India Awake: Justice Markandey Katju on India’s Challenges, People’s Power, National Awakening and Social Transformation
India Awake by Justice Markandey Katju: Former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju examines India’s socio-economic challenges, political conflicts, unemployment, malnutrition, healthcare, education, casteism, communalism and the role of media and intellectuals. Using the powerful Hanuman-Jambawant allegory from the Ramcharitmanas, Katju argues that Indians have immense untapped potential and calls for greater awareness, self-confidence, unity and a sustained people’s struggle for a just and prosperous India.
In this thought-provoking article, Justice Katju reflects on India’s economic growth, GDP debate, poverty, social inequality, national development and the need for people’s awakening. He invokes India’s historical, scientific, cultural and intellectual achievements to argue that Indians should overcome despondency and recognize their capabilities.
Read “India Awake” to understand Justice Markandey Katju’s perspective on India’s present challenges, Indian society, people’s power, national awakening and the path toward social and economic transformation.
India awake
By Justice Markandey Katju
" Is sab ko jalaane ki jwaala
Taajjub hai ab tak soti hai "
Hindi poet Dushyant Kumar
The present situation in India presents a dark, dismal scene, causing despondency in one's mind--massive socio-economic problems, political leaders who should be resolving these problems, but instead squabbling and wrangling with each other in their quest for power and pelf, 'intellectuals' who should be searching and finding solutions to the problems, but only indulging in silly claptrap and superficial thinking, youth who should be full of idealism and patriotism but only aiming at comfortable jobs in the civil services etc after completing their education, media largely sold out, oppression of minorities and dalits, and so on.
I have been severely criticizing my countrymen for long since they deserved a vigorous shake up and shock treatment to make them aware of realities, of the intellectual backwardness of most of them, their minds full of casteism, communalism, superstitions, and other such stupid crap, their country largely poor with massive unemployment, massive malnourishment, appalling level of child malnutrition ( every second Indian child is malnourished, according to Global Hunger Index ), almost total lack of proper healthcare and good education for the masses, 57% Indian women anaemic, corruption at every level, our political leaders ( of all parties ) a shameless bunch of selfish rogues, rascals, goondas, and looters with no genuine love for the country, but experts in polarizing society by inciting caste and communal hatred to win elections.
It is being shouted from the rooftops that India has 7.8 % GDP growth, but here is the truth about it
But even in this gloomy and sombre situation the time has come to restore the morale and self confidence of the Indian people.
So I want to tell my Indian countrymen.
You are like Hanumanji who has forgotten his colossal powers, and I am the Jaambawant who has come to remind you of them.
You are like an atom with enormous energy but which is lying trapped and dormant in its nucleus, until scientists discovered fission and fusion which created the atom and hydrogen bombs. I am one of those nuclear scientists.
When Rama's army reached the Indian Ocean there was no one except Hanumanji who had the strength to cross the sea and reach Lanka to find out Sita's welfare. But Hanumanji had forgotten his powers, due to the curse of some rishis whose yagyas he had disturbed in childhood, but with the condition that he would remember them when someone would remind him of them.
Jaambawant, the King of the Bears, saw Hanumanji sitting meditating alone on a rock, and went to him to remind him of his tremendous powers.
As Tulsidas writes in Ramcharitmanas :
कहें रीछपति सुनु हनुमाना ,का चुप साध रहे बलवाना
पवन तनय बल पवन समाना, बुधि बिबेक बिज्ञान निधाना
कौन सा काज कठिन जग माहि, जो न होय तात तुम पाहि
राम काज भय तव अवतारा सुनतेउ भयो पर्वताकारा
कनक बरन तन तेज बिराजा मानहु अपर गिरिन्ह कर राजा
सिंघनाद करि बारम्बारा लीलहुँ लांगहुँ जलनिधि खारा
i.e.
The King of the Bears said, " Listen Hanuman, why are you maintaining this silence ?
You are the son of Pavan, the Wind God, and have the strength of a cyclone
You are the embodiment of intelligence, discrimination and scientific knowledge
What is there in the world which you cannot do ?
You have been born to do Rama's work "
On hearing these words of Jaambawant, Hanuman's body started growing in size until it reached the height of a mountain.
His golden coloured body was shining like a king of the mountains
And he started roaring like a lion, saying " In a moment I will swallow this sea and cross over it "
The above verses should be read as an allegory and metaphorical. Jaamvant is me, and Hanumanji is the Indian people, who have forgotten their powers. So I have come to remind them of it.
In the first two lines Jaamvant asks Hanumanji why he is silent ? So also, I ask the patriotic people of India, why are you silent when the country is in such distress ?
You have the physical strength of Pavan ( the wind ). A storm or typhoon can smash even huge trees and buildings. And you have not just physical strength. You are also full of of buddhi ( intelligence ), vivek ( discrimination ), and vigyan ( science ). Indians are some of the most intelligent people in this world, who discovered the decimal system, plastic surgery, etc in ancient times, and are manning Silicon Valley and are in science and mathematics departments of universities in North America and Europe in the modern times
The next couplet states : what is there which you cannot do ? You have come here to do Lord Rama's work ( the word Rama I interpret as the Indian people ) . On hearing this, Hanumanji's body started growing, until it became as big as a mountain.
This should be interpreted to mean : Indian people, you underestimate yourselves. You are unaware of your tremedous potential.
