AN ECSTASY

We are like islands in the sea, separate on the

surface but connected in the deep
WILLIAM JAMES

Chabahar port deal can enable India to

break out of strategic encirclement

rime Minister Narendra Modis two-day visit to Iran not only

provides a significant boost to New Delhi-Tehran ties but also
enhances Indias strategic depth in West Asia. The visit comes
at a time when Iran is emerging from US-led sanctions after the Iran
nuclear deal inked last year. The most significant of the 12 MoUs and
agreements signed on this visit relates to the development and
operation of the Chabahar port on Irans southern coast.
India will provide $500 million to develop Chabahar that facilitates
New Delhis access to landlocked Afghanistan. Hitherto IndiaAfghanistan trade and commerce have been restricted by the
overland route via Pakistan. Its no secret that Pakistan wants to
block any commerce or interaction between India and Afghanistan.
Pakistans Gwadar port being developed by the Chinese as part of
the $46 billion China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor is just 100 km
from Chabahar. While China has
planned big infrastructure projects
in the region as part of its Silk Route
Economic Belt initiative, it is unlikely
India will have much access to these
as China tilts to Pakistan on issues
related to India.
This is precisely why connectivity
through Iran is absolutely crucial
for Indias strategic interests in the
region. Besides Afghanistan, Chabahar can also be linked up to the
International North-South Transport Corridor a portion of this,
the Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan rail link, is already operational
giving India access to the resource-rich Central Asian Republics.
In this regard, India has already built the Zaranj-Delaram road in
Afghanistan and plans a railway link from Chabahar to Zahedan as
part of the regional transit corridor.
However, India must deliver on promises and expectations. The
Chabahar project was conceived more than a decade ago. True,
sanctions on Iran posed a big obstacle. But now they are gone and
New Delhi needs to push ahead. Plus, Iran can play a vital role in
shoring up Indias energy security with its significant reserves of
crude and natural gas. With Iran looking to come out of its earlier
economic morass, it could provide a substantial market for India.
Add to this the security dimension of the relationship with New
Delhi and Tehran agreeing to cooperate on terrorism and consult
each other on regional stability. Taken together, its time to script a
fresh chapter in India-Iran relations and revive strong civilisational
ties between the two nations.

Jayalalithaas Options
Tamil Nadu needs a robust economy and jobs,
not more of freebie culture

he euphoria accompanying chief minister J Jayalalithaas

anointment in Tamil Nadu is understandable. But it must be
accompanied by a realistic estimate of the states fiscal
situation, which is worrisome. There is an urgent need for her
newly sworn government to transcend the current narrative of
populism and transition towards a fiscally sustainable model which
encourages a vibrant economic environment. Tamil Nadu has
earned the sobriquet of freebie capital of India. But unless the
economy does better, this model will soon implode.
Tamil Nadu is hurtling towards a debt sustainability issue. Over 10% of its revenue goes
towards repaying interest on past debt. If one
were to add to this expenditure towards subsidies,
salaries and pensions, that is the fiscal problem
Jayalalithaa has to address. However, Jayalalithaas first announcements included 100 units of
free power and waiver of crop loan for farmers, which
doesnt augur well. In addition she has decided to close down
500 government-owned liquor shops and reduced the time for others
from 12 to 10 hours a day. Liquor shops run by state-owned TASMAC
have been a major source for funding the freebies Amma canteens,
Amma pharmacy, Amma salt and Amma cement, to name a few.
The acute power shortage in most parts of the state outside Chennai
also has created a situation where about 60% of the states industrial
production happens within 150 km of the capital city. It is also facing
strong competition from Sri City in Andhra Pradesh, which is just 70
km from Chennai, in terms of attracting industrial investment. So
much so that even the metro coaches for the Chennai metro are
being made there. Reviving the manufacturing sector and providing
employment would be the best way for the AIADMK government to
repay the people of Tamil Nadu for the historic mandate received.

Patriarchy remains deaf to the Qurans call for justice, equality and compassion
Sadia Dehlvi

