26/11: हिंदुस्तान की कसम - Kalpesh Yagnik

**** Following post is taken from Dainik Bhaskar (bhaskar.com), I do not own any rights for it and all views express in the post were of the original writer of the post. It was published long back, but in the light of current events, I think its worth sharing. ****

कल्पेश याग्निक; भास्कर समूह के नेशनल एडिटर हैं, उन्होंने यह लेख मुंबई हमले के तत्काल बाद लिखा था| इसमें निकृष्ट नेताओं को नकार, आतंक के विरुद्ध एकजुट होने की गौरव गाथा का वर्णन था|

 
बह रोने की आवाज से हुई। टीवी पर अमर जांबाजों के साथी सैनिकों द्वारा उनके पार्थिव शरीर पर तिरंगे तह कर सलीके से रखे जाने के दृश्य पर देशभर की अनेक महिलाओं के साथ मेरी पत्नी भी आंसू न रोक सकी। बाहर बच्चे को स्कूल वैन तक छोड़ने आई एक युवती सेलफोन पर रुंधे गले से बता रही थी कि बेटे ने अखबार देखकर कहा: मम्मी, इसके डैडी तो मर गए! भीतर मेजर उन्नीकृष्णन की मां फफक रही थीं। चैनल बदलने पर रतन टाटा को भर्राए गले से बोलते सुना। फिर ताज के स्वागत कक्ष में मातमी माहौल, बिखरे कांच, टूटते दिल और यह सब बताते हुए फूट-फूट कर रोती बरखा दत्त।
 
सारा राष्ट्र रो रहा था। किंतु यह कोई कमजोरी का क्रंदन नहीं था। न ही किसी विवशता का रुदन था। ये पलकें तो आहत होने से भीगी थीं। तीन दिनों से बंधी हिचकियों का खुलना था। कलेजा मुंह को आ गया था। सो फट पड़ा। अपनों को खोने का दुख था। किसी और के अपनों के जाने का दु:ख था। इजरायली बच्ची के माता-पिता के मारे जाने का सदमा ठीक उतना ही गहरा जितना ताज के जनरल मैनेजर की जयपुर में पढ़ चुकी पत्नी और दो बच्चों का। सब हिंदुस्तानी। जो भी आतंक के विरुद्ध- वे सब हिंदुस्तानी। जो भी आतंक के साथ- वे सब आतंकी। जैसे 9/11 पर फ्रांस के एक अखबार की हेडलाइन थी: आज हम सब अमेरिकी हैं।
 
26/11 को देश पर हमला, 29/11 को देश एकजुट उस रात हमारे मुंह पर था कि हम पर आक्रमण हो गया। आतंक अंतहीन है। हमारा खून बहता जा रहा है। अब हमारे सीने शहीदों की शान में तने हुए हैं। कमांडो कितने ताकतवर हैं, उनकी हिम्मत की सानी नहीं, तीन दिन-रात चले इस खतरनाक ऑपरेशन के दौरान कई जांबाजों ने पानी तक नहीं पीया- ये बातें हमारे बीच हैं। हमले के दूसरे ही दिन गोलियों की बौछारों के बीच आम आदमी, युवतियां व छात्र भी, सुरक्षा बलों का हौसला बढ़ाने के लिए नारे लगा रहे थे।
 
यह नया मुंबई था, नया हिंदुस्तान था। 1993 के खौफनाक मुंबई धमाकों के कुछ ही घंटों में शहर सामान्य हो गया था। इस बार नहीं हुआ। डटा रहा। एकदम निडर। इंडिया अटैक्ड से इंडिया युनाइटेड। भ्रष्ट राजनीति, त्रस्त जनता तीन साल में आतंकी हमलों में 800 निर्दोषों की जान जा चुकी हैं। किंतु क्या तब के और अबके प्रधानमंत्री, गृहमंत्री, मुख्यमंत्री या एकाधे सांसद ने ही कभी गद्दी त्यागने की पेशकश तक की। न अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी में इतना माद्दा था कि किसी मंत्री को बर्खास्त करते, न डॉ. मनमोहन सिंह से ऐसे दमखम की किसी को उम्मीद है।
 
