On human nature

For long have I pondered on the nature of human beings. The self proclaimed civilized being on earth. The animal with a gift of a large brain and a pair of deft hands, that enabled us to rule over and destroy all life forms on earth and including our own kind. Yes, we can destroy the earth, too. With such great powers, we have great responsibilities of which we like to be oblivious. We could create and sustain but we also chose to destroy. This is the eternal truth of human nature. The contradiction and judgement. The continuous feud between the good and the evil inside that every human being has to fight, every living second. But what's the outcome?

The recent turn of events in Bengal, India and the world is grim. We are witnessing technological advancements and moral degradation at the same rate. We are witnessing the suffering and joy brought about by the actions of the entire human civilization that lived before us. And I see not much difference.

Is it really so true that the evil has increased four fold while the good has died? Or is it just that the technology has enabled us to hear more and see more of evil deeds than we could see or hear before? Or is it the population of 7 billion plus human is taking its toll on everything else around them? Are we at the brink of our extinction just like those great lizards that once roamed the vast marshes? Any of these questions would raise a typhoon in the tea cup of any intellectual Bengali. But would ever there be an answer?

When I started writing this blog years ago, I thought of filling the posts with small examples of human nature and their life. But soon things got diverted, as I could not alone gather so much of experience with my self centered life. Now once again after a couple of weeks break from my small world I'm interested in fulfilling my objective. So, let me go forth and collect experiences till I find an answer to all my questions. The final truth that we seek.

Bahon bhede

বাহন ভেদে 

১

উত্তম বাবু (নাম তা Generic) বাস এ চেপে অফিসে যাচ্ছেন। ভালো আয় সত্তেও তিনি বাস এ চেপে অফিসে যাওয়া পছন্দ করেন । এর প্রথম কারণ হলো বহুদিনের অভ্যেস; আর দ্বিতীয় কারণ হলো বহু মানুষের সাথে মেলামেশার সুযোগ (! এটা তিনি তার সহকর্মীদের বলে থাকেন)। আজ সকাল থেকেই ঝিরিঝিরি বৃষ্টি পড়ছে । রাস্তায় তাই বলে যান বাহনের সংখ্যা কম নয় । তবুও কোনো এক অজ্ঞাত কারণে আজ বাস এ প্রচন্ড ভিড় ।বৃষ্টির জন্যে সব জানালাই বন্ধ । কে আর সাধ করে বৃষ্টির ছাঁটে ভিজতে চায় ! কিন্তু এতে বাস এর মধ্যে দাড়িয়ে থাকা পেসেন্জারের অবস্থা শোচনীয় । লোকে বৃষ্টিতে না ভিজে ঘামে ভিজছে । উত্তম বাবু এসব সময়ে একটু নেতৃত্ব দিতে পছন্দ করেন ।
"ও দাদা জানলা একটু খুলুন না ।"
"আরে বৃষ্টি আসছে তো !"
"ও আর বৃষ্টি ! ভেতরে তো আমরা সেদ্ধ হয়ে গেলুম । আমাদের কথাও একটু ভাবুন ।"
বাস এ সমর্থক এর অভাব হলো না । 
"আরে দাদা একটু না হয় ভিজলেন এই বৃষ্টি তে ।"
"বৃষ্টির দিনে শুকনো থাকলে মানায় না দাদা ।"
কথায় কাজ হলো একটি একটি করে প্রায় সব কটি জানলাই খুলে গেল ।

