GUNJAN SAXENA: THE NEED FOR FEMINIST FATHERS TO EMPOWER THEIR DAUGHTERS

GUNJAN SAXENA-THE KARGIL GIRL: THE NEED FOR FEMINIST FATHERS TO EMPOWER THEIR DAUGHTERS

Thakur Ranjit Singh

FIJI PUNDIT does not normally do film reviews, unless it touches my heart and some raw nerves. Gunjan Saxena – The Kargil Girl did exactly that.

“GUNJAN SAXENA (Janhvi Kapoor) is a Yash Raj biopic (biography) of one of India's first woman combat aviator, an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer who flew helicopter missions in the 1999 Kargil war and is attributed to saving some 1,000 (thousand) lives. 

Flight Lieutenants Gunjan Saxena and Srividya Rajan paved the way for others to follow. In 1999, Gunjan, a helicopter pilot at 24, became India's first woman combat aviator to fly Cheetah helicopters in the Kargil war zone. She was tasked with medical evacuations, supply drops, and mapping enemy position duties.

Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena, very ably played by a cool and childlike JANHVI KAPOOR. This movie proves that with determination  and a supportive father, sky is the limit for daughters with a resolve to succeed. 

The movie wages war against male chauvinistic patriarchal mind-set and discrimination against women. Here, the brother insists that his sister would suit as a stewardess and the mum worrying when her girl will find time to marry. She finds a friend in her supportive father who silently fights for her in every way possible. That is what I call a feminist father who empowers his daughters.

The movie starts with a shot in a passenger airliner where a child Gunjan wishes to have a window seat and the brother denies it. An understanding stewardess sees her interest and takes her to the flight deck which fascinates her and child decides to become a pilot.

It reminds me of my daughter, Ragni Singh Chand (still retains father’s surname after marriage) who, like me, enjoyed reading Perry Mason’s courtroom tales in Earl Stanley Gardiner books of 1970s. She wished to be a lawyer from a very young age. And like Gunjan, she was lucky to have a feminist father, empowering her to reach her goals.

PANKAJ TRIPATHI (father) with daughter JANHVI KAPOOR bonding together. All daughters need a feminist father to empower and help fulfill dreams of their daughters.

Being in Fiji, to study law in New Zealand does not come cheap in  1999 and early 2000, but I did my best to see her graduate with Masters in Law from Waikato University, with the aim of one day sitting on the bench of High Court of New Zealand. 

However, Gunjan was in a conservative parochial India, fighting her own battles at the same time, in a male- oriented establishment in Air Force, where females were zero, and not meant to be, hence there were no female toilets or changing rooms.

Despite anti- Karan Johar and the debates of nepotism in Bollywood, this is one inspirational movie about empowering our daughters. This is the story of Flight Lieutenant Gunjan and not about daughter of Sridevi and Boney Kapoor or sister of Arjun Kapoor or niece of Anil Kapoor. Therefore I recommend all mothers and grandparents to see this movie with the family to inspire their daughters to reach for the sky. I have recommended my daughter Ragni to show this movie to my granddaughter Rania Chand, and inspire her to fight all odds in a male - dominated society.

If you think this is a war movie with all gore, blood and shouting divisive slogans on India and Pakistan, you are wrong. Despite all the main characters being soldiers, it is still about what it is being a woman in a man’s world trying to make space in a man’s dominated fields. This is not about war alone, but about a woman what she wants and can do that any man can do. This film is about war, but the scenes are not showing killing machines but the rescue operations by these human beings who are saving lives.

WOMAN AT WORK:Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena, in action with Cheetah Helicopter

This movie is about sexual discrimination, and the fight by a gallant woman to reach for the sky. While there have been many Bollywood movies on and around sexual violence, rarely have we seen one which tells the tales  of social conditioning in women's career choices, casual misogyny and extreme discrimination at the workplace with such accuracy and detail. 

Gunjan Saxena appears to have been well researched, which should tell you all you need to know about empathy. You do not have to belong to a marginalised social group (a female) to develop an understanding of their concerns. You just need to listen and observe without prejudice, arrogance, the persecution and discrimination that affects so many in India and worldwide.

Unlike other Bollywood war movies, this one treats the war scenes almost like procedural, which in itself is a quiet reminder that defence personnel in reality are human beings at work, not speechifying Hindi film heroes, who shout chest-thumping hatred against the enemy country.

This movie recount an individual's personal story, staying determinedly intimate even in war scenes. It is not only about one remarkable woman, but about every remarkable woman that ever lived.

