Merry Christmas!

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Celebrated by millions of people all over the world, it's the festival of happiness and benevolence as people share presents with each other. The festival has a special importance in the lives of kids as myth says that a celestial figure called Santa Claus blesses them with gifts and presents.

I too have a vivid memory of Christmas of my childhood. I along with my friends and our respective mothers were returning from school. It was when a Santa Claus standing outside a Cake shop waved his hand to us and thus beckoned us to him. We too happily went to him, wished him A Merry Christmas and received our respective presents from him. It was a moment of joy for all of us after all who doesn't like receiving surprise gifts? I was four then and was in the Junior Kindergarten.

As I grew older and went to the primary school, another fable spread amongst our friends. It said, “A Santa Claus comes to your house on the midnight of Christmas and keeps a secret gift for you. You just need to keep socks tied to your bed so that the Santa Claus can put the gift there.” Being a curious kid, I tried my hand here too. Next day saw the socks filled with a gift. It was an Audio Cassette (In those days we did not have CDs or MP3). My happiness knew no boundaries. This ritual continued for many years and never did it happen that my socks were empty.

 As I grew older, I realized that this Secret Santa Claus who had blessed me with the presents was none other than my Father! (Who even today remains to be a Santa Claus for me.)

Today, at 26, with God’s blessings, I am earning and on this occasion of Christmas I too gift my near and dear with gifts and presents just to see that one broad smile on their face. When alone I too ask the Santa Claus for gifts and blessings but with the age the demands have changed. The inclination is not towards the materialistic gifts but towards health, happiness and well being of me and my loved ones. After all they say that if one is healthy, one can achieve all the mental and material happiness.

So, here I am wishing you and your loved ones A Healthy Christmas, a Merry Christmas!

(And yes, we here in India, at times tend to fall in the boundaries of caste, creed and religion and thus fail to enjoy the moments of happiness which life has to offer. So, move out of your borders and go celebrate after all ‘हर त्योहार मनाना एक अच्छा Idea है’)

  

Be The Change...

Today, 365 days have passed to her suffering. A suffering so ruthless that it led to her death. She who had not even seen all weathers of her life had succumbed to this brutality and lost this precious life in her very youth. Some call her ‘Nirbhaya’, some call her ‘Jyoti’, one may call her by many adjectives but the fact remains that She was ‘Just another Woman’ in a male dominated country called India.

When I say, India is a male dominated country it actually is even though we may have stepped in the Twenty First century but the age old sufferings of women still continue. Female feticide is still rampant. Harassment of a Daughter in Law is like a birth right of the in laws. So if a woman is not safe in her own family, how could one expect her to be secured in the society?

Eve teasing has become the nightmare of almost every woman, making her civil life miserable. When one can’t bear this, there is more to it; RAPE! Nirbhaya or Jyoti’s was only one of the few examples which got exposed due to the alert media and the angry public agitations which followed. But how many such inhuman incidences must be going unheard, one can only imagine.

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Nirbhaya’s death saw a sea of Humanity crying for her, fighting for her, fighting for the justice (which is usually delayed in our country). The court too this time was on its toes, announcing death penalty to all the accused it had struck back giving a strong message that such atrocities won’t be tolerated. All though one knew that the Girl’s life couldn't be brought back, but this was indeed a justice to the brave heart.

One had thought that the court’s verdict will put a check on man’s devilish tendency which compels him to rape, but alas it was not true. One may find me a sceptic but the incidences which followed made me believe to disbelieve. More rapes followed! And this time the city which was known for its security towards women was also on the Rapists’ hit list, Mumbai!

So even after a year has passed, the question still remains unanswered, “Have we learnt a lesson?” because, even today the women in our country remain unsecured and the administration callous.

They say that there is no man in this world who has not seen a woman with a desire. This may be true but this is also true that the one who can overcome this lust and can respect the woman is a ‘Real Man’ (May be ‘MARD’ in Hindi is a better word in this context). One needs to change the way one thinks. A man should realize that a woman too is a human and she too deserves the same respect (or may be even more) as he expects from her. Strong values need to be inculcated therefore a father who teaches his son to respect a woman is far more worthy than the one who restricts his daughter’s freedom (may be just to protect her, ‘Saat chya aat Gharaat’ in Marathi is a similar way of protecting a girl by restricting her freedom after seven in the evening).

