The address-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGpx15AFqRs!!!
This video was our first step in the field of Direction!(not really!) It was our very first attempt in making a video and we must say that it was a great experience.
It was a part of an assignment in development communication for 2nd yr journalism,kalindi college.We got the project in the month of july but its actual working started in the month of August. WE(Tullika and Kinni) were generally talking about the maids at our places when Tullika happened to mention about this aunty who washes clothes at her place and a life she is going through! And when she completed both of us knew what we got..a story idea-Of how some more work is still left in the field of women empowerment-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE! And we started working on the script. It was quite a task.!
It took us more than a month and editing on more than 3 interviews (minus the hundreds of interactions!) with that aunty to finally get a jist of what we wanted. We spoke to that aunty and recorded her conversation many times but could not exactly get what we were looking for..the interview which we have used in the video is the final one with her(thoroughly edited!!!!).. Some of the shots have been taken where we told her the camera is on and she spoke looking at it and some other shots(most of them) are those where while speaking we took the shots without telling her. To those who think that this was unfair on our part to capture without her knowledge, we do not want to say anything. We captured her crying..and talking about all that she goes through in her daily life. It was shocking. Horrible. Terrible. There were times when we used to go blank talking to her (ever with the script and everything planned!) and someone else used to interrupt and take care of everything around. We also cried and went though this weird feeling whenever we used to listen to all of it. We felt helpless too. And after those endless sessions we bring her voice to you!
Also, in the video we have used a tape of Cnn-IBN describing the cases of domestic violence and its percentage in various parts of the country. We have not changed it a bit. Thank you to the channel for the help. Also, we have used a very different and an interesting element in our video-Improvisation. We have always heard that theatre is the best way to express yourself and we have done just that. We went to a theatre group to talk about this and it was god’s blessings and our luck that when we reached there they were blocking scenes for their play on domestic violence. With their teacher’s permission we shot two scenes and have used them in the video(edited version). Also, we have used our favorite common song in the background-Kal ho na ho Hearbeat!! It did give a brilliant impact!!(*Happy*) and also the quotes. It took us some hundred(okay.not hundred exactly!) pages of internet surfing and loads of arguments to figure out which ones to be used and when. We used to hang out like crazy..have fun editing it..someties we used to go mad and sometimes we were just too tired to think anything else..and sometimes we just fought and argued like crazy! Thanks to this video assignment that we were able to see many movies together..saw matches of commonwealth games too..went for shopping and tonnes of stuff together!! A very special thanks to Abhay sir..one because of the assignment he gave us. We added another page(pages!!) to our book of life. But THANK YOU mainly because he helped us see something which we would have probably never discovered if we were not given the assignment. What that thing is,lies between US.
We hope you like the video!!!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
If...
I was well criticizing Manmohan Singh’s Government when someone just remarked, “Everything seems cool under the fan..What if you were at his place”. It made me go deep into thinking. Realy..Me..a Prime Minister. So I thought why not just prepare myself before hand. If I ever get a chance..If ever wishes were horses, beggars would ride. My case is no different.India has population of 1,000 million. So my chance of becoming the Prime Minister is one upon 1,000 million.I have my own idea of what a Prime Minister should do.Today as our country faces surmounting challenges with no clear guiding leadership emerging from across the political spectrum; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the country is now at the mercy of the almighty.Independence Day of India is celebrated on Fifteenth of August to commemorate its independence from British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation in 1947. As the Prime Minister i am expected to hoist the Indian Flag on the ramparts of the historical site of Red Fort on that day. It will be telecasted live in the National Channel Doordarshan and also many News Channels all over India etc. And then everybody will sit back and enjoy this holiday!!!