২

আজও বৃষ্টি পড়ছে । তবে আগের দিনের চেয়ে অনেক কম । কিন্তু বাস এর ভিড় যথারীতি । তবে আজ উত্তম বাবু জানলার ধরে সিট পেয়ে গেছেন । বসা মাত্রই তিনি ঝটপট জানলা বন্ধ করে দিলেন । কি দরকার বৃষ্টি তে ভেজার? সর্দি লেগে গেলে, ব্যাস হয়ে গেল । পাসে বসা ছেলেটি ঘেমে স্নান হয়ে যাচ্ছিল । ঘামছে প্রায় সবাই । ছেলেটি দুবার উত্তম বাবুর দিকে তাকালো । তারপর বলে উঠলো,
"কাকু, জানলা তো একটু খুলুন না । এমন কিছু বৃষ্টি তো পড়ছে না ।"
"হুঃ! বৃষ্টিতে ভিজে আমার সর্দি লাগলে কি তুমি ওষুধ কিনে দেবে হে ছোকরা ?"
"তাহলে আপনি এধারে এসে বসুন আমি জানলার ধরে বসে বৃষ্টিতে ভিজি ।"
বাস এ ছোট্ট  একটা হাসির কলরোল শোনা গেল ।
"আজ কাল কার ছেলে ছোকরারা বড় অসভ্য হয়ে গেছে । জানলার সিট কেউ ছাড়ে নাকি ! মামা বাড়ির আবদার !"
ছেলেটি অসভ্য হলেও হয়ত কলহপ্রিয় নয় । তাই ঘটনার এখানেই পরিসমাপ্তি হলো।

 ৩

 বৃষ্টি থেমেছে । উত্তম বাবু জানলা খুলেছেন । ছেলেটি বুক ভরে নিশ্বাস নিছে । কিন্তু সুখ যে বেশিক্ষণের নয় । গাড়ি সিগনাল এ দাঁড়িয়ে । এর ফাঁকে একটি মোটর সাইকেল বাস আর পাশে দাঁড়িয়ে থাকা টাটা সুমোর মাঝে এসে দাঁড়ালো । সিগনাল খোলার সঙ্গে সঙ্গে বাস আর এগুতে পারল না । মোটর সাইকেল আরোহী কে জায়গা দিতে হলো । নয়তো বেচারা চাপা পরে যেত । বাস এর ড্রাইভার একটা অশ্র্যব্য গালাগাল দিয়ে আবার বাস চালাতে শুরু করলো । উত্তম বাবু থাকতে পারলেন না ।
"এদের কি কোনো কান্ডজ্ঞান নেই । বাপের পয়সায় একটা বাইক কিনেছে । এবার গাড়ির মাঝখানে ঢুকিয়ে দে । এত তাড়া কিসের বাপু? এক্সিডেন্ট হলে তো বাস ড্রাইভার এর দোষ!"

৪

আজ উত্তম বাবুর একটু তাড়া আছে । ছেলের বাইকের পিছনে চেপে যাচ্ছেন । যথারীতি ট্রাফিক জ্যাম । ছেলে বাইকের উপকারিতা বোঝানোর জন্যে বাস ট্রাক এর ফাঁক দিয়ে মটর সাইকেলটা একদম সামনে নিয়ে এলো। দাঁড়ালো একটা বাস আর একটা সুমোর মাঝখানে । সিগনাল হওয়ার পর হুশ করে সামনে এগিয়ে গেল । বাসটা এগোতে গিয়ে প্রচন্ড জোরে ব্রেক করে এক্সিডেন্ট হওয়াটা আটকালো । মুখে ছুটে এলো গালির তোড় । উত্তম বাবু ও ছাড়লেন না ।
"এই ভদ্র ভাষায় কথা বল । ঠিকঠাক দেখে বাস চালাতে পারো না । যত্ত সব মাতাল !"

Local bus cummuter

সকালে কোনরকমে নাকেমুখে কিছু গুজে দিয়েই বেরিয়ে পড়া রোজকার রোজগারের অভিযানে । গ্রীষ্মের দারুন রোদ্দুরে ছারখার হয়ে যাওয়া জীবনে বাস স্ট্যান্ডএ একটু ছোট  শেড । You know it feels like heaven। চারপাশে চাপা টেনসন ।বাস এলেই হালকা গুতোগুতি করে চটুল পায়ে বাস এর দরজার সামনে এসে দাড়ানো । তারপর নামতে থাকা যাত্রীদের উপেক্ষা করে উঠে যাওয়া বাসএ । এক ঝলকে মেপে নেওয়া সব যাত্রীদের । কে নামতে পারে আগে ? ছোট্ট হিসাব কষা মনে মনে । তারপর কোনো এক সিট এর সামনে দাড়িয়ে পরা ।
"দাদা, কোথায় যাবেন ?"
"ব্যাগ তা একটু ধরুন না । ধন্যবাদ ।"
অবশ্য সবাই আজকাল thanks বলে । ইংরেজি বলাটাই এখনকার দস্তুর । বাঙালি ধীরে ধীরে বাংলা ভুলছে । অর্ধেক হয়ে গেছে হিন্দী আর অর্ধেক ইংরেজি । ভাবতে খুব অবাক লাগে একসময় এই জাতিটাই নিজের ভাষার জন্যে লড়াই করেছিল ! 

