes local fishermen used to catch fish and transit, long boats being rowed only by women, islands formed by the river, one has to experience it.
On the way to Ankola, we had to travel across the Ghats to reach the other side, crossed the Gangavali river on a bridge that finds its way through the gorges and then to the sea.
Ankola was very similar to Kumta. We reached a one Shetty’s house, our client who has agreed to install a solar light system for his new shopping complex that is under construction. Again for a couple of hours, I felt myself to be alien as the conversation went in Kannada. All I had to do is to wait for a few English words and try to make up what they were speaking (though Harsha later briefed me up about everything that they spoke). We had our lunch and found our way back to Kumta by 4:00PM.
Another best part of the trip was the SELCO people who were very friendly and happy to help kind. Santosh Naik anna – the Sales Executive, “Buttru” Ramachandra Butt – the Branch Manager, Ravi anna – the Office Assistant, and many more unnamed people who were around me.
We then boarded a bus around 5:00PM to Shimoga, only to miss the scenic Western Ghats beauty since we had to travel during the night across the Ghats…
Contd…. (day 2)
YET ANOTHER NEW YEAR IS TO BEGIN,
CROSSED A LOT, THE DOOMSDAY TOO.
DID A FEW GOOD THINGS,
A LOT O’ BAD ONES.
MOMENTS TO CHERISH,
AND THOSE OUGHT TO PERISH.
LAZINESS AND THE STRUGGLE TO ACT AGAINST.
GOT FRIENDS, GOT FOES.
FILLED WITH FUN, MORE WITH GUILT. AND NOW TIME HAS COME.
FOR YET ANOTHER BEGINNING TO BLOOM.
TELLS US TO REMEMBER, LEARN & FORGET CERTAIN MOMENTS.
NEVER TO LOSE A FEW FRIENDS, NEVER LOSE THE FAMILY ANYWAYS.
NEVER TO FORGET A FEW THINGS, BUILD BRIDGES USING THE OTHERS.
HERE COMES YET ANOTHER DAWN, SO SIMILAR TO THE PAST.
YET PECULIAR FOR A NEW START.
USE IT, MAKE IT, TAKE IT & BREAK IT. BUILD, BURY, SAVE & TOSS.
THE OLD AND THE NEW,
YOU STAND AT THE CONFLUENCE TO RENEW.
— INNOCENT VILLAGER