Well,the only thing that won’t change when i as the P.M would celebrate Independence day is the hoisting of our flag. The rest can be dealt with other ways also. The first thing i would want everybody to do is to FREE themselves from one materialistic thing they do not need or they think is troubling them-forever. Say the housewives could get rid of an old cooker, the oldies can get rid of their old frames(in case of absence of new ones,do not!) the youngsters who are on a WRONG PATH can change their footwear that lead them there! The corrupt politicians their seats and the not-so-obedient police officers their uniform! The second thing that i would do is to send my loyal troops all over the nation to distribute sweets to little children. Nothing is as big as the joy of giving. Then,the grain which is out there rotting would be distributed to the poor by politicians and their teams of respective states. A special programme for the differently challenged in the Rashtrapati Bhawan which will include songs of the time of independence, plays showing those times and speeches by experts of the time of the struggle.
Another very important thing would be to declare 15th August as the “Independence Dress Day” where people would be dressed up as freedom fighters and leaders of those times. I would invite the Prime ministers of all the countries and would have dinner with them and discuss about world,issues,our stand,problems and the solutions!! The idea is to develop develop friendship with the neighbouring countries. If America and Canada can keep their boundaries open, why can’t we do so with Pakistan and China??? And,at night i would just take a walk at the India Gate..have my favorite ice cream..think about those times..read those names on the wall..and come back home and retire for the day..!!!
Well,the only thing that won’t change when i as the P.M would celebrate Independence day is the hoisting of our flag. The rest can be dealt with other ways also. The first thing i would want everybody to do is to FREE themselves from one materialistic thing they do not need or they think is troubling them-forever. Say the housewives could get rid of an old cooker, the oldies can get rid of their old frames(in case of absence of new ones,do not!) the youngsters who are on a WRONG PATH can change their footwear that lead them there! The corrupt politicians their seats and the not-so-obedient police officers their uniform! The second thing that i would do is to send my loyal troops all over the nation to distribute sweets to little children. Nothing is as big as the joy of giving. Then,the grain which is out there rotting would be distributed to the poor by politicians and their teams of respective states. A special programme for the differently challenged in the Rashtrapati Bhawan which will include songs of the time of independence, plays showing those times and speeches by experts of the time of the struggle.
Another very important thing would be to declare 15th August as the “Independence Dress Day” where people would be dressed up as freedom fighters and leaders of those times. I would invite the Prime ministers of all the countries and would have dinner with them and discuss about world,issues,our stand,problems and the solutions!! The idea is to develop develop friendship with the neighbouring countries. If America and Canada can keep their boundaries open, why can’t we do so with Pakistan and China??? And,at night i would just take a walk at the India Gate..have my favorite ice cream..think about those times..read those names on the wall..and come back home and retire for the day..!!!
The Ma(homo)tama!
A man of vision, a man who led Indians to freedom, who went on hunger strikes, protested against the British empire, who made salt , who abandoned his family for the sake of his brothers and sisters and who fought his blood out to gain Independence. He was everything good one could think of-god, a saint, a commoner or simply a happily married man with kids and great ambitions. That’s Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi for everybody except ‘one’. He is the Pulitzer Prize-winner and author of “Great Soul : Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle With India”, Joseph Lelyveld. The book is a biography of Indian political and spiritual leader M.K.Gandhi and is split between the time Gandhi spent in South Africa and his return to India as the Mahatma. The book portays Gandhi as a homo(or bisexual) in a relationship with one of his disciples, Hermann Kallenbach. Kallenbach was a German-born-Jewish-South African architect who was one of the foremost friends and associates of Mahatma Gandhi. Lelyveld quotes correspondence between Gandhi and Kallenbach, including excerpts from the latter's diary, with language that seems suggestive of a homosexual relationship with Gandhi speaking of his disciple Kallenbach as "Lower House," and of himself as "Upper House," and saying that cotton-wool and Vaseline were a constant reminder of their "mutual love," Lelyveld says this relates to the cotton wool and Vaseline that Gandhi and Kallenbach used in giving themselves enemas, one of Gandhi's fads. Both Lelyveld and other commentators have claimed that while the language by today's standards may seem to betray a homosexual relationship, for the time period in which it was used, it was the usual language between close platonic friendship bonds!!
