Monthly Archives: October 2015

The Motion Called ‘Life’

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349ec-29583537076_1eaa6fceb8_nA man purchased a car, took care of it very well, cleaned it, washed it, kept it covered lest dust should accumulate on it, had built up a garage for it so that any cricket ball or stone from the kids playing in the garden would not damage it. He requested one of his friends having an expert knowledge in vehicle maintenance and hardware to visit him Continue reading →

A Real Hero : Pavan Kaushal

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Some childhood memories never fade. I was then 4 years old. Every year during Navratri, Ramleela was played in the community ground. Two brothers — Suraj Kaushal and Pavan Kaushal, then about 18 and 16 years of age, used to play the roles of Ram and Laxman every year. Their selection was obvious, because they were very good looking, handsome, of appropriate age (which ensured their presence on stage for another 5-6 years), and of course, because they were real brothers, so had similarity in facial features. They were widely admired and very popular. Continue reading →

Are You Also Surfing Too Much?

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ddc8c-3175249724_9bf3959280_nWalking through corridors of computer centre and various laboratories, I occasionally witness students and young workers completely glued to the screens, switching the tabs between YouTube and Facebook. It is not that elders and seniors do not act in a similar way. My concern is the draining out of precious efficiency, strength and creativity of youth years. Sri Harishankar Parsai called it the age to make mistakes and learn from them. There is something hypnotising in these services, which makes it near-impossible for the young to retract their steps. It does lower the conscious level, makes the mind dull and stupid, not to mention the number of hours wasted that way. Continue reading →

My Dear Angel (two closed couplets)

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Two closed couplets to remember the angels in our lives. Most of the time, we struggle alone in life, we fight alone, understanding that all the required strength and ability lie within us. But somehow, there is a doubt — in ourselves, in our own capacity. Then someone comes who stands by our side, shows trust and faith in us, and provides the support and confidence we require to move ahead. Without that angel, it is doubtful whether we would have even taken the first step or not. It is not something of a physical or financial nature, or of resources. Most of the time it is just simple words Continue reading →

What is in Name? A Lot!

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— Did I keep you waiting for long?
— No, not much. We too came just a while ago.
— Ordered?
— No, not yet. We were waiting for you to come. What would you like to have? Tea, coffee, cold drink?
— Tea.
— Any special one? Special, less sugar, more sugar, black tea, ginger tea, lemon tea…
— Stop stop. Nothing of that sort. Just ordinary, plain tea.
— Anything with it? Samosa, pakoda…
— Stop it man! Just go and order whatever you want to eat. I would take only tea.
— OK fine. As you wish. Chhotoo!
— Is that his name?
— No, just like that.
— Then?
— How could I know?
— Did you ask?
— Who cares!
How many people take for granted the name of the person who comes to clean their offices, or the postman, the milkman, tea man, canteen fellow, shopkeeper. Have you yourself ever been curious? It is strange that people hardwire to their brains the names of all cricketers, footballers — not from their own country but also from others, of movie stars — people whom one never meets, has no chance of meeting either, and it does not make any difference if one meets or not. But one doesn’t show the same enthusiasm to discover or simply query the name of the person whom one meets every day — on a routine basis. Simply because they are not important? But aren’t they?

It is not the same as the innumerable ways people call their little ones — king, queen, prince, princess, angel, fairy, pearl, diamond, bird. Also not the same as the nickname they put for them, sometimes a shortened form of their formal names, sometimes an entirely different name; or the ones that their classmates and friends choose for them — naughty, diminutive, stupid, and affectionate. But here, there is neither any affection, nor a circumvention for comparatively longer and complicated names. Here, it is complete apathy, lack of concern for the people whom one considers ‘less important’, their identity, in fact their existence in our world. It would not be practical to keep querying the names and remembering all of them of all the people one encounters in the journey through life — people whom one meets in buses, trains, trips, other places and cities. Instead, we are talking here about the people one meets daily, on a routine basis, who mean so much for our comfort, if not for survival, yet are taken for granted.

Then there are so many of us who can’t even take the smallest trouble to spell correctly (in writing) others’ names. Isn’t it simply an utter contempt and disregard towards the other person? All our big words of admiration and respect do not sound honest then. It hardly takes less than a minute to carefully observe the person’s name in its correct form and to commit it to memory. Even for few complicated words, especially from other cultures, one can invent formulae and mnemonics (without telling the person, of course).

Surely it all depends on whether and how much respect one wants to give the other person. If the answer is in negative, then what is the point in starting with the communication and connection at all? Let us not forget that the sweetest sounding words for any individual from any country and culture, speaking any language, is not the name of God — but one’s own name.

Now, here is something to cheer you up:

— Such a sweet child! What is your name, little one?
— Monu.
— No, no, not that. The school name.
— Bal Bharti Public School.

photo credit: Sobrinos via photopin (license)