महान नागरिक महान देश

        कहीं पढ़ा था "मानव संस्कृति का अंत ये होगा की एक दिन ये सभ्यता से घुट मरेगी!"  

           पहले  भूकंप  और फिर  सुनामी, प्रकृति ने जापान की तो जैसे बखिया उधेड़ कर रख दी! दस हज़ार तो आधिकारिक रूप से मर गए और लाखों लापता! और उस के बाद कोढ़ में खाज की तरह नयूक्लेअर रिसाव! जापान दुनिया का एक अकेला ऐसा देश है जिस ने नयूक्लेअर ताकत की विभीषिका को झेला है! और हैरत की बात ये है कि दुनिया जापान के मामले में कोई ख़ास हमदर्दी नहीं दिखा रही! शायद इस लिए कि जापान दूसरे देशों की तरह बेचारा देश नहीं है!सब को लगता है कि जापानियों की संघर्ष करने की जबरदस्त आदत थोड़े ही समय में उसे फिर से ला खड़ा करेगी जैसा कि दूसरे विश्व युद्ध के बाद हुआ!बर्बाद होने के बावजूद  फिर  से कुछ ही सालों में अपने आप को सब से बड़ी तकनीकि  महाशक्ति  और  अमेरिका के बाद दूसरे नंबर की इकोनॉमी  के रूप में ला खड़ा किया! जरा गौर से देखिये की कितना बड़ा हादसा हो गया है और जापान में कोई हाय तौबा नहीं है! जरा सोचिये हमारे यहाँ या फिर पाकिस्तान या बांग्लादेश होने वाले हादसों के बारे में!कैसी अफरातफरी रहती है! मुझे  याद है भुज का भूकंप, दुर्भाग्य से या संयोग से मैं वहीँ था  कितने लोगो  की आवाज दो दिन तक मलबे से आती रही और फिर खामोश हो गयी, उन्हें बचाया न  सका !और फिर देश विदेश से आयी राहत सामग्री! पर बांटने का कोई सही तरीका नहीं काफी दिन तक सब सड़ता रहा और फिर बांटने का का  काम  आया  उन्हीं  सरकारी चोरों के हाथ में! कुदरत की मार से जागी  मानवता फिर से सो गयी!राहत ऐसे चल रही थी जैसे पानी बहता है पहले अधिकारियों  के घर भरे और फिर माल बह के चला कर्मचारियों के घरों की तरफ और फिर लूट खसोट! राहत  सामग्री  के  ट्रक के ट्रक  हज़म    कर लिए गए!  लूट-खसोट तो  उन  चोरों  ने  भी की  जो हर आपदा में राहत से भी पहले पहुँच जाते हैं और फिर शवों  पर से गहने उतारने और टूटे घरों से चोरी  करने  जैसे  भी वाकिये  हुए!  ये तो शुक्र था की घटना गुजरात में हुयी थी जो बाकी जगह से सुरक्षित है यही अगर दिल्ली से पूर्व दिशा  राज्यों  में हुआ होता तो हाल न जाने क्या होते हालाँकि विदेशी राहतकर्मियों और कुछ NGO ने अच्छा  काम किया पर  सरकारी अमला तो वही करता रहा जो कि उस से उम्मीद थी!     

           जापान में जैसे  सब बर्बाद हो गया है पूरे देश पर रेडीएशन का खतरा है पर जापान लड़ रहा है जापानी लड़ रहे हैं! कोई अराजकता नहीं, चोरी नहीं, दुकानों में लूट मार नहीं और पूरा विश्व हैरत से देख रहा है! सच है किसी भी देश को उस के नागरिक ही महान बनाते हैं! हे महान देश जापान तुझे सलाम!!!!!