The book has not gone down well with people. Politicians in India have generally and across the political spectrum denounced the book and demanded it be banned as being allegedly defamatory. Also they have asked a “public apology” by Lelyveld and even have asked for his prosecution. The book is perverse in nature, hurting the sentiments of those with capacity for sane and logical thinking. Liberal commentators and some Gandhi kin have taken umbrage towards this backlash against Lelyveld. The crust of the matter lies in the fact that how does it any which matter if the Mahatma was straight, gay or bisexual? Every time he would be remembered, he would still be the man who led India to freedom.
The book has not gone down well with people. Politicians in India have generally and across the political spectrum denounced the book and demanded it be banned as being allegedly defamatory. Also they have asked a “public apology” by Lelyveld and even have asked for his prosecution. The book is perverse in nature, hurting the sentiments of those with capacity for sane and logical thinking. Liberal commentators and some Gandhi kin have taken umbrage towards this backlash against Lelyveld. The crust of the matter lies in the fact that how does it any which matter if the Mahatma was straight, gay or bisexual? Every time he would be remembered, he would still be the man who led India to freedom.
Anna Hazare Strikes and FAST!
“I will fast until Jan Lokpal Bill is passed" read a facebook status..the other one said “Suppot Anna..be there at Jantar Mantar”.., Kapil Dev tweeted” I support Anna..Will be there soon”.. “Go Anna go..the youth is with you” tweeted former Miss India World, Priyanka Chopra.
The whole world rose up to a social awakening with Kisan Baburao , popularly known as Anna Hazare going on a ‘fast unto death’. Anna Hazare, a pre-eminent India social activist and a Padma Bhushann-I for the development of a model village (Ralegan Siddhi) went on a hunger strike on April 5, 2011 to exert pressure on the government of India to enact a strong anti-corruption act as envisaged in the Jan Lokpal Bill, a law that will establish a Lokpal (ombudsman) that will have the power to deal with corruption in public offices!! The fast led to nation wide protests in support of the headstrong Hazare the non-violent way. One would find people- Students, young leaders, celebrities, officials from every walk of life in groups of 100s and more marching from India Gate towards Jantar Mantar- the main stage of the entire anti-corruption act, burning candles, distributing pamphlets, not troubling the police and without any armaments. Activists like Medha Patkar et al were present to lent support to him. As a result, Sharad Pawar resigned from the review committee of the bill and the Lokpal bill is in the process of drafting. Anna bought in a change of a school of thought. Are we heading towards a world where the demands would be met by fasts and protests? India experienced the RTI the same way and now the Lokpal. Is the youth learning a newer and maybe a better way of getting things done. Corruption will go with the Lokpal but is all this bringing a “Gandhian” way of fighting causes. Is Anna Hazare the ‘new’ Gandhi! Is he the replacement metro of the old rickety blue-lines!
The whole world rose up to a social awakening with Kisan Baburao , popularly known as Anna Hazare going on a ‘fast unto death’. Anna Hazare, a pre-eminent India social activist and a Padma Bhushann-I for the development of a model village (Ralegan Siddhi) went on a hunger strike on April 5, 2011 to exert pressure on the government of India to enact a strong anti-corruption act as envisaged in the Jan Lokpal Bill, a law that will establish a Lokpal (ombudsman) that will have the power to deal with corruption in public offices!! The fast led to nation wide protests in support of the headstrong Hazare the non-violent way. One would find people- Students, young leaders, celebrities, officials from every walk of life in groups of 100s and more marching from India Gate towards Jantar Mantar- the main stage of the entire anti-corruption act, burning candles, distributing pamphlets, not troubling the police and without any armaments. Activists like Medha Patkar et al were present to lent support to him. As a result, Sharad Pawar resigned from the review committee of the bill and the Lokpal bill is in the process of drafting. Anna bought in a change of a school of thought. Are we heading towards a world where the demands would be met by fasts and protests? India experienced the RTI the same way and now the Lokpal. Is the youth learning a newer and maybe a better way of getting things done. Corruption will go with the Lokpal but is all this bringing a “Gandhian” way of fighting causes. Is Anna Hazare the ‘new’ Gandhi! Is he the replacement metro of the old rickety blue-lines!
