~ The Future they Saw…~

 They both had a vision and they are living a dream – god gave them less of a normal life but they made much more out of the life they are living…. The challenges were accepted with an aplomb … Manoj and Shiv became friends by a common cause – their lack of sight, though Manoj is a partially blind and acts as a “Eyesight” to Shiv , both are each others support system. They met in a blind school but soon became friends as their interest match – both wanted to open a school for the blind children…. they indeed did!

The initial struggle did pose a hurdle, but when stakes are high and the resolve is resolute, you get to where you want… Today , I met them again, as they are a regular feature in our block, asking for funds for the kiddos ..the number has turned out to be 35, with two of them doing their graduation, many of them are in their early teens and are in primary and junior wing.

So what made them stand against all odds….it was a five letter word ‘Faith’ …Manoj is himself a graduate…and wanted to teach kids with visual disabilities, the challenges he faced should not be a stopping point for others. Shiv became his assistance as he was father of one of Manoj’s student. Both are on the formidable task which the able bodied would defy to take…

So, what was the tipping point as I casually asked him? – “I came across a partially blind girl sitting at home as her mother was a homemaker and her father was a rickshaw puller! – that was the tipping point for me to take the plunge. And I did… I gave her home tuitions for class 4^th in braille…and she passed class 12^th through this arrangement… the word of mouth spread and rest as they say is history.

“Didn’t you faced strong opposition from the situation you were in?” , as I asked Manoj, “Yes, I did , but my aim of life was to teach the visually handicapped, that is why I was made like this ….!” – his revert was everything to me…. Having a morning chat with such pulsating soul surely gives you the adrenaline rush to stand up and start walking…

They run a blind school for girls primarily from a dilapidated rented Shanty with little help from sundry, the clothes they wear and the situation in which they live is a testimony to their dire living but all is in their resolve and the journey is continuing… All they earn is the blessings of those girls who are out-casted as a nobody by the society but are made to believe in themselves…. For persons like Manoj and Shiv, all I can say is “”All the best , may God be with you in your karma which you have so rightly made your own” ….until I meet them next time… for which the count down has earnestly begun…

~ A Day Would Come...~

 He was my oldest friend who used to carry the everlasting youthfulness in his aura…. Speak to him anytime of the day and he would be refreshed with his talks and actions, be it buying a surprise drink or treating an unknown person with an ice-cream, he was all vivacious and at its best…all time of the day…

Today seeing him lifeless whilst he was being carried in a hearsay van reminded me of his words which he told me not just too long ago…. “Beta, yeh zindagi hai aisi hi chalegi… bas chaltey jao…bulawa aa hi jayega…” (Son, this is life and it would lead the way it would, one day your time will come to say goodbye to this world!) … a streak of tear flowed through and a feeling of sadness engulfed me… questioning God was futile as this is the way world has been… souls would come and form a bond and relationships and one day they would move on...

The rule of the game is simple “ Enjoy your streak in this world with limited time, the veil of saying goodbye will be raised anytime – it would not be taken into consideration if you are a king or a pauper, if its your day to go , you just have to! – today was his day and I became a mute witness…just helpless and all I could say was “Bye Bye...” As I knew him, he surely lived a life “the Gita way…” , doing his Karma and taking up his societal and family responsibilities in equal measure…but the chapter would close for all of us like this…and no differently…

Being emotional beings, we still cherish the ground covered on the pace of time, we will play, fight and would do insane things , as brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, we will all live in togetherness but when suddenly someone departs, a void gets generated as we have tend to become so used to seeing this person everyday and taking him/her for all granted in our daily chores of our living. This remains tend to remain deep within us for some time but then the journey of time begins and we tend to forget the soul which once seemed indispensable in your life, but time plays its tune and life moves on… 

The great miracle of birth and death would keep on happening on this planet… we would live on, leaving a memory to cherish for some time and then we would soon become oblivious in the sands of time…that’s life…

Adieu Sabharwal Uncle, may you find peace and be our darling angel and guide us on our present sojourn on earth…I know the bodily pain you were going through was unbearable sometimes… my spending time with you whilst you met me adhoc would remain ingrained in me for life… As a toddler and as a young man… you have seen me grow…but now as they say ...” "Death never takes a wise man by surprise; he is always ready to go. ", you were the one well prepared for the final sojourn to heaven….

