SUNDAY, JUNE 6, 2021 (PAGE 3) SACRED SPACE BOOK REVIEW !Although , now people are recognizing its importance and things are definitely changing . But, what we need is a thor- Spiritual Revolution ough change. So, the next question that follows is that how are we Victory without a drop of blood going to bring about this revolution? The Self-Revolution-The good thing about this is that it Ashok Ogra match against 4 Assam Rifles." Call of the moment is a self-revolution - A thorough, fundamental change in That was enough to take care of his height! He became your own self .A way to conquer your own self. At later Most likely, the name of Padma Shri Major Bob Khathing, the first Manipuri to get a King's Commission in 1941. Tanya Sharma stages , you will observe that you will automatically start a decorated soldier, a civil servant, a diplomat and a minister As a young captain in, he assisted the United States Army affecting/influencing the lives of others as well .Today , the - all rolled into one- means nothing to those living this side of Air Forces efforts against Japanese forces at Jorhat as a logis- After glancing over this title, what is the first thought the mighty Brahmaputra River. For that matter not many that has come to your mind? Are you reminded of great rev- lives have become so complex that people are not able to tics Liaison Officer, helping them fly military transport air- Indians are familiar with the warrior class AHOM. Our histo- olutions of the past, the French or the American? I know, at get answers to their own questions . The social bonds have crafts from India. the first instance it seems to be a bit radical. Because, the also weakened to a great extent. People are living a life full ry books have been unfair to the North East, in general, and The author excels when narrating nuggets of interesting word "REVOLUTION" has to do with a fundamental of pretensions .The social media is an epitome of that to the fighting spirit of its people, in particular. In fact, in the facts: "during these operations, Bob transformed himself change .Honestly, even I thought twice before putting this where you try to portray everything rosy happening in your history of Independent India, many from its frontier regions completely into a Tangkhul tribal that he actually was. His heading to the article .But , I believe "SPIRITUAL REVO- life , but hollow inside .In such a scenario , to understand - Ladakh and the Northeast - have significantly contributed army tunic was replaced by Tangkhul shawl under which he LUTION" is the call of the moment and we must pay heed the true essence of life ,get answers to your questions and to defending our borders and towards the process of nation - concealed his weapon and his back-pack was by a bamboo to it. to lead a really meaningful life , the spiritual journey is very building but have been relegated to the margins in our polit- basket in which he carried dried meat, salt and other rations vital. WHY? This is the first question that comes to our mind ical narrative since independence. for the prolonged period of operations." What to do? .Why do we after all need this change? What is wrong with It comes as no surprise that many are unaware of the bat- Major Bob was conferred the Member of the British At this initial stage, it is not very easy to chalk-out how the way things are going? For answering this question, I tle of Imphal and Kohima during World War II; the Japanese Empire and Military Cross in recognition of his services ren- would first like you to peep into the glorious history of this revolution can come about. However, I can think of the army - who had earlier driven the allied forces out of Burma following steps that we can take at the personal level. dered. India. India has been a land of great spiritual masters. Ours - were first held and then pushed back by the British/ Indian After the war, he joined the interim government of is the land of wisdom and knowledge acquired through the * The first step I would like you to take is to simply spare soldiers. thirty minutes every day for yourself, away from all distrac- Manipur as minister in charge of the path of spiritual -quest. But, over a period of time we have It is, therefore, heartening hill administration in 1947. Later, on seen degradation in that proud tradition. Our colonial-past tions .Just sit down with yourself and try to connect with that a biography 'A LEG- your own being. Some people may call it meditation. But, request from Akbar Hydari, the first and westernization can be one factor responsible for that. ENDARY Governor of Assam, Bob joined the Because, we were told by the colonial masters that whatev- that will be little big a target to begin with. Initially we have Nationalist- Bob Khathing,' to cultivate a habit to be in our own company, in silence. Assam Rifles, where he served as an has been penned by Col. Tej K. Assistant Commandant. It is this job Believe me , people find it difficult to