tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post111810405772395621..comments2023-11-19T00:42:48.156-08:00Comments on balancing life: The Scavenger's SonSunilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-37091119597369390282007-09-13T07:23:00.000-07:002007-09-13T07:23:00.000-07:00The problem is mainly because of lack of education...The problem is mainly because of lack of education.To eliminate this problem is giving education to all.Let us pray a world of such would come.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1136013926246182452005-12-30T23:25:00.000-08:002005-12-30T23:25:00.000-08:00Good Discussion. But how we can eliminate this?Edu...Good Discussion. <BR/>But how we can eliminate this?<BR/>Education sure is a way out.<BR/>But Society as a whole has to work to eradicate this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118754730345559732005-06-14T06:12:00.000-07:002005-06-14T06:12:00.000-07:00reminded me of The untouchable by Mulkraj anandrea...reminded me of The untouchable by Mulkraj anand<BR/><BR/>read it eons back<BR/>if memory serves me right<BR/>its about a sweeper boy whose dad cleans the dry latrines<BR/>and the book ends with a speech by gandhi<BR/><BR/>i remember there was a lot of discussion about the way Mulkraj ended the book<BR/><BR/>time to read it again and the other books you all have mentioned above<BR/><BR/>i_fAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118334266952328762005-06-09T09:24:00.000-07:002005-06-09T09:24:00.000-07:00Pennathur (are you Dr. P. Gautam at Anna univ, CBT...Pennathur (are you Dr. P. Gautam at Anna univ, CBT's cousin by any chance? He was my advisor many years ago)......those are superb points you bring up. Thank you for your comments. <BR/><BR/><I>Why does manual scavenging continue to exist? Is it the structure of society or public expenditure that sustains the practice? Are we spending so little on sanitation that we must employ 1000s of people to manually clean public conveniences....</I><BR/><BR/>I think it is all of this and more. And this has an inherently close relationship with the survival of the caste system to this date. Gandhiji (though much reviled by many today) really believed in eradicating this practice, and lead by example "My experiments with truth..." has been a book that I hold close to my heart.<BR/><BR/>And I think Dr. Pathak is an incredible pioneer......and his Sulab shauchalas have done more for eradicating this practice than any other.......I would recommend reading <A HREF="http://www.goodnewsindia.com/index.php/Magazine/story/97/" REL="nofollow">this article about him</A>Sunilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118260330816995882005-06-08T12:52:00.000-07:002005-06-08T12:52:00.000-07:00Kiran.....I agree with you completely.Charu.....I ...Kiran.....I agree with you completely.<BR/><BR/>Charu.....I think Dilip is a typical bibliophile who doesn't want to lose his collection to raiders. He makes the offer to me knowing well that I am a few thousand miles away. You on the other hand........:-)))))Sunilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118219566775730752005-06-08T01:32:00.000-07:002005-06-08T01:32:00.000-07:00Rightly said. The state cannot change it. But I am...Rightly said. The state cannot change it. But I am skeptical that education can do it either in India. So it boils down to collective action. The State, concerned citizens, the education system - together it might just work.Kiranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02404008369159416565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118215720972172162005-06-08T00:28:00.000-07:002005-06-08T00:28:00.000-07:00Charu, I am certainly in the market for lending bo...Charu, I am certainly in the market for lending books, but you have to bribe as Sunil did.Dilip D'Souzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08221707482541503243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118161612210631922005-06-07T09:26:00.000-07:002005-06-07T09:26:00.000-07:00I agree sunil, ideally education must make a perso...I agree sunil, ideally education must make a person come out "better" for having been thru the process - better judgment, better analytical ability. ideally. but that's a higher order need :) - I have linked to this post and blogged about some people I met long ago who believe that education is the 'way out' for them...<BR/>and dilip, are you in the market for lending books or is this offer open only to sunil?<BR/>and do read about harsh mander too...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118160306707671932005-06-07T09:05:00.000-07:002005-06-07T09:05:00.000-07:00Charu....I agree with you completely. For the poor...Charu....I agree with you completely. For the poor and oppressed, education is a way out of the quagmire. But Education also must have a second component. It must ensure that a person receiving it comes out with the ability to think independently, respect other opinions, understand social responsibility, and (atleast for me) believe in human dignity. If that hasn't been obtained, it is a failed education.<BR/><BR/>Dilip, Charu, it's amazing how this happens...you just mentioned Unheard voices, and i said i had put in a request for it. I just got an email saying my copy is ready for pick up :-))<BR/>I'll put in a request for "ripped chest" as well. Amazing...these large university libraries.Sunilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118155123569091172005-06-07T07:38:00.000-07:002005-06-07T07:38:00.000-07:00sunil, for most of the not-haves in India, educati...sunil, for most of the not-haves in India, education is not just about education or learning (if it is for anyone at all) but a step ahead in life - a ladder - an escape route - and I see society / public policy as having failed if education fails to deliver this...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118147207479082872005-06-07T05:26:00.000-07:002005-06-07T05:26:00.000-07:00Sunil, what can I say. So I won't. I'll leave your...Sunil, what can I say. So I won't. I'll leave your post to speak for itself.<BR/><BR/>Come to Bombay, I'll let you borrow my copy of Mander's book. You and Charu, have you read his other book, "The RIpped Chest", about public policy in India and how it has perpetuated poverty? A good companion to Unheard Voices.<BR/><BR/>As for education, actually I believe less and less all this is a function of education (or the lack of it). Societal attitudes are resistant to the best efforts at education.Dilip D'Souzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08221707482541503243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118124817213411832005-06-06T23:13:00.000-07:002005-06-06T23:13:00.000-07:00I've been wanting to read that book.....but the UW...I've been wanting to read that book.....but the UW library copy has been missing for a few months. So i've placed a request for the book, and hope it shows up sometime. <BR/>Somehow, I constantly feel education in India is failing in its basic purpose....education.Sunilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07776658071546232685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212356.post-1118117542124218752005-06-06T21:12:00.000-07:002005-06-06T21:12:00.000-07:00I don't know how to react 'are they men too?'...??...I don't know how to react 'are they men too?'...?? Thottiyute makan thottiya thaan irukkanuma - then what hope does education have? I have not read Pillai's story but I have read Harsh Mander's account of Narayanamma - a scavenger in Anantpur who fought for the community to be accepted as 'humans' - have you read the book - 'Unheard Voices: Stories Of Forgotten Lives'?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com