AUGUST
15TH... Was very important
for me in school days as there would be a competition in essay and debate and
most often the topic would be how independent we are? What is the need for India
today etc.. Most of the participants including myself would often talk the same
lines every year with references of sacrifices made by Mahatma Gandhi and
several other leaders. We also looked forward to the flag hoisting as few of us
got a chance to speak in front of the entire school and then there was some
common feeling running in all of us and that was patriotism, the blind love for
the country. Most of us did not know what it meant but we knew that all of us
need to be united and contribute to the development of the country. Many subtle
values got imbibed into us. One of the most exciting aspects was going on my
terrace of the house and count the number of flags that were hoisted and also
pin up the flag on the shirt pocket. There was a huge pride being an Indian and
we all looked forward to going to the school this day, of course not to forget
the jilebi that was given to us whose enjoyment cannot match even if i eat the
best of sweets from best of places from the world.
Today
it was different. True but sad, there
was no interest even to know or follow or even try to watch the proceedings in
the New Delhi, Red fort. I did not bother to check on the message by president
or is it Prime minister on 15th August? Sorry for this attitude
arising out of some hurt. There is this sad cynicism and helplessness at the
way our country, individuals and I are placed. The priorities, the value
systems, the commitments are hardly common and for the general good. We are all
only looking just inside for the benefit and aggrandisement of wealth for our own
self. IT saddens me deeply like several thousands of Indians and the
helplessness kills each of us.
I
subjected myself to torture by watching a mindless movie in the morning. Probably
the soldiers ready to sacrifice their lives would feel less torturous than me
today. But what surprised me was that,
the theatre played our national anthem and everyone stood up instantaneously.
That was a very good feel and the only other good feel was listening to my all
time tear jerker high emotional 2 patriotic songs.. 1) Swades song 2) yeh mere watan ke logon of Lata Mangeshkar
ji. Apart from that, there is nothing i
did which contributed to the nation or co human beings.
But
what i wish to scribble here is some profound and deep felt experiences,
thoughts and feelings of my dear friend SVS from dallas and me. He, unlike many
Indian Americans is least fussy and does not have any attitude and hence
travelled in Auto rickshaws several times despite warnings from me and another
good friend Surya Kumar. But i am glad he got very sensitized to the auto driver’s
lives and trepidation. He went about checking many auto drivers’ lives and each
of them had a sad story and they all lead a very helpless and miserable life
and there is no joy, relief and development in their lives. One such man in
fact confessed to my friend that, he is just waiting for the death to happen as
their lives are so meaningless. This shook us up and i am sure, so it does to
thousands of people. What do we do? How can we help them? Do we have time? Let
me answer this after few more lines please.
Both
I and SVS went to one vegetable vendor in Abids where i used to buy vegetables
regularly when Grusha was studying in Rosary convent. I and SVS were just
discussing on how the loss of spouse is one of the highest pains in humans as
per some American research. Just after that, i was making some polite
conversation with the vegetable vendor lady and to my total shock she said she
lost her husband suddenly one day few months ago. He was very young and now
this lady has to bring her son up and give him good life. What suffering, what
loss and what pain she may be undergoing.
After
that, i started looking at more faces on the street and the majority seem
either lost, or in pain or just suffering from some deprivation or some basic
need or helplessness. All of us, surely all of us who has access to the net and
are on social networking, encounter at least ten such vulnerable poor people every
day in our lives. They all need 2 things and DO NOT need one thing. They will
need some support (most often few hundreds of rupees) , smile, care, respect (
all these mean the same ) and what they do not need is your
indifference.
We
may not want to help them, we may not be in a position to help them but we can
at least hear them out and be empathetic. This gives them great tremendous
strength. It is not a bad idea to set aside 10 percent of our income to be able
to help such people in distress, for education, medical and why not even
recreation. We are all born equal and we only become more equal as we are
fortunate. We encounter several needy people with small needs and they need us.
I am sure many are doing much more than what is said here but let us not stop
doing this. If we are not doing, we need to please start. Sharing is caring and
this is known, but doing the same with the unknown is the great virtue and not
just doing this to the known and for the recognition.
Our
Desh can become mahaan only if each of us makes people around us; get rid of
their misery and helplessness. Let us be generous. The least help that all of
us can do is monetary. Money is the smallest thing that can be sacrificed to
get happiness to someone and also to get solutions for many issues. Even if this writing is repetitive and known
to all, like flag hoisting on 15th August, i feel like reminding all
of us once again about poor who live with us and around us. Let us be liberal
to liberate the poor from their misery. Let us make difference to one person
per week at least. Jai Hind .
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