Sorry Anna! I’m ok with corruption...

I was watching the news of Anna Hajare’s movement and thinking that do we really need a movement to remove corruption and can corruption be removed completely from our lives.

Let’s start our discussion with what is corruption?

In my opinion whenever somebody is doing a favor to you in return of something, which without favor you didn’t suppose to get then there is corruption. If we read this line carefully then we will realize that corruption is everywhere around us. We are so neck deepens with corruption that it’s a part of our daily life and we didn’t even know that. Let’s take example of corruption in our daily life but in very small scale and in very common way. We are travelling in train and we don’t have ticket, at this moment the ticket checker should charge us appropriately but what we will do is to bribe him. I accept that both parties are guilty in this case but right now we are looking at our role. Now suppose we are travelling and we have a waiting ticket, now we will ask for ticket checker to arrange few births in return of some money. Ideally a police man should not allow any non railway vendor in train but they allowed them just for some money. Smoking is prohibited in train but if you are smoking in AC then nobody will say anything and in case of Sleeper bogy just keep a 100 Rs note ready and you are free to smoke as long as you wants. In AC bogies, attendant will even arrange for wine and other alcohol beverages on special requests, violating all rules.

Ideally municipality should not allow illegal constructions and shops but they are taking money for it. In case magistrate checking is roads for un-licensed shop then somebody from municipality will inform shop keepers well in advance. I can bet that you can’t make or take any caste certificate or birth/death/marriage certificate without expensing “kharcha paani” or “bachcho ke liye mithayi”.  Doesn’t matter how much electricity you are consuming but give a 100 rs note to electric person and he will slow down your electric meter. Ideally anybody below 18 should not suppose to drive as they didn’t get a valid driving license but check the roads around you. That’s not enough if you get caught on any traffic signal after violating some traffic rule just keep a 100 rs note ready in your pocket (50 Rs note if you are a girl).

I accept that we all are human being and we all have weaknesses and irrespective of our class and society, we all are little greedy so we may consider that all of them are not so heinous crimes but can’t we see that we are also contributing to corruption in our own way.

Folks let’s talk about moral police:

You have a big name in society and your son caught doing something wrong, ideally you should respect Law and allow them to do their work but what we will do is to use your reputation to free your son and make a mockery of judicial system. If you are going to bank and there is a big line of 10-12 people and you noticed that a friend of your is at 3^rd position in line then what will be your method you will go directly to him to enter in the line at 4^th position. Isn’t it corruption? It’s not a big thing but morally it’s still wrong.

Everyday we talk harshly on dowry but when it comes to your turn, you will take it as tradition. Isn’t it corruption?

We are going to temple just before exam and taking “mannat”. Isn’t “mannat” is a form of corruption? I mean you want a favorable result and you are promising to god that you will give him something in return. Isn’t it a bribe to god?

A man who didn’t want to fight the competition will give money to get a job and once he gets the job he will try to earn that money back.

Problem with us is that we talk big things about corruption but don’t want to correct small things. We talk about big scams, but we don’t want to talk about what we are doing wrong. We all want that all big names involved in scams should get punishment but we don’t want to correct ourselves. I am not saying that first we need to make our self morally right and then only we can talk about all big scams, No that’s not right and that’s a long process.  Our judiciary system will take care of it. Corruption is not a single man’s problem. Its problem of every one and no one can solve this problem alone. We need to be clean from within to think about corruption free India. If we left with corruption or im-moral duties even in small quantity in our self or in our daily life then no lokpal can do anything…..and we have to say sorry Anna! I’m ok with corruption.

जूनून....

किसी को मोहब्बत का है जूनून ,

किसी को अदावत का है जूनून ,

कोई मुफलिसी का मारा हुआ ,

किसी को दौलत का है जूनून,

न जाने ये कैसी है दीवानगी ,

कंधे पे लादे हुए जिन्दगी ,

भटकता हु मैं बे-सबब बे-निशान ,

मेरे साथ है मेरी आवारगी ,

कहाँ दिल जले को सुकून चाहिए ,

जूनून के लिए बस जूनून चाहिए....

Quarter Life Crisis

whenever you are writing a blog, after completion of it you have to put your mind to find a title for it; A Title which can justify the central theme of the blog. But this blog has a different story.  I heard the word “quarter life crisis” and I find this word so interesting and meaningful that I decided that someday I will write a blog making it as a central theme.

So quarter life means you have entered in to 25-30 year age group. You have spent a considerable amount on planet earth. Here word “crisis” means what are the problems and issues you hav to deal with after coming into this club.

You have crossed your teen age so now it’s time to wake up and come out of your fancy world. Now suddenly things will start change around you.  Your habit of going for job interviews by air or by sleeper will be converted in to “general in any train”. Some of the low ranker’s of your college must have got good govt jobs and will be one reason for your low RBC count.  All your dreams of first job will be replaced by “nightmare of job changes”. By now you have understood that there is nothing like dream job in this world. A good pocket money will be converted in to poor salary. Cold drinks will be replaced by hot drinks. A college life’s earning of six pack will be transforming in to a belly and always reminds you of its existence whenever you are hugging somebody.  All your “who-will-become what-someday” will convert in to “who-finally-became-what” talks. All your crushes must be married by now.  Your philosophy of love will be reduced to sex and your expectation of a high standard girlfriend will be replaced with “every girl is beautiful” thinking.

