modern times

"this is no way to eat, sweetheart!"

mom pointed out to her daughter

studying in the convent!

the girl didn't understand what her mother was indicating at!

seeing her perplexed look

the mother pointed towards her hands

"why are you eating with your hands?

looks so bad!

why don't you use a knife and fork!"

she said.

"but grandma had said you always had your food this way when you were young! grandma taught me eating like this. she said this is our culture!"

the girl retorted.

the mother was not happy now.

"it was then. we are talking about now!" she said, angrily!

"this are modern times! moving with the world is more important than culture!" she underlined her authority!

the girl stood up

washed her hands

and picked up fork and knife!

the argument seemed to have settled!!

--

next day the family went for a day out!

they strolled on the mall

watched a movie together

had a lot of fun

and

for lunch

they then went to Dominos

and ordered for mouth watering piping hot cheeze burst pizzas for all!

--

pizzas came...

everyone claimed his or her

...and the feast started!

--

everyone was hungry

and silently enjoying the pizza

when the girl broke the silence with a piercing question

"mom, can i have fork and knife!"

the mom looked up

speechless....

she looked around

and saw written on the board

"our pizzas taste best when had with hand. as a company policy, we don't serve fork and knife"

mom looked around

everyone was enjpying their pizza with hands

mom looked at the daughter with a strange look and said

"darling, when at the dominos, it is ok to eat as per your culture!"

the race

independence came

like the gunshot

fired in the air

to mark the start of a race!

--

those with shoes

overtook the barefoot

--

left behind

were those

without feet!

--

how different

from the race to dandi!

uniform

i chased the bus

and somehow managed to get into it.

inside

it appeared as if the entire city was there!

but perhaps that was a daily scene for everyday commuter.

i wriggled through to the center of the bus

and got lost in my thoughts...

--

i must have been in that lost state for several minutes

till a heavy voice over my shoulder brought me back

"excuse me!"

i bent on one side to let the man get ahead!

but when i saw the police uniform

i bent much more and abruptly

"i'm sorry" slipped out of mouth!

the bulky policeman smiled

and moved ahead!

i must admit that i had seen a policeman smile after a long time!

--

a youngman

seated near the place where the policeman was standing

got so much unnerved by the standing beat-man

that he stood up and offered his seat.

but to every onlooker's surprise

the policeman refused

politely but firmly.

the youngman didn't know whether to sit down back again

or keep standing.

"please be seated" insisted the policeman!

--

at the next stoppage

the nervous youngman got up and got down the bus.

the seat became vacant

but none around dared to claim it

in the presence of the man in khakhi!

"please come and sit here!"

to everyone's amazement

the policeman asked the elderly lady in his front!

the elderly lady blessed him

and occupied the seat.

--

conductor came

and asked everyone for the ticket

but

not surprisingly

skipped the policeman.

the policeman called him from behind

"one ticket for cannaught place, PLEASE!"

the conductor looked back

and gazed into the policeman's eyes

to check if it was a real offer.

but when he saw the seriousness

he quickly produced the ticket

but hesitated to take the money

till the policeman pressed it into his hand.

--

what a sight it was!

all kind of good thoughts started running through every commuter's minds!

--

suddenly

at the next turn

the bus driver slammed the brakes hard.

everyone was thrown off balance

including the cop.

he lost his balance

and fell on the man in front.

--

"i'm so sorry!"

came a voice draped in genuine apologetic soft tone.

not surprisingly,

it was again from the man with the authority!

--

the discomfort could now be seen on every face around!

none was used to all this!

--

at the next stop

he finally moved ahead

and

to everyone's big relief

got down!

the driver took extra care that he didn't move the bus till he had completely got off!

"thank you!" said the cop after getting down

leaving everyone shell shocked one final time!

--

when the bus started to move again

my head was still turned in the direction of the amazing policeman!

"what a cop!" i couldn't help saying

"no, he is not a cop" said a youngman standing behind me

he is an undergraduate in St.Paul.

They have a dress rehersal for the drama fest today!

at your service

tata winger was cruising towards the picnic rendezuous

carrying a dozen young university students

under its wings!

--

"look at the smiling faces of the shameless big thugs!"

said the girl, who wanted to be a journalist,

pointing towards the big hoarding on one side of national highway

caryying the photo of three beaming faces with folded hands!

