Tuesday, May 29, 2012

To the Unsung Hero of my Life


I am very happy today. In fact, my happiness knows no bounds on this great day of May the twenty-ninth of 2012. To the world, the reason might be different. But I am sure you know the actual reason behind my gladness. It’s not about me; it’s about ‘my’. I bet you are aware of it. That is why at times I feel that you know me better than myself. I am indeed proud to have you in my life, no matter a little later.

The timely suggestions, the moral boosters. The late night shifts at your house and the instant calls for follow-ups. I am sure I am going to miss all these for at least a few years from now. I don’t know if I can ever become a person like you who sees solutions and not just problems in every matters of life. The real life experiences of your life that you shared with me when I get into troubles were always a dose of optimism to me. I know that you are very caring and helpful and joyful and thoughtful. But it seems to me that I enjoy a lot of those from you rather than anyone else (this could make a lot of them envy me! ;)) Yet again, it was your constant suggestion and encouragement that I have started off with this Blog. However, here, I would like to borrow a phrase “Have I made it large?” from my inspiration to my continued blogging zeal so that I can ask my readers if I have succeeded in portraying you in my life.

As I sat down to dedicate this blog post to you, I realize that it’s my Eleventh post this May as well as in my Blogging history (J I started the Blog in May itself!). They say that Eleven is a lucky and fortunate and good number (after 7). I am once again delighted to dedicate my Eleventh Post to you. And as a retrospect my past, I find that I met you for the first time in my life during my admissions for the Eleventh grade after my SLC. And as I peep into the near future, I discover that I have an-all-new journey set for my future and career from the Eleventh of June (as I will be moving for Delhi from Nepal for my MBA at FMS) which I know would have been a dream to me if I keep aside your relentless efforts along with me to fulfill my applications (I hope you remember the formalities to be done with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with the sending of my Relevant Original Documents to New Delhi through your acquaintance via SpiceJet!) Wow, what a co-incidence of Elevens. And let me add to this what stroke me at this moment- the movie Ek aur Ek Egyarah starring Govinda and Sanjay Dutt. May be, if I had stayed with you together in Nepal for a few more years, we could have been the real life casts of that reel-life!

I hope you will like this small gift from my side as I thought to gift you with something that belonged to me, entirely me. How nice it seems to me to gift you with a technical and ICT-related gift- through my personal blog post dedicated entirely to you!

I don’t know if I have done justice in recognizing you as my Unsung Hero, but I would sincerely like to defend or rather explain my connotations behind the selection of this title. I didn’t know you at all some 7 years ago. You were none other than anyone to me before that, just like any stranger passing by. You were neither any so-called relative to me nor any distant relations of our acquaintance. No relations of blood either. You are neither my father, nor my uncle. Neither was I anyone so special to you. But yet, over the years, you have made me all the more special to have you as my friend, my elder brother, my mentor and my guardian.

Your contributions, large and small, are very very monumental and extra-ordinary. I am certain that they weren’t extended out of any moral liability or obligation (just like the duty of a father towards his son, or a responsibility of a teacher over his disciple) and neither did you have any sort of vested interest in your unconditional support and love towards me. Let me become selfish at this instance, I am too proud to have you as the most Special person in my Life-long odyssey.

You have taken a great leap from No one to The Most Special Person and that’s why I take you as my Unsung Hero. I love you for what you are, I salute you. You once said in my house, “I can never be Vipul” but here I say to you, “No need to become, you are great as you are. You remain as my dearest Amit Dai, forever and ever.”





So, Have I made it large?!?



P.S.: I am still awaiting a perfect moment to provide a platform for another outflow of my feelings for the Unsung Heroine of my life whom I met still a bit later in my life. I don’t know if I can and should name her or not, but yes, she too deserves the tag of ‘my unsung heroine’ in my life.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Can we really bank upon banks?


I recently finished reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and have started to scroll down the Pdf version of Banker to the Poor by Muhammad Yunus and A. Jolis (yet another great book, sorry e-book for me J ). However, I have not yet finished a quarter of the entire reading, but I feel I have something to share. Although I am not a professor, nor an economist (let alone great), but yet as a lay man, or for that matter, by virtue of being a student of Economics and Finance during my Bachelors at Kathmandu Collegeof Management, I hope my words and ideas here would surely make some sense.

