क़ाश तुम बेटा होती

जब तुम्हारी किलकारी गूंजी थी
लगा मेरी सदियों की इच्छा पूरी हो गयी हो।
जब पहली दफा देखा था तुमने मुझे
अपनी अधखुली तिलस्मी आँखों से
ह्रदय के किसी कोने में
जैसे एक नयी सुबह का अहसास हुआ था।

तुम परियों सी मुस्काती थी
मुझे देख कर
और तुम्हारी वो निर्मल मुस्कान
मेरे सारे विषाद धो देता।

तुम्हारा यूँ ठुमक ठुमक के चलना
और फिर शरमा के मुझ से लिपट जाना
तुम्हारी नन्ही हाथों की मेहंदी
जैसे सारे जहाँ के इन्द्रधनुष को
तुम्हारी हथेलियों में समेट लेता।

गर्वित महसूस करता हर पल
तुम्हारी छोटी छोटी खुशियों को पूरा कर।

तुम्हारी हर मुस्कान
मुझे कई जन्मों की खुशियाँ दे जाती।

तुम मेरे आँगन की तिलस्मी परी हो।

हालाँकि
दिल के किसी स्याह से कोने में
अक्सर एक डर पैदा हो जाता
जब जब मैं सुनता
कन्या भ्रूण हत्या
या दहेज़ दहन की बातें।
तब तुम्हे अपने सीने से,
कस के चिपका लेता
और तुम
अचरज से मुझे देखती रहती
मेरे अनजाने भय से अनजान होकर।

जब सुनता
कि शहर में लड़कियों का चलना भी
अब सहज नहीं रह गया
कि लोगों की कुंठित मानसिकता
कन्या और वस्तु में भेद ना कर पाती
कि लड़की होना ही एक अपराध बोध पैदा करता
मेरी अंतरात्मा कांप सी उठती
भय सा लगने लगता तुम्हे देख कर
और तुम फिर
अपनी निर्मल मुस्कान से
मेरे सारे भय हर लेती।

पर
बिटिया
अक्सर सोंचता हूँ
कि  काश तुम बेटा होती
तो शायद बेफिक्र हो
घुमती शहर के चप्पे चप्पे पर
अपने घर के आँगन की तरह।

यह जान कर भी
कि तुम्हे पाने की लालसा
मेरी सदियों की थी
दिल अक्सर सोंचता
क़ाश तुम बेटा होती।


-अमितेश

आओ थोड़ा ग़म मना लें

आओ थोड़ा ग़म मना लें
थोड़े आँसू और बहा लें

बसंत की आस को छोड़ कर थोड़ा
पतझड़ से ही दिल बहला लें
आओ थोड़ा ग़म मना लें
थोड़े आँसू और बहा लें।

जब - जब सुरज वादा कर के
रात की कालिमा बिखेर है जाता
कोयल कूक को छोड़ कर अपने
विरह गीत है गाता जाता
क्यों ना ख़ुशी के पल को भूल हम
थोड़ा ही सही, ग़म मना ले
थोड़े आँसू और बहा लें।

दिल पे हल्की सी दस्तक दे
ख़ुशियाँ जब हैं बिसर सी जाती
याद पुराने लम्हों को कर जब
हँसी के मोती बिखर से जाते
हम क्यों परवाह में ख़ुशियों के
बैठे बैठे दिल जलाएं
आओ थोड़ा ग़म मना लें
थोड़े आँसू और बहा लें।

ख़ुशी के पल की ख़ुशियों को
ग़म के पल हैं और बढ़ाते
फ़िर क्यों हम ग़म को ना मनाएं
आओ थोड़ा  ग़म मनाएं
थोड़ा  आँसू  और बहायें।


- अमितेश

सपनीली सफ़ेद आँखें

सपनीली सफ़ेद आँखें

झांकता हूँ जब इनमे
महसूस होती है मुझे
तुम्हारी  रक्त और धडकनों की रवानी
तुम्हारी वो सपनीली सफ़ेद आँखें।

एक दुनिया है बसी
तुम्हारी सपनीली सफ़ेद आँखों में,
अक्सर बहता सा जाता हूँ इनमे
जब जब उतरता हूँ मैं
तुम्हारी आँखों के जरिये
उस सपनीली सी दुनिया में।

जब जब खो जाना लुभाता है
तुम्हारी उन सपनीली सफ़ेद आँखों में
तुम छू कर मुझे
तोड़ देती हो मेरी तंद्र
और दिखाती हो अपने हृदय का रास्ता
अपनी सपनीली आँखों के बाबस्ता।

सपनीली सफ़ेद आँखें

तुम्हारी आँखों के भंवर में
जब डूब जाना नियति सी बनती जाती है,
मेरा हाथ पकड़ कर
जीवनदान देती हो तुम
और मैं शापित सा महसूस करता हूँ
इस जीवनदान को पा कर।

बसाना चाहता हूँ मैं
अपना छोटा सा जहाँ
उन सपनीली सफ़ेद आँखों की दुनिया में,
परवाह किये बगैर
इस दुनिया की कंटीली व्यंगात्मक आँखों का।
धन्य कर दो मुझे अपनी आँखों के एक स्पर्श से
कि आजन्म मैं खोया रहूँ
तुम्हारी उन सपनीली सफ़ेद आँखों में।

- अमितेश

उपस्थिति

जब ज़िन्दगी की जंग में
फासले जीतता सा लगता था
जब सांसें वक़्त के थपेड़े खा
फुलता सा लगता था
जब राहें चंद क़दमों में
सिमटता सा लगता था
जब हमारे दर्मियाँ फ़ासले
बढ़ता सा लगता था
जब आँखें अश्कों के सैलाब में
डूबता सा लगता था
तुमने सहारा दिया मुझे अपना बना कर।

जब मेरा असमान मेरी हथेलियों में
सिमटने सा लगता था
जब खुशियाँ ज़िन्दगी के डब्बे से
बिखरने सा लगता था
तुमने ज़िन्दगी भर दी मुझमें
अपने एक स्पर्श से।

तुम हो हर जगह मेरे आसपास कहीं
उन पत्तों, इन घटाओं और आसमान में
दिखती है परछाईयाँ तेरी।

हाँ हो कहीं तुम मेरे पास हीं कहीं
और दिखाती हो रास्ता हर पल मुझे
जीवन की कठिन राहों में।


-अमितेश  

The Real Performer

It’s been years working for MNC and had seen many thick and thins during these years. Some had helped me develop some philosophy during my maturity years while some had taught me what I don't want in my life. In totality, every incidence had given me some learning and in turn had helped me gaining experiences of life. But there are incidences which happened in life, remained deeply noticed, made mark in my memories but I cannot say that it was having any learning incorporated.

I was first member of my all family who had taken rebellious step of going for professional course unlike everyone adopting government job. I was lucky enough in a way that every good thing had come to me easily. Yes, even I had tried hard and always had tried justifying what had I got from life. When I joined my first job in an MNC, I came across a different kind of culture which totally and completely was different from my past 25 years life. Where there nothing was good or bad, but a means of achieving what was required to fulfill the given task. What had been taught to us during my school days was of not much significance as far as morality was concern, but here had learned different lessons that were talking more about situational decision making and situational morality without hampering the interest of people concerned. Was more like creating a situation where everyone wins, or at least think or feel that they won. A very different world altogether. And if the world is different, people associated here were also of different nature, ability and ethnicity.

