Three different chronicles, One destiny?

15^th Sep, ’08 1745 Hrs

KING OF GOOD TIMES….WHAT ABOUT THE SOLDIERS??

My current gtalk status message says ‘King of Good Times’. I’m. I feel happy without signs of blues to hamper my happiness. I feel good even with the signs of bad. I feel being the King of ‘Good Times’.

I go to college today. Most of the college time goes well. I still feel King of ‘Good Times’. Then comes Sudhu’s lecture. Two hours later, I wonder am I really a king of good times when other’s don’t get to be even soldiers of ‘Good Times’??

22^nd-24^th of Aug, Karnala. Our class trip for Sociology. Those three days went without our notice and the fun we all had, truly it’s gonna be in our thoughts forever. The first ever class trip, an outstation trip. Some enjoyed the atmosphere, some the surrounding, some the woods or some the foods. On our concluding day, we even went villages around our centre, walking on highway in a single file. Some even played with the children of Nepali workers in the centre we stayed. Day and Night they made us laugh, and smile, at some or point of time.

Today we come to know, that these children ‘used to’ go to school, where we went for sometime, daily by walking on the highway, the very same route we took that day. Now they are no more. Few days back, like any other day, they were on their way to school. A jeep trying to overtake another vehicle, went down the road, did not notice these kids walking. When the driver realized their presence, it was too late.

About 20 days ago we’ve walked the same road. We were all talking and laughing, walking in small groups. We never ever thought that such a tragic thing can take place over there. I still can feel walking there. I still can feel the chat I had with those kids. Now only I have is the memory…

4^th of Sep, K-scope, Sophia College. JPEG event. Varad, Jhanvi, Franco and I, the participants from Wilson College for the event. From the total of 3 hour duration for the event, we’ll were laughing and enjoying for most of the time, ‘trying to’ think out of the box. Event over and still for a long time we’ll were enjoying.

Today we come to know, Varad, a TYBMM student, yesterday went to bid a goodbye to an elephant-head god, which in local term is known as ‘Visarjan of Ganpati’. While doing so, unfortunately a huge statue of the god fell on his lower part of the body. Soon he’s been rushed to Jaslok Hospital where about 8 hours of operation is performed on him. After which, people outside come to know he has fractured most of his bones in the lower portion of the body, with a major crack in Pelvic bone and a puncture in his lungs. Doctors say even 15 mins delay would’ve caused his death. For at least 8 months he’s under complete bed rest, and it will take around 1 and ½ years to walk properly.

15^th Sep, FYBMM class, Sociology lecture. Topic of discussion, Education in India. On some question asked by a student, reply from the teacher includes these lines ‘You’ll are among the 6-7 % of the elite people among your age groups who have facilities to support your education’. I never knew that the ratio is so drastically imbalanced. All that comes in my mind is, being on the smaller part, what am I doing for the rest 93% people who do not have access to Graduation studies??

Three different chronicles, but one common destiny?

DO YOU BEG, ARE YOU A BEGGAR ?!

05-06-08 1447 Hrs

DO YOU BEG? ARE YOU A BEGGAR??

That's an offensive title, huh? I agree. So, what made me keep this title? No particular reason....I felt like keeping it, so kept it! :P

So, what's your idea of Begging? What?!? You don't beg? Alright, that's great! Then you're surely the person i want, to read this article.

Many a times while travelling, through trains or in our vehicle or any other place, we see "beggars" coming to us n beg for a rupee. And of those many a times, I’ve heard my co-passengers commenting something like this, "..such ($&^#$) beggars, such shameless people..." Very good. They should get an award for making such a comment, right?

If that's the idea of the word beggar, how do you explain this :

When in your childhood you begged your parents to get that toy, which you wanted badly.....but you called it your 'Stubbornness'

Then you begged your siblings to please, give you a piece of chocolate they were eating....but you called it part of your share.

When in your teenage, you begged your best friend to get the phone number of your good looking classmate....but you called it 'Crush'.

When in your college, you begged your colleagues to help you with your assignments n projects......but you called it as a part of College life.