I am not even half way through his book, yet I am extremely influenced and attracted by Yunus’s viewpoint towards banking, money, credit , grant, debt, poverty and its alleviation, and some other tiny but heavy terms. When he says, “It’s not people who are not credit-worthy, its banks that are not people-worthy”, I immediately questioned myself - “Do we really bank upon our banks, in the real sense?”. I pondered over it for some time and did some solo-arguments. Absolutely no, to the extent “Collaterals” come into the picture. Banks are merely trading on our own wealth and the in the name of providing us with credit, they are simply substituting our less liquid assets (liquid assets mean those properties that are not readily sellable in the market, for example our houses, vehicles etc) with the ultimate liquid asset- Cash. And in doing so, they keep a margin; provide us with cash amounting, at the maximum, 70-80% of the value that we already owned. So is that really by the bank’s grace that we are getting the money, or merely by the accumulated wealth that we own? You know the answer better.

And now, coming to a very fancy term in the world economics- “Poverty Alleviation”, I have simply lots and lots to share. Just as Yunus explains in his book, no country can get rid of Poverty and its dark consequences unless it is ready to understand a simple English proverb that goes –“Do not give the poor a fish. Instead teach him how to fish”. And to this I add, “Also, help him just once with the fishing net and the bait; he should be able to earn hundreds of them, once he starts”. I believe, it is with this notion and belief that he started Grameen Bank in his home country- Bangladesh and today it has over 2.1 million borrowers with a smile on their faces. His vision of micro-credit and the powerful belief in it, despite severe challenges, has brought forth the fruits and today it is practiced in no less than 60 countries round the globe catering to poverty alleviation, in its truest sense.

 It is not with the conferences and meetings in the 5-stars or Air-conditioned halls that you can reach to the poor. One cannot know the taste of anything one actually eats or tastes it. Further, it cannot be assumed that merely with the millions and billions of dollars that a donor agency or country provides, we can indeed fight poverty. Again, as Yunus explains very beautifully, the aid never actually trickles down to the poor and in most cases a larger portion of the aid is often repatriated to the source country itself in the form of hefty remunerations and technological support provided for the aided project. It is symbolical to filling a bottle from the Filter and again pouring the liquid back in the filter through its upward opening!

My entire points and arguments are never meant to curse the current banking system or the players of the financial market in our country or in anyone else’s country. However, as far as the scenario of our country is concerned, we have faced numerous instances of bankruptcies of Banks themselves, and even the gather-and-run policy of the mushrooming cooperatives. People have started questioning the credibility of banks themselves, keeping aside banks questioning the people’s credibility! The point here is, despite numerous attempts and advances, the reach of banks (and here I mean the services that an ideal bank just like the Grameen bank) is not yet felt where it is desperately needed. Still, the banking industry is encircling those groups and communities that already have money or wealth or (let me be frank) COLLATERAL to furnish. Yet, the poorest of the poor are devoid of this ever-so “Rich-man’s Game”. In Physics, they say Energy cannot be created. But in economics I say, Money can be created and of course, it should be prime role of the entire banking industry to serve for that goal.

If, in my lifetime, the day comes, when no productive hands remain unproductive just because of the lack of money, and no individual is rejected for a loan just because he has nothing to furnish as a Collateral, I will rule out the question, Can we really bank upon banks?


Monday, May 21, 2012

जहाँ मान्छेले मान्छेलाई मान्छे गन्छ


हिजै मात्र बी.बी.सी. (http://wwwbbccouk/news/world-europe-18121914) मा सुनेको समाचार हो यो: नर्वेको बास्तो भन्ने एक टापूमा रहेको कारागारमा बस्ने ११४ बन्धिहरुलाई निश्चय नै निकै मानवीय रुपमा सजाय दिइन्छ। उनीहरुलाई बिना कुनै हतियार निगरानीमा राख्ने ४-५ सुरक्षाकर्मीहरु छन्। उनीहरुले स्वतंत्रताको अनुभूति गर्न निर्बाध रुपले पाएका छन। त्यो एक नूमना कारगार हो, जसलाई एक स्थानीय नर्वेजियन समुदायको संज्ञा दिइन्छ। कारागारका गवर्नरले त त्यसलाई criminal’s holiday camp भन्न पनि चुकेका छैनन्!


