Solitary Fisherman - Traveler Photo Contest 2014 - National Geographic

Solitary Fisherman - Traveler Photo Contest 2014 - National Geographic

-: "কামদুনি" :-

দেখছো আমায় , বোলছ আমায়,

ডাকছ ঘনো ঘনো ....

তাও তবুও আঁশ মেটেনা

মারছ আমায় কেন ?

তোমাদেরই মেয়ে, তোমাদেরই কেউ

তোমাদেরই মা , কেউ তোমাদের বউ,

তাও তোমাদের হাত কাপেনা,

মারতে আমায় আরও।

আমিই বারি ভাতের থালা

দিন দুপুরে রাতে!

খাচ্ছো দাচ্ছো তেজ বাড়াচ্ছ,

মারছ নিজের হাতে ;

আমার থেকেই হচ্ছো তোমরা

আমি হলেই মুখ গোমরা?

শুধু এই? আছে আরও গুণ

দিনে দুপুরে আমারই ভ্রুণ করো খুন।

শক্ত করতে তোমারই হাত

দিনরাত এই প্রাণপাত,

সংসার, অফিস, বাড়ি

তবু কেন আমি মার খেয়ে মরি?

তবুও কেন ডাকছো, বলছো

খাচ্ছো, দেখছ, তেজ দেখাছো?

কেন আজ দেখি, রোজ প্রতিদিনই

একের পর এক নীল কামদুনি .......

বাঁচতে চাই...........

 

আমিও  বাঁচতে চাই

সকাল থেকেই বৃষ্টি পড়ছে
মনটা কেন জানি খুউব ভারী হয়ে আছে,
প্রমাদ গুনি রোজই সকালে
দিনটা  যেন কেটে যায় আপন মনে।

রাস্তার ধরে আপন মনে বসে
ভিখারী মাসি রোজই গান করে যায় হেসে;
বৃষ্টি এলো নাকি রোদ এলো, ভাবেই না কখনো,
বোধ বাস্সি চলে গেছে মাসি র, অনেক কাল হলো।
পেটে র জ্বালাএ  বসে থাকেন রোজ ই ...
যদি কেউ দেয় একটা  টাকা, তারে
দেয় না কেউ ই , টাকা যে নাই আজ কারুর ই কাছে
সবাই আজ খুব কষ্টে শিষ্ঠে আছে।
কেন যে মাসি তুমি বৃথা
গান গেয়েই যাও একা একা?
আমরা যে দেখতে ই পাই না মাসি !
সবার মত আমি ও তো চোখে ঠুলি পরে ই আছি.

তবে যদি,
কোনদিন ও দেই তারে একটি বা দুটি টাকা!
দু হাত ভরে আশির্বাদ , একদম পাকা!

তবে কোথাও,  তুমি প্রান টাও দিয়ে দাও;
আশির্বাদ? ভালবাসা? সে তো অনেক দুরের কথা,
একটু হাসি মুখ দেখতে পাবার আশায়,
সারাটা জীবন কাটিয়ে দেবে,
কিছু ই পাবে না তাও ....

তাই রোজকার ওই মেকি হাসির ফাঁকে
বেঁচে থাকা র জ্বালাটাকে আরও একটু জ্বালিয়ে রেখে .....
কোনো ফাঁকা মাঠের ধারে বসে
চিত্কার করে বলতে ইচ্ছা করে ....