When you grew older, you begged your boss for that few days holiday, to go out with your family......but you called it as 'Vacation'.

And when a beggar comes to you for your kindness to ask you for just a rupee.....you make lewd comments to that beggar?

The other day, me & my sis stopped at a local station's stall to refresh our self with a drink. In the meanwhile, a small boy, a less privileged one, comes to us n ask for a vada-pav. I ignored him a lil’, for the drink i was supposed to get, but the next moment I turned to him, he disappeared from his place n saw him going to another person to ask for a share of 'his' vada-pav. And then next moment I heard my sis asking me take this money n buy that boy a vada-pav. All i could reply back to her was....he's gone...

Earlier, whenever i jaunted around, in my free times, i happened to be followed by beggars for a rupee too. Almost everytime I used to take my wallet out n look for a rupee or 2 coin, which were my share of the bucks my parents gave as pocket-money, n if found, used to hand it over to the beggar. I felt sorry for them....but that's what I could do at that moment.

Then one day I went to one of my ol' pal, Naveen. We, as usual, did the usual talking. Then out of the blue he asked me, "..Supraket, tell me one thing. What would you do if a beggar approaches you, when you're just roaming around? Would you give him/her something or won't you?" I became dumb for a moment n all i could blubber out is, "..yeah, I’ll give a rupee or two, if i have it.." Then he replied back, "..I won't.." Exactly, even i felt the very same feeling about Naveen, what spoilt person is he, how ungenerous?! How can he make such comment? Then after a pause, he continued, "..Not because am ungenerous. But i think what will happen to them if i gave them the money? They'll again come to you n beg tomorrow.." I didn’t pay attention to what he said.

Then years later, when a beggar approached me, unlike years ago, i denied giving even a rupee, even when i had one. Later on i myself thought of the very same thing, should i give the money to beggars whenever they come begging to me? If yes, am being generous, if no then am stingy. But if i give the money, am spoiling the beggar more, as am giving him/her the hope that by begging also one can survive. Am giving them the hope that 1 of 10 people they go to beg, will definitely give them the rupee after looking at their condition. Am giving them hope that kind people can’t see their condition n by all odds will give them the money. Am giving them the hope that why to do any other job when you're getting money here too??

So what should one do about it? Rather than giving money like to this to the beggars, we should encourage them to work, do a proper job & earn. And not beg. We should collect money n create some plans to those under-privilege people. ...I don't know anything more. I need suggestions from you, can you support the life of those under-privilege people?

Also, (again!) many a times, i read in newspaper about how many goons force the unprivileged to beg n hand them the money. At first i was shocked n thought its cant be true. But got to hear such things from many sources. This probably was another reason why i stopped giving money to the beggars.

Getting back to that other day story of my sister giving money to the small boy who wanted to eat vada-pav, i kind of agreed to my sister. If believing what the media says, about how the goons force people to beg for money, giving something as kind n not cash to the beggars ain't all that bad too. But again, the question comes as to whether by giving something to the beggar, are you giving them the hope to beg more?

I agree, like the numerous times people commenting to be help the under-privileged people, just the way i just did, you'll think about this for a while, will work a little for it, n then, Zappak, Zukk n Zoooom, it's off your mind. Nevermind. At least, you thought about those people for a while... :)

What's the point of writing this article then? Only i can say is, "..Am just creating a lighthouse in the midst of a sea. Who knows, when a traveler nigh around n in need of some light n direction.."

Initiating the Head-Start

It's 1:19 AM clicking on my pc's clock, corroborating or rather witnessing the launch of my first ever blog, made available to the world, rather i'd say, as an open-source blog..!!

Got nothing more to write at the moment, but, lots are in the cards, in future for sure!
Also, like everyone else, it's the time when our parent's ask us to quit whatever we're doing the go off to doze...at this moment, my condition's no different, n i suppose, it's better i do as they say...

So excuse me, hmmmm, for minimum of some few hundred years for some greatest of the greatest blog ever written....in the meantime, enjoy with some mincer ones...