A carrot, an egg and some coffee beans

When i was a little kid, i would always wait eagerly for the summer vacations. That part of the time when i could go to my Nani's(grandmother's) house. Each night a ritual followed. My nani would narrate to me a bedtime story. I would really enjoy them. Even now when i think about them, i am still unable to decide, what made those stories beautiful? My nani's narration in her melodious voice or the characters of the story she would weave out of her imagination for me. Of all the stories i heard, there was one of them which i liked the most and is narrated below(In my nani's words)! "A carrot, an egg and some coffee beans!"

"Long long time ago, in a far far land from here, there lived a girl. The girl lived with her mother. Her father was a soldier and was posted in another part of the country. The girl's name was Janet. Janet was always the bubbly, happy go lucky girl, always ready to help others. But she was always surrounded by one problem or another. It seemed her problems never ended.

One fine day Janet came back home and started weeping uncontrollably. Her mother tried to console her but it was of no use. She tried asking but Janet wouldn't stop crying. Finally in broken words and with teary eyes, she uttered "I couldn't make a sand castle. All my friends made such beautiful castles but i can't! I am of no good. I can't do anything!!" And Janet started crying again. Her mother wiped away her tears, stroked her hair gently and hugged her in affection. The feeling of warmth and secureness in her mother's arms made Janet regain her composure and she finally stopped crying.

Her mother said, Janet, come with me dear. She took her hand and led her to the kitchen. There she placed a carrot, an egg and some coffee beans in a plate.

"Come here Janet." 
"Yes mom?"
"What do you see?"
"Well there is a carrot, an egg and a few coffee beans. But why?"
"Touch them and tell me how do they feel!"
"Mom the carrot is hard. The egg is so soft and the beans are so small."
"But mother what are you doing?" 

Janet asked her mother. Her mother just smiled and said pay attention and look closely. She took some bowls and filled them with water. She placed a carrot in the first one, an egg in second and the coffee beans in the third. She put all of them on the stove. After a good 20 minutes when the water was boiling she switched off the stove and took each one of the items out. She asked Janet to look at them.

"Janet. Touch them again and tell me what do you feel?"

Janet came close and after a brief moment said

"The carrot is now very soft mom!"
"Very well. And what about the egg?"
"It has become very hard now"
"And the coffee beans?"
"I can't see them. But the water surely smells of it's aroma!"

Replied back Janet in a much cheerful tone. "Did you see Janet what just happened? I boiled all three of them with the same water, for the same time on the same stove. The boiling water made the hard carrot a soft one, while it made the soft and fragile egg a hard one. And the coffee beans were the unique ones. They just changed the water when boiled."

"Which one do you want to be?" asked her mother. "In the tough times, when life and it's problems knock you down, how will you respond? Like a carrot or an egg or the coffee beans?" Her mother continued, "The carrot who appeared to be so hard and strong went soft in pain and adversity. On the other hand, the fragile egg just hardened in it's shell and thus displayed a tougher spirit. Or are you like the coffee beans which changed the very water who wanted to change it? After boiling, the water smelled of coffee and it's fragrance, the coffee beans didn't smell of water! So always think wisely and decide in a time of trouble which one you are and act accordingly." Janet had now understood what her mother wanted to teach her and this time she raised the bar..! The very Janet became strong and hard like the egg, and versatile like the coffee beans who could adjust in any environment."

This post has been written for Write Over the Weekend(WOW), an initiative by Blogadda!

भारतीय किसान

आज दोपहर खाना खाते हुए मुझसे मेरी छोटी बहन ने पूछा की भैया ये जो दाल, चावल और सब्जियाँ हम खाते हैं, ये कहाँ से आते हैं ? एक छोटी सी लडकी के इस सरल से प्रश्न  ने २ क्षण के लिए तो मुझे भी सोच में डाल दिआ! फिर मैंने उसके सरल से प्रश्न  का सरल और सटीक उत्तर दिया कि इन्हें किसान खेती करके उगाते हैं और बाज़ार में ला कर बेच देते हैं , जहाँ से हम जैसे लोग इन्हे खाते हैं और अपनी भूख  मिटाते हैं ! मेरी बहन के लिए किसान भी नया शब्द था और फिर तो जैसे उसके सवालों कि झड़ी से लग गई ! मेरे लाख टालने पर भी वह ना मानी। और फिर बाल हट तो जग प्रसिद्ध है ! विवश होकर मुझे उसे साधारण भारतीय किसान की  असाधारण कहानी सुननी पड़ी ।