त्यहाँका कैदीले कारागार जीवन पश्चातको एक साधारण जीवन बिताउन चाहिने  सीप र जाँगरको विकास गर्ने मौका पाउँछन्। अनि झनै रोमांचक कुरा त यो छ कैदीहरुलाई कारागारमा कुनै कैदी-जीवन बिताएको अनुभव नै हुँदैन! उनीहरुलाई त आफू कुनै ट्रेनिंग प्रोग्राममा आएको 
र ट्रेनिंग अवधि समाप्त भएपछि आफूले त्यसको पूर्ण फायदा लिने जस्तो एक अभुतपूर्व अनुभव हुन्छ। हुन पनि हो, समाचारमा उल्लेख भएअनुसार यो कारागार अन्य कारागारको तुलनामा निकै फरक र उल्टो रहेको छ: यहाँका कैदीहरुलाई आफ्नो जीवनको दायित्व आफैंले लिनुपर्छ, आफ्नो जीवनको गाडी आफैंले चलाउनुपर्छ।

यस्तैमा मैले हाम्रो देश नेपालको कारागारको अवास्थाबारे जान्ने एक जमर्को गर्दा यो थाहा पाएँ: सन् २०११को तथ्यांक अनुसार नेपालमा करीब १२,८७५ कैदी करीब ७४ कारागारमा आफ्नो जीवन बिताईरहेका छन। (http://wwwprisonstudiesorg/info/worldbrief/wpb_countryphp?country=106) तर उनीहरुको कारागार जीवन माथि दिइएको सुनौलो दृष्टान्त भन्दा निकै फरक छ। (http://wwwhumanrightsasia/news/forwarded-news/AHRC-FPR-053-2011) कैदी जीवन उनीहरुका लागी पक्कै अर्को अविशाप साबित भएकोछ होला। हुन त कहाँ यूरोप र कहाँ नेपाल। मैले तुलना गरेको हस्यासपद नै सुनिन्छ होला। तर के मानवताले पनि संसारभरी अलग-अलग घुम्टो ओढेको हुन्छ र? के ठाऊँ अनुसार मनावताको परिभाषा र त्यसको पालना फरक हुन्छ र?


हो, म मान्छु की कैदीहरूलाई उनीहरूले गरेको गलत कार्यको बोध गराउनु आवश्यक छ। आफूले गरेको कुकर्मको सजाय त पाउनैपर्छ। तर जे भए पनि उनीहरूले कम्तिमा अमानवीय व्यवहार सहनुपर्ने कुनै कानूनमा लेखिएको छैन। हिन्दीमा एउटा डाइलोग छ, “कानूनका काम है जूर्मको मिटाना, मुज्रिमको नहीं!” (Law should abolish crime, not criminal!)

यसै प्रसंगमा मलाई जोड्न मन लाग्यो अहिलेको देशको स्थिति। केही दिन मात्र होइन, केही हफ्ता यता देशै कारागार बनेको छ। अनि संपूर्ण आम नेपाली जनता त्यसका निमुखा कैदी।

आज मुलुक एक घोर संकटमा छ। दिनहुँको यो बन्द र हड़तालले निर्दोष मानिस सजायको भागीदार हुन पुगेकोछ। काठमाडौंमा हिजो र आज गरिएको कड़ा बन्दमा बन्दकर्ताले पत्रकार तथा सर्वसाधारणमाथि गरेको ज्यादती र अत्याचारको जति भर्त्सना गरे पनि कमै हो। आखिर कहाँ हराए बुद्धका ती शान्तिउपदेश र मंत्र? किन यो देशमा बसोबास गर्ने विभिन्न जातजातीमा उत्पन्न भएको छ वैमनस्य र घृणा? कसरी ओझेलमा परेको छ हरेक मानिसको गहना- मानवता’? किन यो देशका मान्छेले मान्छेलाई मान्छे गन्दैनन्?


कहिले हाम्रो देशका कारागारमा कैदी-जीवन बिताउन बाध्य कैदीहरूले त्यस्तो मानवीय व्यवहारको स्वाद चाख्न पाउने छन? हामी भित्र सुप्त अवस्थामा रहेको मानवता नब्युझेंसम्म त सायद कहिले पनि हुन्न।

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Tussle



The tussle is still on…
No signs of results so far,
Inept to control anger
Of unclear future, I fear.