Jinnah's ghost & BJP's self goal

       ‘We shall have India divided or we shall have India destroyed.’ In August 1946 Mohammad Ali Jinnah declared in front of his followers in Muslim League.
       My reading of Freedom at Midnight coincides with BJP’s drama of unfurling tricolour at Lal Chowk Srinagar. Last week during regular evening stroll, my friend talked about the loss caused to India and Pakistan due to partition. He viewed that both the countries have spent too much on arms and the same could be utilised in the development of both of them. But I am of the view that he had seen a small loss, very small. There are bigger losses and biggest of them is the shifting of focus. The politicians successfully shift the focus of people from the real issues in both the countries. Think wats more important! Nuke bomb, fighter aircraft, rearing terrorism and ruling over beautiful valley of Kashmir or poverty, development, corruption and the peaceful life of the people of Kashmir. These shrewd politicians very cunningly shift the attention of the people from the real problems. They play with the people’s emotions and shift their focus from the real problems. What more, an ill humoured political party named BJP kicks the ball inside its own goalpost from the penalty circle of the opponent. Last time it did with ‘India shine’ and again with Tiranga Yatra! It was going very well with inflation and corruption issues then y this foolishness of Lal Chowk.
       Just think about the security personnel deployed in the valley and then sub zero temperature and then the misadventure of BJP. Was this yatra really required! After 4 months of closes, clashes and civilians' death the things were becoming normal. BJP should understand Jammu & Kashmir is not an ordinary state. Situation there is fragile. It has to be dealt with caution. It’s not that people in Kashmir do not like to unfurl the tricolour like others but situation there is not like rest of the country. In fact they are not living the life like ordinary citizen of this country. After all why shud ABVP or BJP should go there and unfurl the national flag? Should not they go there and share the grief of those mothers who have lost their sons in police firing or to see what kind of life common man is living there! Using force to maintain law and order is one thing but feeling the pain of those who suffered due to use of that force is another. Kashmir is not a colony of India rather it’s a part of her and its citizens enjoy same rights (and in certain cases more) as other Indians. The politicians should not forget things, like this, snatch even the basic rights from civilians.
       Thank u Jinnah sahib, u divided India and destroyed it!

Professor M.C. Joshi

       The Joshi I am talking about is not Bheemsen Joshi though the news of his departure comes to me the same day when the latter departed. I first time met him when I was searching a teacher from whom l could take psychology lessons. After a lot of search someone gave me his number. I called him and requested to teach me. Initially reluctant but then he invited me to his house. As soon as I entered, I was greeted by a 75 yrs old frail  gentleman and 2-3 street dogs. The dogs seemed very happy to receive me, wagging their tails and making circles around me. Professor Joshi chided and shooed them away. He escorted me to his study-cum-living room. The scene inside was bizarre, 8-10 chairs and moodhas (a type of chair typical to arid zones of north India) all occupied by street dogs - black, brown, spotted and white, diverse like true India. Couple of them raised their heads to look at me and one or two opened one eye to see me, giving a half hearted welcome to an undesired guest, but others did not care and kept sleeping. I was yet bewildered when professor Joshi told me to pull one of the chairs out, kept under the study table, to protect them from the encroachment of the four legged inmates. Prof Joshi sat on the couch and I joined the dogs, facing the professor, with my chair. “These are my companions now; it might be a sort of unnatural behaviour on my part.” Prof Joshi said.

       His wife had died 9 years before and his children, like all so called successful children of their parents, were settled in the cities like Bangalore and Ahmedabad. He lived alone with those street dogs. A maid servant used to come daily to do household cores and prepare food for Joshi saheb and the dogs. The dogs had 24 hrs access to his living room and street. If any of them knocked the door or the main gate, Prof Joshi would get up to facilitate his departure or arrival.

     Prof. Joshi was retired Head of the Psychology Department, Jai Narayan Vyas University Jodhpur. He used to call me Chauhan Saheb with great affection and refused to accept any money for the classes he gave me. After leaving Jodhpur, though I called him several times but could see him only once. He told me that the dogs were harassing the neighbours and he had talked to some NGO which took care of stray dogs and he would be giving some money for their expenditure. Strange I thought, the animals have started to harass the human, the most dangerous animal. I don’t know how he felt after the departure of his companions. I visited his home on my second trip to Jodhpur to discover that he had left to stay with his daughter at Ahmedabad. The communication between us broke since then. Yesterday when I visited his house on my present trip to Jodhpur I had a sort of fear in mind. The house was locked. Dry leaves and dust had occupied the entire premises. I knocked at the neighbour’s door and enquired about him. ‘Chale gaye’ the reply came, the feared had happened. My throat choked. But the heart was not willing to accept. I again asked if he had gone to his daughter’s house. ‘He is no more’ the neighbour said. He left for the heavenly abode some 5-6 months before. I wish I could see him for the last time. May his soul rest in peace!

