Helpless Age

On Monday evening, for my usual walk I was out. There I came across two interesting aspects of life and age. One instance of youth which is helpless an the other of the aged where in both are helpless at the hands of age.

While walking, amidst the chaos of the traffic, there was an old lady on the road, which a dirty white saree and hazed spectacles. At first glance, I thought she was a beggar whith a ragged bag and old plastic bottle and a box into it. She was blabbering something which I could barely understand. Then there stopped by a Rickshawala, a middle aged man, with some of his hair growing grey asked the lady" Maaji, su thayu che"( what happend old lady?) The lady replied "chakkar ave che."( I am fainting). The old man grabbed her a cup of tea from the road side tea stall. I was being a mere spectator, the old woman offered that rickshaw guy half of her tea, but the guy refused.The guy left and I was just observing the old woman.

At this point of time seeing her helpless the corners of my eyes were already wet, I gathered myself andiasked her, "tame khadu kai?"( did you eat anything?), she replied ,"ha, puri" ( I had some puri). I was relieved a bit. Then she started narrating her story to me, she told me she had come to see her elder daughter who lives near by who was unwell. she told me that her husband passed away long back and now she is living alone. I asked where did she live, she said at BUS DEPOT. She told me that she sits nearby the temple and whatever people put in her bowl makes a living for her.

I inquired who takes her care? She replied with a smiling face " uparwalo" ( GOD). She told me she had three sons, they all died before they were 10 years old, and later her husband too passed away, she some how managed to survive with two girls and got them married. Now she lives alone at the bus depot and when required visits her daughters.

Her approach towards life was very different, she had not aim, but just a wait till her breathe lasts, no legacy to leave behind and no wills to be made, though with the coming of age she was getting more weak which was evident.The bus arrived for which she was waiting, I kept something in her palm and helped her to board the bus.

On the same road side, there was this young chap of about twenty years who along with me was observing the old lady,he was having a pack of cigarette, since I noticed him he had already had 4 puffs gone and he was heading for this fifth one and lighting it up in style. I was so tempted to ask him to stop from smoking but I feared to be humilated, I avoided and I just kept watching.He eventually finished his fifth cigarette and then gave me "a dare not talk to me "look. I didnt even dared and I walked off the scene.

Out of this two incidents, I could figure out a common factor "AGE".  The helplessness of the Age. The old woman was fragile and incompetent to live her life where as the young guy with all his senses in places was still leading a life of misery. I could somehow help the old woman by talking to her and helping her board the bus, but not the young man. His age was more helpless than that of the old woman. The starking difference of the age is not only a physical challenge but also pshycological. The old woman does signify the apathy of life where as the young guy shows nothing but ignorance.

Inspirations- The Swami and the soldier

The usual Monday morning rush was around, in haste towards my journey to my “karma-bhumi” I boarded a bus, where it was not very difficult to break through the usual boarding rush of Monday, accquired a seat with extra legroom( thanks to Emergency Exit concept!) in all comforts. Then the usual mela came in, with loads of strangers and strugglers to get a seat with a few women with their children, a partial drunkard and last but not the least  a “ Man in Uniform”. I could read, Indian Army on his pockets all over and his Initial with his surname inscribed with yellow thread embroidery on his right pocket flap as J.Chaudari. His calm sedate charm was worth noticing, he was around 21or 22 years of age, he got a seat on the other side of mine.  For a while, I wanted to start a conversation but for around 20 minutes he was busy getting settled and he did not make any eye contact too. After a while I over heard him talking to someone on his cell phone and mentioning himself as Jagdish.

The conductor was giving everyone the tickets and collecting the fare, must say he was honest enough to give back every passenger Rs.12 as change if one had given a hundred rupee note. While buying ticket I asked for Ahmedabad, the army guy asked for one to Radhanpur. To my surprise incidentally or accidently  my eyes were on his wallet which he was opening to pay the fare to the conductor.

What can one expect in a young army guy’s wallet? Some cash, an identity card, an atm card, and in the photo pocket a family photo or a picture of his beloved ones or some GOD. Let me tell I did not see any of these in his photo pocket, rather what I saw was surprising. It was a portrait picture of” Swami Vivekananda.” I could not move my eyes from the person for a while, I was lost in some space for a while without even realizing what I was seeing.

This was tempting me to know more about the person and I was expecting to strike a conversation with him. But the Swami Vivekanada’s picture had taken a toll over me. I could not stop thinking about the article I read a day before in the local newspaper about his Famous 1893 Parliament of Religions speech at Chicago. The ever inspiring speech was all again before my eyes, every word I read a day before was  coming to me. We as citizens of India have failed upto an extent to keep his vision for modern India alive, He represented India in parliament of religions  and was so open minded and a reformist of one of his kind. His speech there was not regarding one religion or sect that he believed in, it was about integrity of Mankind.

We all know about Swami Vivekananda’s contribution in shaping the modern India and the out look to the world as a country with oldest civilization history. It amazed me how a young soldier so much influenced by someone like swami Vivekananda and has inculcated the values of Integrity and nationalism from him. I am just guessing that the guy is influenced by Vivekananda’s thoughts, but something is making me think that Swami Vivekananda must be this Army Lad’s IDOL and his inspiration and motive behind joining the Indian Army, I was still confused whether to strike a conversation with him or not.

There has been lot said, read, written and heard about Swami Vivekanada’s glory, though I potrayed him once as a child in some competition I was not able to know all his character. Some of what I could know about Swami Vivekananda was through books, and during my visit to Bellurmath . The calm serene sand stone structure on one bank and Dakshineshwar’s hustle bustle on the other of the river Hoogly. My quest to know him has been since childhood, the enigma of the character has always been around me and I am always trying to know him better.

The question of why is he Idolized by young army men?  That is something to be sought after, according to me the Swami Vivekananda has served the nation in true sense, as young man, a seeker, a researcher a reformer , an activist and a divine light making him truly a “VIBHUTI”.

I finally gathered courage to ask that young man about his whereabouts and came to know that he is 21 yrs old, coming back from Bhopal and serving in 3EME regiment. He was going back home after eight and a half months, the happiness was evident. I asked him about the picture and all my assumptions proved to be right about Swami  Vivekananda being his IDOL and we exchanged pleasantries and he was very open to discuss how at the age of 8 years he first read about swami Vivekananda and got this picture of him since then with him which he carries always in his wallet. He is still left with his graduation but to serve the nation is up on the front.

I salute this young man who not only carries a picture but also told me that he follows the ideals of Swami Vivekananda in his life and that has helped him achieve. SWAMI VIVEKANADA – a true inspiration to today’s youth and for coming n-number of generations.