Suddenly people will start expecting “things” from you.  You will lost all the privileges of grown up’s. You will be more interested in news and stock markets then WWE and IPL. You will constantly hear “behave like this””behave like that” lectures. On every marriage celebration some of your aunties will pull your cheeks and say “you are next”. In relations, from somebody’ brother you will be somebody’s uncle, maternal uncle etc.

You will fall under one of the three categories: married, about to marry and thinking when I will marry. In any of the category you have extra responsibility to understand what your future partner will think about you and you have to like (or pretend) whatever he/she like. Except few old friends, now you’re frequently contact list will be reduced to ticket agent, brokers, passport agents etc.

In theatres you can’t shout or whistle (as it is against your age). You can’t fight with anybody or use abuse words as you suppose to be samajhdar now.  Considering all your previous acts, you will have developed an image by now and doesn’t matter what you are doing people will see that image only. With little bit experience of life you will consider yourself a philosopher and from visiting social networking sites, you will start writing blogs.    

PS: from quite some time I was writing serious blogs so I have decided to switch gears with this blog. This blog is no offence to anybody or anything. It’s written in good feelings. 

जाने कहा गए वो दिन....

कल शाम को खाना खाने के बाद मैं जैसे ही अपने कमरे में आया और लैपटॉप चालू किया ही था की लाइट चली गयी . फिर हम सभी दोस्त लोग बाहर बेठे हुए बिजली वालो को कोश  रहे थे . और कोशते भी क्यों न हमारे सारे   काम रुके पड़े थे. किसी को इन्टरनेट करना था, किसी को टीवी देखनी थी और किसी को खाना खाना था. मैं बैठा बैठा सोच रहा था की हम सच मुच कितने ज्यादा निर्भर हो गए हैं बिजली पे, फिर मेरा ध्यान मेरे आसपास की दुनिया पे गया और फिर मुझे लगा की क्या सचमुच जो भी Invention  हुए हैं उनसे हमारा रहन सहन का स्तर सुधरा है????

यही सोचते सोचते मुझे अपनी नानी का गाँव याद आया और मैं एक फ्लशबेक में चला गया . वहां आज जैसी कोई सुविधा न थी पर एक सुकून था . आज वही की कहानी कहूँगा . कहानी सच्ची है तो सब कुछ सच सच् ही लिखूंगा.

