Khatte Mithe Pal Jeevan ke, nostalgia, experiences, family, humour

  “ आदि पुरुष ”     का ट्रेलर   देख कर एक पुरानी बात याद आ गयी! उन दिनों ऑनलाइन शौपिंग इतनी आम नहीं होती थी, एक दो साइट्स थीं, जिनसे शौपिंग जरूरत के चलते नहीं, बल्कि शौक के चलते हम लोग शौपिंग कर लिया करते थे.   ऐसी ही एक साईट से एक बार   बच्चों के लिए एनीमेशन मूवीज़ सर्च करते   हुए एक एनीमेशन मूवी की   CD पर नज़र पड़ी, जिसमें रामायण की कथा थी. हमें लगा, मिक्की माउस, डोनाल्ड डक, लूनी टून्स वगैरह तो टीवी पर आते ही रहते हैं, बच्चों के लिए   ये एक अच्छा चेंज रहेगा. वैसे ये भी   लगा था, पता नहीं बच्चों को mytoholigical मूवी उतनी पसंद आएगी या नहीं, पर   जब प्ले किया तो सिर्फ बच्चे नहीं, हम बड़े भी उस एनीमेशन फिल्म में रम गए. आज तो लगभग हर कोई   उस फिल्म को जानता है, पर आर्डर करते वक़्त हमें नहीं पता था, कि ये लीजेंडरी एनीमेशन फिल्म है: Ramayana: The legends of Ram ! इंडिया और जापान के सहयोग से बनी यह फिल्म सच में अद्भुत थी! एनीमेशन भी उस जमाने के हिसाब से बहुत अच्छा था, और साथ ही छोटी-से छोटी डिटेलिंग का भी ख्याल रखा गया था. राम चन्द्...

When I was a school girl, my father got an offer for deputation in Assam, which he accepted. During the discussions in the family, somebody said,” Why do you need to go to Pardes (foreign land)?” (Probably the word was used as our family belonged to M.P.) I strongly objected to the word “ pardes ” saying, “Why are you using the word Pardes ? Assam is our own country!” During his stay in Assam, my father told this incidence to an IAS officer, with whom he was sharing the Government guest house. Upon hearing this, the officer said, “when you go home next time, convey my “ Namaskar ” to your daughter.” When my father conveyed his message to me, I could not understand why a “ Namaskar” was needed for a simple statement. Today, when I see our countrymen fighting and spreading hatred in the name of regionalism, it pains a lot. Now I understand, the feeling behind the “ Namaskar ” conveyed to a schoolgirl by the gentleman.

“You must understand the environment in Pakistan. This has become a money-making concern. A lot of people say if you want to go abroad and get a visa for Canada or citizenship and be a millionaire, get yourself raped." When in 2005,  I read the above statement made by Mr. Parvez Musharraf, the then President of Pakistan, the first thought that stuck my mind was how miserable the condition of women could be in a country, where the country Head kept such apathetic attitude about a crime like rape. But now I see that in India also, we are hearing such things from top level politicians and bureaucrats who are supposed to be responsible for safety of women. For example: 1.      Ladko sey galti ho jati hai. Kya rape case mein phasi di jayegi? (First girls develop friendship with boys. They when differences occur, they level rape charges. Boys commit mistakes. Will they be hanged for rape).” 2.      “If any woman, whether married or unm...