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Thursday, September 20, 2012

New Beginnings....:)

What all does an average student dream for?
A college with a good atmosphere and expert faculties; A degree of his/her choice plus a handsome placement offer and salary package....
Isn't it?
But when you actually pass out college and enter the Job life (the most desired one) you are face to face with the realities of life...Realities in terms of day-to-day struggles to rise an inch above others and above yourself as well, efficiently managing yourself as per the time, strive to be different etc..Your conscience poses certain questions in front of you like Am I at the right place?; Had I been dreaming of the same? and so on....Followed by this you start meeting your personal fears, of which one of the biggest fears is Loneliness; which can obviously be tragic if not dealt with in time. Other fears can be of the unknown and strange crowd (specially when you are at a place called the "Mumbai"), fear of strangers etc.

As I travel daily through the fully crowded local trains at Mumbai, usually standing at the corner of the footboard near the door or as I climb up the Borivali Skywalk...I ponder upon what has changed my life completely...
"Follow the path, your dreams take you..."
Ya so true and that's my mantra...
We continue to run in the Rat race completely disregarding what are actually our goals...And so we end up  with nothing.
Philosophies apart, lets come to the point...This is about sharing my personal experience with you....

 Being the only child of my parents, I have been nurtured and fondled by them for all twenty years of my life. Starting from getting up early in the morning, tea, tiffin, dinner, all my decisions and for everything else I have been dependent on them...But I suppose I kept on taking all that for granted; I suppose every child on the Earth does so. But time makes you realize your mistakes....

Time is cruel and harsh in this context.
(I hate you Mr. Time for being their)

Well that was the time I had to be back home before 8 pm, otherwise at least make a call declaring the exact time I would be reaching. (Else keep your excuses/ explanations, though one and the same, ready in the back of your mind ;) )
Still it was easy going....Mr.Time was supposingly lazy during those days....

One day the change has to come.

18th July 2012 I boarded the Avantika Express; the Indore-Mumbai daily train; and I left home...The new morning brought heaps of emotions, new beginnings, new city and a new life right under my feet.
The change was terrific...
I had to start from the beginning. May it be cooking, doing household chores, travelling and working all came to my part with a sudden pact. It made me Independent- financially, mentally and physically...free to make choices.
Free to move around, or to stay back at home; Free to stay out till late night or to still obey my parents words' and return till 8.30 p.m; free to do anything or to do everything that was good for me; free to spend my earnings at food stalls and shopping malls or to save it for buying a gift for my parents and cheer them as I get back for a couple of holidays.
Choices make all the difference....The world seems to be mine.
May be this is the story of every youngster who steps out to turn their dreams into a reality; or may be not; Choices make the difference.....
The anxiety of being alone at home or the excitement of strolling down at Marines with new acquaintances or with an old pal from hometown.

I wanted to share these bits of experiences, because I am already filled with so many of them. Actually being at home I have had the habit of sharing the days experiences with my Mom. But now suddenly, a thousand miles between me and my Mom and obviously between me and my Dad.
I can share these things with my roomies, if anyway they return before 11 or 11.30 pm (and its a rare case). These feelings and memories come out from time-to-time not as words, but as salted water creeping down through the corners of my eyes....

But now it has been almost two months I am here and I am learning the new life...I have nothing pre-planned...I take life as it unfolds- dealing with all its positives and negatives.
I am trying to make it and I am sure will be successful...

And that is all....

Thanks for bearing with me..;)

..(If you did...:)..in any case).....        

Monday, August 13, 2012

मुम्बई....

सूरज को देखे बिना
रात के चाँद को ताके बिना
सडको पर अंधाधुन्द भागता शहर !

कभी जुहू की रेत पर
कभी गेट-वे  पर
सुकून की साँसे लेता शहर !

लोकल की पटरियों पर
हाई-वे के फलायोवर पर
बेचैन-परेशान शहर !

अरमानो का पुलिंदा लिए
बेस्ट की कतारों में
पसीने पोछता शहर!

थकना मांदना भूलकर
सपनो की रिक्शा के लिए
चिल्लाता शहर !

थोड़े से आराम को
अपनी एक पहचान को
तरसता शहर !

मुम्बईकरो की मुम्बईगिरी से बना
कलाकारों की हस्ती से सजा
कुछ-कुछ ऐसा ही हैं ये शहर!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

The feeling of "You".....