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is a very inspiring and watchable movie about sexual discrimination on our daughters. It is a deeply moving tale of a feminist father and his gutsy daughter who fights all odds to reach her childhood dreams of reaching for the sky.

While this may be a war movie, it however is largerly about sexual discrimination at work againt women in a male-oriented society. This movie very ably demonstrates that, with a very supportive father, a daughter can reach up to the sky. Very inspirational for females.

Hope our male-oriented society can learn that male chauvinism and discrimination are threat to progress and human development. And your own daughters and loved ones could be victims of this short-sighted prejudice. 

Hope we will be fairer, sensible and more compassionate to make a difference to the discriminated women in workplaces - and in everyday real lives. 

And more than anywhere, this is still very relevant in modern India today.

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is an Auckland journalist and a media commentator, and runs his blog FIJI PUNDIT. He is originally from Fiji. E-mail: thakurji@xtra.co.nz]

WHEN SOME GOOD KIWI MUSLIMS STOOD UNITED AGAINST TERRORISM

 WHEN SOME GOOD KIWI MUSLIMS STOOD UNITED AGAINST TERRORISM: MARKING ANNIVERSARY OF CHRISTCHURCH TERROR ATTACK

Thakur Ranjit Singh

On 26 November, 2008, Taj Hotel, Mumbai was attacked by a Pakistan - based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba. This terrorist group is alleged to be linked and helped by Pakistani Government and its Intelligence, ISI. Some 167 people were killed. They were mostly Indian citizens but many foreigners were also singled out.

Pakistan based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba attack on Taj Hotel Mumbai on 26 November, 2008. There was an almost complete silence by good Muslims on such Islamic terrorism around the world.

Over the last four decades, there have been multitudes of Islamic terror attacks worldwide against mostly non-Muslim targets. Apart from India, these were in Lebanon, France, Israel, Spain, Saudi Arabia, USA, Netherlands, England, Pakistan, Australia and Russia, among others. And the death toll in such attacks exceeded some five thousand (5,000).

After the Taj attack in Mumbai, I commented about the deafening silence on the attacks from any Muslims or Muslim organisations in New Zealand. I was indirectly threatened with harm by a supposedly Muslim leader for raising such a view. Because of tragic and sometimes, fatal endings to such criticisms by Jihadists and fundamentalists, there have been almost complete lack of criticisms on such Islamic terrorist attacks. 

This article was also given to local publications, but I understand their fear in not choosing to publish it, as media is a business.

Survivors and relatives celebrate as they leave the High Court in Christchurch, NZ on 27 August, 2020 (NZ Herald Photo)

Islam is known as a respectable religion with very deep and learned  teachings for all of us. I have attended Islamic discourse, preaching of Kitab (holy book) in my native Rarawai, Ba, Fiji at private resident of my Muslim uncle, Wali Mohammed. I found the teachings extremely enthralling, deeply knowledgeable and highly educational and inspirational. 

Based on such deep philosophy, majority of Muslims in the world are good and peaceful citizens. But it saddens me that such a great religion appears to be tarnished by a handful of fundamentalists who seem to have hijacked it for violent purposes. And the greater tragedy for the world has been the deafening silence from the majority of good and peaceful Muslims themselves against such vicious actions by their brothers degrading Islam.

Ahad Nabi, flexing his muscles, told the terrorist that he was weak and a loser. He rebuked the terrorist: "Your father was a garbage man and you became the trash of society...suitable to be buried in landfill.." (NZ Herald Photo and Quote)

Therefore, the change came as a breath of fresh air in the aftermath of 2019 terror attack against Muslim worshipers on Jumma (Friday) prayers in two Christchurch Mosques in New Zealand. There were resounding cries, curses and denouncements of terrorism by Muslims during the trial in August, 2020. 

Indeed, this was historical when the tables were turned. The majority of victims comprised people from international Islamic nations. Pleasantly surprisingly, the survivors and the relatives of the victims all sang from the same hymn sheet in a loud chorus to deplore and condemn terrorism. Such a stance against terrorism by Muslims has been almost unprecedented.

Abdul Aziz Wahabzadah, a survivor of the attack who had confronted the terrorist, rebuking him in the trial on 26 August, 2020. (NZ Herald Photo)

The terror attack by a lone wolf terrorist in Christchurch on 15 March 2019 came as a complete surprise in a peaceful Aotearoa. It was shockingly revealed that the attack was a reversal situation where Muslims were the victims of a supposedly White supremacist killer from Australia. Reportedly he was partly inspired by past Islamic attacks on the Europeans.