गृहमंत्री शिवराज पाटिल इतने गैर-जिम्मेदार निकले कि 200 कंमाडों फोर्स को दो घंटे के भीतर मुंबई भेजने की अति गोपनीय, अति संवेदनशील जानकारी खुलेआम टीवी चैनलों को दे डाली। क्या इसलिए कि आतंकी मजे में टीवी पर देख सकें कि उनके मुकाबले के लिए सरकार कितनी देर में क्या करने जा रही है?यही नहीं- आज तक कभी किसी शासनाध्यक्ष ने खुफिया तंत्र की नाकामी से इतनी जानें जाने के बावजूद किसी अफसर को बर्खास्त नहीं किया। क्यों? कोई रॉ प्रमुख, कोई आईबी प्रमुख, कोई गृहसचिव, कोई पुलिस प्रमुख आज तक किसी आतंकी हमले से खुद तो विचलित नहीं ही हुआ, कोई इनका बाल तक बांका न कर सका। जांचों के जीवाश्म अनंत हैं- उतने ही अजर हैं उच्च पदों पर बैठे निर्लज्ज नेता व अफसर। हालांकि पहली बार लोगों की घृणा इन सब के विरुद्ध खुलकर सामने आई है। नया हिंदुस्तान जो है।
 
समुद्री मार्ग: 15 साल बाद भी भंवर 1993 में मुंबई पर हमला इसलिए हो सका क्योंकि अरब सागर के सीने पर सवार होकर आतताइयों ने कोई 800 किलो आरडीएक्स भेजा था। समुद्री सीमा नौसेना और कोस्ट गार्ड के जिम्मे है। कस्टम का अमला भी तैनात रहता है। इनमें तब भी हक की लड़ाई थी, आज भी जारी है। 15 साल बाद इसी समुद्री छाती को चीरकर फिर आतंकी आ गए!इतने सालों में कुछ सबक न लिया? कुछ न बदला? हमारी समुद्री सीमा 7000 किलोमीटर की है- जिसकी देखभाल कितनी कमजोर है इसका अंदाजा इसी से लगाया जा सकता है कि खुद रक्षा मंत्री एके एंटनी ने लोकसभा में स्वीकारा था कि आतंकी समुद्री मार्ग से आ सकते हैं।
 
स्वीकारा तो सही,.. लेकिन किया क्या..? और उसी मार्ग से आतंकी आ ही गए तो एंटनी, शिवराज पाटिल की तरह पद पर बने हुए क्यों हैं ? इस हमले में एनएसजी का एक लेब्राडॉर डॉग मारा गया, वहीं सैकड़ों कबूतर भी चल बसे। वे गोलियों से नहीं दहशत से मरे। एक फोटो में गोलियां चलाते हुए हमारे एक सैनिक के चारों ओर ढेरों कबूतर दिख रहे हैं। वे उड़ क्यों नहीं गए? संभवत: वे जानते थे कि ये गोलियां जान बचाने के लिए चलाई जा रही है- इसलिए डटे रहो। हिन्दुस्तान की कसम।

Link to Post- http://www.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-mumbai-attack-2260018.html?HT1a=
 

The complicated act of Marriage...

Finally, Diwali break is over... finally I am back to Noida with lot of memories and a new kind of experience. I was just browsing through my Facebook account and saw a quote from a friend,

“We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness - and call it love - true love.”

This quote triggered something inside, I am definitely NOT "love, pyar etc" kind of guy. The trigger is for the simple logic is this quote. It was more about "compatible" and "satisfying weirdness", then anything else. 

This time it was not the usual Diwali, but "Guy of Marriageable Age in Our Family Diwali", so find a girl for him... after successfully dodging for many years, finally that moment came when I had to gear up for my very first "interview". Things went much better than expectations, and second round of interview we even better... but at the end of that day I left wondering about the whole system. If its all about "compatibility" and "satisfying weirdness" then why so many formalities, why all those "Gotra", "Rashi", "Mangal", "Shani" comes into picture. People say its science and it as passed test of time, and quite frankly I have seen its success. But, when it comes to me... I am not ready to accept that my birth time, rashi and place has to do anything with my future. We are defined by our own deeds, two people born at same place and same time could be very different, its all about how you were brought up and how you handle your self. They why so much complications. 

With time society update itself, may be in old times this was the best way to go about things but in the age of ICT, things are much different. I think a Facebook profile or a blog page can tell much more about a person then Kundali... specially when they brings up insecurity. For example, you like a person and he/she like to too... you both fit into "compatibility" and "satisfaction" criteria, things were going well until one person found out incompatibility in Kundali... I think this is the beginning of an end...