At the end six feet of earth makes us all equal and one day this would happen to all of us… till then goodbye and thanks for being a friend and a prudent guide…. Amen!

~ Fag end Friendships…~

They have done their life tasks and are sitting with each other having ‘Pakoras’ and ‘Samosas’. Many of them are toothless and have hit the octogenarian stamp on their identity – hilariously they talk of death and they are ready to move to the next dimension without any regret.

As they say life after 70 is just a bonus that one lives, the idiom is in all truth for these happy go lucky friends as they share their rich camaraderie amongst themselves, oblivion to the people around themselves, they have carved their own world of enjoyment.

Most of their talk is about their family and more so about their past life what they have lived – They are certainly rich in experience and their talks are an ample proof of their life. Some have had government jobs and many were shopkeepers or service professionals, all are unique in their sense of talk and it is their homogeneity of situation that brings them together.

The event today is 1^st of Jan’2022, and they are happy celebrating the first day of the year with greatness of God and also with a little melancholy – two of their friends have left for heavenly abode and they miss them tremendously. They are also very cautious of the latest onslaught of Corona strain – Omicron but at the same time have the zeal to live upto their expectations of love and bonding for each other. If anyone gets absent from their daily evening stroll, a quick call is made to know about his whereabouts – it turns out to be an authentic way to gauge the depth of their friendship.

Among them some have lost their life partners, some live along as their children are abroad, others live with their families and a nagging wife 😊, as she forms the centrality of talks amongst each other.

Talk to them and they will have a common stance – they meet everyday without fail to kill time as they have been made to retire from their daily life but being able bodied they have shunned themselves to be a recluse and sitting at home. Their newfound love for technology happens to be a game changer in their life as they connect with the world of WhatsApp and facebook.

They talk in loud about their newly formed WhatsApp group and are elated to share all sorts of forward messages – terming it to be a great time killer… I happen to be sitting next to them along with my young friend but these bunch of oldies have made me tied towards their gestures and talks… may be deep inside me I am trying to explain to myself, one day your time would be spend in a similar fashion. The dusk of life for many of us would be the same, the silver lining would be the kind of company we would have at that moment. At that time the definition of success would have greatly changed…it would not be career, pelf, power but would have been hijacked by health, wellbeing, respect and peace of mind and overall a dignified living…  

~ In the Weight Of Time…~

 He has a catchy smile and greets you with his self-taught gratitude, often with a “Namaste”. Manu Uncle, what most people call him,  is an old man with a self esteem and derives life’s inspiration from the school of life itself. Blessings come from him quite often as you greet him and you suddenly a sense of a catchy feelings gushes your spine to have an elongated conversation with this old man….

He has been a visitor to the park for quite some time now and has picked a particular spot in a DDA park where he usually stands and loiters around and spends much of his time of the day. He never invites anyone to make use of the “service” he provides free of cost but with a notion that nobody would avail it for free …almost everyone pays him out of respect that he commands. He comes with a weighing machine every morning and neatly places it at a particular corner and expects people – who are jogging or having a morning health drink – to come and get to weigh themselves in lieu of anything which they want to give him. Some give him a fruit such a banana that they are having, some offer him a morning tea cuppa, many offer him a sandwiched breakfast, he never denies the goodies though and cherishes them with fervor!

He is a well-respected man as many appreciate his nature and cheerfulness, he gels well with all sorts of people, without fail at a particular time he comes on his trade-mark bicycle… cycling about 5 kms from his shanty…to spend the entire day in his “dreamland”…what he calls is jokingly….

On enquiring about his well being and pondering about his past, you will come to know that he is not alone in this world but has a son who is happily married but does not stay with him. His wife died long back and he made it a point to not be dependent on his son for a living, so be it , here he is with his daily weighing machine which earns him enough to stupefy many about his survival in such tiring circumstances.

Come winter’s and you will see him jam packed with all sort of woolen clothes which are generally donated by people who know him – though the size does not suit him in person, but the purpose is solved.

