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निसर्गाने मानवाची निर्मिती करतांना स्त्री आणि पुरूष निर्माण केले आणि गेल्या दोन ते तीन दशकांपर्यंत त्यांच्यातील गुणोत्तरही समान ठेवले. निसर्ग सर्वांचा समतोल साधू शकतो परंतु आपल्या स्वार्थासाठी आपण त्यामध्ये ढवळाढवळ सुरू केली. मुलगाच हवा ह्य

ा मोहापायी आपण मुली नाहीशा करू लागलो. ह्यालाच प्रचलित शब्द स्त्रीभ्रूणहत्या असा आहे.
बाळंतपण ही स्त्रीच्या आयुष्यातली एक महत्वाची घटना पूर्वी तर पुर्नजन्मच मानला जायचा. विज्ञानात प्रगती झाली आणि नवीन उपचार, साधने, औषधे निघाली. बाळंतपण त्यामानाने सोपे झाले. बाळाची स्थिती कशी आहे ते समजू लागले. परंतु त्याचवेळी बाळाचे लिंग त्या तपासणीमध्ये कळू लागले आणि एक नवीनच उपक्रम सुरू झाला.
बाळाची स्थिती समजण्यासाठी वापरण्यात येणारी सोनोग्राफीची यंत्रे प्रथम शहरांमध्ये उपलब्ध झाली. तपासणीची फी पण मोठी असल्याने शहरी आणि बर्‍यापैकी सांपत्तीक स्थिती असणारे सुशिक्षित लोक या यंत्रांचा बाळाच्या आरोग्याबरोबरच त्याची लिंग तपासणीसाठी वापर करू लागले. मुलीचा जन्म नकोच अशी बर्‍याच पालकांची इच्छा असल्याने जन्माला येणा-या बाळाचे लिंग जाणून घेऊन आपल्याला हवे असलेले मूल जन्माला घालण्याची वृत्ती वाढली.
ह्या सार्‍याचे कारण एकच की आपल्या पुरूषप्रधान संस्कृतीमध्ये मुलाच्या जन्माला फार महत्व दिले आहे. मुलगा वंश पुढे चालवितो, मुलगा म्हातारपणी आपली काठी बनून रहातो. मुलगा आधार आहे आणि मृत्यूनंतर मुलाने अत्यंसंस्कार केल्यास मोक्ष मिळतो. (इ. गोष्टी लोकांच्या मनावर ठसल्या आहेत) तर मुलीला हुंडा द्यावा लागतो, सासरी गेल्यावर मुलीचा छळ होतो, अनेक संकटांना तिला सामोरे जावे लागते, अगोदर शिक्षणावर व नंतर लग्नावर खर्च करावा लागतो आणि शेवटी ती दुसर्‍याच्या घरीच जाणार आहे मग तिच्या शिक्षणावर खर्च का करावा इ. गोष्टी लोकांच्या मनावर कोरल्या गेल्या आहेत.
त्यानंतर मुलामुलीतला भेद, मुलगीच नको, तिला नाहीसे करण्याच्या अनेक पध्दती पाठोपाठ आल्याच. ह्या सर्व गोष्टींवर उपाय शोधणे आवश्यक आहे. आज मुलांच्या तुलनेत मुलींची संख्या हजारात जवळपास १३० ने कमी झाली आहे. येत्या जनगणनेत ती अजूनही कमी होण्याची शक्यता आहे. राजस्थान, पंजाब, हरियाणा, गुजरातचा काही भाग यामध्ये निघृणपणे मुली मारल्या जात आहेत. पैसे देऊन मुली दुसर्‍या राज्यातून आणून मुलांची लग्ने लावून दिली जात आहे. मुलींवरील अत्याचाराच्या संख्येत वाढ झाली आहे. सर्वात सुरक्षित महाराष्ट्रातही कोणत्याही वयाच्या असोत स्त्रिया असुरक्षित आहेत.
प्रथमत: मुलगा आणि मुलगी हा सामाजिक भेद दूर व्हायला हवा. संधी मिळाल्यास मुली मुलांपेक्षा कुठेही मागे नाहीत किंवा काकंणभर पुढेच आहे हे मुलींनी त्यांच्या कर्तृत्वाने सिध्द केले आहे. मुलगी असो अथवा मुलगा त्या अपत्याला त्याच्या कुवतीनुसार शिक्षण मार्गदर्शन देऊन स्वत:च्या पायावर उभे करणे हे पालकांचे प्रथम कर्तव्य आहे. मुलाच्या लग्नात मुलीच्या पालकांकडून हुंडा, भेट वस्तू इ. घेणे ह्या प्रथा मुलाच्या पालकांनी मोडायला सुरवात करायला हवी. येणारी मुलगी ही आपली जबाबदारी असून घरातील एक व्यक्ति म्हणून सर्व हक्क व अधिकार तिला देणे आवश्यक आहे. संपत्तीत मुलीचा वाटाही समान असावा ह्या सर्व बाबी कायद्याने संमत असल्या तरी त्यांची सामाजिक अंमलबजावणी सर्व स्तरावर त्वरित सुरू व्हावी. यासाठी समाजसेवकांनी, समुपदेशकांनी प्रयत्न करावेत. नववी, दहावीच्या वर्गांपासून ह्या सामाजिक विषयाचे मुलगा मुलगी समान, दोघांचे हक्क व त्यांची कर्तव्ये सारखी आहेत, हुंडा घेणे चुक आहे, ह्या बाबींचे प्रशिक्षण त्यांना देऊन त्या त्यांच्या मनावर ठसतील असे शिक्षण संस्थांनी बघावे.
आम्हाला पहिली मुलगी आहे तेव्हा दुसरा मुलगाच हवा किंवा पहिले अपत्य मुलगाच हवे व लिंगनिदान करून आम्ही लोकसंख्या न वाढायला मदत करीत आहोत असा काही जणांचा दावा आहे. त्यासाठी पुढे गेलेल्या विज्ञानाच्या मदतीने गर्भधारणेपूर्वीच हव्या त्या लिंगाच्या रंगसूत्रांची स्थापना केली जाते. परंतु ह्या सर्व घटना निसर्ग नियमांच्या विरूध्द आहेत, हे कोणी लक्षात घेत नाही. जेव्हा मुलींची समाजातील प्रतिष्ठा व महत्व वाढेल तेव्हाच मुलगाच हवा ही वृत्ती बंद होईल. मुलींची संख्या कमी झाली की त्यांचे महत्व वाढेल ही अगदीच चूकीची समजूत आहे.