As far as I think of myself, I am more of a confused kind of person when it comes to relationships. So why not simplify life a bit...

P.S.- I am a believer of arranged marriage! *conditions apply ;)

Just a comeback!

Someday everything in life will make perfect sense. So, for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason. 


~ Poulo Coelho

Respect...

I don't believe in philosophy of give and take, but still there are certain things in life those needs to be straighten up with this philosophy. The topmost item on that list is "Respect", some people needs to learn this simple thing. I see around, when someone put everything in line for an individual with or without expecting anything in return, but least a person can expect is a respect from that individual. Some people take care and concern for granted, whether they know it or not but they start disrespecting other... may be by simple gestures or by just simply ignoring them. 

Time is the biggest remedy, at least people say it... but what I see is that it is true for the cases when you are hurt or broken from inside, but when you are disrespected every passing day... I think, a time comes when you feel like getting on the the face of the person and tell him/her that enough is enough. 

Just wanna say those people... STOP IT! Stop taking anyone for granted, if you have seen the best of a person, just wish that worst never comes in front. Because if it does... it will be more than just RESPECT...

Desperado

Desperado

It was a rainy dark night, 

My aim was looking out of sight, 

Every blow I took was testing my might, 

But I was adamant on turn things right... 

A fire was burning deep down inside, 

A desire was growing on outside, 

I wanted to put all fears aside, 

I wanted to leave defeat out of my sight... 

It was the time for introspection, 

It was the time for retrospection, 

It was the time to go above speculations, 

It was the time to meet expectations... 

I went on with little chance, 

I knew that it was my last stance, 

I had to pass the test of time, 

I had to conquer fears of mine...

Looking back, I see those days of dire, 

I see a battle fought to get what I aspire, 

Today, I am free to fly hire, 

...and enjoy a bright day of desire

-anoop

आज फिर...

आज फिर...  

आज फिर दिल कह रहा है उन यादों को जीने को,
आज फिर दिल कह रहा है उन रास्तों से गुजरने को,

आज फिर दिल कह रहा है वो गलतियाँ करने को, 

आज फिर दिल कह रहा है किसी से मिलने को... 

कुछ यादें ख़ास होती है, दिल के पास होती है, 

एक अहसास होती है, या कुछ राज़ होती है,
 

हम चलते रहते है, रह बदलते रहते है, 

कुछ राहे बिछडती जाती है, और नयी मिलती जाती है, 

कुछ राहे यादें बन जाती है, फिर हमें बुलाती है।

मन को समझाना मुश्किल है, 

वो ही जानता है की क्या उसकी ख्वाहिश है, 

कभी गलतियाँ करने से रोकता है, 

... और कभी उन्हें दोबारा करने को कहता है।

राहों पर लोग मिलते बिछडते है, उन लोगों मैं कुछ ख़ास होते है, 

उनकी यादें रह जाती है, कुछ अनकही बातें रह जाती है, 

फिर... किसी दिन किसी मोड़ कर, मन करता है उस 'ख़ास' से मिलने का, 

उन यादों को जीने का, उन गलतियों को करने का, 

लेकिन मन भी बड़ा अजीब है, डरता है उन बातों को कहने से, 

या शायद... कुछ गम फिर से सहने से...

-अनूप 

Jaane/Anjaane : Looking Back

In our life we meet meet many people, some of them becomes your close friends, some you forget over the course of time and there are some other who just meet you for moments and leave a lasting impression on you. This post is about all those "Precious" people with I crossed path at some point in my life. I don't know name of most of them but I they had some lasting impression on me...

Take 1: "Anoop"
Year 1984
That was the year I was born, I was about three months old and my name was not finalized. That was my first ever train journey and I was going to my maternal grandparents home. One of the traveler asked my mom, "What is his name". Mom: "Not finalized yet". Traveler: "What letter you what to start his name with?" Mom: "Punditji has suggested 'S', but 'A' will be fine too..." Traveler:"What about 'Anoop', that's a nice name"... and since that moment journey of "Anoop" started.  
 

Take 2: "Helping Hand"
Year 1992
I was in my 5th standard, just opposite to my present outlook (if you are among those who think I am sincere, regular type of guy), always on the edge, always inviting troubles for myself. On the annual day of my school, I felt on one of the nail that was used to fix the tent on ground. It was not a pleasant site to have a big nail couple of inches inside knee. Teachers were busy in the preparation on the other side of school and students were totally scared. That time, a guy came out of crowd took off his handkerchief to tie on my knee and took me inside school... I don't know what could have been result of delay... but lot of thanks to you Praveen!    