His ever-smiling nature and all salt hair gives him reverence by many, even if you wont pay him after a shameless use of his weighing machine, you will see him smiling as ever, that is the nature of this man.

Today I met him after long time, he instantaneously recognized me and asked me about my well-being. His sweet smile tells me that he is happy and living without any burden of life – On days when he doesn’t turn up, he is missed by many as he is cynosure of discussion for the sundry. Manu uncle keeps himself up-to-date about politics and what is going on this world, a rare and unique feature for a man of his age but it is his hobby to read the morning newspaper which he brings with himself everyday – he told me once that he is a graduate in Hindi and has been working as a workman in a daily newspaper – it is from there that the bug of reading bit him and turned him into a voracious reader or sorts! After retirement, his self esteem didn't allow him to sit ideally at home and be a burden to his son and soon took to his next profession...

Many such souls bring a sense of hope and talking with them touches your soul – don’t know but you feel the goodness of such beings, they are no way connected to your sphere of life or for that matter your area of interest or work but somehow you “bump” into them in life and feel like talking to them… this is what makes this life a journey to follow…

As once Shakespeare so famously said, “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women are merely players…”, the idiom holds ground when you start to observe and live in its real being…. Talk to such people out of curiosity while you shed your inhibition and shyness and you will feel that everyone in this world and society is a character of sorts fulfilling his life’s task, doing peculiar things for their living… when the director says cuts… you wont find him at the usual place you used to see him….that is what you call life…

~ The Year that was…~

As this year ends to a close, today is the time to reminisce the sweet and sour memories of time which many of us won’t be able to forget in our entire life… the test of time for all of us were tough and many of us were left in a guineapig like situation and became a mute spectator of life which quietly unfolded in front of us….day by day, minute by minute…

So how was it? many would say it was bad , indeed it was, business shut down, people loosing there source of livelihood and foremost loss of our near and dear ones…we saw it all happening in front of our eyes…we were helpless and could not have done more that we had already done. Medics preparing to safeguard life of the infected and in parallel we had scientists who were applying their mind to create a defense against this tiny enemy, but we failed miserably….

Some were born and many were lost, some smiled while others wept, we saw it all…but were helpless. The sirens of Ambulances knocking on our ears, the cries of humanity were unanswered…seconds just clicked one by one and we were forced to move on…that was the year…

So what did this onslaught tell us and what we got from all the hoopla of this enemy of humanity? Did we learn the subtle lesson what nature is trying to tell us…? The innumerable killings and the loss of value system amongst us have to result in such a calamity, it had to come and it came for us to see. The question is “ Can this be tamed by us?”, only time has the answer and none of us are clairvoyant to speculate that… we can always be positive for a good outcome but do we know when this would end – it is a tough question to crack!

As the new year unfolds and we rise in hope and aspire to follow our dreams which we had set for our lives, we can just say “ All the very best to ourselves and our near and dear ones” and thus try our best to achieve our objectives of bringing life back on our tracks….

With this hope and a sense of positivity, I beget just one question we should ask from our conscience…what was the one lesson we did learn from the past year numerical? And if we have learnt that well, have we vowed to ourselves to not repeat the same for a future course of action…. The answer remains with you… till then….  “Wishing all my readers a very Happy & Prosperous New Year….”

~ The Lonely Supper…~

 He sits on the passenger seat and has his favorite meal. His auto is parked in a dark silo under a tree and it is exactly 8 pm. I happen to pass by his auto as it is a time for me for my evening vista, probably the only time of the day when I feel the resplendence of evening fog (or may be smog) with a grilling chill.

He suddenly stopped me and asked me about the time as if he was time bound to have his dinner. I responded with the all the correctness of time to which there was a smile with a thanks. He seemed to be educated as his gestures and etiquettes is a proof of that. I didn’t want to end our meeting in such a short fluke, so insisted in asking about his whereabouts. 

He was quick to respond but wanted to have his dinner first, the time he used to have it everyday was “8 pm” and it was soon followed by a cellphone call by his newly wed wife. As I stood, I could hear the first question which popped up “ Have you had your dinner?”, my stranger was quick to respond with a shy whisper – which was an indication of him not being too comfortable in front of me…

It was a sweet gesture to which he responded with a smile towards me, I didn’t want to disturb the newly weds with their sweetness of their newfound romance. I walked away but with a sea of thoughts. It was a lonely supper but brimming with loving affection of someone who has prepared it with dedication and sweetness, the only irony being that it had to be partaken in all of its aloneness!!! The sounds of vehicles passing by had no meaning to both of them and may be they were lost in their own world of romance….