Looking at the administration won’t help but looking inside oneself will. Introspection has become the need of the day so that one can inculcate right values, right respect towards women in oneself. Thus, becoming a catalyst who can change the world.     

Going back to my roots...

While travelling to my native place, I happen to wake up during the early hours of dawn.

If getting up this early is planned or is it just a coinicidence, I really don't know.

Very curiously I look outside the window to check the approaching Station.

And my surprise and happiness know no bounds.

Nostalgia or no nostalgia, again I really don't know but somewhere deep inside my heart I know that there is a strong bond which exists between me and this place.

What if it is just for few minutes, what if it is only on the railway station, It doesn't really matter...

What matters is that I am fortunate to come back to my Alma Mater... Fortunate enough to come back to my roots... This is where I belong to... It is because of This place that Today I am What I am...

Jai Gajanan!!!

-Nachiket Dabhadkar
Shegaon Railway Station
11-12-13

Aah Thuuu...

When Amjad Khan (as Gabbar Singh) had spat his Khaini in Sholay hardly had anyone thought that this spitting would one day become a national obsession.

They may be on board on roads or rails, Indians don't mind spitting anywhere and everywhere. This spitting habbit is more common amongst those who are addicted to a Paan, tobacco and Gutkha. Yes eventhough Gutkha is banned at many places, they say a concoction of various Pan Masalas give the effect of a full fledged Gutkha. If you go by region then this habbit of chewing tobbaco or a Paan is largely seen in people from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar , Bengal and the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. But with migration of this population to metros, you often find spitting habbits common in the Tier 1 cities too. But a habbit is a habbit and it's not region dependent.

One can frequently find an auto rikshaw or a Truck driver spitting while driving (now this is multitasking). Sometimes the range of their spit ranges from 15 to 20 centimeters (and this is no joke) and they aren't even sorry for it. Many a times wind carries one's spit from one window of a ltrain to the other, thus hitting the face of another person who is enjoying the cool breeze. This erupts into fights and why shouldn't be because being hit by one's spit is actually insulting.

But the fact is that when a person surrenders to Paan or tobacco, he can't simply live without it and when he becomes a slave of these habbits he has to spit the remnants of Paan or tobacco every now and then. And since the laws of our country are not that stringent rather not at all serious against offences like spitting in public, no one cares. Rather we are masters of not following the rules and live with a presumption that Rules are made to be broken and that is why we see a splinters of spittings particularly on those walls where it is specifically written that Spitting is Prohibited or Yaha Thunkna Mana hai.

Administration should thus play a key role by penalizing the guilty as we know that to bring a positive change stern actions are at times necessary. Also this Who cares attitude needs to be changed. If one can't get rid of the addiction then atleast one should try that one is not affecting the surrounding by spitting, as it may lead to spread of diseases.

So next time when you spit, THINK!!!

Anand - Yes, He is there...

It was just another Saturday morning and we were working. We had just begun our day when this lad enters the department and while wishing a daily Good Morning to everyone, very secretly changes the wallpaper on the desktop of one of our senior colleagues. And the latter is surprised to see a ravishing Desi Girl Priyanka Chopra on his screen instead of an intense Smita Patil. The senior chap enquires, “Why this change?” and the boy very innocently replies, “Come on Sir, it’s a Weekend!!!” This was Vivekanand Patil, the Prankster.

He made us talk, he made us laugh,

Before his enthusiasm, everything else was dwarf.

“Anand”- The masterpiece of Indian Cinema, where Rajesh Khanna while making one laugh had brought tears in one’s eyes is one of my favourite movies and have watched it umpteen number times but who had thought that this friend of ours whom we loved will one day become our Anand in real life.

“Babu Moshay, Zindagi Badi honi chahiye, Lambi Nahin...” as if following these lines he lived everyday of his life, making friends at every walk of Life, bringing smiles on every face he met.

Behind every problem to cope,

He was our last ray of Hope.

