Ideas and Events

By Vikas Sharma

In the novel Ideas And Events the narrator narrates the story of two sisters Vindhya and Dr. Sandhya as they dedicate themselves to pursue their academic goals in this complex world. Vindhya gets Ph.D. in Business Administration but her life is disturbed by Apurva Karan, the lecherous son of her supervisor Dr. Tayal. On the other hand, Dr. Sandhya uses her knowledge of medical science to produce a human figure. She succeeds in creating a giant like person Youngstein 7' height, white teeth, black hair but creating a sense of fear. Youngstein wins her sympathy when he tells her that her father is alive, not dead. But then the ambitions of Youngstein continue to increase and he is out of his creator's control. Finally, she finds herself tense as she had made misuse of her knowledge. Her father Surya Pratap is the symbol of patience and optimism and tolerates the conduct of Adheer in the village after his marriage with Anjali. Behind each event, there is an idea and the novelist confirms it here.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diamond Books
• Release date: Sep 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9789356840232

Book preview

1

It is universally accepted that God is, was and will be the greatest source of enlightenment for all kinds of people. His ways are just and, at the same time, mysterious and wonderful. Air and soul are mysterious forces though can’t be seen with naked eyes. They control human beings, animals and all living objects. God alone sets things right when they get upset and upturned. Lord is forgiveness, just, kind, merciful, benevolent, prudent, wise and ever has the power to reveal His forces through several expected and unexpected ways. Of course, human beings have ever made great efforts to find out the hidden divine forces. Yet He directs the wise people towards righteousness as the ignorant and cunning people fail to notice the gap between fair and foul. He has the power to guide the people when they adopt foul means and go astray.

God alone is the best source of light — physical light, inner light and spiritual light — an eternal lamp that has ever been removing darkness from all the corners of the world. The capitalists arrange LED lamps to provide light in the industries, but God is above all such narrow consideration and provides free sunlight, moonlight etc. free of cost to all and sundry. Without this lamp, no production and family life is possible on earth. Materials get converted into another matter merely because He has given energy to us to do so.

In almost all the religious books, we find several references to Dark Ages and also to the stages of intellectual awakening (Renaissance) when people ‘awake’, ‘arise’ and produce things for the betterment of life. When Adam and Eve were dropped on earth, God created light here with sun, moon, stars and planets. God is the well-known symbol of permanent light as we can find our way even through extreme darkness. Same is the case with the Greek seeker of truth known as ‘Athens Ka Satyarthi’ who made all possible efforts to seek the truth.

Everybody knows that the Judge of Christ asked him — What is truth? Christ gave the definition of truth but Judge Pilate didn’t bother for Christ’s reply and ordered for his crucifixion. But it was too late when people accepted the truth and Christ had been crucified by that time. However, the judge of Christ is remembered for falsehood and Christ is worshipped for truth.

After that, many literary artists and theologians associated and identified light with the truth. After St. Augustine, Adi Shankaracharya defined truth and light that remove intellectual darkness. Yet people return to darkness as and when they follow the policy of exploiting other people with Industrialization, Colonization, Imperialism, Fascism, Nazism and fake Idealism. With trust, we can see the future and have a vision of a society without any poverty, hunger and sickness. If one is guided by self-illumination, another term for truth, there is no darkness (narrow prejudices) in him. After following the light of truth, one can very well calculate the gap between good and bad, rational and irrational, positive and negative, optimism and pessimism, mercy and brutality etc.

Delhi has been the centre of attraction for centuries and a lot of invaders and kings settled here for a life of glamour and luxuries. Many forts, mosques, temples, churches, gurudwaras etc. were built here from time to time that depict the difference between darkness and light, ignorance and knowledge, reason and rigidity, prudence and impudence, zeal and laziness etc. A lot of industrialists and foreign traders have established their sales offices here catering to the needs of retailers. Many educational institutions impart first-rate education to the students of different sections of society. The experts of U.G.C. direct all the 1030 universities of the country — how to implement the new education policy at every level? Parliament frames laws for the whole nation so as to maintain the democratic status of the country. Ministers and a long train of secretaries and directors implement the government’s policies regularly. The Supreme Court of India protects and defines the fundamentals of the Indian Constitution. Grand hospitals provide A-grade medical facilities to the patients under various government schemes. Hotels provide facilities to the tourists that come here to see the historical buildings of the town — its temples, minarets, socio-economic life and cultural values. Means of transport make things easy for all kinds of people round the clock. This city, known for its sins and splendour, continues to run and never sleeps even at night.

