Love You Zindagi

When I started this blog, All I wanted to do was, have something of my own which I can leave behind to my friends, family and of-course my children. Especially for my kids, I wanted to set an example that Its okay for them to do mistakes, make some love, share a joy, build a dream, etc. I wanted to have something in hand which they could relate to for their age, so that i could say, It's one Life just make the most of it. For this reason alone, I never wanted to shy away from recording my emotions which passed through different stages of my life. Also, Whenever I have gone through an emotional roller coaster ride, I have made sure that I treasure it in the form of a blog post so that I can re-visit it as and when needed.

Yes, as you have already guessed, the title is Inspired by the recent movie 'Dear Zindagi'. The movie is beautifully scripted, touching each and every string of a beautiful guitar called LIFE. At the end, each strum results in a soulful music bringing back the LIFE into our rusted mechanical life.

Well, I'm not going to review the movie, nor am I going to evaluate about its merits and shortcomings, but I'm going to speak about the Life that replayed during the course of this movie.

We, aspire to be the one who is loved by all; It doesn't matter, what is one's profession or educational qualification, what is one's age or attire, what is one's gender or generation, at the end of day all you need is a soul near you who is happy seeing your happiness and a reason to get up everyday with a smile. All our life, we aim to get everything but that Soul and Smile. I just feel most of us has not set our priorities right at first place. We crave for the most materialistic things loosing on small happiness which cannot be reclaimed even after we are willing to spend a fortune on it. We compromise on Life's happiness for the things which are not necessary in a long run.

I, re-collected all the things, which I never did for the sake of things, which I never needed. Those friends I lost, just because, I failed to convey how important they were to me. Those laughter which I missed, just because, I missed being part of the occasion. Those photo-frames which didn't take my face, because, I chose a cricket match over the event. Those hugs I missed, just because I never worked on bringing a relationship back on its course. Those memories, which could have been even more beautiful, if I had put off my anger at the right time. Those decisions, which I didn't make, giving heed to my fear. Those mistakes, which I did without paying attention to my conscience. All those things, if i had acted little differently, would have made my Life even more beautiful than what it is now.

I'm not saying, I'm dis-satisfied with my current Life. I'm very much satisfied and grateful to have almost everything in my hand; a loving wife, a caring family, a decent job, a better future, "Touch wood" hope things stay that way. I'm just saying, I missed on important things of my life for things which were unimportant.
In-fact, I believe, its part and parcel of everyone's life because we tend to go with the short-lived things like anger, fear, trauma, hate, luxury, complacency etc instead of the more important things like family, friend, friendship, love, patience, hope, dream, forgiveness etc. We do realise that we missed all this, at certain stage of our life, but by that time, we have sailed too far with our lives, that we can't turn back and change things, as the decisions which we took or didn't take, has set the course of our Life's boat in certain direction, which cant be changed.

During the movie, I realised, Of course we cant change everything by bringing the past into present and hope to build a new future by correcting past mistakes. But at-least we can re-claim a part of it.
No one is perfect, nothing is permanent, Live-Love-Lead the life you like!

Signing off with this:

"Hum toh Sikander zaroor bane hain, iss neele samundar main, 
roka hain kisne hume, taaza hava khaane se
sooraj ki dhoop, chanda ki roshni chale hain saath main
roka hain kisne hume, apne raaste dhondne se
Chali hain safar, hazaron jaahajon se milte
roka hain kisne hume, hasi mazak baantne se
Alvida toh sabko kehna hain ek din
roka hain kisne hume, do pal milne se"

Sikandar hain hum, Geet gaata chalo, Gungunata chalo!

