वेदनेची अनुभूती

'सर्व ठिकाणी उभी वा बसलेली बुद्ध-मूर्ती या ठिकाणी अशी झोपलेली पाहून अस्वस्थ व्हायला होत. वेदनेची अस्पष्टशी धार अंतःकरण कापून जाते. टपोरे रक्ताचे थेंब टपटपू लागतात. बधीर जीभ ते थेंब चाटू लागते....'

आजही आठवत हे वर्णन. कोसला कादंबरीतल. इयत्ता दहावीच्या मराठी पाठ्यपुस्तकात होता या कादंबरीतला एक उतारा. त्यातच वाचला होता हा मजकूर. कोसला कादंबरी मी अजून वाचलेली नाही. पण त्या वेळी पाठ्यपुस्तकात वाचलेला हा उतारा मनावर कोरला गेला आहे.

कदाचित त्यात उल्लेख केलेल्या त्या अंतःकरण कापत जाणाऱ्या वेदनेमुळे. काय असावी अशी वेदना. कधी जाणवते अशी अंतःकरण कापत जाणारी वेदना? मनाची वेदना. खर तर फार साध सरळ आयुष्य आहे माझ. अजून तरी काही फारशी वेडीवाकडी वळण नाहीत, कसले सल नाहीत. फार काही भव्यता नाही की कसले नेत्रदीपक विजय वा पराभव नाहीत. आपल्यापैकी बऱ्याच जणांच आयुष्य असाच असत. अश्या आयुष्यात जाणवते का कधी ती अंतःकरण हलकेच कापत जाणारी वेदना.

जेंव्हा ज्ञानेश्वरांसारखे विश्वाचे आर्त मनात प्रकाशते तेंव्हा ती जाणवते का? की भरभरून दुसऱ्यावर प्रेम करणाऱ्याला जाणवते ती? आई-बाबांच्या अंतःकरणाला होत असेल का अशी हळूच टोचणारी वेदना, जेंव्हा मूल स्फुंदून रडू लागत. आणि खरच तेवढी तीव्र असते त्यांची वेदना?

खर सांगायचं तर मला भरभरून प्रेम करताच येत नाही. तर्काच्या खर तर व्यवहाराच्या कसोटीवर घेतो साऱ्या भावना घासून. आजूबाजूला पाहतो तेंव्हा वाटते सारे असच तर करतात. जगत असतो आपण, एका रेषेतल आयुष्य. पुढे जाण्यासाठी क्वचित ढकलतो कोणालातरी. वाईट वाटत तेंव्हा, पण एक आनंदही होतो, विजयाचा. कधी मी ही पडतो. दुसऱ्याने धक्का दिल्याने. राग येतो तेंव्हा. धक्का देणाऱ्याचा, स्वतःचा, जगाचा. पण ती आर्त वेदना नाही जाणवत हृदयात.

जीवनाची भव्यता, दिव्यता, सार असत मनाच्या एका कोपऱ्यात धूळ खात. वाटत कधीतरी त्याच आकर्षण. स्वतःच्या कोशातून बाहेर येत जीवनाला, जगाला सर्व अंगांनी कवेत घेण्याची उर्मी, उदात्त तत्वांसाठी लढण्याच आकर्षण, ते भव्य विजय आणि तेवढेच उदात्त पराभव, किंवा ते निखळ, निर्व्याज प्रेम करण...व्यवहाराच्या पलीकडे जाणार, साऱ्या जगाला कवेत घेऊ शकणार. अशा भव्यतेत, उदात्ततेत जाणवते का ही अशी आंतरिक वेदना. अशी वेदना ही आपल्या भोवतीच्या जगाशी, स्वला विसरून अन्य कोणाशी समरूप होण्याची सुरुवात, की ही वेदना म्हणजे या समरुपतेच पूर्णत्वाला पोचण?

समजत नाही मला. पण एक आकर्षण वाटत त्या आंतरिक वेदनेच, त्या अनुभूतीच. पण माझ्या सरधोपट आयुष्यात कधी मिळेल का ही अनुभूती?