As I crossed the road and started to walk towards my destination, my inquisition pressed me to look for the last time towards the event which I had just lived and I could see the dim light of auto which he had lit up in order to have his evening supper…. Or may be it was the light of his mobile phone which was an instrument of hope and bondedness for the two souls to have their dinner together…. With these thoughts I moved on not before smiling at the scene which was a going to stay in memory for times to come…

~ Achieve Silently..Live Silently...~

 Have you ever talked with the silence of nature? And did you ever observe the mega-gifts nature is providing us everyday under the veil of silence….but we are the ones who are the noise makers…

Nature works in its own magnificent silence, you will see a sapling growing into a fruit bearing tree in no time, all in silence. The light from sun and the moon reaches us in silence, without making any noise .

Working in silos, your subconscious mind starts talking to you on varied subjects which your eye observes subtly. If you notice things are happening as you observe them ‘Not happening’ – be it your life or otherwise, tick by tick time is passing by and you observe its various dimensions.

Do one simple experiment out of your daily razzmatazz of life - Sit silently or go to some lonely place having a patch of tranquility, your brain would automatically start soothing down and would throw less encumbered thoughts to oblige, observe the thoughts which pour in, after constant practice, you will realise that you form a connect with someone inside you and suddenly you are getting towed down towards the silent sounds of this grand design....

The nature has no sound but since million of years it is existing, giving life to various flora and fauna. We came to life a specific objective and nature was our spear header – It constantly speaks to us but is silent – this sounds to be quite oxymoronic but it has a certain amount of truth. Just sit silently and observe your being, under influence of silence, your thoughts would start talking to you – who is this person who wants to give you the silent message of grand design.

Nature has achieved so much for all of us to prosper and live in harmony, still it is silent! It shows and outpours its benevolence in such a subtle manner that it does what it does but we do not see it happening

How many of us have the power and the capacity of talking in silence with our creator? Not many, but those who have does not speak much 😊 …they are good observers of nature’s happenings. All the existence is there around you but not a word speaks, people are taking birth , many are leaving us, all of our achievements, aspirations are just left behind as a matter of reverence. 

Just the other day on a casual talk someone spoke to me “ Who would die happily , a rich man or a poor man?” , after much debate and counter arguments a conclusion was made and it was  , though the question had its own answers which many would differ. 

But under weight of logic, a poor man has happy ending, coz he has nothing to loose and has no material burden he is leaving behind on the other hand a Rich man slogged although his life to acquire his riches and material wealth and when he did, his time is up and it is others who would be the real beneficiaries of his efforts…. Though sounds logical , this small discussion has a cerebral thought…and that is don’t be vociferous about your achievements at the end of the day you have to leave everything and gets single out to leave this world…. Silently you will come and silently you would go..in between is just a egoistic noise…

~ Finding a Purpose…~

Finding your true purpose in life is certainly an arduous task. The mind being the culprit always is on the haywire and is in constant want for food for thought. Many a time you start asking about the value and the cause of your being here – you are not doing anything different which have not actually been done by your ancestors – may be they were more prudent that you are today nor you have that wisdom of the eternal which our early forefathers had.

Bereft of answers, you ask the void “What is the purpose of my life?”

The void answered “ What if I told you that you are truly proving your purpose when you sit with your old parents and give them a patient hearing, you walk the talk with them and answer their questions, even if it makes no sense to you.”

“Or you are fulfilling your purpose when you polish your father’s shoes or give your mother aching knees a nice massage! Or you make them a surprise lunch/ tea and place in front of them their favorite snack of the day!...