Life just began, they mock!
I know, I can’t go back
To the good old days
Where your innocence pays.

I try to pretend, but fail
Unable to escape from my own jail,
Of dreams and fantasies
Never meant to be realities.

Every single moment adds weight
Struggling to write my own fate,
Indebted with lots of aid
No ways to repay them yet.


Yet, the bout continues
With irrefutable time and destiny
In dirty mud, lotus grows
A struggling bud, you take me.

Apologies for my un/known misdeeds
I doubt, they are mere excuses
However, ‘good’ is what I expect
A life that boasts of no regret!


--
Ultimate Vipul
19th May, 2012

Friday, May 18, 2012

‘अ’ को श्रृंगार


म आज स्थिर भएको छु
आफैंमाथि विश्वास पलाएको छ
शक्त अनुभव गरेको छु
समयले सायद स्विकारेको छ।

निश्चितता, सन्तुष्टि र सफलता
सबैले धकेलिरहेछ अंधकारतिर
खै, खोज्न त चाहन्छु म
हटाईकन ती सबै।

तर हरेक पाइला अगाडी बढाउॅंदा
अझै अर्को पाइलाको स्थान देख्दछु
जति जति स्थिरतातिर लम्किन खोज्छु
त्यति नै स्थिर भईदिन्छु।

निश्चित त केवल काल हो भन्छन्
तर खै, त्यसमा पनि म देख्छु
एक भयानक निश्चितता
कालै पो आउने हो की, ठेगानै छैन
सायद यही हो- निश्चितताको निश्चितता।

मेरो मन त आज शान्त छ नै
होला, अन्य नेपालीको मन पनि
जतिसुकै प्रिय लागे पनि
कामना छ केवल खण्ड नेपाल कै ।।


Thursday, May 17, 2012

काठमांड़ै – हेटौडा सरर !


काठमांड़ैदेखि हेटौडा सम्मको १ घंटे सुरुंग मार्गको न्यूज सुन्दा त निकै खुशी लागेको थियोनेपलीहरूले कहिले देखिन् चिताएको सपनाको बल्ल श्री गणेश हुन थाल्योतर किन किन मनमा एक शंका पनि उत्पन्न भएकोछ।     

नेपालमा कुनै पनि विकासका कामको पछाडी कुनै किसिमको स्वार्थ लुकेको देख्छु।  पक्कै पनि केही न केही स्वार्थ लुकेको हुनुपर्छ यस  Model Project मा पनि।  तर मलाई त्यस स्वार्थसंग कुनै गुनासो छैन।

मलाई डर छ त्यस स्वार्थको जसले यस कल्पनालाई साकार हुनबाट रोक्न सक्छ। मेरो प्रसंग अवश्य पनि कपोलकल्पित छैन।  

सुकुम्बासीहरुलाई हिमाल सीमेंट फाक्ट्रीमा बसोबसको व्यवस्था गर्ने सरकारको निर्णयका विरुद्ध उत्रेका स्थानीय नेपाली जनताको स्वार्थ त्यो निर्णय कार्यान्वयन नहुनुमा नै थियो। अनि अहिले सम्म नेपालमा भारतबाट पेट्रोलियम पदार्थ आयतलाई सुलभ बनाउने पाइपलाइनको महत्वाकांक्षी प्रोजेक्ट पनि त कुनै एक interest group (खास गरेर टेंकर ढुवानी मजदुर)कै स्वार्थ का कारण पूरा हुन नसकेको हो।  हामीले भोगिराखेको यो चरम crisisको अवस्था पनि देशमा बसोबास गरिरहेका विभिन्न जातजाती र समुदायका मानिसहरुको vested interestकै उपज हो।  सायद यस बाट पनि कोही नेपाली अनविज्ञ नहोलान्। यस्ता अनगिनती उदहारणहरु हुन सक्छन्।

यस्तैमा मेरो मनमा उठेको प्रश्नको उत्तर मैले पाउन खोजेको छु।  के तत्कालको काठमांड़ैदेखि हेटौडा सम्मको यो ६ घंटाको बाटोमा आफ्नो जीविकोपार्जन चलाउँदै गरेका व्यवसायी (होटेल व्यवसायी, गेस्ट हाउस व्यवसायी आदि इत्यादी)हरुको निहित स्वार्थले यो प्रोजेक्ट कार्यान्वयनमा अवरोध नपुग्ला र?