গরমটাও পড়েছে বেশ এবার । পাশের লোকের ঘামের সঙ্গে নিজের ঘাম মাখামাখি হয়ে একাকার । কারো আবার একটু বেশি ঘাম । টপ টপ করে জলের ফোটার মত পড়ছে বসে থাকা লোকেদের উপরে । যারা জানালার ধরে তারা সবার হিংসের বস্তু । বেশ ফুরফুরে হাওয়া, বুকটা জুড়িয়ে দেয় । কন্ডাক্টর এর ক্রমাগত "পিছনে যান " উপেক্ষা করে দাড়িয়ে থাকি ঠায় । হাত দুটো জাম করে দিই হ্যান্ডেলে । কাধ দুটো রেগুলার ধাক্কার চোটে শক্ত হয় । পা দুটো থামের মত গেঁথে যায় বাসের ফ্লোরে । জানলার হাওয়ার একটা ছোট অংশ পাই আমিও । পিঠটা যদিও ঘেমে ভিজে যায় । 


এবার শুধু অপেক্ষার পালা । কখন সামনের বসে থাকা লোকগুলো উঠবে আর তুমি ন্যাচারাল প্রগ্রেসনে গিয়ে বসবে জানলার ধারে । আমার মত দূরের যাত্রীদের এই ন্যাচারাল প্রগ্রেসনের প্রচুর সুযোগ থাকে । আবার কখনো ভুল সিটের সামনে দাড়িয়ে পরে কেলেঙ্কারী । আসে পাসে সব সিট খালি হয়ে যায় । আমার সামনে দুটি লোক স্থানুর মত বসে আছে । এদের ও গন্তব্য আমার মত দুরে । বিরক্তিকর ।


রুমাল দিয়ে ঘাম মুছি আর রোজকার এই একঘেয়ে স্ট্রাগল এ সামিল হয়ে যাই । জানলার বাইরে খোলা হাওয়া, বিস্তীর্ণ আকাশ, মুক্ত জীবন । জানলার ভিতরে ইঁদুর দৌড় । মনে মনে হাসি । কোন পাগলে ভেবেছিল যে সব মানুষ একদিন ইঁদুর হয়ে যাবে ! মাথার ভিতর একের পর এক গভীর চিন্তা জাগে । নিজেকে হঠাত বিশাল দার্শনিক মনে হয় । মনে হয় চাকরি ছেড়ে দিয়ে চলে যাই বহুদূরে । মুক্ত জীবনের খোঁজে । পকেটের কাছে হাতের খোঁচা লাগে । মুহুর্তে সজাগ হয়ে যায় সব কত ইন্দ্রিয় ।
এই লাইন এ পকেটমারের অভাব নেই । পকেটে মোবাইল ফোন, মানিব্যাগ । সাবধান । তারপর দেখি আমারি মত নিরীহ, গোবেচারা আর এক ইঁদুর । মুচকি হেসে আবার চিন্তা চালু হয়ে যায় দার্শনিকের ।


সামনের সিট খালি হয় । ন্যাচারাল প্রগ্রেসনে আমি চলে যাই কাঙ্খিত জানলার ধারে । মুহুর্তে সংসার সুখের হয়ে যায় । অফিস মনে হয় ভালই তো । বাড়ি ফিরে কি করব সন্ধ্যা তা তার ফিরিস্তি দিই মনে মনে । জানলার বাইরে মুক্ত জীবনের খুব কাছে আমি তখন । তাই ভিতরের টানটাও প্রবলতর । ভিতরের টানে হারিয়ে যাই আমি । জানলার বাইরে তখন নীল আকাশ, প্রচন্ড রোদ্দুর । জানলার বাইরে তখন তারুণ্য আর মুক্ত জীবন । আমার চোখ তখনও জানলার বাইরে ।কিন্তু এখন তো আমি ইঁদুর  দৌড়ে জয়ী ।

Living in time

This is how blogs get lost. You get busy suddenly on something and your blog gets no new updates. Slowly the readers fade and slowly the blog is lost in time. Everything is lost in time. Even time is lost in time. So before getting lost completely till I've no more to lose in time I want to live. Live life like I've never lived before.

