काम जरा जास्त आहे दरदिवशी वाटतं !
भरं Wednesdayत आराम घेवुन Weekend मनात दाटतं !
तरी हात चालत रहातात, डोकं चालत नाही !
Meetingशिवाय ऑफिसामधे कुणीच बोलत नाही!
तितक्यात कुठुनं एक Friday Thursdayमागुन येतो ,
तितक्यात कुठुनं एक Friday Thursdayमागुन येतो ,
Weekमधला काही कंटाळा पंखाखाली घेतो…
Friday ऊनाड मुलासारखा सैरावैरा पळत रहातो…..
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday वरती Thursday वरती चढुन पहातो……..
Week टळुन Weekendचा पुन्हा सुरु होतो खेळ…
Saturdayमागुन चालत येतो, गारं गारं Sunday…
… पण चक्क डोळ्यांसमोर Weekend कुसं बदलुन घेतो!
Weekआधी Calendarमधे कुठुन Monday येतो………
Monday, August 9, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The conversation of expectations
“Abe Saale tu zinda bhi hai ya mar gaya” - Sandy was shouting over the phone.
He had every right to display his anger. I had not been in touch with him for over two months.
“Zinda hi hoon, shayad.” I replied.
“Yaar, what are you doing this weekend? Let’s plan to meet at Jigi’s place” - Sandy was ready with the plan.
This was one of the two things Sandy was brilliant at – creating plans for get-togethers. The second thing was the swiftness with which he could change sides in a discussion.
“I am in. Jigi’s place, this Saturday at 5.” I said.
Jigi’s house at Juhu was our favorite place to meet. Sipping hot tea at his west-facing balcony and watching the setting sun was over favorite pass-time.
“Done Dona Done” Sandy confirmed.
Saturday 5 pm – We were in Jigi’s balcony and this time it was hot parathas with the regular tea.
“So Jigi, what’s the score?” asked Sandy
“5 so far” Jigi replied
I was confused. “What are you talking guys? What score? Please enlighten me.”
Sandy made things clear. “Jigika ladkiyan dekhneka program chalu ho gaya hai. 5 is the score so far.”
“What? That’s news. So, did you like anyone?” I asked raising my eye-brows.
“No yaar, the beautiful ones aren’t well educated and the educated one’s aren’t that beautiful” Jigi frowned.
“Marry a beautiful girl and educate her later, Simple hai!” Sandy suggested.
“And, why is this specific requirement of well-educated girl? Tu acha khasa to kama leta hai” I asked mockingly.
Jigi worked in a multinational KPO and earned really well by following the cryptic patterns of some foreign stock exchanges.
“It is just social status, yaar. I want a fairly educated wife, but she should know her limits and understand our culture.” Jigi replied.
“That is sounding pretty clichéd.” I said.
“What’s so clichéd in that? I would like my wife to understand that it’s me who will be taking the important decisions. I will be definitely smarter than my wife and so I can take the right decisions for both of us. Would you like if your wife takes decisions in your house?”
“Umm, I never thought so deeply over it. But, I don’t think that I will be having problems if my wife takes any decisions.” I replied.
“Kya baat kar raha hai? Won’t your parents have any problems with this?” Sandy interrupted.
“I don’t think so. What’s so problematic in this?” I said.
“Let me explain this to you...” Jigi began convincing with a serene face. He was pretty good at this. I used to wonder that he looks somewhere in between a philosopher and a politician when he starts convincing his point. “…100% of parents in India would like their son to dominate his married life and so do your parents. All your relatives will respect you if you take the decisions and your wife conforms to it.”
“Do you know my parents or any of my relatives? And I do not agree to this point of ‘dominating’ in a marriage” I said.
“Matlab tu kya joru ka gulam bankar rahega?” Jigi asked.
“Where are you dragging the discussion? Letting your wife take some decisions at home doesn’t make you a joru ka gulam.” I resisted.
“Jigi is right here. I will give everything in this world to my wife but she should not do something that I don’t like.” Sandy said.
Sandy uses the phrase ‘giving everything in this world’ many a times whenever he wants to display his affection for his parents, his siblings and now his wife. I don’t completely understand what it really means and feel like bursting with laughter on listening this, but each time I somehow control my laugh seeing his serious tone.
“You are losing 2-1, dear” Jigi said knowing that it was the right time to attack.
“Guys, these thoughts suit the 19th century. We all want things around to change, but we don’t want to change our own selves. And Jigi, your statistics of 100% of parents wanting some blah blah blah will remain the same if you will be having the same expectation as a parent from your son.” I was talking some disconnected stuff trying to bounce back in the discussion.