होला, यो प्रोजेक्ट आफैंमा यति शक्तिशाली छ की यसलाई अब रोक्ने हिम्मत शायदै कुनै समुदायमा होला (तर कुनै नेता वा पार्टीमा भने हुनसक्ला)।  उनीहरुसंग मेरो कुनै निजी रिसइबि छैन।  तर के उनीहरु खुशी होलन् त यो अरबौंको प्रोजेक्ट निर्णयले? अवश्य उनीहरुले न्यायोचित फैसला पाउनुपर्छ।

तर के उनीहरुको सुविधाका निम्ति विकास निर्माणका काममा तगारो पुग्नु संपूर्ण देशवाशीका निम्ति न्यायोचित हुनेछ?

अब मेरो मूल तात्पर्यमा प्रवेश गर्न चाहन्छु।

सायद त्यस विकासले अन्य अनेक अवसरहरुको बाटो पो खोल्ने हो की? हामी केवल आफ्नै comfort zoneमा बाच्न चाहन्छौं। कुनै किसिम को परिवर्तन प्रति हाम्रो दृष्टिकोणले किन नकारात्मक दिशा लिन्छ?

अवश्य यस प्रोजेक्टले पनि अनेकन सकारात्मक परिवर्तनलाई स्वागत गर्नेछ। केवल जरुरत छ त्यस सुनौलो अवसरहरुलाई देख्ने आखांहरुको। नेपालीले आम नेपालीकै भलोमाथि तगारो हाल्ने नियतिमाथि अब रोक अपरिहार्य छ।

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Am I right that way !?!


I have just returned from the Inspirational session of Mr. Sujit Lalwani held at the NAME (Putalisadak) premises today at 3 pm. Indeed, it was a one-of-its-kind seminar on motivation by the expert on this field. Besides the true inspiring stories and the quotes that he shared in between, I personally found his delivery truly interesting, exciting and enthralling. “Am I right that way?!”- This was his frequent one-liners but of course a powerful one. After a powerful delivery of indeed high-toned words that undoubtedly raised hairs on the skin of ech and every person sitting or standing in the hall, he exclaimed in his own style, “AM I RIGHT THAT WAY?” Of course, the audience had their own way of replying- A big round of applause!

Mr. Sujit Lalwani
Before you continue reading, I would want to share a task with you that Mr Sujit Lalwani did in the session today. Believe me, do it, you will enjoy and the same time learn a lesson that you have never learnt before. SO please do not ignore this request.

Take a pen and paper. Just write, on the top of a sheet, the number of zeros you think you can write in one minute. May be 50, 100, 200, etc. Now set the timer to 60 seconds and start wrting just 0s. As fast as you can, as much as you can. Imagine you are filling a Blank cheque with just “1” at the beginning and you need to put as many 0’s as you want in minute.

Now count them and put the number beside the earlier figure. Compare. Results?? I am sure you have surpassed your own expectations from yourself. May be in multiples.

The lesson? You have unlimited potential within you that you yourself are unaware of. Unleash it. Take that step to initiate and no sooner will you learn that the previously imagined “uphill task” isn’t so any more. You will exceed. Unless you attempt, there are no results. And with the vision to achieve it, you shall succeed.

And to this I add the gist of yet another beautiful story that Mr. Lalwani shared on unraveling the difference between हकीकत (Reality) and विश्वास (Belief). Of course, there is very subtle and inspiring difference: you will die is हकीकत, but you will die with a difference is your विश्वास. And to this I again add another exciting point that he made: We plan what to wear in the party, in the morning, at college, at farewell and so on. We work out our menu for the birthday party, for the picnic. We know, nothing is certain on the matters and issues that we are planning and deciding. Nevertheless, we plan and plan for the uncertainties. But have we ever planned for the certainty? Nothing is certain but Death. Have we ever given a moment’s thought on how we would want to remember after we have passed away?  Do we want to welcome our death like that if the stray dog?

