Villages of India.
Villages are soul of India. Mahatma Gandhi was in favor of Gram Swarajya. His ideal was that villages and villagers should be self sufficient. Today we have progressed and India is shining as was predicted by Ataljee who also deserves the credit but what about the poor? All prosperity is hogged by rich and influential. Very little is percolating down.
To change this we need brilliant and compassionate leadership at decision making levels. First and basic major change has to be decentralization of power. Major policy decisions should be taken at higher levels and broad guidelines should be laid down for day to day working at village level. Participation of villagers through village panchayat is must and necessary for all to feel that they are part of the procedure and responsible for decisions which are for the common good. Panchayat members should be elected by the villagers through democratic means without interference by political parties and local rich and powerfuls.
Common resources like water and surplus grazing land should be used for benefit of all.
Water management if done properly can bring prosperity to villagers as shown by many good leaders in Maharashtra, Rajasthan etc. Many places grazing land is used for cultivation of grass which is used by cropping it by people. Wanton grzing which is harmful is not allowed. For this surrounding forest and government land will have to brought under care of entire village. Village Panchayat and villagers will be responsible for planting and maintaining trees and grass lands and can reap the benefit for common good. Wherever required government authorities should guide them and help them without undue interference. This will also help in stopping wanton destruction of our forests. Villagers will also be alert about preservation of wild life which is essential for health of forests. As such we have only 1411 Tigers left. When villagers prosper they will stop migrating to urban areas with reduction in problems of undue urbanization. Education at village level should be given top priority. Teachers willing to stay in the villages and teach should be given very good pay and all the facilities. This spending has to be done by government and villagers should not be burdened. With education women’s condition will improve and they will get better participation.
Many social workers are working in various villages in Maharashtra. Exemplary work carried out by Magseyse prize winner Rajendrasinhji in Rajsthan is worth repeating all over the country. These kind of works if encouraged by governments will go a long way to improve condition of our villages. With prosperity all other secondary amenities will reach villages and country’s industries will have captive domestic market.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Evolution of Sex
Evolution of sex.
Evolution has taken a turn when bisexual reproduction came into existence. Sexes segregated as male and female. Main reason was propagation as has been described in ‘Selfish Genes’ by Richard Dockins. All this developed to achieve transfer of gametes i.e. of sperm to join with ovum. In some fishes ova are liberated in water by female and simultaneously males release sperms in water and fertilization is achieved outside. This needs very large no. of ova and sperms. Thus there was waste and chances of successful fertilization were less. Nature was looking for better way of transferring sperms from male to female body. In birds both sexes have openings called cloacae. Transfer of sperms from male to female takes place when they come in to contact. Later in animals and even in some fishes and insects separate sex organs developed for more efficient transfer of sperms to female body. This needed mating or copulation. For successful propagation pleasure of mating developed. This became the point of attraction between the sexes. In some species female are receptive and males are attracted to them during very short period of few days when sex hormones production in their body is at the peak. This is at times controlled by external factors like availability of food etc. In some species it became cyclical with cyclical menstrual cycle of female. In many species female is receptive only for a short period and after successful mating male and female part not to see each other till or well after the cubs have grown and become independent when they leave to form their own territory. In some animals once bonded together male and female live with each other raising offspring’s together. They live sharing and caring for each other till one of them dies. Some live in groups dominated either by females or one or more males. In such cases both sexes are polygamous and polyandrous.
In primates menstrual cycles have become more predictable. In humans menstrual cycle is approximately 28-30 days. Meanwhile with development of brain and acquirement of various sensations, the pleasure of sexual proximity including copulation became apparent to some animals and humans. This led to development of sex for pleasure. It is used not only for procreation purpose but also as tool of appeasement and sign of submission in some primates. In Bonabo apes in Africa the troops are dominated by females as against other apes. They routinely indulge in sexual contacts namely rubbing the genitals with each other to diffuse tensions or as submissive gesture. A casual observer may think them to be oversexed.