Guiding us through the way of life, one day He was gone, never to come back. Leaving a void in our hearts.

Today, three years have passed since He had left us and this emptiness in our hearts is so deep that it can never be filled but we can at least try to be happy and cheerful no matter how grave the sorrow be after all we should walk on the path of happiness on which He had once walked.

Zindagi aur maut upar wale ke haath hain jahapanah,
use naa aap badal sakte hain na main,
Hum sab toh rang-manch kee katputliya hain,
jinki dor uparwale ki ungliyon mein bandhi hain
Kab kaun kaise uthega, koi nahi bata sakta

(Vivek)Anand mara nahi…

(Vivek) Anand marte nahin…

Wo yahi hai hamare saath….

KHAN and the Common Man

They are definitely at loggerheads. They do not see each other eye in eye. Thanks to the highly alert Gossip Media who catches the glimpse of the minutest detail of a celebrity life, the SRK-SALMAN rivalry is public.

 

But something as miraculous as the Chaudavi ka Chaand happens at the Iftaar Party of the Congressman Baba Siddiqui that leaves watchers awestruck. Salman taps on Shahrukh’s back and the latter reciprocates with an amiable hug. The Khans embrace each other for a very brief second and the news hungry media gets their scoop for the whole week ahead.

In the era of 24 x 7 news channels where a small tweet by a public figure becomes a Breaking News, the question to be asked is do such events really deserve so much of attention?

In a nation wherein the terror strikes every now and then, when the Uttarakhand mayhem is yet to be restored, when the meal meant for children’s nutrition takes them to their final destination, when the ruling party is clutched in the hands of corruption, when our neighbours (Pakistan and China) are always on their heels to fight against India, when there is such a crisis all around, does it really matter if our favourite movie stars are friends or foes? Are we so numb that forgetting all the real issues we devote our attention towards real life relationship of two human beings who once played brothers in reel life?

When many may validate this notion, there is indeed a counter argument to this school of thought. No doubt that the common man is enraged with the ongoing National Calamities. No doubt that he wants a change, but the fact can’t be denied that the Aam Aadmi is a mere observer to all these issues. Even if he has the power to vote, things seldom go as per his wish and this develops a wait and watch attitude (A Chalta Hai Attitude) in him. And if some Tom, Dick or Harry even dares to emerge out as a Superman to change the system then his actions are seen as foolhardy.

Thus in his sheer frustration, when the share market crashes, when the rupee falls, when prices of commodities go sky high, when he has to struggle for his share of pie, when his leader backstabs, this common man seeks refuge and here these Super Heroes (who entertain him and make him forget his worries) come to his rescue and he finds it more meaningful to wait for Karan Arjun 2 than to anticipate the NDA 2 (or for that matter the UPA 3)

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UTTARAKHAND CALLING, Are you on Board?

The sky was dark and thus there was rain,

Who had then thought, it would end up in pain

A pain so grave,

Haunting alike, a coward or a brave

Hardly had the devotees engrossed in a holy chant,

When the Nature played a devilish errant

Please tell me, Oh dear Lord,

What was the reason behind this heinous discord?

June 16, 2013 saw a nail biting episode in Uttarakhand when the Nature God’s fury was on an all time high. Such was the extent of its rage that for many the Kedarnath Pilgrimage turned out to be their last voyage. Thousands died. Countless are still missing. With our Jawans taking the guard, the rescue operation is on.

But what lies ahead is a bigger challenge. There is a constant fear of an epidemic. Which were once called villages, today cease to exist. With collapsed infrastructure, many are left homeless, many jobless. As a consequence the state is in despair. Being shattered into bits and pieces it is striving hard for its survival.

In its struggle to stand up on its feet, Uttarakhand is calling, calling desperately for help. When everybody can’t physically reach there, There are many NGOs (eg: Goonj, Plan India, Give India and many more) which have taken the challenge to aid the oppressed and are thus giving us an opportunity to do our bit by sharing a small part of our earnings.

It may be just a penny but it is valued as it can save the lives of many!

So, let’s come forward and join hands to restore hope, to restore mankind.