The response by New Zealand, and in particular, its very compassionate and empathetic Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern was exemplary. Her wrapping of arms, literally and metaphorically around the affected and grieving international Muslim community made her a world celebrity.  

This show of leadership in face of adversity and tragedy became a model and “playbook” for other world leaders. Those injured and killed were from Turkey, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Fiji, Egypt, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, among others. This became an international tragedy in Aotearoa.

A bereaved family, Janna Ezat (centre) with daughter and husband (right), forgiving the terrorist in the trial. (NZ Herald Photo)

However, some good appears to have come out of this adversity and tragedy. This was an extremely rare event where the international Muslim community stood shoulder to shoulder in unity to denounce, curse (coward, maggot, rotten meat, among others) and raise voices against terrorism and the Australian terrorist. Tear-jerking and heart-rending tales of the dead and the survivors came out in the victim impact statements. 

In yet another unprecedented event, the surviving victims and the bereaved had an opportunity to face and lock eyes with the killer in a civilised court in a First World Country. They were allowed to rebuke, curse or shout at the killer. Similar opportunity may never have been granted to families of thousands massacred by Islamic terrorists around the world.

Families standing united to denounce and rebuke the terrorist in the in Christchurch, New Zealand (NZ Herald Photo)

Indeed we need more Muslims to abhor and object terrorism anywhere by anybody - and not only when Muslims are the victims.

Some overseas relatives even took advantage of New Zealand taxpayer generosity to be gifted free trips to attend the trial and give statements.

This also gave closure to the survivors and the bereaved. It presented them an opportunity to speak their hearts out, hoping the messages would touch cords of other terrorists, at least those of their faith, planning to commit similar monstrous and heinous crimes on other innocent lives.

Edmund Burke, the 18th century Irish statesman and philosopher said:

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

And the court case and ensuing victim statements proved that there are many good Muslims amongst us who are prepared to do something good to curb and restraint the triumph of evil. They stood up to deplore and condemn terrorism.

There were even hails of Allah Hu Akbar (Allah is great) in the Christchurch High Court, to shame and denounce the Australian terrorist.

Ironically, the same chants are also recited by many terrorists who take innocent lives and kill in the name of God, as they did at Taj Hotel in Mumbai in 2008. And many terrorists also recite the same as they slit the throats of their innocent victims.

We need more good Muslims around the world to oppose and detest against minority fundamentalists who tarnish the name of their religion.

The Taj Hotel, Mumbai attack by Islamic terrorists from Pakistan on 26 November, 2008. Over 167 people were killed in the terror attack.

The only thing I was disappointed with the Australian terrorist was that he chose to remain silent during the trial. I would have liked him to speak just this one line: 

I am sorry for what I did, but hope it delivered home the message that Muslims also have feelings and feel aggrieved like others around the world, killed by terrorists like me.

We hope good Muslims around the world can muster enough resolve and courage to stand up and deplore terrorism on anybody, anywhere - and not only when victims happen to be  Muslims – as was the case in New Zealand.

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a Kiwi Fiji Indian journalist and a media commentator, based in Auckland. He runs his blog FIJI PUNDIT. E-mail: thakurjifj@gmail.com

FATHERS DAY SPECIAL- SOME FATHER-SON RELATIONS IN MAHABHARAT ERA

FATHERS DAY: LESSONS FOR HINDUS FROM KRISHN'S YUG.

Thakur Ranjit Singh

Normally, Krishn Janam Astmi and Fathers Day in NZ falls near each other. Therefore, I wish to extract some examples of father-son relations from Dwaapar Yug of Krishna to enlighten our friends.

Therefore, this Father’s Day, I wish to republish some knowledge of rare father-son relationships during times of Krishn and Mahabharat.

This FATHERS DAY, you may be cursed to have a son like Kans who usurps and steals his father's property. Or a son like Ashwatthama, born through a respected Guru Dron but became evil through bad company.

Or like Diryodhan, who was spoilt by a blind father. Hope you are neither a blind father like Dhritrsatr nor spoil and undeservedly favour your children who become a curse to your family.

The luckiest father would have an understanding, compassionate and sacrificing son like Deovrat, better known as Bhishm Pitamah, or like Abhimanyu, Ghatotkatch or Krishn, who all were pride to their respective fathers and families.

Unfortunately, those singing Ramayan in the Mandali existing in my village of Rarawai in Ba for over sixty years seemed to have learnt little, as my experience with the new generation reveals. We need to question relevance of such religious rejoicing and singing when in action, they seem to have learnt nothing and remain parrot-like, learn nothing from what they sing and preach. So, they may find out from this posting what sort of sons my generation has produced.