Every day, there are advertisements in the newspapers and magazines promising ‘New India’, ‘New Education Policy’, ‘New View’, ‘New Nationalism’, ‘New Social Panorama’, ‘New Surf’, ‘New Economic System’, ‘New Developing Villages’, ‘New Taxes’ (known as GST), ‘New Food’ (defamed as Fast Food), ‘New Clothes With New Designs’, through repetition of the old pattern etc. But prudent and wise people know that the old system seems to be changing for the new and yet the fundamentals remain the same. Planning Commission is replaced by Neeti Ayog but the latter also plans for the socio-economic growth of India. A man at the top of the country may change after every five years, but then the citizens remain the same. Socio-economic problems change their shape to some extent and yet the paraphernalia remains almost the same — People are found crying against rising prices, the degraded standard of living, lack of good teachers in schools and colleges, insufficient medical facilities in the hospitals, the rough roads and trains running late etc. Unemployment and shortage of energy and power have always been criticized by the different political parties. But the question arises — Are people not wise enough to accept the change that has been introduced in their life?

In spite of all claims of changes in every field of life, scholars still raise questions such as — What is the shape and size of God? Where does He exist? Where is Vaikuntha? Where does a man go after death? What is the nature of the human soul? Is the human soul different from that of an animal? What is the exact relation between soul and God, between death and next life, earthly life and the heavenly life? Does Satan exist in hell, on earth or has he returned back to heaven? Then scientists make a lot of experiments about planets and wish to establish a home on the Moon and Jupiter. A lot of natural secrets have been discovered by the geologists and yet research and search are still going on to know all the secrets of Air, Water, Fire, Sky and Earth.

In spite of all the lengthy and arduous research works, scientists fail to control the weather and the changes in the moods of the earth. Karl Marx painted five stages of human economic growth but what about spiritual evolution? In spite of all socio-economic changes, theists have full faith in the mercy of benevolent God and the atheists continue to blame God for their earthly sufferings. When will these two types of people make a compromise? Researchers like Charles Darwin questioned the theory of the birth of Adam and Eve with the dictates of God and the creation of earth with their fall. But Darwin’s theory of evolution was soon condemned by his successors as they failed to notice the same proposed evolution on seashore.

As yet, scientists are highly worried about pollution in the environment. Global warming seems to be the greatest problem today as pollution is regarded as the greatest source of many human diseases. I became conscious of some eternal problems and fundamentals of Nature when I read the news that Satyaveer became annoyed with his brother Ramveer due to jealousy, fired at him two times and finally also killed Damodar who had come to in-laws to fetch his wife. The basic reason was that Ramveer blamed Satyaveer for instigating and directing the stray animals to his field leading to a loss of wheat crops. Ramveer could not tolerate the stray animals who dared to destroy his crops (Dainik Jagran, 23rd December 2021, P. 6). It reminds me of the dispute between Abel and Cain, the first two sons of Adam and Eve on earth. Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd. Due to bad luck, the sheep of Abel entered the field of Cain and the latter failed to tolerate this and eventually killed Abel.

This above referred incident of the village of Pilibhit confirms the basic fact that even today anger, greed, jealousy, pride, violence, prejudices, unrighteousness, extortion, abduction, kidnapping, boot-legging, unhealthy competition, colonization, imperialism, deformed capitalism, brutality, unfair justice etc. are major evils of present society and people continue to suffer for one major defeat of their character. Ultimately his ambitions lead him to his doom. Howsoever wise men may grow, they remain victims of their passions, obsessions, feelings and emotions.

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2

Professor Somya Deep Goel (45) was the Head of the Department of Business Administration in Lakshyadweep University, New Delhi and was considered an authority in his subject. Due to his learning, he had been appointed Economic Adviser to the Planning Commission of India and the Reserve Bank of India. He had a wonderful understanding of the rise and fall of prices in the market and suggested ways and means to curb inflation. But his main problem was that he failed to flatter the ruling politicians and hence suffered many times. He taught Statistics, Business Analysis and Banking Economics to M.B.A. students.

He was a sincere husband but his wife had died of Chikungunya two years ago leaving behind a beautiful daughter Asha. Professor Goel had a rich library and possessed the latest books on different topics of Business Administration. Secondly, he was a wonderful orator and delivered speeches on different aspects of the Indian economy, world trade, international economic affairs, rise and growth of the American economy, influence of rapid industrialization upon human life, globalization and downfall of the economy of undeveloped nations due to liberalization etc.

Professor Goel attended a national seminar at Himachal University Shimla and felt attracted towards Vindhya (30) who presented a research paper on the policies of the World Bank. The paper was very much admired by the listeners and won the heart of Professor Goel. After that session, he congratulated her in the dining hall. Then he met her in the hostel where she had stayed for the seminar. Vindhya was posted as Associate Professor of Business Administration at R.S.M. University of Modinagar. She told him that she had heard his lectures in other seminars previously. As she was a divorcee, she accepted his frank proposal of marriage then and there. They asked Pandit ji of university campus to arrange circumambulations. Professor Goel returned home with Vindhya and both of them kissed loving baby Asha.

