वही पुरानी कहानी

दो बेटे थे, पिता की  दुकान थी, बाजार में अच्छी चलती थी, सभी इर्षा करते थे| बेटों की शादियां हुईं, उनके बच्चे भी बड़े होने लगे| बहुएँ बाकी दुकानदारो के परिवार के साथ उठने बैठने लगीं| पिता की तबियत ख़राब रहने लगी| कभी बच्चों की पढ़ाई कभी तबियत की वजह से बेटे दुकान में ना बैठ पाते थे| आपस में झिकझिक होने लगी| घूमने के लिए रक्खा पैसा घर के कामों के लिए लगने लगा| बहुएँ कुछ अपने को छोटा महसूस करने लगीं, पार्टियों से दूरी रहने लग गयीं. बाकी दुकानदारों के परिवार का घर में आना जाना बढ़ गया| कुछ केवल छोटी बहु से मिलतीं तो कुछ बड़ी बहु से| चाय नाश्ता भी अलग बनने लगा| अब रात का खाना भी लोग अलग अलग समय करने लगे, अक्सर  अपने कमरे में ही| सोशल प्रेशर की वजह से दुकान अलग अलग कर दिया| भाई भाई अलग हो गए| दोनों परिवार अब अपने पिता से अमीर थे पर उनकी बाज़ार में साख चली गयी|

Motto of the story is - अपनी छोटी परेशानियों में अगर बाहर वाले इन्वॉल्व होंगे तो केवल घर ही टूटेगा| 

इस बार एक कहानी

दो लोग अपने प्यारे घोड़े पर बैठ कर अपने गॉव जा रहे थे, तभी उनको एक नदी दिखाई दी| नदी में पानी का बहाव तेज़ था और जाना उस पार था, बाढ़ की वजह से पानी भी चढ़ा हुआ था| दोनों को एक छोटी सी नाव दिखाई दी, वहीँ दो बड़े बड़े पतवार भी थे| उन्होंने विमर्श किया, छोटी नाव में घोड़ा नहीं आ पाएगा पर वो दोनों बैठ जायेंगे, क्योंकि घोड़े को तैरना आता है, पर बहाव की वजह से कहीं बह ना जाए इसलिए उसकी लगाम नाव में बाँध देंगे।

नदी के मगरमच्छ ने देख लिया घोड़े को उतरते हुए, पर पतवार देख कर पास आने की हिम्मत नहीं जुटा पाया| उसने जुगत लगाया - देखो दोनों इंसानो को, कितना बुरा व्यवहार मेरे जैसे जानवरों पर करते हैं, बेचारे घोड़े को बाँध कर पानी के बहाव के विपरीत दिशा में खींच के ले जा रहे हैं| अगर लगाम हटा दें तो घोड़ा अपने आप ही पानी के सहारे जल्दी से किनारे पर आ जायेगा, ये इंसान बस केवल अपने गांव जाना चाहते हैं, चाहे घोड़े को कितना ही कष्ट हो जाए|

घोड़ा सोच में पड़ गया, बात तो मगरमच्छ ने सही कही है, लगाम की वजह से मैं आज़ादी के साथ तैर नहीं पा रहा हूँ|  तभी एक छोटी मछली ने घोड़े से कहा - इस मगरमच्छ ने इस नदी की सारी मछलियों को खा लिया है, मैं भी सोचती हूँ, मगर के साथ एक नदी से तो अच्छा था लगाम के साथ इंसानो के साथ रहती| तभी एक भीगा भीगा तोता घोड़े के पीठ पर आ कर बैठ गया - अरे मैं अभी इंसानो की क़ैद से छूट कर आया हूँ, अब तो मेरी हालत ये है की मैं कायदे से उड़ भी नहीं पा रहा हूँ, काश मैं मछली होता तो कम से कम मुझे पानी से डर तो न लगता

,मगरमच्छ घोड़े के साथ उसको परामर्श देने वाले दो और जानवरो को देख कर पीछा करना छोड़ दिया  और दूर चला  गया, उसको दूर जाता देख, मछली जल्दी से अपने खोह में चली गयी, और तोते ने इंसानो को इतने पास देख कर उड़ कर पेड़ में बैठ गया|  तब तक किनारा भी आ चुका था|

Eklavya - from a new perspective

In India we have a mythical(?) character Eklavya who came from a poor background  not much resources at his disposal and definitely no prior credentials but all he wanted was to learn the art of war and knowledge to use the arms meant exclusively for Royalties of the time. An art so specialized and exclusive that its proliferation would have endangered the interests of the state and its Kings.

