Then and Now

Our mind never stops. It constantly generates web of thoughts. Moving or jumping from one thought to another thought; generating one thought from another thought. As one chain of thoughts breaks, another starts. Until and unless one really stresses and concentrate on something, his mind would move sometimes hap hazardly like a man walking in drunken state and sometimes sequentially just like an any logical person.

Few days back, I was driving back from my (training) office in Gandhinagar to my home. It is approximately 15 minutes run by car from my office to home. I normally drive at the speed of 60-70 km per hour since have learned that speeding beyond this consumes more fuel. Therefore, I was constantly giving side to the speeding cars which were showing dipper and honking at me. I noticed a sudden increase in traffic. When I was child, I used to come to Gandhinagar with my family on holidays to enjoy the peace. It was then, when I used to wonder if there is any sign of human life in Gandhinagar. Now, I see so much traffic, people standing at the bus stops, traffic police standing at the Koba Circle; ST buses have also increased in number. It is no longer the same Gandhinagar where I used to come in my childhood. Is it only the traffic or something else which is making it look so different, I thought. Also, I noticed there is a sudden decrease in the number of trees on the both sides of the Gandhinagar. It was then, when the road was so green; there were dense trees at both the sides of Gandhinagar Road. Now, it looks so naked; I can see the patches of dry land behind the thin line of trees which have been left from being cut. Like a child, I wished that it should rain nicely this year and it should again become green everywhere. A poem came in my mind which I read in 9Th standard. " सतपुरा के घने जंगल, नींद में दुबे हुए उंघते अनमने जंगल” Such a nice poem it was, the rhyming, the alliteration were superb. Satpura jungles must have been so beautiful that the poet could write such a beautiful and lively poem. If there would be no forest, there would probably be no poets writing romantic poems. The poems that have already been written will probably loose their meaning as there would be no one to understand and appreciate them. Next generation would not like to read such poems. All this filled me with a sinking feeling.

From reading poems, I again went into flash back. It was then, when I was in primary school, I used to read so many “chitra katha”. I remembered reading and rereading picture books of Mahaveer Bhagwan, Gautam Buddha, King Ashok, Meera Bai. Tinkle was another favourite comic book of mine. It was always an excitement for me to read the main story and “Supandi” in every issue. I never used to read the second story about basic science facts and experiments which was a regular feature of it. I repented not reading them, I don’t know why. “Gokulam” and “Naandan” were other children’s magazine that we used to read. I and my sister used to walk down with my father to a newspaperwala’s shop. My sister used to complete reading at least half of the latest comic standing at the shop itself. Now, I wonder if the kids born these days with so many cartoon channels on television, laptops and mobile phones in hands really do read such “chitra katha” and children’s magazines. Suddenly, I felt one generation older.

I was not really able to come out of the thoughts about my school and childhood. Until I had come in 11th standard I was so happy. Everybody in my school, my teachers, juniors, seniors knew me. In my school, one student was allowed to participate at max in three individual and two group events. It was always difficult for me to make a choice between English debate and Hindi elocution. For group events group song and General Knowledge Quiz were my most preferred choice. I was not good at dancing, that is the reason why my teachers never used to select me for any dance competitions. That is how I developed disinterest for dance. But, still I used to get lot of attention in my school. When I was young I cared less about what world is thinking about me, may be my world was small. But, slowly I was made to realise that world is not this. Pressure of 12th boards and the sentiments of so many people attached to it. This brought my detachment with my previous public activities. I started caring about what world is going to think about me. When I went to college, I found that were girls smarter than me. My detachment with public activities became stronger. World there was bigger and I became almost invisible to this new world. This confession to self made me little restless. My mind tried to go in a deceptive mode. But, then I controlled it to stand-by the truth. I don’t know how my mind linked all this with the chain of thoughts that had started with something else.

