ऐसी अक्षरे

:- कथा
:- कविता
:- लेख
:- अनुवाद
:- हिंदी
:- English
:- संग्रह
:- इतर

मंदार शिंदे
Mandar Shinde

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

जेंडर डिस्क्रिमिनेशन

कन्स्ट्रक्शन साईटवर काम करणाऱ्या आणि तिथंच राहणाऱ्या एका कामगाराचा सहा-सात वर्षांचा मुलगा - जगदीश. मुलगा हुशार आणि चुणचुणीत आहे. या वर्षी जवळच्या मनपा शाळेत त्याचं नाव घातलंय. परवा आम्ही साईटवर गप्पा मारत उभे होतो, तेव्हा तिथंच राहणारा एक तेरा-चौदा वर्षांचा मुलगा जवळून जात होता. त्याच्याकडं बघून छोटा जगदीश मोठ्यानं हसायला लागला. मी कारण विचारल्यावर म्हणाला, "त्यो बगा त्यो... बायावानी झाडू मारतोय."
मीः म्हणजे काय रे?
तोः म्हंजि त्यो हापिसात जातुय बायावानी झाडू माराया. आनि फरशी बी पुसतुय बायावानी...
मीः मग? त्यात काय झालं? तू नाही करत घरी ही कामं?
तोः छ्या! म्या न्हाई बायांची कामं करत!

कुठुन येतो एवढ्याशा मुलांमधे हा अॅटीट्यूड? घरातल्या, समाजातल्या मोठ्या माणसांना कळतंय का हे? आपल्या वागण्या-बोलण्यातून 'नकळत' काय बिंबवतोय आपण मुलांच्या मनावर? हे 'नकळत' होणारे कु-संस्कार थांबवले नाहीत तर 'जाणूनबुजून' संस्कार करायचे सगळे प्रयत्न वायाच जातील, नाही का?

Share/Bookmark

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

The work has begun now...

'Every Child Counts' was launched as a citizens' campaign to ensure every child's right to get education. Most important part of the campaign was school admissions! During last few months, citizen volunteers and social groups, NGO's have been busy finding out 6-year-old children who need to be in schools. Almost all outskirt areas of Pune have been surveyed - Kondhwa, Dhayari, Hadapsar, Balewadi, Baner, Dhanori, etc. More than 2,600 such children were identified. The enrollment drive needed a sound plan like:

1. Locating nearest PMC or ZP schools for children found through surveys;
2. Checking current capacity of these schools with respect to additional enrollments through this campaign;
3. Discussing the situation and immediate possible solutions, with school heads and teachers;
4. Taking the children and their parents to schools on the day of admissions.

The capacity assessment of schools gave big shortfalls at many schools. Discussions with the school heads and teachers went well; however no proactive measures for shortfalls were promised.

PMC schools opened on 15th June. Some transport facility is being arranged by ECC on the first day; however no further plans for everyday transport yet. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Shikshan Mandal of Pune have offered some solutions like - (i) free PMPML bus passes for school-going children; or (ii) schools to arrange local transport through auto-rickshaw or vans, and get reimbursement from PMC. None of the solutions have been finalised yet.



Children are found very very excited about going to school. (A major reason for excitement could be the school bus that they are seeing on day-one...) There is still some resistance or ignorance from some of the parents; however, overall sentiment looks positive. People want their children to be educated; but are holding back - some due to lack of knowledge about schools and admission procedure, others due to fear of fees and academic expenses. A lot of parent awareness is required!


Some parents are visiting the schools along with ECC volunteers. This is a very positive sign, according to the school teachers. This can be considered as a personal success of ECC volunteers. They have worked hard to convince the parents, not only for sending their children but also for being present for the admissions. As of now, the parents are saying that they would look after their children's regular attendance in schools. However, this needs a strong follow-up.

Children across Pune city are being taken to nearest PMC schools. This process will continue until all the children are enrolled in schools. Looks too ambitious? Yes, it is! The survey also looked 'too ambitious' when we planned in November 2011. Apart from school admissions of these children, a 'hidden' agenda of this campaign was to involve citizens in the RTE implementation. To some extent, this campaign has been successful in doing that. Citizens from all over Pune have come foreward to contribute in surveying, teaching, enrolling, and talking-writing-discussing about the Right To Education Act! The school admissions will continue for some time, then facilities at government schools will be checked, then quality of education will be monitored. All this will be done through citizens' force!

Thank you volunteers for your hard work! Sorry, but there's no time for rest. The work has begun now. Hope you all are and will be with us... Because, every child counts!

Share/Bookmark

स्वप्न माझे आसवांनी बुडवले...

स्वप्न माझे आसवांनी बुडवले
निष्ठेने माझ्याच एकटे पाडले

जीवनातली तहान नाही सरली
गीत प्रेमाचे न पूर्ण जाहले

वार त्याचा हा असेल अखेरचा
आशेवर या वार सारे सोसले

नष्ट केले मी जरी माझे मला
दोघांमधले अंतर नाही संपले


(हसन कमाल यांच्या 'दिल के अरमां' या प्रसिद्ध हिंदी गाण्याचं मराठी रूपांतर)

Share/Bookmark

Sunday, June 10, 2012

साधो, सहज समाधि भली।

आँख न मूँदौं, कान न रूँधौं,
तनिक कष्ट नहीं धारौं।
खुले नैन पहचानौं हँसि हँसि
सुंदर रूप निहारौं।।
जहँ जहँ डोलौं सो परिकरमा,
जो कुछ करौं सो सेवा।
जब सोवौं तब करौं दंडवत,
पूजौं और न देवा।।
कहौं सो नाम, सुनौं सो सुमिरन
खावँ पियौं सो पूजा।
गिरह उजाड एकसम लेखौं
भाव मिटावौं दूजा।।
सबद निरंतरसे मन लागा
मलिन वासना त्यागी।
ऊठत बैठत कबहुँ न छटैं
ऐसी तारी लागी।।

- कबीर

Share/Bookmark

Friday, June 1, 2012

संस्कृती

जन्म मिळाला मुलीचा
म्हणून बसले नाही रडत
कधी दुर्लक्ष, कधी खूपच 'लक्ष'
राहिले सगळं सोसत
सांगणार कुणाला?
ऐकणार कोण?
बाप म्हणाला, ओरडू नकोस
आपण आहोत सुसंस्कृत
आई म्हणाली, बोलू नकोस
कारण आपण सुसंस्कृत
समाज म्हणाला, सांगू नकोस
आम्ही फारच सुसंस्कृत
माझ्या नशिबी चिताही नाही
चितेतली लाकडंही सुसंस्कृत
...चुलीत घाला ही संस्कृती!

Share/Bookmark