When I clicked this image, I was quite enthusiastic to share it on my blog, as I found it very interesting. However, when I tried to give a caption to it, numerous parallel thoughts came in my mind, but none of them did justice to it.
So I thought of sharing it and throw it open to the fellow bloggers to give it a title or caption. Will you try? 🙂
Do let me know if you liked it or not?
Caption it.
Shubh Prabhatam!!!
I am sharing a photograph with you, that I have taken few days back, and you all have to do is to guess what exactly it is? Is it a field? Which crop is grown by the farmers in this field? If not, what is it? Take your time, don’t go bottom part, unless you have a guess.
Have you guessed? Yes, No.
Anyways, since I have not introduced any prize money for guessing the correct answer, so even if you didn’t guess, no reason to be saddened. 🙂
Behold the second sets of Pics, which I have taken few months ago, precisely in Spring, and you will be amazed to see the contrast between the two as both the pictures are of same location, may be I have taken it from different position.
These photographs are of Swarnrekha, a major River of Peninsular India, in the mineral rich state of Jharkhand.
Since past two years, I am observing a phenomenon. During summer some part of the river is completely inundated by a weed called Nasturtium/(Jalkumbhi, जलकुम्भी ). Its growth is very fast. Weeds are those undesired plants which gives competition to the intended crop by taking nutrition from the field, which were actually meant for the growth of desired crop. Due to excessive Nasturtium, rivers loses its identity and seems like a pond. Dissolved oxygen in the water gets reduced which is unhealthy for marine ecosystem.
Reasons for its growth: As we all know, unlike the Himalyan Rivers, Peninsular Rivers are ephemeral and mostly depends on rain. So few months after Monsoon and especially in summer the water in the river becomes low and its speed reduces drastically. A huge chunk of industrial and municipal waste is directly discharged in to the river generating an ideal condition for the growth of Nasturtium.
But, then comes the Monsoon, with all its might. Rivers banks are raised. Peninsular Rivers can be very violent and tumultuous in rainy seasons. Flow along with water level increases dramatically. Nasturtium grows only in steady water. Tremendous increase in flow results in washing out all the unintended weeds. Soon the whole river becomes pure and pristine and river gets it real identity.
Parallels in life:
It is said that nature is the greatest teacher. It teaches us the different lessons through its various acts, provided we monitor it carefully.
Some time in our life, our mind is preoccupied with many negative thoughts. They can be compared as the Nasturtium weeds in the river. They drain our energy and prevent us from displaying our real worth or character. Negative thoughts are just like weeds in the field which takes our limited energy meant for our enlightenment and progress.
But, like river receives Monsoonal water to which washes away the unintended weed, we also get many opportunities and instances in our life. River relinquishes the weeds in that force of water and attains its real nature. Are we ready to leave negativities to live in our true potential?
I think we are in better position than the river. Monsoon comes only once in a year, but if we desire, there can be many opportunities in our life to shed all the negativities and drags.
~Abhay
Hello Friends!
Hope you all are doing well. Monsoon is yet to arrive in my city with full intensity. However we have experienced some Pre-Monsoon shower. Today morning was also cloudy and cool gentle breeze pervaded in the atmosphere.
I was up to my favourite task, which I always relish in these sort of weather :), picked up my bike and went on for a ride. The ride was gentle until I came across a scene which was very poignant to me. I thought of writing about it and sharing to you all, but suddenly I changed up my mind. I have taken some shots through my phone camera (quality may not be very good) of that surrounding and thought sharing to you all. Because some time pictures are more expressive than the word itself and pics will give you the legacy of your own interpretation, rather than my point of view.
Do let me know your views.
आम का मौसम अपने चरम पर है. तो आज जैसे ही मन्नू ने बताया कि गुप्ता जी अपनी बेटी को लाने 10 बजे स्टेशन जायेंगे, तो हम चार पांच मित्र काफी खुश हुए. पर मोहन ने संदेह भरी निगाह से मन्नू को देखा और पूछा “अबे मन्नू !!ये बता, गुप्ता जी 10 बजे अपनी बेटी को लेने स्टेशन जायेंगे, ये बात तुम्हे किसने बतायी?”
मन्नू शरमाते हुए मुस्कुरा के बोला “गुप्ता जी की बेटी ने व्हाट्सप्प किया”. मेरे सारे दोस्त एक स्वर में बोले “वोवो..ओओओओओ …..”
अब आप सोच रहे होंगे कि मैंने शुरू में आम की बात की और बात गुप्ता जी पर अटक गयी. गुप्ता जी का आम से क्या ताल्लुक? तो आप को कह दूँ कि दोनों के बीच गहरा ताल्लुक है.