"जय जवान, जय किसान!!! "

यह नारा सुनने में जितना जोशीला , जानदार और अच्छा लगता है , वास्तविकता में आज के समय में उतना ही खोखला और अर्थहीन हो चुका है।  भारत जो विश्व के प्रमुख अन्नदाता में से एक है, वहाँ किसानों का जीवन किसी संघर्ष अथवा युद्ध से कम नहीं। ऐसा संघर्षशील जीवन इतनी गरिमा और सच्चाई से केवल भारतीय किसान ही व्यतीत कर सकता है। नवीनीकरण और औद्योगीकरण के  इस युग में हमारे शहरी जीवन ने गोली सी रफ़्तार पकड़ ली है परन्तु इस सब के बीच में हम ये क्यूँ भूल जाते हैं कि जो अन्न हम खाते है, वह उस किसान की देन है जो अपने पूरे जीवन में पुरुषार्थ और परिश्रम का चुनाव करता है , संघर्ष और कठिनाइयों को अपनाता है, सिर्फ इसलिए ताकि हम जैसे लोग खाना खा सकें। ऐसे निःस्वार्थी इंसान को खुद के लिए भी दो वक़्त की रोटी बहुत मुश्किल से नसीब होती है।

एक कृषक का जीवन कितना कठोर होता है , इस कड़वे सच से अधिकतर लोग अवगत नहीं हैं। चाहे वह दोपहर की चिलचिलाती धूप हो, या रूह को ठिठुरा देने वाली जाड़े की ठंड, या घोर वर्षा। एक कृषक निरंतर अथक परिश्रम करता है बिना इन सब बातों से विचलित हुए। किसान गाँव के साफ़ और खुले वातावरण मैं निवास करता है। उसकी वेश भूषा भी उसकी तरह सरल और सादगी भरी होती है।  साल भर मेहनत करके वह एक या दो बार पैदावार उठाता है। पर किसान का जीवन और सुख तो जैसे बने ही आँख मिचोली खेलने के लिए हैं। पहले तो उससे पैदावार को सरकार  को सस्ते दामों में बेचना पड़ता है। जो बचा खुचा पैसा होता है, उस में
भी सेठ और साहूकार अपने अपने हिस्से का क़र्ज़ हड़प लेते हैं। जो थोड़ा बहुत पैसा बचता है, उस से वह अगली पैदावार के लिए खाद और बीज खरीदता है और २ वक़्त की रोटी का बंदोबस्त करता है।

भारत सरकार के लाख़ दावों के बावजूद आज भी भारतीय किसान की स्थिति में बहुत कम सुधार हुआ है। सारी उम्र वह अपना जीवन तंगी और गरीबी में व्यतीत करता है। मुआवज़े या सहायता के रूप में मिलने वाली धन राशी का बहुत ही छोटा प्रतिशत उस तक पहुँचता है। बीच में ही अफसर, अधिकारी, सेठ और साहूकार ये पैसा हड़प जाते हैं। आर्थिक आभाव, खाने पीने और अन्य जरूरतें पूरी न होने के कारण ही आज देश में 
नित दिन सैंकड़ों किसान आत्महत्या करने पर विवश हो रहे हैं।  इस समस्या ने बहुत ही जटिल और विकराल रूप धारण कर लिया है। इस समस्या का अगर जल्द ही कोई समाधान नहीं निकला गया तो भारत में शायद किसान भी विलुप्त हो जाएँ।

प्राकृतिक विपदाएं जैसे सूखा, बाढ़, समय पर वर्षा ना होना या आवश्कयता से कम या अधिक वर्षा होना कृषक की  पीठ तोड़ देते हैं और साथ ही उसके रोज़गार को भी प्रभावित करते हैं। नयी और नवीन खेती के उपाय और विधि भारतीय किसान धीरे धीरे सीख रहे हैं। परन्तु चिंता के विषय की बात यह है कि जिस तीव्रता से किसान आत्महत्या कर रहे हैं, खेती छोड़ कर दूसरे रोज़गार अपना रहे हैं, क्या आने वाले कुछ समय में भारत में इतने किसान बचेंगे भी की सबके खाने लायक पैदावार हो सके ?