“That’s correct. Things need to change. And the statistics of 100%, I don’t agree to that either. Most people have bias in their thoughts, but you cannot claim that all are biased.” Sandy spoke and I was leading 2-1.
“These are necessary biases and there is no way that these biases can be removed” Jigi was trying to fight back, but I stopped him.
“Who told you that biases are necessary? I know that the world can never be perfect and unbiased, but should that stop us from at least trying to make it unbiased. It is your sub-conscious bias which is making you create these expectations about marriage.”
“What do you think? You are Gandhi or what?” Jigi reacted somehow irritated.
“Yes, I agree with Jigi. That’s too much of an impractical thought. If we know that the world cannot be unbiased why should we try to make it so?” Sandy said.
Jigi and I looked at each other. Sandy was again turning the tables.
“Guys, but my point is that …”
Trringggg... Jigi’s doorbell stopped me. It was Jigi’s uncle. Jigi’s father took him to the adjoining room. We could hear some conversation in bits and pieces.
“…Apne Anandbhai ki bhanji hai. Ladki sundar, sushil aur sanskari hai. Pitaji ka bada karobar hai, to fir...”
Jigi was listening intently to this. Now, it was Sandy and my turn to look at each other. There was a similar looking smile flashing on our faces.
Sandy and I took the local on our return journey. He was quite animatedly describing about some new girl in his office. But my mind was lingering somewhere else - in the discussion we had half an hour ago. Jigi’s grandpa would have had somewhat similar expectations in 1960. And what will happen in 2060 – Will Jigi’s grandson be having a same conversation of expectations – my paagal stupid mann kept wondering.
He had every right to display his anger. I had not been in touch with him for over two months.
“Zinda hi hoon, shayad.” I replied.
“Yaar, what are you doing this weekend? Let’s plan to meet at Jigi’s place” - Sandy was ready with the plan.
This was one of the two things Sandy was brilliant at – creating plans for get-togethers. The second thing was the swiftness with which he could change sides in a discussion.
“I am in. Jigi’s place, this Saturday at 5.” I said.
Jigi’s house at Juhu was our favorite place to meet. Sipping hot tea at his west-facing balcony and watching the setting sun was over favorite pass-time.
“Done Dona Done” Sandy confirmed.
Saturday 5 pm – We were in Jigi’s balcony and this time it was hot parathas with the regular tea.
“So Jigi, what’s the score?” asked Sandy
“5 so far” Jigi replied
I was confused. “What are you talking guys? What score? Please enlighten me.”
Sandy made things clear. “Jigika ladkiyan dekhneka program chalu ho gaya hai. 5 is the score so far.”
“What? That’s news. So, did you like anyone?” I asked raising my eye-brows.
“No yaar, the beautiful ones aren’t well educated and the educated one’s aren’t that beautiful” Jigi frowned.
“Marry a beautiful girl and educate her later, Simple hai!” Sandy suggested.
“And, why is this specific requirement of well-educated girl? Tu acha khasa to kama leta hai” I asked mockingly.
Jigi worked in a multinational KPO and earned really well by following the cryptic patterns of some foreign stock exchanges.
“It is just social status, yaar. I want a fairly educated wife, but she should know her limits and understand our culture.” Jigi replied.
“That is sounding pretty clichéd.” I said.
“What’s so clichéd in that? I would like my wife to understand that it’s me who will be taking the important decisions. I will be definitely smarter than my wife and so I can take the right decisions for both of us. Would you like if your wife takes decisions in your house?”
“Umm, I never thought so deeply over it. But, I don’t think that I will be having problems if my wife takes any decisions.” I replied.
“Kya baat kar raha hai? Won’t your parents have any problems with this?” Sandy interrupted.
“I don’t think so. What’s so problematic in this?” I said.
“Let me explain this to you...” Jigi began convincing with a serene face. He was pretty good at this. I used to wonder that he looks somewhere in between a philosopher and a politician when he starts convincing his point. “…100% of parents in India would like their son to dominate his married life and so do your parents. All your relatives will respect you if you take the decisions and your wife conforms to it.”
“Do you know my parents or any of my relatives? And I do not agree to this point of ‘dominating’ in a marriage” I said.
“Matlab tu kya joru ka gulam bankar rahega?” Jigi asked.
“Where are you dragging the discussion? Letting your wife take some decisions at home doesn’t make you a joru ka gulam.” I resisted.