"আমি বাঁচতে চাই" .... "আমি বাঁচতে চাই" .... "আমি বাঁচতে চাই"

An extraordinary ordinary weekend

Last extended weekend was due for a vacation with my wife. We choose to go to Vaishno Devi. We both prepared for a religious tour but it became much more what I expected, a normal life after long long time. Why I am telling this? Because fortunately or unfortunately we live in Gurgaon for last 7-8 years and life in Gurgaon is not normal by any means. Normal day in Gurgaon is went to office and come back. If at all you wish to do something you have only MALLS to roam around and see all the glitters, foreign brands, expensive cloths, all so called hot and happening beauties shopping endlessly or watching movies which cost you more than 1000 bucks just for the movies (I am talking about the normal multiplexes) apart from that if you want to have your dinner you gonna feel that dinner throughout the month. I really wonder what make people buy a pair of shoes which cost around 4000-5000 bucks and cloths. No limit. How many cloths you require to ensure you are looking better than others? Still everybody is buying and they gone crazy when they see the board SALE in front of the SHOP. God Bless them.

Last Friday night we board Jammu Rajdhani from New Delhi station and reached Jammu station at round 0700 in the morning. Deliberately we booked a deluxe bus (which not at all deluxe) for Rs.63 and the destination was Katra. No A/c and in the back sit can feel the pain in the ass when the bus go through a rough road. Which took me to my good old stories before I came to Gurgaon? I was in Calcutta (Now Kolkata) worked in a Leather garments manufacturer firm with a little salary which I do not want to disclose now I used to travel in Auto and public bus and everyday it goes through the road which can easily take out all your lunch and breakfast without any hassle as the smell because of leather garments factories. Still I never ever had any reaction in my face probably because I was used to it. The co passenger in the bus profusely smoking bidi and his/her cloths not so called branded as they work in those factories and the amount of money they earned by which only household essentials can be bought. But surprisingly everybody has smiling. In fact the story is same with me as well. But now, I drive my car everyday (alone) with perfumes in my shirt and in my car, still I forgot to smile. Why? I should have lough out loud. Do I have any answer?
Reached Katra at around quarter to 10 and started to walk straight away and reached "Bhawan"  at around 1730 and pay homage and request and beg Almighty for more and more prosperity of mine and my family. Again we started walking towards Katra and reached there at 0300 hrs in the morning. Last couple of hours we were in pain. Anyways came back to katra and asked Auto driver to get a hotel for us but unfortunately we didn't found anyone. At least 1500 people are sleeping at the bus stand. But somehow we managed a hotel which is very upmarket and we have no other choice except staying in that hotel just for 9 hours. Got a nice warm bath and passed out. I got up early and asked in the reception if the breakfast included in the tariff, the front desk lady looked at me and told yes sir it is. I had a double continental breakfast because to cover up somewhat the money I paid for the room if I can save something by skipping my lunch. We checked out from the hotel preciously at 1200 in the noon just to make sure if I late by a minute they could have ask for extra.

Now we are off to Jammu but it was complete road block, people are walking. It was way too hot. We reached Jammu station at around 0300 o'clock and our train was still good 4 and half hours to left. We search for a waiting room and got 1 which suppose to allocate for Rajdhani passengers but who cares. So many people are coming in and out. There were no chairs available but they don't bother about anything, they just sit at the corner at the bunk anywhere with kids and family with smile and kids are playing there. I put my iPod but I was looking at them, I was looking at the real India which we usually not able to see in Gurgaon. People in Gurgaon and like Gurgaon has Malls, Multiplexes, Branded dress material, dine out with loved ones, discotheque and here people have just a corner to sit and probably wait like me to catch a sleeper class train to go there home sweet home. Despite all these odds all these hassles they were happy which I can sense though there gestures. I was smiling, not to see them, I was smiling at me, smiling at the life style we lead in Gurgaon or so called NCR. Just looking at them, their activity 4 hours just passed. I was somehow happy to be in a normal life for couple of days at least which I belong to, which I spend most of my life and so billions of people leading the same life every single day apart from couple of so called upmarket, rich, brand, disco savvy people. We came back to the platform and feeling hungry as the double breakfast already digested. I saw a railway canteen where I got 4 poories and sabzi just for Rs.20 and I ate that with so many questions in my mind even if Rs.20 for a meal sounds so so cheap to me compare to Delhi Gurgaon standard but there are people in my country probably do not have that much also to feed their kids as they never think about their hunger. We get into Rajdhani and my weekend trip completed. Tomorrow, 15th August. Independence Day, we are all independent but I was so so scared to go back to my "normal" lifestyle in Gurgaon which I think "abnormal" by all means.