You were with me..and I was with you....
You held my hands...I felt the touch..warmth ...I could never define....
so joyful was I...soo lovable were you....
You got me closer...to your heart and to your soul...
the breaths were so clear...
Cool breeze and drizzy rain accompanying us....
It was so beautiful and...blissful.....
It was just You and I...
and no else on this whole Earth....
You got me closer...and nearer.....
that moment was so divine....
.
.
But....
The reality is so harshhh.....
there is no You and I....
Just I...I...and only I...
and hundreds around "I"....
and the divinity is lost......the bliss is gone...

Monday, May 21, 2012

बचपन

शांत, कोमल, नाज़ुक बचपन 
प्यारी-प्यारी यादों से सजा बचपन !
बडप्पन की ऊँगली थामे 
धीरे-धीरे कदम बढाता बचपन !
माँ की प्यारी लोरियों में 
मासूमियत की नींद लेता बचपन !
खिलौनों, गुड्डे-गुड़ियों की दुनिया मैं 
हसता-खेलता, शैतानियों भरा बचपन!

अपने घर पर तो ऐसा ही देखा था बचपन 
सड़क के पार लगता हैं, कुछ बदला-बदला सा बचपन!

ईंट-फावड़ा सर पर लादे 
मेहनतकश हैं वहाँ का बचपन!
खिलौनों की दुनिया से बहुत दूर,
पसीना बहाता, कठोर-सा बचपन!
 पास-ही के चौराहे पर मिलेगा 
चाय-पानी पिलाता बचपन!

सड़क के दो किनारों पर जी रहा ....
दो अलग-अलग जहानों सा बचपन  
 

Monday, May 14, 2012

बचपन पर कालिख: बाल श्रम

*छोटू: उम्र-8 साल; पढाई-नहीं; काम-मोहन शेठ के यहाँ नौकर; क्यों-कमाई 
*मोंटी: उम्र-9 साल; पढाई- छोड दी; काम-कारीगर; क्यों - माँ ने भेजा 
*सपना : उम्र-9 साल; पढाई- नहीं ; काम-घरेलु नौकर ; क्यों - माँ की जगह काम पर  
*सोनू:  उम्र-7 साल; पढाई- नहीं; काम-नाके पर भीख मांगना ; क्यों - बदले एक वक़्त का खाना  
*सन्नी:  उम्र-11 साल; पढाई नहीं; काम-होटल में बर्तन साफ़ करना; क्यों-घर में अकेला कमाने वाला 

हम नाम लेते जायेंगे और सूचि बढती जाएगी। ये  छोटे कंधे  जीवन और जिम्मेदारियों का कितना बोझ सहन कर सकते  हैं  और इनका मासूम बचपन कब तक हालातों की भेट चढ़ता रहेगा! आज जिन बच्चो के हाथो में खिलौनों की जगह चाय-पानी के ग्लास, झूठे बर्तन और बारूद हैं...आखिर  इन  सबके  पीछे दोषी कौन हैं ! पहले जानते हैं एक छोटी सी कहानी-
8 साल का छोटू, अपने  परिवार का अकेला बेटा... कुछ समय  पहले उसका भी एक अच्छा-बड़ा परिवार था। माँ-बाप  मजदूरी  करते थे, 2 बड़ी बहने थी, 1-1 साल बड़ी और  घर में  दादी  भी थी। एक दिन वहाँ एक हादसा हो गया जहां  उसके माता-पिता मजदूरी  करते थे, पिता की मौत हो गई और माँ बिस्तर पर पहुच  गई। दो में से एक लड़की को कोई भगा ले गया। ऐसे में माँ, बहन , और  बूढी दादी  की ज़िम्मेदारी  अकेले छोटू पर आ  गई  और वो मोहन  शेठ  के  यहाँ  काम पर लग गया।

