10 November 2013
Delareyville, South Africa
One of the nicest days of the year, for two reasons. First, this is a memorable day when
people all over the world have paid their respect to Nelson Mandela, sending their heads of
State to FNB stadium to participate in the unprecedented event. Second, the skies opened
lavishly, yesterday and today, bringing in the most comfortable weather, and bringing
great relief to the farmers who have been suffering under a severe drought. 100 mm of rain
fell yesterday, bringing hope for all the people. The downpour that coincided with the
Memorial Service is an indication of the blessings that Mandela has brought to this country
and to the whole world.
Appu is very shrewd in catching birds, but he is very stupid when it rains. He doesn't
know how to find shelter from the rain, and sits under trees, while the outhouse and the
car shed is wide open. I don't know where Ram takes shelter, but he doesn't get drenched.
He has built many nests, but I have never seen him entering any of them. Anyway,
after the rains, we met for a short session.
Ram
What news, Kuri ?
Kuri
There's only one news this week, the passing away of Nelson Mandela.
Appu
He was my favourite leader.
Kuri
Yes, mine too.
Ram
Why ?
Kuri
Much has been said and written about Mandela these days. It would be boring
to repeat the same things. In my perspective, he was a leader who set the highest
standards in everything he touched. Besides, he was free from corruption, scandals
and controversy. His greatest quality was respect for others.
Ram
Can you give some examples ?
Kuri
It's well known to everybody, but because you are young, I can cite one example.
In 1993, when the Nobel Committee announced that the Nobel Peace Prize for that
year was to be jointly awarded to Nelson Mandela and to the incumbent President
F.W.De Klerk, many in the ANC were up in arms against the decision, and exerted
pressure on Mandela to decline the Prize. The argument was that De Klerk was the
president of the white minority government. But Mandela decided to accept the
Nobel Peace Prize jointly with his former oppressor.
Appu
Such noble ideals are unprecedented.
Ram
It's unbelievable.
Kuri.
Such attitudes distinguish great leaders from earthly beings like us.
Well, can you give any other examples of leaders who have shown reconciliation?
Ram and Appu
We don't know.
Kuri
You don't know because you spend most of your time on social networks ,chatting.
Ram
Tell us, we are ignorant.
Kuri
It's a good attitude to accept it if we don't know something. Pope John Paul 2nd visited
the man who had stabbed him ,and forgave him. Mandela visited the widow of the judge
who had sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Ram
You and I cannot think in that way.
Kuri
As for accepting awards, we have a great man in Kerala.
Appu
Who?
Kuri
We have a great actor called Madhu. He is such a great actor who deserves the Oscar award.
Actually the authorities showed disrespect to him by nominating him for the Padmashree
award. Many actors who are very junior had been awarded this before him. There was
much criticism against the authorities' wrong attitude, and there was much pressure on
Madhu to decline the award, but he accepted it. Since then his popularity has
doubled, and his 80th birthday was celebrated on a grand scale.
Ram
Tell us about the high standards that Nelson Mandela set .
Kuri
It's a long story. The black people and the Dalits in India were discriminated against
for many centuries, on the false assumption that the latter were inferior to some
superior races. This myth was exploded by Jesse Owens in the 1936 Berlin Olympics
where he won 4 gold medals in the presence of the fascist dictator Hitler. In the second
half of the 20th century, African countries gained freedom from colonial rule, thus
opening a new chapter in the emancipation of black people,even though military coups
and dictatorship stunted the progress towards democracy. In the USA, the African
Americans attained equality after a long struggle under the leadership of leaders like
Martin Luther King.
Appu
Is it true that Martin Luther King inspired Mandela ?
Kuri
Definitely. Mandela was also inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.South Africa and India
have a shared history because Gandhiji spent 20 years here. And South Africa has
the largest number of people of Indian origin in the world.
Appu
Do you mean that the struggle against racism was a global movement ?
Kuri
As far as I know, it was global even though not coordinated. ' Ayitham 'in India is
the same as ' apartheid'. Whereas good schools, beaches, residential areas etc were exclusively
for whites, Dalits in India were barred from entering Hindu Temples. Even today, in
some parts of India, the upper caste people don't share a well with the Dalits.
Ram
It's disgraceful.
Kuri
Yes, but such practices are disappearing due to education. Coming to the main point,
black people have set enviable records in all spheres of human activity since the 1960s.
Pele, Mohammed Ali, Arthur Ashe, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Michel Jordan, Lindford Christie, William sisters, Maria Mutola, Miriam Makeba,
Michael Johnson, Karl Lewis, Jackey Joyner Kersey, Marion Jones, Usain Bolt etc etc
in sports and music, Wole Soyinka, chinua Achebe, Tony Morrison,Ngugi etc in literature
the list is endless...Above all, Nelson Mandela set an unassailable record in the political
arena, where he set a new style of politics, with respect and tolerance...
Appu
A good example for all.
Kuri
Nice words, but the fact
of the matter is whether all of us follow his example, especially
the youth of today. Some of you are enslaved by alcohol and drugs. Some youngsters
do rape. You have to do some introspection. While you sing and dance for Mandela, are
you sincere in following his noble ideals? Are you really focussing on education ? If not,
change your attitude. Otherwise, you only pay lip service to the legacy of Mandela.
Appu and Ram
We vow to follow his ideals.
Kuri
If so, it's good for South Africa and for the world.
Bye.
Appu and Ram
Bye.