***HAPPY NEW YEAR***

A fresh new year SMS has just arrived….’yet another new year, new hope, new direction, new dreams, new horizons, so on…’

By the way what is so new about the year 2012? And for that matter what was so new on 1^st January 2011, or 2010 or 1983 or 1971. At the moment the only new thing around is a calendar on my wall and few new columns in news paper. Even the SMSs and phone calls hitting my cell phone are almost the same like every year.

Creative human mind thought of breaking down an endless flow of time in tiny fractions, and a relatively bigger of these fractions, a set of 365 days became one year. It is a negligible part of time even if we consider just the life span of earth and millions of such years would appear to be an insignificant period if we consider the flow of time from the moment of big-bang…the point at which probably the time came into existence.

But for human specie, one year is rather an important period of time as individual generally gets just 70 to 80 of them. The collective impact of what this set of 365 days offers can be significant for an individual and at times historic for large part of population as a whole. The year 2011, in fact witnessed many historic and significant events, like- resurgence of mass movements for democracy and freedom and against bad governance, death of dreaded terrorist Osama Bin Laden, a promising breakthrough at CERN lab, Japanese tsunami and European debt crisis. Some of them made us happy; others resulted in gloom and despair.

Of course every year may not be as path-breaking or historic. However it is always a mixed baggage of sweet, sour and also bitter experiences of varied degree for all of us. As we move forward on 1^st January every year wishing Happy New Year to each other, next 365 days always offer something to cheer about, something to tear about and many things to just shrug off.

But still each 31^st December ends with a sense of eagerness for something new and each 1^st January brings a sense of fresh beginning. (of course if you had not drunk the prior night). Each New Year fills our mind with new hope and new dreams and new resolutions…though sooner than later hopes fade, dreams are forgotten and resolutions are broken…

Nevertheless this eagerness for something new, to be hopeful for something thrilling and cheering is I think truly represents the spirit of humanity. (I do not refer bottled spirits here). New challenges, new experiences, ambitious triumphs on circumstances around, possibilities of stretching the horizons have always attracted human mind. And I feel somewhere this attraction partially symbolizes itself, when we eagerly say Happy New Year. Because for the moment at least we assume that we will collectively and individually achieve all this in the year that has begun…..

So Happy New Year!!!

आठवणीतला आम्रवृक्ष

एप्रिल-मेच्या दिवसात मी दरवर्षी काहीसा nostalgic होतो. आठवतात हे शाळेत असतानाच्या काळातले हे दिवस. शाळेच सार वर्ष मी या दिवसांची वाट पाहायचो. वार्षिक परिक्षा संपलेली असायची, शाळेला मस्त सुट्टी, आभासाची कटकट नाही. मस्त relax दिवस असायचे. आणि त्या सुट्टीला चार चांद लागायचे हे कोकणात आजोळी जायचो त्या वेळी.

कोकणातल्या सिंधुदुर्ग जिल्ह्यातलं आम्ब्रड नामक एक साधास खेड हे माझ आजोळ. खर-तर कोकणातलं कोणातच खेड साधास नसत. आंबा, काजू, फणस, जांभळ- करवंद अशी विलक्षण संपत्ती आणि निसर्गाने मुक्त हस्ताने उधळलेल सौंदर्य यामुळे ही गावं म्हणजे जणू अलिबाबाची गुहाच असतात. निदान अगदी अलीकडची so called development ची लाट पोचे पर्यंत तरी ती तशी होती.

आम्ब्रड हे असाच एक गाव. तिथे लहानपणी सुटीत जे दिवस घालवलेत ते खरच जबरदस्त मजेचे. मस्त धमाल केली आहे त्या वेळी. आणि त्या मजेचा एक प्रमुख घटक होता, आजोबांच्या घरासोमाराचा तों विशाल आम्रवृक्ष. माझ्या बालपणीच्या स्मृतींशी निगडीत एक प्रमूख दूवा.