Just as Hanumanji had been given a curse that he will forget his powers until someone reminded him of them, so also Indian people have forgotten their capabilities and potential ( as they were demoralized by the British who spread the false propaganda that Indians were only a race of fools and savages).
Now that you are being made aware of your tremendous capabilities, you will rise high in the comity of nations, instead of being humiliated and kicked around.
Hanumanji's body is shining like gold ( kanak means gold, and baran means colour ), and radiance ( tej ) is coming out from his body ( tan ). The same will happen to India, too, once we attain our full potential and become a highly industrialized, prosperous nation.
Hanumanji then starts roaring repeatedly like a lion ( singhnad kari barambara ), and says he will swallow up the ocean and cross it. That is what you Indians too will start doing ( i.e. destroy all your problems ), once you know your tremendous powers.
However, Hanumanji also has humility ( which we Indians must always have ). He tells Jaamvant :
'' Jaamavant main poochahi tohi
Uchit sikhaawan deejahi mohi ''
i.e.
'' Jaamavant, I request you to give me correct advice ''
So even when Hanumanji is now aware of his tremendous powers he does not lose his modesty.
So Indians, I am today reminding you of your tremendous powers, which once unleashed, will move mountains, and resolve all your problems.
You are the builders of the mighty Indus Valley Civilization, perhaps the oldest civilization in the world, the mighty Magadh Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Kushan Empire, the Kharavel Empire, the Vijayanagar Empire, and are descendants of Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka, Harsha, Krishnadeva Raya, Rajaraja Chola, Akbar, Maharana Pratap, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Tipu Sultan, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Bhagat Singh, Surya Sen, Bismil, Ashfaqulla, and Chandrashekhar Azad, the descendants of Aryabhatta, Sushrut, Charak, Ramanujan, Raman, Panini and Patanjali, the descendants of Kalidas, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyaya, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Subramania Bharathi, Premchand, Mir, Ghalib, Faiz, Manto etc, the descendants of the Rani of Jhansi, and many others.
No doubt today you are in a pitiable state today, all confused, as Hanumanji was, until Jaambavant reminded him of his powers.
And I am that Jaambawant who has come to remind you of them, so that you get over your despondency and lethargy, and begin the mighty united protracted people's struggle ( jan sangharsh ) under modern minded leaders, which will culminate in a historical people's revolution ( jan kranti ), after which a just political and social order will be created, under which there will be rapid industrialization and steady rise in the standard of living of the Indian people.
(Justice Katju is a former judge of the Supreme Court of India and a former Chairman of the Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own.)
FAQs —
1. What is “India Awake” by Justice Markandey Katju?
“India Awake” is an article by Justice Markandey Katju in which he discusses India’s social, economic and political challenges and calls upon Indian people to recognize their capabilities, overcome despondency and work toward a more just and prosperous society.
2. What is the main message of Justice Markandey Katju’s “India Awake”?
The central message is that Indian people possess significant untapped potential but need greater awareness, self-confidence, unity and social consciousness to address the country’s major problems.
3. Why does Justice Katju compare Indian people to Hanuman?
Katju uses the Hanuman-Jambawant episode from the Ramcharitmanas as an allegory. Hanuman has immense powers but initially forgets them; Jambawant reminds him of his capabilities. Katju presents himself metaphorically as Jambawant and Indian people as Hanuman, arguing that Indians need to recognize their own potential.
4. What problems in India does Justice Katju highlight?
The article discusses a range of issues, including poverty, unemployment, malnutrition, inadequate healthcare and education, corruption, casteism, communalism, political conflict and social inequality. These are presented as challenges that require serious attention and collective action.
5. What does the Hanuman-Jambawant story symbolize in the article?
The story symbolizes self-realization and the awakening of collective potential. According to Katju’s interpretation, Hanuman’s rediscovery of his powers represents Indian people becoming aware of their ability to confront and overcome major national challenges.
6. What does Justice Katju say about India’s intellectual and scientific potential?
Katju points to India’s historical contributions to mathematics, science, medicine, literature and philosophy, while also referring to the achievements of Indians in contemporary scientific and technological institutions worldwide. He uses these examples to emphasize the potential he believes exists within Indian society.
7. What is Justice Katju’s view of India’s economic situation in “India Awake”?
Katju questions whether headline GDP growth figures alone adequately represent the economic condition of ordinary Indians. He connects the economic debate with issues such as unemployment, poverty, malnutrition, healthcare and living standards.
8. What does Justice Katju mean by “India Awake”?
“India Awake” refers to awakening people to social realities and to their own collective capabilities. The phrase captures Katju’s broader appeal for Indians to overcome lethargy and despondency and engage more actively with the country’s problems.
9. Who is Justice Markandey Katju?
Justice Markandey Katju is a former judge of the Supreme Court of India and former Chairman of the Press Council of India. In this article, he presents his personal views on India’s social, political and economic conditions.
10. What role does Jambawant play in Justice Katju’s argument?
Jambawant represents the person who reminds society of its forgotten strength and potential. Katju metaphorically assigns himself this role, saying that his purpose is to remind Indian people of their capabilities.
11. What does “Jan Sangharsh” mean in the context of the article?
Jan Sangharsh literally means people’s struggle. In the article, Katju uses the term while describing his vision of sustained collective action aimed at creating a more just political and social order.
12. What is the significance of the Dushyant Kumar quotation in “India Awake”?
The opening lines from Dushyant Kumar evoke the image of a society that remains silent despite serious distress. Katju uses the quotation to introduce his central question: why should people remain silent when they face major social and economic challenges?