--

"and all rubbish written below..."

pointed out the youngman who aspired to be a literary critic

--

"they should write "WANTED" in big bold letters in place of all those lies!"

quipped the girl who wanted to be an IPS officer.

--

"UNWANTED"

uttered a low voice from behind!

--

the two faces on the side smiled

and the one at the center winked!

by invitation only

...and with those words

the entire auditorium burst into a big round of applause!

it was a mesmerising discourse on god!

swamiji was elated at the unstopping resonance of clapping by over a thousand deligates!

after a brief pause

the open-house question and answer session started.

question after question was tossed in front of the brilliant guru

who gave answers which triggered fresh burst of ecstasy among the sea of followers!

no wonder the swamiji had become so popular so fast!

everything was gliding smoothly as planned when a question surprised everyone

"swamiji, what if god were to come amidst us in flesh and blood? how would we recognise him?"

everyone was struck with awe with the question-of-the-day by a youth!

swamiji was delighted at the question.

answers to such questions had helped inflate his clout!

"don't worry!" replied swamiji, to an ultra-attentive audience.

"i am with you. i will recognise him."

the answer was greeted with a thunderous applause by everyone except the youngman!

"what if he asked you to vacate the high seat, swamiji?" he quickly threw his supplementary question.

this question killed the thunder in a flash!

the smiles on the face of the followers of the sect turned blank and then into anger!

everyone was shocked at the mischievous question!

even swamiji felt a lump in his throat.

he had never faced such a blunt question in his entire "career"!

the cameras were rolling live

swamiji brought smile on his face back

and returned a calculated answer

"in that case i would have to ask him for his identity card!"

the entire gathering again erupted in joy!

they were proud of their guru and his quick-wittiness!

but the joy in the air was short lived.

the young guy was in no mood to let swamiji off the hook in the duel!

he had sensed that swamiji's makeup was coming off.

"what if the god produced his identity card?"

the audience now wanted this guy's blood!

the security guards started inching towards him.

entire world was watching.

swamiji handled the delicate situation by quickly intervening

"in that case i would send the identity card to the forensic lab to check whether it is forged!"

swamiji rebutted, unable to hide the tense breath!

this time there was no applause

everyone turned towards the youngman to see if he had anything left to say more!

"what if the concerned examiners confirmed the authenticity of the i-card?"

"that's not possible. those officers are my followers!" swamiji's toungue slipped under provocation in an unguarded moment.

now it was personal face-off between swamiji and the challenger!

"what if god sacked the obliging officers?"

this was too much for the officers who were sitting there only!

"we will never allow that!" they shouted. "our union will never let it happen!"

"what if god dissolved the union."

"over our dead bodies!" declared the president of the union sitting in the front row!

swamiji was pleased at the show of strength!

"god can't do whatever he wishes. he isn't even invited! this is democracy. god would have to do what the majority wants! "

"yeah! yeah! yeah!" everyone in the hall shouted in support!

"and majority will want what our swamiji will desire!"

