LIFE..!!

LIFE – If we are asked to define it, how well can we explain it in words?

One word, impossible.

A sentence, tough, but not impossible.

A paragraph, comfortably.

A book? I believe that too will not suffice the task given.

But how well we understand it? How well can we analyse it? I tackle these questions every now and then!! I never thought I would get its answer through a real life experience.

I was done with my TCS training in Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala) and was returning to Mumbai by train. I was accompanied with ten other friends. Our journey was spanning over 24 hours from Bangalore. Very obvious it was that we were a mischievous group of eleven people for co-passengers.

Decorum was certainly missing throughout the journey. We were having an old age couple travelling with us. He and his wife were carrying a grim on their face all over the journey. Obvious reasons were our shouting and babbling.

Somewhere during the journey all of us shifted to the third tier. And obviously continued our jibber-jabber. I took this as an opportunity and started writing one of my incomplete blog (which is still incomplete). Watching me writing the blog uncle beside me asked if I am a journalist. I politely declined it and told him that I am a writer and write blogs.

He became more inquisitive and asked my whereabouts. I was shocked to see his excitement. I counter questioned him. An uncle took a long, heavy breath and started telling about the numerous things that he did throughout his life. About his daughter and son-in-law. Relevant and mostly irrelevant information. I was shocked to know that he forgot to mention his debit card number and its pin number.

An uncle was a journalist. He has written columns, guest articles for The Hindu – very renowned English daily, was a great orator, appeared live on some TV shows on DD National, travelled most of the European countries, visited Niagara fall, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Son-in-law working at a very high post in World Trade Centre with his daughter returning India a while ago after spending 8 years in the USA.

In short, this man was very satisfied with his life. He accomplished and fulfilled almost everything one wishes in his/her life. I asked him his email address and continued writing my blog. Grim was now replaced with a grin.

The thing struck my head that this is the kind of life I want. I asked him more about his past. I realized that my approach towards my life was similar to his. Meanwhile, we reached in Maharashtra.

We reached Solapur, Maharashtra. A small family with a bald lady (Didi), a child in her arms and a woman (aunty) in her 60s followed her. Their tickets were in waiting list. But as it was daytime they were accommodated easily.

I was done talking with the uncle and then got busy into my writing. My attention was grabbed by the bald lady, she had her head covered with saree and looking outside into infinity. The child was playing with all his enthusiasm.

The lady (aunty) in her 60s leaned towards me and said, “It's her last day today!” I was caught on edge, hearing her statement; she continued, “She is having cancer. So, we are going to Tata Memorial Hospital (Mumbai) for her treatment.” I was hearing her with all ears, “The child is one and half years old. I am very worried about his future.” I was all dumbstruck with her claims. She took a deep breath while controlling her tears.

I was feeling terribly bad as well as curious at the same time. Bad for her condition, curious about what they are going to do next. Confused if I should shoot more questions at her, morally I thought I shouldn’t. So, continued my writing!!

Our journey continued, they opened their food tiffins and aura spread throughout the compartment. I could easily distinguish different masalas used in food through smell. Aunty offered me to have some food, which I politely rejected. She guessed that I am not having it because the lady was suffering from cancer. To this I told her that this is not the case, but if you insist I can have some. She offered me traditional Maharashtrian food bhakar-besan. Had she told me that she is having this to offer me; I would have never rejected her offer at first.

I offered the same to my friends. And my friends losing all their senses attacked the food as if zombies are attacking human beings. All food disappeared in glimpse. Watching our interest in food she passed us bhaje, which was like a geek getting 10 GBps open Wi-Fi internet with unlimited disk space. In all this chaos she gulped her food and said, “Blessings of you all will help us and the child.”

She was calling me ‘Baba’ throughout our conversation, which means father in Marathi.

I intrigued more and got to know they were running on mere monthly pension of 8,000 Rs. from Aunty’s passed away husband. That Didi’s husband left her the moment he was informed about her illness. But telling this, Aunty couldn’t hold her tears and dam busted out with tears.

The child was demanding edibles in train. Knowing the fact that Didi is into last few days of her life she didn’t let him have it. But Didi explained him why not to have stale and junk food. Mother and her love towards her child!!

Before giving a period to this conversation I asked them for their phone number and promised them to help them in every possible way.

Dadar station arrived and I get off the compartment. Took their blessings and Aunty asked me a question, “Child, are you going alone? Where are you going to stay?” I just told her and assured them that I have a place and people to stay with.

Very soon I started working towards getting some charity/donation/money from various trusts and NGOs. But all went futile, some were demanding long list of documents, some were demanding the patient at their office headquarter (which was not possible for the Didi) and some even asked for politicians’ letters. Knocked as many doors as possible. Tried every possible NGO, every possible trust.

Finally, I myself decided to give a share of my salary in her treatment. And with that, her treatment has begun now.