He was one such different person whom I meet in this world and had long association. He was Sukant Saxena. I meet him in one meeting when it had been told to me that he would be joining us as an employee and would be part of my team. He was just a normal person with good sense of humor. Very spontaneous in reaction and a very normal employee with no any complication. When he joined us in my team, I was absolutely ok with his way of working and situation handling. He had never been a great performer but was never an underdog as well. He was justifying his job by doing what had been expected from him. If I was not delighted getting him in my team, I would say I was not feeling unhappy having him in my team. Then why I am remembering him today and how relevant his life is to make a mark over my memories!

Sukant was not so extrovert person and always had tried being in shell. No, it was not his confidence that was letting him be an introvert but he generally was an introvert by nature. He was speaking only that much that is required at that point of time. He even happen to be very clear in his communication and was able to bargain what was required from the other end of the communication.

There is very unique culture in private firms, especially in a sales based department or organization, that every celebration ends up on the bar table and drinking till drop. Sukant was real fun on table. He for the first time had surprised me on table when I thought him to be a little serious human by nature who shows his sense of humor only when it is required. After a round of drinks, we met a totally new Sukant. A Sukant who was not showing any resemblance with the Sukant we knew. An awesomely extrovert who had took over the bar table from everyone else with his superb sense of humor. He generally was giving opinion on various work related matters that I was missing on other days. Wow, what a man. But where this man is when he is normal, with no any presence of alcohol in his blood. Was not sure if the alcohol was giving him confidence of being extrovert and outspoken or it was the start of showing his real skin. Whatever, he though had made our evening an awesome one. I was particularly very happy to see this new avatar of Sukant. I am a kind of person who feels more happy working towards people development rather than just utilizing people's potential for the short term gains of organization. In case of Sukant, I was not sure if it is the environment given by me had helped him be in his real him or it is just he had decided to be like this. But this incident had created a kind of greed in me to see him like that or even better always.

This was a fresh new days with all the new possibility and new challenges. A new day where nobody remembers what great had you done last day. What is more prevalent is what is now being expected from you in this new fresh day and how you reciprocate. This again is one very strange culture of the corporate world where your current action decides your fate rather than the past laurels. It was a day when I had to work with Sukant in his territory. We had to meet some of our key customers to close certain plans. Sukant as usual was on time and waiting for me at the lounge of the hotel where I was boarding. I am generally a punctual person and anyone can easily move me just by showing the punctuality. This way I was respecting Sukant very much. We went to meet everyone planned and Sukant very well had negotiated with each one and managed to create a win - win situation for all. But again to my surprise, he went into his cocoon immediately. For the whole day I was trying to find yester night Sukant but all my effort went in vein. Sukant again was same reserve person who was just ok with his job assigned. He did what exactly had been told to him, without adding any significant value other than the planned or predicted one. So there was no much need of worry as far as getting task done front was concern. But this I believed was not the actual potential of Sukant. He had the skill of moving the mountain even. But he was not much into showing his skill or flaunting his knowledge.

I was trying to understand his personality but he had always been into his shell. I don't know what was making him to be what he is. Though anyone's personality is very much of his private thing and no one have any right to question it. But in case of Sukant, I was feeling as if his trait is every time challenging me and my ability of taking best out of any one. A kind of itching in soul.

Yes that is true that every individual is unique in this world and no two person can be compared or identical. In that way being judgemental would always creates trouble in the relations, be it personal or professional. Every type of individual is right in his own way, with their own methodology of handling world. And Sukant had always done good thing, but just exactly that much good that had been communicated to him. It was like he was just justifying his job.

If that every individual is different, than what was that on the bar table? Is it that Sukant is a real actor who actually is not living his life but acting his life. Actor Sukant.

After that incident of bar table, I many time have observed him acting in different forum. The acting as per the occassion. In every occassion, he was becoming popular among group. But as far as work was concern, he was again just good. Sometimes I was thinking him to be of just good caliber. How can he do great if he just have a caliber of being good. Perhaps I was right but every time he was proving me wrong when he was acting. One very unusual thing I had noticed in him that he was great when he happen to be a couple of peg down. So basically his subconscious brain was stronger than his conscious one. While being conscious he just was feeding his sub conscious brain with different cases of life. His sub conscious brain was always calculating cases and giving solutions which Sukant could not be able to read or get signal. That is why he happens to just good with his conscious part and extremely great with the sub conscious part. Strange individual. Unique in true sense.

At times I had stopped taking effort to develop him. Just be what you are. An Actor by personality.

I think even he was aware of his this personality trait. This, I think was the reason that he always finds time to drink to show his metal, whenever in group. I think this was one way of hiding his inferiority complex that even he might be feeling whenever he was doing just good and his contemprory were doing good to great job.

Even I started accepting this way only. Though few times had tried telling him of not drinking much.

Time was flying and so was the career of my team and me. I had been promotrd and transferred to out HO in Mumbai. The increasing job responsibility had occupied me so much that at times was feeling as if I had lost the contact with my old peer groups. This sudden feeling was always inducing me to go for a vacation and make call to everyone, almost everyone I know. In one such day I was browsing my digital diary to know if the mail ID and contact numbers of people I know are in place or not. I made call to few and had mailed few to know if I am well connected with everyone. Suddenly I got a name appearing in my digital diary, Sukant Saxena - sukantforyou@gmail.com followed by his number. Hey where is this actor? Its been almost 3 years when I even have heard about him. I imediately called his number which had been picked by some unknown person. I think Sukant had changed his number and his old number had been alloted to some one else. But his name appearing on my diary had created uneasyness in me to know about him. I started scrowling all names of the diary and trying to identify if anyone among them would know about him. Here it is, it was Abir Khan who would know about him. They happened to be good friend those days. I called Abir. Fortunitely Abir did not had changed his number.

"Hey Abir, how are you? I am Amitesh this side. Hope you must be remembering me"

"Boss how I could forget you! How are you boss?

"I am good yaar. Tell me how is life and job? I have heard you had got promoted and doing good in life and job" Though I was asking this but wanted to finish these disciplinary talk very soon and wanted to jump into the real reason of making call to him.

Abir was replying but I was not much interested in his life and job. I virtually had closed my ear and brain towards his reply.

Thankfully while speaking he himself had came to the topic, "Boss, did you have heard about Sukant?"

That's what I wanted to know bugger. I composed myself and asked very warmly, "yes yes, how is my actor? He must now have been stopped acting after his couple of drinks!"

"No boss, I think it’s enough of his acting.Its time to put the curtain down of his acting and drama"

"No, I did not understand. Can you please speak a simple language and let me know what he is doing in his life" I almost got irritated of his designer communication.

"Boss, these days he is in rehab center here in Kolkata. I think these are the last days of his life. He wont survives any more" while saying this, I could feel from Abir's voice that he would be feeling terrable.

"What are you saying! What happened with him? Why is he in rehab center, I mean in which rehab center? Is he alright!"

"No boss, he is not alright. He had started drinking very much. We forced him to join rehab center to quit his habit. Though he joined there but was always managing to get liquor and continued drinking. He really has become so weak to even walk. Now doctors are saying that they had done enough for him and just are waiting for him to die"

Abir said this in one go as if even he would not be feeling good to elongate the talk and be in that mental unstability.

I just took the address of the rehab center from him and disconnected.

I don't know why I immediately booked ticket for Kolkata to meet him. The flight was of next day morning. I packed minimum clothes in a sling bag, dropped massage to my secretary to raise a leave request for 3-4 days. Though she replied if something is very serious or wrong going on, I ignored her message. I think I could not be able to explain what wrong or serious had leaded me to go on this sudden leave neither do I wanted to explain.

I was again after a long time was in the City of Joy. But this time this City of Joy was no anymore joyous today. I put up myself in hotel and waiting impatiently and continuously looking at my watch to show 11 so that I could run to the rehab center.