sit with themselves Tikoo - in the hope that the even for two minutes .Either they start negative-thinking that will fetch glory to Bob and make memory of this great son of him an iconic figure in independent or they need something to distract them ( mobile-phone, India remains alive and his con- for instance ).But , gradually one can form a habit . India. When a massive earthquake tribution towards the unity of causing nearly 4800 casualties dev- * The other step that I would recommend is that try Manipur and India is not forgot- accumulating the pearls of wisdom by reading some good astated Assam in August 1950, Bob ten. took charge of mounting massive res- texts. Our holy books are a great read for a spiritual experi- In the words of the author: ence -be it The Bhagwad Gita, The Bible, The Quran, The cue and rehabilitation measures. "His (Bob Khathing) timely The knowledge that the author Guru Granth Sahib or The Buddhist texts etc. Reading the expedition to Tawang in 1951 original version is quite difficult. But, there are good trans- has of the region lends authenticity to prevented China from grabbing the biography. He is able to bring out lations and interpretations available these days. Although, NEFA (Arunachal Pradesh) after even I have not been able to move beyond Gita till now, but raw, unknown but highly relevant the latter had over-run Tibet, facts and weave them into an inspir- it is definitely in my bucket-list to enrich my personality and suppressed the uprising .These books were written to teach us a way of life. Today, ing story. He can't hide his admira- there with iron hand." tion for Bob when he writes: "one can we have dissociated with this knowledge and therefore Born into the Thangkul Naga experiencing things like"Existential-Crisis". Apart from only imagine what the situation must tribe on February 29, 1912 at have been in 1950, when Bob led the that, we (especially the youth) should read the works of Ukhrul in Manipur, Ralengnao great personalities like Swami Vivekananda, Gandhiji etc. diplomatic mission to the 'unknown.' Khathing attended a local mis- It was not merely its logistics which Reading such texts with a critical and analytical mind sionary school until Class-V and er is "western" is superior to the "ancient-Indian/tradition- will definitely help us find answers to our questions. were formidable, it was the very al" .Rather, what we are witnessing today is a sense of alien- later joined the Government nature of the tasks involved, that pre- I personally like to use the word spiritual rather than High School in Shillong. After ation from that tradition. The first challenge that people religious because religions have actually divided humanity sented huge challenges: high alti- often experience when they try to follow this path is a sense passing out of school, he went to the Bishop Cotton College, tudes, narrow bridle paths, fast flowing ice-cold streams, instead of unifying it. The spirit is same in every human Guwahati, where he became the first tribal from Manipur to of unacceptance. Unacceptance from themselves and from being. So, we can better relate and interact with the other rough terrain, extreme cold of winter months and above all the near and dear ones. This is because of a wrong under- graduate. the reluctance of the entrenched vested interests in Tawang being as a soul/spirit/divine manifestation. The British found it difficult to pronounce Ralengnao and standing of the word spiritual .Generally, people associate The present state of human existence and society is not to cooperate with him, initially, out of fear of the Chinese." started calling him Robert that got shortened to Bob- a name ascetism,"tapasya",meditation, leaving the worldly life etc. very encouraging. On the material front, we are progress- Bob secured Tawang with the help of 200 troops of 5 with this path. But, in my understanding this is a wrong that stuck to him. Col. Tikoo has the requisite credentials to ing at a very rapid pace. But , at the same time we are Assam Rifles and 600 local potters and unfurled the nation- conception of this word. Although, the perceptions are experiencing an erosion of values , humanity , morality write what is certainly an inspiring biography of a great sol- al flag on February 14, 1951- with national anthem played changing. Today, people really boast about the fact that dier. He was commissioned into First Battalion of the Naga first time. they meditate. But, there is a lack of true understanding ,the rise in crime rates, violence and corruption .On the other hand , the gap between rich and poor is widening regiment in 1971. It is only befitting that the author should Bob didn't stop there: on seeing the miserable conditions .And one thing that is responsible for this is the erosion of dedicate the book to the valiant soldiers of the Naga of the people under the Chinese appointed Dzongpens, he the super-productive "Guru-shishya parampara" that was day by day . The natural environment is degrading - Corona was an alarm-bell for all .On the personal level, Regiment. Academically inclined, he earned his PhD in used his military, political and diplomatic skills to force prevalent in India. . Anyway, that is a topic big enough to be defence studies from Madras University in 2012. He is also discussed separately .The point that I try to make here is people are stressed,anxious, unhappy and in a rush to Tsona Dzongpen, the local representative of Lhasa to surren- achieve more and more .The community ties and social associated with various socio-cultural organisations. der and sign the treaty proclaiming India's sovereignty over that we have forgotten our rich "spiritual -treasure" and At the height of World War II, Bob Khathing joined the thereby living a life of unhappiness and unfulfillment. bonds are not so strong. I do not intend to bring pes- Tawang. In 1957 the government of India awarded him the army in February 1942 and was commissioned to the 19th Therefore, there is a strong need to revisit our past wisdom, simism in the mind of my readers.But, I do believe that if Padma Shri for his services to nation. understand it and bring a change by applying it into our each one of us at a personal level, imbibe the spiritual, Hyderabad Regiment (later 1 Kumaon and now 3 Para). He Written in a lucid style, everything is in focus and in lives. ethical and moral principles in our lives, we are definitely was deployed to 'V' force Operation as the local captain to be close up. We get to know that Bob was a shy, soft-spoken The Word -To carry forward the discussion , I would like going to take our living to a next level and lead a meaning- stationed behind enemy lines in the Burma front. His forces and a good listener and a man of action who preferred to to throw some light on the word "spiritual" , as per my ful and happy life. succeeded in stopping further advances of the Japanese for- live a life of adventure than comfort. One only wishes the understanding .To me , spirituality means understanding I would like to conclude by saying that the world has mations into India. Col. Tikoo provides vivid details of the author had included few pictures of Bob to further enrich your spirit or soul or (simply yourself ) and taking it to a already witnessed the "Scientific and Industrial operations and how Bob put all his training, familiarity with the book. higher level of consciousness , trying to connect it with the Revolution" led primarily by the west. Now, it's the time the terrain and its ability to operate stealthily into practice. Published by Lancer Publishers, the text is easy on the ultimate power /soul/energy/universe (whatever you for the magic of "The Spiritual Revolution"and let India be There is an interesting story how Bob got selected for the eye. Overall an evocative biography, the author deserves con- believe in ). So , for me" self-discovery" and "self-transfor- the pioneer of that. army. When the Presiding officer said that he was slightly gratulations in taking pains to let the rest of the nation know mation" is the basic mantra of spirituality .And it is an irony "Spirituality is the greatest and healthiest exercise that short of the required height, Bob shot back, "I have recently - there existed this extraordinary Indian who brought glory that today human beings are keen enough to discover life human mind can have "-Swami Vivekananda walked from Ukhrul to Imphal, a distance of to both Manipur, the North East and to India. on mars , but not much keen to discover their own self (The author is a a Probationary Officer at State Bank of India ) 38 miles, and at the end of the march, played a football (The author is a noted management & media professional.) BOLLYWOOD-BUZZ SOCIETY Raj Kapoor : A Tribute Surviving the Pandemic of Panic Inderjeet S. Bhatia ‘Prince’ “Anhonee’’ (1952), “Chori-Chori’’ (1956), “Anari’’ (1959), The first week of June 1988 saw the greatest showman “Do-Ustaad’’ (1959), “Chhalia’’ (1960) and “Dil Hi To Hai’’ Aditi Sharma people are prone to develop compassion fatigue i.e distress as a result of these experiences. This can have multifaceted effects ever known in the history of Indian cinema and entertain- (1963). The Pandemic Covid-19 that began to establish its roots in including physical, emotional, social and cognitive issues. ment, Raj Kapoor, succumbing to the complications arising In 1964, Raj Kapoor produced mega-starrer hit films 2019 was conceived to be losing its grip by the nation and natives Recognizing such effects and taking measures to keep this in from Asthma, sending shock waves not only in India but also “Sangam’’ where Rejendra Kumar, Vijayantimala were his towards the end of 2020. The beginning of 2021 marked an opti- check is important for efficient functioning of the practitioners. in Japan, European countries and Asia alike known as co-star. This was R K’s full film in colour and also his last mistic start with the