I seriously feel to go back that normal life which I belong to, which I relate to, where I grow up, where I learn, where I laugh everyday every second of my life. I really miss life big time. GOD please save me.

A Story.. Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you ...! A Story..

Raaajeeessshhh.. .I heard my wife yelling. What happened to her?

Always yelling for something or the other. I can t be in peace even in my dreams. Shucks!! Angrily, I kicked my blanket and got down. Raaajesssh.. Coming Meera..what happened to you. Why are you shouting like this.. .I hurried down the stairs. I saw Meera, my sweet(??!!) wife, sitting in the couch giving breakfast to my 7yr old daughter Achala. Both looked happy,watching TV. I got confused at the whole scenario. I came running down, expecting some kind of earthquake, but instead here everything was in place. I looked at my wife & daughter. She smiled at me back. Now, I more got confused, what s happening here? Am I in a dream?

Meera. Yeah Rajesh. You called me. In fact yelled.  Yes. You are right!

I couldn't understand what she was trying to say. Is she playing some kind of prank? Is this the time for all these? I have to be in office by 9am for a meeting.

Yes. It s going to be 8am.Right! So.?  Rajesh, don t tell me, you forgot. today is 27^th  27th..What 27th?

Don t tell me you don t remember?

Meera gave me an I ll kill you look. Is it her birthday? No it’s somewhere at the year end. Is it my daughter s? No no , we celebrated last month only right. Got it. Should be our Anniversary.

Hey Meera, How will I forget our Anniversary.

Whaattttttt????..Anniversaryyyyy???...

Got it. It s not our anniversary. Before I get killed.What s w/ 27th. What ?? what?? Come on Rajesh!! Think. Nothing hit my mind. I looked at my daughter for a clue. She turned her face away. What s with all women? Why can’t they be straight forward & say things. With so much work pressure, how on earth

I am supposed to remember all the dates?. If I say something, then Meera will pick up a fight, and I will miss the meeting, my whole day will be gone. I made up my mind to surrender.

Meera, Sorry, I don t remember. This medicine I am taking for cough, Something happened..my memory is deteriorating ..What s today? Meera doesn't seem like buying that excuse from me.

Meera, please tell me I asked in a pitiable tone.. Rajesh..You don t remember at all? I moved my head left & right meaning NO. I kept my face like I am a patient suffering from amnesia.

Rajesh, As part of annual day celebrations, today is Daddy s Day in Acchu s school. I have been telling you for the past 3 weeks. Now don t tell me you forgot. You already promised that you will go with her to her school  I couldn't believe that I accepted for something like that. Meeraa..did I??

Yes. You did at what time it starts..?  By 8:30am and ends at 1pm .

Gosh!! 9am!! I have such a critical meeting. How I will attend all these.

"Meera, you could have reminded me yesterday right?  Oh I didn t remind you? Great. I didn t call to your office. Or remind you in the evening and before going to bed  Might be I wouldn t have heard it. Or slipped out of my memory. Whatever!!

 Can’t you attend all these. Why should I?? "Rajesh. It s Daddy s Day!...DADDY ss!!!!!

Oh yeah....but... But what????... errrh....might be some other day... What? You want the school to postpone the function?  No..No.actually..what..I am saying is..

What Rajesh??? What?? Tell me. You promised Acchu and are you going to disappoint her?  I stood there totally helpless. I looked at my daughter. She was all dressed up and ready to go. She looked like, she will cry any time. I saw Meera. She gave me a murderous look. I thought for a moment and my mind raced with many calculations. Important meeting. I can t miss for sure. Half a day is too much. So many deliverable will get affected. I can t face Meera again if I don t go. Might be I can postpone the meeting by an hour and for name sake visit that function and escape to office.