ನೆನಪಿನ ದಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ, ನಾನು - ಭಾಗ 1

ನಾವು ಸಾಗೊ ಎಷ್ಟೋ ದಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ, ನಮಗೆ ಅರಿವಿಲ್ಲದಂತೆ ಆಗೋ ನೂರೆಂಟು ಪರಿಚಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮೆತ್ತಗೆ ನೆನಪಿನೆ ಹಾಳೆಯನ್ನು ಆವರಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳೋ ಒಂದು ಮೊಗವನ್ನರಿಸಿ ಬರೆಯೋಣ ಅಂತ ಕೂತಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ಈ ಪಾತ್ರವು, ಕಾಲ್ಪನಿಕ ಕಥಾ ಹಂದರ ಎಂಬ ಸಾಗರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಗುವ ಒಂದು ಪುಟ್ಟ ದೋಣಿ ಅಷ್ಟೇ, ನನ್ನ ನಿಜ ಜೀವನದ ಪಯಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಕ್ಕ ಜೀವ ಅಲ್ಲ.

ಮೇಲಿನ ಪುಟ್ಟ ಮುನ್ನುಡಿಯನ್ನು ಎತ್ತಿಟ್ಟು ಮುಂದೆ ನಡೆಯೋಣವೇ?

ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಎಂತ ದುಃಖತಪ್ತ ಜೀವಕ್ಕೂ ಒಂದು ಗೆಲುವಿನ ಹುಮ್ಮಸ್ಸು ಕೊಡೊ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಇರುತ್ತೆ ಅಂತ ಕೇಳಿದ್ದೆ. ಅಂತಹ, ಘಮ ಘಮಿಸುವ ಮಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಮುಂಗಾರು ಮಳೆಯ ಸಂಜೆಯಲ್ಲಿ, ದಣಿದ ದೇಹಕ್ಕೆ ಬಿಸಿ ಚಹಾದ ಸಾಂತ್ವನ ಕೊಟ್ಟು, ಮುರುಕಲು ಕುರ್ಚಿಯ ತುದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೂತು ಹಾಗೆ ನನ್ನ ಸುತ್ತಲಿನ ಪ್ರಪಂಚವ ಆನಂದಿಸೋ ಆಸೆ ಆಯಿತು. ಕಣ್ಣುಹಾಯಿಸೋ ಕಡೆಯೆಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲ ಹಚ್ಚ ಹಸಿರ ಅಂಗಿ ತೊಟ್ಟು , ಮುಂಗಾರಿನ ಸ್ಪರ್ಶಕ್ಕೆ ಮನದೊಳಗೆ ನಸು ನಗುತ್ತ ನಿಂತ ನೂರೆಂಟು ಗಿಡ-ಮರಗಳು. ಕಾರ್ಮೋಡ  ಹಾಗು ತಂಗಾಳಿಯ ನಡುವಲ್ಲಿ ಗೂಡು ಸೇರೋ ತವಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಾಡುತ್ತ ಸಾಗಿಹ ಹಕ್ಕಿಗಳ ಸಾಲು. ಹೊಸದಾಗಿ ಹಾಸಿದ ಡಾಂಬರು ರಸ್ತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಣ ಸಿಗುವ ಕೊಡೆ ಹಿಡಿದು ನಡೆದಿರೋ ಶಾಲೆ ಮಕ್ಕಳು. ಅಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತು ಕೊಡೆ ಸರಿಸಿ ಇದ್ದರು ಇಲ್ಲದಂತಿರೋ ಸಣ್ಣ ಗುಂಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹೆಣಬಾರದ ಬ್ಯಾಗಿನ ಸಮೇತ ಥಟನೆ ನೀರಿಗೆ ಹಾರುವ ಆ ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಹುಮ್ಮಸ್ಸು.ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತ ತನ್ನ ಅಮ್ಮನ ನೋಡಿ, ಕೊಡೆ ಹಿಡಿದೇ ಓಡಿದ ಆ ಮಗು. ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಓಡಿ ಬರುವಾಗ ಜಾರಿ ಬೀಳುತ್ತಾನೇನೋ ನನ್ನ ಮಗ ಎಂದು ಹೆದರಿ "ಏಯ್ , ಅಲ್ಲೇ ನಿಲ್ಲೋ ಪುಟ್ಟ" ಅನ್ನೋ ಕೂಗಲಿ ಕಾಣ ಸಿಗುವ ನಿಸ್ವಾರ್ಥ ಪ್ರೀತಿ, ನನ್ನ ಬಾಲ್ಯದ ನೆನಪನ್ನು ಒಮ್ಮೆ ತಟ್ಟಿ ಎಬ್ಬಿಸಿತು.