आंब्याचा तो वृक्ष तसा फार जुना, कमीत ते ६०-७० वर्षे जुना. ते एक पायरी आंब्याच कलम होत, सालादान जातीच्या आंब्यावर केलेल. त्यामुळे त्याच्या एका बाजूला पायरीचे आणि दुसऱ्या बाजूला सालादनचे आंबे लागत. एकाच झाडाला दोन प्रकारचे आंबे लागतात याच तेंव्हा फार अप्रूप वाटे. अर्थात अस्सल पायरीने ते झाड लगडलेल असताना त्या बेचव सालादन आंब्यांकडे कोणी ढुंकूनही पाहत नसे.

तसा तो आंबा दरवर्षी लागे अस नाही. सहसा एक वर्ष सोडून तो लागे. पण आंबे असोत वा नसोत, त्या वृक्षाचा बाज वेगळाच भासे. त्याच्या गर्द सावलीत खेळताना आम्हा मुलांचा सारा वेळ जात असे. दुपारी पत्त्याचे डाव तिथे मांडले जात. कधी गाण्याचा भेंड्या खेळल्या जात, तर कधी नुसतेच बालिश पण मजेचे उद्योग केले जात. कधी त्याच्या सावलीत गाण्याचा भेंड्या रंगत. संध्याकाळी, पकड-पकडी, लपंडाव सारखे खेळ त्या झाडाच्या आसपासच होत. त्याच्या गर्द सावलीत बसल की वाटे जणू वेळ पुढे सरकूच नये. मी थोडाफार झाडावर चढायला शिकलो तो त्या वृक्षामुळेच. त्याच्या एखाद्या फांदीवर बसून नुसत्याच गप्पा मरणदेखील मजेच वाटायच.

आणि आंबे लागलेले असतील तेंव्हा तर त्याची शान भन्नाट असायची. पायरीचे आंबे तसे फार प्रचलित नसले, तरी दिसायला फार आकर्षक असतात आणि चवीला अतिशय सुमधुर. आणि मस्त रानवट गोडवा असलेले आमच्या त्या लाडक्या वृक्षाचे आंबे खाताना तर खरोखर भान विसरायला व्हायच. ते मस्त लाल-केशरी रंगाचे मोठाले पायरी आंबे खाताना मला तर नेहमी वाटायच, फळांचा राजा नाजूकसा हापूस नाही काही, तो मान तर या पायरीलाच मिळायला हवा. राजाची रग त्याच्याकडेच तर आहे.

झाडावरचे आंबे काढण ही पण एक मजा होती. उंचावरचे आंबे झाडावर चढून, खोबल्याने काढले जायचे. त्या वेळी काढलेले आंबे टोपलीत ठेवण चुकून खाली पडलेले आंबे गोळा करण, हाच आमचा खेळ असायचा. थोडे खालचे आंबे झाडावर न चढताच, खोबल्याने काढले जात. खालूनच, पानाआड दडलेले आंबे शोधण, त्या आंब्यांपर्यंत पोचण, आणि ते अलगद काढण, हि एक कसरतच होती. बाबांना या कसरतीची भारी हौस. मी ही, खोबल्याने असे आंबे काढण्याचे अयशस्वी प्रयत्न करायचो.... आणि असे आंबे काढतानाच, कितीशा झाडपिक्या आंब्यांचा फन्नाही उडायचा.

आम्ब्रडात मी घालवायचो वर्षातले फक्त काही दिवस. पण बालवयातल्या त्या दिवसांच्या स्मृती मनात अगदी घट्ट ठाण मांडून बसल्यात, आणि त्या स्मृतींशी तों आम्रवृक्ष अविभाज्यपणे जोडला गेला आहे. हळूहळू वर्ष पुढे सरकत गेली, शाळा कॉलेजच्या वाढत्या इयत्ता, पुढे नोकरी, यात आम्ब्रडला जाण थोड कमी झाल. पण मला नेहमी वाटायच, जेंव्हा-जेंव्हा मी आम्ब्रडला, जाईन, तेव्हा तो वृक्ष धीरगम्भीरपणे हसत माझ स्वागत करेल, आणि त्याच्या थंड, मायाळू सावलीत, मी मनाचा सारा शीण घालवेन.