Reserve for Me : I am a JAAT..!
If you are a Muslim, you have a quota. If you are a Sikh, you have quota. A Christian? Not a problem, there is quota. SC, ST or OBC also get a share of reservation. But tables have turned. If you are a Jaat, you too get to be a part of the reservation circle. How? By not letting people board trains. By causing Heavy mod jams on the railway tracks. Puzzled? Don’t be. The Jaats have been agitating on railway tracks and streets demanding “reservation” in the Central Government jobs. But there has been no move by the Central or the State Governments as well as Railway to end the stir.
The two Governments have shown absolutely no interest in getting the agitation sorted. The Jaats claim to be strictly restricted to the minorities along with the Muslims, Christians and Sikhs among others. They say they want a certain amount of reservation in the job seats in the Central Government. The matter of fact is that there are no clear cut rules for the motion. In absence of a clear cut policy, all that was left to be done was to boil down the matter they would in through inconclusive talks with the protesters.
In all this hustle and chaos, the Railway service have been hit strong. Almost all trains on the Delhi-Lucknow railway link have been either cancelled or route changed. As its Holi time, a lot of commuters were left stranded. Buses are also running to packed capacity as a means to reach destination. In this chaos, one would see array of hope in Mamta Banerjee stepping forward and sorting out the mess by telling the Jats to clear her railway space and call it quits. But nothing has been done so far. The Jaats may halt for a while but if their demands are NOT met they will strike again. All that can be thought of right now is a way to tackle these otherwise beware out stationers, you may have to change your plans for Diwali too.
The two Governments have shown absolutely no interest in getting the agitation sorted. The Jaats claim to be strictly restricted to the minorities along with the Muslims, Christians and Sikhs among others. They say they want a certain amount of reservation in the job seats in the Central Government. The matter of fact is that there are no clear cut rules for the motion. In absence of a clear cut policy, all that was left to be done was to boil down the matter they would in through inconclusive talks with the protesters.
In all this hustle and chaos, the Railway service have been hit strong. Almost all trains on the Delhi-Lucknow railway link have been either cancelled or route changed. As its Holi time, a lot of commuters were left stranded. Buses are also running to packed capacity as a means to reach destination. In this chaos, one would see array of hope in Mamta Banerjee stepping forward and sorting out the mess by telling the Jats to clear her railway space and call it quits. But nothing has been done so far. The Jaats may halt for a while but if their demands are NOT met they will strike again. All that can be thought of right now is a way to tackle these otherwise beware out stationers, you may have to change your plans for Diwali too.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Such if Life!!!!!
When they walk past by you get to hear all the OOZ and AAHz..and OMG..look at him..or is IT her!? Some merely ignore them.some give them an x amount of money because their blessings are considered very pious..while the modernites like us would just pass a smile..go upto them and talk. Yes. Talk to them..about them(if they feel comfortable!)..or just discuss stuff with them. A few of them know it all- from politics to sports to entertainment..they are well read. A few just know about fashion..the newer trends..new ways to attract “customers”..newer lipsticks and much much more More than what a cosmopolitan reader would know. How? Ask them!
Some would just sit on the footpath..light up a fag and see the world pas by not caring of what-how-who and where. And some..cry. Curse god on their way of life. However, the one I met, was a lot different(okay..not different but a mix of the above).
I was on the red light when Alka came to me. She wore an orange saree,orange lipstick. A sparkling gold necklace, matching earrings and orange bangles and the look was complete. Her chest protruding out..out enough to grab many eyeballs! She came to me..(I was in the car, driving! Yes..in my next write up would mention about some driving incidents!!!) and asked for money,clapping her finger-opned hands..she also remarked- God will always bless you(yes..in English!). I was stunned. English. How? I couldn’t help but comment, “ You speak good English”. To this one would generally expect a kind Thank you but what she replied dropped as a bomb on me. She rep “ Your vocab is good..would be a better compliment”. Flummoxed. I looked at her and she looked back..Gosh, those 60 seconds on the red light seemed like 600 years. I knew it that moment, she is special. I hesitantly asked her to join me over a cup of coffee careful of not giving her any wrong signals.