Paras (18) was the favourite student of Professor Goel but unfortunately poor in Mathematics and Statistics. As a result, he failed to clear the M.B.A. examination and had to give up his studies. Due to his low-income family status, he could not join any other course to earn his livelihood. Soon his parents lost all interest in him. However, Paras was a good poet of English and his poems got published in national magazines and newspapers. But then the income from such published works was pretty low and no reasonable lady felt attracted towards him due to his shabby dressing sense and dark complexion. Quite often, he played with Asha when she was only a child. Professor Goel knew the economic condition of Paras but alas! He had his own limitations too.

Soon Paras developed an interest in drawing and paintings and prepared portraits of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. But there was big competition in the field of paintings though he had many new ideas to sketch on paper and art sheets. Now art had become commercial and only a few art patrons supported the artists. Computer sketches appeared in this field and shattered the job opportunities for painters. Paras knew that he could paint the new designs for sarees and curtains. But alas! A lot of Indian ladies had switched over to jeans and salwar suits. No chance for Paras in the textile industry too.

With his own imagination, he prepared the sketch of William Shakespeare on the basis of Matthew Arnold’s tribute to him. He painted high mountains and the hands of Shakespeare touched the sky with his knowledge of human nature. The mountain was painted having its depth in the ocean indicating Shakespeare’s knowledge deep like the ocean. Various human miseries were painted in the picture and yet the artist remained unbowed in spite of human sufferings. Paras also accepted that Shakespeare was ‘self-schooled and self-scanned’ and yet the greatest poet and the greatest dramatist of all times.

The next day he sketched the picture of Senior Duke and his courtiers in the lap of Nature as they had been banished from the kingdom by Junior Duke. Rosalind and Celia joined them when Junior Duke banished Rosalind too. Here Jacques referred to seven stages of life, well accepted by all sorts of critics and readers. Paras painted Nature in true colours adding a rainbow to the sketch and his friends liked it very much. But alas! He found that the buyers failed to understand the main idea behind the picture and felt restless. Modern art had replaced all traditional concepts of painting and eventually it became difficult for him to earn his bread and butter.

After studying Arthur Miller’s tragedy All My Sons he painted Joe Keller, Mrs. Keller and Chris facing Steeve Deevar who had come to oppose Joe Keller to defend his father who had been betrayed by a friend. The scene painted by him was of defective cylinders that caused the death of many airforce officers. Joe Keller tried his best to convince Chris of his nobility-worthy son of a worthy father. But then the son soon knew that his father had cheated Deevar, the father of Ann. The villain had to admit that all those soldiers were also his sons.

From Pastoral elegy Adonais Paras painted the scene of the death of John Keats due to poverty, hostile criticism of his poems, frustration in love with Fanny and broken health due to T.B. But then Paras failed to relate art with power, beauty and culture and hence the painting failed in its purpose.

Whenever Paras felt frustrated as a painter, his friend Nav Vaibhav used to console him saying that it is not easy to be a skilled painter — ‘It is not your fault if the spectators fail to understand your idea behind the picture. Go on working as trends frequently change in art and music.’ But only consolation from a friend was not enough in the age of cut-throat competition. He had his physical needs too — How long could he survive like a hungry man? From where to arrange the colours and art-sheet?

Nav Vaibhav was the second son of games care-taker of J.N. University and his father Sajan got thirty thousand rupees as salary. Sajan had three sons and failed to manage their education in convent schools. At the same time, the children Nav Vaibhav, Kumar Vaibhav and Vishnu Vaibhav had no interest in studies. As Sajan failed to buy books and other study materials, they dropped their studies. As hockey, football, cricket, ping-pong etc. were in their reach, they learnt playing football and hockey soon. But then playing two sports does not qualify anybody for a job as sports can’t replace education. As a result, Sajan felt sad and disappointed. As Mrs. Sajan earned some money from dishwashing, she remained carefree. She just cooked food in the morning and put it in the steel container and left for dishwashing. If sons don’t study, they’ll become labourers. This is what she thought living in the single room apartment of J.N. University’s playground — What can’t be cured must be endured!

Vindhya had been busy writing a book on Business Economics and stayed with Dr. Goel on weekends only. She had a two-room apartment in R.S.M. University, Modinagar campus and needed time to complete the book after teaching her classes. Due to her interest in seminars, she had to study a lot for preparing research papers. So far, she had the credit of presenting twenty five research papers. Five research scholars had taken help from her for presenting papers in the seminar.

In spite of her busy routine she stayed with Dr. Goel during the winter break and long summer break. After two years of marriage,