तो ये बात तब की है जब मैं क्लास ४ या ५  में पड़ता था. हम वार्षिक परीक्षा के बाद वाली गर्मी की  छुट्टी का बेसब्री से इन्तेजार करते थे. वो २ महीने की छुट्टी मानो जन्नत हुआ करती थी . हम अपनी छुट्टियाँ बिताने अपने नाना के घर जाया करते थे. उस समय मोबाइल फ़ोन प्रचालन में  नहीं थे तो अंतर्देशीय और पोस्ट कार्ड का चलन था. हम जाने के १५-२० दिन पहले नाना को ख़त लिख कर अपने आने की तारीख से अवगत करा दिया करते थे .नाना का गाँव आगरा से कानपूर लाइन पे शिकोहाबाद क पास पड़ता था. चूँकि उस समय वहां बस और टेम्पो ज्यादा नहीं चलते थे तो एक मैनपुरी नामक जगह पर नाना जी अपनी बेलगाडी  के साथ नियत तारीख को पहुच जाते. मिलने की जगह फिक्स रहती थी तो अगर हम पहले पहुचते थे तो वो इन्तेजार करते वरना  हम इन्तेजार करते. फिर भरी धुप में घंटा भर बेलगाडी का सफ़र . बेल के  धीरे चलने पर नाना जी का उसे कोशना और कहना " अरे तुझे चमार चीरे ","अरे तुजेह आग लगे" , "अरे बेल है के बकरा है " और जैसे बेल उनकी गालियों से motivate होकर तेज चलने लगता. गाँव पहुचाते ही दूर से ही जो भी मिलता उसका पापा से दुआ सलाम शुरू हो जाता. और लोग कहते "राम राम सा ". मैं पापा से पूछता की पापा आपको सब जानते हैं तो पापा बताते बेटा ये  manners होते हैं है की कोई भी अपने गाँव आ रहा है तो उसका स्वागत करो. मैं सोच में पड़ जाता की हम तो अपने teacher को देख के छिप जाते थे. कच्चे रास्तों पे चलते हुए खैर जैसे तेईसे हम पहुचाते अपने गाँव . तब तक शाम ढल जाती थी तो चारो तरफ लालटेन और ढिबरी (एक शीशी जिसके ढक्कन में छेद कर के बत्ती डाल कर लालटेन जैसे उपयोग में लाते थे ) दिखाई देने लगतीं. यहाँ ये बता दू की नाना नानी के यहाँ बिजली नहीं है, न ही कोई घडी थी उस दौर में. हमें समय का कोई इल्म नहीं रहता था वहां और शायद जरुरत भी नहीं थी. नानी का गाँव थोडा पिछड़ा हुआ है तो वहां लोगों का अपना ही रहन सहन का एक ढंग था . रात को खाने खाने के बाद घर की औरतें घर के अन्दर और पुरुष मकान के बहार चबूतरे पे खाट डाल कर सोते थे. चूँकि उस समय संयुक्त परिवार हुआ करते थे तो सब बड़े छोटे मिलाकर १०-१२ पुरुष हो जाते थे सोने वाले. कुछ लोग अपने खेतों पे भी चारपाई डाल के सोया करते थे. मुझे याद है मेरे नाना के पास एक रेडियो था जिसे वो जान से ज्यादा प्यार करते थे और जब भी मैनपुरी जाना होता उसमे बेटरी डलवा कर ले आते.  नाना के रेडियो में समाचार आते थे और आते जाते लोग उस चबूतरे पे बेथ जाते समाचार सुन ने को. उसके बाद गहन विचार विमर्श होता खबरों पर . मेरा काम बस सुन ने का हुआ करता था. रात के समय खुला आसमान हुआ करता था सर पे और मुझे याद है जितने तारे मैंने उस समय गिने होंगे उतने उसके बाद शायद कभी नहीं गिन पाया (अब पता नहीं इसमें दोष मेरी याददाश्त का है या प्रदुषण का ).ठंडी ठंडी हवा चलती और जुगनू उड़ते हुए दीखते . खेतों की तरफ से गीदड़ो और सियारों की आवाजे भी सुन ने को मिल जाती थी. सुबह जब नींद खुलती तो आसपास के सभी चबूतरे मिलाकर शायद मैं ही जागने वाला आखरी इन्सान होता था. सुबह सुबह लोग खेतों की तरफ जाते दीखते. टोइलेट थी नहीं तो हमें भी आसपास के किसी हैंडपंप से कोई बोतल उठाकर आसपास किसी खेत में जाना पड़ता. आज ये सब सोच कर भी अजीब लगता है जबकि उस समय ये सामान्य लगता था . फिर मामा एक दातून तोड़ देते नीम की,तो उसी से ब्रुश हो जाता. फिर वापिस आते तो नानी मठा पीने को देती और फिर हम मामा के साथ खेत पे चले जाते. दोपहर में जब मामा खेत के लिए मोटर चलाते तो हम भी उसी पानी से नहा लेते . चारो तरफ पेड़, चारो तरफ हरयाली . जिसके घर चले जाओ वहां घी लगी रोटियां . हम जाने न जाने सभी हमें जानते थे. दोपहर में खाना खा पीकर मामा के ही साथ कही छाओं में खटिया डाल के पड़े रहते . न किताबें थीं वहां , न टीवी थी, न कोई और साधन मनोरंजन का पर समय का धयन ही नहीं रहता था . किसी के भी घर में कोई कार्यक्रम होता तो गाँव के ही लड़के खाना परसने में लग जाते . शादी ब्याह के संमय गाँव की ही औरतें पूड़ी बिल्वाने जाती थीं .  शादी वाले घर में गाने बजाने का काम भी गाँव की औरतें ही सम्भाल लेती थीं. किसी के यहाँ किसी की death हो जाती तो भी खाना पीना आस पड़ोस से आ जाता था . वहां बिजली नहीं थी पर उसकी जरुरत ही नहीं महसूस होती थी. टीवी नहीं थी पर आपस की गप्पों में ही समय निकल जाता था. पंखे नहीं थे पर भरी गर्मी में भी हाथ के पंखो से काम चल जाता. वहां घरों के पते नहीं होते बस पोस्ट मास्टर सब को नाम से जानते थे तो हर चिट्ठी नियत जगह पहुच जाती थी.   फ़ोन और इन्टरनेट हुए बिना भी लोग संपर्क में रहते थे खतों के जरिये और ख़त भेजने के बाद जवाब का इन्तेजार करना, उसका अपना ही मजा था. वहां दुनिया छोटी थी पर लोग  दूर दूर तक एक गाँव वालो को जानते थे . आज एक दुसरे से जुड़ने के साधन बाद गए हैं तो हम और दूर हो गए हैं एक दुसरे की जिन्दगी से . आज महानगरों में लोग अपने पडोसी को ही नहीं जानते . आज के बच्चे  मोबाइल फ़ोन और मोटर साइकिल के तो सभी मॉडल जानते हैं पर देश दुनिया की जानकारी ख़तम हो गयी है....

आज सब सोचता हु तो एक सवाल आता है दिमाग में की technology ने हमारी जिन्दगी आसान बनायीं है या हमें कुदरत से और दूर कर दिया.........आप भी सोचियेगा....