नया साल मुबारक

            सभी पाठकों को नव वर्ष की शुभ कामनाएं! लीजिये नया साल 2011 भी आ ही गया! एक और दिन हमें ईश्वर ने दिया कि हम अपने उन resolutions को  फिर से लें जिन्हें हम हर नए साल पर लेते हैं और उन पर कुछ ही दिन चल पाते हैं! चलिए हर पहचाने चेहरे को बनावटी मुस्कान के साथ हाथ मिला कर नए साल की बधाई दें ! 31 दिसंबर की आधी रात को पटाखे चलाने वालों के उत्साह को 'सुन'  कर लग रहा था कि  शायद उन्हें इस बात का शक था कि 2011  आयेगा भी या नहीं! मेरे चाहने वालों ने मुझे रात ग्यारह बजे से ढाई बजे तक जगा-जगा कर नए साल की बधाई दी इस बात से बेखबर कि मुझे सुबह चार बजे उठना है! मैं मेरे प्रति उन के इस प्यार का आभारी हूँ! और इस से पहले 31 दिसंबर की शाम मेरी एक दोस्त मुझ से नाराज हो गयी! असल में उस के इस सवाल का जवाब कि मैं 31st की रात कैसे मना रहा हूँ मैंने उस की उम्मीद के विपरीत जवाब दिया, कि मेरे लिए हर दिन हर पल celebration का है और मैं उस का लुत्फ़ उठता हूँ, वैसे इस नए साल में कुछ नया नहीं है इस की बजाय मैं होली दिवाली और नवरात्रों में ज्यादा पुलकित होता हूँ क्यों कि ये त्यौहार मुझे मेरे बाप दादाओं ने विरासत में दिए हैं और आने वाली पीढ़ियों को सौंपने तक मैं उन्हें 31 वीं दिसंबर से ज्यादा सहेज कर रखना पसंद करूँगा! उसे मेरा जवाब बड़ा ही नीरस लगा पर वाकई ये रस मैं अपने पारंपरिक त्योहारों के लिए बचा कर रखना चाहता हूँ! बहरहाल उस की भावनाएं आहत करने के लिए क्षमा प्रार्थी हूँ आशा है वो नारी के क्षमाशीलता के गुण को बरकरार रखेगी! 

           मैं जानता हूँ कि कुछ लोग मेरी इस बात से इत्तफाक नहीं रखते! पर मैं भी कई 31 दिसंबरों को बिना पिए ही अपने नशे में धुत्त दोस्तों के साथ आग के चारों तरफ उछल कूद करता आया हूँ और आज भी मुझे इस बात से परहेज नहीं है! पर मेरा मानना  है कि हम उन चीजों को भी संजो कर रखें जिन्हें हम भूलते जा रहे हैं वरना हम हिन्दुस्तानियों की आदत है कि जब योग पश्चिम के देशों में जा कर योगा  बन कर आता है तब हम उस की अहमियत पहचानते हैं! मैं कोई resolution लेने के लिए नए साल का इंतज़ार नहीं करता और वैसे भी मुझे शराब, तम्बाखू, धूम्रपान, सुपारी, गुटखा, चाय या ऐसे ही किसी व्यसन की आदत नहीं रही और इन के अलावा  जो भी बुरी आदतें मुझ में हैं वे मुझे इतनी प्रिय हैं की उन्हें छोड़ने का resolution मैं नहीं लेने चाहता!

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH

        Recently my friend narrated me a story by Leo Tolstoy about a greedy man who was very much behind grabbing land. He would trap gullible people and treacherously grab their land. One day a gentleman came to him and offered his land. Only thing the greedy man had to do was, to take a round, as big as he could, but return before sunset and the whole land would be his. He ran and ran very far, then he realised that he should return, before evening and started running back but he had come too far. He paced up. Faster, faster and faster. And finally collapsed and died. When he was buried he needed only two and half yards of land.

        8,000 crores scam in commonwealth games, 170,000 crores 2G spectrum scam and before that fodder scam, Taj corridor scam, telecom scam, mining, bofors, money laundering, IPL, coffin, hawala and what not. 71 lac crore in swiss banks, lands, hotels, farm houses, shopping complexes bla-bla. This is the picture of India. After all how much money is enough? A. Rajas, Nira Radias, Kalmadis, Madhu Kodas, Lalus, Barkha Dutts, Baijals, Sukh Rams and so on, ugly faces of Indian politics, corporate world, sports, bureaucracy and media. Who is clean? None! Have the moral values totally said goodbye! Why there are not people who know their moral responsibility! One who has something to deliver is always lured. But where is the social responsibility? Now come down to roots. Police Constable, Bus conductor, office clerk, collector, officer, teacher, patwari etc. etc. every one corrupt. Where are we heading? It may be difficult for a common man to get an original passport but not for Abu Salem and Monica Bedi to take fake ones who get them delivered at their fake homes. In fact corruption is a social evil, as the liquor is. Total prohibition was felt impossible and an evil was licensed. Y not legalise corruption too. The license holder should be permitted to misappropriate public money create scams. Bigger the scam more the license money. Let the country earn from this license fee at least if not from the scams.

