Happy Republic Day 2015! Watch online here!

 Watch the Republic Day Parade India online here-

 “If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India!” - Romain Rolland
This Republic day let's pledge to make India a better place to live! Let's work together to restore the pride! Happy 66th Republic Day!

US President Barack Obama with a cartoon of him made by JeevanMag.com Cartoonist Anil Bhargava!

अच्छे दिन कब आयेंगे?

सरकार बदलने से नहीं बल्कि विचार बदलने से अच्छे दिन आते हैं| अपने दिल पर हाथ रख कर पूछिये कि  क्या अब किसी लड़की के काले रंग और छोटी नाक के कारण उसका रिश्ता नहीं ठुकराया जायेगा? क्या दहेज़ की आग में अब कोई बेटी नहीं झुलसेगी ? क्या किसी को प्यार कर उसे अपना लेने की हिम्मत रखने वाली लड़की को लोग अब गिरी हुई नज़रों से नहीं देखेंगे? क्या विमाता के वचन अब मधुर हो जायेंगे? क्या ''डोम'' के छू जाने पर माँ अब बच्चों को नहलाकर गंगाजल नहीं छिटेंगी? क्या गाँव के ''चमार'' और ''दुषाध'' अब भूमिहार और ब्राह्मण के साथ एक ही लाइन बैठकर भोजन कर पाएंगे? क्या राज ठाकरे ''बिहारियों'' को अब गाली देना बंद कर देगा? क्या क्षेत्र के नाम पर अब लोगों को खदेड़ा नहीं जायेगा? क्या धर्म के नाम पर दंगे अब नहीं होंगे? क्या मंदिर-मस्जिद की राजनीति अब नहीं होगी? अगर इन सब का उत्तर हाँ है तो यक़ीनन जश्न जायज है| 

 
लेकिन अगर शक की कोई गुंजाइश भी है तो क्या फर्क पड़ता है की सरकार ''मनमोहन सिंह'' चलायें या ''टोबाटेक सिंह'' | ये सभी यक्ष प्रश्न आज समाज के सामने सुरसा के समान मुंह खोले खड़े हैं| कोई भी सरकार कानून बना सकती है, जन-मानस को प्रोत्साहित कर सकती है,जागरूकता फैला सकती है, जमीनी स्तर पर उसे अमली-जामा पहनाना किसी सरकार के बस में नहीं है| दहेज़ प्रथा, यौन शोषण, जातिगत भेदभाव के खिलाफ़ कानून तो दो पीढ़ी पहले से मौजूद हैं फिर भी कालजयी शिरीष की भांति यह आज भी फल-फूल रहे हैं| सच कहूँ तो दहेज़ की रकम तो महंगाई से ''डायरेक्टली प्रोपोसनल'' भी हो गई है| आज फिर इस देश को महात्मा गाँधी की जरुरत आन पड़ी है, जो जाकर लोगों से यह कह सके की ''हे पुत्र रंग, धर्म, जाति , लिंग, क्षेत्र और राष्ट्र पर मनुष्य का कोई वश नहीं होता| उसे अपने पैदा होने के स्थान, जाति, धर्म और लिंग संबंधी कोई अधिकार ब्रह्मा ने नहीं दिए हैं, इसीलिए इस आधार पर भेदभाव उचित नहीं है''|

देश की सरकार हमारी सीमाएं सुरक्षित कर सकती है| सरकार बुनियादी ढ़ांचे को मजबूत बना सकती है| सरकार शेष दुनिया से हमारे रिश्तों का जिम्मा ले सकती है| कोई भी सरकार हमारी विकृत मानसिकता को दकियानूसी विचारों को, अंधी प्रथाओं को तथा पितृसत्तात्मक समाजों को नियंत्रित नहीं कर सकती| इन सभी विचारों,प्रथाओं तथा संस्कारों के विधायिका भी हम हैं, कार्यपालिका भी हमीं हैं और न्यायपालिका भी| अतः अब अपने दिल के संसद में एक विधेयक पास कर लेना कि लिंग, धर्म, जाति और क्षेत्र के नाम पर भेदभाव नहीं करेंगे तभी अच्छे दिन आयेंगे| 

(चित्र साभार: एबीपी न्यूज़)

संतोष कुमार जीवन मैग की संपादन समिति के सदस्य हैं। आप दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय के क्लस्टर इनोवेशन सेंटर में बीए स्नातक (मानविकी और समाजशास्त्र) के छात्र तथा दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय के सामुदायिक रेडियो में ओबी प्रभारी हैं.

Frank Bainimarama: Hitler of the Pacific

Frank Bainimarama, is the current military Prime Minister of Fiji. One of my most recent interactions with him before shifting to New Zealand was in November, 2011 at an awards ceremony. I was receiving the award for the “Best Young Writer” by the Kailaand the Fiji Times at Holiday Inn in Suva. He was the chief guest and I was the award recipient. Amidst the claps while handing me the award, he said something very intimidating to me. His exact words were “so you’re the one who writes about me and also gets away with it” followed by an elusive laugh. Though he may have said it flippantly but there was something in his tone that caught my attention. Coincidentally two days before receiving the award I had written an article of a class 3 girl who was not allowed in a bus as her bus voucher was wet and a bit torn. The irony was that I condemned the Minister of Public Service and Transportation for allowing such an incident to happen and the Minister of Transportation in question was Frank Bainimarama himself.