ನನ್ನ ಬಾಲ್ಯವು ಹೀಗೆ, ಅಂದದ ಚೆಂದದ ತನ್ನದೇ ಆದ ಒಂದು ಪುಟ್ಟ ಪ್ರಪಂಚದಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾವುದೇ ಆಡಂಬರವಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಸಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಪ್ಪ, ಅಮ್ಮ, ಅಣ್ಣ ಹಾಗು ಒಬ್ಬಳು ಪುಟ್ಟ ತಂಗಿ. ಕಣ್ಣು ಆಸೆಪಟ್ಟಿದೆಲ್ಲಾ ತೆಗೆದು ಕೊಡುವಷ್ಟು ಅನಕೂಲವಂತ ಸಂಸಾರವಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರು, ಮನೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಪ್ರೀತಿಗೆ ಹಾಗು ಊಟಕ್ಕೆ ಯಾವುದೇ ಅಡೆ-ತಡೆ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಮನೆ ಸಣ್ಣದಿದ್ದರು, ಮನೆಗೆ ಬಂದವರನ್ನು ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಸತ್ಕರಿಸಿ ಖುಷಿಯಿಂದ ಸಾಗಿಸೋ ಒಲವು, ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿ ಹಾಗು ಪ್ರೌಢತೆಯ ಪಾಠ ಜೊತೆಯಲ್ಲೇ ಸಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಅನ್ನಿಸಿದ್ದು ಆಡುವ, ಸಮಯದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಕಾಳಜಿ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಗೆಳೆಯರ ಜೊತೆ ಹರಟುವ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಎಂದು ಕೊರತೆ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಈ ನೆನಪಿನ ಹೊಳೆಯಲ್ಲಾ ಕ್ಷಣ ಮಾತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಹರಿದುಹೋಯಿತು, ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಚಹಾದ ಲೋಟ ನನ್ನ ಬೆರಳಿಗೆ ಬಿಸಿಮುಟ್ಟಿಸು ವರ್ತಮಾನಕ್ಕೆ ಕರೆತಂದಿತ್ತು.

ಇಷ್ಟೆಲ್ಲಾ ಆಗೋದ್ರಲ್ಲಿ, ಮಳೆ ತನ್ನ ದಿನದ ಸರದಿ ಮುಗಿಸಿ, ಸಂಜೆಯ ಸೂರ್ಯನ ಕಿರಣಗಳಿಗೆ ದಾರಿ ಮಾಡಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿತ್ತು. ಕೆಂಪಾದ ಸೂರ್ಯನ ನೋಡೋದೇ ಒಂದು ಸೊಗಸು. ಹೀಗೆ ನೋಡುವಾಗ, ಅದೇಕೋ ಮನಸ್ಸು ಹೊಸ ಡಾಂಬರು ರಸ್ತೆಯ ನೋಡು ಅಂತ ಕೂಗಿ ಕೂಗಿ ಹೇಳಿತ್ತು. ನಾನು ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಭಾವಕ್ಕೆ ಕಟುಬಿದ್ದು ನೋಡಿದೆ, ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾರೋ ನಡೆದು ಬಂದಂತೆ ಅನಿಸಿತ್ತಾದ್ರು, ಯಾರೆಂದು ಲಕ್ಷ್ಯ ಕೊಟ್ಟು ನೋಡುವ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಕಣ್ಣಿಗಾಗಲಿ ದೇಹಕ್ಕಾಗಲಿ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದರೂ, ಒಳ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಒತ್ತಡ ನನ್ನ ಒಳ ಹೋಗಲು ಬಿಡಲಿಲ್ಲ. ನಾನು ಕಾದೆ, ಒಂದೊಳ್ಳೆ ನಾಟಕವ ನೋಡಲು ಹೋದಾಗ, ಪರದೆಸರಿಸುವಾಗ ಬರುವ ಕಾತುರತೆಯ ಭಾವ ಸಣ್ಣಗೆ ಮೂಡಿತ್ತು.