याबाबत सर्व स्तरावर प्रयत्न करतांना सुजाण नागरिकांनी, मंडळांनी कमिट्या तयार कराव्यात. मुलगी गर्भाचा गर्भपात करणार्‍या संस्थांचे, डॉक्टरांचे गुन्हे उघडकीला आणावेत. कायदा समजून घेऊन कायद्यातील तरतूदींची माहिती करून घ्यावी. त्याबाबतची जाणिव, जागृती निर्माण करावी. सुशिक्षित, अशिक्षित, गरीब, श्रीमंत कोणीहि असोत त्यांना मुलींच्या घटणार्‍या संख्येंचे दुष्परिणाम समजावून सांगायला हवेत. एखादे मिशन हातात घेतल्यासारखा सतत हा विषय चर्चेत यायला हवा. चांगल्या पध्दतीने समजावल्यास मुलामुलीतली तफावत कमी व्हायला वेळ लागणार नाही. महाराष्ट्रात कोल्हापूरच्या जिल्हाधिकार्‍यांनी अभ्यास करून त्यावर यशस्वीपणे बदल घडविला आहे. उर्वरित ठिकाणी असेच प्रयत्न व्हायला हवेत यासाठी समविचारी लोकांनी जाणिवपूर्वक प्रयत्न करायला हवेत.

The Battle Of Bhima Koregaon....1st January 1818...!

The Battle Of Bhima Koregaon....1st January 1818...!

History of India is nothing but the fight/struggle between untouchables and so called upper castes. Historians those are ought to be rationalist, have always misled masses and never showed the true face of Indian History. Hence, this battle has also been lost into history and no reference is found in any history book.

January 1st 1818, when ev

eryone around the world was busy in celebrating the ‘new year’, when everyone was in cheerful mood, but not for a small force of 500 untouchable soldiers were preparing them to for battleground. Who knows this battle is going to write future of ‘Brahmin Peshwa Baji Rao-II’? It wasn’t just another battle; it was a battle for self respect, esteem and against the supremacy of Manusmriti. This battle is important in history, as everyone know that after this battle rule of ‘Peshwa Rao’ ended.