She agreed. We went to CCD’s. While entering, she paused..looked around and asked, “ You comfortable here?”. I looked around..i knew why I had been here and what I wanted from her..i nodded in a positive manner and we sat at the corner table, My all time fav. I was in my mind just praying to God that no cousin or relative of mine sees me with her. Not that I mind being seen with her in public..but parents you know, will never understand a few things here and there.
We ordered cappuccinos and cookies..it was going to be a long long conversation. I looked at her..and said “Hi..i am Kinni. 2nd Year. Journalism. Delhi University”. To this she replied, “Oh..so you want to write about me, my community and problems we face and all that,huh,?”. I stopped myself from throwing a saucer at her. She is rude, Kinni. Calm down. I told myself. I ignored and moved on, “No! And what do you mean by your community..you are a part of OUR community. Anyway, I want to know, with such good English…” She stopped me and replied, “ You want to know why I work as a eunuch? That’s about it right!”. I nodded. She said “Don’t waste time kid..the amount of time I am wasting on you could be converted into big money”. I held myself..not to throw the cup or chair or the table at her. But then it srtuck me..and my best reply was, “ Then why did you agree to come with me?”. She was stunned. Amazed at the reply and wondering how to deal with me. She replied, “ You would be amazed to know..but I am here because I like this job. I have the power of two. I know, most people are forced into this..but I am different.” She indeed is. “I worked as a journalist in *********(sorry..cant take name).” I was shocked. Surprised. Confused. Only now I know why she was so well read. I was just about to ask her why did she quit and stuff..but then I saw her eyes..The calm that her face had. She wanted to say more. I let her. She said that her journalistic career did give her fame but never satisfied her. She quit and entered fashion industry. I could not digest the cookies. I had nothing to say. What should I. And she continued, “Year after year, job after job..i somehow missed something in life..and one fine day I assisted a director for a documentary.” And that is when things changed for her..she said when she met more of her COMMUNITY during the research, she fell more and more in love with them and she realized she is one of them. Now she got answers to her being a hermaphrodite. Her family-the home and in laws did not accept this. She was alone when she met Meena, the head. And today she is where she is. Enjoying her life. The way she wants to. And during this entire conversation, she had not even once done anything that made me think twice about her.
She also asked me to read about her friend “Bhagmati” in one of Khushwant Singh’s book. We finished our coffee and ordered for the bill. I opened my bag. She took my hand and gave me a dirty stare. She was back! Now I should throw the table at her! She took out her purse from you-know-where and paid. Sweet! I dropped her back from where we had started. She left(in someone’s BMW..doing her job..the one best at!)
I smiled. I was there wondering how people are so different. There are many people..with so many stories. I was lucky to meet her. I loved her..the way she was-very confident and happy of what she was doing. Strange is life..more strange is the path which leads to it. I don’t have words to express myself..maybe never will have. All I know is that sometimes..its better to just listen and not say a word. Patiently.
Some would just sit on the footpath..light up a fag and see the world pas by not caring of what-how-who and where. And some..cry. Curse god on their way of life. However, the one I met, was a lot different(okay..not different but a mix of the above).
I was on the red light when Alka came to me. She wore an orange saree,orange lipstick. A sparkling gold necklace, matching earrings and orange bangles and the look was complete. Her chest protruding out..out enough to grab many eyeballs! She came to me..(I was in the car, driving! Yes..in my next write up would mention about some driving incidents!!!) and asked for money,clapping her finger-opned hands..she also remarked- God will always bless you(yes..in English!). I was stunned. English. How? I couldn’t help but comment, “ You speak good English”. To this one would generally expect a kind Thank you but what she replied dropped as a bomb on me. She rep “ Your vocab is good..would be a better compliment”. Flummoxed. I looked at her and she looked back..Gosh, those 60 seconds on the red light seemed like 600 years. I knew it that moment, she is special. I hesitantly asked her to join me over a cup of coffee careful of not giving her any wrong signals.