To this, I, yet again relate the real story of Sir Alfred Nobel that Mr. Lalwani shared. Nobel incidently saw his own photo in an obituary column of a newspaper with a end note something like this: “We are happy that he passed away”. What a shame, Nobel thought to himself. He took it as a serious challenge to his life. And then he started his relentless journey of his life and accredited more than 350 patents in his name. And the world remembers him every year on the Nobel Prize ceremony, year after year, generations after generations.

Yes, Mr. Sujit Lalwani. You are right when you said that when a person fears losing, he remains a loser, but when a person fears remaining a loser, he succeeds. You are absolutely right when you claimed very profoundly that never compare yourself with others, and if you ever need to compare, compare yourself. Compare your past, with the present along with the future that you have dreamt for yourself and then find out the gaps and the places where you need to deliver, struggle and proceed.

Finally, I come down to share what really incited me to share all this. After the session, when Mr. Lalwani called for a few volunteers to march forward to share what they had to over the entire session, almost 18 young enthusiasts ventured. Many, among them, shared that it was the first time that were speaking in front of a large mass. I was delighted. His session at last paid off. Some of them even shared that they have now learnt a new way of looking at their own lives. They sensed a power I them to change the face of the world. Amid all these, a thought came to my mind: how nice would it be, when every Nepalese was inspired and motivated the same way as these young boys and girls are. How nice would it be when every Nepalese took the challenge of changing the face of the entire world, beginning Nepal itself. And how nice would it be to see Nepal’s new face that every Nepalese has envisioned?

Am I right that way!?!

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

A Costly Parking Ticket: Nrs 700!


For the first time in my biking experience so far, I was compelled to pay such a hefty sum for parking. It was just this morning: I parked my blue Splendour Plus at the side of the road at Charkhal, Dillibazar (in front of the Bajaj Showroom near the Ganesh Mandir). I went inside the galli into my relatives’ house for some time. After an hour or so, I came out on the road only to get an amazing shock- there was no bike, there wasn't my blue Splendor of Lot 29.

I rubbed my eyes, took off my specs and put them again to do away with any sort of dreamy confusion. But no. That was truth, a bitter truth and an adrenalin-shooting reality to me. My pulses went high for a while. I wondered for a minute regarding the possibilities. I thought to myself, “A bike disappearing on a bright Tuesday morning, that too from a very busy and dense area. Umm, no possibility of being stolen, but of course it could be the mean Traffic Police or the Nagarpalika walas who must have kidnapped my bike for a ransom.”

I, at once, went to the nearby showroom of Carpets and Curtains to verify my supposition. As expected, the Nagarpalika was the culprit. The shopkeeper gave me a smirking smile and warned me of a fine that could be as high as Nrs 1000. OMG was my first reaction. Then I thought he was crazy.


I walked to the Baggikhana where I was advised to visit Window 9. For me it is ‘Counter’ (because of the finance attached to it). The person gave me a yellow chit (similar to the one here) to verify from the near-by counter. I produced my originals of Driving License and Bill Book and got the verified chit to produce back to the same earlier counter. The conversation between me and the Nagarik ko sewak is reproduced below:

Me: कती पेनाल्टी हो?

He: एक हजार दिनुस!

Me: (exclaimed) ओहो दाई, कती धेरै हो. स्टूडेंट मान्छे, कहा यती धेरै दिन सक्नु. जाबो एकछिन मात्र राखेको थिएँ की लगी हाल्यो….

The bargaining went on for a while when I lost hope of winning over him. Then he advised me to visit any known Top-level officers. I knew none. I went to a front office building to the first floor. सानो मुख बनाएर  I explained the story but with a little twist to a desk officer.

I lied to him that I left my bike and took my aunt from the house inside the galli to Om Hospital in a taxi as it was an Emergency case. Sorry aunt. I hospitalized you today! Moreover, I was also pitching in as a Student. I think I still am a student after almost one year of completing my BBA from KCM. However, a prospective student for MBA! J  Then I again explained it to a little higher level officer but to no avail. Then as a defeated warrior my face looked upon which a gentleman (a policeman) called me and said, “१० नंबरमा एक जना हुनुहुन्छ, वहाँलाई भनेर ३०० डीस्काउंट गर्न मिल्छ. त्यहाँ भन्दा माथि कुनै उपाय छैन”.  