Please read this synopsis and get detailed knowledge through your pundits. 

Those confused with when we celebrate Fathers Day, this day in Northern Hemisphere (Canada/USA) falls on THIRD SUNDAY OF JUNE every year, while in Southern Hemisphere (NZ/FIJI/Australia), it is on FIRST SUNDAY OF SEPTEMBER.

Have a blessed, and enlightened FATHERS DAY .....Please read on....

VASUDEV-KRISHN - Father Vasudev takes his son Krishn to Nandji in Gokul for safety. Krishn regards Nandji as his father and Yashoda as his mother. He was a pride to both his fathers: Vasudev and Nandji, and both his mothers: Devaki and Yashoda. Any father would be blessed to have a natkhat (naughty), yet loving, compassionate and obedient Kishan Kanhaiya as his son.

1) KRISHN - VASUDEV/NAND: we always talk about two mothers of Krishn, but rarely mention His two fathers.

Vasudev was his “biological” father who faced all sorts of atrocities, troubles and dangers in jail of his brother-in-law (Sala), Kans, in Mathura, where Kans's his sister, Devaki gave “birth” to Krishn. 

After birth, Vasudev faced many dangers in delivering Krishn from life-threatening situation from Mathura to Gokul, to safety and care of Nand (and Mata Yashoda).

Krishna is also referred to as Nand Lala (Nand’s son) where apart from two mothers, he also had two fathers - Nand and Vasudev. Krishna never felt he had any other father but Nandji. The story of Krishn balances off all the negative tales of "Sautelapan” and “Maybha” parents. (Of adopted children). 

Here is a very exemplary relationship where the son shone as a pride for both pairs of His parents. The lesson is that love and affection exposed in nurturing children override relationship of birth. Heart and love of children can be won with affection - and love.

ARJUN (Bahnoi), KRISHN (Sala) and ABHIMANYU (Bhanja)- This son was a pride to his father for his courage and determination, and gave the only lineage of Pandavs - Raja Parikshit. You can feel proud if you have a dutiful and courageous son like Abhimanyu

2) ARJUN -ABHIMANYU: Abhimanyu was a son who raised the profile of his warrior father Arjun by sacrificing his life, knowing that he would not be able to complete  and come out of the "Chakravyuh" - (the trap, multiple defensive walls). He could only enter it but could not come out alive.

He was Bhaine (nephew) of Lord Krishn, son of his sister Subhadra. Krishna could have saved Abhimanyu, but He allowed fate to take its course so that an angry and vengeful Arjun could complete the path of Mahabharat and divert that fighter stance to destroy evil.

This episode also substantiates the medical science that children are affected by their environment when in the mother's womb. Abhimanyu was still in Subhadra’s womb when he first heard his uncle Krishn telling his sister about the secrets of the almost impenetrable military formation known as the Chakravyuh. But then Subhadra fell asleep while listening to Krishn's story, and so the unborn child was able to hear only part of the secret. Hence he could not break out of it alive, and hence sacrificed his life for the honour of his father and clan.

Any father would be proud of a son like Abhimanyu. The lesson is for sons to stand up to attempt the impossible for love and honour of their family and clan. 

He died but left the last Chirag or lineage of Pandavs - Raja Parikshit, who was in his wife Uttra’s womb when he died in breaking out of Chakravyuh in Mahabharat.

DHRITRASTR- DURYODHAN: A very bad combination where the lust and greed for his son's success blinded the already blind king. Hope you do not get a villain son like Diryodhan or become  a blind father like Dhritrsatra

3) DHRITRASTR- DURYODHAN: This was perhaps the most unholy relation between a father and a son. It is a lesson to all fathers that they should not spoil their children and submit to all their demands in selfishness for their glory, and accept their unrighteous (sinful, wrong) acts silently. That resulted in complete annihilation (destruction) of Kauravs and vansh (lineage) of the blind father, who was literally as well as spiritually blind.

While this aptly applies to a father-son relation in Fiji politics, I will refrain to name them. At times, the downfall of a father is the "uch akanchaaye" or selfish greed for success of the son, who, like Duryodhan, turns out to be evil and sinful. 

A father (and also a mother) who blindly overlooks the bad deeds of his son may cause the destruction of his lineage and glory. Love for a son should never blind the father of the choice between the right and the wrong. Dhritrsatr was such a blind father, in all respects of blindness

Pray you do not have a child like Diryodhan, or even be a blind father who spoils their children, that leads to destruction, loss, dishonor or destruction of the clan.