my personal private god

i started from shimla by 10am
and expected to reach bachchauri in around 6 hours
more than me
my god inside me was excited
about the journey ahead
leading to the magical countryside!
vast fields
fresh air
great food
no automobiles
simple people
laid back life
lives full of stories.....!
i reached chandigarh on time
but beyond chandigarh
it took me 4 hours where it should have taken 2
courtesy
demostrations
and on-going construction of flyovers!
what was expected to be a refreshing drive
turned out to be a very tiring one
especially considering that i had been driving
half of the previous day as well while returning from chindi to shimla!
my personal private god inside me
was more tired than me!
upset and annoyed!!
finally,
both of us reached bachchauri.
i parked the car
had a refreshing tea
relaxed a bit
and took a bath which gave some life back to my tired body
and my god inside me!
the tasty food thereafter
gave it all back!!!
both me and my god
were atleast mentally refreshed by now!
after the dinner
both of us decided to have a small walk
in the narrow lanes of the sleepy village
getting ready for an early retiring to the bed!
by the time we returned back
our
bed was ready!
both of us jumped in
and don't know when sleep got the better of us! --
i don't remember the dream i had
but it must have been a beautiful dream
for i was having one of the most sound sleep
i had had in a long long time!
--
all was all right
when
suddenly
a big noise
shaked me out of deep sleep!
"what's that?" i blabbered!
--
it didn't take me long to realise that
some great soul
had switched on the loud speaker
of the local worship place
to play the recording of scriptures!
it was shockingly loud
at the shocking hour!
simply shocking!!!
i pressed the light button on my wrist watch
- it showed 4.05am!
i wished someone would realise the mistake
and turn the loudspeaker off, mercifully
and let everyone sleep!
but since it wasn't a mistake,
it was not switched off!!
--
i could neither be angry nor happy
lest god got annoyed at my blasphemy!
--
but wait a minute!!!
"i didn't have to fear god! i had my private personal real god always inside me!" i recalled!!!
i searched frantically inside me
and got the shock of my life!
he was not there!
he was missing!!
--
where had he gone?
i checked again
thoroughly!
yes, my god inside me was missing!
i jumped out of my cozy bedding
switched on the lights
and searched all room for him!
he was nowhere to be found!!
i opened the door and went out.
--
outside, it was pitch dark
and much much louder!!
"who's listening? who wants to listen?"
i murmurred!
--
but for the moment i was more worried about my lost god!
i searched for him in the streets without streetlights...
he wasn't there.
when i had searched all probable places
i decided to go where the loud noise was coming from
looking for him!
--
the loudspeakers had won the war
of calling me in!!!
i went in and searched.
but to my utter shock
he was not there as well!!!
in hearts of heart, i knew he couldn't have been there!
i knew my god more than others.
so where was he?
i couldn't ask anyone
for there was no one out in the streets
not even the dogs
at that sleepy dark hour
pierced by the high decibel preaching!
--
i returned back
dejected
and empty handed.
i closed the door behind.
the sleep had vanished from my eyes!
and so had my god from inside me!!!
--
it was very cold and i felt like zipping myself up in a warm jacket.
i opened the almirah
and amidst the layers of warm woollens
saw huddled and sleeping cozily with a smile
my personal private god.
--

welcome home

the alarm hasn't gone off

the newspaper hasn't come

neither has the milkman

nor has the bin collector

no morning tea to make

no water to store

no dresses to iron

no shoes to polish

no utensils to clear

no clothes for the machine

no brooming

no mopping

no aastha

no bloomberg

no aajtak of overnight

no to-do list

no deadlines to meet

no calls to take

no waiting customers

no boss to be

no boss to see

---

surrounded by a hundred tall deodars

carpetted by a thousand idle apple trees

few koels and meerkats

wild cats

occasional humming car passing by on the serpentile sleepy road

alone in 'the mamleshwar'

amidst cold winter winds of chindi

waiting for the warmth of the fresh sun

of what is

a monday for the world

but an eternal sunday for me

the morning hasn't started......

welcome home

dear life!

grandmother

"papa, i want to ask you something!"

"what's that,son!"

"hope you will not misunderstand!"

"ok, i will take it with open mind. pl tell me."

"papa, when i was a boy

you allowed me to choose my own books

my own clothes

my toys

my friends

you gave me the freedom to eat what i liked

you allowed me to do what i wanted to do

you gave me the freedom to say no to what i didn't want to

you even allowed me to choose my own religion

you allowed me to choose my own career

you allowed me to choose my life partner

you allowed me the freedom of thought and expression

you allowed me to have my own point of view....

now i want to ask you for more...

i am fed up with the state of affairs in the country

i am in deep pain to see the state of rot

and the extent of it!

i don't see any silver lining for as long as i can see

i have just one life

i don't want to waste it

so,

will you allow me one more time

to choose the country of my choice to live my life?

i will keep coming every month to meet you

afterall the jets can take us anywhere in a matter of hours!

also, you can come and stay with me"

---

the father went silent

this was the toughest question he had ever faced in his life as a parent.

he couldn't say "yes"

he didn't want to say "no"

the son gave his father some alone moments to find out the correct answer

to a life changing question!

---

afer remaining silent for what seemed like ages

father asked

"son, this land is like your mother!"

