From the editor’s desk...

The way we are living is really that busy? Or we just pretend to be?

That’s an important thing to ask ourselves. Try it.

“The Wings to Creation” is now just a voluntary community working

for the welfare of the society. Comprising of a group of school and

college students, TWC is now a 40 member community. TWC

organises various events and awareness campaigns to show the

society its true picture and the mirror image of what it should be.

And to show this in every corner of the earth, TWC is presenting

before you an E-magazine named “INITIO”. It will be showcasing all

the major and minor problems in the society that we normally

foresee. As the first, this issue of the magazine is based on the

event TWC organised in an old-age home in Assam.

The magazine is full of questions that are directly asked to you. Not

by us, but by the whole universe to you.

Remember life is just lived once in a lifetime; don’t overlook it with

the fragrances of the world.

I now, present before you, INITIO...

-

Ritwik Bhuyan

(Editor)

“Where is my India?”

Kaustav Baruah

Midnight, 15th August, the year 1947, independent India was born with the speech that only and only marked Nehru’s enunciated words; we very fondly know now those Words under the head title of tryst with destiny. Nehru did say “Those dreams are for India, but they are also for

the world, for all the nations and peoples are so closely knit together today for any one of them to imagine that it can live apart. Peace has been said to be indivisible; so is freedom, so is prosperity now and so also is disaster in this one world that can no longer be split into isolated

fragments.” I now very benevolently ask, what are those dreams that Panditji then claimed for India and the world? I preferably presume that the world has got to know Panditji’s aspirations for them and for India but the matter that needs to be

of pity is his own country, the terrafirma to which he objectified paradise to rest by hasn’t yet ponder to know what dreams did he and the Mahatma certainly dream for this once called Golden Bird. 29th December, the year 2012. A girl, she was driven to confine her own life to the heavenly walls where we commoners say God to reside by. People detained to the streets of thy capital, condemning the antecedent in which she was destined to be butchered. It was rather an act of grievance, an exploit of shame and an achievement to the very diabolic vistas. With no uncertainty people of the nation told to have a hung head on that certain day, a head which was hung of shame. And why should people not have? India has been within such countries where her scions worship a devi in a red veil with a trisul as a precursor to might, but sexually assault a girl who at birth was compared to the legacy of MahaLakshmi, also whom do we recognize as Durga’s one among several

incarnations. Our demeanor when bows down the idol of adi sakti, then why not a girl whom we compare to the essence of adi shakti? Why don’t we and why not the people? Indians do pursue a trend in general; it is as such that our emotions linked to the very cause prance out through our words or a gesture. We know to express our emotion but if we do it in an avenue which is rather worthy, tally’s for the actual and authentic development of our procreated civil society. Protests and blending all cause as a question to the government, it is better we proliferate ahead with a motive to never let happen an ignominious act as such. It is this mental makeup of we people that beholds beauty to our society not that any law or a political handcuff. Our world has been seen running in ayes for every wonder cause and has also seen one to be guillotined for a purpose disgraceful in its being. Civilizations have existed in a perpetual misbalance of good and bad and so

will it for ever again. Calling onto several organizations to let gain impetus an issue does really not help but a promise to never let it befall one more time do. It isn’t any law or a barrier but our demeanor. Nehru and Mahatma they didn’t foresee for an India as this. Their dreams and their perceptions for we Indians are very big for a commoner as I. It is they whose assistance did make our way to independence lighten and now it is time their efforts are valued and hence let us all work accordingly. Let the unearthly souls of Nehru and Mahatma see that their absence also dares not to hinder the process of achieving to the dreams they dreamt for us and for our nation. I pray we all very soon grab their dreams for us. ...........................................................................................

AN OPEN POEM

The hilltop villas they build,

The iridescent flowers they spill,

Upon the city long dead,

Upon the city long held.

The circuses down the lane,

They say are no bane,

Lest you see the jugglers and clowns,

And beneath the painted lips, the frowns.

Temples, arenas of their god,

Walls washed with blood that won’t clot,

This blood they bring from marketplaces,

This blood which knows no regret or rage.

Flowers that bloom,

O’er cold soldiers and the tombs,

Are uprooted to fit in the thrones,

Of His Majesty’s grace and Her Majesty’s face.

The maiden that lies unclad,

The wronged wretch that flies unfed,

Are only pawns in your game,

Are only objects to create your fame.

You tell us to dream,

You ask us to sing,

But the ocean that you have dug,

The bottom have you seen not?

