ഞാന് ഉള്പെര്ടുന്ന സാദാരണ ജനം എന്നാ വലിയ സമൂഹത്തോട് സഹതാപവും അവന്ജയും തോന്നിയ ഏതാനും മണികൂറുകള് ആണ് ഈ അവധി ദിവസം എനിക്ക് സമ്മാനിച്ചത്. എറണാകുളം ബസ് കാത്തുനിന്നു അര മണികൂര് ആയി. പിന്നീടു വന്ന ബസിലാകട്ടെ നല്ല തിരക്കും. കുറച്ചു യാത്ര കഴിജ്നപ്പോള് സീറ്റ് കിട്ടി. ദേവരുന്നു ബ്ലോക്ക്.
മതങ്ങള്കും ദൈവങ്ങള്ക്കും പഞ്ഞമില്ലാത്ത നമ്മുടെ നാട്ടില് ആചാരങ്ങള്ക്ക് അല്പം ലാളിത്യം പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കാന് കുടി പാടില്ല. അനുഷ്ടനങ്ങളിലെ ദൂര്ത് ദൈവങ്ങളെ സന്തോഷിപികുന്ന ഒരു കാലത്താണ് ഞാന് ജീവികുന്നത്. അതുകൊണ്ട് തന്നെ ഓരോ ഘോഷയാത്രയും എത്രയും മനോഹരമാക്കാന് സംഘാടകര് ശ്രമിചിടുണ്ട്.
ഇതുപോലൊരു ഘോഷയാത്രയാണ് എന്നെ ചിന്തിപിച്ചത്. മുപ്പതു മിനിറ്റ് ഘോഷയാത്ര കുരുക്കില് പെട്ട യാത്രക്കാരോട് അതെ ജെനുസില് പെട്ട ഒരു സഹോദരന് ചെയ്തത്. ഘോഷയാത്രയുടെ മുന് നിരയിലെ ചെണ്ട മേളക്കാരെ ഓരോ വാഹനതിന്ടെയും മുന്നില് എത്തുമ്പോള് അവിടെ നിര്ത്തി ഒരു അഞ്ചു മിനുട്ട് കൊട്ടികുക്ക എന്നാ വികൃതി. ചേട്ടന്റെ സംഘടന പാടവം എല്ലാരുടെയും മുന്നില് കൊട്ടിഘോഷിക്കുക എന്നാ നിര്ധോഷമായ ആഗ്രഹമാണോ ചേട്ടനെ കൊണ്ട് അത് ചെയിച്ചതെനു എനിക്കറിയില്ല.
ചേട്ടാ ഒന്ന് പറഞ്ഞോട്ടെ , ഞാന് നിങ്ങളെയും നിങ്ങള് എന്നെയും അറിയില്ല. എങ്കിലും ഞാന് അന്നേരം ഞാന് അറിയാതെ ശപിച്ചു പോയി. ആ ശാപം ഏതെങ്കിലും ഒരു രണ്ടു മണിക്കൂര് ബ്ലോക്കില് ചേട്ടന് പെടുമ്പോള് തീര്നോളും
എല്ലാ ദൈവങ്ങളോടും എനികിപ്പോള് ഒരടുപ്പം തോന്നുന്നു. പൊട്ടനും, കുറത്തിയും അതുപോലുള്ള മറ്റു ദൈവങ്ങളും അടിച്ചമാര്തപ്പെട്ടവന്ടെ വേദനയില് നിന്നും സ്വതന്ത്ര അഭിവഞ്ഞയില് നിന്നും ഉണ്ടായതാണെന്ന് വിശ്വസിക്കാനാണ് ഞാന് ഇഷ്ടപെടുന്നത്. മനപ്പൂര്വം സ്രിഷിടികുന്ന ഗതാഗതകുരുക്കുകളില് പെട്ടുപോകുന്നവര്ക്ക് വേണ്ടിയും ഒരു ദൈവം ഉണ്ടാകുന്ന കാലം വരും. ആ ദൈവത്തെ പ്രീതിപ്പെടുത്താന് നമ്മള് പാതയോരങ്ങളില് ധര്ണ നടത്തും. നാട് റോഡില് ഘോഷയാത്ര നടത്തും. ഓരോ യാത്രക്കരന്ടെയും മുന്നില് അരമണിക്കൂര് മേളം നടത്തും. ഒരു complete ബ്ലോക്ക്. ഞാനും ഹാപ്പി . ദൈവവും ഹാപ്പി.
