Yena Kena Prakarena

This is the part of Sanskrit Subhashit which describes what one can or will do when he or she wants to be famous (or successful). It goes on to describe what people are inclined to do and then gives examples of people going around in the town, scratching the body like a monkey or rolling in the mud like a pig or braying (i.e. shouting) in the public.

Now, doesn't this seem to be somewhat similar to the media folks who hype out each and every event? Try listening to the news channel (if you have the capacity to listen it) and then you will forget the comedy programmes and settle on these channels only.

And why does this all happen? Everything is for remaining in the race for TRPs.

Some interesting instances how these mediawallahs do it.

A boy slipped into a well and the whole media world landed there to display the event live. Instead of helping to rescue the boy they tried dissect who is at fault and how he should be punished. And then there are some over ' enthusiastic folks whose only objective in life is to become famous. (Remember Yena Kena Prakarena ) They will shout at the top of the voice that how all and sundry did not do something and so the kid fell into the well.

Cut to Mumbai. Since 26th July 2005, every small rain brings back the fear of the Great Flood of Mumbai. And how can the media remain behind in stoking the fear. The favourite target of these media guys is the municipal administration and the electricity company. If there has been a problem, they are to blame because the people are pliable. If the electricity company switches of power to prevent electrocution death, they are to blame because they have switched off power. Sometimes there have been instances where media guys, just to get some "good coverage" have stopped the municipal workers from doing their work. A friend of mine has seen a TV folks asking a municipal worker to not switch on the pump to remove the flood water, so that they can get to create a scandalous scene and then hype their rating.

Add to this the folks who get their few minutes of limelight when the TV-wala (the one whom you have seen shouting at the top of the voice) shoves his mike in their mouth and says, "Yahan pani bhara hua hai, aapko kya lagta hai". "Yeh sab BMC walonke vajah se ho raha hai. Tax lete hai lekin har saal pani bharta hai hamare yahan." And such Blah Blah And if you delve deeper, you will find these folks may be the ones who have taken up houses in an area which is prone to flood. Now who is to fault?

While we blame the municipal guys, do we think how much we are to blame? Don't we take the short cut when we want to get our work done? Don't we need to introspect as to how much we are to blame, before we try to accuse the authorities of inaction?

Do think over…