गांधीजी किसान को सेवा व परिश्रम की  मूरत मानते थे। अन्नदाता और सृष्टिपालक के नाम से उससे सम्भोदित करते थे। पर ना जाने आज वही किसान भीड़ के उन लाखों चेहरों में ना जाने कहाँ खो चुके। भारतीय कृषक के लिए ये कहना उचित और पर्याप्त होगा कि उसका जन्म करमयोगी की तरह मिट्टी से अन्न  रूपी रत्न उत्पन्न करने की साधना में रहता है तथा वह अपना पूरा जीवन इसी करमभूमि में बलिदान स्वरुप न्योछावर कर देता है । 

"कष्ट , पीड़ा  और  दुःख  ही मेरा आराम है ...

 सुख, समृद्धि , खुशहाली तो जैसे मेहमान है ...। 

 मेरी मातृभूमि , मेरी करमभूमि तो ये खेत खलिहान है ...

 हाँ  मेरा  नाम  भारतीय  किसान है ...

 मेरा  नाम भारतीय किसान है ...। 

  बरसता है सूरज अनल , माटी भी भट्टी जैसी तपती है .… 

 चलता है मेरा हल सुबह शाम , अब तो थकान भी अपनी सी लगती है .... 

  पसीने और खून से लहूलुहान  हूँ , अब  तो  इस धरती पर भी  परिश्रम के निशान  है .... 

 हाँ मेरा  नाम भारतीय किसान है ...

मेरा  नाम भारतीय किसान है ...।  

 पैदावार का पैसा  साहूकार के पास है .... 

 भूख के मारे पूरा परिवार परेशान है .... 

 ना जाने किस लोभ से काम करते हम , लेते नहीं विश्राम हैं … 

 अब तो केवल मेरा बैल, मेरा हल मेरी शान  है …  

 हाँ  मेरा  नाम भारतीय किसान है ...। 

 मेरा  नाम भारतीय किसान है ...। 

 क्या धन , क्या जमापूंजी  इसका  ना मुझे कोई ज्ञान है … 

 बस  २ समय का खाना मिल जाए अब तो यही एक अरमान है.... 

 शहरों में बैठे नेताओं , अफसरों और बाबूओं  को कहाँ हमारा ध्यान  है ....

 हाँ मेरा  नाम भारतीय किसान है ... 

 मेरा  नाम भारतीय किसान है ...। "

Goodbye

I felt left out and abandoned by the world,
but you never did anything wrong, did you girl??
I always grab a pen and paper, and write it all down...
about how high i took you..and still you pushed me down..

You tried snatching my few reasons of happiness..
with so much politeness and humbleness..
leaving me with so much of frustration, that at times i even cried..
and i just thought our friendship could have been saved, if only you tried.

That feeling i had, when i felt so exposed..i spoiled my name...
because you were so well known..
so now we are not "friends" and everybody knows...
but what's the point now, i guess i simply let you go..

People whom i even don't know, ask me how did it end...
for them i just have one thing to say "They were all my mistakes, and not that of my friend!! :)" !!

I guess things and time change, so did you!
and i know, i was important, for you too..
you said what all i did was rubbish, and was not to be meant..
ohh dear, finish what you start, or every time like this, it's gonna end..

People do change..so did i..quite than before..
but you were protected, being the younger one..
And now i feel, there's no need to cry..when i know who was right, and who was wrong..
but honestly, "Thank You", for making me so strong...
because now i know, there's one word i have for you and that is "GOODBYE"!! ;)

Warzone: A night before exam

Me: bc woh question dikha...thoda haath hata..!
Tyagi: Jaldi likh saale, mujhe paper abbi poora karna h..!! :X
Me: rukk jaa bhai..bass 2 minute aurr..fail ho jaaunga warna! :'(

****DHUMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!****

Ah, it's 11:36 at night, and i'm lying here at the floor with my eyes half opened, burning too violently. It was a dream!

*WRONG!*

It's going to be tomorrow's reality..! Technically speaking, by the time i would finish this, it would be today's reality.
The exam is just 10 hours away!