Whenever Muslim women approach the judiciary in a quest for justice,

Muslim orthodoxy rallies
against the abolition
of Personal Laws. Their
rhetoric of identity under attack resumes.
Clearly, Indian Muslims have moved beyond the politics of identity; choosing to express themselves through contributions to
science, architecture, law, medicine, film,
theatre, music, literature and other fields.
Debates over the validity of pronouncing talaq, divorce, three times in one go or
over three months offer no solutions. Both
methods find permissibility in schools of
Islamic fiqh, jurisprudence. Unilateral
divorce allows men to commit grave injustices by stripping women of honour and
dignity, inalienable rights both in Islam
and the Indian Constitution. It is unwise to
expect reform from the community whose
religious leaders have historically treated
women as subjects and not equals.
Islamic law is a human endeavour that
evolved over centuries with multiple
schools holding diverse opinion. The
principles of Islamic jurisprudence are
weighing the benefit and harm of legal
rulings in societies that jurists live in.
Barring the foundational five pillars of
Islam, nothing in Islamic law is definitive.
Salafis and Wahhabis reject classical Islamic jurisprudence and philosophy. Their
myopic literalist interpretations of Islam
cause gross violations of human rights.
Sharia has always been flexible in
adapting to changing times and situations.
Umar, the second Caliph of Islam and companion of Prophet Muhammad, dropped
sharia punishments for theft when famine
struck Arabia. He realised people were stealing to survive. The eighth century Imam
Shafie, founder of Shafie jurisprudence,
changed many of his fatwas on migrating
from Iraq to Egypt. Had sharia lacked
movement, Islam would not thrive in India.
Islam is dynamic, understood and
practised in a variety of ways in different
cultures. Patriarchy remains deaf to the
Qurans call for equality, justice and
compassion that extends to all humanity.
Excluding women from leadership, patri-

archy is blind to the Quran celebrating the

wise consultative rule of Queen Sheba and
her diplomatic engagement with Solomon.
Patriarchy fails to recognise the
Quran honouring women as recipients of
wahy, Divine Revelation; as experienced by
Mosess mother and Mariam, or Mary.
Some famous early and medieval commentators of the Quran, such as Imam
Hajar Asqalani and Imam Qurtubi,
include Mary amongst the prophets.
The Islam of Prophet Muhammad disappeared within 40 years of his death with
powerful and oppressive patriarchal tribes
regaining power. The poor, women and
slaves embraced by Islam were again marginalised. Islams paradigm shift in empowering women and slaves had created great difficulties for the Prophet. He sought political
counsel from women, welcomed them in his
mosque; encouraged women like Haqibatul
Arab to deliver khutbahs, sermons. He
appointed Umm Waraqa the Imam of her
mosque, and sent a muezzin, one calling to
prayer, from Medina to her village.
Some Islamic scholars, including the
famous 9th century Imam Tabari, drew
upon this precedent to proclaim it lawful for
women to lead mixed gender prayers. Ame-

Islamic law is a human

endeavour that evolved over
centuries with multiple
schools holding diverse
opinion. The principles of
Islamic jurisprudence are
weighing the benefit and
harm of legal rulings in
societies that jurists live in
rican Muslim feminists are reclaiming this
tradition despite the controversies it evokes.
Islam abrogated the concept of God
as Father, saying, Nothing is like Allah.
God transcends gender and is best
understood as Noor, Compassionating
and Illuminating Guidance. He, is used
in the Quran and its translations because
Arabic grammar is gender specific with
no pronoun for the neuter gender. In most
languages including Arabic, Persian and
Urdu, the feminine is applied for Zaat e
Elahiya, Divine Essence.
The word rahm, womb, is derived

Indrani.Bagchi@timesgroup.com

The Kaladan multimodal transit-transport

system connecting Indias northeastern states
through Myanmar to its
Sittwe port was intended
to be a landmark project that would
power Indias links to the Asean region.
Signed in 2008, the project was supposed
to be completed by 2013. But its unlikely
to get anywhere for at least another few
years largely because the Indian government estimate of the entire project was
wildly inaccurate. The cost, starting out
at Rs 535 crore in 2008, is now a massive
Rs 2,904 crore. Not to speak of the impact
on bilateral relations with Myanmar or
even Indias larger strategic outreach to
the rest of Asia.
Over the last decade, as India has
moved to becoming a more active international player, its foreign policy has
been hobbled by New Delhis inability to
deliver on promises, or to see its initiatives
through. It means years later, subsequent
governments have to jump through
hoops just to maintain credibility. While
the Modi government is working on
laundry lists of achievements, it might
be more instructive to judge themselves
on things they get done rather than
things they start, leaving it to others to
make up for their delays.
The Chabahar port and connectivity
project, for instance, has been a talking

We were to build roads in the

Terai, prove we are as good as
the Chinese. Turns out the
contractor abandoned work
point for well over a decade. The first
trilateral agreement between India, Iran
and Afghanistan was signed in 2003; Manmohan Singh signed another trilateral
MoU in 2012. The first framework agreement however only happened when Nitin
Gadkari travelled to Iran in 2015. Prime
Minister Narendra Modi signed the final
deal yesterday, to build and operate the
port. India built the Zaranj-Delaram
highway by 2009, but connecting to the