बचपन, जीवन का सबसे अनमोल समय। बारिश की पहली बूँद-सा, मखमली पंखुरियों-सा कोमल और  निरागस होता हैं बचपन। सीखने की सही  उम्र  भी यही होती हैं। वो उस कच्ची मिटटी के समान हैं, जिसे  कुम्हार मनचाहा आकर देता हैं। परिवार और समाज के  संस्कार और सभ्यता ही व्यक्ति का निर्माण करते हैं, यानी की, उसके  व्यक्तित्व को आकर देते हैं। ऐसे में  हमारे समाज का  निचला तबका, जो पेट की आग को बुझाने के लिए दिन-रात घिसता रहता हैं। इस समाज के बच्चे परिवार के संघर्ष में उनके  साथ जुड़  जाते हैं... या जोड़ लिए जाते हैं। गरीबी के दलदल  में  फसे देश के हजारो-लाखो परिवारों की यही कहानी हैं। इन  परिवारों  में 5 साल के छोटे बच्चे से लेकर 60 साल  के  बूढ़े  तक सभी काम पर जाते हैं। लेकिन  काम  कर रहे ये बच्चे, कितना कुछ खो देते हैं, इस  बात पर किसी  का ध्यान  नहीं जाता...ख़ास कर उनके  खुद के  परिवारजनों का...कारण तो कई होते हैं: कमाई, घर की ज़िम्मेदारी, रहने के लिए छ्त मिलना, आदि.. .पर इन सभी को पूरा करते-करते मिटता तो बचपन ही हैं। 
हम अगर अपने आसपास ही नज़र दौड़ाएंगे तो हमें कई नन्हे हाथ होटलों, कैंटीन, और ढाबों पर चाय पानी पिलाते, या बर्तन  मांजते मिल जायेंगे। देश के महत्वपूर्ण छोटे उद्योगों में शामिल कांच, बीड़ी, और पटाखा फेक्टरियो में  बड़ी संख्या में बाल मजदूर पाए जाते हैं। ऐसे सभी बच्चो की जिंदगियां इन कारखानों से निकलने  वाले धूए  और हानिकारक तत्वों के कारण काली पड़  रही हैं।
भारत सरकार ने इस बुराई को मिटाने के लिए वर्ष 1986 में बाल श्रम अधिनियम बनाया था, जिसके अंतर्गत 14 वर्ष से कम आयु के बच्चो को काम पर रखना पूर्णतः वर्जित हैं। इस गंभीर मुद्दे की विडम्बना यह हैं की, परिवारजनों द्वारा नियोजित बच्चे बाल श्रमिक नहीं कहलाते। 2001 की जनगणना के अनुसार देश भर में  12666377 बच्चे कार्यशील पाए गए।

पटाखा फेक्टरियो में जहां बारूद फटने और कारीगरों के हाथ-पाँव जलने का डर लगा रहता हैं वही बीडी  कारखानों  में काम कर रहे लोगो को सांस की तकलीफ होने का खतरा होता हैं...उत्तर प्रदेश के  फिरोजाबाद  में चूडिया बनाने का काम पारिवारिक परंपरा की तरह हैं। लेकिन कांच की भट्टी की तेज़ रौशनी और अधिक तापमान में लगातार करने के कारण आखों की रोशनी हमेशा के लिए जा सकती हैं। इतना खतरा  होने के बावजूद बच्चे इन कारखानों में आज भी काम कर रहे हैं...सिर्फ चंद ज़िम्मेदारियो के लिए।
आकड़ों के अनुसार मध्य प्रदेश की कुल कामकाजी जनसँख्या  का 6.51 प्रतिशत हिस्सा 14 से कम आयु के  बच्चे हैं। प्रदेश सरकार की माने तो बाल श्रम प्रथा की समाप्ति तथा बाल श्रमिको का पुनर्वास, श्रम विभाग के  प्राथमिकता के विषयो में सम्मिलित हैं।10 अक्टोबर 2006 को केंद्र सरकार द्वारा प्रतिबंधित उपजिविकाओ  की सूचि में होटल, ढाबों, रेस्टोरेंट, चाय की दुकानों, तथा घरेलु कार्यो आदि में बाल श्रमिको का नियोजन  प्रतिबंधित किया गया था। राज्य के चुनिन्दा जिलो में बाल श्रमिको के पुनर्निवास के लिए भारत सरकार "राष्ट्रीय बाल श्रम परियोजना " क्रियान्वित कर रही हैं। इस परियोजना के अंतर्गत चुने गए जिलो में बाल श्रमिको का सर्वेक्षण कर उन्हें खतरनाक किस्म के व्यवसायों/प्रक्रियाओं से विमुक्त कराकर विशेष विद्यालयों में भर्ती किया जाता हैं।  इन विद्यालयों में सामान्य शिक्षा के अतिरिक्त रोजगारोन्मुख प्रशिक्षण की भी व्यवस्था अपेक्षित हैं, तथा दर्ज बच्चो को सौ रुपये मासिक छात्रवृत्ति, पाठ्य पुस्तके, युनिफोर्म, तथा माध्यान्ह भोजन दिए जाने के  अतिरिक्त नियमित स्वास्थ्य प्रशिक्षण का प्रावधान हैं।
लेकिन सरकारी आकडे और योजनायें एक तरफ और सच्चाई एक तरफ होती हैं। बस-टैम्पो में कन्डक्टरी  करता छुटकु हो या, घर में कमला बाई की जगह काम पर आई उसकी बेटी पिंकी हो...परिवार को अपना छोटा  किन्तु महत्वपूर्ण योगदान देते ये बच्चे हमारे आसपास ही हैं। 
इनमे भी सबसे  दयनीय स्तिथी में वे बच्चे हैं जिनके माँ-बाप नहीं हैं, जिनका न तो खुद का परिवार हैं, न तो  रहने के लिए घर। कुछ लोग इनकी खरीद-फरोख्त करते हैं, चौराहों पर भीख मंगवाते हैं और बदले में एक समय का खाना देते हैं। बड़े शहरों में इस समस्या ने एक भयानक रूप धारण कर लिया हैं, जहां भीख के पैसे न देने पर बच्चों का शारीरिक शोषण किया जाता हैं...उन्के साथ मारपीट कर गहरी चोट  पहुचाई जाती हैं। पिछले दिनों एक ऐसी ही घटना मध्य प्रदेश के इंदौर में सामने आई हैं।