In recent days, international media has become bolder in labeling Frank Bainimarama a dictator. But the main question should be is Bainimarama just a dictator? The term dictator is not quite enough to explain the questionable actions and decisions that Bainimarama has taken in the recent past.

To understand Bainimarama’s regime, the readers first must understand the coup and military history of Fiji. A coup in simple terms means removal of power or takeover of a country by illegal means. Fiji is a small Island nation of approximately 800,000 people. After gaining independence from Great Britain in 1970, began the short yet eventful history of coups, and takeovers. Fiji’s first coup materialized in 1987. This was led by a Military leader called Sitiveni Rabuka. On 14th May, 1987 Rabuka entered the Parliament and announced “Sit down everybody, sit down. This is a take-over. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a military take-over. We apologize for any inconvenience caused [to the MP’s]”. The second coup also took place in 1987 and the third one in 2000 by a businessman named George Speight. The fourth and most recent military takeover was in December, 2006 led by the military Commander-in-chief, Frank Bainimarama himself.

Frank Bainimarama over the past few years has become a very prominent figure in Fiji because of  his relationship with Fiji’s first Prime Minister, Late Ratu Sir K.K.T.M Mara (being his eldest son-in-law). In 2006, in the Pacific island nation of Fiji, troops overran the capital city, threatened the Prime Minister, forced his resignation, placed him under house arrest, imposed censorship on the media, and the coup leader, in the form of the head of the army, went on television to declare himself the new ruler of the country. This was the beginning of a new era in Fiji - the era of Bainimarama regime.

The first mistake that Bainimarama did was to overthrow the previous government. The 2006 coup also had a negative impact on the tourism industry of Fiji. The December 2006 resulted in a major decline in the level of international tourism activity. Although the timing of the unrest was at the very end of the year it was enough to disrupt tourism activity over the normally busy Christmas and New Year. After that the country was declared an “emergency state” and no one was allowed to have [from subjective experience] gathering at home. If one was entertaining guest that exceeded more than 7 people, one has to take permission from the police or else the military will arrest everyone under the delinquency of plotting to assassinate the prime minister of the country.

Another situation that is very controversial is the Bainimarama versus Qarase case. Laisania Qarase is the last democratically elected Prime Minister of Fiji and was ousted by the Militiary government in December, 2006. In this case the President (pressured by Bainimarama post the takeover) dismissed Laisania Qarase as the Prime Minister of Fiji.

Moreover during the trial of Laisania Qarase in 2012, Qarase was charged with six counts of abuse of office and three counts of discharge of duty with respect to a property in which he has a private interest.Numerous international critics including the Commonwealth and the Pacific Forum claim Fiji's country system is controlled by the military regime and has no independence. It is a known fact that Bainimarama's government had demolished the previous judiciary system and brought in new judges from Sri Lanka in 2009.

One of the more astounding decisions of Bainimarama is the number of ministry portfolios that he and his Attorney General, Aiyaaz Sayeed Kayyum hold among themselves. Bainimarama alone handles the portfolio of “Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics; Public Service; People's Charter for Change and Progress; Minister for Information, National Archives and Library Services of Fiji; Minister for I-Taukei; Provincial Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs and Sugar Industry, Acting Minister for Lands and Mineral Resource.” That speaks volumes on the dominant nature of Frank Bainimarama.

It is questionable on why a coup regularly happens in Fiji. Fijian political unity is an illusion, a chimera that can never be achieved, let alone forced upon the people). Even though Bainimarama has been cited a dictator by many people, he has also done quite a lot for the people of Fiji. For long, the military forces in Fiji had been the strong supporters of the long-established customary leaders. This was reflected in their conduct of two coups in 1987 with Rabuka to protect traditional Melanesian interests. From 2000, behind Commodore Bainimarama, the army has completely changed its position, championing equal rights for all the citizens, and contesting the archaic customary power.

Frank Bainimarama may have had good intentions in his heart of making Fiji a better place to live in, but his actions have contradicted it. From overthrowing a perfectly legitimate democratically elected government to putting his foot in the Qarase court case, he has done it all. My question again: Is Bainimarama the Hitler of the Pacific?

Ashneel J Prasad is  the Oceania (New Zealand/ Fiji) correspondent of JeevanMag.com A Fijian of Indian descent, Ashneel is currently a student of B.A communications at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.

Indonesia: The world of an ocean boy- Christ Daniel

Hello, I’m Christ from Indonesia. I am Akash’s friend and I am also on the YES Program living here in the United States. It has been really adventurous and fun here. I believe that the young people of the world will share the same future, and the same planet; which everyone of us has the same responsibility to make a better to live.