I got a call from Abir. He said that my secretary had called him and had told him to take care of me. I don't know how my secretary knows every thing about me and even could be able to track my movements. This is one biggest reason why I respect my secretary very much.

I called Abir to my hotel. He was well on time to my hotel. We without talking or wasting time moved to the rehab center. Abir was driving really good that he almost was surfing road. Mad traffic of Kolkata was just staying aside to give way to his car.

“What went wrong Abir? Why he started drinking more? Was there anything wrong in his personal life?”

“Don’t know boss. I am his good friend but only till professional life. He never has allowed anyone entering his personal life. Not even me. You correctly have said that he is a very good actor.”

“I know his personal life was quite a blindfold for us. But was everything correct with his professional life? I hope he was doing quite well.”

“Yes by and large professional life was good. But he was always missing your style of handling people that he often was saying. Though he never had complained about his new bosses. But there was something serious going on in his life which was making him weak from within. And you know, drinking was always giving him strength… atleast he was thinking so.”

“Humm.” Though I was talking to him but was more with Sukant and my time spent with him in past.

We reached the Rehab Center in some time. We directly headed towards the bed of Sukant. Now it was the time to actually get a shock. Sukant was lying on the bed. He was looking very lean. Just a glimpse of Sukant had bought tears in my eye. Oh how can Sukant be so weak? He was one very strong guy of my team. Though he was just good but was great as had made a very strong place in my memory and heart.

The in-house doctors were there near to his bed. There was a web of cables and tubes surrounding Sukant that was leading to lot of sophisticated machines. Once had an eye contact with the Doctors near to him, there body language was like its too late now. This one body language had built a kind of fear in me. I was feeling too weak on my knees. I was feeling as if my legs were too heavy to walk. Suddenly my eyes meet Sukant’s eye. It was saying as if I know one day you will sure come to see me. I almost ran towards him. Hold his hand. It was too cold. Sukant smiled. Again the smile was just to hide his own pain. He really was a born actor. Even in pain and grief, he was acting. I got irritated with his smile. This smile was actually making me weaker. I tried saying something but my vocal chords were not helping me. I had never been speechless the way I was feeling today. I was feeling more and more weaker on my legs and tried sitting on his bed but was not even able to sit. I don’t know what was happening to me. And finally the moment came which even I was having premonition of. Sukant actually was no more. His hand was still in my hand. I don’t know suddenly what happened in me. I started crying like kid holding his hand and standing on my knees. Abir’s was standing near me keeping his hand on my shoulder. I kept crying. I don’t know for how long I was sitting like that, crying. Perhaps even Sukant was waiting for me and was holding his breath. This time again he acted. A real acting of death. Sukant you are really a great actor. Yes you are great. Not because you died and I can’t speak bad about you but because throughout your life you acted, hiding all your pain. You never had allowed anyone enter your life but you always had entered into the life of people around you. Your this last performance had actually bought tears in my eyes.

It’s been years of this incidence. Sukant is only into memories now, I don’t know of how many people. But he had really made a big mark into my memory. He actually had confused me with his personality traits and will always be. I am not much judgmental about people as I always tend to respect the individuality of everyone. But Sukant had always forced me to be judgmental about him. And I judged him as a perfect actor. I don’t want to even relook my judgment towards Sukant. I know wherever Sukant would be he would be acting there as well, hiding all his personal life from God.

तुम में प्रकृति

उनींदी आँखों से
जब देखा दरख्तों के पार
चाँद अटका सा था
चीड़ की उन मज़बूत शाखाओं में
और सुरज बादलों से पार पाने की चेष्टा में
उलझता जा रहा था
अपनी हीं रोशनी के ताने बाने में
जब बादल उन हिमालयी ऊँचाइयों में
गुम हुआ जा रहा था
अपने बरसने की हद तक,
तुमने हंस कर बहार ला दिया था
उन गीली फिजाओं में भी।

जब ओस की बूंदें
देवदार के पत्तों से रिस कर
मिट्टी में खुशबू पैदा कर रही थी
जब शैल पर बिखरे शैवाल
उन वादियों में एक अजीब सी
उलझन पैदा कर रही थी,
तुम्हारी क़दमों की आहट ने
जीवन घोल डाला था
उन बोझिल क्षणों में भी।

जब आसमान के छौने पर फैले मुट्ठी भर तारे
अपनी रोशनी को फैला पाने की कवायद में
टिम टिमा कर दम तोड़ रहे थे
तुमने अपनी हथेली आसमान की ओर कर
शर्मिंदा कर डाला था
प्रकृति की उन अप्रतिम रचनाओं को।

गोधुली वेला में
जब तुम्हारे चेहरे को देख
शाम शर्म से सुर्ख  हो लालिमा फैला रहा था
आसमान के उन नीली-सफ़ेद गालों पे
और तुमने अपने दुपट्टे को चेहरे पे फैला कर
रात कर डाला था
उस एक क्षण में।

तुम प्रकृति की अप्रतिम रचनाओं से भी
अप्रतिम हो
शायद देव पुरुष भी
तुम्हे पाने की महत्वाकांक्षा में
कई अवरोध पैदा कर रहे हैं
हमारी तुम्हारी राहों में।

-अमितेश

आधी रात के सपने

चाँद की दुधिया चांदनी को ओढ़
जब मैं रात की आगोश में था
नींद जब बादलों सी अठखेलियाँ करती
सता रही थी आँखों को
कल मैंने एक सपना देखा
नींद में एक अपना सा देखा

निंद्रा के उस गहरे क्षण में
जब आँखें स्याह सागर में गोते लगा रही थी
तुम्हारी एक मुस्कान ने
सूरज सी रोशनी फैला दी थी
और मैं चाँद के उस दुधिया चादर को
अपने चेहरे तक खींच लिया था
की भंग ना हो जाए मेरी तंद्रा

जब रात ख़ामोशी की लोरियां  सुना   रही थी
और ठंडी  हवा की थपकियाँ दे सुला रही थी
तुमने खिलखिला कर भैरवी सुनाई थी
जब अर्धरात्रि की वेला में
और मैं अपनी मन्त्रमुग्धता से पार पा
ख़ामोशी की सरगम पर केन्द्रित हुआ जा रहा था

जब नींद की लुका छीपी में
मैं जीतता जा रहा था
तुम्हारी आँखों ने मुझे
नींद के पीछे छिपते ढूंड निकाला
और मैं चेष्टा करता रहा
तुम्हारी उन चपल आँखों से छुपने की
नींद के सिरहाने अपने को समेटते हुए

शायद तुमसे खुद को छुपा पाना
मेरे वश में नहीं अब
शायद सपनों के रस्ते
तुम मेरा एक हिस्सा बनती जा रही हो
मुझमे समा कर.
- अमितेश     

Fairy Tale

Once Upon A Time...

There Lived A Princess
God's Own Child
Beautifully Created By The Thee
Who Was A Little Playful
And A Little Witty…
Strong As Rock So Dry,
Who Had Those Dreamy Eyes
To Shine In Dark
And Ride The Sky.
Who Was Brighter In Dark
And Shiner in Color
A Noticeable Face In The Crowd
Who Never Stood Aside
A Centre Of Stage…
Standing Still With Pride
Who Liked Dancing Silently
Never Hide Face From Disguise
And Had A Hobby Of Fighting Back To Back With Life
Foodie… A Little More Foodie…
Who Believed World Is Full Of Sweets And Pie.
Queen Of Prince Charming
A Woman Of Substance
One Day She Meet Her Mr. Right
And Lived Happily Ever After
Ruling The World With Her Smile.
- Amitesh

Milk For Thought

I have always had inclination towards community work. And whenever I get any chance of getting involved into such activity, I always work towards satisfying my inner soul. When this community work involves working for kids, it is more soul satisfying for me. More soul satisfying because this is one best way of shaping our future. Catching them young. Shaping kids to prepare them for brighter future of the world. I think this is one best way of giving back the society whatever good we get.

