Musings on Tsunami!

I thought I would write down a few words about Tsunamis. This Japanese word has become a tad too trite these days due to mass usage. There is something about the sacredness of a word that gets eroded when it is used by everyone. That’s one of the reasons why I think Sanskrit is a cool language – it was never spoken by the masses. But there are Sanskrit scholars who stupidly try to prove it was a spoken language in early days. Buddha himself gave his sermons in Pali becos Sanskrit was too elite a stuff.

But then, I came in to write about Tsunamis. I was at my friend’s place in Libertyville, a northern suburb of Chicago, when he told me of this news. I thought of it as a routine natural disaster that most of us are used to. But the media attention this event mustered did surprise me. When entire towns vanished in earthquake in Armenia and Mexico city, there was not this much hype and concern from the world press. This is unprecedented.

Probably due to the fact that this disaster happened close to Christmas time, compassion was pouring down from around the world. Countries were competing in showing their compassion for the “unfortunate”. I can never stop wondering at the callousness of these “kind” people.

From my own point of view, which is within India, I don’t see a cause for major concern due to tsunami. Its force was significantly reduced by the time it touched Indian shores. Of course, things have been bad in Indonesia et al, I am not denying that. But in India if everyone shouts Tsunami! then something is seriously wrong - seems to be a case of mass propaganda from our holy press. Govt and private companies collected one day’s salary from everyone. This alone will amount to a very huge sum that should set right any damage caused by the great wave. Besides huge donations were given by other people with tones of blackmoney – in an apparent bid to reserve a place in heaven.

My point is that media hype has aggravated the calamity. I think the media to be a bigger calamity than the tsunami, seeing the way they glorified the entire episode. I hope many of you have heard of the story of the king who could turn anything he touches into gold. Our media is similar – but whatever they touch turns into crap. When I say our media, I am being truly international – no national or class distinctions.

People from the civilized world rushed to the aid of the third world brothers. There were instances when people in the affected areas refused the vegetarian food that was offered to them by aid workers. I am not sure if it is entirely true, but will not be surprised even if it is. If these people can be so choosy about food, then you can imagine if there has been any real disaster at all. Can you think of people (whoever was left) in Hiroshima and Nagasaki showing preference for food after the attack?

The word tsunami has come to indicate trouble. One of my friends said she calls her son tsunami – he makes too much trouble!

Tsunami or not, life will continue. Not just here in India, but everywhere in the world.