जिस तरह का घिनौना समाज हमारे आसपास पनप रहा हैं...उसमे संत्रास हैं, शोषण हैं और गिरते सामाजिक-मानवीय मूल्य हैं। सरकारें आती हैं, नये नीयम बनाती हैं...लेकिन स्तिथी जस-कि-तस हैं। सर्व शिक्षा  अभियान, माध्यान्ह भोजन जैसी कोशिशे, हालातों के सामने बौनी नज़र आती  हैं। गरीबी, भुखमरी,बाल श्रम, बेरोजगारी, महंगाई जैसी समस्याएँ एक दुसरे से जुडी हुई हैं, एक को ख़तम करने के लिए दूसरे का हल ढूंढना ज़रूरी हैं। समस्या हमारी, हल भी हमें ही खोजने होंगे ...

Friday, May 4, 2012

The old messenger named...Life

"जितनी बुरी कही जाती हैं 
उतनी बुरी नहीं हैं दुनिया 
बच्चो के स्कुल में शायद 
तुमसे मिली नहीं हैं दुनिया 

चार घरो के एक मोहल्ले के 
बाहर भी हैं आबादी 
जैसी तुम्हे दिखाई दे हैं 
सबकी वही नहीं हैं दुनिया 

भाग रही हैं गेंद के पीछे 
जाग रही हैं चाँद के नीचे  
शोर भरे काले तारों से 
अब तक डरी नहीं  हैं दुनिया "
                                         -निदा फाजली 

"Life is a mystery"...more you Live, the more it reveals.

Once a little baby ant went up to its mother and asked sadly, "Mom! We are always moving up and down,working, searching for food, running here and there to save our lives...Yet we are not happy.But humans, even though sitting with a group of other humans...they are so happy, laughing loudly...". Mother replied, "Dear, its because we survive and they live"....
We have a wonderful BIG life to live-on, we have so much to look around, to feel beautiful, to smell, to taste....But aren't we loosing these senses and emotions, day-by-day...

One day as I was passing by the beach, looking through the waving sea, I saw an old man sitting on a lonely abandoned wooden bench. A very aged man with white silky hair, long white beard, sad heavy eyes, big eyelashes, and a sad face. I went up and sat beside him.He looked up from his oversized eye lashes...a bit scared, I asked the reason of his immense sadness.

Answer came after a while,
"My name is Life..A messenger of God..I don't have an existence of my own...I look what you think of me, what you feel about me, I am your Perception. Today, you all are so busy...running around, backstabbing, harassing, blood shedding. There are evil forces working around. You people feel that the world is just what your eyes can see, and if unwilling things happen or harsh situations come across...you simply loose all hopes. All this because you have forgotten me, you have forgotten my importance. I have been left lonely....and that's why I am getting older. Ironically, you are searching me on the Internet, surfing the ways to live me well....GOD...Once you start living...going beyond a mere survival....I will get back my Youth, my colors, my vivacity...Just come out of your 'virtual personal worlds'...use your senses before you loose them...and I will be happy and young again..."

His words pinched my ears and touched my heart...His cold wrinkled face, the greys in his persona and the sadness in his eyes...Have we made our Life, feel helpless to such an extent....have we really forgotten about our life...Or have our virtual worlds simply dragged us out of the Real one...

And as Arthur Conan Doyle says:
"Life is infinitely stranger than anything the mind could invent

So if its that strange why not live it...Along with it, let the old messenger of god, stay young, colorful and happy forever...