I thanked to him with all my hearts for showing me a ray of hope at a time when I was completely dejected with the efforts that went on relentlessly for almost 45 minutes. I went there, met the kind man, got his signature on the chit as my discount stamp, went back to the window, and produced the thing.

He: हो, यही चाहियो के ७०० को रसीद का‌‌‍ट‍्न लाई. नत्र त १००० भन्दा घटी काट्ने मेरो अधिकारै छैन!

I paid Nrs 700. Took the release chit. Went to the garage. Got my bike. Drove off the Baggikhana.

I lose:- Nrs 700, 1 hour of my sometimes useful otherwise useless time.
I gain:- My bike, negotiation power, and a wholesome experience to share with you all.

However, here is for what I wanted to share this fresh real scenario through my blog with you all. I paid a huge parking sum. No doubt, I am sad L. I know I had committed a crime, a punishable offence in the eyes of law. I know I deserve punishment. But I am desperately sad because of the opportunity cost of Nrs 700 of mine (or for that matter, my father).

I would have been at a winning edge had I spent the amount providing food for the hungry, donating new clothes to the cloth-less, buying a book to someone who wants to read but couldn’t just because of poor financial status. I would be delighted to even do some voluntary work for the refugees as a punishment to my mere offence. I wish I could do something productive as a punishment rather than just pour some money in the drain. The drain which just has the entry mouth to chew off the general public but no outlet towards the betterment of the citizens and the public at large.

I just long for a change in the rudimentary system of charging people for their crime. A change that could bring about positive vibes and betterment for all and all. How about having social service organizations at the Counters with their donations slips instead of this: I would go for one more crime ;) J




Monday, May 14, 2012

माँ , बेटा और कलयुग :



कुछ  दिन  पहले  की  बात है : मैं  दिल्ली की  मेट्रो  ट्रेन  में  GTB  Nagar से  ANVT ISBT की  ओर  जा रहा  था  जब  मैंने  एक  लड़के  को यह कहते  हुए सुना  “मम्मी  किस  दिन  काम  आएगी, वैसे  भी  वो  खाली  बैठी  रहती  है!” . उस  लड़के  का  ये  कथन  अपने शर्ट  के  टूटे  हुए  बटन  के  ऊपर  था  जिसको  उसके  दोस्त  ने  दिखाया  था . 

 ऊपर  लिखी  हुई  उसकी  वो लाइन  आज   भी  मेरे  कानो  में  उतनी ही  ताजा  है  जितनी  उस  दिन  पहली  बार  सुना  था . कोई  बेटा  भला  कैसे  ऐसी  छोटी  और  तुच्छ   बचन  कह  सकता  है ! आज  मैं  ये  सोच  कर  हैरान  हूं कि  नजाने  कितने  नौजवानों  की  नजर  मैं  अपनी  माता  के   प्रति  ऐसी  निम्न  बर्ग  बिचार  है .
 ऐ  मेरे  दोस्त , तुम्हे  माँ  की  कीमत  का  जरा  सा भी  अंदाजा  नहीं  है , जो  तुम  माँ  को  बस  इस  काम  के  लायक  समझते  हो . क्या  तुम  भूल  गए , जब  तुम   एक  नन्हे  से  फरिस्ते  थे तब  से  आज  तक , जब  तुम   तक़रीबन  २३ -२४  साल  के  नौजवान  हो  चुके  हो , हर  घडी  तुम्हारी  परवरिस  तुम्हारी  माँ  की  ममता  से   हुइ   है . तुम  चाहे  जितने  भी  उचे  उचे  छलांग    लगालो , चाहे  जितनी  भी  डिग्रीयां  लेलो , पर  तुम  माँ  की ममता  से  बड़े  कभी  नहीं  बन  सकते . तुम   चाहे  जितने  भी  कोसिस  कर्लो , कभी भी माँ का क़र्ज़ अदा  नहीं करसकते .

ये  सब  बातें  तो  सभी  ने  जाना  है   एवं    समझा  है , पर  सायद   तुमने  कभी  इन  पर  अमल   नहीं  किया . माता  की  महत्ता  तो  केवल  उस  फिल्मी  डायलोग  से  ही  पूरी  की   पूरी  उजाहर  हो  जाती  है - “आज  मेरे  पास  माँ  है , तेरे  पास  क्या  है ?” क्या  तुम्हे  ये  भी  नहीं  पता  था ?