Meera, I will go, but I can spend only 1 hour..  No...that s not..  Before Meera finished the sentence, Acchu rushed to me Thanks daddy. 1hour. Mom, 1hour is enough mom. Please don t fight mom. Daddy, get ready soon..  she nudged me.

Do you know her school name and the route for the school or you want me to tell??? Asking that Meera threw me an angry look and left the living room.

I rushed up, got ready. Called my manager & told that I got stuck in traffic jam and postponed the meeting to 10am.  I took Achala to her school. I felt somehow entering the school, cos it s the 2nd time, I am entering her school. In fact 1st time. I once dropped her outside her school gate. The school had a big playground, Small Park with all kids playing equipments. Some stalls were put up. So many kids with their fathers moved around here & there. Suddenly I felt some one touching my hand Are you achala s daddy? - A small kid asked. She had curly hair and bubbly smile. Yes,,,My Daddy... - Achala responded in an excited tone. And some kids ran towards me and Achala started introducing everyone.

Daddy! this is Rohit, this is zakir, Anis, Sylvia, Divya.. - I told hello to everyone. Daddy, Daddy, Zakir is my best friend. - I smiled at that cute blue eyed boy.

Uncle, Acchu told that you have so much work and you won t be able to come. She told she won t come in today. You don t have work Uncle? - Zakir asked me. I suddenly felt very bad on how my daughter has understood me. No Zakir, I don t have work  Daddy, they are calling for the games. . Zakir ran to his father and waved his hands at me & achala. I took achala by hand and walked towards the stage. 

They were announcing the 1st game. Fathers will be given a sheet containing questions about their kids. Fathers have to fill about their kids which will be verified with the kids response. Achala was all excited about the game and she was all set to go. But I felt shivers. I looked at my daughter. Suddenly, I felt very far from her, and the reality hit me, that I don t know anything about my very own daughter. I blurted out Acchu..we will attend the next game..This one .. She gave me a deep stare. I thought she is going to cry or shout or do something. But instead she pulled out a small paper from her jeans pocket and gave it to me. Completely baffled, I opened the sheet.

My name is Achala. My birthday March 21st. I am 7yrs old. I like butterfly. Superman. Dairy milk. painting. dancing. I am in 1st standard A section. I like Dora. Mango. Apple. Fried rice. Jelly. I don t like banana. I drink boost.. I like yellow color. My nick name is Honey dew  And the list went on with small, small spelling mistakes. I looked at Acchu. Daddy, read it, I know they will keep this game. So I wrote it 2 days back itself, to give you if you come. If they ask anything about me, write there. Ok Now go & attend the game . Most of the things, my daughter has written & gave me, I never knew anything about it. I suddenly felt a lump in my throat. I went to the stage waved my hand to Acchu and got the question sheet.

Since Acchu gave the sheet, I came to know about her & I answered almost all the questions. Then they asked Acchu on stage and asked the questions to her.  We got the 2nd highest mark in that game. Acchu came running towards me and hugged me. They gave a toy guitar . Everyone congratulated us. Thou I won that game, I felt like a loser. I know, I don t deserve this. I don t know anything about my daughter.

She looked very happy showing that guitar to her best friend, zakir . What a kid she is. Understanding that her dad is totally hopeless and don t want to let her dad down, before others she prepared that sheet and gave to me. The lump in my throat started getting bigger and my heart became heavy. I caressed her hair. What a beautiful smile she has and such big eyes. Does she miss a wing to get qualified as an angel? I have never admired my daughter or even watched her in all these years. She has that cute dimple of Meera s as well as her eyes. Does that curling lip edges when she smiles, is mine? How I missed all this in my life. Achala pulled me to the stalls there and I got some eatables and ballons for her and zakir.. She kept talking about the next game and suddenly my mobile rang. Oops!! Is it already 10am. I looked at Acchu . Suddenly her face became dark. She looked totally upset and asked in an low voice Daddy! You have to leave now?