“Jigi is right here. I will give everything in this world to my wife but she should not do something that I don’t like.” Sandy said.
Sandy uses the phrase ‘giving everything in this world’ many a times whenever he wants to display his affection for his parents, his siblings and now his wife. I don’t completely understand what it really means and feel like bursting with laughter on listening this, but each time I somehow control my laugh seeing his serious tone.
“You are losing 2-1, dear” Jigi said knowing that it was the right time to attack.
“Guys, these thoughts suit the 19th century. We all want things around to change, but we don’t want to change our own selves. And Jigi, your statistics of 100% of parents wanting some blah blah blah will remain the same if you will be having the same expectation as a parent from your son.” I was talking some disconnected stuff trying to bounce back in the discussion.
“That’s correct. Things need to change. And the statistics of 100%, I don’t agree to that either. Most people have bias in their thoughts, but you cannot claim that all are biased.” Sandy spoke and I was leading 2-1.
“These are necessary biases and there is no way that these biases can be removed” Jigi was trying to fight back, but I stopped him.
“Who told you that biases are necessary? I know that the world can never be perfect and unbiased, but should that stop us from at least trying to make it unbiased. It is your sub-conscious bias which is making you create these expectations about marriage.”
“What do you think? You are Gandhi or what?” Jigi reacted somehow irritated.
“Yes, I agree with Jigi. That’s too much of an impractical thought. If we know that the world cannot be unbiased why should we try to make it so?” Sandy said.
Jigi and I looked at each other. Sandy was again turning the tables.
“Guys, but my point is that …”
Trringggg... Jigi’s doorbell stopped me. It was Jigi’s uncle. Jigi’s father took him to the adjoining room. We could hear some conversation in bits and pieces.
“…Apne Anandbhai ki bhanji hai. Ladki sundar, sushil aur sanskari hai. Pitaji ka bada karobar hai, to fir...”
Jigi was listening intently to this. Now, it was Sandy and my turn to look at each other. There was a similar looking smile flashing on our faces.
Sandy and I took the local on our return journey. He was quite animatedly describing about some new girl in his office. But my mind was lingering somewhere else - in the discussion we had half an hour ago. Jigi’s grandpa would have had somewhat similar expectations in 1960. And what will happen in 2060 – Will Jigi’s grandson be having a same conversation of expectations – my paagal stupid mann kept wondering.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Bachke Rehna Re Baba
Some days ago, I came across this news flash that some Nityanand and Bhimanand Babas were caught in some sex scandals. The news channel were also showing “Exclusive” footage of the Baba doing some vulgar snake dance and numerous of his followers clapping hands around him. I kept wondering that this Baba has to be some engineering student in the past because this snake dance was so prominent in every engineering college. Each year the songs on the annual day would change, but the dance would remain constant. I suddenly realized that I too have a good knowledge of this dance and so am qualified enough to be a Baba myself some day.
A thought came in my mind that these Babas (I would be referring the term Baba to both male and female self-proclaimed pseudo-Gods. No gender bias intended) would be earning fairly well in their Babagiri business. So what made them involve in such anti-social activities (It is my innocent assumption that sex trade is an anti-social activity!). Does being a Baba act as a cover for performing anti-social activities or these activities are necessary for Babas to popularize and strengthen their Babagiri business?
You might be wondering why I am referring to the activities of these saintly Babas as a business. This is because most of the Babas have turned spirituality into a business. This business requires some initial capital investment by arranging some satsangs and putting large hoarding appealing that I am the I-know-it-all Gurudev or Gurumaa. And then there is a great return on initial investment with almost nil working capital requirements.
So who are their target customers in this business? Well, each Baba has his well-defined target customers. We will be having some Baba Bangali for the poor as well as some Chamatkari Maharaj for the affluent. Each Baba “gives” what his target customer “wants”.
This brings in another question - what are the “wants” of people that helps the wide-spread of this business? Why do “normal” common people begin worshipping some “saffron-clad long-bearded” common people? Well, there are various wants that Babas satisfy. Some people visit Baba’s Ashram just to feel spiritual. Some go because others go. Some go thinking that a Baba’s “super-power” might solve the problems of their life. Some think that some donation to a Baba might reduce the sin in their crime. Some go to protect their on-going sins. Don’t we come across people wearing Baba-lockets and contributing money to dance bars or people kissing their Baba-rings before taking bribes?
I heard some Baba saying on a TV show that ‘All Babas are not bad’. I agree, but how can a common man distinguish between a good Baba and a bad Baba. Isn’t it the responsibility of the good Babas to blacklist the bad Babas? But who will do that and how can we believe the people doing that. As it is said, who will guard the guards?