मुझे  बड़ी  ख़ुशी  होती  अगर  तुमने  उन  वाक्यों  की  जगह  कुछ  ऐसा  कहा  होता , “मैं  तो  माँ  का  नटखट  गोपाल  हूँ , कुछ   शरारत  ना करूँ  तो  माँ  का  खाना  कैसे  हजम  होगा !” 

P.S.:
अंतररास्ट्रीय माँ दिवस के पवित्र संध्या में लिखी ये ब्लॉग पोस्ट सभी लायक बेटेबेटियां एवं भगवान् से बड़ी माँ को समर्पित (On May 13, 2012)

Sunday, May 13, 2012

शनिबार बोल्छ:




ए मेरा प्यारा नेपाली मित्रहरू हो,
म आज निकै दुखित छु, चिन्तित छु,
मेरो मर्म बुझ्ने शायदै कोहि होला,
बिन्ती छ, मेरो अस्तित्वलाई बचाउ।

दिनहुको यो बन्द, हड्ताल र चक्काजाम,
के यति धेरै चाहिन्छ र आराम?

६ दिनको भाग्दौद पछि सबैलाई
मेरो न्यान्यो छहारी दिन म खुशीसाथ आइपुग्थेँ,
सबै जना रमाउथे, नाच्थे, खेल्थे,
गेट-टुगेदर गरि मनोरन्जन लिन्थे।

तर अचेल यी सब त मलाई
एकादेशको कथा जस्तो लाग्न थालेको छ,
मेरो महत्व अवश्यै घटेको छ,
मलाई पर्खने अब कोहि छैन जस्तो छ।

हे प्यारा नेपाली बन्धुहरू हो!
मलाई मेरो अस्तित्व फिर्ता दिलाउ,
म फेरि पनि तपाईंहरू कै आँगनमा
रमाउदै आउन पाऊँ।

मेरो यो बिनम्र निवेदन स्वीकार,
अब अरु नेपाल बन्द नगर,
है!

P.S. 
२०६८ साल बैशाख ३१ गते शनिबार 
नेपाल बन्दको दिन

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Your Blog, Your Say

Everyone has his/her own feelings and thoughts towards a certain matter. Everybody’s perception cannot be alike and at the same time cannot be totally different too. Suppose two persons are given a topic to think and mull over, unless and until they do not speak out or express their views on written no other person can ever be able to perceive their individual notions. If I am to voice, expressing yourself in writing is the best way rather than speaking. Words spoken will fly away with the moving air. In contrast, the soft copy (here I mean the electronic version or your blog post) will remain there with you and with others so that you can even retro inspect it when the need arises.

Whenever you are idle but busy cooking something inside your head, immediately get a paper and a pen to kick off writing your mind. Do not ever deem that you can write those views later when you are in the frame of mind to do so. Don’t give a damn to your mood. Thoughts are indeed like the beautiful free butterflies: at once they are in front of you and a blink later they might be away! So be careful and impulsively start scribbling your views. And once you have them in front of you, you can use your time and convenience to maintain those entries in your blog.

When you are writing your thoughts, you are not just filling up the page but simultaneously you are doing many other vital tasks. You are plummeting your mental pressure of storing those thoughts in your brain. You are at the same time cultivating and ameliorating your writing skills. It goes this way-the more you think the more you write and the more you are rectifying yourself in terms of comprehensive and creative writing. Rome was not built in a day! So it’s inconsequential hoping to augment your skills just at the drop of a hat! It indubitably entails consistent and regular devoted efforts. Nevertheless, you can improve by dint of practice. The universal truth also says ‘Practice makes a man perfect’.

Inculcating such writing habit in you will be incredibly beneficial for you. It is guaranteed that this will reward you with its benefits in future. Be nervy even if it is the first endeavor. Be positive and wait to see your hesitation fading away like the receding tide. So just give it a try and wait optimistically for the favorable result! And may be, slowly with the motion of time, you may even provoke the penmanship within you!

So, START BLOGGING, Remain Active!!!