I was moving smoothly until a crossing came. I applied sudden brake to let the lateral crossers go. This brake also broke the thought process for a while. I saw a person on bicycle crossing the road. After a few seconds I resumed my driving and thinking. I thought it was then when I also rode bicycle to go to school daily. Now, I have a car to drive. How fast I have graduated from bicycle to Kinetic to car. But, I no longer enjoy driving car in the wish to reach faster every time; I get so impatient when I get stuck in traffic. Not only cycle but I also used to travel in city buses so many times. My mind again dragged me to another story book that I read in my childhood. Its name was “बस की सैर ”. It was a small story about a small village girl describing her excitement of travelling in a bus. That story is definitely out dated now. These days, I don’t think I or anybody for that matter would enjoy travelling in buses. It is out of compulsion that one would choose to travel in a bus and not out of choice. It was then when calmness in the life of people that they used to enjoy living even without the things which are basic necessities of today. Now our aspirations have changed so much in fact they widened so much that we don’t even enjoy what we have in our hands.

As I could have thought beyond this, the crossing for my house came and this chain got broke. From the ordeal in the sea of thoughts I came back to my usual life. Our mind never stops thinking but we are not very thoughtful always. That is the reason I thought it to be worth writing and sharing.

मैं और मेरा देश

Do we ever bother to ask ourselves, what we have done for our country till now? We try to defend ourselves by saying what can we do for our country, after all we are not politicians, policy makers, warriors, or not even a promoter of a company to make an impact. To help get an answer for us, I would like to refer to my favourite Hindi writer, कनिह्या लाल मिश्र ‘प्रभाकर’.

No work and no one is big or small; in a match, not just players but the audiences who are cheering the players have an importance. Making a habit, to check that we are always leading a life on the principle that every act of ours is in the favour of the nation is very important. But for this we need to understand the internal condition of the country very well and always keep it in front of us.

Our country at the first place needs two important things- “Sense of Power” and “Sense of Beauty”. To make it clearer; how many times it happens that sitting in groups, in trains, buses, clubs etc. we talk about the poor infrastructure of the country, problems existing in the country, poor quality of education, and the things that are not happening; and we compare and belittle India in front of other countries, in fact prove that other countries are better than our country? We often do this, we can’t deny it. This is how we hurt country’s “Sense of Power”. Here power which is being talked about is the mental power, the inner strength of our country.

How many times it happens that we eat something and throw the wrappers on the street, we throw garbage outside our house, spit anywhere we feel like, scratch old monuments, and keep public places, trains, buses untidy? Again, we can’t deny this fact. This is how we hurt the country’s “Sense of Beauty” by making it look untidy and destroying its cultural heritage.

Then the question arises, can there be a principle made which judges country’s highness or lowness on the basis of its people? Yes, there is a principle and that is election. A country whose citizens understand whom they should vote for is at height and a country whose citizen vote for wrong persons under wrong impressions is not a great country. Therefore, this is duty of every citizen to vote for a right person and this is our right to see that without taking our vote, nobody takes the seat, no matter how big, best or great that person might be.

My Vote was wrong; I want to take it back

Power to vote…Excitement to vote…Series of confusions…and a wrong vote….only repentance…


Intense campaigning was going on for the election asking the young Indians to get up (Jagoo re) and vote. Television, Radio, Newspaper were screaming day and night requesting youth to vote. I also had the power to vote and I was excited about using this chance to use my power.

Few days before the Election Day, I got a booklet at my house. When I read it, I found that it was the manifesto of a new political party called MCRM party. This party was started by an IIT graduate Rahul Mehta who belongs to a family of politicians and freedom fighters. I went on reading the manifesto; I quite liked it. This party had drafted about 120 letters demanding on various issues. Its Manifesto was very well written. I was really impressed. I thought that there is no other party who has taken pains to release and distribute their manifesto, I should vote for this party. If not this time they will at least make it to the parliament after some years. I remembered the name firmly deciding to vote to this party only. After few days I read an article about Rahul Mehta and his party in Ahmedabad Mirror. In that Rahul had quoted that he is contesting election from Ahmedabad East Constituency and taking on none other than L.K Advani in spite of knowing the fact that he will loose.