She agreed. We went to CCD’s. While entering, she paused..looked around and asked, “ You comfortable here?”. I looked around..i knew why I had been here and what I wanted from her..i nodded in a positive manner and we sat at the corner table, My all time fav. I was in my mind just praying to God that no cousin or relative of mine sees me with her. Not that I mind being seen with her in public..but parents you know, will never understand a few things here and there.
We ordered cappuccinos and cookies..it was going to be a long long conversation. I looked at her..and said “Hi..i am Kinni. 2nd Year. Journalism. Delhi University”. To this she replied, “Oh..so you want to write about me, my community and problems we face and all that,huh,?”. I stopped myself from throwing a saucer at her. She is rude, Kinni. Calm down. I told myself. I ignored and moved on, “No! And what do you mean by your community..you are a part of OUR community. Anyway, I want to know, with such good English…” She stopped me and replied, “ You want to know why I work as a eunuch? That’s about it right!”. I nodded. She said “Don’t waste time kid..the amount of time I am wasting on you could be converted into big money”. I held myself..not to throw the cup or chair or the table at her. But then it srtuck me..and my best reply was, “ Then why did you agree to come with me?”. She was stunned. Amazed at the reply and wondering how to deal with me. She replied, “ You would be amazed to know..but I am here because I like this job. I have the power of two. I know, most people are forced into this..but I am different.” She indeed is. “I worked as a journalist in *********(sorry..cant take name).” I was shocked. Surprised. Confused. Only now I know why she was so well read. I was just about to ask her why did she quit and stuff..but then I saw her eyes..The calm that her face had. She wanted to say more. I let her. She said that her journalistic career did give her fame but never satisfied her. She quit and entered fashion industry. I could not digest the cookies. I had nothing to say. What should I. And she continued, “Year after year, job after job..i somehow missed something in life..and one fine day I assisted a director for a documentary.” And that is when things changed for her..she said when she met more of her COMMUNITY during the research, she fell more and more in love with them and she realized she is one of them. Now she got answers to her being a hermaphrodite. Her family-the home and in laws did not accept this. She was alone when she met Meena, the head. And today she is where she is. Enjoying her life. The way she wants to. And during this entire conversation, she had not even once done anything that made me think twice about her.
She also asked me to read about her friend “Bhagmati” in one of Khushwant Singh’s book. We finished our coffee and ordered for the bill. I opened my bag. She took my hand and gave me a dirty stare. She was back! Now I should throw the table at her! She took out her purse from you-know-where and paid. Sweet! I dropped her back from where we had started. She left(in someone’s BMW..doing her job..the one best at!)
I smiled. I was there wondering how people are so different. There are many people..with so many stories. I was lucky to meet her. I loved her..the way she was-very confident and happy of what she was doing. Strange is life..more strange is the path which leads to it. I don’t have words to express myself..maybe never will have. All I know is that sometimes..its better to just listen and not say a word. Patiently.
Monday, June 7, 2010
HW- The Secret…
I had no clue that today when I get down from 604 bus..my life wud change completely. Not in literal sense though. i still did not think that what happened in the bus would make me think about it so much!
Cutting the suspense short..i begin..
Once upon a time, when I was sitting at the bus stop waiting for 604,I saw two kids playing..Technically, doing full splits...Though they were not doing anything great or different, one of them caught my eye and when I looked at him..he smiled. There was something in that smile, it made me feel better. More like, a smile which could heal any wound! I smiled back and the bus came. I boarded the bus, bought the ticket, and adjusted myself on one of the seats reserved for ladies, plugged in earphones and got lost in my own world until I saw him! There he was playing a dafli . “HE” here is the same kid; H e was singing SAI bhajans in the bus(one of the very modes of “self-employment” of the poor, to sing and earn money). Again, nothing new in the sight (And sound) but yet I was very curious.There was something very strange (or special) about him, the way he looked at me, at others, the way he was playing, the way he was singing and all his other ways were different and he never failed to make himself get noticed. So, when he was done, he was rewarded with some coins and a few bananas. All this while, when others were hearing him, I was busy taking pictures(without flash, without noise and special focus).