One such opportunity I had got on 23rd July when as a part of our company's initiative, we have to adopt a school for teaching kids about the importance of Oral Hygiene. It was Dakshin Calcutta Arya Mandir of Kolkata where I was scheduled to go. The time given to me was 7:30 in the morning. The day was Monday. Getting up so early on Monday is one herculean task for me as we often kind of suffer from Mondays Blues if it takes to go to office on Monday. But since it was one work that I like the most, getting up at 5 am was not that difficult for me. So I was in the school at the scheduled time i.e, at 7am. The school was a 3 story old building with no playground for children. This was a Hindi medium school where mostly kids of north Indian origin were studying. The students mostly were belonging to the lower middle class of the economic strata of the society. This was a co-ed school. The presentation was being held at 1st floor of the school. I was at first floor where just near the staircase an old notice board was hanging. Two beautiful pastel color painting were hanging on the board where one was depicting holi festival celebration and one was beautifully detailed village landscape. This had taken me back to my school days where getting place on our school notice board was considered as one big achievement, and I unfortunately never have got my paintings hung on that. Wow! This school visit was acting more like time machine for me that had transported me to my old serene pure days of childhood.

I have been told that I'll have to give presentation on Oral hygiene to Std. 1 & 2 students. I was happy to hear this as educating kids at such an early age of 6 - 7 years always makes a long term impact on their habits as at this early age, kids don't learn things with any pre - occupied notions. Moreover things learned at this age always makes a long term impact on their habits unless they develop a thoughts of their own of differentiating it with the better learned or improved learning.

The moment I entered the classroom, I heard those long pitch "Goooood Moooorrrrning Siiir" long sound. This one good morning wish had already made my day. There were some 100 kids stuffed, literally stuffed in that small classroom. I enquired from the class teacher if they all are studying in this class room like that, he replied, “No they are from two different classes (1st and 2nd Std). But since you have to give presentation on something and we don’t have any conference hall, we had accommodated all the students of two classes in one room.”

This had made me feel a little uncomfortable as I was feeling guilty about this discomfort of the kids. But it was not what I was here for. I just came out of this thought and put myself back to the work. So, one of the tips given to kids for Oral Hygiene was “eat vegetables and fruits and milk. This gives nourishment to our teeth.”

A pause… and my question to kids, “OK, how many of you drink milk?”

And as expected all hands raised in the air. I was walking in the class while giving my presentation. Wait, not all hands were raised. There a kid didn’t have raised the hand. I went to him and asked, “What is your name boy”.

“Amar Gupta”.

“And you don’t like drinking milk.”

“I like drinking milk. I like it so much.”

“Then why you didn’t have raised your hand!”

“Because my dad does not bring milk so I don’t drink.”

There are very less situation when I feel short of words and this one answer of Amar Gupta was one of such situation. For few seconds I literally fell short of words. What to say? I never have felt so helpless than this one situation.

But suddenly I realized that I am not here for this and I am here to perform some task. The problem of one kid cannot and should not hamper the interest of lot of kids sitting in the classroom. And with this sudden thought, I moved on to finish the task for which I was there in the school.

The entire presentation went well. It had been one very much participative presentation where almost all the kids, including that Amar Gupta, was participating in the quest of understanding the good habits of Oral Hygiene. But this entire session has raised one question to me, “Though it was participative and successful presentation, was it a complete presentation? Could I be able to close the entire loop to ensure 360 – degree effectiveness of this entire session? Is it just sufficient to ensure 100% healthy smile of our future?”

I don’t know I was a little more sensitive towards that one Amar Gupta or was a little rude towards my own presentation! But that long pitch, long sound of "Goooood Moooorrrrning Siiir" had given me some milk for my thought.

मुकम्मल

आँखों में अश्क़
और दिल में  चुभन लिए
जीने की हर ज़द्दोज़हद में भी,
खुश हूँ मैं।

ज़िन्दगी के अर्थहीन लम्हे
और भावहीन सपनीली आंखे लिए
खुश हूँ मैं।

जब मेरी मुस्कान भी अपने होने का
वज़ूद तलाशती है मेरे चेहरे पर,
हंस कर खोखली हँसी उसपर
खुश हूँ मैं।

पैरों में आत्मविश्वास
और दिल में भय का साम्राज्य बसाये
मंज़िल पा लेने की आतुरता में
खुश हूँ मैं।

काश!
पा लूँ मैं पूरी खुशियाँ इन लम्हों में,
जब मेरी मुस्कान निर्मल चाँद सी बहे,
जब मेरे ह्रदय का आत्मविश्वास
मेरे क़दमों में दिखे।
जब दूर क्षितिज पे,
रोशनी की महीन लकीरें
मेरे अवसाद के काले बादलों को
प्रज्वलित कर दे।

इस एक उम्मीद में ही सही
पर खुश हूँ मैं।

- अमितेश 

  

लाल सलाम

मंजीरे की खड़ताल और ढोल की थाप हमेशा उसमे ऊर्जा का संचार कर जाती थी. संगीत की एक हल्की सी आवाज़ से ही उसका शरीर झूमने लगता और वो नृत्य की मुद्रा में आ जाता। जैसे - जैसे संगीत की आवाज़ बढ़ती जाती, उसकी मस्ती पराकाष्ठा की ओर उन्मत होती जाती. एक क्षण ऐसा भी आता जब वो किसी अलग ही जहाँ में चला जाता। देखने वाले अक्सर उसमे और ख़ुदा में फर्क नहीं कर पाते, जैसे लगता वो प्रभु की शरण में चला गया हो। उसकी ये भाव - भंगिमा जैसे उसके आस - पास के लोगों को भी उन्मत कर जाती। संगीत सचमुच कई आत्माओं को एक - दुसरे से जोड़ जाती हैं और वह इंसान और ईश्वर का फर्क मिटा देती हैं। यह उसे सुनने वाले से बेहतर और कौन जान सकता था।

कान्हा कुजुर था वो। जंगल का बेटा। जो जंगल में पैदा हुआ और जंगल का ही हो गया था। दूर डाल्टनगंज के जंगलों के बीच बसे एक छोटे से गाँव कुसौली के हर एक बाशिंदे की आँखों का तारा। कहते हैं जब वो पैदा हुआ था तो उसके रोने की आवाज़ में भी एक संगीत थी। दाई ने कहा था - "मुबारक़ हो बिरेन, कान्हा पैदा हुआ है तुम्हारे घर में।"

दाई का मुबारक़  के तौर पर दिया गया नाम हीं  उसकी पहचान बन गयी।

कान्हा अपने माँ-बाप की एकलौती औलाद था। उसके माँ-बाप कृषि मज़दूर थे। गाँव के सबल किसानों की खेतों में काम करते और हर रोज़ ज़िन्दगी जीने की ज़द्दोज़हद करते। यह भी एक विडंबना ही है कि जो मजदूर और किसान दुनिया का पेट भरने के लिए अपना खून - पसीना एक कर देता है धरती का फल प्राप्त करने की कोशिश में वो ही आधा कभी खाली पेट सोने को मजबूर होता है। उनका अपना खून - पसीना भी धरती का सीना पिघला नहीं पाता की दो वक़्त की रोटी धरती मइया उन्हें नसीब करा पाए। बिरेन अपवाद नहीं था इन परिस्थितियों का। लेकिन कभी कोई शिकवा नहीं किया बिरेन नें अपनी ज़िन्दगी से। खुश था वो अपनी परिस्थितियों से। खाली पेट और कड़ी मेहनत के बावजूद खुश रहने की कला में महारत हासिल थी उसे। उसकी अर्धांगनी भी ऐसी ही मिली थी उसे। जब घर में हर हालत में खुश और संतुष्ट रहने का माहौल हो तो कान्हा कहाँ इस गुण से अछुता रहता। वह तो यह गुण अपने खून में ले कर पैदा हुआ था। खुश रहना और  खुश रखना।

