?? Question ??

The Oxford dictionary defines “question” as
Noun:
• 1 a sentence worded or expressed so as to obtain information.
• 2 a doubt.
• 3 the raising of a doubt or objection: he obeyed without question.
• 4 a problem requiring resolution.
• 5 a matter or issue depending on conditions: it’s only a question of time before something changes.

Verb:
• 1 ask questions of.
• 2 express doubt about; object to.

While searching for the answer to a few queries meandering in my mind over Google, I wondered about the importance of Question and Questioning in the development of Human Race as against the other lesser life forms (read: All others except humans, as perceived by humans). This led me into a thought process to find out the answers but from the easily available source in hand i.e. the internet. I compelled myself to re-search this particular topic from my own experience as against scavenging the various sites for the already available information.

My 20 month of nephew, even before he had learnt to stand, walk or sit on his bums had started chattering. And one of his most common phrases is, “Kya hai Ye?” (What is This) in his usual infant accent and innocence. Now that he can sprint around aka Usain Bolt in Nappy, he lunges after my father (his Grandfather) wherever he goes, inside the house, around the garden, in the vicinity following his footsteps and stopping him at almost everything which he wants to know and grasp and learn, shooting the usual “Kya hai Ye?”.

And off course my ever obliging father would very courteously try and answer his little query with utmost care in order for the toddler to understand and grasp the knowledge. My nephew on his part would repeat his question until the response he gets from my father gets permanently and impeccably printed in his mind against the picture of the subject of his question. I on my part would try and tease him by returning favor and asking him instead “Kya hai Ye?” after he had asked my father enough number of times to be assured that he has grasped the knowledge and the small test would mark it well and permanent in his little but fast developing mind.

As with the ever increasing involvement of science and behavioral studies in the approach to parenting and giving weight age to EQ over IQ and importance to perceived learning than forced data, the little Scud Missile, “Kya hai Ye?” plays much more important role as a weapon of mass learning as against parents buying costly books, fun computers, learning and knowledgeable games and gadgets. The latest blasphemy being advertised 24x7 on various channels (particularly the kid’s channel) is the Tata Sky Plus – Isko Laga Dala to Life aur bhi Jhingalala. Well apart from the Life becoming Jhingalala I can’t see any other perceivable benefit per say. The child is more likely to learn the nuances of decoding the Child-Lock and scanning all his favorite Cartoon Channels than learn anything worthwhile sitting in front of the Stupid Box (Post “3 Idiots” Stupid is the new notorious lingua, against the now revered Idiot).

Although I am not a member of the Flat World Society, who would cling to the past rudimentary frameworks than accept that the World is indeed round, but there are some things that are at their best in elementary format, and Practical Learning being one of them. One of the greatest exponents of it is my father, who harbors in his personality the virtues of patience, stoicism and unperturbed demeanor which are some of the most important and basic ingredients required to stew the concoction through which to imbibe practical learning in a 20 month old toddler student. As with the cycle of life it seems, he has his place marked well and high upon the pedestal where from to impart knowledge in the most effortless and easily comprehensible way for the seeker to extract the best out of it. As my mother and other elderly relatives tell us, we three siblings were as inquisitive as my little nephew, asking and pestering my father with every opportunistic situation which could have demanded our attention and a following narrative from my father in the most interesting way possible. And while an average elder person would grow tired and become petulant at this constant pestering, my father would as patiently oblige ‘n’ number of times for repeating the response so quench our thirst of information.

This reminds me of a story which we all have had heard in the past. An old man was relaxing with his son in their backyard. The son in his mid twenties was reading a book, when a crow suddenly descended upon a nearby branch and croaked in its customary cacophony deriving the duo’s attention. The son caught a glimpse of the crow and then immersed himself again in the book, when his father asked, “Son, What is that?”, “It’s a crow father” he replied. “Son, What is that?” he asked again, “A crow” said the son, this time not looking at his father. “Son, What is that?” the father inquired again, “It’s a crow” the son replied in a monotone without lifting his head from the book. “Son, What is that?” pestered the elder man. This time the son grouched, kept his book aside and looked into his father’s face and said, “For the fourth time father it’s a crow, why do you keep asking again and again, can’t you see it it’s a damn crow sitting on the branch”. “Thanks Son!” his father smiled back, “When you were a toddler, you used to ask me all sort of questions and often irrational drivels not three or four but sometime even 10 or 20 times again and again, and o would be too happy and eager to respond to your query, with a smile on my face and the same energy and fervor every time, until you were satisfied. And today you lost your temper only because your old father asked you a very simple question four times.” The son guilt faced and ashamed filled with remorse sought pardon from his father.

The importance of questioning in the development of our intelligence and character derives morals from many historical incidents, be it the case of Marie Curie asking her father about the emanating light from a dark room that led to her discovery of Radium or Jagdish Chandra Bose asking his mother when he plucks the branch of a tree, which set him to work towards his research on sensitivity in plants are but a few examples. The democratic form of governance is built upon the very basic principles of people having the power to be able to question their elected representatives and seek explanation or justification of their actions. The leaders on their part have been given the power to seek answers from the government on behalf of the people of their constituency during the Question Hour in Parliament. However as pertinently it is also called as the Zero Hour, when the functioning of the session or the process of asking questions by MP’s comes to a standstill with Zero outcome, often due to absence of the highly esteemed leaders or stalling of the proceedings due to the ruckus created during these times followed by walkout or adjournment of the session.

The Right to Information Act included in the Constitution in 2004 gives the citizens of India a very powerful tool, by way of which it can question the functioning of the government, the various departments under the center or state administration and with the latest amendment to this Right, the bureaucracy now falling under its purview the hitherto un accessible species of Babu’s in this country too would be answerable for their work or lack of it. Verily the Right to Information asks the citizens to keep questioning and firing the salvos akin to my 20 month old nephews, ‘Kya hai Yeh?’