I want to find the boy who had a whole universe created within his mind that was larger than any universe man can perceive. The stories that were framed in his mind were bigger and better than anything that kids see on TV or Movie today. Well those were trying times. You saw little and read much more. So your imagination made the movie instead of any movie director. You became the hero/heroin, you fought the battles, you won the trophies. You lived in the book and lived the book in your life.

But we are living in time. A time that was not imagined a few years back. A time that is hard to imagine even now. A time that is flowing like it always flowed. Only we got busier and we don't have any time any more. Only a few years back when you were away from home it would take days to communicate or in an emergency a rare phone or telegram. But now you can talk every minute you wish to. Nobody writes a letter now a days. The last time I wrote one (I'm talking about personal letters here), was to my girlfriend, a love letter which I never posted and after a few day read to her while talking in cell phone! Sounds funny? Huh ??

That's what is called modern age. That's what is called living in time, a time that's different.

Memories

That's all we have with us. That's all remains in our heart. "Feelings change, but memories remain" - that's what was written in our hostel t-shirt back in 2007. Life is nothing but a collection of tangled memories of tears and smiles, of joy and sorrow, woven in the thread of times gone by.

And when we are lonely they come back making us dreamy and drawing a smileys of various emotion on our face, that could only be noticed when you look closely with affection and love into someone's face. You might discover the toughest of the lot living for a moment in the tender days of his life. A tiny smile and a spark in his eyes. Or the happiest amongst you suddenly concealing a tear and drying it up in her eyes faster then the camera shutters for which she is posing. You may suddenly find out the tranquility in the eyes of a wise man gone for a moment when he remembers his days gone by. Or find a notion of innocence in a corrupt politician's face when he is lost in his childhood.

We store all the memories in our brain, in the tangle of neurons. But sometimes if you sit back and relax you would know that it is the happier one's that we like keep and remember often than the sorrowful ones. When we think of someone gone, we never think of how he was gone but of how he was when we were together and happy.

Now it's time. Time for me to go back 20 years in the past. In the house that's now no longer the same and you have no right to enter. A house that I hated because it was not beautiful and well planned like the houses of the rich. A house that I love now, because it's the most beautiful house ever, because it's home.

A bus full of Engineers

I told you before that my daily journey to and from office is an adventure. Today I had a new one worth mentioning. The buses get very crowded during my journey back home. So it's a tough job boarding one and then keeping to one's feet for the entire journey. If you are lucky and powerful enough you might get a sit, though. Mostly I'm a lucky guy in this matter :D.

As usual I boarded a CTC (Calcutta Transport Corp) bus today. They are my choice because even they don't look nice and sound even terrible, they are faster and cheaper. But the evening had a surprise in store for me. After a couple miles there is a vast empty space where no vehicle stops. And our bus suddenly got stuck there. When people started shouting at the conductor, it was revealed that the accelerator of the bus was disconnected. So some people started getting down and trying stop something or anything that moves. Some, specially those who had cut the tickets already, were siting/standing with a confused look on their faces.

Meanwhile, there were quite a few IT engineers in the bus (I think almost 50% of the crowd). They started cooperating with the driver to fix the engine. And a very raw fix came up with a piece of rope, a cardboard and a few newspaper scraps. The accelerator pedal was attached to the engine. And to everyone's surprise the bus started moving! Of-course there was a price to pay. The engine was lying open and heating up the already hot environment. We traveled a bit slow but reached the destination safe.

Well, this happens only in India!

Why God's Debris ?