We don’t have to do great things during the day to make the grand design believe in us – we are surely being here for a greater purpose, the vastness of our achievements may look miniscule in front of small gestures of gratitude such as helping an ageing lady cross the road while you hold her hand or placing  a cup of milk in front of a street dog who never had thought this would happen in his nomadic life…

You achieve your purpose in acts of silos and not boasting about what you are doing in your daily living. Remember your every act of kindness or cruelty of thoughts or actions are being looked upon with great eagerness, someday, somewhere your might face same situations, so act with great thought as if you are giving to the world which might come back to you in same fold.

The main problem with us is that we are trying to equate our purpose with materialistic achievements which make our chest swell with honour, pride and false ego. Remember the universe is not very interested in your achievements, it has much more to give than to receive back!

Your life itself is sustainable due to its benevolence, the air , water, food is all a miracle happening in this universe, we didn’t created it! When you choose to align and act with compassion, kindness and gentleness of your thoughts and actions, you are giving back to the same universe so did you receive… you consciously achieve your true living and purpose for which you were being send, you need not look any further… your heart will give you enough signals of feedback from the universe!

~ A Sitting Confluence… ~

Passing through a nearby park in a prominent mart my eyes captured something extraordinaire which we all have seen or read in fancy stories but have probably not seen in practicality – my idea of a dream coming true came out today, when I could see an open school being run by the students themselves.

The arrangement and the sincerity of learning was palpable, and I could see an earnest discipline in running the classrooms which had some peculiar students. Almost all of them were form the unprivileged section of society, many of them were being given books and stationery to work upon.

Small tasks were assigned to the students who with all cherish got engrossed to accomplish, as if it was there final exam of life and death. The pulse was such that many of the passersby including myself could not ignore such a beautiful happening. The quest for learning was matching with the sincerity of teaching. Students were made to discipline and were being asked questions from the very books they were given, with everyone scrambling through the texts, trying to find the answers first and impress upon their teachers!

Many of them were toddlers barefoot whose parents might be fighting their own battles to exist , an affordable schooling for their kids is a far-off probability. The sheer excitement and resplendence of the atmosphere was making it as a cynosure of all eyes. The chirping of classrooms, the peeping in each other’s copies and the feeble whispers amongst their peers whilst the teachers were top of their voice gave the moment its uniqueness. Many of the students seems to be lost as if they had turned up just to have a sight of a classroom which was never to be seen – there were no walls, windows or blackboards to count on , no chairs or benches but plain floor – for them this became the definition of a classroom.

A sense of galore hit me with thoughts of a bright future for these souls. They are doing the best they could have done in the present predicament they are in, Kudos to some of them who have taken the initiative to setup open school such as these which exemplify that when there could be a cult in education if we all take the initiatives and ponder upon new ideas to exemplify such examples!

Who knows in times to come we hear a magnificent story about a budding entrepreneur or a engineering marvel being churned out by these very initiatives which today seems to be so miniscule at sight.

At least the foundations have been laid down, though the journey seems to be arduous full of impediments of time and circumstances that these students shall go through due to their deprivation, still many of them would become shinning stars in their journey of life, lets hope this happens and we read their achievements in newspapers in coming years… Amen.!

~ That's Life...~

 A recent visit to the hospice came out to be an eyeopener for me. For many it is a place which no one wants to visit in a lifetime as the scene of despondency amongst the caretakers waiting outside of their dear ones make you feel nervous and helpless.

Suddenly your thoughts plunge to a degree of assumptions and lateral imagination about life – what goes out that we die and what are doctors struggling to rectify to keep the ‘Soul’ inside the body and not make it leave to another dimension. Just sitting in the calmness of situation, a sudden unfortunate panic struck the ambience and the aura turned frantic with nurses and doctors talking amongst themselves in hush-hush tones – seemingly, something urgent was warranted – the patient had posed a challenged to the medical science and doctors were trying their best to save a precious life.

I went inside the ICU where my near and dear one was admitted and I could see a flurry of doctors and nurses assembled near a bed, where laid an octogenarian who had almost giving up on his breath – he was being given experimented with all the latest scientific instruments to bring to life and set his parameters to normalcy. 

Just beside him was a child who was getting nervous whilst he saw all the scene first hand – there was no one trying to help him achieve the calmness – suddenly the nurse cajoled him and tried to divert his mind to other things – asking about his condition and that how he was feeling, but be whatever, the child was still reluctant as his mind and thoughts was still engrossed in the scene he had just witnessed.