पण चिरकालीन अस्तित्वाची, मूभा निसर्ग कोणालाच देत नाही. दोन-तीन वर्ष आम्ब्रडला जाण झाल नाही. आणि एक दिवस, फोनवर बातमी कळली- तो जूना जाणता आम्रवृक्ष अखेर कोसळला.

मनावर चटकन वेदनेचा एक ओरखडा उमटला, क्षणभर बधीर झाल्यासारख झाल. त्या रात्री मला अन्न गोड लागल नाही. सारखा वाटत होत, माझ्या मनातल आम्ब्रड, पूर्णांशान नाही तरी खूपस बदललय.

आता आम्ब्रडला जातो तेंव्हा तों वृक्ष होता, तिथे नुसताच जाऊन उभा राहतो. आता तिथे नवनिर्मितीच्या खूणा दिसू लागल्यात. परिवर्तनवादी निसर्गाने जुन्या अस्तित्वाच्या खूणा केंव्हाच पुसून टाकल्यात. पण मी मनानेच माझ्या त्या जुन्या दिवसात जातो. त्या ठिकाणी उभा राहून, दोन क्षण का होईना, तिथल बालपण पुन्हा जगून घेतो. तेवढाच जरा मनाचा शीण हलका होतो.

मंदार

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AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF COURAGE AND CONVICTION

This is a story of Dr. Rakhmabai Raut. I read about her almost 10 yrs back in Marathi daily Loksatta and since then Dr Rakhmabai has made an impression in my mind. Today I thought of sharing this inspirational story on this blog.

As a matter of general knowledge Dr Rakhmabai Raut was the first Indian woman doctor who practiced medicine. (First Indian woman doctor was Dr Anandibai Joshi. But due to her untimely death she could never practice.) However the legacy of Dr Rakhmabai goes much beyond that. As one of the earliest voice against child marriage, as a proponent of woman emancipation and as a woman who repudiated her own child marriage she created a revolution in itself.

Born in 1864 Rakhmabai lost her father in early childhood. Her mother remarried as was allowed in their cast to a widower Dr Sakharam Arjun Raut, a medical practitioner and professor in Grant College, Mumbai. Owing to the pressure from her father and other elder family members Rakhmabai’s mother married off Rakhmabai at eleven years of age. But at the instance of the Dr Sakharam, it was decided that Rakhmabai would continue to live in her maternal home till she comes of age and her husband, Dadaji Bhikaji Thakur becomes capable of earning a living.

Dr Sakharam Arjun, a reformer himself nurtured his step daughter in a liberal atmosphere, giving her room to grow and develop into an independent thinking individual. Rakhmabai acquired education and grew up as liberal thinking, self confident woman who refused to lead her life based on unjust traditions and customs. Her husband Dadaji Thakur however slid into an indolent and irresponsible life. He could neither educate himself nor could secure an assuring source of income. Possibly because of this, initially Dadaji did not insist that Rakhmabai should join him in his household. Rakhmabai continued her education and her intellectual development. However as the years passed on Dadaji started pressurising Rakhmabai to join his household and attend to wifely duties. However by that time it became clear that Rakhmabai and Dadaji were incompatible in economic, social and cultural terms. Armed with confidence and courage that liberal nurturing and education had given her, Rakhmabai made a defying decision- she decided not to join Dadaji as his wife and sought the termination of marriage.

To intensify his pressure Dadaji moved to Bombay High Court in March 1884, for restitution of his marital rights. He alleged Rakhmabai’s mother and grandfather of having interest in the Rakhmabai’s property which she had inherited from her stepfather, because of which they persuaded Rakhmabai not to join him. Rakhmabai decided to defend herself in the court. She courageously refuted the charges and held that Dadaji’s waywardness was solely responsible of her decision of not joining him. She was not challenging the point that husband’s house should necessarily be the residence of a wife, but refused to join her husband because of the absence of her consent for the marriage. She argued that since the marriage had taken place in her childhood and without her consent she should be allowed to walk out from it. In today’s India we may not find this remarkable, but Rakhmabai argued this almost 127 years ago, it required an immense courage. And her courage shattered the orthodox and patriarch Indian society of the time.