Eklavya approached Dronacharya the teacher of this art and was rejected assertively although politely. He did not have the background or any future responsibilities that could be meted out to him for him to learn the art of Dhanurvidya (Archery). In today's World its like teaching and giving capabilities of building a Nuclear bomb to a person or a nation not responsible enough with not much stake to lose in case of its wrongful use. With no prior context, no history of schooling and no background required to step up would also drain and unnecessarily diversions that will be caused by including him in the class, Dronacharya thought. Eklavya's passion and his hidden and unpolished talent was ignored, there was no need for a follow up.

But Eklavya was Eklavya he persisted. He knew he did not belong to that club but knew he belongs to that art. He started stalking the teacher to his class and started watching and learning by hiding under thick foliage. Have you downloaded a copyrighted material an exclusive content that you need to pay to use? Have you been using a software that requires a license to use? Eklavya was not doing it to challenge the others, he was using to gain the knowledge he was interested in.

Eklavya did not have the quality of bow and arrows required to implement the knowledge he was gaining but what he was able to do with a simple hand made archery that many Princesses could not do in the club with their sophisticated arms except one Arjun. Eklavya would go back practice all day all night what he saw Arjun do. He remembered every intricacies that Dronacharya talked about that many simply ignored in the class that he did not. Eklavya was learning what lies in the heart of that art, the best practices, how to make the best use of it, how to achieve your goal with minimal resources than to shoot to kill an ant. Eklavya was indirectly challenging Arjun. To learn how to avoid a war and keep your interests intact makes you a better fighter than those who know how to use Guns. Eklavya became a much better Archer than all and he gained that not working in a team, not getting anyother brain to pick - he did it by watching and practicing. He would fail to use the sophisticated arms but knew how to hit the target with his simple ones. He filled the gaps in his knowledge with better designs. He did not need the strength to stop an incoming train, he knew to build a road that does not intersect the path of it.

Cheating is always caught sooner or later. Eklavya was caught by Dronacharya when he filled the mouth of a dog with arrows just enough just deep enough to not hurt the dog but make him stop barking. Such a precision was only possible by Arjun and there can not be another Arjun. Whoever is that precise and not a brother of Arjun could potentially pose a threat to him later. Dronacharya could not trust Eklavya's loyalty. Indirect may be he did learn from him and had to pay Dronacharya said and he asked Eklavya's right thumb as his fee. He decapitated Eklavya for ever.

Eklavya was rejected. He was rejected because he was the son of a Father who worked for a King opposing Krishna the friend and spiritual Guru of Arjun. Dronacharya though was impressed by Eklavya's desire to learn but his background was not in line with the interests of Arjun. Eklavya even without a thumb remained a potent Archer better than many but later killed in a battle with Krishna. Later Arjun and his cousin brothers split and had a war what is known as Mahabharath one of the most devastating war the World had seen. Arjun won, his character won, his piousness won - but there was no Eklavya to challenge him. 

Cars and India

Twenty years ago if you had seen Cars on the Indian roads and compared it with some of the western countries you would have easily thought India be a third world country. Substandard cars, funny looking yesteryear models plying the polluted and overcrowded roads. You would imagine a poor country just a brush with relatively new found economic freedom with no money to import foreign cars or a market for its big middle class. What they would not know is its rich past history.

If this was India of early 20th century a scene on your left would have been quite common. India was a country of big and small 100s and thousands of princely states with Princes and Kings with huge disposable income. India was a British slave with more or less free princely states. What did they spend on? Rolls Royces. Cars were their passion and not just any cars the costliest of them all. All custom made for them looking different from anybody's else. A car to reflect their own personality, their own reflection - A status symbol. India of that time did not have many Millionaires but the number of its Ultra Rich were by large far more than any other country's. India's super rich were richer than most. India was not a poor nation. Only the money was not available to all. India was still a rich car market.
There was a parallel world then shaking the foundation of these riches and their masters - British.  But thanks to them India got access to cars meant for upper middle class - The mass produced cars of Fords and Chevrolet. By then Cars were made faster if not rugged than Elephants and our own political leaders loved to use them. There was no dearth of such cars - Indian businessmen, lawyers, politicians owned them. Our front line leaders came from this class of people. Educated, exposed to western world and its culture with a vision of their own for their own country free from the clutches of a western power.

