One of the outcomes of the ongoing political drama in Uttarakhand is that journalists now don’t need to struggle searching for a story on lean days. Now, when the days are hot and societal/official hubs appear languid with little scope for ‘sensational’ stories, the journalist here has little reason to fret with both the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders holding daily Press conferences.
However, most of the media briefings being held in Dehradun by political parties at present have become more repetitive with heightened capacity for causing boredom. The political leaders have continued repeating monotonous allegations and counter-allegations with the usual sentimental sounding hollow words. There is little word, which is not already known to many in the public sphere, in these Press conferences. However, the political happenings remain the main focus of the media in general in Uttarakhand and also at the national level with little thought being given to consider whether this political circus is in accordance with the stated professional ethics and official aims of a democratic welfare State.
A journalist friend working in Delhi got in touch with me a couple of days ago. Getting down to business after the usual pleasantries, he sought my views on the aspects of the political show in Dehradun, asking about the probable permutations and combinations in the political machinations here. Having consistently observed the double standards touted by most politicians of different parties and members of the establishment in Uttarakhand for more than a decade now, I informed my journo friend of what little I have learnt of the ‘technical’ and ‘tactical’ aspects of the present situation before reverting to talk which is now conveniently categorised as cynical — in my view, mostly by those who refuse to face facts and prefer to live in a fairy tale world of their choice. When I asked him about the focus of the national media on Uttarakhand, my journo friend in Delhi confirmed that the focus of the national media is on the ongoing political drama in Uttarakhand with little importance being accorded to the real and more important issues here that would shape or distort the State apart from exerting a global impact in the not too distant future. True, the spectacle of politicians and public representatives exploiting the democratic system purportedly for the ‘welfare’ of Uttarakhand and its people makes up for some ‘juicy intellectual’ debate. But there are some issues which I think are of greater import than the ongoing political charade.
Recently while visiting Doon, the environmentalist popular as ‘the water man’ of India said that at the present rate, Uttarakhand with its Himalayas providing water and affecting monsoon in the subcontinent for centuries may degenerate into a desert if things don’t change. With hundreds of dams either built or planned on most major rivers and tributaries in Uttarakhand, many areas of the State are presently affected by drought caused by various factors. Another related aspect — the Ardh Kumbh Mela held in Haridwar — presented yet another example of the blatant disrespect and ignorance with which the native culture and foundations of the nation’s civilisation are being treated by the establishment in the State. Various genres of music, including pop music performances were staged during the evenings in a supposed attempt to attract visitors with Uttarakhand’s culture during this religious fair. At an ‘international’ Yoga event held about a month ago, the organisers got noted percussionist Sivamani to perform.
Nothing wrong with Sivamani unless one sees the continued apathy towards the State’s cultural wealth like the traditional percussion knowledge — Dhol Sagar comprising about 120 rhythms for various specific occasions and activities is moving towards oblivion even though the traditional Dhol has been made the ‘State Instrument’.
Another very important aspect neglected for ornamental works of limited practical value was revealed recently when Shankaracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati’s disciple met Governor KK Paul to convey his guru’s request for renovating the Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi Sthal at Kedarnath, which, he said, had remained covered in debris since the June 2013 disaster. So while, many crores of rupees were spent and tradition was violated to continue and publicise construction and other human activities in Kedarnath during the winter months to revive ‘tourism and pilgrimage’, the Samadhi Sthal of the Adi Shankaracharya, who is believed to be responsible for building the present Kedarnath temple structure — remained neglected! It is up to us to realise and decide how long public representatives, public servants and the people themselves will continue to abstain from actually fulfilling their obligations in letter and spirit.