BHIMSEN, HIDIMBI and son GHATOTKATCH. While from an ogre (rachasi) lineage, he was a son any father could be proud of. Another dutiful and courageous Pandav son, like his cousin, Abhimanyu. You are blessed with a son like him.

4) BHIM-GHATOTKATCH: Rarely mentioned in our parvachans, he was a Pandav Kul, son of Bhim Sen born through an ogre (rachasi) woman from lineage of Hidimba, when Pandavs were in “agyaat vass" (secret exile) in the forest.

This son was the salvation of Pandavs in Mahabharat and was instrumental in victory of Pandavs, when he created havoc in the battle. Hence, Karn was forced to use the deadly and sure-shot weapon reserved for Arjun’s death on Ghatotkach who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Even born in a Rachas Kul (Ogre lineage) or of low-maternal association, he stood tall for his father, lineage, heritage and Kul.

Pray you get an exemplary son like Ghatotkach, who changed the course of Mahabharat, was instrumental in saving life of Arjun and hence the victory for Pandavs.

5) UGRASEN-KANS: The less said, the better. Ugrasen was Nana (maternal grandfather) of Krishn, and was imprisoned by his own son, Kans. 

Sadly we still have present-day sons like Kans who usurp the property of their parents, abuse their retirement funds and discard or mistreat them. And sing glories on fathers day but mistreat for the rest of the year. Pray nobody has a son like him who was also very unkind and brutal to his sister Devaki and brother-in-law (Bahnoi) Vasudev.

Contrary to belief of some that Kans was a reincarnation of Ravan, this was not so. Equivalent of Ravan and Kumbhkaran in Dwapar Yug were Shishupal and Dantavakr, who both were killed by Krishn.

Pray none of you get a son, brother or Mama like Kans, who steals the property of his father and ultimately meets an appropriate death from hands of his Bhaine, Krishn.

The lesson is that if you behave like Kans, you will end up like him.

BHISHAM PITAMAH: Because of his big sacrifice to remain bachelor for the happiness of his father, he was given a boon (vardan) to have "icha mrityu" (die when he wishes). He left us with the lesson of a son's ultimate sacrifice for happiness of his father. Any father is blessed to have a son like Pitamah (Deovrat)

6) SANTANU-BHISHAM PITAMAH: Thankful are fathers who have a son like Bhisham (Deovrat), who sacrificed his 'Jawani" and whole adult life, and vows never to marry for the happiness of his father. How many sons we have now, who will agree to their fathers remarrying for their happiness, after (untimely) death of their mothers?

I know sons who object to happiness of their widower fathers having a companion after death of their mothers. Many sons in our community who hail wah wah to Bhisham Pitamah need to learn from his sacrifice and pita prem (fatherly love). 

Great are sons who can be as understanding and act like Bhisham for happiness of their lonely fathers, and not become an obstacle to their happiness in their advanced age.

Many modern-day sons need to appreciate that we humans are social creatures and need company and partners for companionship. 

Pray that we have sacrificing, compassionate and understanding sons like Bhisham Pitamah.

7) GURU DRON - ASHWATHAMA: While considered an avatar of Lord Shiv and being son of such a sage, the fact that Ashwatthama sided with unrighteous (sinful) Kauravas, he lost all praises, especially when he vents on killing the Pandavs. 

The lesson, "sangat seh gunn aaye, sangatt se gunn jaaye” (the company of a child determines his character) is relevant here. Even born of good and righteous parents, a child in wrong company will be like this son of Guru Dron Acharya. 

Hence all fathers need to be wary of this. The lesson here is that if you need your children to be your pride, you need to ensure they are in the right company.

DISCUSSION

I hope both fathers and sons will learn and get some knowledge and understanding on important relationships in a family.

I also hope these synopsis and thoughts will generate interest for you to delve deeper into these subjects, which are not mere historical stories, but still relevant to modern men. And hope you grasp the underlying message from our scriptures and Leela of Krishn in becoming better human being.

After a happy and fruitful Janam Astmi, FIJI PUNDIT wishes you all a very Happy Father’s Day, which falls on the first Sunday of September in the Southern Hemisphere. Those in Canada, USA and Britain in Northern Hemisphere have there's on third Sunday of June.

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is an Auckland journalist and a media commentator, and runs his blog FIJI PUNDIT. He is originally from Fiji. E-mail: thakurjifj@gmail.com]