कुसौली गाँव का शायद ही कोई घर होगा जिसकी ख़ुशी कान्हा के बिना पूरी होती थी। उसकी संगीत में वह जादू था कि पूरे गाँव में एक सकारात्मक ऊर्जा फ़ैल जाती थी। जंगल के बीच बसे उस गाँव में जंगल भी मस्ती में लहराता था जब कान्हा अपनी राग छेड़ता था। हर जगह कान्हा का प्रभाव दिखता।

यूं  ही हँसते - खेलते वक़्त उस गाँव में कान्हा के साथ जवान हो रहा था। उम्र के साथ खुशियाँ भी बढती जा रही थी और बिरेन की जिम्मेदारियाँ भी। बिरेन बूढ़ा होता जा रहा था कान्हा की जवानी के साथ। अपने फैसले के दिन से पहले उसने कान्हा को वैवाहिक सूत्र में बाँध ही दिया था। कान्हा विवाह के बाद भी नहीं बदला। यूँ ही नाचता, गाता, खुशियाँ बांटता और बदले में कुछ पैसे, धान या कपड़े पाता। न तो उसका और उसके परिवार का पेट खाली रहता ना हृदय। यह ख़ुशी और भी दुगनी हो गयी जब उसकी पत्नी रेज़ी पेट से हो गयी। जो कान्हा दुसरे घरों की खुशियों को अपने नाच - गाने से बढ़ा दिया करता वो रोज कई नयी कहानियाँ,  नए धुन तलाशने लगा था - अपने बच्चे के जन्म पर सबसे अच्छा गाना गाना चाहता था वो।

उसे अब और भी जिम्मेदारी का आभास होने लगा था। वो अपने बच्चे को बेहतरीन भविष्य देना चाहता था - हालांकि उसका बच्चा अभी तीन महीने का गर्भ भर था। कान्हा अक्सर सोचा करता कि वो अपने अपने बच्चे को साहब बनाएगा। कि उसका बच्चा गाँव में मोटर गाड़ी पे घूमेगा। उसने तो अपने होने वाले बच्चे का नाम तक सोंच रखा था - अर्जुन - शहरों जैसा नाम। हां उसे पूरा यकीन था कि उसकी पत्नी लड़का ही जनेगी। उसके खानदान का सबसे बेहतरीन मर्द, जो अपने बाप का नाम खूब रोशन  करेगा।

हर वक़्त कान्हा अब अपनी आय बढ़ाने के बारे में सोचता रहता था। शायद सिर्फ पेट भरा होना और मन प्रशन्न 

रखना ही काफी नही था अपने अर्जुन को सुनहरा भविष्य देने के लिए। किसानी कर चार पैसे कमा पाना  संभव नहीं रह गया था अब। ज़मीनें तो उसके गाँव में आज भी उतनी ही थी पर किसानों के परिवार बढे और  ज़मीनों  पे बंटवारों  कि   लकीरें  भी। अब तो ये धरतीपुत्र भी धरती के गज भर टुकड़े के मालिक भर रह गए थे। जंगल के उत्पाद को इकठ्ठा कर बेचना भी अब आसान नहीं रह गया था। सरकार ने इन वनपुत्रों से  जंगल  का  अधिकार  भी  छीन लिया था। अब जंगल के गिरे पत्ते भी उठाने के लिए सरकार से इज़ाजत लेनी पड़ती थी। इस उहापोह में अचानक ही उसकी नज़र गाँव के पंचायत भवन की दीवारों पे पड़ी - "सरकार के मनरेगा (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act - MNREGA)  कार्यक्रम के तहत अब गाँव - गाँव रोज़गार फैलेगा" - आँखें चमक उठी कान्हा की। वाह सरकार एक रास्ता बंद करती है तो दुसरा खोल देती है। झूम उठा कान्हा। अपना नाम भी उसने लिखवा डाला रोज़गार कार्यक्रम में। छोटी जरूरतों में गुजर करने वाले कान्हा के लिए  मनरेगा के सौ रूपये जैसे कुबेर का खजाना मिलने जैसा था। खूब मेहनत करेगा वो। अगले 6 महीने में जब उसका अर्जुन इस दुनिया में अपनी आँखें खोलेगा तो एक सुनहरा भविष्य, उसके पिता के बनाये सुनहरे  भविष्य  में  सराबोर  रहेगा। मनरेगा के तहत कान्हा को जंगल के बीच सड़क बनाने के काम में मजदूरी  मिल गयी। रोज़ वह मेहनत करता और पैसे जोड़ता अपने अर्जुन के लिए। सुपर्वाइसर साहब से छः महीने बाद पैसा लेने की बात कही जिसे सुपर्वाइसर साहब थोडा ना-नुकुर के बाद मान  गए।

धीरे धीरे सड़क की लम्बाई और कान्हा के पैसे बढ़ने के साथ साथ अर्जुन के इस दुनिया में कदम रखने का दिन भी नज़दीक आने लगा था। दिन भर मजदूरी करने के बावजूद हर शाम गाँव में उसकी तान छिड़ती थी जो उसके दिन भर की थकान को मिटा जाती और सुनने वाले भी मस्ती में झूमते रहते।

***

"कान्हा, बहुरिया कल बच्चा जनने को तैयार है। कल काम पर मत जइयो।" कान्हा की माँ ने कान्हा को रात में खाते समय बताया था।

"माई कल सुबह हम जा कर साहब से पैसे ले आयेंगे। कुछ खरीदारी भी कर आयेंगे अपने  अर्जुन  के  लिए।" अपनी ख़ुशी को लगभग छुपाते हुए कान्हा ने कहा था।

बहुत खुश था कान्हा अगले दिन, काम पर जाते समय तो मानो उसके कदम ज़मीं पे नहीं पड़ रहे थे। जैसे वो हवा की सवारी कर रहा था। बार बार एक ही खयाल उसके मन में आ रहा था, उसका अर्जुन दिखने  में  कैसा  होगा। उसकी आँखें तो ज़रूर उसकी पत्नी पे जायेगी और बाल उसके जैसे ही होंगे। लंबा - तगड़ा बांका जवान होगा वो। बस आवाज़ भी अच्छी होनी चाहिए। बड़ा हो कर वो लाट साहब ही बनेगा लेकिन गायक का बेटा है तो गाना भी अच्छा गाये तो फिर तो सोने पे सुहागा हो जाये। अपने इन्ही ख्यालों के साथ कब वो साईट पे पहुँच गया पता ही नहीं चला। उसके सुपर्वाइसर ने उसके एक बार कहने पर ही झट से उसकी छह महीनो की गाढ़ी कमाई उसके हाथ में रख दिए। आखिर तो उसकी कड़ी मेहनत और बेहतरीन आवाज़ के सुपर्वाइसर साहब भी कायल थे।
इतना रुपया तो कान्हा ने अपनी पूरी ज़िंदगी में नहीं देखी थी। उन सौ सौ के नोटों को देख कर उसकी आँखें फटी की फटी रह गयी। लगा जैसे ये रुपये मिलते ही दुनिया की सारी सल्तनत उसे दे दी गयी हो और वो दुनिया का  बेताज बादशाह बन गया हो। वो समझ नहीं पा रहा था के इतने रुपये का वो करेगा क्या, खर्च कहाँ करेगा, और कब तक खर्च करता रहेगा। जब हमारी जरूरतें जीवन को सँभालने के इर्द गिर्द ही घुमती रहे तो हमारी सोंच भी संकीर्णता की और अभिमुख हो जाती हैं। हम चाह कर भी अपनी चाहतों को इक्कठा कर उन्हें हमारी जरूरतों में तब्दील नहीं कर पाते। कुछ ऐसी ही हालत कान्हा की हो गयी थी।