I looked at my mobile. My manager was calling. It s already 10am. I looked at Acchu. I looked around. All those happy kids with their fathers. I thought about my school days, where my dad used to come for all sports day, annual day, sit with me, cheer me up. Every day morning, while dropping me to school,  he will wait near the gate until my head disappear. Evening, he will come & pick me up in his cycle, and I will be telling him all the stories that happened that day in school.

I saw Acchu. How many untold stories my daughter has kept in her heart to say me? I thought about all those days, where I yearned for a girl child and I wonder, how much of my time I gave her.

I pulled her closer, gave a kiss on her fore head No Honey! I am not going. I will be here only.we will attend all games and roam around whole day.ok?  Really? - She asked in an unbelievable tone. Yes sweetz . Thank you Daddy! - Achala kissed my cheeks and ran to her friends. School teaches you something or the other always. This time, back to school has taught me a wonderful life s lesson. I called my manager & told that am running high fever and can t come in today. I know, I can handle things tomorrow. Today my daughter needs me more than anyone can need me in this world. With a lighter heart, I got up; ran towards Acchu, lifted her and gave her a big swing. She erupted into an controllable laughter. The lump in my throat started melting away.

Give to the world the best you have and the best will come back to you ...!

Genuinely true……A brilliant interview

Some, rather most organizations reject his CV today because he has changed jobs frequently (10 in 14 years). My friend, the ˜job hopper™ (referred here as Mr. JH), does not mind it. well he does not need to mind it at all. Having worked full-time with 10 employer companies in just 14 years gives Mr. JH the relaxing edge that most of the ˜company loyal™ employees are struggling for today. Today, Mr. JH too is laid off like some other 14-15 year experienced guys “ the difference being the latter have just worked in 2-3 organizations in the same number of years. Here are the excerpts of an interview with Mr. JH:

Q: Why have you changed 10 jobs in 14 years?

A: To get financially sound and stable before getting laid off the second time.

Q: So you knew you would be laid off in the year 2009?

A: Well I was laid off first in the year 2002 due to the first global economic slowdown. I had not got a full-time job before January 2003 when the economy started looking up; so I had struggled for almost a year without job and with compromises.

Q: Which number of job was that?
A: That was my third job.

Q: So from Jan 2003 to Jan 2009, in 6 years, you have changed 8 jobs to make the count as 10 jobs in 14 years?

A: I had no other option. In my first 8 years of professional life, I had worked only for 2 organizations thinking that jobs are deserved after lot of hard work and one should stay with an employer company to justify the saying ˜employer loyalty™. But I was an idiot.

Q: Why do you say so?

A: My salary in the first 8 years went up only marginally. I could not save enough and also, I had thought that I had a ˜permanent™ job, so I need not worry about ˜what will I do if I lose my job™. I could never imagine losing a job because of economic slowdown and not because of my performance. That was January 2002.

Q: Can you brief on what happened between January 2003 and 2009.

A: Well, I had learnt my lessons of being ˜company loyal™ and not ˜money earning and saving loyal™. But then you can save enough only when you earn enough. So I shifted my loyalty towards money making and saving “ I changed 8 jobs in 6 years assuring all my interviewers about my stability.

Q: So you lied to your interviewers; you had already planned to change the job for which you were being interviewed on a particular day?

A: Yes, you can change jobs only when the market is up and companies are hiring. You tell me “ can I get a job now because of the slowdown? No. So one should change jobs for higher salaries only when the market is up because that is the only time when companies hire and can afford the expected salaries.

Q: What have you gained by doing such things?

A: That's the question I was waiting for. In Jan 2003, I had a fixed salary (without variables) of say Rs. X p.a. In January 2009, my salary was 8X. So assuming my salary was Rs.3 lakh p.a. in Jan 2003, my last drawn salary in Jan 2009 was Rs.24 lakh p.a. (without variable). I never bothered about variable as I had no intention to stay for 1 year and go through the appraisal process to wait for the company to give me a hike.