introduction of vaccination drives and Be Grateful: Showing gratitude, being thankful for one's assets Charlie Chaplin of Indian Cinema, Raj Kapoor’s memories major success as a leading actor. His later films like “Dulha instilled hope among general masses. To our utmost surprise, the and belongings is an important practice to promote positive emo- still haunts the lover of Indian cinema. Dulhan’’ (1964) “Around The World’’ (1966) and “Sapnon Ka pandemic struck us back with a scarier second wave- which is tions in oneself. Appreciating what one has without comparisons Raj Kapoor, an actor, director and producer par excel- Saudagar’’ (1968) with heroines much younger to him like alarming than the first one. While people were just coming to with others is a healthy practice. It is a good practice to remind lence was born on Dec 14th, 1924 at Qissa Khwani Sadhna, Raj-Shree and Hema Malini were box-office terms with the set back of the pan- Bazaar, Peshawar, now called as Khyber flops. demic, the abrupt second wave has Pakhtunikhna, Pakistan. Raj Kapoor’s real In 1970, R K produced, directed and starred in begun to cause devastating out- name was Shrishti Nath Kapoor. Raj is widely his ambitious film “Mera Naam Joker’’. This film comes. It appears more dangerous, considered as the greatest showman in the his- took six years to complete and unfortunately creating feelings of uncertainty and tory of Indian cinema and entertainment. He turned out to be a box office disaster. leading to a sense of panic in the people. Amidst growing number of received multiple accolades, including 3 In 1971, R K launched his eldest son Randhir cases, limited health care facilities, National Film Awards and 11 Filmfare Awards Kapoor in the family drama, “Kal Aaz Aur Kal’’ star- issues of black marketing, and con- in India The Filmfare Life Time Achievement ring himself, his son Randhir, his father Prithviraj stant politics, human suffering is Award is named after Raj Kapoor. He was a 2 Kapoor as well as Randhir’s to be wife Babita. accelerating to the extent that it is time nominee for the Palme d’Or grand Raj Kapoor launched his 2nd son Rishi Kapoor’s adding to fear and panic. prize at the Cannes film festival for his career as the leading man in 1973 when he produced I call it a "pandemic of panic" as films “Awaara’’ (1951) and “Boot- and directed “Bobby’’ which was a huge box-office suc- it has been accompanied by a con- Polish’’ (1954). His performance cess. Dimple Kapadia played female lead in “Bobby’’ stant sense of worry and uncertainty in “Awaara’’ was ranked as which was based on a teenage love-story. about health, wellness, future and one of the top ten great- Dimple wore Biknis which was quite financial aspects. As a result, people est performance of unique and awesome for Indian are overwhelmed and undergo con- all time by TIME films in those times. In 1975 Raj tinuous psychological stress and Magazine. His acted alongside his son Randhir in burden. Panic may reflect in the films attracted film ‘’Dharam Karam’’ which form of mood issues, anxiety, panic buying and physiological symptoms worldwide Randhir had directed. including chest pain, palpitations and breathlessness. Procuring oneself of the things/ people that one should be grateful for. audiences par- In the later half of 1970 and hoarding of necessary health care aids including medication Minimize stress & anxiety: Taking steps to reduce risk includ- ticularly in and early 80’s, R K pro- and oxygen cylinders by people is one example of panic buying. ing Covid appropriate behavior, avoiding unnecessary travel, lim- Asia and duced and directed films Recent incidents of suicide, disharmony between health care iting media consumption, managing diet, sleep, physical activity, Europe. that focused on the providers and caregivers quite display the adverse consequences ensuring a proper routine and involving in leisure activities are Raj was female protagonists of this unrest. WHO also emphasizes importance of mental health some of the measures that can be taken. Practicing self care by hon- like “Satyam Shivam and states fear, worry, and stress as normal responses to per- doing regular exercise/ yoga, relaxation activities, journaling/ oured with Padma Bhushan by Govt of India in 1971 and the Sundram’’ (1978) “Prem Rog’’ (1982), ‘Ram Teri Ganga ceived or real threats, and at times of uncertainty, it is predicted ventilation helps in managing anxiety. Reading news from reli- Dada Saheb Phalke award in 1987. Mailli) (1985). that people may experience fear in the context of the pandemic. able sources like government websites/WHO may help in fighting Raj was married to Krishna Malhotra in 1946 and was Raj Kapoor played notable supporting roles alongside Once again the trend of lockdown has captivated the lives for misinformation. Mindfulness-based activities may reduce stress blessed with 5 children namely Randhir, Rishi, Rajiv, Ritu Rajesh Khanna in “Naukri’’ (1978), with Sanjay