ಆ ಕಾತರತೆಗೆ ತಕ್ಕಂತೆ , ನಡೆದು ಬರುತಿದ್ದ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿ ಹೆಣ್ಣು ಅಂತ ಗೊತ್ತಾದಾಗ, ಹುಡುಗ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ ಸಹಜ ತುಡಿತ, ಕಣ್ಣಿನ್ನ ನಿಶ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗೆ ಮಡಿಲು ತುಂಬಿ ಗ್ಲುಕೋಸ್ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿತ್ತು. ಅಂತಹ ಆಕರ್ಷಕ ಮೈಕಟ್ಟು ಅಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೂ, ಒಮ್ಮೆಗೆ ಜರಿದುಬಿಡುವಂತ ಅವಶ್ಯಕತೆಗೆ ಜಾಗ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ನಡಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹಂಸದ ನಡಿಗೆಗೆ ಹೋಲುವ ಯಾವುದೇ ಹಾವ-ಭಾವ ಇಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೂ, ತನ್ನದೇ ಆದ ಒಂದು ಛಾಪು ಮೂಡಿಸುವ ಗುಣ ಇತ್ತು. ಒಂದು ಹೆಣ್ಣಿಗೆ ನಾಚಿಕೆ ಎಂಬುದು ಚಂದದ ಆಭರಣ ಅಂತ ಕೇಳಿದ್ದೆ ಆದರೆ ಅದರ ಅನುಭವ ಆಗಿದ್ದು ಅಂದೇ. ಮುಂಗುರಳನ್ನು ಸರಿಸಿ, ಕೆಂಪಾದ ಸೂರ್ಯನ ಕಿರಣಗಳಿಗೆ ತನ್ನ ಮುಖಕ್ಕೆ ದಾರಿ ಮಾಡಿದಾಗ, ಸಣ್ಣಗೆ ಮಳೆಹನಿಯ ಸಪ್ಪಳ ಮನದೊಳಗೆ ಮೂಡಿತು. ಅದೇಕೋ ಬಾಲ್ಕನಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತಿದ್ದಿದರು, ಮುರುಕಲು ಕುರ್ಚಿ ಸಿಂಹಾಸನದಂತೆ ಹಾಗು ನಾನು ಸ್ವರ್ಗ ದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದಂತೆ ಭಾಸ ವಾಯಿತು. ಆ ಹುಡುಗಿಯ ಮೊಗದಂಚಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂಡಿದ ಸಣ್ಣ ಹೊಳಪು, ಸೂರ್ಯನು ನೀಡಿದ ದೃಷ್ಟಿ ಬೊಟ್ಟಂತೆ ಗೋಚರಿಸಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದರು, ನನ್ನ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಗೇನು ಕೊರತೆ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ.
- ಒಲವಿನ ಕಥೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ಸಿಗೋಣ!

Who Are Our Heroes?

When I chose to create a blog in my name, all i thought was, it will be a platform for me to express the things which i never spoke or to share those immense emotions which meant a lot to me.

I, then decided that when i complete my Grihasthashram and enter Vanaprasthashram i would read all those posts one after the other every day so that nothing gets lost in time. You know most of us at 60+ would be left all alone, one would be lucky to have a companion who travelled with you in your journey. So, i wanted to make sure, that when i'm left for the dogs :) I would have this blog of mine which will give a new life to already ailing breath.

Well, after putting the above disclaimer, let me shoot something which isn't personal but Nationalistic in nature. For me My Nation, My Motherland, My Soldiers hold the highest regards. You might be making up your mind to categorize me as a Sanghi, Bhakt, Chaddi and what not just by looking at the things which have the highest regards in my heart, but just to keep you posted: I Don't Care, on what words or new phrases you use to put up a banter.

