Real or Mechanical?
I am apprehensive that our society should not turn into a barren land so much so that we forget the formalities that are to be morally performed
Mudasir Ahmad Gori
I am in a state of a dilemma over the past few weeks over the thought, why do people matter to us? Why is that if someone ignores us, we seem to lose the breath of our life. Well, that’s what life teaches you. There are people who come in your life like an angel and change the entire course of your life.
They care for your well -being like a parent, a guardian, however, hard you try to pay them back, their generous acts cannot be simply compensated. I am reminded of the famous ghazal sung by Jagjit Singh “Haath Choothy Bi Toh Rishtay Nahi Chootha Krtay” syndicating the essence and significance of people and their relationship.
We meet people in life accidently and at times intentionally. Those whom we confront by chance do not matter to us more often than not, but in rarest of the rare cases, such people become an inspiration for us. They leave such an impression that you never forget them for all the days to come in your life. This is irrespective of the fact that the impression may be good or bad, stimulating or embarrassing, live or dead still these memories carry through our lives.
I am inspired to pen down this write up too because the recent UPSC results have sent a clear message that relationship can also be inspirational. There are scores of people who end up their lives. They lose all their hopes, they have perhaps all the reasons to die but surprisingly not a single reason to live. Life is not simply a bed of roses. But is it wise on our part to lose all hopes? I understand that we face tough times in our life. Of late viral news surfaced on the internet where an elderly man hanged himself.
It is pathetic that people die of poverty while those in power have no concern for the common masses. How good of those people who feed the poor and help them financially many a times. The recent debate on ‘Wall of Kindness’ seems to have died the aspiration of people too.
There is nothing wrong to be inspired by a woman too. This woman can be your mother, sister, wife, friend or so to say your girlfriend. Well, that is what the UPSC topper has recently stated.
He hinted at the moral support of the parents but made it publically clear that his girlfriend played a vital role. It must be understood that she too must be from a humble family. Unlike the relationship that we see these days where people draw money and pleasure from each other, it is, however, true both ways. I do not say that only girls do that, boys are equally responsible. But how good would it be that this relationship aims to inspire rather lead people astray from the path?
Our parents are the first ramrods to inspire us to a greater extent. Same may be said about the family. They sacrifice everything for their children. There are cases where parents have sold their kidneys to ensure that their children get a good education. In some breathtaking cases parents have sold themselves for the sake of the future of their wards. There are stories of organ transplantation that shock us down to our spine; they do it all because children matter to them.
Now the million dollar question is do they matter to us? These children of our society are busy with playing PUBG and other social networks. How painful is to see that our elderly father or mother waits passionately to see a glimpse of their children, but they get busy with these electric gadgets and have no time and space for concepts like morality ethics, the servitude of parents.
We are caught in a battle of binaries now, truth vs. false, virtual vs. real. We all carry a mechanical smile on our face while the truth is we are emotionally barren like the Wasteland of T S. Eliot. I may refer here again to another ghazal sung by Jagjit Singh
HarTaraf Har Jagha Be ShmuaarAadmi
Phir Bi Tanhayoin Ka Shikaar Aaadmi
I am apprehensive that our society should not turn into a barren land so much so that we forget the formalities that are to be morally performed. I want to mention one of the episodes of China where a friend of mine while getting down from the train was stopped by few elderly people and as understood he took some cash with an intention that they are perhaps asking for some alms.
But surprisingly that was not the case, to his shock they were demanding some time from him and appealed him to spend some time with them, as I quote “Can you spend some time with us” While he narrated this incident to me I was all drenched in tears, my aspiration soaked and I was asking myself what has happened to us as society. Yes, we are mechanically advanced, but we lag far behind emotionally to call ourselves humans.
Apna Maatam Aap Karo
Saamny Rak Kr Khud Ki Laash
(The writer is a researcher)