Take 3: "A friend in need..."
Year 1995
Another incident when I invited trouble, this time in swimming pool. I was learning to swim, and it was the beginning period, and I was not good at it. I took my chances and went into deep water and lost my breath. It was hard for lifeguards to find me in the crowded pool. All of the sudden two hands came and took me out, it was my classmate from school. He took me to low water area to shouted at me, "If you don't know swimming, why you go on that side?". I must confess, I didn't liked shouting that day... but today, when I look back I have nothing by a big "Thank you!".

Track 4: "Unknowns"
Year 1996: 
It was winter of 1996, month of January. Manali, a famous hill station was in its full glow. We were going to Rohtank Pass (one of the highest points for casual tourists). I decided to hike, and our guide joined me. Rest of people including my mom and sister took a passing tractor to go up there when this incident happened. As snow was converted to ice due to cold, roads were very slippery. Suddenly, tractor slipped and started moving towards canyon in reverse direction. From what I have been told, the driver and his helper jumped off and stopped tractor by putting some stones with lightning speed beneath tires and avoided a big accident. I have not even seen these two people, but they are a part of my memory.   

Track 5: "The first crush"
Year 1997-98
It was late summer season, beginning of monsoon season in India. I went for a small track near Indore at a place called Sitlamata Fall with a group from Youth Hostels Association of India. A nice little group in young boys and girls, day passes casually with all track and fun activities. On our return journey to catch a bus, it was heavy rain and we all were wet. We set in the but, that was the time when 'she' set next to me. A girl with wide smile and beautiful brown eyes. I don't know if it was weather, atmosphere, or anything else. Something really clicked between us and after a long conversation she shred her landline number (that was 1997... no mobiles!!!), that I noted on my hand (Old School). We had  a nice conversation, she got down when close to her friend's place. I reached home and looked at my hand, number was not there, rains has washed it up. With passing time, I don't even remember her name, but that I do know that that was my first crush. I thing still when I pass through that area, sometimes I do look around. :)     

Track 6: "Respect"
Year 2008
Moving 10 years and half the world ahead, it was Spring Break in 2008, I was leading a group of volunteers to help out National Park Services to scavenge a lost site at Cumberland Island in US. There was this elderly park ranger, unlike others very clam and had a lot of stories to share with us. In a short period of one week, we developed a great understanding and respect. I am not able to recall his name, but I still have some of the gifts that he gave us when we were leaving.

Track 7: "Roll at Rollins" and "The Beautiful Stranger"
Year 2009
One year later, I was working at Rollins Pizza in my University. An Indian guy working in morning shift among all unknown faces. There I met these two amazing ladies Maria and Miss Jeniece. Maria was middle aged Mexican women, and first friendly face that met there... we had most of the common shifts and had lots of conversations about culture, cooking, beliefs etc. great human being! Miss Jeniece, a 55 year old lady, known for her great Pizzas, very candid and content and my first cooking teacher of international foods. 

Track 8: "Miracle"
Year 1999-2011
This is a long story, year 1999... Internet craze among teens, most of the time spent in chatting. A boy met a girl accidentally, and they became good friends. For next 10 years they were chatting on and off, but they did became very good friends... and after 10 years, one nice weekend they met in Delhi...   

Track 9: "You can find help even at North Pole!"
Year 2010
I was in Vellore, exploring nearby villages and areas around. The most difficult part was communicating with people due to language barrier. On one such drives I lost in nearby area and was trying to find my way out. I met couple of people, but due to language problem I was not able to find my way out. After spending couple of hours, I heard a voice, "Kya Hua?? (Hindi)", it was a shock, but at the same time, there was a relief. He came to me, helped me getting out of that area, back to road. I don't know his name or anything for that matter... except his smiling face. 

Track 10: "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen"
Year 2008-09
MISC... Missouri International Student Council, a group of diverse and amazing individuals. I am glad that I got an opportunity to meet this wonderful group of people. Some of them were lost with time, but those memories are still there with me. And on the other hand, many of them are my very good friends till date. We are in different part of world at this time... but there is a bond of friendship and respect that always keeps us together.