Delareyville, South Africa
One of the nicest days of the year, for two reasons. First, this is a memorable day when
people all over the world have paid their respect to Nelson Mandela, sending their heads of
State to FNB stadium to participate in the unprecedented event. Second, the skies opened
lavishly, yesterday and today, bringing in the most comfortable weather, and bringing
great relief to the farmers who have been suffering under a severe drought. 100 mm of rain
fell yesterday, bringing hope for all the people. The downpour that coincided with the
Memorial Service is an indication of the blessings that Mandela has brought to this country
and to the whole world.
Appu is very shrewd in catching birds, but he is very stupid when it rains. He doesn't
know how to find shelter from the rain, and sits under trees, while the outhouse and the
car shed is wide open. I don't know where Ram takes shelter, but he doesn't get drenched.
He has built many nests, but I have never seen him entering any of them. Anyway,
after the rains, we met for a short session.
Ram
What news, Kuri ?
Kuri
There's only one news this week, the passing away of Nelson Mandela.
Appu
He was my favourite leader.
Kuri
Yes, mine too.
Ram
Why ?
Kuri
Much has been said and written about Mandela these days. It would be boring
to repeat the same things. In my perspective, he was a leader who set the highest
standards in everything he touched. Besides, he was free from corruption, scandals
and controversy. His greatest quality was respect for others.
Ram
Can you give some examples ?
Kuri
It's well known to everybody, but because you are young, I can cite one example.
In 1993, when the Nobel Committee announced that the Nobel Peace Prize for that
year was to be jointly awarded to Nelson Mandela and to the incumbent President
F.W.De Klerk, many in the ANC were up in arms against the decision, and exerted
pressure on Mandela to decline the Prize. The argument was that De Klerk was the
president of the white minority government. But Mandela decided to accept the
Nobel Peace Prize jointly with his former oppressor.
Appu
Such noble ideals are unprecedented.
Ram
It's unbelievable.
Kuri.
Such attitudes distinguish great leaders from earthly beings like us.
Well, can you give any other examples of leaders who have shown reconciliation?
Ram and Appu
We don't know.
Kuri
You don't know because you spend most of your time on social networks ,chatting.
Ram
Tell us, we are ignorant.
Kuri
It's a good attitude to accept it if we don't know something. Pope John Paul 2nd visited
the man who had stabbed him ,and forgave him. Mandela visited the widow of the judge
who had sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Ram
You and I cannot think in that way.
Kuri
As for accepting awards, we have a great man in Kerala.
Appu
Who?
Kuri
We have a great actor called Madhu. He is such a great actor who deserves the Oscar award.
Actually the authorities showed disrespect to him by nominating him for the Padmashree
award. Many actors who are very junior had been awarded this before him. There was
much criticism against the authorities' wrong attitude, and there was much pressure on
Madhu to decline the award, but he accepted it. Since then his popularity has
doubled, and his 80th birthday was celebrated on a grand scale.
Ram
Tell us about the high standards that Nelson Mandela set .
Kuri
It's a long story. The black people and the Dalits in India were discriminated against
for many centuries, on the false assumption that the latter were inferior to some
superior races. This myth was exploded by Jesse Owens in the 1936 Berlin Olympics
where he won 4 gold medals in the presence of the fascist dictator Hitler. In the second
half of the 20th century, African countries gained freedom from colonial rule, thus
opening a new chapter in the emancipation of black people,even though military coups
and dictatorship stunted the progress towards democracy. In the USA, the African
Americans attained equality after a long struggle under the leadership of leaders like
Martin Luther King.
Appu
Is it true that Martin Luther King inspired Mandela ?
Kuri
Definitely. Mandela was also inspired by Mahatma Gandhi.South Africa and India
have a shared history because Gandhiji spent 20 years here. And South Africa has
the largest number of people of Indian origin in the world.
Appu
Do you mean that the struggle against racism was a global movement ?
Kuri
As far as I know, it was global even though not coordinated. ' Ayitham 'in India is
the same as ' apartheid'. Whereas good schools, beaches, residential areas etc were exclusively
for whites, Dalits in India were barred from entering Hindu Temples. Even today, in
some parts of India, the upper caste people don't share a well with the Dalits.
Ram
It's disgraceful.
Kuri
Yes, but such practices are disappearing due to education. Coming to the main point,
black people have set enviable records in all spheres of human activity since the 1960s.
Pele, Mohammed Ali, Arthur Ashe, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Michel Jordan, Lindford Christie, William sisters, Maria Mutola, Miriam Makeba,
Michael Johnson, Karl Lewis, Jackey Joyner Kersey, Marion Jones, Usain Bolt etc etc
in sports and music, Wole Soyinka, chinua Achebe, Tony Morrison,Ngugi etc in literature
the list is endless...Above all, Nelson Mandela set an unassailable record in the political
arena, where he set a new style of politics, with respect and tolerance...
Appu
A good example for all.
Kuri
Nice words, but the fact
the youth of today. Some of you are enslaved by alcohol and drugs. Some youngsters
do rape. You have to do some introspection. While you sing and dance for Mandela, are
you sincere in following his noble ideals? Are you really focussing on education ? If not,
change your attitude. Otherwise, you only pay lip service to the legacy of Mandela.
Appu and Ram
We vow to follow his ideals.
Kuri
If so, it's good for South Africa and for the world.
Bye.
Appu and Ram
Bye.
Correction: 10 December 2013
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