Land Line Phones

from my memories..

I have done all my schooling from a single school and never had to change it. Although I had many friends in school, but three of us were the best ones. One wrote stories with me, other one gave me a lift to school every day on his Hero Ranger cycle. When the school was completed, we made a pact that whatever happens we will meet each other thrice every year, on each one's birthday. We followed the pact for few years. Now since we all are in different parts of the world, it is not practically possible and moreover we have lost touch. 

When  we were about to complete our 10th class, sooner or later we all had land-line phones at our homes, which was a great thing to own at that time. Through Land line  phones when we called our friends, we had to talk to each others families also. This way we kept in touch with each others parents and siblings also. The family values and culture came naturally to us. Whereas now with mobile phones it is so easy to talk to a friend. You just send a short text message to him/her directly and the message is conveyed, no one else has to know. Earlier you will have to talk to your friend's mother, brother or sister, say hello to them, ask them how they are, and tell them what is going on with you.This way you become friends with all of them and this encourages family culture and respect. Parents always knew who their kids are going out with.

One more interesting thing about those land-line phones. For our early morning walks, we had a Phone ring code system to call each other without disturbing others. If I woke up earlier (which I did mostly), I will give a small ring on my friends phone, and if he gets up and is ready to go for walk, he will send a small ring back to confirm. No call charges to be paid, free communication. :). However this system sometimes failed when I got up early and reached our usual meeting spot for early morning walk and my friend sleeps again after sending confirmation ring.

At one time, since I loved to write, I had sent my address to a local news papers "Pen Friends" column. Even when the phone number was not published, people (mostly girls ;) ) got the number from the directory and used to call me. It was really fun (for a while) to talk to some of them. Before that phone used to ring for me only on rare occasions like my birthday or calling for their birthday, or annual Diwali and New year wishes. 

Teach English to everyone

Today I had to go to a hospital to registration my father's name for consultation with ENT Doctor. The registration starts at 08.00 AM. To avoid long lines I had to reach there at 07.45 AM. Considering my normal waking up time of 08.00 AM, it was a very tough job for me. I had to get up at 07.00 AM, which is coldest time of the day. Anyhow we all have to do anything required especially for our parents. Battling with the cold I could manage to reach there by 07.50 AM. There were already 5-6 people there. In front of me was an 68 years old man ( I could see from his card). He was elder than my father, but was very thin and I can say was not financially very sound. The lady at the registration counter started her job at exactly 08.00 AM (This is very appreciable considering govt facility).

When the old man's turn came, the lady had a look at his card, and looked at old man with disappointment and said. "Uncle ji, maine kitni baar kaha hai, ki din dekh kar aaya karo, aaj aapke doctor wala din nahi hai, card par bhi likha hai" (Sir, how many times I have said, that you must come after checking the days on your card, Today is not your doctor's OPD day). Turned out he had to come only on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays as mentioned on his OPD Card, and today was Wednesday. The old man was certainly very disappointed, just like me he also had to get up early and come here all the way battling the fierce chill and all was waste. I felt bad for him. Then he requested lady at registration counter to write the days in Hindi.

The above instance shows how important it is to learn English. No offense to our mother tongues and national  language Hindi. We must respect them. However still every Indian must have some working knowledge of English. It is not easy to convert all the systems in Hindi, even if we are able to do so at many places, it will keep us alienated from the complete world if we do not learn English. I think, with a little effort, one can learn some English like weekdays, Time, Amounts, so our people do not have any such problems.

Based on above I am addition another resolution to my new year resolutions - To teach one such person (like that old man) enough English which can save him from such unnecessary hardship.

New Year Resolutions

Wish everyone a very Happy New Year 2013. Lets enter the new year with new hopes, and learn from what we have got in 2012.

OK, So finally I have decided that Resolutions must be made even if you have failed earlier. (Ref: - http://fouryugas.blogspot.in/2012/12/new-year-resolutions.html)

Following are my commitments for myself for 2013.-

Will try to give priority to Personal life over Professional life.
Find time for myself everyday. 
Go for a vacation. 
Write everyday.

Recently added,  will try not to be judgmental.

Bye 2012

Only one hour left. One more year is passing away...

No regrets.

Wish new year brings Happiness to all, at least some peace of mind if not happiness.

Be the Change

Now everyone is talking about bringing change to the Justice system in India. Which of course is important. Justice in our country takes so long that it is actually not justice. Things have to be improved a lot here.

One more thing which is important to all of us, is to change ourselves. Lets us all resolve that we will change our mentality. Not all of us are mentally sick to justify a rape or murder or even eve teasing. But most of us are sick enough to ignore what is going around. There are news like when a guy tries to save a girl from eve teasers, the crowd gathers around and see him getting beaten to death and do nothing. In Kolkata a girl is dragged on streets and stripped down by mob, while some onlookers are busy recording the even in their mobile phones. THIS has to be changed, we have to owe the responsibility. Staying silent is also being part of the crime.

I urge to all to change there mindsets. Real men will never tease, hurt or rape a woman. Our ancestors have always taught that real men never raise their hand on a woman. In Mahabharata, the invincible Bheeshma, laid down his life, but did not attack Shikhandi (who was a woman in his last birth). Anyone who did a wrong things to women had been punished severely in all our historical epics. Where is that respect gone now?

Who can dare to tease or hurt a woman, when he has on his mind that every one around him will hit him like anything. There must be Zero Tolerance to any such activity around you. If this happens every Indian woman will have unlimited bodyguards always around her and she will be able to move out without fear. I will once again repeat a famous saying "Only that country is truly free, where a woman can move out alone at night without fear".

She's Dead

She's dead

Sad.. Sad.. very sad,  Mind is numb, unable to think anything.

I am filled with anger and despair. This seems like end of the world. It will be tough to get this out of our minds.

What an irony! In our country we worship women, we have so many female goddess. yet this happened here. We Indians boast all around the world about our rich culture, about how we respect women. We are taught that western culture, western people are bad, our own culture is golden. Today may be I am emotional, but I am unable to find anything good in being Indian. We say we are going to the a world power, but still have problems like these, female child is killed before its born, complete lawlessness. Court cases take years and years for judgement. Jessica Lal was killed in 1999, and judgment came in 2006. Dhananjoy Chatterjee raped and murdered a 14 year old girl in 1990 and he received his punishment in 2004.


"Justice delayed is justice denied". Why is it not understood by the govt and our lawmakers.

For these culprits even capital punishment is not enough, the both hands and legs of the culprits must be chopped off, with "Rapist" marked on their forehead and then they must be left on streets. I would request people not to hurt them, instead feed them and not let them die.

Also all of us must ensure that such a demonic act cannot be repeated ever. We must not bear any such thing going around. We must unite and raise our voice against such mentality around us. This protest must not get cooled down.

May she rest in peace.

New Year Resolutions

Resolution Time. Most of us make new year resolutions some time in life and then by end of the year, do not even remember them. Some try making the resolutions again next year, but again forget by the end of the year.

So, what should be done, Shall we get convinced and not make any resolutions at all, and continue to live our lives as they are?

To be continued...

(I will complete this post on 1st Jan 2013)

:)

Saurabh