I believe that it is important to enhance the spiritual health of individuals and society, but at what cost? India had been a land of saints who flourished spirituality in this nation and brought about a positive change in the society. But can we give this responsibility to today’s genre of Babas? There is a thin line between belief and blind-belief. But, it is this line that decides on whose shoulders do we burden the accountability of our life – ours or God’s. Do today’s Babas have the ability to draw this line? Or they do not want to draw this line and let the blind-belief thrive to benefit their businesses?
Coming back to the Nityanand-Bhimanand episode, people started blackening and tearing the hoardings of these Babas once their live “chamatkar” was seen on the television. A two-minute video and suddenly a God becomes a Demon. You never know that these Babas might give some clarification and proofs and their reverence might continue again. The game of belief and disbelief is sometimes really strange. What makes public-opinion swing from one end of spectrum to the other so rapidly – my paagal stupid mann often wonders!
A thought came in my mind that these Babas (I would be referring the term Baba to both male and female self-proclaimed pseudo-Gods. No gender bias intended) would be earning fairly well in their Babagiri business. So what made them involve in such anti-social activities (It is my innocent assumption that sex trade is an anti-social activity!). Does being a Baba act as a cover for performing anti-social activities or these activities are necessary for Babas to popularize and strengthen their Babagiri business?
You might be wondering why I am referring to the activities of these saintly Babas as a business. This is because most of the Babas have turned spirituality into a business. This business requires some initial capital investment by arranging some satsangs and putting large hoarding appealing that I am the I-know-it-all Gurudev or Gurumaa. And then there is a great return on initial investment with almost nil working capital requirements.
So who are their target customers in this business? Well, each Baba has his well-defined target customers. We will be having some Baba Bangali for the poor as well as some Chamatkari Maharaj for the affluent. Each Baba “gives” what his target customer “wants”.
This brings in another question - what are the “wants” of people that helps the wide-spread of this business? Why do “normal” common people begin worshipping some “saffron-clad long-bearded” common people? Well, there are various wants that Babas satisfy. Some people visit Baba’s Ashram just to feel spiritual. Some go because others go. Some go thinking that a Baba’s “super-power” might solve the problems of their life. Some think that some donation to a Baba might reduce the sin in their crime. Some go to protect their on-going sins. Don’t we come across people wearing Baba-lockets and contributing money to dance bars or people kissing their Baba-rings before taking bribes?
I heard some Baba saying on a TV show that ‘All Babas are not bad’. I agree, but how can a common man distinguish between a good Baba and a bad Baba. Isn’t it the responsibility of the good Babas to blacklist the bad Babas? But who will do that and how can we believe the people doing that. As it is said, who will guard the guards?
I believe that it is important to enhance the spiritual health of individuals and society, but at what cost? India had been a land of saints who flourished spirituality in this nation and brought about a positive change in the society. But can we give this responsibility to today’s genre of Babas? There is a thin line between belief and blind-belief. But, it is this line that decides on whose shoulders do we burden the accountability of our life – ours or God’s. Do today’s Babas have the ability to draw this line? Or they do not want to draw this line and let the blind-belief thrive to benefit their businesses?
Coming back to the Nityanand-Bhimanand episode, people started blackening and tearing the hoardings of these Babas once their live “chamatkar” was seen on the television. A two-minute video and suddenly a God becomes a Demon. You never know that these Babas might give some clarification and proofs and their reverence might continue again. The game of belief and disbelief is sometimes really strange. What makes public-opinion swing from one end of spectrum to the other so rapidly – my paagal stupid mann often wonders!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Divided We Stand
Many of my non-marathi friends ask me why the “marathi versus non-marathi” issue is so much raised in Mumbai and not in entire Maharashtra. I have been born and brought up in Mumbai and I wonder if the “marathi versus non-marathi” issue was always there in Mumbai. I had been surrounded by people from all over India and from all the religions. Had I ever thought that all these people are not from here – not ours?
This brings another question in my mind - what is the real definition of “ours” and “not ours”? of “us” and “them”? It really depends on the context in which we are talking. The “us” and “them” often keep on changing without us being realizing it. A political party in Mumbai uses all-together different sets of “us” and “them” while criticizing Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Gandhi and Shahrukh Khan respectively. Do they themselves know for which “us” are they fighting against which “them”?
