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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Where boys do cry…

It has been a raging debate over the years – to rag or not to rag.

 

The evil of ragging juniors is something that seems to have seeped deep into the Indian educational system. And with each passing year, the levels of sadism exhibited seem to grow worse and worse.

 

Apparently, engineering colleges and army colleges are the worst of the lot. (I say this, not based on my perceptions, but after speaking to numerous folks out there.)

I guess the biggest question is – what exactly constitutes ragging? Some of the ‘events’ that constitute ragging at some colleges are:

 

a) Asking people to parade around as ‘Supermen’ – with their innerwear worn over the outerwear.

b) Making people perform obscene dances or gestures.

c) Talk about the anatomies of classmates of the opposite gender.

d) Making people burn themselves with cigarette butts.

 

I’m yet to understand how one can be sadistic enough to cause physical pain and/or mental anguish to other people for no reason at all. No one acknowledges that ragging happens in some of the best places to study at in India, but we all know that it’s there. Despite Supreme Court orders decreeing the strictest of action against offenders, people are just too scared to come out and speak, for fear of social ostracism and ‘bad consequences’.

 

Unfortunately, they don’t even tell family or friends and sometimes, suffer in silence till there’s nothing that can be done.

 

A friend of mine who joined a reputed institute recently narrated some such experiences to me, and I recalled a documentary called ‘Where Boys Do Cry” made by a friend who happens to be an amateur movie maker. At an army institute, a friend of his had killed himself after suffering humiliation through dastardly acts of ragging. I had voiced over for some sections of the documentary, and I was appalled when I read the script.

 

 

The sad part is that many of us pretend to be ‘custodians of society’ and wouldn’t rag anyone, but we wouldn’t stop our classmates/batchmates from doing it either. But, turning your face away doesn’t stop such incidents. By cranking up the volume on your iPod, you can’t drown out the pleas for help around you.

 

Yes, there are forms of ‘harmless’ ragging or ‘just routine fun’ ragging. But, harmless for whom? Fun for whom?

 

I wonder who makes this distinction, and how…

11 comments:

Sameera said...

Ragging is a way of getting to know one another.... it used to be fun. We were ragged when I was a student and inturn ragged our juniors. But it was fun for both and thats the way to break ice. Sadly its stretched to different extremes by individuals blinded by inferiority/superiority complex, egos, flaws in attitudes etc...

Abt my manual theories - to each his own - as they say ;)

Keep Bloggin!
Eidothia

A journey called Life said...

makes me question the sadism in general and ragging in particular too.. its taken a totally scary and dangerous connotation altogether.. what was supposed to be in good humor is now this (i refer to ragging related deaths sometime back)..
i think the more the victims bring it to the notice of the authorities , without suffering in silence will be a starting point (by overcoming the obvious hitch ie).. again easier said than done..
ps- not able to view video

Roshmi Sinha said...

'Ragging' was a way of 'introducing' the seniors and the juniors. It was a way of getting to know one another... it used to be fun.

With the passage of time, it has changed... for the worse. Now, 'ragging' is a form of abuse on newcomers to educational institutions... Sadly!

There seems to be no way out of this 'menace'.

Freya said...

The thing called "harmless ragging" is what turns into experimentation and dangerous beyond imagination. Causing others distress has become a source of pleasure for many.

Anonymous said...

Nothing is fun once the boundaries of decency is crossed.
I was asked to buy lunch from the canteen for the seniors to which I flatly refused without any consequences...
When I read about such stuff in the papers I feel shocked as to WHY the institution is not taking strict action against or trying to control...

Rahul Anand said...

The sad part is that students who are opposed to the concept of ragging and suffer it while they are freshers themselves do it to their juniors in order to extract 'revenge' for their suffering.

Tangerine said...

I guess as long as u BOTH having fun ragging is a wonderful icebreakr... bt lets hope ppl dnt get too carried away.

N said...

hmm...i have never been able to understand what makes people go to such lengths...what kind of fun involves the misery of another person :|

i agree....sometimes, despite no mean intentions, ppl dont realise where to draw the line.

Anonymous said...

Ragging was banned in our college after a student's dad had to take the step to take his son out of the college, just because he was harassed by the seniors. A couple of seniors went on-air and apologized, but that didn't change things.

It's really sad how the 'fun' part can turn into something so extreme.
You've put a good awareness through this post. :)

Scriber's Web said...

Ragging is just sad. Abuse of power. It should be banned.

MangoMan said...

contradicting views in mind...so no comments!

video play nahi ho raha...:|