"but papa! the world is like my grandmother!"

crossroads

at the crossroads

the lights turned red

everyone stopped.

traffic lights - what great levelers they are!

cars and buses and rickshaws and bikes and trucks

all standing together

without discrimination.

everyone was drowned in some thoughts

when a voice suddenly brought them back

"today's newspaper!"

"today's newspaper!"

"MPs double their salary!

"today's newspaper!"

---

a government servant inside the bus

already late for his office by an hour

took out three coins for the newspaper

"when will they double ours?" he murmurred with a frown on his face.

the ceo in the adjacent car

ignored the newspaper boy

"i am not impressed

i am earning many times more!" he quipped with a snub on the face.

the unemployed youngman on the new mobike gifted by his dad

shrugged his shoulders

"i am not interested!". he sniffed with a dejection on his face.

the 75 year old man pulling the rickshaw

took out 3 rupees from his pocket and then put them back

"i must save these 3 bucks for my retirement!" he said to himself

with a face covered with sweat!

"do you believe in reincarnation?"

"it's cold, isn't it!"

"o yes! freezing!"

"when is the party?"

"tonight!"

"who all are coming"

"all neighbourhood"

"what all has been ordered?"

"hot pizzas and momos and pakoras...."

"and what else?"

"who needs anything else when you and me are there! Ha,Ha......!!!"

"Ha!Ha!Ha!!!!!!!"

both Coke and Fanta had a hearty laugh!

and waited in the fridge

for the wonderful evening ahead!

---

evening came

and in came the guests

kids, elderly, ladies and gents...

all dressed superbly for the celebrations!

everyone was so happy and excited!

hundred lights were lit

and music was turned on!

in came the piping hot pizzas

followed by momos

and spicy pakoras...

but everyone was still missing something

"where is the coke?"

"where is the fanta?"

yeah! give me the chilled coke

and me fanta!!!

me too!!

we too!!!

coke and fanta in the fridge felt like kings!!!

desperately needed and immensely respected and loved!

cans of coke and fanta were taken out of the fridge

and taken in trays

amidst the party

and loud cheers!!!

it was so intoxicating for both heroes!!!

everyone rushed to have one

rapid fire opening of cans after cans sounded like 21 gun salute!

"Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeers!"

and over a hundred lips kissed their cans and started gulping the first heavenly sip!!!

"Wonderrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfullllllllllllllll!"

everyone announced in chorus!

it was ecstatic for the duo!!!

and then everyone got busy.

a few ladies started discussing dresses

and some about their husbands

gents in the corner were discussing business

while those on the table were talking politics

the kids were dancing

while the elderly near the fireplace were talking philosophy

"do u believe in re-incarnation?" asked one elderly gentleman with golden locks!

"yeah, i do!" another replied.

coke and fanta were enjoying everything except the philosophical talk of the senior guys!

they neither liked fire nor the talk of philosophy!

the party kept going on

till the crescendo!!!

and then the party got over.

everyone said bye and started to leave.

all put down the empty cans

they were not excited about them anymore!

suddenly the cans felt like unwanted, ignored and immaterial!

it was heart-breaking!

it was too real to be true.

they just couldn't believe the turn of their luck

all in just over an hour!

"this is so unfair!"

"u can't treat us like this!" they yelled

but nobody seemed to listen!

they all left.

lights were turned off one by one

and music stopped abruptly.

the catering boy collected the cans

and...

and...

and...

threw them in the waste-bin

and closed the lid!

"it's so dark inside!"

"and so hot!"

saying this both went silent

and then the empty can asked his buddy

"do you believe in reincarnation?"

just one wish!

"in your exams, if u come out with flying colours

i will grant your one buying wish" dad told his son!

son was filled with ecstasy!

he worked harder

and did it!!!

son started making a list of probable targets

still camera
music player
tv
pen-drive
palmtop
gaming console
radio
movie camera
watch
scientific calculator
dictionary
torch
digital diary
dictaphone
gps
phone
all-in-one remote control
scanner
infra-red massager
fax
portable inverter
blood-sugar monitor
blood-pressure monitor
portable water disinfectant....

the list was long!

which one to choose and which one to drop - was a big dilemma

as he had only one wish!

