MEMO FROM NARA

Transition from the past to the present to the future has been realized by one and all. Nature changes from season to season with slight modification although the transition is certain. In other words, transition brings changes. Many changes are for good whereas some are not.

One of the glaring changes we observe in our daily life is food habits. People who have visited the US – in fact, most of the educated classes and business people and their young ones very often do – generally taste the American foods and develop a taste for them. They prefer to eat pizza, potato fries, KFC, Mc Donald burger etc. These people when come back home, try to search for such food to which they have developed a special taste. Of course, we do find the same types of food in Pizza Huts, Subways, KFCs and Mc Donald outlets in every city of India. The transition of food from country to country has become popular because of people’s preference.

Religions preach that God is beyond transition and thus there is no change in God.  Godly thoughts also do not change. Is it true that the natural process of change is applicable only to human beings? Is it possible for us to stop transition from the past to the present? I don’t think so, because the present and probably the future generations look for change and create changes. They live in change and bring in change. Advancements and progress in human activities like education, science, health, business, and social service bring in changes and transition happen from year to year and decade to decade. History hints at all these aspects. The transition from a manual typewriter to a computer and sending letters (messages) through posts to e-mails are very common examples we all know. In future, how these things are going to be transformed? – Only time will tell. So transition is linked somehow with time. We have heard about the animals lived in Planet Earth millions of years ago. Today they are extinct. Transition led to new kinds of animals! Therefore, we can assume that there is no end to transition on earth.

However the religious and philosophical ideals postulate that the intransient and immortal as the highest order of being. But transition is an inescapable reality. The nature of social organization and the innate political wisdom make transition not only inevitable but even desirable. Every country tries to improve the living conditions of its people and empower them with health and education. Such attempts bring progress and improvements in individual life and generate good citizens who in turn contribute for the changes. Marketing of commodities, management of finance and communicating the quality of products produced (Advertisements) have evolved over time. Selling things what human being needs in a sophisticated manner is another example for transition from exchange of goods for our food. By allowing education for women – a big change in countries like India – we have revolutionized the society and social order. Because of this transition today we see women working like men in all fields without fear or favour. They have built up courage and confidence in their mind to involve all aspects of social services. Someone rightly said: “Even truth changes every 8 or 10 years.” Therefore, whether one likes it or not change is bound to happen to create transition and we have to accept it.