Where
the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where
knowledge is free
Where
the world has not been broken up into fragments
By
narrow domestic walls
Where
tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where
the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into
the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where
the mind is led forward by thee
Into
ever-widening thought and action
Into
that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
It
was early morning, as fresh and pure as the lines above. My clock raised an
alarm at 6 o’clock like it does every day but I was already awake. I did not
sleep at all the last night. Seven days to go for my final interview for admission
into my favorite B-school and I was nervous. Evey night I dreamt of an
interview panel bombarding me with numerous posers and every morning, I woke up
with some vague answers. This morning, I was trying to mug up the poem as my
reply in case I am asked to quote some inspiring poet. These lines must have
inspired millions of people by now as they have always motivated me and made me
proud of my origins. The sweetness of the words was being marred by some kind
of sour sensation on my tongue which I presumed was due to indigestion caused
by the lack of sleep. Hence, I decided to go on a short walk and treat myself
with a 5-star- nothing as mood lifting as a bar of chocolate. Overlooking the
fact that diabetes runs in my family line, I love to indulge in chocolaty sins.
There
was a small kiranastore across the
road. I often wondered despite of Easy Day, Reliance Fresh and Spencers in the
vicinity, how these shops set up in small huts can make business? But the
thronging crowd nullifies my doubts. The shop is owned by a middle-aged couple.
The man is an average-heighted, pot-bellied, semi-bald, talkative and cribbing
uncle while the woman is a remnant of a beautiful young lady, soft spoken and
cheerful aunt. What a clichéd coincidence.
I
was strolling along the bushes on the roadside muttering and reciting the
lines. As usual, the shop was bustling with a variety of customers.
………
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic
walls……
There
was a smart and suave old gentleman. He was wearing a business suit and was
checking mails on his BlackBerry mobile with one hand, He had a twenty rupee
note in the other hand which he used to gesture to uncle to make it quickly. He
was visibly too embarrassed to take his eyes off his mobile. The shopkeeper was
apparently very humbled by the mere presence of a millionaire. As though bound
by some duty, he explained to other customers, “Look at these unfaithful
servants nowadays, they don’t even have shame. Last night, both the servants
ran away without informing anyone. Thank God, they did not steal anything but
the gates were unlocked. Anything could have happened. Sahebis so humble and down to earth. He came himself to purchase
the bread and milk. Sir, please take my mobile number in case you need in
future.” Disinterested, the million dollar man stared helplessly at his red
colored Honda City wondering whether it would have been less torturous had he
drove to the shop instead of walking. Just across the road stood his
magnificent bungalow glistening against the blue sky, Right on the left side of
the boundary was a heap of bricks arranged carefully to form a cuboidal
structure. Whether there was any cement involved in binding the bricks together
or not was difficult to tell but a sheet of tin balanced over three and half
walls of bricks presented a picture of not a very safe haven. Of course Gurgaon
winters were harsher and this make shift house uglier than an igloo definitely
provided some comfort. Suddenly, the polythene sheet dangling on a stick at the
entrance of the hut moved and a woman emerged with three children of ages in
arithmetic progression of one year. The infant one was sleeping peacefully on
her shoulders. The elder one was walking along her with faltered steps. The
eldest one was guiding them to the shop. “They must be the daily wage workers
engaged in the construction activity.”, I thought.
……..Where
the mind is without fear and the head is held high……
Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr………
a man riding on a scooter with a deafening decibel level sound just avoided
colliding with a bench placed outside the shop. He was around six feet tall,
healthy and muscular with fiery red eyes and bushy eyebrows- reminded me of the
Yamaraj in the Snapdeal ad. “You live
only once so better watch it…..”, I could imagine him saying with a clenched
fist pointing to my face. He was a milkman and wanted around 5 kgs of milk. The
humbleness on the shopkeeper’s face changed into a forced smile, he mumbled,
“Sir, just give me a moment. I will bring your milk from the cold
storage.”“Don’t waste my time. I am a regular customer. Isn’t it? You know my
time then why don’t you hurry?”, the man replied while folding his sleeves.
Shopkeeper was smart enough to understand his priorities. He went inside to
bring the milk immediately.
……
Where knowledge is free…..
The
poor mother was guided to the shop. She asked the shopkeeper for the bun that
costs Rupees 2. “In this consumer-driven era, poor people still don’t
understand brands, they identify a product through its cost.”, I wondered.
“Amma!Please I want a packet of chips”-
the small boy asked his mother. She shoved him away and asked him to keep
quite. I looked at her. How young she looked- around 16-17 years old. In no
case, she could be older than 18. Ahh! Don’t they realize that marrying at such
an early age is not only illegal but also dangerous to the physical and mental
health of the woman? While I was trying to guess her son’s age, a cycle was
just about to run into me. There was a boy of about 12 years. He hurled a one
rupee coin towards the poor shopkeeper who was having a hard time and grabbed a
small pouch of gutkha(tobacco) from a
strip of pouches hanging from the door. The shopkeeper did curse him for his
bad manners but for his bad habits. “They need a lot of education”- I thought.
……..Where
tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection…………
Although
the shopkeeper was bugged, he was not frustrated. After all he was earning but
the man standing in front of him was not. He had come to the shop to settle his
monthly account. He appeared to be a fresh graduate, trying to get a good
government job. Frustrated by innumerous tests, interviews and rejections, he
was trying to apply his convincing power and negotiation skills on the
shopkeeper- “When did I buy these things? They are worth Rs 500. I never had
that amount of money. I don’t remember. Why did not you ask me to sign then?
Where is my sign?”.
“Please
don’t test my patience. No one questions while buying items. Why are you asking
now? I have been selling to your family since you were child. Go and ask your
father. Yes sir, how can I help you?....” The young unemployed man was on the
verge of pulling off his hair, “Why is everyone disturbing me? I can’t even
concentrate on calculating the bill amount.”
……..Where
the mind is led forward thee…. Into ever-widening thought and action…….
While
the shopkeeper was busy dealing with the affluent, the powerful and the coaxing
customers, there was a group of lesser mortals waiting for its turn. The young
mother, tired of being cajoled by her little son and hurt by rejecting his
pleas several times, turned around in an action as if slapping him but quickly
picked up a packet of chips from the stall and hid it under her shawl.
……..Where
words come out from the depth of truth…….
The
young woman hid the packet under her shawl but she had money in one hand and in
the other, she was carrying the child. So she handed the packet quickly to her
crying son. When she handed a two rupee coin to the shopkeeper, he asked, “What
about the chips?” “I already bought it from the other shop.”, she replied and
hurried away with her kids.
……….Where
the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of
dead habit……
“But,
I don’t think any other shop nearby sells these chips and I can see one of the
packets missing.”, the shopkeeper screamed. “Its just a matter of five rupees.
We are getting late. Please.”, a mixture of voices said but the shopkeeper was
too restless. He shouted and cursed the young lady, her children, the labour
class, the poor, the homeless, the beggars, the thieves, the servants etc. and
followed the poor family to their hut.
……..
Into the heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake……