port remained undone. So Indias great

dream of connecting to Central Asia
through Iran is still in progress.
In September 2013, India and the US
signed the Defence Trade and Technology
Initiative (DTTI) through which the US
would be building defence equipment in
India. The first meeting was held only in
September 2014. DRDO, the nodal agency,
was hopelessly ill-equipped to handle
this initiative so it ran cold. Now control
of this project has moved, giving India
and the US a chance to perhaps manufacture jet engines here. Basically, the
gap between what we say and what we do
is the India credibility gap.
The biggest example has been nuclear
liability. Having secured a historic waiver
for nuclear commerce by NSG in 2008,
India scored a self-goal with an ill-designed
liability law in 2010. Justified on moral
grounds, it froze out foreign nuclear
players leading the US to take the grouse to
other aspects of the relationship. It also
stopped nuclear supplies by Indian
companies to domestic power plants. Five
years later, India had to work out a new
understanding with the US, complete
administration arrangements (all hanging fire), reassure nuclear companies,
ratify CSC after creating an insurance
pool, getting NPCIL to buy cover, etc.
Indian companies are considering bidding
as nuclear suppliers after almost six years.
India has messed up Nepal in more
ways than one. Just look at how we were
supposed to build roads in the Terai to

dilbert

The writer has authored books on Sufi Islam

ease connectivity, prove we are as good as

the Chinese. Years later, it turns out land
availability was not checked, of the six
phases only one has been completed, the
contractor has actually abandoned the
work. This government then went ahead
and blockaded Nepal. New Delhi worries
about growing anti-India pro-China
sentiment in Nepal. Wonder why?
India was one of Mahinda Rajapaksas
earliest supporters but somehow he
was allowed to slip out of our sphere of
influence and by 2013 India was staring at
a security nightmare with the Colombo
Port City project financed by China. India
is the largest user of the Colombo Port
but it can only do damage control now.
China is not Indias only opposition in
global non-proliferation regimes. As a
result of the Indian decision to arrest two
Italian marines for mistaking Kerala
fishermen as Somalian pirates, and
letting the case sit around without resolution, Italy has gone out of its way to ensure
there were no India-EU summits after
2013 (until March 2016), blocked Indias
membership to the MTCR at the last
moment, and is opposing India in the NSG
as well. Much diplomatic capital has to
be expended by this government to give
everybody an honourable exit.
Indians will find ways to blame
others for mess-ups. Or blame the lack of
numbers in MEA. Maybe foreign policy
practice should involve game theory. Or,
Indian governments could concentrate on
just getting things done. That could work.

Sacredspace
Human Evolution
Human evolution has
two steps from being
somebody to being
nobody;and from being
nobody to being everybody.
This knowledge can bring
sharing and caring
throughout the world.

CBSE results just confirm

that having children is over-rated
Radhika Vaz

The writer is a comedian

from Gods primary attributes Rahman

and Rahim, Mercy and Compassion.
Prophet Muhammad often likened God
to a Mother who forgives her children.
Traditional Arab poets addressed God in
the feminine, literature that would
probably be termed blasphemous today.
The Quran advocates equitable treatment of slaves and encourages freeing
them, but does not specifically ban slavery.
Responding to prevailing 7th century Arabian evils, Quran forbade the inheriting of
women, female infanticide and abuse of
slaves. Muslims across the world welcomed
the abolition of slavery, believing it to be in
accordance with Quranic guidance.
Islamic scholars have responded creatively with Quranic verses sanctioning
armed struggles. Invoking the principle of
asbab e nuzul, cause of revelation, they
rightly limit this relevance to just wars
against oppression fought by the first
Muslims. Instead of similar creative
engagement with regard to oppressive
canonised laws for women, patriarchy
maintains the status quo. Womens rights
can no longer be defined by political Islam
or Arab culture and histories.
In matters of inheritance and nafaqa,
maintenance, Quran guarantees a minimum financial protection for women but
does not cap the maximum. Offering
more financial and emotional security
to women can never conflict with Islam.
Prophet Muhammad famously said,
None of you believes till you love for
the other what you love for yourselves.
Sharia law denies the right of
punishment to individuals, leaving
this responsibility to the state. Sharia
endorses responsible citizenry, making
it mandatory for Muslims to comply
with laws of the lands they inhabit.
Traditionally, women pilgrims travelling to Mecca required to be accompanied
by a mahram, husband or other male relatives with whom marriage is forbidden.
Negotiating modern challenges, many
Islamic scholars have ruled it permissible
for women to travel alone. They declare the
state as mahram, for in ensuring security,
the laws of the state replace the role of the
protective bodies. This principle should
extend to the Indian state.