While making an exit, i could not help but ask him about his life and how he reached here. *I would like to thank my journalistic abilities and my humane curiosity which made my do so* (I consider this as my first STAR interview!) He said that he was a resident of Punjab. The family was rich and had sufficient to serve his 4 brothers (including him!) and 3 sisters, but due to some unavoidable circumstances, they had to leave the place and everything they had. OK. Honestly, after hearing this, I was a bit disappointed. Except for the part that he was from Punjab, all I could gather was that he was just another boy of the you-are-taught-to-strike-right-emo-chords-of-listeners-to-get-money gang! But what he told me next completely changed this perception. He told me that grave reason as to why they shifted and how he landed here. I was shocked. Stunned. So much in just 10 years of age! Unfair is all I could term his life. I did not say anything, not that I did not know what to say but just that I couldn’t..i just could not! I knew it was true. Somehow, I knew it.
Everybody in the bus tried to hear the conversation, the eavesdroppers as people always are!! But, lucky or not-so-lucky, nobody got even a bite of that cake! He was narrating to me his life and I was going through a state of sheer numbness. And, I knew it then and there that I had to do something. More like, something has to be done! I was looking blankly at him but my mind was running here and there and looking for a solution. He gave me a banana and said,” Didi, tum itna mat socho. Sochna us bhagwan ka kaam hai. Bas meri 3 baatien manogi”(Sister, don’t think to much, its not your job. God is there to think for everyone. Give a nod to the three things I am about to say).Okay. An 8 year old who sings in the buses and earns a living, a kid who as seen tooooooo much in life, (he may just be next to god!) Is giving me guidance. Creepy but acceptable. And so I prepared myself to hear him.
What he said next would not mean as much to anyone except me, not even to those 23 people in the bus, including the driver and conductor !!
Firstly, he asked me not to mention his name anywhere, if I ever decide to pen down my days events. This as promised has been done.
Secondly, he took m y camera and with that very calm smile on his face deleted one (of the 5 pictures) I took which had his front portrait and requested not to disclose his identity in public. But allowed me to flow pictures with his side portraits if I plan to post his pictures anywhere or get them developed.
Third and last, He requested me to keep his SECRET a secret and never ever tell it to anyone. Never ever! Which I won’t, ever!
I nodded to everything he said. Maybe because I thought I could do all the above or maybe because I did not have a clue of what was happening. I would go with the latter, now.
He then got busy again in collecting the salary for his work. I was still blank with a smile on my face. While de-boarding the bus,he turned around, gave me that same smile and said,” Didi, ek din jab main bada aadmi ban jaunga na..to aaj tere diye hue in 5 rupey ke badle..tujhe 50000 ruper dunga. Agar soch rahi hai kyun..to bata dun..jis jahan ko main chhod aaya tha..uska ek tukda aaj bhi mere paas hai..aur tu dekh..ek din tu hi mere paas aaegi mera interview lene aur jab tu aaegi to ye leti aaiyo, main tujhe isse pehchaankar tujhe auron se pehle milunga” (Sister, one day when I earn a name and fame, I would return to you a sum of Rs.50000 in return of the 5rs you gave me today. IF you are wondering why, let me tell you that I still have a piece of the world I have come out of and you wait and watch, one day you yourself would come to me to seek my interview and when you do so, get this along, I will recognize you and would address you before anyone else present there)..And he gave me a piece of rock which had the letters-HW inscribed on it.. And before I could ask what it meant or why was he giving it to me..He de-boarded the bus. And for the rest of that day (till today!) I am thinking about that piece..Though one thing is clear, that it belongs to that secret, I am still wondering why did he give that to me and what does HW on it means.. Hence, the secret is told and yet it remains like one.
This is his picture. As my second promise to him, I have not posted his front portrait (I don’t even have it anymore!) but his side picture. The picture, even though taken with a lot of focus isn’t that clear and as I am not a photographer it isn’t that brilliant either, but it does speak a thousand words..at least to me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