बात ऐसी है कि गुप्ता जी का घर मेरे परम मित्र मन्नू के घर के बाजू में ही है. गुप्ता जी के घर के बगीचे में एक बड़ा सा आम का पेड़ है और इस साल उस आम के पेड़ ने तो सारी हदें ही पार कर दी हैं. उसपर इतने आम लदें हैं कि पत्तों की संख्या कम मालूम होती है. और आम भी कौन सा… लंगड़ा. आशा है आप सब लंगड़ा आम से अवगत होंगे, पूछ इसलिए रहा हूँ कि आज कल के युवा वर्ग से पूछो कि उनकों कौन सा आम पसंद है, यद्यपि वो खाएं हो या नहीं, एक ही उत्तर मिलता है “अल्फांज़ो..”
खैर मैंने भी बस एक बार ही खाया, या ऐसा कहिये कि एक बार ही अपने मामा के घर पर खिलाया गया. पर जो बात लंगड़े आम में है उसका जवाब नहीं. खासकर गुप्ता जी के लंगड़े आम को चोरी करने में. हम चार पांच मित्रगण बहुत दिनों से उस पेड़ पर हमला करने कि फ़िराक में थे, पर बीच में आ जाते थे गुप्ता जी और मन्नू कि इज़्ज़त.
थोड़ा गुप्ता जी का परिचय “गुप्ता जी हैं अव्वल दर्जे के खड़ूस, दूसरों की खुशी गुप्ता जी से देखी नहीं जाती खासकर बच्चों कि ख़ुशी. मुझे याद है बचपन में क्रिकेट खेलते समय न जाने कितनी बॉल गुप्ता जी के घर में गयी होंगी, पर वह मंगलयान कि तरह वापस कभी नहीं आयीं. आपको एक राज कि बात बताऊँ, कई बार तो बच्चे गुप्ता जी को बॉल न देने के पश्चात “कुत्ता जी ” “कुत्ता जी” कहते भाग फिरते थे. ” आशा है गुप्ता जी मेरा लिखा हुआ ब्लॉग नहीं पढ़ रहे होंगे. गुप्ता जी को आम के पेड़ से बड़ा लगाव है. वो जब काम करने के लिए कंपनी में जाते हैं तो उनका भूत मानो आम के पेड़ पर ही लटका रहता है, और उसकी रखवाली करता है “
खैर छोड़िये, तो वह मुहरत आ ही गया. समय हुआ था सुबह का साढ़े 9 , हम पहले से घात लगा कर बैठे हुए थे, गुप्ता जी जैसे ही अपनी मारुती ऑल्टो को लेकर निकले, हमने पत्थर के ढेलों से उनके पेड़ पर हमला बोल दिया. धपाधप – धपाधप -धपाधप की आवाज़ आ रही थी. उनकी पत्नी एक बार चिल्लाते हुए बाहर आयी, पर हम डटें रहे. हमला और तेज कर दिया. ये मौका दुबारा नहीं आने वाला था. पत्नी को लगा इन लड़कों के सर पर शायद आज खून सवार है, वो जान बचा के घर को भाग ली.
बहुत सारे आम जमीन पर पड़े थे. आशीष का काम था उन आम को चुनना. मैं, मन्नू, मोहन और सुजीत कश्मीरी पत्थरबाजों से प्रेरणा लेकर आम के पेड़ पर गोले बरसा रहे थे. तभी आशीष ने बोला भाई झोला भर गया है चल भाग अब. सब भागने को तैयार. मैं एक आम के ऊपर चार पांच पत्थर बर्बाद कर चूका था पर वह टूट ही नहीं रही थी. हाथ में आखिरी पत्थर. मैंने बोला, ये रहा आखिरी हमला. पर वह फिर भी नहीं टूटी.
आम की डालियों से टकरा कर वापस आयी और उसके साथ आयी चीखने के एक आवाज़. “अबे…. …साले…..सर फोड़ दिया…” हम सभी हतप्रभ. देखा तो मेरा आखिर फेका पत्थर डाली से टकराकर सीधा मन्नू के सिर पर गिरा …और उसमे से बहने लगी लाल लाल खून. .. मैंने जोड़ से बोला “यह पत्थर मैंने नहीं फेंका, शायद कोई पत्थर जो पहले पेड़ पर अटक गया होगा, वही गिरा हो…” बाकी चारो दोस्त मुझे ऐसी देख रहे थे जैसे भारत का पाकिस्तान से फाइनल हारने की वजह मैं ही था.
मैंने कान पकड़ कर मन्नू से माफ़ी मांगी, और तुरंत बाइक से डॉक्टर के पास ले गया. डॉक्टर ने दो स्टिच लगायी और पट्टी बाँध दी. कुछ दवा देकर उसे आराम करने को कहा.