In wilderness the existence itself is a challenge and all living beings are faced with the same challenge most the time. Survival of the fittest is the rule. With the fight for existence there is hardly time for anything else. With increased hormonal levels which vary periodically in different species sex becomes important during that period. In more advanced species like some monkeys and apes etc. sex has become more frequent and has also developed as part of social event. Also some forms of self appeasement like masturbation does takes place. This is noticed more so in caged animals, those have nothing to occupy them and are bored.
In humans sex has evolved to its highest level. It is accepted by almost all as bliss but same time some have tried to label it differently. Some have described it as a cardinal sin. According to them celibacy is the greatest virtue. Some have gone to other extreme and indulged in it to no end. Some have used it as a sign of dominance while some have used it as a weapon or bargaining tool. Normal accepted form of sex is intercourse but there are variations which were and are taboo in some communities. Sex itself is not bad. As with fire or any weapon the person using it and their purpose may be bad. Sex between consenting adults with mutual understanding is not a sin. It is like any other physical need. Attraction of opposite sex is natural and common but there should not be force or taking advantage of other’s weakness. Also social morals and norms must be considered.
There are number of cases of variation as attraction between individuals of same sex which is termed Homosexuality. Why this occurs is not fully understood but some countries have accepted this as a natural variation. Some people are bisexual with different grades of preferences. Society by and large must understand the variation and not consider it as anything abnormal or a sin. One must remember that at one time in some societies left-handedness was considered as abnormal and evil. People have tried to change this with disastrous results at times. Some people are ambidextrous with resultant added advantage. Societies by and large have accepted left-handedness as normal. Twin birth in many old societies was considered as sign of promiscuity of the female. And one of the offspring was killed in some. Now its scientific basis is explained and accepted by all. Similarly society will accept sexual variations. There are certain variations that are harmful to other members of society and can never be accepted. Some variations if accepted mutually by consenting adults then other members of society should have no objection to it. Prostitution in itself is a variation but is accepted by society to certain extent as necessary evil. Prostitution or sex trade should never be forced on anyone which is definitely a crime. It is duty of government and police to protect all the citizens. It is high time government changes the ancient laws regarding homosexuality etc. which have been removed by advanced countries. We still cling to those old laws framed by British which they themselves have changed in their own country. This law has resulted in gays and lesbians to hide their natural likings and live double lives. Anti social elements take advantage of this situation. It is duty of our leaders and government to change old law which criminalizes homosexuality.
In many modern societies marriage as an institution is loosing its place and incidence of divorce has risen to very high level. Co-existance is possible by mutual respect and understanding but many marriages just exist by submission or subjugation. Many others continue because of pressure of society, peers, presence of children etc. Human society is not likely to reach perfection as long as variations in thinking and understanding persist. Speed of understanding and accepting variations in people varies. This enlightenment and broad mindedness in societies may take long. I am sure in near future wisdom will prevail.
Evolution has taken a turn when bisexual reproduction came into existence. Sexes segregated as male and female. Main reason was propagation as has been described in ‘Selfish Genes’ by Richard Dockins. All this developed to achieve transfer of gametes i.e. of sperm to join with ovum. In some fishes ova are liberated in water by female and simultaneously males release sperms in water and fertilization is achieved outside. This needs very large no. of ova and sperms. Thus there was waste and chances of successful fertilization were less. Nature was looking for better way of transferring sperms from male to female body. In birds both sexes have openings called cloacae. Transfer of sperms from male to female takes place when they come in to contact. Later in animals and even in some fishes and insects separate sex organs developed for more efficient transfer of sperms to female body. This needed mating or copulation. For successful propagation pleasure of mating developed. This became the point of attraction between the sexes. In some species female are receptive and males are attracted to them during very short period of few days when sex hormones production in their body is at the peak. This is at times controlled by external factors like availability of food etc. In some species it became cyclical with cyclical menstrual cycle of female. In many species female is receptive only for a short period and after successful mating male and female part not to see each other till or well after the cubs have grown and become independent when they leave to form their own territory. In some animals once bonded together male and female live with each other raising offspring’s together. They live sharing and caring for each other till one of them dies. Some live in groups dominated either by females or one or more males. In such cases both sexes are polygamous and polyandrous.
