Ashamed, Worried & Cried..!

Scene 1:
15th February morning, as usual visited our cafeteria along with colleagues for our breakfast. The guy who supervise the counter looks tiresome and his eyes are reddish. I just pulled his leg, "What man, valentines night..not slept well?!" blinked my eye with a meaningful smile. But, he was not even smiled back, saddened. Again, asked him what is the matter? He replied, "After read the news of Pulwama attack and many of our jawans killed in it, couldn't sleep whole night thinking about their families..!" I became speechless. When I came across the same news, it made me sad and bad some extent. Now I really felt ashamed of myself. He seems so big in front of me. I was not able to have my food on plate.

I started feeling somewhat guilty!

Scene 2:
On the same day, morning received a group mail from a student informing all of us to assemble to pay homage for the martyrs of pulwama. I thought it would be great to attend and pay homage. Shockingly, only very few gathered. I could count them from my fingers. That guy even announced orally to the crowd who were busy with their lunch. All of them are there only. But, none has turned up and looking at the small group of people paying homage.

I just worried on the young generation about their patriotism.

Scene 3:
The day was completely occupied with the emotions and thinking of my school and college days. Every morning we had assembly and prayer. It usually end up with National pledge and National anthem. Still remember those days, every 30th January paid homage for two minutes exactly the time our Mahatma Gandhiji assassinated. And we never allowed to stay at home to enjoy holiday on 15th August. We all should visit school for flag hoisting. We all assembled in clean uniforms and present early at morning. Now I don't think all schools are following such act.

I reminisced while returning home from office in a bus. A few office goers, young men were discussing about the tragic incident. Just listened their discussions;

"From where they got 350 kgs of RDX?" "It is all politics drama" "Either BJP or Congress played the game" "Until IPL, this would entertain us" "Why unnecessarily holding that Kashmir with us? Let it be with Pakistan"

Height of all, "Bumper prize for the family..Now central, state all would compensate their family with lump sum money..!" how shameless. A guy was telling, " That's their profession, everyone has their own risk of life. But, for them all praise and prize!". What sort of mindset? What's wrong with them? Intolerable.

Rather than anger, I felt sympathy, shame and agony about my 'brothers' (Indians are my brothers-as per my pledge).

I cried..!


Below the pledge in my mother tongue, I remembered what we recited everyday in our school days 😢

"இந்தியா என் தாய்நாடு.
இந்தியர்கள் அனைவரும் என் சகோதர சகோதரிகள்.
என் நாட்டை நான் மிகவும் நேசிக்கிறேன்.
என் நாட்டின் பழம்பெருமைக்காகவும் ,பண்முக மரபு சிறப்பிற்காகவும் நான் பெருமிதம் கொள்கிறேன்.
என் நாட்டின் பெருமைக்கு தகுந்து விளங்கிட பெரிதும் பாடுபடுவேன்.
எனது பெற்றோர் ,ஆசிரியர் மற்றும் பெரியோர்களை மதித்து நடந்து கொள்வேன்.
அனைவரிடமும் அன்பும் மரியாதையும் காட்டுவேன்
என் நாட்டிற்கும் நாட்டு மக்களுக்கும் உழைத்திட பெரிதும் முனைந்து நிற்பேன்
என் மக்கள் அனைவரும் நலமும் வளமும் பெறுவதிலே தான் நான் மகிழ்ச்சி அடைகிறேன்.
வாழ்க நமது மணித்திரு நாடு"

Shattered..!

Happened to catch a last bus on the day to home. It was an auspicious day it seems, many wedding receptions held at the evening and everywhere people in their extra ordinary fittings. Hectic traffic jam at the evening. Since it was last bus, it's packed.

En route, a marriage hall located near bus stop. There many boys boarded, all must be in high school level. As soon as they entered we all noticed that the 'liquor odour' heavily. I just shocked and looked at them every face, all in their teens. The big shock is everyone hold a soft drink bottle in their hand. Whenever they opened up, we all smelt the spirit. It is easy to understand that the soft drink is mixed up with liquor.

An old person asked them Were they drunk? innocently. The boy told him "Naturally, our classmate's sister is getting married. He only gifted us this special drink bottle".  Now the crowd got a topic to discuss! One person started saying "Nowadays all started drinking invariably gender and age". The other one curious to know "When you reach home, don't they notice by odour?"

The boy's reply shattered me. "My dad must be at home now. He always reach home at night with the same smell. And he only allowed me take small drink at parties-occasionally. Now, I am in class 10. In PUC I will be allowed once in month a can of beer. My dad has promised me..!" Nobody got surprised by hearing and a person next to me "Good that what his dad did. Any way these boys will drink with their friends nowadays. Why unnecessarily hide from home. It is better to allow them rather than hide and get caught of it."

Parenting has got a new dimension..?!