Back in 2008 I read a novella by Scott Adams, the creator of famous Dilbert. Well I love Dilbert, though I never read Dilbert before 2009. And the first thing I read about Dilbert was the "Dilbert and the way of weasel". It was a fantastic read and helped me a lot progressing through my work environment. I don't recommend that book to anyone who doesn't have a very subtle sense of humor, though. Anyway let's get back to the question I began with, "Why God's Debris?"

In 2008 one of my friends gave me an e-book named "God's Debris". I didn't know the author then, or what the book was all about. I printed the book (utilizing the free unlimited print service given by my office) and started reading it. As I started it, I found it boring and stopped after 2 pages. Then again the training sessions were far more boring so started reading that book once more. This I somehow crossed 10 pages and WOW! It suddenly got interesting. And when I finished it, I suddenly had a feeling rooted deep in me. This feeling might never go from me.

I had read many religious texts and scriptures, books on various philosophies; of which only one left a lasting impression in me - The Geeta. And reading God's Debris supplemented it in a different way, like a modern interpretation by a village old man, of the age old thoughts in men, that, God is Universe and Universe is God.

Thus a journey began. I started to rummage through this debris, the universe, beginning with the Earth. In order to find something, something that we all seek through our lives.

Flooded Kolkata Streets

It rained and rained from yesterday. It rained again in the morning. It rained through afternoon and finally stopped in the evening. I thought it would be nice to go out and have a pleasant evening walk since the rain has cooled down the late summer heat of Kolkata. But it was a mistake!

Those who live in this city or know it's news, they are well aware that the City of Joy, turns into Venice of the East during the heavy showers of the monsoon.Well here is a video that I captured in my cellphone when I went out in the evening. I managed it since the water level was quite low at these places! In the deeper level, I could hardly manage myself!



It's pouring down still as I upload this video. Unfortunately I live in the ground floor :( That's a big worry for me if it rains and rains, water will flood my rooms !! :p
Only God can save me now. Amen.

Beautiful Bangla

There is something so beautiful about Bengal. Sadly couldn't get something good enough from "epar" (this side). So sharing something really good from "opar" (other side). In fact sometimes I wonder how good it would be with the Bengal as a whole. I could dive deep in its beauty and never ask for more.

If some feel it little regional, then I don't mind. No video was made that could justify the beauty of India as a whole. The Incredible India commercials are too short and too commercialized. Not heart-touching as this one. See you till I find one. So long.

A dozen guys and a dozen chicken

This is a story that I tell everyone I meet while eating grilled chicken. About 11 others already know what I'm going to tell now. But I can't stop myself. I know this is not really funny, but each time I remember that evening I have a hearty lough at the ingenuity of the event.

Some of us might remember the exact date, though I don't. What I remember is the year was 2008, it was late autumn or winter in India, though in Bangalore it all feels the same. We were a dozen guys gone for an outing in the Bannerghatta National Park. It was late afternoon and a memorable trip for me solely due to the bears dancing around our safari bus. But that is a different story.

It was pretty late when we returned. We had walked a lot and that build an awesome appetite for us. The awesomeness of the appetite was realized in the next 3 hours in a restaurant "The MMA Kebabs". This was our "The Grand" for eating out - cheap and best, as the saying goes (and I mean it. Also there are a dozen others who will support me if you contradict this view). As usual, we ordered a few plates of grilled chicken as starters. Now the play started with one guy saying, "I want to eat a whole chicken alone, I'm so hungry!!"

Well, go ahead, who is stopping you. But that's no reason for another couple of guys copying him and saying we think we are also hungry enough for one chicken each. Aha! so you guys are gonna get a whole chicken for yourself, why should I be left behind. So I joined the party. And very soon the train followed. As the waiter stood by taking orders, 11 out of 12 guys opted for a whole grilled chicken as "starter"!!! (Whoever is reading this is thinking us to be "Rakshas" now).

Naturally, we ended up with 12 whole grilled chicken. Actually we didn't bother to order half a plate for the poor friend of ours (the only seemingly human in a group of Food Demons). So he opted to be rich and joined the full chicken club. Here is a point to note. Baring one guy in the group, if you see the rest, none ever, by their physical appearance, looked like a foodie. But that's no point to stop you from eating good food and drinking good liquor, isn't it?

