Construction Of My Reality
We develop our personal
beliefs about reality based on how we interpret the world around us according
to our observations and experiences. All of us have incredible dreams in our
life. As children there are no limits to our imagination. We want to become a
doctor, engineer, professor, pilot etc. Then something strange happens, when we
get a little older, dreams don’t seem to be so important and true.
When I look
around today, I saw 'my reality' constructed by different things which include
my family, religion, society, childhood, school and college mates etc. It is obvious when we get little older, we get
the influence of family because our basic learning starts from many informal situations that occur daily
in the life of family such as getting dressed,
talking over the day’s happenings, dealing with problems, interacting with
people outside the family, and so forth.
From my
childhood I had been strongly influenced by family members and religion. They strained
me to offer daily five times prayers, reciting the holy Quran and insisted to
obey and follow the other fundamentals of religious duties. As we learn and grow, many of our former beliefs
will no longer serve us and are no longer relevant.
Similarly, when
I was in school, I used to spend most of my time in school playing and fighting
with my friends. Most of the times I lived in other friends' home’s, this also
influenced in construction of my reality. After passing my 9th class
exam, I was sent to Srinagar for study winter tuitions. I joined a coaching
centre and got opportunity to interact with different teachers and students. I
realized a big difference in education system there. I learned new ways of
thinking, reading, learning and studying skills there. To pass the matriculation
exams was a big bother during that time; I passed my matriculation exams with
50 percent marks. My parent’s aim about me was to become a doctor or engineer
because their opinion was different. After my matriculation I joined higher secondary
school with arts stream and passed 12th class, it displeased them. But
I know facts and my weakness because science education was not taught excellently
in our school as teachers were not available. All of my relatives abhorred me,
but I did not care. It also influenced constructing
of my reality.
Living in a
conservative society, listening to radio and watching television was a kind of “to
cry for moon in the sky” for me. After my 12th class I decided to go
to Jammu for further studies, but my parents did not allow me due to religious and
other reasons and asked me to join college in Srinagar.
We all have
our own ideas, concepts and beliefs. Many of our beliefs were established in
childhood and are left over from situations and circumstances. Similarly, things
started to change as I joined college, now a new world seemed to appear before
me. It was my last year in college during the year 2008-10 ‘unrest’ situation
in Kashmir; I met a person named ‘Tanveer’. He was a very kind religious person.
Due to the strike I used to stay in his house
on rent. I was really impressed with him because he was my age. I used to
listen to Hindi songs on radio before, but after meeting with him I would avoid
music and other mundane things. I started to read Islamic books, literature,
watching Islamic lectures and films accompanying with him.
Admission in the
central university of Kashmir and joining journalism course opened a new door
for me. Mass media effect on me was very less before. It again changed the
construction of my reality. My idea was confined to textbooks only, now I read
different books, novels, different newspapers and magazines of the world. So, it
also develops my interest towards world history and politics. Reading books like ‘Curfewed Night’ gave a glimpse of knowledge about Kashmir conflicts
and another book ‘Listening To Grass
Hopper’ increased my knowledge about demolition of Babri Masjid and Gujarat
riots etc. All these phenomena changed my ideas, perception and experience.
ABDUL HUSSAIN MUNTAZREE
at Srinagar 13 August 2013
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