"Hey just 10 hours? Dude 10 hours are too much! I could easily study and top. I think sleeping wouldn't be innocuous!!"
"Dude shut up!! Don't exacerbate the situation..! Get up and study. There are tons left!"
"I say just sleep buddy! It's dubious that whatever you are studying wouldn't even come up tomorrow!"
"Fine! I'll savour my few hours of solitude alone! Goodbye!!"

My mind had taken it's decision! Pulling an all nighter... Yet Again!

*YAWNS*

I get up from the floor, have a quick glance at the chair that had exonerated me a couple of minutes ago. I wash my face, wear my armour, tighten my headgear and draw my sword and spear for another round of the glorious and impeccable war of my life! The chanting of my prayers could be heard easily. With the last words of it, i jump into the Mammoth battlefield! Surrounded by a plethora of enemies, i gulped a few drops of my special medicine and started another "One Man War" against the army of the "Inevitable's"!

*ONE HOUR LATER*

It has been nearly an hour!! The beads of sweats on my forehead are no longer ignorable. I'm already wounded, albeit not a life threatening one! The cool breeze is a respite from the stifling heat. I have been fusilladed thrice in the last 20 minutes. I am still standing(In One Piece!! ;> ;>) but with a degree of aloofness. As far as i can see there is no one but the atrocious commanders of the enemy army!!
The suggestions in my head are preposterous. I know this can be the end of the day, but i have no other survival option left. I gulp down the remains of my "special medicine", once again sport my shield, draw my weapon and jump into the battlefield.

*ANOTHER COUPLE OF HOURS LATER*

The war has now been transcended. I look at my compass to get a sense of direction. But it's of no use now. I am surrounded by a cadre of masked, tricky, tall and hefty soldiers. I'm irascible right now. Perhaps it might buy me a few more minutes, i might be able to breathe a few more breaths, survive some more attacks, kill some enemies! But alas. Fate has different plans in  store for me. Someone strikes his sword ferociously with me. It cuts the fillet of my headgear in to two. They are not benign. They have no signs of mercy in their eyes. Rather there eyes are hollow and as dark as the moonless night!

*WHACK*

The final blow! The sword that had been adorned by blood for the past so many hours now lay on the ground. Giving it company lie the spear. The headgear that was protecting me could be spotted a few feet away. My shield, embraced with so many blows had been snatched away. The special medicine i had been carrying, well there were no traces of it left. And here i am lying on the floor, my body now enjoying the pain which it couldn't stand once. The plans i had chalked(not to mention that they had flawed too) out in my head were long gone. My efforts had culminated and earned me some respect and pride and ohh.. not to forgot some vital information! My breathing was hyperventilated. Layers of dust and tar were visible on my body. The sun was almost up. It would be just a few more hours after which i would have to get up once again and face the battle for which i had been fighting so long! But i was feeling triumphed. I had managed to survive long enough and see the glory of war with my own eyes!

Yeah fighting for a battle. Sounds dubious! But this is only the beginning of what is going to be a full week long battle!

"Against all odds..
 with hopes of no mercy from the gods..!
 I would once again,
 take my shield and sword...
 fight the enemies, bear the pain..
 the hard work and patience may finally deliver the reward..!
 I know in my head..
 the reality can't be sweet..
 All i had wasn't a dream..! 
 The battlefield would be my only bed..!
 And my shield would be marked in red, black and green..!!"

War zone

Stand Again

I had promised to set you free with a smile..
After you had left, i felt mad and broken for a while..!

You had hurt me so much that even my heart felt so sore,
all i could plead was not to tear apart me anymore..
But you the heartless chick, fuc*ed up my life as a roadside whore..
I just wanted to come out of this sea of pain and reach the shore..!

But how could i do it, with you leaving none on my side..
How could i stand up and walk without my friends beside..
The only option that seemed realistic was just to hide..
Had i given up, how would i have re built my destroyed pride..!

But i just guess this was your way of saying thank you, for all the things i had done..
The only thing which you did every time was just to run,
Leaving everything behind and me to burn..
Thinking that by stealing those friends you had won..

But how could i give up on them..
They were my friends, my true gems..
You forgot that we are connected as a tree and its stem..

I think that's what took you down,
made you look like a foolish clown..
Thinking had i had fallen from the rope..
But somehow i still managed to find that lost hope..

That's what made me stand again..
Enduring all that excrutiating pain..
My life gave me a chance to make it same..
Whispering in my ears that whatever you do, that never goes in vain..!
That never goes in vain..!