I deeply remember Aunty’s last words; she said “I have met a lot of people, but never like you. May be in our past life you were my brother, father, child. I pray to God that you have all the happiness in the world. Your child will never fall ill, you will have the happy life!!”

While transferring the amount I was in a dilemma about transferring the amount. But it was all about conscience. The Didi had two dependents. One her son and second her mother.

A simple train journey witnessed me to two completely different planes of life; on one side was the uncle from Bangalore who was perfectly satisfied and happy with his life. Achieved all things a man can dream of. And on other side a lady fighting with her life, her child’s future and her mother’s life. Still unaware if she will be alive the next day or not.

If we believe, then most of us fall somewhere in the middle of these two planes. We still complain a lot in our life. If we worked a little harder, even these complaints would disappear. But we deprive ourselves from going that extra mile.

I suggest you to keep observing the people around you. I bet you will find yourself a lot luckier than most of people around.

This reminds me of a song-

Kho jana, pa jana, naa pana, hai jindagee jaan le,

Bik jana, lut jana, bas jana hai jindagee maan le.

Ho ho ho karle yakin, jo kal gaya woh phir se aata nahee.

Gujra huva jo wakt hai woh dastak lagata nahee.

Jo aaj hai bas wahi hai tera,

Ha kya teree hastee hai, mittee kee bastee hai,

Pal me hee ho jati hai yeh fana.

Kar salam..!!

Kyun jindagee se ho shikava gila

Yeh hasatee hai rotee hai, jo bhee hai jaisee hai

Jo bhee yeh deti hai woh hai teraa

Kar salam..!!

- Pritam Chakraborty, Soham Chakraborty, Suhail Kaul (Life In A...Metro!!)

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keywords - cancer, dalai lama, life teaching, mark batterson, quote, tata memorial hospital, TCS, train journey, trivandrum

Me and Four Girls!! Life teaches in beautiful ways!!

Life is a beautiful teacher. It keeps on teaching us many things by placing us in many odd and unique situations. On Teachers' Day I learnt a big lesson - about person, about life, about attitude and about how important understanding is in-between two people. I am sharing it in the following blog. :)

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5^th September, 2013. Two big events – Teacher’s Day and Pola - an Indian festival in which bullocks and oxen are worshiped for their rigorous ploughing in farms. Next day follows a ritual where children have to carry a pair of clay bullocks and worship them known as tanha-pola. Many of us shall have very nice memories for this day. Being the only day where we earn more money to purchase chocolates for next few weeks (obviously hiding from Mon-Dad). Visiting each home and borrowing money. With the cutest face possible. Meticulously checking the wallet and expected money to be lent to us. And it was the same day!

I was sitting in my room. Working on my seminar presentation and report. Someone slammed door. I was distracted, the pen fell off my hand. Hold my chair back and opened the door in distress. All I saw was a cute girl standing with a clay bullock in her hand. And then followed her other three girls; running and huffing came upstairs in my room.

She – Dada! Bailachi puja karayala alo ahe. Puja karal?? : We have come to worship bullocks! Will you please bother worshipping our bullocks?

Me – Areee bapre! Me ta room war rahto. Mazhya kade pujecha saman nahi ahe kahich. Me nahi karu shaknar puja. : I am a tenant. Henceforth, I have no commodities which are required for worship. I am sorry, I cannot worship them!

She – (All four girls giggling) Aree Dada, puja mhanje tashi puja nahi. Paise dyawe lagtat. Mag karal kaa puja? : Puja means not like actual worshipping. You are just required to give us some money. Will you worship then?

I was aware of what ‘Puja’ meant here. But I am kind of person who has tight hand over money; if the next person is not worthy of it. And these girls were surely weren’t. But still I saw a glimpse of hope in their eyes. Cute eyes they were. Children always do! That shine made me rethink and I checked my wallet. I substitute myself in their position. But awfully I was lacking the change as Puja.

Me – Kiti paise dyawe lagtil?? : How much expected money??

She – 5 rupaye dile tari chaltil pratyekila. : Rs 5 for each will work.

Me – (taken aback) 5 rupaye???? : Rupee 5?????

Astonished. Watching me in shock another girl handled the situation pinching girl's hard standing next to her – Nai dada ewdhe nako. 1-2 rupaya dila tari chalel. Jashi tumchi iccha : Not this much. 1 or 2 rupees to each is also sufficient. As per your will.

Me – Mazhya kade 10 Rs chi note ahe. Pan jarka ti tumhala dili ki tumhi bhandal. :  I have Rs 10 note. But if I give it to then you shall quarrel.

Pointing towards other three girls one of them spoke – Ho dada! Rahu de. Nako deu. Hya saglya bhandatil. : Very true. These girls might fight over that Rs 10 note. Don’t give us money.