Rakhmabai’s stand came under all out attack by orthodox Hindu leaders. It was considered as a breach of religious sanctity and an insult of the Indian culture. In fact she was criticised ferociously even by Lokmanya Tilak, who argued that support to Rakhmbai’s stand would wreck the discipline of Hindu marriage under which wives are supposed to pull on with their husbands even under cruel treatment. However first judgment of High Court went in favour of Rakhmabai with court observing that marriage is not maintainable in the absence of consent. This caused tremendous uproar as traditionalists viewing the judgment as an attempt by British to fiddle with Indian culture. Orthodox Hindu leaders encouraged Dadaji to go for an appeal. His appeal was upheld on the ground that British laws were not applicable to Hindu marriage. Court ordered Rakhmabai to join Dadaji as a wife or face an imprisonment for 6 months. Showing an outstanding courage Rakhmabai declared that she would accept imprisonment rather than accepting a forced marriage. She also wrote a letter in Times of India, under the name ‘A Hindu Lady’ criticizing the custom of child marriage and describing its ill effects on the physical and mental health of girls.

Impressed by her reformist and just stand Rakhmabai was supported by various social reformers notably Justice Ranade, Kamaruddin Tayabaji, and Carnelia Sorabji. Rakhmabai’s courage of accepting imprisonment generated widespread support for her and even some orthodox Hindu leaders appreciated her stand. Finally at the instance of both pro-reform and anti-reform leaders an out of court settlement was reached between Dadaji and Rakhmabai, with Rakhmabai paying a fine of Rs.2000/- a hefty sum in year 1888, to Dadaji in return of her freedom. However Rakhmabai never married again.

She went on to study medicine in Scotland. After returning to India she did serve in Madam Kama Hospital, Mumbai for some time and then moved to Princely Sate of Baroda. Wherever she served as a doctor her work was highly appreciated. During the plague epidemic at Surat she led from the front and for her dedicated service she was conferred upon a prestigious award by the then British Government. Dr. Rakhmabai breathed her last in 1955.

Hers was the struggle against patriarchy. Against the male establishment which had thus far taken women for granted. The courage, with which Dr Rakhmabai defied the customs, defended her right of consent and decided to go to jail, unnerved the orthodox anti- reformists. Rakhmabai’s case brought to the fore the issue of women’s consent in the marriage. The awareness that Rakhmabai’s struggle created ultimately led to the passing of Age of Consent bill. Remember she showed this remarkable defiance in 1884. During those days this case was on the front pages of news papers in England and USA as well. Because a woman demanding annulment of marriage for it was against her consent was something unheard of even in western world. The fight against patriarchy to earn the most basic right...the right to choose is a legacy of Dr Rakhmabai’s courageous struggle

130 yrs down the line we have totally forgotten her. Unfortunately our problems have almost remained the same. Child marriages remain a reality in most of the rural India. And even in urban areas it is hard to say that all women are really free to choose for themselves or their consent is considered in matters of marriage. Though things have tremendously improved over a century Indian society still remains notoriously patriarch and there remains indifference among many educated women as well, about their status or their right of making own choices in life. In fact the male dominant society continues to see women as everything else except human beings. The memories of struggles of Dr Rakhmabai will definitely enlighten our path towards still unaccomplished dream of fair and just society for women.

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THE WINDOW SEAT MAGIC

The other day I was returning to Calicut from Trivandrum by train. I had booked my tickets in advance and so had managed to get comfortable window seat. At Kollam station an extended family entered in my compartment. While elders in the family busied themselves with arranging luggage gang of children comprising 4-5 members started competing for window seats. Immediately after settling themselves moms had to intervene in that window seat conflict.

Observing that scene I remembered my childhood and started wondering exactly when this fascination of window seat starts. Of course it starts at very young age and probably remains with us for all through the life unless one adopts a total utilitarian approach in later life.

Observing the outside world from the window of a moving bus or train is always very pleasant experience. The same world looks different when we keenly look at it from the window while travelling. It is like watching a film. You are there, everything is happening in front of your eyes, yet you are not a part of it. And on such moments you feel that the journey should never end.