Taking the attention back to Mumbai – yes, there is a problem, the problem of over-population. The city’s infrastructure and resources has taken too much load and cannot take any more. Now-a-days even I – in spite being in Mumbai for so long - fear to go out of my home and travel. God knows from where so much of a crowd has come and is still coming in my city. I really wish that there should be some sort of a control to the inflow of people-traffic in this city. A control – not only for people from UP and Bihar, not only for any other non-Maharashtrians, but for anyone in this world including people from other parts of Maharashtra. I am not saying that my city is something special and different from rest of India. Mumbai truly belongs to entire India, but does this mean that entire India should come and stay in this small land?
So the problem is that – there is a city in a country which is over-populated since people from the remaining parts of country come there to search employment opportunities. Now where does the question of “marathi versus non-marathi” arise? Have some people conveniently dragged in this issue to make their own profits?
Probably, Mumbai problem being morphed into “marathi versus non-marathi” is not a single example. Every problem in India is somehow being morphed into “us versus them” - “someone versus someone”. Do we really need to look at every problem as “someone versus someone”? May be, we just like debating every problem in this “someone versus someone” format. When we discuss Mumbai it has to be discussed as Marathi versus non-Marathi. When we discuss terrorism it has to be discussed as Hindus versus Muslims. When we discuss reservations it is Brahmins versus Dalits. When it is slum rehabilitations it is Tax-payers versus the Poor. It is this debate that continues and the solving the real problem takes the back-seat.
The British had used the policy of divide and rule in India and it is just being carried over by the politicians after independence. The British were outsiders. But who are the politicians – one of us, voted by us by the processes of democracy. They are just a reflection of the society. Does it mean that the Indian public themselves support the divide and rule policy? Do we really like to be divided and ruled?
The “us versus them” syndrome is really the bad part with India. But, there is a good part too. In spite of so much of divisions, this country somehow runs and does it pretty well. Much better than so many other countries that does not have so many lines of division in the society. It is because of this good part that I like my country so much. There is some magic in this land which gives it's people the ability to stand in spite of being so divided. From where does this magic come from – my paagal stupid mann often wonders!
This brings another question in my mind - what is the real definition of “ours” and “not ours”? of “us” and “them”? It really depends on the context in which we are talking. The “us” and “them” often keep on changing without us being realizing it. A political party in Mumbai uses all-together different sets of “us” and “them” while criticizing Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Gandhi and Shahrukh Khan respectively. Do they themselves know for which “us” are they fighting against which “them”?
Taking the attention back to Mumbai – yes, there is a problem, the problem of over-population. The city’s infrastructure and resources has taken too much load and cannot take any more. Now-a-days even I – in spite being in Mumbai for so long - fear to go out of my home and travel. God knows from where so much of a crowd has come and is still coming in my city. I really wish that there should be some sort of a control to the inflow of people-traffic in this city. A control – not only for people from UP and Bihar, not only for any other non-Maharashtrians, but for anyone in this world including people from other parts of Maharashtra. I am not saying that my city is something special and different from rest of India. Mumbai truly belongs to entire India, but does this mean that entire India should come and stay in this small land?
So the problem is that – there is a city in a country which is over-populated since people from the remaining parts of country come there to search employment opportunities. Now where does the question of “marathi versus non-marathi” arise? Have some people conveniently dragged in this issue to make their own profits?
Probably, Mumbai problem being morphed into “marathi versus non-marathi” is not a single example. Every problem in India is somehow being morphed into “us versus them” - “someone versus someone”. Do we really need to look at every problem as “someone versus someone”? May be, we just like debating every problem in this “someone versus someone” format. When we discuss Mumbai it has to be discussed as Marathi versus non-Marathi. When we discuss terrorism it has to be discussed as Hindus versus Muslims. When we discuss reservations it is Brahmins versus Dalits. When it is slum rehabilitations it is Tax-payers versus the Poor. It is this debate that continues and the solving the real problem takes the back-seat.
The British had used the policy of divide and rule in India and it is just being carried over by the politicians after independence. The British were outsiders. But who are the politicians – one of us, voted by us by the processes of democracy. They are just a reflection of the society. Does it mean that the Indian public themselves support the divide and rule policy? Do we really like to be divided and ruled?
The “us versus them” syndrome is really the bad part with India. But, there is a good part too. In spite of so much of divisions, this country somehow runs and does it pretty well. Much better than so many other countries that does not have so many lines of division in the society. It is because of this good part that I like my country so much. There is some magic in this land which gives it's people the ability to stand in spite of being so divided. From where does this magic come from – my paagal stupid mann often wonders!
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