Me – Mazhya kade chocolates pan nait tumhala dyayala. : I even don’t have chocolates to give you. I murmured. She had a nice pair of ears and she iterated – Rahu de dada. Amhi jato. : Thank you! But no need of it. We shall leave now.

Me – Tumcha kade chillar ahet ka? 10 che chilar dya koni ek jaan mala. Ek gamat karu apan. : Give me the change of Rs 10 and we can have fun over it.

Eldest girl; who pinched another girl handed me change of Rs 10 against Rs 10 note given by me to her. She was like that person who is most excited to come on stage when magician asks for a volunteer to perform a magical act. Excited and mysterious!! Apparently all of them smiled, Rs 10 being a big amount for them. They had came visiting many houses before arriving here. But here they were confronting a different person. But they were unaware of what my neurons were calculating. And at what juncture they shall stop!

They handed me change as four coins of Rs 2 and two coins of Re 1. Then I asked all four of them to divide this amount equally among them. And as they answer it, they will be heir of money.

Suddenly too many question marks appeared on their head. And skin accumulated over there forehead as their eyebrows propelled up. But one girl was sharp enough and had guts to answer this TOUGH question. And uttered abruptly – 3-3 Rs each. I tried to control my laughter. But then I showed her how it can’t be divided into 3 Rs each. They were back on thinking about it. The way they were counting made me remember my First Year Engineering days when after every paper I was calculating marks. To make sure I am scoring marks enough to get passed.

A girl – Aathane! Aathane! : 50 ps – 50 ps.

Then again I explained her how she is wrong! It was their rampart point. Breaking down in disgrace one girl said – Jaude Dada! : Leave it!

I tried insisting them to solve the puzzle. But she was firm over her decision. With many efforts I at last convinced them to wait for answer. I was playing role of Tom Riddle a.k.a Lord Voldemort from movie Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets rearranging ‘TOM MARVELO RIDDLE!’ anagram to ‘I AM LORD VOLDEMORT’.

I told them how Rs 10 has been divided into Rs 2.50 each. They understood it and smiled. I handed all Rs 20 to them and wish them best luck bidding adieu. Turning their back they went downstairs. I turned out to be their teacher on Teacher’s Day. I went back working on my seminar report.

Someone again knocked door. The same girls were standing holding the Rs 10 note. With an I-am-helpless look. I asked her reason for coming back, in reply she said – Ti tai nai mhanta ahe. Ti mhanat ahe ki wapas de paise. : She is saying no to this. And asked me to return it back to you! A cute smile was still prevailing there. May be she was not that fold of money.

I thought they were playing with me now. But very soon realized that they were serious. I forced them to go home and divested myself of holding the note and those Rs 10 change as well. Intimidatory I said her that I will tell this to their parents that they are lending off money. But no change! She was resilient to accept.

Me – Asaa ka? Me tumhala dile ahet. Thewa tumcha jawal. Dada cha gift samjun. : Why so? Keep it to you. Assuming it a gift from elder brother.

Sticking to her stance she said – Tila sang dada.Ti ragawat ahe. Deun ye mhane waapas. : Tell her then. She is scolding us. And insisting me to return it to you.

With all hard work I managed to return money back to her. But she kept the money on doorsteps and eloped. I felt bad for everything that was happening. With all might I tried to convince them that whatever I did was to show them how important education is and can be.  I remember exact words from her; the eldest girl who was scolding other to return money – Dada amhala raag nai aala! : We are not in anxiety.

The way she said it was bit convincing. It was polite. Serene. Sober. But she didn’t utter a single word after that. Tilted her head straight. And disappeared, along with other three!

I kept looking at that money placed on ground. Dust was gathering around it. I picked them up and kept in a box to avoid them getting browner. I was disheartened. Felt ashamed! By the time I was banging door I heard someone shouting - Dada! Dada! I went outside to acknowledge it and was astonished to see same girls moving their hand back and forth with radiant giggle on face. But not all of them were happy. Only three were and the fourth one was still a Mysterious Girl for me.

Over the balcony I kept watching them until they past the horizon. Leaving me with many questions – What did I did wrong? Three of them understood my intentions, whereas one didn’t. Even she was eldest among them. Was I bit too harsh? Or was I supposed to give money without any quiz?

But then I thought of something else. We have numerous people in our life. Many very close to us. Some do understand us, some don’t. How hard we try. Limitless efforts we induce to make them understand that what we did was right. Not in current span. But in future context! But instead of feeling bad we can be happy that out of four different people we know that other three understands us.

But sometimes we want that one person to understand us more than anyone else. Teacher Day left me with a great lesson to learn from.

Happiness can be found, in the darkest of time!

If one only remembers, to turn on the light!

-          Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban

Thank you life!! Thank you Four Girls!!



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Keywords: amravati, bail pola, four girls, life teaching, tanha pola, teacher day, undrestanding, rajapeth,  rajkamal, sanket thodge, children, girls