Q: So you decided on your own hike?

A: Yes, in 2003, I could see the slowdown coming again in future like it had happened in 2001-02. Though I was not sure by when the next slowdown would come, I was pretty sure I wanted a ˜debt-free™ life before being laid off again. So I planned my hike targets on a yearly basis without waiting for the year to complete.

Q: So are you debt-free now?

A: Yes, I earned so much by virtue of job changes for money and spent so little that today I have a loan free 2 BR flat (1200 sq.. feet) plus a loan free big car without bothering about any EMIs. I am laid off too but I do not complain at all. If I have laid off companies for money, it is OK if a company lays me off because of lack of money.

Q: Who is complaining?

A: All those guys who are not getting a job to pay their EMIs off are complaining. They had made fun of me saying I am a job hopper and do not have any company loyalty. Now I ask them what they gained by their company loyalty; they too are laid off like me and pass comments to me “ why will you bother about us, you are already debt-free. They were still in the bracket of 12-14 lakh p.a. when they were laid off.

Q: What is your advice to professionals?

A: Like Narayan Murthy had said “ love your job and not your company because you never know when your company will stop loving you. In the same lines, love yourself and your family needs more than the company's needs. Companies can keep coming and going; family will always remain the same. Make money for yourself first and simultaneously make money for the company, not the other way around.

Q: What is your biggest pain point with companies?

A: When a company does well, its CEO will address the entire company saying, ˜well done guys, it is YOUR company, keep up the hard work, I am with you. But when the slowdown happens and the company does not do so well, the same CEO will say, œIt is MY company and to save the company, I have to take tough decisions including asking people to go. So think about your financial stability first; when you get laid off, your kids will complain to you and not your boss.

Swiss Bank Latest update's about the black money from India

Latest update after Swiss Bank has agreed to disclose the funds.

Our Indians' Money - 70, 00,000 Crores Rupees In Swiss Bank

1) Yes, 70 lakhs crores rupees of India are lying in Switzerland banks. This is the highest amount lying outside any country, from amongst 180 countries of the world, as if India is the champion of Black Money.

2) Swiss Government has officially written to Indian Government that they are willing to inform the details of holders of 70 lakh crore rupees in their Banks, if Indian Government officially asks them.

3) On 22-5-08, this news has already been published in The Times of India and other Newspapers based on Swiss Government's official letter to Indian Government.

4) But the Indian Government has not sent any official enquiry to Switzerland for details of money which has been sent outside India between 1947 to 2008.. The opposition party is also equally not interested in doing so because most of the amount is owned by politicians and it is every Indian's money.

5) This money belongs to our country. From these funds we can repay 13 times of our country's foreign debt. The interest alone can take care of the Center s yearly budget. People need not pay any taxes and we can pay Rs. 1 lakh to each of 45 crore poor families.

6) Let us imagine, if Swiss Bank is holding Rs. 70 lakh Crores, then how much money is lying in other 69 Banks? How much they have deprived the Indian people? Just think, if the Account holder dies, the bank becomes the owner of the funds in his account.

7) Are these people totally ignorant about the philosophy of Karma? What will this ill-gotten wealth do to them and their families when they own/use such money, generated out of corruption and exploitation?

8) Indian people have read and have known about these facts. But the helpless people have neither time nor inclination to do anything in the matter. This is like "a new freedom struggle" and we will have to fight this.

9) This money is the result of our sweat and blood.. The wealth generated and earned after putting in lots of mental and physical efforts by Indian people must be brought back to our country.

10) As a service to our motherland and your contribution to this struggle, please circulate at least 10 copies of this note amongst your friends and relatives and convert it into a mass movement.

Don’t you think we deserve a better INDIA to live………………