വാല്ക്കഷ്ണം: നല്ലവരായ ദൈവങ്ങളെ, അടച്ചക്ഷേപിച്ചതിനു മാപ്പ് തരിക. ഇത് എന്റെ വേദന ആണ്. ഉത്തരവാദിത്തങ്ങള് ചെയ്തു തീര്ക്കാന് പകലന്തിയോളം കഷ്ടപെടുന്ന പലരുടെയും വേദന ആണ്. ഭൂമിയില് കഷ്ടപാടുകള് നിറയുമ്പോള് ദൈവം അവതരികും എന്ന് ഞാന് കേടിടുണ്ട്. എത്രയും വേഗം അങ്ങ് വരട്ടെ
എന്ന് ഞാന് പ്രാര്ത്ഥിക്കുന്നു.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
PSC Calling....
A few weeks back, I met a childhood friend of mine at the bus stop. The bus stop is a place that give better chances for social networking as many buses skip the trip. You get enough time to meet new people, to gossip and of course, for re-defining relationships (love at first sight)…. No bus.. We waited there
Now days I don’t get much excited with meeting my old friends. I used to have a huge list of friends whom I call regularly and get not even a miss call from them that shows you are still remembered. Exceptions are there. Please excuse if you are the one who sms, call, mail/scrap me. Can’t help it as we all are struggling to make the ends meet.
This girl was a classmate of mine, during lower primary days. We were talking and in between she asked if am writing any PSC exams. I said
“No. I don’t “ . She stared at me in surprise. Probably I belong to that minority of cracks who doesn’t long for a govt job or would have thought it’s my ego.
“Cuhmon da.. you write a few. If you go through it, it’s a lottery. No need to work. But you can collect the salary at the end of the month” she replied
“Yes, that’s is the reason why I don’t write. I need a job, not just to hold to title and to collect the salary, but also to work. I need some work which you seldom find there”. Has she got annoyed? I don’t know and I don’t care.
I feel she is a representative of us, the Malayalees.. It is not just the salary and job security that attract people to Govt jobs but this stupid motto also. The sad part of the story was this girl is a teacher. She was a comrade, who actively participated in the Students union strikes against self financing colleges. I was thinking, if this is the kind of wisdom we cherish, we are going to be trapped in red tapes.
You go to any govt office, even if it’s for a single certificate, you have to waste at- least 2 days. Their replies will be
Day 1: No application here. Come next day
Day 2: Bring this card.. that card
Day 3: (You went there with all the possible certificates you can find)now, some mismatch. Can you ever expect an StrComp to return a 0 for these texts? After all, it is written by those generations who came before them.
Go to fisheries office. I have been there personally. I reached the office by 9.00 AM. I was waiting for the clock to strike 10. Seats were vacant even after 10. The officer came after 10:30. I was made to wait again. By the time I finished my work, it was 11:30. I wanted to blast at him. But I am an “unfortunate, common citizen” of this beautiful land. Can't Interrupt a Govt Servant "at work". I had to collect just one application form. Later on I came to know that, the new form was not needed.
Go to mg university (from experience). You will find empty seats till 11:30AM and seats getting vacant by 3:30 PM. Its heaven for the people who work there. Flexible working hours!!!!! And hell for those who approach them for a signature or a certificate (Customer service…).
The government should bring a proper performance management system. They should take the feedback of Aam Admi to decide the grades and promotions of Govt Servants. Otherwise, this tradition of red tapism will repeat.
Long Post :(... will add somemore things to this in a new one.
Thanks for reading
Now days I don’t get much excited with meeting my old friends. I used to have a huge list of friends whom I call regularly and get not even a miss call from them that shows you are still remembered. Exceptions are there. Please excuse if you are the one who sms, call, mail/scrap me. Can’t help it as we all are struggling to make the ends meet.
This girl was a classmate of mine, during lower primary days. We were talking and in between she asked if am writing any PSC exams. I said
“No. I don’t “ . She stared at me in surprise. Probably I belong to that minority of cracks who doesn’t long for a govt job or would have thought it’s my ego.
“Cuhmon da.. you write a few. If you go through it, it’s a lottery. No need to work. But you can collect the salary at the end of the month” she replied
“Yes, that’s is the reason why I don’t write. I need a job, not just to hold to title and to collect the salary, but also to work. I need some work which you seldom find there”. Has she got annoyed? I don’t know and I don’t care.
I feel she is a representative of us, the Malayalees.. It is not just the salary and job security that attract people to Govt jobs but this stupid motto also. The sad part of the story was this girl is a teacher. She was a comrade, who actively participated in the Students union strikes against self financing colleges. I was thinking, if this is the kind of wisdom we cherish, we are going to be trapped in red tapes.
