Since my childhood days, it has been drilled into my mind that I should speak and adhere to the truth - and nothing but the truth - always and every time. Yes, I must admit that I did have tough times while following the dictum but looking back now, I feel my mind was never cluttered up, ever.
Let me go back in time. My mom used to teach me at home and she was particularly harsh when I committed silly mistakes - especially in Maths, but to me they're far from being silly ones. I just couldn't fathom as to why anyone wanted to know the cost of 1,000 coconuts when he already knew what it was for 100 nuts! She used to insist that I write the answers on the question paper, during the examinations, which she'd cross check on my return and I do not have to recount as to how dreaded those sessions were. She used to pinch at the soft flesh under the upper arm and boy, I can still feel them as I punch in this narrative. A few of my friends even advised me to scribble down the correct answers but I could not bring myself to doing that because telling a lie to my mom was sacrilege! Because truth wins.
Another poignant incident, from my lower primary school days, was when I'd lost a book. Initially, I'd tried to hold back the news about the loss but found that life was getting to be suffocating, every passing minute and I think I blurted out the truth on the second day or was it the third? I forget. Though the punishment was harsh, I remember as to how 'light' I'd felt soon after. And again, because truth has no substitute!
Tailpiece.
Why did I give a long preamble? It's against the backdrop of the raging fire in the 'Mantralaya' of Bombay today where a lot of valuable records seem to have perished. As Arnab Goswami articulated as to why it could be a sabotage to shield the powerfully corrupt and their shenanigans, I couldn't help but agree with his arguments. Will the truth come out ever about the numerous scams like Adarsh and many others? Or will the crooks get away and fade away as decent, clean guys?
It just doesn't seem to be fair. And truth has to win, here and now, not decades later!
Let me go back in time. My mom used to teach me at home and she was particularly harsh when I committed silly mistakes - especially in Maths, but to me they're far from being silly ones. I just couldn't fathom as to why anyone wanted to know the cost of 1,000 coconuts when he already knew what it was for 100 nuts! She used to insist that I write the answers on the question paper, during the examinations, which she'd cross check on my return and I do not have to recount as to how dreaded those sessions were. She used to pinch at the soft flesh under the upper arm and boy, I can still feel them as I punch in this narrative. A few of my friends even advised me to scribble down the correct answers but I could not bring myself to doing that because telling a lie to my mom was sacrilege! Because truth wins.
Another poignant incident, from my lower primary school days, was when I'd lost a book. Initially, I'd tried to hold back the news about the loss but found that life was getting to be suffocating, every passing minute and I think I blurted out the truth on the second day or was it the third? I forget. Though the punishment was harsh, I remember as to how 'light' I'd felt soon after. And again, because truth has no substitute!
Tailpiece.
Why did I give a long preamble? It's against the backdrop of the raging fire in the 'Mantralaya' of Bombay today where a lot of valuable records seem to have perished. As Arnab Goswami articulated as to why it could be a sabotage to shield the powerfully corrupt and their shenanigans, I couldn't help but agree with his arguments. Will the truth come out ever about the numerous scams like Adarsh and many others? Or will the crooks get away and fade away as decent, clean guys?
It just doesn't seem to be fair. And truth has to win, here and now, not decades later!
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