"have u decided?" father asked

"yes, papa! i want to buy a hi-end cell phone"

saying this, he smiled hearts of heart

to recall that the cell phone contained everything in the list!

but by next morning

both son as well as father were still not happy

"had he waited, i would have gifted many more inbulit gadgets in the same budget!" father thought.

"had i waited, i would have got many more inbuilt gadgets in the same wish!" son realised.

pedigree

a german shepherd's life was saved by a street dog from a speeding car!

both became friends.

---

german shepherd was the pet of a business tycoon.

he flew in his master's private jet

travelled with him in his limo

ate the best fortified dog food

got treated in the best vet clinic

slept in a cozy bed in a air conditioned room

had a beautiful expensive collar

and the name of a great breed in his blood!

all in all, he was leading a special life!

---

his street friend, on the other hand

had no master to pamper him

wandered day and night from street to street

was chased away by the street bullies

hit by stones thrown by the street kids

ate from the garbage drums

never got treated when ill

slept in the open even in the harshest of weather

and had no name of breed to fall back on!

all in all, he was living a typical street-dog's life!

---

but friendship is friendship

whatever the pedigree!

---

on sunday evening they planned an outing together!

they went to the beach to enjoy the sunset.

they held each other's hand

and saw the majestic sunset in front of them.

both closed their eyes to pray silently!

the german shepherd prayed

"god! in next birth bless me with the life of a tycoon like my master!"

the street dog prayed

"god! in next birth bless me with the life of a german shepherd!"

the relief camp

the flood was unprecedented

3 districts got submerged under water of river Toshi

lacs of people had to abandon their homes for safer destination

thousands were caught amidst the flash-floods and had to remain perched on roof tops till rescued

hundreds were reported missing

over 50 relief camps were erected overnight by the administration

---

the largest camp was near Pulwa

it had 3000 men,women and children

besides 5000 cows (including their calves) in the periphery

the livestock had followed their masters

when the water had started to rise!

---

there was almost no food and fresh water in the camp

in the afternoon

it was announced that 5 truck-loads of rice and water cans would be reaching the camp by the evening

evening came

but no trucks!

none still till dawn!

---

by next afternoon

people noticed rising dust at the horizon!

"Trucks!!!" someone shouted!

whosoever heard

started running

in the direction of the trucks....

when others saw them running

they understood what was happening

and started to run as well

when children saw their parents running

they too started running behind them

elderly, who could barely move

were either left behind

or dragged themselves slowly behind everyone...

from the sky it appeared as if an army of a million people was charging on foot...

clouds of dust started to rise

like a holocaust...

everyone was running in the direction of the loaded trucks...

hundreds fell

and hundreds over them!

children, women, elderly

all got caught in the human tornado!!!

---

far behind

5000 cows and their calves

saw this massive receding wave of desperate mankind

---

suddenly

the cows started to make a line...

"kids, elderly and the sick cows,

pl be seated in the adjacent ground

you shall be served by others automatically"

ordered the senior elderly mother cow in the front!

"all others please make 5 lines for 5 trucks".

---

as she ordered

everyone regrouped in 5 lines!

the elderly cow came in front and again asked

"if the food and water is less

do we have any volunteers to sacrifice it for the needy?

those ready to volunteer pl sit down whereever you are!"

---

not surprisingly

everyone sat down!!!

bankruptcy

the year 2025 AD

class : IIIA

---

"what is the meaning of bankruptcy?" the teacher asked.

out of 30 students in the class only one hand shot up

that of little rudra!

teacher got nervous

she feared the creature's unpredictable answer!

"anyone else?" teacher provoked the class

no other hand popped up

either out of tiny rudra's fear

or for not actually knowing the answer.

"ok, rudra, tell me - what do you mean by bankruptcy?"

"teacher,

when you become a rich man from being a poor,

and then become richer and richer and richer,

but still, all you can think about is

what to buy with that money

all you can think about is gadgets and assets

and can't think beyond buying property or clothes or accessories

can't think beyond cars or shopping malls or toys

can't think anything except money and stuff money can buy

can't think anything except bank balance

when financial insecurity simply doesn't go away

and there seems nothing left in life except money and material

...that is bankruptcy

bankruptcy of ideas

thankyou!"

after saying it all in one breath

rudra sat down

with the entire class with mouth open in awe!

teacher took out her handkerchief and wiped the droplets from her forehead.