So, 12 empty plates were served and then 12 grilled chicken were cut and served on those plates. And leaving a few crushed and whole bones, the plates were empty when we finished. I still remember the bewildered eyes focused to our table, specially those who didn't get grilled chicken because of us. That was a great meal and I never looked back from then on. Rightly, I gained 50 pounds while in Bangalore.

I'm never gonna try that again. I still feel a whole chicken sitting in my stomach when I think of that evening :P

A party and a few songs

I had a party few hours back. No doubt it was fun - singing, dancing, food and drink, also some smoke (no joints only tobacco). But that happens in almost all the evening parties, right? So why am I writing about this one?

Yes, the DJ played some beats that everyone enjoyed, the food was good, drinks were unlimited and you could hear a lot of tall tales. But that's not what will make me remember this night. It's only a few songs. Towards the end of the party those were played on request. In fact those songs are not party songs or songs that DJs usually rock the dance floor with. Those were classic rocks of the golden period. You may be guessing by now and needless to say that you are right. There was Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, the Scorpions, Eagles, Bon Jovi and Brian Adams.

Last time I played air guitar (also the real guitar at times) to those songs were in college three years back. Life changed much since then. No more grasses, no more getting drunk (I mean really drunk so that you mostly don't remember what you did). No more crazy head banging and no more the free spirit.

Yes, many things may be lost but the spirit is never lost. That's why I could see people at 40+ dancing like college kids lost in the tune and forgetting where they are. That's blissful. My spirit was revived once again and hope I'll not lose him now for a long long while. Kudos to rock music.

A side note: But surprisingly, I never feel like listening to those songs anymore after leaving college. I think they make me too nostalgic. And of-course they feel far better when in a crowd, that holds the spirit of rock.

A naked man

As usual in the evening for me, I am just standing outside DLF Towers near New Town, to catch a bus home. It's around 8:00 PM in the evening and the place is pretty crowded. Buses and shuttles (shared cabs) are passing by and stopping to pick up passengers. I left two buses because of the crowd. I could see a streaming flow of headlights of speeding vehicles descending from the over-bridge far ahead. Then in the midst of all those lights I noticed something odd.

At first it looked like a man walking with a long stick in his hand for support. The man seemed to be wearing dark clothes. Soon as he came closer I felt the man to be scantly clothed. But when he reached within 50 feet or so I realized he was naked and very old, probably mentally disabled, too. Barely able to walk without the help of the thin, long branch that he was using for support. On the other hand he held on to something that looked like a white loin cloth.

It was a pathetic sight to watch him pass by through the crowd of all well dressed men and women. Does the people of this country not deserve their minimum basic needs? The question in my mind is what the rich do with so much money stashed away at the swish banks (which of course remains vastly unused!) when they need only a piece of cloth and 6 feet land at the end of life?

And what sin did this poor man commit that he will not even have a single piece of cloth on him even as he is alive??

Rain in my life

There is something special about rain in my life. I was born on a stormy morning in the middle of the monsoons in Bengal. Since then it almost always rained when I'd something big in my life; even in the middle of a dry winter or spring. But more than that rain makes me travel back in time with an odd peak at my past. I almost always remember a pair of Jack-fruit trees, all wet in rain in the late afternoon, when I become nostalgic. I remember the streets full of water and a group of careless boys jumping around (well, I was a part of that group) in school dress. I remember a great black sky and a great howling wind. I remember the Hasnuhena tree by the side of our TV antenna (those days we used to have black and white TVs with a separate antenna attached to a long bamboo pole or something outside). I remember bathing in rain and playing football for hours like crazy. I remember the flowing rain water down the Fr Wery path and into the streams. I remember looking at the vast stretch of young paddy fields with waves like a green sea from the window of a thatched mud-house. Oh how I remember them and how I wish I could go back and relive those days just once.

We all have the same wish, but we all can only go to future as time takes us there.

A daily adventure

Going to office for me has turned into an adventure. An adventure that happens daily! Twice !!

Since I moved from Chinar Park to Belghoria, the daily traveling time and complexity has increased three folds. I've become so called DP (Daily Passenger) in train and bus. In spite of the complexity and time consumed I seldom grow tired of it. May be because of the variety of people I meet on the way, or the variety of route I take each day (There are three different major routes that I can take), or because it's still only a couple of months I'm in the business. Whatever, it doesn't really matter.

