IT LEFT ME shaken, just like it must have left you. The December 16 attack on school children in Peshawar was one of the most ghastly attacks against humanity that I can recall in recent times. What else can you call it?
The lives of 145 children and teachers of Army Public School, Peshawar, were snuffed out by terrorists from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Ironically, the dark, dark day must have begun like any other. The mothers of the children must have hurriedly packed tiffin boxes with warm food, ironed their clothes and kissed their foreheads as they left. Not even in their worst nightmares could they have imagined their children would come back in coffins.
What happened in Peshawar should not be considered an attack on Pakistan; it should be taken as an attack on humanity, an attack that each of us should condemn. And yet, it is a fear that we fight every day of our lives.
It is also the time to draw strength from the pain and decide to not give in to despondence, hopelessness and fatalism. It is the time to channelise that anger and hurt into something more positive. For frustration and anger when channelised into the right direction can not only help one deal with pain and hurt, but also make something bigger for others to draw strength from.
This is also a reason why we ring in the New Year with the Maharaja of Jodhpur, Maharaja of Jodhpur, Gaj Singhji, on the cover of DW. That is because his story is of pure grit and courage in the face of pain and tragedy. It was in 2005 that his son, Yuvraj Shivraj Singh, had a near-death experience after being crushed under a horse while playing polo.
Shivraj Singh is still recovering from the accident.
What did the father do? Lose hope? Of course, there must have been a phase of that too, but he fought back with negative feelings. He looked beyond the tragedy and decided to turn his pain into a mission to help others like his son.
Today, Gaj Singhji is using the same game that hurt his son to help many others like him. The polo weekend that he hosts with UK-based British Polo Day every December is one step in the direction of healing many. Through the course of the three-day extravaganza, a reception held at Gaj Singh’s residence, the Umaid Bhawan Palace, sees a live auction for the benefit of The Indian Head Injury Foundation and Head Injury through Sport.
His story is one of faith personified. Faith can transform lives. Another story where faith becomes the guiding hand is in our Looking Back section, which covers author Amish Patel. Once an atheist who was defined by his arrogance, competitiveness and materialism, the author today is a devotee of Shiva and a more positive person.
So go on, keep the faith and start the New Year on a fresh note, a note to fight bitterness, to move on and do your bit. Here’s to a world of hope and love in 2015.