कुछ भी कहिये मन्नू बड़ा दिलदार आदमी निकला. उसने कहा ” सालों! गुप्ता मेरे को छोड़ेगा नहीं, एक तो आम के पेड़ का सत्यानाश हो गया है और दूसरा मैं सर पर पट्टी बंधवा के उसके सामने सबूत के साथ खड़ा रहूँगा, उसकी बेटी क्या समझेगी? इन सबमे मेरा योगदान सबसे ज्यादा रहा है, तो अब आम सबमे बराबर नहीं बटेगी, बल्कि दो आम मुझे ज़्यादा चाहिए…”
मैंने हँस के उसे गले लगा लिया, उसका दर्द शायद कुछ काम हो गया हो…
हम सोचने लगे कि जब गुप्ता जी अपनी बेटी को लेकर घर पहुंचेंगे तो उनका चेहरा देखने लायक होगा ….
और साथ ही में यह भी ख्याल आया कि आम खरीद कर खाने में भी कोई बुराई नहीं थी….पर ये मज़ा भी नहीं होता
और आप लोग इसको fiction की तरह ही लेंगे, और मुझतक पहुँचाना नहीं भूलेंगे कि कैसी लगी …….
Yesterday night we had a heavy Pre-Monsoon shower, here in my city. Morning too was cool and overcast, something which I love. I planed a ride in my city along with one of my friend and clicked some images of nature all along my journey. All the photos were clicked by my phone camera. Hope you would also enjoy it.
~अभय
~Abhay
I am overwhelmed! Thank You 🙏
Today’s morning was very fine here in my city and it became even more gorgeous when I had a south Indian meal in breakfast at one of my friend’s home. 😛 Knowing my likings, he had invited me on several occasions, but somehow or the other I kept delaying it. But today was the day. I love South Indian cuisine, especially the Dosas and Uthapam along with the Sambhar and Chatani.
To tell you the fact, my friend is not from South India. Yet the taste of Dosa was so delicious and sumptuous that I can bet that any South Indian cook would be proud of it. I had the breakfast as in the manner that I am having lunch. One after another, I devoured three Dosas one by one, partly due to the reason that I like it and partly due to the immense pressure from his family especially from his granny.
After having breakfast, I chatted for some time with his family members. His family is having same place of origin as I am having and we both speak same beautiful language “Maithili”. I find his family very decent and everybody in my surrounding having a word of praise for them. I spoke with uncle but the best part during my conversation was with his granny. She would be around mid 70s. She is quite religious and very soft spoken. She speaks in so humble way with me that sometime I wonder how someone can be so modest. Every time I talk with her, I get some life lesson.
As I had some other engagements later in the morning, so I asked permission from them to leave. They all seemed to be very happy that I came there and so was I. When I was leaving, out of respect I bent down to touch the granny’s feet, but she moved backward with a shudder and said “No, no, no, no….don’t dare touch my feet. Do you want that I commit sin?”
I said with anguish, “Why you never let me touch your feet Dadi and what sin are you talking about? Don’t you want to bless me?” Her response was “ You are bigger than me”. I said “Wow! How could that happen! Do I look older than you?” She said smilingly “Beta! You are Brahmins and we are not suppose to let you touch my feet, it’s considered as one of the great sins, which has been taught to us by my ancestors and I am not going to disobey them like your uncle”. I was shocked, ashamed. Uncle never resisted me from touching his feet. Her statement was probably a dig at him. Since I was running out of time I did not plead much and with folded hand I said Namaste and returned back to home.
On returning home, I got to know that my further engagement which I had, got cancelled. So I had free time. The sound of the granny “you are bigger than me” reverberated in my ears. I was forced to contemplate about the caste systems in India among Hindus. I never experienced this divide in recent times and unheard of this untill this moment. Yet the response of granny was shocking to me. I thought in those old days this divide must be very rigid, as much so that it had an indelible imprints on her mind.
I find this cast system as one of the reasons why foreign powers and their culture attacked us from centuries. It was one of the most debilitating factors of backwardness of our society. It is the phenomena which militated against the dignity of the humans.
And I find this caste system in today’s context as pernicious as it was ever before. Some political outfits are using this divide to gain their political leverage. Some netas, like Britishers, believe in the philosophy of “divide and rule”. They want that whole population should be divided on the cast line so that they could not stand together on the developmental issues. With this they are able to maximize their interest. Now is the time when we should relinquish all our identities and should stand for the cause of building a more secular, tolerant and accommodating society and nation.
Although the Constitution of India guarantees that there should be no discrimination of the basis of caste, gender, religion, place of birth etc. but these things has to be dealt on the societal level, and cannot be completely enforced by law alone. The onus is on current generation, we should thrive for a society where no elder should feel blessing the younger as sin and prevents touching feet.
the ETERNAL tryst 
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