The next bed was where my close relative was admitted, though of middle age, he was calm and composed and knew about what had happened – he said in all vivaciousness “ That’s Life, many of us would end here!” – the child noticed his statement and questioned both of us “ Uncle, we are born in a hospital and would die in a hospital” , now this line was unexpected from a young man who had just witnessed a live passing away of a life… We tried to cheer him up – “Lad, know that you have a limited time in life, enjoy your life to the fullest, be humble, be observant and live very moment with awareness of thought that you can be called back any time…”

He agreed amongst the calmness that had dawned upon the ICU, suddenly, the body of the old man was whisked away and a new bed was placed for the next patient to be admitted in ICU… that’s life reverted the young lad… no wonder, he had understood the deep meaning of our talk….

~ A Slippery Story...~

She sits in the middle of stack of slippers, many of them scattered all over a well-entrenched periphery – that is what she calls her ‘Shop’ – exuberating confidence and a knack to sell, she is talkative and a charming smile.

I happened to visit her place with an aim to buy bathroom slippers and suddenly the ‘Shopkeeper’ caught my eye out of confluence of people roaming around in our weekly flea mart. The zig-zag movement of people was causing a subtle hinderance in observing her from a distance – though I wanted to reach the little peddler – her comatose sitting stance and observing her customers and keeping a strict vigil on her sell was her key stroke – Apparently, she was well trained by her mother, who happened to be sitting next to another makeshift shop – selling artificial jewellery.

The only time she got up from shop was to give her earnings of her sell – which happened to be intermittent. It was my turn to select a set of slippers and I asked ‘him’ the price and which amongst the lot were best suited for me.

Her tomboyish looks gave her a cascading look of a ‘Boy’ – as I addressed him, she was quick to respond – “Uncle, I am Girl” – realizing my fault, I immediately corrected myself and said an apologetic ‘Sorry!”

I asked her name in all humility, she responded with a haughty laugh “ Uncle, Laxmi!” – a sheepish smile engulfed me to the point of a subtle embarrassment, I then started the conversation “ Beta, do you study?”, she responded “ Yes uncle, I study in class 4^th in a government school.” I can sense another coincidence, she was actually sitting in front of her school across the street to which she told me further “Uncle, that is my school!”

I was overtly impressed with her vividness , in between she was quick to respond to other customers queries – her multitasking skills were really impressive – How an almost toddler all about 8-10 years of age was single-handedly spearheading a small enterprise – dealing with biggies and answering their varied questions with an unequivocal confidence. She knew price list of every variety of chappas as if she had learnt it by rote, you ask her any set of slippers and the cost would come as a prompt reply!

Suddenly she looked at me and asked “Uncle, take these chappals, this would fit you and it is of good quality – the color green is good too!” I was rendered speechless, I checked the size and it exactly fit my foot – what a good Samaritan she was – almost perfect in her art and behavior, I could see a budding entrepreneur in a decade, who knows what she turns out to be, though many people will shun off my decree as of today – I know the journey would be tough but not at all unachievable!

She wasted no time to pack the slippers in a newspaper and a polythene bag and quick she was to hand over to me with one hand and taking a Rs 50 note on the other. Suddenly she lost interest in further conversation and focused her sight on other customers who happened to be a lady carrying along with her a girl child as equal age as my little salesgirl… The lady seems to be proudly telling her daughter “See such a confident girl, at your age she is singlehandedly running a shop!”

These words made me feel proud but as well as a little stoic to the current scenario, her family situation made her work at this tender age, but she had taken this in her stride and had taken the challenge upon herself to help her family to bring comfort to them whilst she worked part time along with her studies.

Looking at the confluence of people around me , I could see so many “Laxmi’s” who had donned the hat of a part time salesgirl and unknowingly taken the entrepreneurial part, this came as a blessing in disguise, the confidence and experience she showed is a sparkle in her aura of life… Well done Laxmi, keep the spirits high, your choice of slippers for me are of utmost importance, for when I wear them, deep in my heart I bless you for giving me this gift,... I wish one day your balancing act of studies with your entrepreneurship might lead you to a unicorn… who knows... time is the best answer….