Is filled with mighty slugs.

We give you our trust,

We give you our young blood.

And if you do build castles with our bones,

We shall throw mountains, and not stones.

- Mridugunjan Deka

16-12-12 and its Aftermath

- Nitish Nath

I believe, all are now aware of the 16 Dec incident

and the chaos following it. Those unaware still, are

most likely to commit such heinous crime again. That

was a very dreadful night for a 23 years old girl. The

pain she passed through cannot be inscribed in letters.

Such an act is shame on civilization. Thousands of

people are coming out to protest molestation against

women and demanding stern and strictest action

against offenders. The outcome is still awaited.

Now, the question is, “is India ready for a change yet?”

Okay, let us assume the current protest goes successful

and the authority brings up sternest of laws for rapist

and molesters. It will be foolish to think that the

women folk shall be safe after that. The rate may come

down. But one cannot guarantee that a single

molestation case would not happen in a year across a

country of billion flesh eating jackals. And that next

single victim could be you. And will you then say the

system is successful? My dear sisters and friends, you

can never be safe in this country. Remove your false

imagination that India is great and its people are

greater. I see no reason yet to feel so. The time is gone

when people use to respect each other, let alone girls.

It would be largely foolish and idiotic of you, of all

people, to think that others can provide you safety.

One feels inspired on seeing the Delhi protest. No

doubt, that is the only thing we can do to change on

seeing the Delhi Protest. No doubt, that’s the only

thing we can do to change some man-made laws. But

that shall not be enough. Let me tell you something

about the Delhi Protest. You will find it hard to deny if I

say most of the people there are of the same locality

where the girl was thrown out of the moving bus, after

she was brutally devoured. Those are the same people

who walked passed her and all they could do was stare

and click photographs. Those are the same people who

have been staying mute al these days and watched

thousands of girls from northeast and other parts of

the country being raped each and everyday. And today

they got a sudden sense of shame for a public upraise

and they say they will bring change. I doubt what they

shall do next when they see a naked lady on the streets

again; changing society is a distant thing. I have a meek

fear in my heart that this fire among the people will

burn out sooner than the protest. I hope those

protesting today are themselves not a rapist the day

before. I can not stop feeling that they are protesting

today just because it was a girl from their own

background.

Saying that, it cannot also be denied that they are

truly are some people who are really devastated by the

current degradation of our society and desperately

needs some change. But alas, change is not desperate.

Changes need time. The time I finish writing this, I fear

a hundreds of women are being molested across this

wonderful country of ours. Fathers don’t spare their

daughters and brothers find their sisters easy prey for

their lust. Those meant to protect us are the one we

fear most now. Incredible India.

Changing some mere laws cannot stop what is

turning into a tradition now. Education and awareness

are the only other effective tools that come to my

mind for now. This is going to take a real long time.

Until then, o’ dear girls, you are vulnerable like the air.

I sincerely suggest, you do learn to protect yourself.

Such a pitiful creature we are, that all we can do for

your safety is just pray.

…………………………

BAREFOOT WE PROSPER

Kallol Deka

I was wondering about the legacy left behind by the

Mahatma that has been lost amongst the teeming billions in

our country- All the teachings and ideals of Gandhiji which

freed the country from the clutches of the British seeping

down the drain of greed into mere oblivion. People putting

moral and ethos into the backseat, completely lost in their

obsessive search for success and entirely devoid of self

dignity and esteem.

But there is a silver lining. There is a place in India

where Gandhiji’s presence can still be felt. It is a place where

Gandhiji’s thoughts and ideas on sustainability are still alive

and respected, where everyone is the symbol of sustainability

and self-dependency.

The Social Work and Research Center (SWRC) which

is widely known as the Barefoot College is a fitting tribute to

all the drop-outs, cash-outs and wash-outs who always

dreamt of making it big and helping the society. The

brainchild of Bunker Roy, this voluntary organization

working in the fields of education, women empowerment,

skill development, health, drinking water and electrification

through solar power for the upliftment of the rural people

has attained epitomic success.

Established in 1972 in the village of Tilonia in

Rajasthan, the SWRC saw a shift of focus from water and

irrigation to empowerment and sustainability. The

organization fitted water pumps in villages and trained the

inhabitants to repair them, provided preliminary paramedic

training and educated the villagers on solar power to reduce

dependency and time spent on wick lamps.