Well at first I never thought it to be an adventure. But each day I'd see something interesting on my way and relate it to my colleagues in office. After a couple of weeks one said,
"Samarjit's journey to office is becoming an adventure!"
Then I thought, "Oh it really is !"

Well I'm still thinking. Each day I talk to at least one stranger on my way. Try  to help out people with, who might need it. Notice the variety of people I live among. And I really really wish to continue doing so till my strength lasts.

Sometimes I think I'd write it all down. Those little things; but what I think can do most justice to this daily adventure is not a travelogue. It is a picture gallery. So things will be off to the other blog of mine for a while. In fact sometimes I really wish to merge them together. Is that a good idea?

"জীবন যখন যেমন"

আমি যখন ছোট ছিলাম, তখন ছোটকাকু একটা বই কিনেছিল | বই টা নিশ্চই বড়দের জন্যে - কারণ আমি ২-৩ লিনে পড়ে ওটার উপর কোনো আগ্রহ বোধ করিনি | তাছাড়া বইয়ের প্রচ্ছদে ছাড়া কোনো ছবিও ছিল না ! কিন্তু বইটার প্রচ্ছদের সেই ছবিটা আমার খবু ভালো লাগত | তিনটে মানুষের ছবি | এক চাকুরে ভদ্রলোক (ঠিক মনে পড়ছে না এই ছবি টা ), এক জিয়ানস পরা তরুণ আর এক শাড়ি পরা নারী | ছবি গুলো line drawing করে আঁকা | যতদুর মনে লাল আর নীল রং দিয়ে আঁকা | তিনটি ছবি তিনটি box এ | উপরে তিত্লে তাও মানানসই লাল নীল এ "জীবন যখন যেমন" |

বইটা অনেক দিন আমার গল্পের বইয়ের তাক এর একপাশে নিতান্ত অবহেলায় পড়ে ছিল | পড়ে যখন বড়দের ব্যাপার গুলো একটু বুঝতে শিখেছি তখন সেই বইটা আর একবার পরার চেষ্টা করেছিলাম | বেশ অনেকগুলো ছোট ছোট গল্প ছিল | সেগুলো connected কিনা সেটা বোঝার চেষ্টা করি নি | যেই জায়াগাটা ভালো লাগে নি সেটা বাদ দিয়ে চলে গেছি | তবে কিছু জায়গা পড়ে খুব জোর হেসেছি | অনেক কিছু এমন জিনিস ছিল সেই বইটায় যেগুলো রীতিমত ১৮+ | সেগুলো পড়ে শিরদাঁড়া দিয়ে একটা অজানা শিহরণ খেলে গেছিল সেই মুহুর্তে | তারপর সেই বইটা ভুলে গিয়েছিলাম | অনাদরে অবহেলায় সেই বই হারিয়েও গেছে আজ |

অদ্ভুদ তীব্র sattire  এর বই ছিল একটা | লেখক তীব্র তির্যক আক্রমন করেছিলেন সমাজ এর একটা মুখোশ কে যেটা সুযোগ পেলেই খসে পড়ে | যত বড় হয়েছি সেই বইয়ের যেটুকু পরেছি সেগুলো সত্যি বলে বুঝতে পেরেছি | লেখকের নাম মনে নেই | যদি এই ব্লগ দেখে কোনো পুস্তক প্রেমী আমাকে বইটার সন্ধান দেয় তো একবার কেনার চেষ্টা করে দেখব বলে ভাবছি | এখনো জানিনা আমি বইটার নামের সঙ্গে অন্য কোনো বইয়ের content মিশিয়ে ফেলছি কিনা !! কিন্তু মিশিয়ে ফেলি আর নাই ফেলি এটুকু বুঝি "জীবন যখন যেমন" তখন তেমনই পথে চলতে হয় | নইলে কপালে দুঃখ আছে গুরু |

The seat for disabled

Everyday I take the bus DN/2 or DN46 for going to office. Today was no different. Soon after I got into the semi-crowded bus, a guy with a short leg got in.