वो भागा भागा अपनी पत्नी के लिए टेसू के फूलों के रंग की साड़ी खरीद लाया। हां वही तो थी जिसने कान्हा को इतनी बड़ी ख़ुशी दी थी। फिर उसने शादी के बाद इतने दिनों में अपनी पत्नी को एक चूड़ी, झुमका या आलता भी ला कर नहीं दिया था। ना ही उस बेचारी ने कभी कोई इच्छा जताई थी किसी भी चीज़ की कान्हा से। अर्जुन के लिए रंग बिरंगे कपडे मिठाइयां और खिलौने भी खरीद लिया था उसने। इतनी खरीदारी के बाद भी उसके पास काफी पैसे बचे थे। अब वह लगभग भागता हुआ सा अपने घर के रस्ते चल दिया था एक अनवरत मुस्कराहट अपने होटों पे लिए और एक सपनीली चंचलता आँखों में बसाये। आखिर आज वो अपने अर्जुन को जो देख लेगा। पिछले नौ महीने का इंतज़ार ख़तम हो रहा था उसका। वह लगातार चलता जा रहा था घर के रस्ते। ऐसा लग रहा था जैसे एक - एक कदम चलने में भी सदियाँ लग रही थी।

उधर घर में दाई बैठी थी। कान्हा की पत्नी दर्द से कराह रही थी। दाई उसे बार - बार जोर लगाने को कह रही थी। कान्हा की माँ बार बार बाहर जा कर रास्ता देख आती - कान्हा कहाँ रह गया। अभी तक आया नहीं है। कमाने की धुन में क्या कोई अपने बच्चे को भूल जाता है भला। बार बार बुढ़िया अन्दर - बाहर कर रही थी। हर एक क्षण के साथ कान्हा की पत्नी की पीड़ा बढती जाती और साथ ही साथ कान्हा की माँ की व्यथा भी घनी होती जाती।

जब हम वक़्त को पकड़ के रखना चाहते हैं तो यह कुछ यूं जल्दबाजी में होती है कि पलक झपकते ही महीने और साल बन जाती है। पर जब हम वक़्त को निकल जाने देने को उसे खुला छोड़ देते हैं तो ऐसे में घंटे भी पलों में सिमटने लगते हैं। कुछ ऐसे ही दौर से वक़्त गुजर रहा था उस एक पल को जब कान्हा की माँ समय जल्द गुजार देने की बाट जोह रही थी और वक़्त था की अपने खेल खेले जा रहा था। दर्द के उन पलों में रेज़ी भी कान्हा की उपस्थिति की अपेक्षा कर रही थी। आखिर दर्द के उस मंज़र को पार कर अर्जुन, कान्हा के अर्जुन ने इस दुनिया में  अपना पदार्पण कर ही  डाला। बुढ़िया अभी भी बाहर ही खड़ी कान्हा का इंतज़ार कर रही थी। कुढ़ रही थी इतने बरसों में पहली  बार कान्हा की लापरवाही पर। जिद में दाई के बुलाने पर भी अन्दर नहीं गयी अपने पोते को देखने के लिए। तभी दूर से दौड़ कर आती एक परछाई दिखी और बुढ़िया को थोड़ी सांसत आयी। उस परछाई को एक टक निहारती जा रही थी। चलो थोडा देर ही सही, उसका कान्हा आ तो गया अपने अर्जुन को देखने के लिए। जैसे - जैसे वो परछाई बड़ी होती जा रही थी वैसे - वैसे बुढ़िया शब्दों का ताना - बाना बुन रही थी की अर्जुन के बारे में बताने के लिए उसके पहले शब्द क्या होंगे।

जैसे ही वो परछाई अपने पूर्ण आकर में दृष्टव्य हुई, बुढ़िया की व्यथा फिर वापस अपने रूप में आ गयी। यह बदहवास दौड़ता इंसान कान्हा नहीं, बिरजू था - कान्हा के साथ ही काम करता मनरेगा में। बिरजू भागा - भागा बुढ़िया की तरफ ही आ रहा था। उसने साड़ी, खिलौने और मिठाइयों से भरे झोले को बुढ़िया को थमाया और बिलख पड़ा। 

"अरे क्या हो गया रे बिरजू। रो क्यों रहा है? और कान्हा कहा है? उसे पता था ना कि आज उसका अर्जुन आने  वाला  है। वैसे तो रोज़ पूछता था कितना   समय लगा रहा है अर्जुन यहाँ आने में। और आज जब उसे यहाँ होना चाहिए, पता नहीं कौन सी कमाई करने गया है।"

बिरजू अपनी उखड़ती साँसे और सिसकियों से पार पाते हुए बोला - "मौसी अब कान्हा कभी नहीं आएगा। वो हम सब को छोड़ कर बहुत दूर चला गया है मौसी। अब वो कभी हमारे पास नहीं आयेगा कभी।"

एक तेज़ चमाटा जड़ा था बुढ़िया ने बिरजू को। "क्या बोल रहा है नालायक। अच्छा दिन है, शुभ - शुभ बोल। कहाँ है कान्हा? बता कहाँ है मेरा कान्हा?" 

उसने एक कागज़ का टुकड़ा बढ़ा दिया बुढ़िया की ओर. लाल रंग के बड़े - बड़े अक्षरों में लिखा था कुछ उस पर। अपने आप को संभाल पाने की चेष्टा करती हुई बुढ़िया शब्दों को पढ़ने की कोशिश कर रही थी और शब्द धुंधलाते जा रहे थे - "हर वो इंसान जो प्रत्यक्ष या परोक्ष रूप से सरकार की मदद करेगा या करने की चेष्टा करेगा वो गरीबों का दुश्मन है। कान्हा ने सड़क बनाने में सरकार की मदद की जिसका उपयोग सरकार गरीबों कादमन करने और जंगल पर कब्ज़ा करने के लिए करती। इसलिए संगठन ने कान्हा को इसकी सज़ा दी है। हमें  उसके इस असामयिक निधन पे गहरा दुःख है किन्तु यह हर उस इंसान के लिए एक  सीख है जो अपनी तुक्ष लालच के लिए आपका और हमारा शत्रु बन जाता है... लाल सलाम।"

बेसुध हो बुढ़िया गिर पड़ी थी और साथ ही गिर पड़ा उसके हाथ से कान्हा के गाढे पसीने की कमाई जो हाड़ तोड़ मेहनत कर कान्हा ने पिछले छः महीने में कमाए थे। तभी भीतर से अर्जुन के रोने की आवाज़ आयी, पुरे सुर में... बस कान्हा नहीं था वहां पर अपने लाडले की इस आवाज़ को सुनने के लिए। वो शायद किसी और दुनिया में अपनी कला का प्रदर्शन कर रहा था - शायद कहीं और उसकी ज्यादा ज़रूरत थी, उसके इस गाँव से भी ज्यादा। शायद उस जहाँ में खुशियों को और बढ़ाना ज्यादा जरुरी था... उसके गाँव की खुशियों की कीमत पर। शायद इस जहाँ के चंद लोग अब खुश रहने की परिभाषा बदलना चाहते थे। शायद अब किसी कान्हा की ज़रूरत नहीं रह गयी थी इस जहाँ को अपनी खुशियाँ दोगुनी करने के लिए। 

-अमितेश 

Shame On Our Being

With increasing age, my experiences are getting enhanced. With every passing experience, I have started becoming more tolerant, more compassionate about things, relations and incidences. Becoming emotional is no anymore a common phenomenon of my life now. The time has taught me of being a little more analytical about happenings and the surroundings.