In the early 19th century, the Maratha Empire led by Peshwa Baji Rao II was gradually diminishing due to internal dissents and setbacks in the previous Anglo-Maratha wars. Maharashtrian society under Peshwas had followed nastiest kind of social discrimination wherein the lower strata of society such as untouchables were confined to the stringent Brahmanical laws and subsequently their mobility and development were impaired. The untouchables had suffered the most in the 2000 year old caste system. But regimes such as of the Brahmincal Peshwas are the best examples where untouchables and the lower caste groups experienced horrendous and nastiest form of social humiliations to carry broom sticks on their backs and earthen pots hung on their necks wherein they released their spit.

This battle took place on January 1st, 1818, near the banks of Bhima River in Koregaon (north-west of Pune) between small forces of ‘500 untouchables’ (Mahars) soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 1st regiment of ‘Bombay Native Light Infantry’ and Peshwa soldiers. ‘Bombay Native Light Infantry’ was headed by ‘Caption Francis Staunton’. Compared to the ‘500 untouchables soldiers’ Brahmin Peshwa Rao’s force was large in numbers, they were more than 20,000 horsemen and 8,000 infantry soldiers. After walking down more than 27Miles distance from Shirur to Bhima Koregaon without rest or reprieve, without food or water ‘500 untouchables’ fought so bravely for 12 hours and won the battle. Battle ended not only with ‘victory’ over Peshwa but it become responsible for the end of ‘Peshwai’ in Maharashtra.

This battle had unusual significance for many reasons. First, British army fought this battle with a minuscule army expecting the worst, especially after their experience of the Pune Regency. Secondly, the battle of Koregaon was one of the most important events which helped tear down the Peshwa Empire and subsequently the Peshwa had to abdicate. Thirdly and most importantly, it was an attempt by the untouchables of Maharashtra to break the shackles of the age-old caste order.

The Peshwa's troops inexplicably withdrew that evening, despite their overwhelming numbers, giving the British an important victory. The men of the 2/1st Regiment Bombay Native Infantry, who fought in this battle, were honored for their bravery. The official report to the British Residents at Poona recalls the "heroic valour and enduring fortitude" of the soldiers, the "disciplined intrepidity" and "devoted courage and admirable consistency" of their actions.

Much praise was showered on the Mahar Sepoys of the Bombay Army who endured the rigours of difficult marches when rations were low and disease was high among men and animals. Whether they were charging ahead or were besieged or taken prisoner-of-war, whether they were storming fortresses or making tactical withdrawals, they always stood steadfast by their officers and comrades, never letting down the honour of their Regiments. Similar anecdotes are recorded in the written histories of the Mahar Regiment and Bombay Army. All demonstrate that most Mahars soldiers were dedicated and courageous.

This Battle was commemorated by an obelisk, known as the Koregaon Pillar (Vijay Stambh), which featured on the ‘Mahar Regiment’ crest until Indian Independence. The ‘Vijay Stambh’ reminds us ‘together we can achieve anything’. The monument has names inscribed of twenty two untouchables (Mahars) killed there, erected at the site of the battle and by a medal issued in 1851. Today, the monument still "serves as focal point of Untouchable (Mahar) heroism". Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar used to visit Bhima Koregaon (Shaurya Bhomi) every year on 1st January to pay homage to great Mahar soldiers of The Bhima Koregaon Battle.

On New Year eve, rather than visiting pubs, dancing and enjoying over beer bottles, pay rich tribute to the heroes of ‘Battle’. This all will show respect, our commitment, courage and awareness towards our rich history. One step ahead we can suggest or request all of you that in remembrance of untouchable soldier who fought and died for self respect and esteem in ‘Bhima Koregaon Battle’ over the haughty, superior and arrogant ‘Savarnas’.

Lord Buddha T.V

On November 26, 2010, Sachin, who resides in the city’s Imambada slums in Rambagh area, started a big journey by launching India’s first religious channel on Buddhism – Lord Buddha TV.

He had a team of six, which included only one cameraman, all of whom were from the same slum. In a short span, the channel which started as a local one for cable TV viewers, has crossed over to nine states to become a national channel with round-the-clock broadcasting.

The channel has spread its wings and has even opened offices in all major cities of Maharashtra and other metros in the country. When it started from a rented premises at Prathemesh Vihar on Great Nag Road, nobody from the team, mostly youngsters from the slums who had failed to clear the Std X examination, dreamt that their project would reach dizzy heights. But their hand work and instinct to do something different, with an objective to serve the society in general, paid off. Within a span of six months, the channel had become a hit on local cable TV.

“Believe it or not, but we began our first shoot with a camera used for covering marriages. All of us hail from the slums and came together for a noble cause,” says Sachin, adding that their journey has been an extremely tough one so far. He fled from home at the age of 20 after being scolded by parents for not doing well in studies.