  

Indonesia, just like India, is a big and beautiful developing country With more than two hundred and fifty million people living across nearly 17,500 islands, we are the fourth most populous country in the world and home to the third largest democracy. Living here in Indonesia is in fact very interesting. We have the largest flower in the world, the Rafflesia, and are the second largest biodiversity hotspot in the world.

We are bordered with the Pacific and the Indian ocean. I come from a small island in Indonesia, called Ambon. It is so small that it’s hard to even find it in the map. But, Ambon is the city of music for Indonesia. The Breezes and rumbling waves fill our ears as natural rhythm, the soft beat of Tifa drum, trains our musical senses.

We have a cultural event called Sasi, when people are prohibited to take or consume certain natural resources in order to preserve them. Then at the end of the period, the kewang or the nature rangers, decide to open the sign calling the fish to come back to the river. As the sun rises, people are already waiting at the river shores, with much joy and glee to collect the fish. It’s great, as fishes jump all over the water, and since there are a lot of fishes flying around, we even catch them just by using our hands. We store them for weeks, until the Sasi is declared closed again.

That’s the life in an archipelagic state of the world. Our people and culture are bound with a great responsibility of guarding the mother nature. We see the nature through the eyes of ocean and nature. What about you?

Christ Soselisa Daniel is Indonesia's youth ambassador to the United States on YES program of Department of State. He is from Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia & is living in Oxford, Arkansas, USA.

The New Normal... Rape?

Only one thing remains fixed in today's newspaper's and magazines - A woman has been raped somewhere. 

A woman is raped, a family is asked for dowry in exchange for their daughter's hand in marriage, a mother is told to abort her baby just because it's a girl & they need a boy to survive the lineage, a girl is sold into prostitution, a girl is not given the freedom to pursue her education. I feel ashamed as a man on letting other men do all this.

For us Indians', we are always told by our elders that Devi Durga is the Shakti, he equivalent of strength and hard-work. Then where does the mentality of tagging a female as a weakling come from? The first step towards rape is eve-teasing, disrespecting a woman and undermining a women's strength. Any male hitting a woman or undermining her doesn't make him a 'Man', it just confirms his position as a coward. What makes a man 'Man' is when he defends a female and protects her in a society where she is ill-treated. Let us not forget, it is because of a woman that we came into this world. A girl is always told to go with someone if she wants to go somewhere, or not to go out after the dark? Why? Why can't she go out alone or in the dark? 

It is because of us, that such a society is created where a female cannot live her own life according to her terms. Why must a woman be afraid to live in a world that she has created? Why must a woman face the stigma of rape and the culprit just gets a mere sentence in jail, or worse yet, roam around freely on a bail? Why? 

I strongly recommend maximum penalty in the cases of rape & domestic violence. 

Why must we turn a blind eye when a female is in dire need of help? Let me remind you, today its just her, tomorrow it could be your mother, sister, wife, aunt or friend. 

We, the youth are the voice of today - and together we must break the wall surrounding our minds and accept that a woman can lead, take charge and they must never be looked down upon.We must voice our stand and create such a society where another woman doesn't have the fear of living freely or else, we are not fit to call ourselves Men. 

Ashneel J Prasad is  the Oceania (New Zealand/ Fiji) correspondent of JeevanMag.com A Fijian of Indian descent, Ashneel is currently a student of B.A communications at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand.

ज़िंदगी गुलज़ार है- अमिनेष

ज़िंदगी गुलज़ार है।

तमाम उलझनों से।
परेशानियों से।
उन तन्हाइयों से।
खुशी और गम का व्यापार है।

ज़िंदगी गुलज़ार है।

अपनी हसरतों से।
दुनिया कि उम्मीदों से।
यादों की गलियों से।
मौन पहेलियों से।
हसीन सपनों का बाज़ार  है।

ज़िंदगी गुलज़ार है।

टूटते रिश्तों से।
रुठते फरिश्तो से।
गुमशुदा मंजिलो से।
बेज़ार है।
फिर भी जाने क्युँ;
यह दिल
जीने को बेकरार है।

ज़िंदगी गुलज़ार है। 

(अमिनेष आर्यन काशी हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय में राजनीतिशास्त्र स्नातक‍ प्रथम वर्ष के छात्र हैं। अमिनेष मूलरूप से बिहार के हाजीपुर से सम्बन्ध रखते हैं और जीवन मैग की संपादन समिति के सदस्य हैं।)

Roman Text




Zindagi Gulzaar hai


Tamaam uljhanon se.
pareshaniyon se.
un tanhaiyon se.
khushi aur gham ka vyaapaar hai.

Zindagi gulzaar hai

Apni hasraton se.
duniya ki ummedon se.
yaadon ki galiyon se.
maun paheliyon se.
haseen sapnon ka bazaar hai.


Tootte rishton se.
ruthte farishton se.
ghumshuda manzilon se.
bezaar hai.
fir bhi jaane kyun;
yeh dil
jeene ko bekarar hai.
Zindagi gulzaar hai


Aminesh Aryan  is an editorial board member at JeevanMag.com and a student of Political Science Honors. at the Banaras Hindu University. He comes from Vaishali in Bihar.