But what if certain incidence would raise question on your existence! What if you feel neuter when certain happening would seem to be hitting you just middle of your legs? What if you feel like a non-living object when certain living beings raise question of you being in this world!

Yes, sometimes your experience of being analytical, tolerant or compassionate just seems to be meaningless. When all your emotions seems to be coagulated at one counterpoint and hits you so badly to flow that you feel that it’s not your emotion but you are flowing, meaninglessly, in search of you being in this world.

It was more or less a nice day for me. I was enjoying seeing things flowing effortlessly at my work place after almost a year of serious hard work. I was in a world of euphoria when heard well about happenings at work place and confidence of people in the system and processes of the working. This had given life blood to me throughout the day. Yes, this is what I wanted to develop in my geography where people can do business with their head held high. A total euphoria situation for me. Very happy... until I was not exposed to this news in the evening.

After finishing all my regular mail replies in the evening, I thought of enjoying evening coffee with some interesting songs or news. I switched on the TV and lay back on bed. Some discussion was going-on on NDTV India. The news anchor was in very much anger and asking question very strongly and loudly to the panel member. I was surprisingly waiting for the chord of the discussion; suddenly a video was being shown. I was shocked to watch that video. There more than 20 people were assaulting a teen aged girl on road in some place of Guwahati, Assam. This discussion was going-on on that incident only. I felt really ashamed after seeing this video. How can we be so insensitive to let people commit such crime and that to have dared of shooting video of that? The video was showing some teen aged and young bastard assaulting that lady and numerous people were standing there watching this incident taking place in front of them. What those useless spectators would be thinking while watching this all shameful incident... thank God, she is not my sister or wife or daughter, so we can enjoy seeing this. Most importantly, what those criminals would be trying to prove while assaulting that lady? That they are real macho or strong man and this act is proving their supremacy in the world!

How we as an Indian can be so very insensitive to do such shameful act. Is this what was the reason we were urging for our independence and even ahead, our individual independence?

Oh! I am really feeling neuter today. Shame on being... Sharing Earth with those bastards. I wish I would be having gun to shoot those dirt of the society to clean our country and Earth.

From Woods To Sky

When the world is busy in the rat race of getting more serenity, when everyone is having a zest to earn more power and money in an expectation of getting peace, when our own problems are keeping us engaged to think just our livelihood; take a pause and think if these earthly things are making us feel happy... Is this everything to earn our own Nirvana!

The train had reached Tatanagar station as per the schedule. The train was Jan Shatabdi and it indeed is aam-jan's train. I hurriedly was getting down of the train, though there was no any particular reason for being in hurry. There was big crowd on the ladders of the foot-over bridge so had thought of walking down the platform to reach at the extreme end and cross the tracks to reach the exit at platform number 1. I was walking down the platform. Suddenly a big loud noise of Dhol had attracted my attention. It was coming from the D8 bogie of the Jan Shatabdi. This is very usual scene for me as some or the other politicians are often coming to Tatanagar with this train while their supporters beat the drum to receive them and be loud to the world that their political guardian has come to his own city. Once in a while, I often experience that. But this time I was surprised to see if some politician had boarded the Non-AC bogie of the train. Does our politician have started getting connected to the roots or aam aadmi? No, I think this would be their publicity stunt. I smiled of my own on this thought and moved ahead on platform completely ignoring the Dhol-Nagada and the person for whom this all crowd and cry would be. I came to the exit of the station and was waiting there for my cab to come. In few minutes I started hearing that loud noise of Dhole which was becoming louder with every passing minute. The crowd was coming close to exit gate from platform number 3. It started irritating me. I tried ignoring the noise and the crowd and took a corner at the waiting area. Suddenly a Sky blue and white color banner had attracted my eye balls. It read "Welcome Binita after conquering Mount Everest - The Sagarmatha". This one line suddenly had gave me a shock in my body. Oh Wow! What an achievement. Bravo! But who are these braves? What is their name? Out of all my curiosity, I peeped into the crowd to see them. I saw two persons garlanded heavily, a lady and a man, both middle aged. I inquired a little more about them and came to know that lady's name is Binita and she belongs to tribal community of Jharkhand. She possibly is the first tribal woman of India to conquer Everest. And this is something very special. Special not because of the fact that she is the first to achieve any such laurels but special because of her background.

Where there are a group of people talking about class differences and socio - economic gap between the societies, people like Binita proves that it’s all in the mind. If you have courage of getting out of your comfort zone, hurdles in your path would become just a stepping stone. When there is a group of people who beat their own drum that unless and until the economic differences will not be narrowed, the tribal population would not flourish, they forget to understand the fact that it’s not money but people's own courage and willpower that makes their own aura in the world.

Bravo Binita! Keep doing such things to slap on the face of those who think tribal population of India are so weak community that it’s not their will power but arms that would uplift their life.

Hail Neo - Naxalism

In the pursuance of knowing Jharkhand better, I am traveling length and breadth of the state. Though the reason of travel is pure business related, but during my official tour to various places, a new India crops up in front of me from some bushes or village or town. I have sensed / found this new India at almost every turn of the road, road side, in city and village and everywhere I have gone. A new India with a totally new world, new traditions, new philosophy, new customs. Every time I experience a new India, I feel surprised of the way people are operating. Just the basic soul is same and that's makes a subset of India with a totally individual circle of life. An India inside India, sometimes Bharat, sometimes Hindustan but basically same India that every citizen carries in his heart, knowingly or unknowingly. The country with huge diversity, fragmented unity. But a nation that is unique in world in every aspects.

Since last 2-3 years, I have got my posting in places that bears similarities in terms of following same philosophy of living. The philosophy that is mostly being followed, volitionally or forcefully, by those citizens who feels or forced to feel that governance is there in India to exploit them. The citizens who have better knowledge of world around them, the only issue is their world is very small and surrounds only those whom they know. Beyond their world is a group of people who exists to exploit them. People call it communism and we Indian have a Neo - Communism philosophy called Naxalism. The ultra communists.

I had worked in Chattisgarh and now I am in Jharkhand. Both the states are extreme in this neo-communism or naxalism philosophy. But there is a huge contrast between the same philosophies of naxalism. Whereas in Chattisgarh the Naxals works united and more focused towards their philosophy of opposing governance of the State, in Jharkhand the Naxals are fragmented and there is lots of sub - groups in the same group. They are concern about the basic philosophy of opposing governance but sees entire world as their enemy. In Jharkhand, there are only two types of people exists for them - Naxals or Enemy. And enemies are anyone / everyone who are not naxal. Naxalism in Jharkhand is more of a ways of earning easy money by fearing people. It sometimes seems that these are not just neo - communists or naxals, but are neo - naxals. The philosophy of naxalism seems lost here in Jharkhand.

I was in one of the newly created district of Jharkhand - Khunti. It is one of the harvesting lands of new naxal recruitment. One of the extreme place of Naxalism, so to say. And this place has every reason of following Naxalism. This city was previously being ruled by Kings. They were strong till mid sixty's and were being worshiped by the people of his state. But it is said that there were a big group of people who were having an opinion that the King is a real blood - sucker of his citizen. During that time only the Naxalism philosophy came into existence and this has got an easy ground in Khunti to spread. Geographically also this city was giving them a good hide out due to denser forest.