Tall Chabahar promises: But the gap between

what we say and what we do is the India credibility gap

No kidding
Childless people rejoice! Having kids is over-rated. I didnt realise
that until this past Sunday when i accidentally Googled Sheetal
Mafatlals mom and CBSE results and read about all the stress
i had unwittingly avoided just by not reproducing. And if that
wasnt enough my own bff whatsapped to let me know that while
on holiday with her two bundles of joy one lost its cellphone and
the other lost its iPad. My friend, we can safely assume, has since lost her mind
but i still have mine. Know why? Yes! Its because i dont have kids.
Look, as a no-kid person i wouldnt make such a big deal of my lifestyle if all
you pro-kid people left us alone. But you guys wont. Every day millions of women
between the ages of 21and 45 have to listen to you tell us how amazing having kids
is and if we show any doubt in your conviction you quickly tell us that of all the
things in life you regret your kids are most certainly NOT one of them. Except my
bff of course who is now two digital devices down and regrets everything.
But coming back to my carefree life and me i am left with no choice but to
tom-tom the joys of not-motherhood because someone has to. Take
heart my childless comrades sure we dont get to celebrate Mothers
Day but then we dont have to celebrate Parents Day either, an event
that forces parents to tolerate not only the limitations of their own
childs talents but those of other peoples kids as well. As an aunt let me tell you
that sitting through bff s son perform his entire repertoire of animal sounds
over and over again is one thing, watching the child of the most irritating
parent on the PTA sing badly would be quite another.
But even so in 2016 it still feels like the only acceptable reason for childlessness is being single, in which case having a child would freak everyone out good
and proper, or being biologically unable to bear fruit. The idea that a woman
may choose to remain childless and have no regrets hasnt even crossed anyones mind. Possibly because they are figuring out what to do with a 65% in
Chemistry or searching for an iPhone. But i promise you i have no regrets. None.
I am a woman who doesnt have kids, doesnt want them and doesnt regret any
of it. Other peoples kids, like their high heels, are more fun anyway.

THE TIMES OF INDIA, NEW DELHI

TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2016

Abolish Personal Laws

A thought for today

Modi In Iran

OF IDEAS

Uday Deb

20

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Who Is The Greatest Guru Of All Time?

Pulkit Sharma

he Mahabharata narrates the

story of Eklavya, a tribal with
immense potential who aspired to
study archery from Dronacharya, the
revered guru of the Kauravas and Pandavas. But, when he approached Dronacharya, his request was turned down as
the guru was appointed to teach only
royalty. Drona did not wish to accept a
tribal boy as his disciple. Heartbroken,
Eklavya made a statue of Dronacharya
and every day he would seek guidance
and support from the statue besides doing
rigorous self-taught practice in archery.
In due course, Eklavya turned out to be so
magnificent an archer that he had the
potential to defeat even the students
trained personally by Dronacharya.
Who really was Eklavyas guru? Was
it just his own aspiration inspired by
Dronas skill or was there some kind of
Divine intervention? When relating to a
guru, people often confuse the physical

body or mental intelligence to be the

guru. They may even compare different
gurus. The truth is, though, that there is
only one guru in the universe the Divine.
According to Siddheshwar Baba, since
time immemorial, the Divine has assumed different names and forms and has
manifested in realised persons so that
they could guide sincere seekers
on the path of transcendence.
Some great spiritual
experiences bestowed upon
disciples through their guru
may not be even known to the
guru. This is because Divine
Consciousness is utilising the
form of the physical guru as an
instrument to manifest itself
and help genuine seekers in
their evolution. Thus, all
gurus, avatars and prophets put
together represent One Reality.
In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali highlights that Ishvara or Divine Consciousness which can manifest in different

forms is unbound by time and has the

unparalleled seed of omniscience.
Ishvara is considered to be the earliest
teacher the teacher of all teachers.
Success in yoga can be achieved by
submitting to, reflecting on and
meditating upon Divine Consciousness.
When we surrender ourselves before
the Divine, this seed of
omniscience is positioned in
us and in due course of time it
sprouts and flourishes, thereby
dissolving all falsehoods.
Whenever a seeker has the
sincere aspiration to progress,
Divine Consciousness
graciously appears on the
scene either in its original
formless state or by assuming
a form to guide the person.
There are people who spend a
lot of time in searching for an ideal
guru in the external physical realm.
They take initiation from several places
but rarely show any commitment and

the

speaking
tree

quickly shift from one school of thought

to another. They also try to compare
various schools of thought with the
intent of figuring out which is the better
one. This is nothing but sheer ignorance
and wastage of time.
What one requires to progress is a
deep faith. When it is the same force that
illuminates all masters, why bother
about external attributes and practices?
Why should one waste time in fighting
wars over which particular school of
spirituality or religion is the superior
one when all of them are only
instruments for realisation? All paths
are equally good because their end goal
is the same. One must seek the One in
everyone with reverence and gratitude.
Therefore, one must never be hopeless
but always pray to Divine Consciousness
for guidance, support and enlightenment.
And when the prayer is sincere and
comes from the soul, it will be heard.
(The writer is a clinical psychologist.)
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