We keep looking at running trees, vast landscapes, green farms, rivers and waterfalls, hills and valleys, and also bus stands or railway stations, houses and busy markets, children waving hands and road side hotels with loud music being played there. Generally there is nothing unique in any of these scenes. But when we look at them from a window of moving vehicle they certainly become unique and pleasant, may be because we do not become a part of it, but remain only a spectator. For those moments at least we forget our own world. That is a something like a magic of window seat.

While travelling at wee hours or also at dusk window seat gives an opportunity to observe slowly unfolding drama as sun emerges from far away mountains or quietly disappears behind them making dazzling display of golden red light on both the occasions. It is actually like travelling from one world to another.

Long distance travelling at night occupying the window seat is also an experience in itself. That deep darkness all around, that strange feeling as if the entire world is in deep sleep except you and the driver, sudden appearance of dots of lights far away suggesting some village and their subsequent disappearance, the sign boards on the road, chimneys of factories at far away distance, enchanting valleys and glittering sky with sweet moon as constant companion everything looks so unique and way different from our known world.

Travelling in mountainous region window seat offers a sense of adventure. Those sharp turns, deep valleys, bridges and tunnels create quite an excitement for window seat traveller. From window seat rain also looks much more beautiful. Just watch keenly the trees getting fresh in dazzling showers or small stream of water flowing through distant mountains, or even water jumping from rooftops of houses, unprepared passer-by running for shelter or playful children enjoying rain. Everything looks so funny as well as enchanting when seen from window seat. So cool!!! Actually you get into the middle of the rain without getting wet. Of course most of the time fellow passengers will force you to shut the window. That is something really annoying.

Window seat gives an opportunity to get into relaxed, pensive mood. That’s why it is preferred even during daily routine journey from home to office and back. In fact for Mumbai local train passengers getting a window seat is an achievement in itself. One who gets it feels as if his/ her day is made.

Window seat shows the dark side of the world as well. Children begging on railway platforms, desperate hawkers selling items in scathing sun, the hell like slums in big cities, people squatting beside railway tracks during morning hours, window seat shows this all. And you understand that the world is not that much cool. It is a tough place to live in for many.

Window seat indeed gives an opportunity to look at the world in unbiased way. It allows us to observe different facets of the world, forgetting our small-small worries of life. It shows at once that world is a marvellous place if we look at it in that way and try to grasp its beauty. And it also shows that life much tougher for many poor souls thus in a way teaching us to admire what we have got from life rather than complain about it.

Life is also a journey and if we do this journey as if we are sitting on window seat it will be really magical.

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Special Note-I strongly feel that AC compartment of train or AC bus definitely reduces the magical touch of window seat. And in flight there is absolutely no window seat fun as most of the time you see just clear sky or at most few clouds. For some reasons even cars do not offer that window seat relaxation to mind. So if you want to observe real magic of window seat next time travel in non AC train compartment or by non AC bus.

Anybody Remembers Satyendranath Dubey?

Anybody remembers Satyendranath Dubey? He was in news way back in 2003. An honest engineer, Dubey exposed the irregularities and corruption in government’s ambitious road development programme. Nothing much happened! He paid the price of his honesty by his life. And after becoming breaking news for few days, the name Satyendranath Dubey is a forgotten history now. Then anybody remembers that honest IOC office Manjunath Shanmugam? He tried to crack down on oil mafia and got killed in the process. A few days news story, Manjunath is just another stale issue now.

Yeshavant Sonavane is a recent victim of this same ‘honesty is the best policy’ doctrine which Dubey and Manjunath followed. He attempted to bust the oil mixing racket. He was honestly doing his duty but corrupt system punished him in a gruesome manner. Now at least everybody must realise that in the present situation ‘Honesty can be Hazardous’. Yeshavant Sonavane is sensational breaking news now. But very soon he would also become a distant memory, a one para news item on 6^th page, which will merely report that the investigation is in progress. With world cup and IPL round the corner this will happen pretty soon.