On 1st June I was there in this town. Our stockist of this town was explaining me their savageness more than business. When I asked the reason why naxals here are more barbarous, he said that there are a couple of different groups of Naxals and the brutal among them are some Dinesh Gope group. They are much into extortion money and ask for "Hafta" from everyone doing business here, be it they are having a small grocery shop or big showroom. If someone refuses to pay the money to them, they even kill them. I said "no no this is not the way Naxals are operating. They are against the Socialist government and whoever is helping government, are their enemy. The one who is doing some business and earning their bread are not at all supporting government in anyways. So how come they are enemy of Naxalism?”

The stockist just smiled on my bookish knowledge. I felt really bad seeing his smile. It was very very sarcastic smile I have ever seen. He said, "Sir now naxalism is no more a philosophy. It’s a process now, process of making money, process of getting into the power, process of re generating the feudal system".

It was strange to see this new way of doing crime. Perhaps now the term Naxalism in most of the cases are being used by some of the anti-social elements to earn his own bread and butter. It has nothing to do with upliftment of lives of deprived people. They are list bother about them, who were the real reason of origin of this philosophy. Neo - Naxalism. Hail Neo - Naxalism.

Outliers

This entire week was most happening travel week for me. Most happening because my travel was not planned thoroughly. And that had made it most adventurous week for me.

I had planned to go to Madhupur, a small Block of Jharkhand state. I had some very old day’s memories for Madhupur. It was year 1994, when I had come to Madhupur to attend President Scout camp. That three days camp had given me chance to travel length and breadth in this very beautiful city. Though these 1994 memories are very old to remember but what I remember till now the most is abundant greeneries in Madhupur. It was like a city in the middle of dense forest. Though in 1994, I was too young to fall in love, but had fallen in love with that city and its purity. After 18 years I am again in this city with the same 1994 memories. But in these 18 years, things have changed drastically. There was no mark of greeneries. City has converted now into Concreat Jungle with people all around.

But this is not something that is making this city Outlier. It’s about people coming in my life, though for a short... Very short while, but making mark on my memories. Decent, good mark.

After finishing my work at Madhupur, I supposedly was traveling back to Kolkata through some train. Luckily this 11th hour plan had ended up getting a confirm ticket in train. Although this train was taking more than usual time to reach Kolkata but how come beggars is chooser!

I boarded this late running train from Madhupur after bidding regards to the city for being in my memories. Had found my berth in the coach and accommodated myself comfortably there. I was carrying E-Ticket in my mobile. It was just a quest to save some trees of Madhupur. An old man in the TTE dress had come to me to check my ticket. He was in his late fifties'. I had handed over my mobile to him to see the E-Ticket. The font size was not that big to read that. He tried reading the ticket, had adjusted his specs to see it but the font size was creating trouble for him. I asked him if I can help him by dictating the PNR number, he felt very awkward about not able to read and when I consoled him; he had given a warm smile to me. Ever since I boarded the train, I was observing this old man. He was making every one comfortable in the coach. He was having a very warm way of interacting with passengers. Everybody was actually enjoying the journey in his presence. He was coming to every coop and interacting with passengers sitting there. Wow! What a man. This old man reminds me of Danny Desai. Danny was one pilot in Raipur - Mumbai route. I often was traveling in this route. The journey there was of about 1.5 hour. When it is journey through flight, it’s very boring. You have restricted movement. Even very less chances of interacting with co-passengers. So during the journey, you can either read books or sleep while listening music to kill your boredom. And this Mr. Danny was quite very aware of this fact. While this whole 1.5 hour journey, he keeps speaking on microphone, not to bore you further but to entertain you. He was such a nice orator that everyone in the flight use to enjoy his murmuring.

People like the Old TTE or Danny are actually having passion towards their work that they just enjoy every moment of it. These people are actual Outliers in true sense.

Indian Rail : A Journey Through India

It’s been long since I am traveling through various geography of our nation. The most used mode of my travel is Train. But with increasing growth in career, a kind of sophistication has engrossed me. While traveling I tries being good with my own self. Since last 3-4 years, I really don't remember when did the last time I had traveled in a general class bogie of a train.

Once you are into an AC bogie, you will observe people flaunting their best of the attitude. This was one big lesson of psychology for me, "Same person behaves differently in different environment".

This time, I took a little more time to book Rail Ticket for my Deoghar Tour that ended up me traveling into a general bogie. General Bogie... Am I joking to myself? Is it that I will have to travel in the "Cattle Class", as popularly said! No, no. I can't travel in general bogie. I tried hard getting an AC Rail ticket. Have tried all the possible combinations of reaching Deoghar from Kolkata. But all vein. The tour was important for me, I cannot avoid or postpone this travel by even a day. So was left with no choice but to travel in a "Cattle Class".

Though the journey was of just 4.5 hours but traveling in general class was making me feel a little jetty.

I managed to reach station a little early to get a window seat. Perhaps this was my way of consoling me from any possible discomfort during the journey. And I managed to get one Window seat as well. Though it had put me into an aggressive mode, and I almost had fought with a co-passenger to get that window seat.

And the journey of enlightenment, or perhaps re-enlightenment started with a long vistile of the engine. The train started sharp at 8:10 am from Howrah, as scheduled. And with the start of the train, a big fight broke inside my compartment for seat. Few fellow passengers were fighting at the top of their esophagus to let other person surrender and cherish the supremacy of the other. A sudden chaos broke inside me. I was feeling not so good in that noise. To add into it the outside noise of engine and rail machines were making me go mad. I felt like getting down at next station. I tried listening to music using my ear phone but all in vein. Perhaps I was super conscious about any happening around me. And I already had visualized my journey as a difficult one.

The chaotic fight lasted for 10-15 minutes and all settled down wherever they got their seats. Even some who was fighting a few minutes back was discussing cast politics together, laughing, making comments on the Political Systems in India. Strange, how we manage to change our mood so very quickly. I don't know if the same thing is happening with animals as well where a Lion perhaps would have fought for his territory with another Lion and immediately after this fight starts playing with his children. I think this is prominent characteristics of Humans only and this is what is differentiation us from animals.

A journey where lot of small - small events added up to make a book of a good to great experience. Wow! What a journey. A journey worth travelling and an eye opener for me. That 4.5 hour journey would be one framed possession for me throughout the life.

Salaam Bombay

Its the city of joy, a city that is more in imagination and the past glory. A city that is brighter and cleaner. People with much self consciousness, with much better and clearer communication style. A city where much of the pisces lover are there though they are of Lionic nature. A city I love to be a part of. Great city with wonderful philosophies and values. A city that is having a style and suave.

I was enjoying my life here as long as last two days didn't have brought a sudden deviation from my usual equalibrium of my City of Joy's life.

Since last two days I am into a different world, a world where realistic approach is more prominent, more visible. A world where people don't try much for looking beautiful but they are. A world where people are self aware but more than that they are aware of their society. A world where people may not use jazzy languages to express themself, but are clearer to the rest part of the world.

Suddenly the part of this world woked up in me which had lost inside. The time that had put a thick layer of dust over that world inside me suddenly had blown a cool breeze to make it clean, clear and prominent. Till the moment I touched the land of this city, I was more of the Bhadro Jan. With the crowd passing by me, brushing their shoulder with me, the lost part of this city suddenly woked up. Enjoying this known renewed change in me. Feel proud of being part of this dream world where people keeps their eyes open to see those dreams.

Salaam Bombay!