       I often listen that corruption has been accepted in society I don’t know what society these people talk about. In fact corruption is the mother of all sorts of evils. They eat up NREGA money, they gobble kids mid day meals, eat up roads, drainages, buildings and bridges but not enough for their insatiable appetite. They take money and close their eyes to facilitate arm smugglers to make successful deliveries. They fill their belly and weaken criminal cases of hard core criminals. In pursuit of yellow and red coloured mahatma depicting papers they let over-loaded trucks to pass, ultimately resulting in to fatal accidents. Why to think only about crocodiles of society, why ignore the rats, mice, moths, worms, viruses and bacteria who cause small damages leading to destruction. Why allow all these parasites to eat up the country.

        But the cure is far more difficult. How to put an end to corruption? Ultimately you, I and we all can bring the change. We have to start it. The mantle is to be held by common man. We shud introduce things in the curriculum of kids which encourage them to ask their parents if they use misappropriated money in their grooming. Advertise on the tv, particularly in kids programmes to encourage kids to ask tough questions from their parents if they take bribe, eat public money, adulterate eating stuff, steal taxes or amass black money. They should ask them if everyone needs two and half hands of land then how much is enough!

तारे कितने नील गगन में तारे

लोगों की अजीब-अजीब शिकायतें होती हैं! मसलन बारबरा मोरी को शिकायत है कि हिंदुस्तान में लोग 'किस' कम करते हैं! बड़ी अजीब सी शिकायत है ना? अजी ये कहिये कि यहाँ लोगों को मौका ही कम मिलता है! वरना सूरमा तो यहाँ मुंह पे धार लगाये घूमते हैं! बहुत से मनचलों को तो आप की इस शिकायत कि खबर ही आप के जाने के बाद लगी है और काफी सारे तो इस खबर से अनजान ही हैं! वरना तो समझ लीजिये! काश कि आप ने अपना ये 'शौक' थोडा पहले जाहिर किया होता तो भाई लोग आप को शिकायत का मौका ही नहीं देते! लगता है आप का सामान्य ज्ञान काफी ग़रीब है वरना आप को सीरी फोर्ट ऑडिटोरियम जैसी घटनाओं की जानकारी रहती! दिलजले कार में लिफ्ट देते हैं और कोई जरूरी नहीं कि घर पर ही छोड़ें! जंगलों को जंगली जानवरों के साथ निगल लेने के बावजूद भी शहरों में कुछ सड़कें सुनसान हैं जहाँ छोड़ने से पहले ये अलविदा भी नहीं कहते!

          अमिताभ बच्चन का कहना है कि पता नहीं लोग उन्हें इतना प्यार क्यों करते हैं ! वाह जी वाह ये भी कोई बात हुई? बच्चन साहब आप को अपने में और राखी सावंत या मल्लिका सहरावत में कोई फर्क नज़र आता है या नहीं! जिन्हें बस देखने में ही मज़ा आता है मुंह खोला नहीं कि गए काम से! मेरा एक सहपाठी कहा करता था कि चाहे मेरे बाप को गाली दे लो पर अमिताभ के खिलाफ कुछ मत कहना ! और मेरे एक दूसरे साथी के श्रीमुख से राखी सावंत को देखते ही प्रवचन निकलने लगते हैं! न जाने नज़र का फेर हैं या नज़रिए का! भला हो बिग बॉस का वरना लोग परदे पर अभिनय करने वालो को भगवान् ही समझने लगते थे! अब जब डॉली जैसी वीरांगनाएँ आ कर ठोक बजाती हैं तब ये आसमान के सितारे मिट्टी में मिल जाते हैं! अरे हाँ खली महाराज को तो मैं भूल ही गया! क्या यार इतना लम्बा की छत पे रखी चीज बिना सीढ़ी लगाए उतार ले, इतना तगड़ा कि हाथी भी निकले तो जरा बच के और फिर भी ये ऑली-डॉली-पॉली जैसी छुछुन्दुरियाँ चौड़ी हुई घूम रही हैं! क्या हो रहा है महाबली?

happy diwali

Happy diwali to all the readers, this is diwali night and I am home for the festival. Yester evening I happened to pass by an old friend's house I saw his father was fixing diwali lights. he has two children but till yesterday none of them came for diwali celebration. I felt bad, I can understand how nice our parents feel when we turn up for the things like this.

This evening I went to my terrace to see diwali lights. Our's is an old city. Some of the buildings date back to Mughal period. From the terrace of my house I can see almost whole of the city. It was a spectacular scene. electrical lights were confident to defeat the dark, they stood with their head held high. Candles and traditional earthen lamps were also doing their bit, though scared of winds, they were encouraging their electrical brethrens. I observed, old havelis, high and magnificent, were dark. No earthen lamp was smiling on the walls. No candle was braving the wind and no china made electrical light was flip-flopping. Just because inmates of these grand hawelis deserted them and moved to the new houses to leave them to stand alone in dark like the children of those parents who left them not to return.