Leaving that aside, Lets come back to the focal Point "Who Are Our Heroes?". I mean seriously, looking at the current media discourse this question needs to be answered by every person, who sees himself as an Indian first. Have we, the people of this great country, which gave great thinkers of the likes of Chanakya be so fragile not to see the real colors behind the discourse? Have we lost our analytical capability in the midst of the ideology or the political party or the political leader driven thoughts? Have we chosen to be represented by slander and rhetorics driven future? Do we still put our Nation, Our Motherland, Our Soldiers as the highest priority or are we hand in gloves with the Breaking India forces? If you are reading these questions with a political bias, then by this time you would have started name calling for sure, but if you are looking at these questions without a shade of bias, I'm sure you would be hurt by the ganging up of the Breaking India Forces.

To all the Breaking India forces out there along with those who support them unconditionally, I have few things to say: In Current times, just because you don't like someone being in power you try to put your self interest ahead of the Nation. You question every action of that person being in power just to claim your two minutes of Glory, even at the cost of very own nation which allows you to do it. You are okay with any Anti-National slogans which makes a terrorist as Hero/Martyr, declares India as the oppressor, calls for Barbadi of the same Nation which gives you the fundamental rights FOE and FOS. You defend the champions of the JNU events in the name of same rights and paint them as the oppressed community. You try to manipulate the narrative of the event and allow them the sufficient air time to divert the attention from Anti-National debate to the one of oppressed and oppressor. But let me tell you one thing, the fundamental rights given to the citizens of this nation comes with sense of responsibility do not misuse it.

There is something called as shooting from someone else's shoulders, thats exactly what you guys are doing. You guys cannot question the current government on issues such as administration, transparency, corruption or even for that matter schemes which are not caste/religion based so what you fragile people do, make a non issue as the major point of concern for 125 Crore strong nation.

Let me tell you one thing, all your actions, thoughts, plans, schemes, blue prints and what not to defame My Nation, My Motherland and My Soldiers to show someone whom you don't like in bad light, will all go in vain. Because India was, is and will be Jagathguru. India is a land of free thinkers, their thoughts may be distracted by your screenplay but they do have the intellect of their own to see through the bigger plot.

For you Breaking India Forces, you might find a Hero in the failed Marx theories or go gaga abt the communist Mao who is nothing but a dictator of a different kind. You guys can claim Terrorist Collaborator Afzal as the unfortunate victim of the Indian State and collect signatures to get pardon from the supreme head of the same nation. You guys can question the decision of supreme court and 12 year long legal process just because it didn't satisfy your bosses abroad. You guys can find a political opportunity to reclaim your lost ground in some student's unfortunate suicide and spin it to your suitability. You guys can support your young budding next gen communist leaders who organised the Feb 9th event in JNU, bring their family background to rescue and turn them to be the Victims, sufficiently trying to wash off their anti-national traits. You guys can even try to portray him as the next big thing in India and try to put him infront of your biggest enemy, the current PM. You guys can organise intolerant debates by receiving money from foundations of questionable back ground. For you , they are your heroes who try to defame a person in power but end up defaming whole nation, its people and emotions attached to it.

But let me tell you one thing, major portion of Indians can see through your bias, for us: A person who serves his/her nation with honesty and integrity is a Hero. A person who puts Nation first, ahead of his/her economic/social background is a Hero. A Person who respects the diversity of the Nation without discriminating between the state, language, religion, region is a Hero. A person who doesn't think twice to sing National Anthem, who doesn't think of his/her religion to sing National Song, who would give up his life in defending National Flag and Nation is a Hero. A kid who salutes her father on the death bed but still keeps her head up and invokes the war cry upholding the spirits of the army her father served is a Hero. For us, anyone who considers safeguarding the Nation, Motherland and respecting the sacrifices of our soldiers as the highest priority are our Heroes.

I know writing these things up, wouldn't change anything in the thoughts of Breaking India Forces because that will give a blow to your bread and butter, but at the end of the day, I would be satisfied just by the thought that i will have no regrets of speaking up at the right time. And when i'm 60+, sitting on my easy chair browsing through my blog posts i would take pride in self as i openly called out who are my Heroes.

By this Post, May be my Children and Grandchildren would chose their Heroes wisely or at least put an effort to see through the biases of their time and end up calling a spade as spade. Let their be more power to my Heroes.

Rashtro Rakshathi Rakshitaha!
Jai Hind!