Election Day Came. My mother was not happy with any party; she told that she would press the button “does not want to vote anyone”. But, I knew to whom I have to vote. We went to vote taking those slips which we were given to us at home. (This slip can be used along with any photo identity in case voter’s card is not there.) Now, there was another interesting thing. I read that slip while going towards the election booth. There was written the name of constituency to which we belonged. “Gandhinagar Dakshin (south)”, I read it. There was something wrong with it, but what was wrong?

I and my Mum stood in the queue to vote. My mum’s turn came. She went towards the voting machine. By the time was getting my entry done at election officer’s desk. And Mum’s voice came, “Excuse me….. there is no “doesn’t want to vote" button”. All the election officials looked confused for a moment. My mother started giving them elaboration that from this year onwards, if one doesn’t like any candidate there will be an option for that; in case of more than 50% people pressing for this option there will be a reelection. After listening to this all the officials started laughing and giggling. One of those officials said “there is no such option and now you have no option; you will have to vote anyone. Press any of these buttons, it doesn’t matter.” My disappointed Mum had no other option and therefore she pressed some button to make election officers hear a beep sound.

Then came my turn; I was also little disappointed with what had happened with my mother but, I went ahead towards the voting machine. I looked the voting machine with wariness and “what the hell is this” I said to myself. There were the names of all the candidates in Gujarati and there were symbol of their parties. It’s not that I couldn’t read Gujarati; though I always studied in Non-Gujarati medium school but, growing up and living in Ahmedabad since past many years had made me make out written Gujarati. There were the names of 17 candidates. Do these many candidates file their nominations for election? What for? Is it a fun thing or a hobby for them? In a state with a strong hold of only one party and with a hope that only two main national parties can win, there are people who want to fight elections. And to my wonder, they don’t even care to tell junta that they are fighting elections, leave the cause of fighting election behind. Still, this was not reason of my exclamation. The reason was more heart breaking; I couldn’t find the name of my candidate Rahul Mehta. Name of his party was no where written and I didn’t know the symbol of MCRM party. Why the hell they didn’t print their party’s symbol on their manifesto. Now what to do?? Yes…. Rahul Mehta had told in the newspaper that he is fighting against L.K Advani from Ahmedabad East. Like almost every Indian I knew the symbol of two main national parties of India. I looked for lotus...found it...but, Adavaniji’s name was nowhere along with it. There was some other candidate unknown to me. Then I recalled that in the slip constituency written was Gandhinagar South. Oh! I it was my mistake, I thought that I belong to Ahmedabad East but the fact was that I belonged to Gandhinagar South. Now, what to do, there was no point in searching for “doesn’t want vote anyone” button; Mum had already created a laughter moment for election officers. I slanted little bit to look outside the card board covering the voting machine, if parties and their symbols are written anywhere. Nothing was written, but an unclji were standing and waiting impatiently for casting his vote. I sighed, I had to vote, so I closed my eyes and pressed my button (I didn’t closed my eyes actually but to maintain the secrecy of my vote I’m saying this.)

Story doesn’t end here. I and my Mum both dismayed were returning from the voting desk stopped at the gate and asked the security forces appointed there, “Which Constituency is this?” We got an answer, “this is Ahmedabad East”. What??

I have no idea, what I have done. All I know is that my vote was wrong and I want it back.

Story is now over.

Moral of the story

We (including me) are educated youth. We therefore have not only right but access to all the information. Even if no one gives us, we should gather all the important information about the parties, candidates, and the constituency to which we belong. It was my mistake, though newspapers were telling, about the candidates I didn’t bother to read about them.

And candidates, if they stand in the elections with a desire to win, they should seriously and professionally prepare for it. Not only they should come with their short term and long term plans, they should be transparent enough to tell their strengths and weaknesses. And making junta aware about their candidature is minimum that is required.

Election commission should make it point that in all the election booths a chart of parties and their respective symbols is kept visible and names of the candidates and parties are written not only in local language but also in Hindi and English.

We learn from our mistakes. It was just the second time I voted, in fact first time for lokshabha elections. But, I have learned a lot from this experience. I can not get this vote back but I can use my voting power in a better way next time.