Quote: "I am a guy, that's why they did not like me..."

Hello World!

Long time truly!

I took a hiatus from blogging in between. You know - work and stuff.

But anyway, 2:39AM IST now and I have been thinking of posting something.

Let me narrate an incident from this evening today.

While returning, I saw an auto rickshaw standing by, with a queue of people there, but curiously no one was ready to board the auto.

I was in a hurry and decided to avail it without looking at who were my co-passengers. The moment I sat inside, I was greeted by my co-passenger.

Co-passenger1: "Ei je dada, apni to sundor uthe boslen.. aar oi dekhun oi lok gulo keu uthlo na! ki hoto bolun to uthle?"
Translated: "Hey brother, see how well you sat beside me and those guys standing in queue.. they were not ready to sit beside me.. come on! what could I have done?"

[The fact was - this guy was drunk - completely, hopelessly drunk. I could smell him no matter how I wished I would not. This guy was apparently very happy with me. In his report card, I had got letter marks already, simply because I chose to sit beside him. 
Drunk folks identify only two kinds of people - the "my dear" ones, their favourites and the ones they bitterly hate and would kill if given a chance. Anyway, he continued blabbering...]

Co-passenger1: "Ei jodi kono meye bosto, bindaas uthe bosto pashe... chhele to ami! pochhondo holo na..."
Translated: "If I was a girl, anyone there in the queue would have jumped into this seat. I am a guy, that's why they did not like me."

[Meanwhile co-passenger 2 speaks up from the front seat, equally drunk.]

Co-passenger2: "Ki re... meye ra to aageo bosto na, ekhon chhelerao boschhe na... tor ki hobe re?"
Translated: "Hey buddy! Earlier women would avoid you, now even men are avoiding! What will happen to you?"

[I heard a snoring sound and figured out that there was another one sitting on the opposite side, probably the worst affected by the ordeal, snoring already.]

Co-passenger1: "Ki re lalu! Oth oth, ese gelo je!"
Translated: "Hey Lalu! Get up buddy, we have almost reached."

[We did reach soon and Lalu had a tough time maintaining his balance and keeping his shoes intact in his feet. I glanced casually and got going.]

Dial 182 for RPF - will it work?

I came across a news article about dialing 182 for RPF. While I have no idea if this will actually work, I do appreciate the initiative.

In India, unfortunately, I have had bitter experience with RPF (Railway Protection Force) in the year 2000. The nightmares just were refreshed once I read about this news. I recall writing to a prominent daily about the incident as well, but it was not published. Not that I care, as I have this wonderful platform to reach out to the world.

So, it was 16 years back when this incident happened. My parents and I were traveling in Kanchenjunga Express traveling from Sealdah to Farakka. We were traveling in a chair car, reserved seats. The travel started well and we boarded on time. The journey was eventless till the train reached the Bardhaman station.

At the Bardhaman station, there was a sudden rush and many people entered our compartment. It was suddenly too crowded around us. Once the crowd thinned, we suddenly noticed that our main suitcase was gone from the overhead bin! Gone! Disappeared, without a trace! The moment we noticed it, my father and I ran frantically towards the exit trying to see who took it. The people around us did not even care. No one had noticed anything! (Of course!) I even saw few people smiling at our tragedy, which shocked me. One of them was a junior guy from the school where I studied. (I hope he has developed some sense of empathy in all these years. If he is still a moron, all the best to him.)

Anyway, we descended from the train and went to register a complaint with the RPF posted there.

When my father politely narrated the incident to them, their first question was - "Are you making this up?" We said - "No". Then we requested to have the complaint registered, to which they said, "There are no pages left in the complaint book. You have to bring a page and write it down." We got a page and then I asked for a pen. None of the officers had any pen. Would you believe that?

At this point, I am not sure how my father felt, but I was filled with a mix of myriad emotions ranging from anger, disbelief, sadness and anxiety! We understood pretty well that it would not work out as the people we were dealing with were potentially hands in gloves with the criminals.

Our thoughts transcended to the fact that my mother was sitting alone in the train crying her hearts out and the train could get started any moment. We decided to leave the matter and get back in the compartment.

I suddenly remembered the incident thinking if RPF has really changed. I am still filled with disbelief. I have seen the system. I did not like it. Have India progressed in 16 years? Really? Can someone confirm?

Well, 16 years on, dial 182 in case if you face any issues in an Indian train. Consider yourself lucky if someone responds.

Jai ho!

At peace with myself

Hmm... a gradual home coming to the stability of my thoughts, feelings... a feeling of settling down... going back to my roots, going back to where I belong... the feeling of being grounded... accepting adversities to be a part and parcel of life... Its like that illusion of an obstacle I saw in a movie many years back... You see an obstacle, get terrified, limited by it... But someone tells you - go ahead, there is nothing there.. its only an illusion... The protagonist walks ahead, circumspect at first... But then he just transcends through it unaffected...

Obstacles in real life are just like that. They are obstacles as long as we make them as such. The moment we take them head-on, they let us pass through unaffected.

So, was there an obstacle that I faced? Probably not... probably yes.

My sense of justice and being fair to everyone does get the better of me at times, does leave me drained and strained. But that's how I am. Take it or leave it.

At the end of the day, the only feeling that I sincerely hate is the feeling of guilt - the feeling of doing wrong to someone. I would rather take the blow, than give it... :-)

I am finally at peace with myself...