Sachin quit studies after clearing the class XII exam to join a cable channel and after some training, took up the job of a cameraman at a meagre salary of Rs1,500 in 2000. He always dreamt of being an entrepreneur and soon left the cable TV job to start his own news on cable channels titled ‘Nagpur Varta’ as a freelancer. The idea for a channel on Buddhism came to his mind when he was working as a cameraman and covered Deekshabhoomi celebrations during Dussehra. He also came in contact with social worker Bhaiyyaji Kherkar. They were joined by his childhood friend-cum-brother Raju Moon, who was a cable operator, to start the concept of launching a religious channel.

“After some deliberations, we decided to start the first-of-its-kind channel which will propagate philosophies and thoughts of Lord Buddha and also of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, who are our sole inspiration. At that time we had no money to pay rent for the flat from where we started,” says Sachin.

Deliberating on the contents, Kherkar informs that their channel not only focuses on religious discourses but also on social and national issues related to the society. “We mainly focus on outdoor shoots. Since a year, we have started accepting advertisements. But their contents are strictly restricted. We don’t accept glamorous ads or those which are not suitable for family viewing,” he states.
He further informs that they were also running shows related to families and their unique one was related to marriage where the channel acts like a bureau.

Sachin adds that he and other members are currently funding the channel from their own pockets and also receiving help from like-minded people. “We do a lot of charity works as well. Those who donate money to us, we provide them birthday advertisement for just Rs1,000 whereas its rates are over Rs10,000 on other channels,” he says.

Sachin now plans to set up their own teleport in the city. It will be based at Asola, near Butibori, 30 kms from Nagpur. A teleport is the facility which uplinks the channel with satellites in earth’s orbit so that it could be broadcast to other countries or continents. So far, it is only available in Delhi and a couple of metro cities like Mumbai and Chennai. “It will be the second in the state after Mumbai and first in Vidarbha, and will commence working within six months. We’re working overtime to make it a reality,” says Sachin.

“Currently, we are using an innovative technology to broadcast channel contents directly from the city. We have tied up with Reliance for using their high speed fibre-optic connectivity to transfer the contents to Delhi. We have a tie up with a news channel based in the Noida Film City for up-linking the contents to INSAT-4A from where the channel is broadcast to the entire country,” he adds.

Among other plans, Sachin says they’re converting the channel into full High-Definition (HD) by April and for this they had started purchasing HD cameras and accessories. “We’re also in talks with two direct-to-home (DTH) networks for broadcasting our channel to villages as cable is not available in many rural areas,” he says. Currently, the channel is in Marathi but from October 24 – Dussehra Day – it will be completely telecast in Hindi for national viewers. From 2014, the channel plans to cover entire India.

The channel is also available on Internet on –www.lordbuddhatv.org – where devotees and followers can watch from any part of the world through live streaming. “The site gets over thousand visits daily from Buddhist countries like China, Thailand, and Myanmar,” says Nilesh Farkade, a student of mass communication, now working with the channel.

Officials from many other channels had visited Lord Buddha’s office to learn the new technology with which its contents are broadcast in the country without going to Delhi or other metro cities. “It has good backup facility with two dedicated four MBPS lines and invertor which can last up to 10-12 hours,” adds Farkade.

The channel plans to cover the annual Dhamma Chakra Din celebrations to be held at the historic Deekshabhoomi where Dr Ambedkar first embraced Buddhism. “We will be setting up a dedicated studio on the premises and will show non-stop coverage for complete two days. We recently covered the Sri Lankan President’s visit to Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh and also covered some programme in Bihar and in Mumbai’s Chaityabhoomi,” he says.

Some shining knights

Kunal Kamble | Cameraman
This HSC failed boy was working as a daily wager till he came in contact with Sachin. He took intensive training in operating cameras from his mentor and worked for a local channel for some period. When Lord Buddha channel started, he returned to join his mentor as head technician of the channel. His father works as a carpenter. Now, the entire team of cameramen works under him.

Nagesh Moon | Camerman
This youngster used to work as cleaner with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation. He is also SSC failed and approached Sachin when he got frustrated of his meagre salary. Sachin trained him in camera techniques and employed him in the channel.

Nikhil Kamble | Cameraman-cum-sub-editor
He also shares the same story as he too failed to clear SSC exam. He was also working in a local channel office as a peon. Sachin also trained him in camera techniques and now he is posted as a cameraman-cum-sub-editor at Lord Buddha’s office in Delhi.

Source :- Times Of India