Under this organization there are 3,000 students,

mostly girls, in 150 night schools who work during the day

to support their family. The fact that more girls attend the

night schools symbolizes the steady transition of power and

an end the patriarchal society which defines India. Kamala

Devi underlined that fact by becoming the first woman

barefoot engineer trained by the system. She later went on to

become the head of the solar unit in Kadampura recently.

Training more than 3 million for jobs in the modern world

through the barefoot college, Roy has earned his place

amongst the Times 100 Most Influential People.

The Barefoot Professionals live under a daily income of

$1 per day which is the universal poverty line. The very

motive behind the elevation of the word “Barefoot” is to

bring to notice everything that they do. The college which is

established in a campus of 8 acres has a system in place run

by a panel of village men and women who select members

from the poorest households to undergo training in the

college which doesn’t require the need to read and write. It is

a common scenario in the barefoot college where teachers

and students speaking different vernaculars. So, the lot who

goes through the training program in the barefoot college is

skilled literate. It is a place where the teacher is a student

and the student is a teacher. The concept which has stood

the test of time depicts how important it is to give poor

people an opportunity to develop, which they mostly exploit

to the highest degree.

All in all the barefoot approach has been an ideal

example of modesty and humbleness going hand in hand

with success. It teaches us that simple living and high

thinking is the need of the hour and that every problem can

be tackled if we look at the minute details and try to make

simple changes. The demystifying and decentralized barefoot

approach has made a difference and reminded the world of

the power of simple solutions.

....................................................................................................

THE FIRST MISSION OF THE WINGS TO CREATION

It’s love what is delivered,

Not a gift of tolerance...

Life is a mystery, a puzzle,

Still being together is a way to live...

ERI JABO NUWARU TUMAK (We will never leave you)

Is this the right way to do it?

-Ritwik Bhuyan

Editor

Those were the days, those were the moments,

Those were the respect, and those were love...

A fraction of second when we first

opened our eyes and saw our

grandparents smiling at us, praising

our looks, kissing us non-stop; I think it

was the best moment in all our lives

even if we don‟t remember it now. A

little bit of pocket money every time we

saw them, sometimes really a lot, made

us very happy, don‟t you think? That

smile in their face when we touch their

feet for blessings is still the thing which

I long for now. That happiness that we

brought them was always mutual. They

were the reason we are happy today, a

real change in our lives.

But today, most of us, we don‟t find

them in our homes, do we? They are

mostly kept in old age homes and some

other homeless! Maybe they are happy

in the ashrams, but I weep today. Not

for the old folks, but for today‟s new

generation who are frequently missing

the time we experienced with our

grandparents. Those lovely moments

when aita runs down her hands

through our hair, those moments when

we can‟t sleep and she tells a story,

those moments when she prepares the

best dish in the world for us, those

moments when koka teaches us how to

walk, those moments when he takes us

fishing, those ravishing moments will

never be the same always.

But does the world care now? We grow

up, and then forget everything about

them. Yeah, I get that we all are busy

people, working, studying our hours off.

Jobs to run to, wife-children to take

care of, house to clean; but how can we

forget the most important people who

dedicated every second of their life for

our future? Did they run away for their

jobs when we needed them the most, did

they? Ask these questions to yourselves

and judge if you are doing it right.

Everything comes at a price, even love.

Our parents, our grandparents need

their children at their old age like we

needed them at our young age.

Remember your birthday parties when

you were young? How they cuddled you,

how they made you the king of the

world? Yes, we would remember because

that‟s what made us today.

We went for an interaction with some of

old peoples in “AMAR GHAR”,

Ambikagiri Memorial Trust Society,

situated in Guwahati, Assam. Yes, it is a

great place to live and the inmates are

quite happy with the facilities provided.

The organisation is situated at the best

suitable place. Ideal rooms, ideal place

and ideal food, it is the best an old

man/woman can ask for. Actually by

visiting the organisation, my

perception of an Old Age Home

changed. At first, I thought it would be

a place where old people are thrown

out from their respective houses and

live there rest of their miserable lives. I

thought it would be unhygienic and

food worse than that. But really, “Amar

Ghar” is beautiful and I would love to

work there for the inhabitants. Still

there are some important things I

would like to bring to light.

Today‟s world is running at light speed.

But there has to be a slight break in

time for our parents. Find that time;

relive their entire life with them. It‟s a

lot to ask for but not impossible. „Cause

it is not what I am asking you, it is the

voice of our future. What we are doing

today to our parents, will one day come

for us too.