In primates menstrual cycles have become more predictable. In humans menstrual cycle is approximately 28-30 days. Meanwhile with development of brain and acquirement of various sensations, the pleasure of sexual proximity including copulation became apparent to some animals and humans. This led to development of sex for pleasure. It is used not only for procreation purpose but also as tool of appeasement and sign of submission in some primates. In Bonabo apes in Africa the troops are dominated by females as against other apes. They routinely indulge in sexual contacts namely rubbing the genitals with each other to diffuse tensions or as submissive gesture. A casual observer may think them to be oversexed.
In wilderness the existence itself is a challenge and all living beings are faced with the same challenge most the time. Survival of the fittest is the rule. With the fight for existence there is hardly time for anything else. With increased hormonal levels which vary periodically in different species sex becomes important during that period. In more advanced species like some monkeys and apes etc. sex has become more frequent and has also developed as part of social event. Also some forms of self appeasement like masturbation does takes place. This is noticed more so in caged animals, those have nothing to occupy them and are bored.
In humans sex has evolved to its highest level. It is accepted by almost all as bliss but same time some have tried to label it differently. Some have described it as a cardinal sin. According to them celibacy is the greatest virtue. Some have gone to other extreme and indulged in it to no end. Some have used it as a sign of dominance while some have used it as a weapon or bargaining tool. Normal accepted form of sex is intercourse but there are variations which were and are taboo in some communities. Sex itself is not bad. As with fire or any weapon the person using it and their purpose may be bad. Sex between consenting adults with mutual understanding is not a sin. It is like any other physical need. Attraction of opposite sex is natural and common but there should not be force or taking advantage of other’s weakness. Also social morals and norms must be considered.
There are number of cases of variation as attraction between individuals of same sex which is termed Homosexuality. Why this occurs is not fully understood but some countries have accepted this as a natural variation. Some people are bisexual with different grades of preferences. Society by and large must understand the variation and not consider it as anything abnormal or a sin. One must remember that at one time in some societies left-handedness was considered as abnormal and evil. People have tried to change this with disastrous results at times. Some people are ambidextrous with resultant added advantage. Societies by and large have accepted left-handedness as normal. Twin birth in many old societies was considered as sign of promiscuity of the female. And one of the offspring was killed in some. Now its scientific basis is explained and accepted by all. Similarly society will accept sexual variations. There are certain variations that are harmful to other members of society and can never be accepted. Some variations if accepted mutually by consenting adults then other members of society should have no objection to it. Prostitution in itself is a variation but is accepted by society to certain extent as necessary evil. Prostitution or sex trade should never be forced on anyone which is definitely a crime. It is duty of government and police to protect all the citizens. It is high time government changes the ancient laws regarding homosexuality etc. which have been removed by advanced countries. We still cling to those old laws framed by British which they themselves have changed in their own country. This law has resulted in gays and lesbians to hide their natural likings and live double lives. Anti social elements take advantage of this situation. It is duty of our leaders and government to change old law which criminalizes homosexuality.
In many modern societies marriage as an institution is loosing its place and incidence of divorce has risen to very high level. Co-existance is possible by mutual respect and understanding but many marriages just exist by submission or subjugation. Many others continue because of pressure of society, peers, presence of children etc. Human society is not likely to reach perfection as long as variations in thinking and understanding persist. Speed of understanding and accepting variations in people varies. This enlightenment and broad mindedness in societies may take long. I am sure in near future wisdom will prevail.
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