You go to any govt office, even if it’s for a single certificate, you have to waste at- least 2 days. Their replies will be
Day 1: No application here. Come next day
Day 2: Bring this card.. that card
Day 3: (You went there with all the possible certificates you can find)now, some mismatch. Can you ever expect an StrComp to return a 0 for these texts? After all, it is written by those generations who came before them.
Go to fisheries office. I have been there personally. I reached the office by 9.00 AM. I was waiting for the clock to strike 10. Seats were vacant even after 10. The officer came after 10:30. I was made to wait again. By the time I finished my work, it was 11:30. I wanted to blast at him. But I am an “unfortunate, common citizen” of this beautiful land. Can't Interrupt a Govt Servant "at work". I had to collect just one application form. Later on I came to know that, the new form was not needed.
Go to mg university (from experience). You will find empty seats till 11:30AM and seats getting vacant by 3:30 PM. Its heaven for the people who work there. Flexible working hours!!!!! And hell for those who approach them for a signature or a certificate (Customer service…).
The government should bring a proper performance management system. They should take the feedback of Aam Admi to decide the grades and promotions of Govt Servants. Otherwise, this tradition of red tapism will repeat.
Long Post :(... will add somemore things to this in a new one.
Thanks for reading
Friday, June 18, 2010
Funny but serious
Its on my way to Binani Zinc I met that aunty who works as a clerk in Edappally. In my 30 mins journey we get enough time to talk on the many things. Out of these, most of the time, the topic will be frequency of buses in Panayikulam route. We speak this almost every day as there will be many people including ladies on the footboards of the bus. For everyone, the journey is a nightmare. Anyways we are getting used to it.
Yesterday, the bus filled more gents than women. We were sitting in the second chair from the door. Usually the place till the third seat will be occupied by women. This time, it was occupied by gents. No enough space and people standing were literally slanting. It was then my friend started a new spin in the chat
As I told earlier, she is working as a clerk in an attorney’s office and has to travel a lot. Whenever she enters a bus from city, the first thing she does is the display of the knife she carries in her bag. She takes it out, wipe it, check it, and keep it back in the bag. By this men near her will move away.
She has been doing this for a fairly long time… and this is how a woman is supposed to travel in the so called “God’s Own country”. Right from eve teasing to unwanted touch, a woman has to bear many things in the streets and public places of this God’s own land. But hardly have they reacted. Even if they, others discourage her. No one desires a change and no change, it repeats.
Yesterday, the bus filled more gents than women. We were sitting in the second chair from the door. Usually the place till the third seat will be occupied by women. This time, it was occupied by gents. No enough space and people standing were literally slanting. It was then my friend started a new spin in the chat
As I told earlier, she is working as a clerk in an attorney’s office and has to travel a lot. Whenever she enters a bus from city, the first thing she does is the display of the knife she carries in her bag. She takes it out, wipe it, check it, and keep it back in the bag. By this men near her will move away.
She has been doing this for a fairly long time… and this is how a woman is supposed to travel in the so called “God’s Own country”. Right from eve teasing to unwanted touch, a woman has to bear many things in the streets and public places of this God’s own land. But hardly have they reacted. Even if they, others discourage her. No one desires a change and no change, it repeats.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
My Pseudo Love
I was sitting in the verandah thinking how to celebrate the World Environment day. Like Japanese, I was planning for it, for a long time, at least from the days of ads and campaigns on “the DAY”. I dreamt of planting teak, mahagony and a few other varieties of tree saplings. But now I realize when my plans lay as the promises of the politicians, that am just another citizen, who is very good at preaching and do less.
Am just another citizen, who speak on global warming, climate change and emission control. I mourn at the shrinking forest and lament for the disappearing species. I cry when my neighbor throw garbage into the nearby water body. I am that civil servant who rejected the indebted farmer’s request to register the sale of his land to a real estate giant. At the end of the day, I find myself, resting in the air conditioned room of my concrete palace. I cut down all the trees in my small piece of land, for beautification. But still am a lover of this earth and my environment. I still cry when…..
Am just another citizen, who speak on global warming, climate change and emission control. I mourn at the shrinking forest and lament for the disappearing species. I cry when my neighbor throw garbage into the nearby water body. I am that civil servant who rejected the indebted farmer’s request to register the sale of his land to a real estate giant. At the end of the day, I find myself, resting in the air conditioned room of my concrete palace. I cut down all the trees in my small piece of land, for beautification. But still am a lover of this earth and my environment. I still cry when…..