Now every bus has a couple of seats reserved for the disabled persons. One of those seats was empty and the other occupied by a middle aged gentleman(!!). The guy occupied the seat he deserved. More people were getting into bus and after a few stoppages, another guy with crutches boarded the bus. He had a leg cut off below the knee. Naturally  he went towards the reserved seat.

Traditionally the able man would now get up and let the other guy sit. But to everyone's surprise the man refused to stand up. And then people saw the chivalry. The gentleman with the shorter leg stood up and allowed the second person to seat. Though he soon almost immediately found a seat left by another gentleman who would get down two stoppages later.

Watching the whole incident from the backseat was like watching what men have become!

A 'Sadhu' and his magic

I almost never had an encounter with a sadhu before, except for seeing them in temples or here and there. At least I never faced one of them alone before. But every day is not the same and I live in India, where 'Sadhus' are in abundance. This is a land of faith. These 'Sadhus' know how exploit this gift of God well. Blessed be those who found a real 'Sadhu' in their life - for they are rarer than the rarest gem.

Today just as I came out of my house on my way to office, someone called me from behind. Usually I'd not pay heed to any call from a stranger, but there was something in this strangely clad man, may be his gesture or his gaze (I'll never know what) that drew me towards him instantly. I thought he would ask me for time or directions, but he asked for nothing. He said "May the Almighty bless you, and I see faith in your eyes. May you be successful wherever you go." What flattering statement. I smiled.

With a smiley face he drew me into his traps. He said more of the world then asked for a 1 or 2 rupees so that he could drink tea. I usually don't return a deserving beggar. This guy was not one deserving, but my hands went into my pocket and I took out a two rupees coin and handed it over to him.

Thus started a series of dazzling performance usually demonstrated by a 'common Indian Sadhu', and ofcourse, needless to say my doomed morning. But hey, an encounter of such is an experience of a lifetime. He took the coin and thanked me and as I thought of walking off suddenly he commanded me to stretch out my hands and for my utter surprise, returned me my money.
"Keep it. Don't ever spend it away. This coin is blessed", he said.

A colourful Indian Sadhu (courtesy Flickr)

I was puzzled, but happy that he returned my money, so might be at last I met a real Sadhu. Little did I know then of what more lay in wait for me. He asked the money back again with eloquent speech that he was delivering. It was mesmerizing. Hypnotism with words. He looked straight into my eye with such a strong gaze that I could not take my eyes off him.

"Stretch out your palms my good lad,"he said, "Here is something for you to keep".
He handed out the coin to me again, but when I took it in my hands it was no more a coin but a "Rudraksh".
(Those who are not familiar with Indian culture and Vedic myths, Rudraksh is a seed of a fruit, rarely found. The tree is known to be born out of the tears of Lord Siva, the God of destruction, when he cried for mankind). No wonder I was a little influenced by his tricks, so I stood there for longer.
"Tie this on your right hand or keep it in body contact. Thou shall be successful to the envy of others", a boon came along with the "Rudraksh" from the mysterious man.

Happily I'd have walked away at this point, but I didn't. I stood there listening to him.
"Now I'll leave this place and travel to Tarakeshwar (a holy place of Lord Siva in West Bengal). There I'll pray for you. And shall read the Ramayan for you", he said, "But alas! I don't have one with me now. So give me a hundred bucks for buying one".

Well now, he was talking sense. I immediately replied, "Sorry I'd have given you something, but for now, I'm in a hurry ". I said but I couldn't leave somehow.
He badgered on with eloquent words, that would make a man give up all his worldly possessions  for the love of God, as everything is an illusion!
"No points", I thought, but still said, "Look I'm going and I'm in a great hurry".
"Well, so you want to test 'Baba' of how much strength he has? So be it", he took the Rudraksha from me and turned into a glossy stone sphere of the size of a battle-nut.

At this moment precisely the connection with Mr. Sadhubaba broke away. I just gave him back the stone and said, "See you later, right now I'm off", and left very unceremoniously. I heard him calling out from my back, "Could not spare a little money for Baba! That's really sad. Wish you all the best though".

I walked off with the amusing experience and caught a bus to office.