When asked how they feel it there, one

of the inmates replied, “Ene eta

poribekh puatu xohoj kotha nohoi,

kintu ami ekeloge thaki khub bhaal

paisu. Manuh‟e bhabe je amak yaat

aboddho kori rokha hoise. Kintu

tenekua eku nohoi. Ami yaat nijor

itcha‟re asu. Hoitu kisuman xomoyot

amar ghoroloi monot pore, kintu

“Amar Ghar”‟e amar xei gaat tu puron

kore.” (It is not easy to get such an

environment, but we together are very

happy in here. People think that we are

forcibly kept here, but it isn‟t such. We

came here with our own will. Yeah,

sometimes we miss our family and

homes, but “Amar Ghar” fills that void

too.). There are many of them who left

their jobs to live together; retired

doctors, government employees, etc.

Still these are our parents who are our

duty to fulfil. We have to be with them

and take care of them. Old-Age homes

are very well maintained and a great

place to live for the old people, and I

am really glad that there are still

people in the world whose sole mission

is to care for the people in it.

I can‟t change people‟s mind by just

writing and publishing it. But you all

can. Read it, feel it and then try to

think of it. Change doesn‟t come by just

thinking and talking about. We have

to move for it.

A move to change...

Those were...

Those were the days,

Those were the moments,

Those were the respect,

And those were love.

Love is what we long for,

Love that dies,

Love that is very hard to find,

Love that our parents give.

Respect is what we should give free,

Respect that the old people deserves,

Respect that we never give,

But we surely should from today.....

..................

EQUALITY IN SOCIETY

Equality. Through my experience, I have learnt that it is a very

difficult quality to earn individually, forget about society. It is hard

to find a person who could deny a large chunk from any sweet

product. Men have always be a seeker of opportunities.

The present society is comprised mostly of people with dual

personalities and biased sentiments. That is how I feel when I see

people fighting for equality. They need equality on rights, equality of

religion, equality of cast and what else. But when it comes to them

they fail their marks individually. India is declared a secular state.

Secular in the sense that all religions and caste are treated equal in

an Indian society. But is it so? What more, right from our birth

certificate, through various job applications, till the death

certificate we are required to fill in our religion, caste and gender

too. I wonder why is all that required for.

Our society has a long way to travel to achieve equality in true

sense. There has always been a particular group in a society which is

more dominant than the rest. The male figure in today’s masculine

society has always been pushing over the female lot. They say they

respect equality and they respect a female’s requirements. But they

are offended when they see a lady walking on the street without

traditional attire. If equality is what the society wants then where

men’s traditional costumes is. If the society wants the lady to wear

the “sari” to go for work, then why is men exempted from “dhoti-

kurta”? Though this is just a silly example, but I believe this in a way

project today’s mindset. The reason, I think is what I pointed out

above. No person wants to sacrifice his own comfort for the sake of

others or the society. This sometimes leads to unpleasant situation

which we are all aware of these days. Talk about equality.

If such a mentality continues to persist, equality shall only be a

word in the dictionary. Personally, I feel the younger generation is

more open to the issue than our elders. Elder will soon be a past. No

offence intended. But it is us, and the uprising younger lot, who will

shape the future society. Change is inevitable for perfection. No

doubt, there must have been some profit for the dominant tradition

to last so long. But the loopholes we are facing today are far beyond

acceptable.

Society is us. It is us that we need to change to bring a change

in the society. Better late than never. I remember a quote by Bruce

Lee, the legendary martial artist, and “willing is no enough, we must

do and knowledge is not enough we must apply”. Though I am not in a

position to bring change in a higher level, I would like to forward

some suggestions. Elementary education should contain serious

chapters on social equality like secularism, gender discrimination etc.

People should be made aware to respect each other’s space. Let the

authorities decide on the issue to remove religion, caste and such

other terrible options from application forms and alike to maintain a

better communal harmony and lead by good example of promoting

equality. We should try to replace our envy with love, jealousy with

pride and insecurity with acceptance. Easier said than done. But let

us together join hands to start a journey which can be the face of

our future society, where equality is what people shall respect. Such

a society is a dream. For now, if someone states that equality

prevails in our society, I know what shall run into thou smiling mind,

“Are You Kidding?”

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep….

- Nitish Nath

Vote of thanks...

A special thanks to all the members of The Wings to

Creation for their support...

We hope to find that support always with us and move

forward.

Also to the committee of AMAR GHAR for their

endless support and hospitality.

Also Raksha for giving us the right suggestions.

Last but not the least, the inmates of the old age home

for showering their blessings and love onto us.

EDITOR