Day for Dharana and Dhyan

Dear friends and comrades,

      The CBIC has given a call to all of us to join the One day Janatha Curfew announced by the Hon’ble Prime Minister for today. Our Chairman is leading from the front in dealing with the situation emerging due to the COVID 19. He has visited field formations like the Airport to see whether proper facilities have been provided and has had interaction with the officers there.

     Today is a day for Dharana and Dhyan for all of us.

     We belong to that segment which has access to knowledge acquired through news papers and internet. We know what has been happening all around the world.

     Western countries, with all their medical sophistication has found it difficult to cope with this crisis. If the epidemic strikes India, it will be a volcano erupted. With the illiteracy levels, lack of social discipline among even the so called educated, the tendency of one up-man-ship in every walk of life, the tendency to have all facilities gobbled up by those with power (any type of power) first, poor ratio of health facilities compared to the huge population, etc, it is imperative that we have to put our minds whole-heartedly together to ensure that it passes off, without hitting our country as it has done in the other countries of the world.

     We are aware of how even at the entry points, whether Airports or land borders, there is commotion and tension due to sudden influx of passengers from across the borders. Thereafter, monitoring the movement of each person who could be a potential carrier of the virus, is next to impossible in this country. Hence, it becomes necessary to remain safe within the confines of ones’ houses.

     We should be grateful that we have a house where we could be confined to ourselves.

We should be grateful that we could procure the requirements to run the house hold.

That we are connected with our community.

That even on those days we are confined, we are assured of our salary.

   We therefore, on this day at least, require to think of the masses who do not have the above facilities.

     We have to think of those other persons whether standing guard at various points, belonging to various agencies, screening persons for any symptoms, clearing the passengers and goods, day in and day out, who are exposed to the risks of contacting the virus all the more. We have to think of their families.

     We have to think of those in hospitals, the Doctors, Nurses, other staff, those who clean the hospitals, the garbage, the toilets, who are the most vulnerable to the virus.

        Those who run cabs, autos, the crew of flights, trains, busses and ships and many others engaged different types of transports.

    Those who in our areas also clear garbage, without any discrimination, exposed to the threats all the more.

    All their families – the risks they are put to.

     The Prime Ministers’ call to clap for 5 minutes at 5 pm today is to be understood in this context.

     When an entire populace can get together at a single point in time and concentrate on a subject, that DHARANA will have its effect. When even a demonstration and sloganeering by a hand full of people can generate an effect, what will be the effect when crores of people can come together and perform a particular event – whole heartedly?

     Our country is a land of diversities. Clapping alone may not be preferred by some. Then, at that appointed time today, they may sing, play instruments of their choice, chant their own mantras/hymns or pray from the bottom of their heart that:

“ We thank for all that we have;

We thank all those who have made it possible;

We thank all those who made it possible for us and our family to stay at our homes, for our own safety, even as they are toiling, putting to risk their own health as well as of their familys’.”

Then let us resolve that:

“ We shall remain safe hereafter,

Be compassionate to others,

Keep our equanimity intact for the coming times.”

      And once again from the bottom of our hearts, let us pray or plead or feel that ‘this shall also pass’.

     This one day of Dharana and Dhyan, is only a beginning. We have to maintain the spirit until the crisis is overcome.

With fraternal greetings,

R. Manimohan,

SG, AIACEGEO