By choosing to forget Dubey, Manjunath, Sonavane and many others who have fought the corrupt system and suffered on account of that, we as a society are failing ourselves. We over the years have come to accept that cancer of corporate corruption, scams, bribery, criminalisation of politics are part and parcel of our modern day India. More unfortunately the educated middle class which is a main pro-reform force in any society is becoming more and more insensitive in these matters. By tuning in to music or dance reality shows we are ignoring the burning reality around us. Our great nation may not be in a state of anarchy as of now, but we are certainly heading in that direction.

We must collectively resolve to change this direction. This does not require revolutions, or sacrifices and all that. Revolutions do not generally solve the problems, but complicate them. What we need is a little determination to be well- aware, responsible and sensitive citizens. Try to fight social ills in whatever limited way possible, don’t accept bribes and also stop paying them. We must stop seeking personal favours from political and administrative functionaries and to give undue importance to them. In fact there should be a system of effective monitoring of performance of our leaders and we should be able to question them on development and social issues. We must realise that the political leaders and other administrative machinery are there to serve the people at large; they are not kings but public servants who are answerable to citizenry. We can also use modern day tools like Internet to create awareness on development issues and in fight against corruption, injustice and other social ills. Lastly as citizens we must exercise our voting rights, thoughtfully.

We can make a difference but for that it is essential that we remain, sensitive towards the state of our nation and its prospects. And we can be sensitive only when we keep alive our hope. Yes presently there is darkness and destruction all around. But it should never deter the hope for our bright future. There is a beautiful Sanskrit SubhashItam

"आशा नाम मनुष्याणाम काचिद आश्चर्य शृंखला

यस्य बद्धा: यो धावन्ति पंगुस्तीष्ठती मुन्चवत"

(Hope is a remarkable chain. Those who are tied by it keep running (towards their goal) while those who are freed from it become lame.)

Hence as a nation we must never let our hope die....we must run with a determination and hope towards realising a goal of better India for all of us. And then one day, definitely we will see a light at the end of the tunnel.

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A BLISS OF SOLITUDE

A BLISS OF SOLITUDE
Far off when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude
And then my heart with pleasures fills
And dances with daffodils
Lines from Wordsworth’s famous poem Daffodils – I always find these lines very fascinating, especially for that Bliss of Solitude which Wordsworth refers.
As I sit alone in my balcony on a sloppy Sunday, sipping cupful of coffee and observing picturesque scenery in splashing showers, I could not appreciate more, the fascination of this bliss of solitude.
Solitude is a state of being alone. But it is quite different from loneliness. While loneliness is forced on you and leads to dejection, solitude enlivens the mind. I have really enjoyed such relaxing moments of solitude over last four years since I left my home for job. And it has always been very refreshing.
On lazy Sunday afternoons sitting in the balcony or on relax evenings on the sea shore, or during rain soaked late nights or in wee hours of any day when first sun rays start painting the skies, solitude enables me to slip in a pensive mood and gives opportunity for refreshing exchange with inner mind. One gets chance to daydream, or to figure out some seemingly incomprehensible problem of life, or to appreciate the paradoxes of world around, or to marvel some nice book or piece of music captured in distant memory, or simply to enjoy any mundane activity.
When great Marathi Saint Tukaram says “येणे सू़खे रूचे ए़कान्ताचा वास!.....आपलाची वाद आपणासी!” (Thus it’s such a happy state of being alone and having dialogue with self) he really refers this bliss of solitude. Such refreshing dialogue with self, unfolds a rainbow of ideas- ideas ranging from a new recipe of cooking a fish to writing this article keep flashing in my mind in such fascinating moments of inner chatting.
Experiencing solitude is always very fascinating but one has to be careful that it should not lead to loneliness. As solitude is refreshing so is sharing. Getting connected with our family and friends and experiencing our triumphs and travails with them has an aura of its own.
Of course in today’s busy, noisy and hungama filled world, managing few quiet and relaxed moments engrossed in blissful pensive mood is a mystically fanciful experience. This really throws open an opportunity to watch with our inner eyes-
‘A host of golden daffodils
Besides the lake, beneath the tress
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze’

Special Note- Though solitude primarily involves inner chatting with self, a captivating book or a good music are of course two companions which make solitude more lively and blissful.