As I look back at the last weekend, the only phrase that comes to my mind is - blinding contrast. I am searching other examples of an extreme of experiences in a single day.
The morning began with me going to the municipal garbage dump, armed with my camera. Why would I want to do this, rather than spending a Sunday morning relaxing over a coffee and solving the crossword? Because Bhaikaka is making a film, and Swati and myself are doing our little bit to help him. More about this film when it is complete.
I knew what a municipal garbage dump looks like but still its magnitude hit me. More than its sheer size and its squalor, the sight of people clamouring around the bulldozer, picking things off the garbage brought home an unpleasant truth.
I knew what a municipal garbage dump looks like but still its magnitude hit me. More than its sheer size and its squalor, the sight of people clamouring around the bulldozer, picking things off the garbage brought home an unpleasant truth.
These people have their individual roles defined as to what each one would pick. So one picked only footwear, while another only picked thick plastic bags. One picked only metallic objects, while yet another scoured the garbage for glass. If these pictures compel someone to start segregating dry and wet garbage (biodegradable and non-biodegradable) in their homes before throwing it out, I will be pleased. Saying that "how does only me doing it help? Nobody else in my building does it" is an excuse. Start at your end, and persist.
As the afternoon turned to evening, I looked forward to the dance concert in the night. On the way, I stopped at my customary paanwallah and got to hear about ic terror attack. So far, German Bakery always meant apple pies, butter cookies and large mugs of coffee over a languid evening. It would not mean only these things ever again. What does a terrorist seek? What change does he/she mean to achieve? Other than permanently scarring the lives of innocent families, it achieves nothing. All that we can do to stem this disease is to be more vigilant and alert. Once again, saying that - "how can just me being vigilant achieve anything, the Govt. is incompetent anyway" is again an excuse. I will start at my end, and persist.
The concert by noted Kathak exponent and Guru Maneesha Sathe and her senior disciples was unforgettable, as always. I have no words to describe it really. I am just hoping that the pictures will convey at least one percent of the impact that the performance had on me.
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9 comments:
three different experiences in one day!!! thats cool :D
Pushkaraj, what a lovely article. Life is so rich and its really upto each one of us to make it even more beautiful. Just a tiny bit of effort from each of us and what difference that can make!
Ashwini Teranikar
excellent..this was like a real time example of Maslow's hierarchy of needs...the rag picker's need for survival..the terrorist's need for a social identity..and Art...the apex need...of self enlightenment...
@ Rajlakshmi and @ ink - Thanks. I am still trying to figure out why people's participation in these matters is going down and cynicism is going up. I have a hypothesis that advent of electronic media is fueling this to some extent. Everything in the world is becoming virtual. A tap on my keyboard can transport me to wherever I wish to be. I don't have to move my butt to go there. Ironically, I am saying all this in a virtual space...
@ Omkar Reggae - That's some insight, man! I didn't see the link through Maslow's lens. Thanks!
Thanks a lot for a thought provoking post. It made me reminisce about a day of my student life.
That particular day I went to a special place to spend the morning with the HIV positive children living there who were actually abandoned by their respective families. After a few hours of lending some happy moments, I had to return from there actually thinking with a heavy heart whether why such wonderful and cute children are like that. What was their mistake in it? But I was actually happy to have given some memorable moments to those children.
That same day, I got a big surprise from my mom for achieving something special in my academics- I received a wonderful gift from my mom.
That same day, I participated in a local pigeon race competition in my area and was much delighted to win a prestigious award.
The day evening I spent the time in a handicrafts exhibition and actually loved each and every moment spent there. Standing on clouds and feeling as if I was the happiest person on earth that day, I was returning home and on the way I got the shocking news which changed a lot of things around. Wasn’t that some variety? Or was it Eventful??
Some call it variety and some call it Mystery…What ever we call it, Life still goes on and on…
On a different note, you are calling it an irony to present your views in virtual world but I’m happy that we do get that chance at least because of one such an irony.
P.S. In a recent discussion with a dear friend of mine over the recent terror attack, I presented exactly the same lines which you have presented here. Felt happy to see someone else having the same view point like me.
@ Asif - I had said in the post that I was looking for another example of such varied experiences. You have provided one! Your eloquence deserved to be an independent post, not just a comment, thanks!
actually, i established the link thanks to a broadcast assignment my professor gave me. i have to make a documentary on "the spectrum of life". in our world, we always look at spectrum as a difference. and so, i looked at maslow's hierarchy for an answer. and i found one there. your article just cemented my belief and now, the project is approved. thank you.
@ Omkar Reggae - Hey, that's nice. All the best for your assignment. Hopefully I will get to the documentary sometime?
Interestingly, whenever I think of a 'spectrum', I have always thought of continuity. Never thought of 'difference'.
Thought provoking for sure...That plea for garbage seperatisation is a promise from my side..Its the least i can do for my environment
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