Khan in ensuring the safety of people. The issues like disruption of rou- and anxiety by managing tolerance of uncertainty. and Rima. Raj Kapoor appeared on the silver-screen at the “Abdullah’’. R K played a detective in 2 comedy films “Do tines, sedentary life style, feelings of isolation, stress, anxiety, Managing Mental Health Conditions: Existing mental health conditions may precipitate; the vulnerable individuals and tender age of ten. The film was ‘’Inquilab’’ (1935). Raj Jasoos’’ (1975) and “Gopi Chand Jasoos’’ (1982). “Chor- grief and mood related problems have begun to surface. Along their care givers should take care of their ongoing treatment and Kapoor’s big break came in 1947 when he played the lead role Mandali’’ was a Raj Kapoor- Ashok Kumar starrer film which with physical health problems, this pandemic has and will contin- ue to affect the mental health for years to come. Mental Health stay vigilant about possible relapse. Planning follow up well in in “Neel Kamal’’ opposite Madhubala. In 1948, Raj Kapoor was complete in 1982 but couldnot be released till date due time with the health care providers can ensure timely manage- established his own studios called R K Films at the young age to some legal-disputes. Raj Kapoor’s last screen appearance Practitioners emphasize the need to focus on psychological well being and indulge in healthy practices. Amidst the chaos of the ment and further worsening of symptoms. Those experiencing of 24 and hence became the youngest film director of his was a cameo for a British made for television film “Kim’’ pandemic, indulging in practices as mentioned may ease off this clinical symptoms should opt for consultation with competent time making his directorial debut with “Aag’’ starring himself (1984). tough journey of fighting and surviving the pandemic: professionals. alongwith Nargis, Kamini Koushal and Prem Nath. In 1949 DEATH : Raj Kapoor suffered from Asthma in his later Build Resilience: Resilience, the act of coping in the face of Using Tele/Online Services: Those in immediate need he co-starred alongside Dilip Kumar and Nargis in Mehboob years. In May 1988, he was severally ill due to Asthma. Even adversity. Tough times don't last; resilient individuals can survive and facing psychological distress should avail of the tele- consul- Khan’s hit film “Andaz’’ which was his first major success as then, Raj travelled to New Delhi to receive the prestigious tough times better. Inculcating problem solving skills, developing tation or online services being provided by competent profes- an actor. Dada Saheb Phalke Award for the year 1987, conferred on acceptance, acknowledging one's thoughts and feelings, seeking sionals. Different state & national services are available. Paid and In the same year, Raj Kapoor tasted success as an actor, him by Govt of India. help and using healthy coping mechanisms helps to build Probono services are being offered on online platforms to those producer and director when R K Films “Barsaat’’ was Raj Kapoor collapsed at the event where he was to receive resilience. in need. released. the said award and was taken to AIIMS New Delhi for treat- Be Empathetic: Being aware of others' needs and engaging It is important to acknowledge that panicking about the cur- Raj Kapoor went on to produce and act in several hit films ment. He remained hospitalised there for about a month. Raj meaningfully with them is important. Practices like offering help rent circumstances would make the situation worse. It is not under his R K banner that include “Awaara’’ (1951) “Aah’’ Kapoor succumbed to complications arising from Asthma on to others, supporting those in needs and avoiding panic buying unnatural to feel anxious during such times. Being responsible (1953) “Shree 420’’ (1955) “Jagte Raho’’ (1956) and “Jis Desh June 2, 1988 at the age of 63. should be promoted. Being empathetic can ensure those provid- individuals we need to understand that taking precautions rather than getting panicky would be efficient. Imbibing basic humani- Mein Ganga Behti Hain’’ (1960). The last one was directed by At the time of his death R K was working on the movie ing and seeking help understand the present limitations and reg- ulate their emotions in a rational manner. tarian qualities and following some simple practices can help us Radhu Karmakar, his long time cinematographer. This film “Heena’’ - an Indo-Pakistan based love-story. The film was Bring Compassion: Being compassionate i.e showing con- cope with this situation in a better manner. Stay home, stay con- won Filmfare Award for the best film in the same year. later completed by his sons Randhir and Rishi and was cern to own needs and that of others is important. Health care nected, adhere to safety precautions and get vaccinated. Outside his home production, Raj acted in “Dastan’’ (1950) released in 1991. practitioners who are exposed to the traumatic experiences of the (The author is a Clinical Psychologist)