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The OWL
It was a hot summer day of May; I was on my 4th round of bath. Climate was so horrible that even 2 times bath will not give relief from the heat. It was then I heard the sound of an owl outside the window. It took me back to my childhood days.
Owl was considered to be a bad omen that none will allow the poor creature to sit somewhere peacefully. It was believed that the owl would bring diseases to the children. People do all sorts of funny things if this poor guy finds a place somewhere near their house. I still wonder what those activities of putting salt into burning oven and heating the knife has to do with the owl.
I remember my granny and aunty amma walking round the house with burning Olibanum, their lips moving in prayers. But the owl never moved from its place nor stopped crying. Anyways, these beliefs influence the life style of village people. For me, they are our privileges. I love to be bound to these beliefs.
Now, we are grown up. I remember granny doing it till Joel’s days (My cousin, 11 yr old). 4 yr old sania is the youngest of us. But I don’t see granny roaming round with burning Olibanum. Either she stopped it due to her old age or owl reduced in numbers due to many reasons.
Owl was considered to be a bad omen that none will allow the poor creature to sit somewhere peacefully. It was believed that the owl would bring diseases to the children. People do all sorts of funny things if this poor guy finds a place somewhere near their house. I still wonder what those activities of putting salt into burning oven and heating the knife has to do with the owl.
I remember my granny and aunty amma walking round the house with burning Olibanum, their lips moving in prayers. But the owl never moved from its place nor stopped crying. Anyways, these beliefs influence the life style of village people. For me, they are our privileges. I love to be bound to these beliefs.
Now, we are grown up. I remember granny doing it till Joel’s days (My cousin, 11 yr old). 4 yr old sania is the youngest of us. But I don’t see granny roaming round with burning Olibanum. Either she stopped it due to her old age or owl reduced in numbers due to many reasons.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
World Habitat day of Oct 2009
I was going through the newspapers on 5 Oct 2009 in which 2 articles caught my special attention. One was the first column news in Hindu that published the picture of a lady mourning on seeing her submerged house in Garlapdu village near Hydrabad during the heavy rains. Other, was an ad published in the Manorama daily of same day, by Apple A Day Properties on their new offer, exchange of house. "Exchange your old house with Apple A Day's newly built flat or villas". Why this article caught my attention was, both of them published on the same World habitat day".
This day too went unnoticed. No one was aware of this day it seems, other than the creative minds in Apple A Day. Both the articles disturbed me a lot. First one for the poor lady's fate and the other one for the new trends in consumer behavior. We are adopting a use and throw culture. Owning a flat in Kerala's industrial capital is a dream for most of the urban population(i don't want to be in that category ;). The boom that happened in the real estate, made the job easy. Along with the real estate, land mafia too developed.
We are exploiting. Exploiting the land, rivers, forests... and the dreams of the middle class too. Fortune is yet to come to the bottom level.
Lets come back to the flood affected Andra and Karanataka.Its been more than 2 months, since the flood. Everyone have forgotten this. (Now the hot topic in Andra is the Telengana and Governer Tiwari and in Karanataka, the illegal mining contract.). Whom to blame? The nature? the govt? or the common man?? The majority who produce the food for the privileged minority, live in starvation. The hands which build houses and palaces, hardly enjoy the safety of a shelter. With the govt stepping back from the agriculture, education and public sector makes the things worse. But, definitely I appreciate the NREGA initiative by the Govt. Its a blessing for thousands under the poverty line.
This day too went unnoticed. No one was aware of this day it seems, other than the creative minds in Apple A Day. Both the articles disturbed me a lot. First one for the poor lady's fate and the other one for the new trends in consumer behavior. We are adopting a use and throw culture. Owning a flat in Kerala's industrial capital is a dream for most of the urban population(i don't want to be in that category ;). The boom that happened in the real estate, made the job easy. Along with the real estate, land mafia too developed.
We are exploiting. Exploiting the land, rivers, forests... and the dreams of the middle class too. Fortune is yet to come to the bottom level.
Lets come back to the flood affected Andra and Karanataka.Its been more than 2 months, since the flood. Everyone have forgotten this. (Now the hot topic in Andra is the Telengana and Governer Tiwari and in Karanataka, the illegal mining contract.). Whom to blame? The nature? the govt? or the common man?? The majority who produce the food for the privileged minority, live in starvation. The hands which build houses and palaces, hardly enjoy the safety of a shelter. With the govt stepping back from the agriculture, education and public sector makes the things worse. But, definitely I appreciate the NREGA initiative by the Govt. Its a blessing for thousands under the poverty line.
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