Due to British presence in India and willing buyers of its upper middle class same cars were available in India that were available any place else. Same Fords that were sold in Chicago were also available in London and the same in Bombay. If you found Gandhi walking with a help of a long stick, pictures like on your right were not too rare either. If anything else other than perseverance of Indian people helped achieve India its independence then it must have been the mass produced cars. If Rolls Royce represented the oppressor, cheap Fords represented the leaders fighting them. India was still a big market for cars. Only the common Man was still not using it.
Then came India's independence. Fortunately WWII gave enough impetus to mechanized growth that cars and trucks and jeeps were not for a few but became a necessity. Collaborations, Assemblers, Franchises in auto industry increased. Enough of used Jeeps of WWII saw a new market in India. Indian defense and its new administration needed a mode of transportation. A transportation that was relatively cheap and rugged enough to enable them to reach far and undeveloped places. They also needed better city cars rugged but sleek enough for the new leaders of Independent India.

Then came a car that solved India's transportation problem and became so iconic with a cult following that barely anything major changed in its base design in the last 50/60 years - Hindustan Motor's Ambassador - An Indianized British Morris Oxford. This was a blessing and a curse to what was India's next three decades of no development in its car market. The car was good enough for streets of Mumbai to political broadening roads of Delhi to dirt roads of villages. If its manufacturer ever put any thoughts in its design then it was its rear seats and its suspension. Though today's car beat this car left and right but still envy its rear seats and legendary leg space it offers. While this was an Indian car almost monopolizing the Indian car market the market was still open for manufactures like General Motors before being shut in '70s. By then enough of celebrities had owned the then popular Chevy Impalas and you could see many Austins and Buicks in the rusting garages of Doctors, Administrators and Movie Celebrities.

Though these western cars were never cheap to own and Ambassadors seen as the Office car the car market remained unfulfilled for middle class that eagerly was waiting for affordable four wheels. And then came a car that remained likely the only challenger of Ambassador and made sure its hegemony in public sector was not extended to private buyers of the working class people.The Italian Fiat collaborated Premier Padminis put a smile on many families faces as they started to park these cars on the road sides of where they lived. Cars that they loved to drive themselves and did not need a cap wearing driver to be hired. Then came a decade that split the car market of India into two suppliers - Be it privately owned or Taxis either they were Ambassadors or Premiers. Though they were inefficient cars by today's standards but their big inner space and pig-iron body made sure they had enough space for the family and relatively safer. These cars extended their reach to middle class. But still they were seen not for everybody. They sure made your neighbor envy but the market of people who had more money than to buy scooters but not enough to go for Fiats just swelled. India saw consistent increase in its purchasing power and better city lives. It needed more, more than what they had with in the constraints of a closed economy.

Before Indian economy was re-opened in early 90's that allowed reentry of foreign brands and by then matured Indian manufacturers to compete with them came a car so iconic and game changer that changed how India traveled. It did not just challenge monopolistic Ambys and Premiers it destroyed them and reduced their market to small eroding segment of Taxis. A cheap, faster, light weight, easier to drive and the only car with non-English Indian name Maruti - A car for everyone. What happened in the next decade was an astonishing growth. The middle class got its Rolls Royce. 

** Thanks to Google and sites like Team-BHP for image downloads. 

इस बार इक कहानी सुनो

एक धोबी के पास कुछ गधे थे। धोबी नदी के पास ही रहता था। रोज़ वह गाँव जाता, लोगों के कपड़े गधों पर लाद कर नदी जाता और धो और सुखा कर गधों पर ही लाद कर गाँव वालों को दे देता था। ऐसा कई वर्षों तक करने के बाद वो और उसके गधे काफी मोटे हो गए। एक दिन नदी ने अपना रास्ता बदल दिया। वह जंगल के उस पार से बहने लगी। चूंकि धोबी और उसका गाँव तो इस पार ही थे वह कपड़े तो जल्दी ही ले आता था, पर अब उसे जंगल पार कर के नदी पे जाना होता था। ना धोबी को ही जंगल के रास्ते पता थे न ही उसके गधे ही जंगल के रास्तों के लिए बने थे। धोबी और उसके गधे भूख के मारे परेशान रहने लगे। कुछ गाँव वालों ने उसे सलाह दी क्यूँ न वो एक घोड़ा खरीद लाये? उस पर बैठ कर वो जंगल भी पार कर लेगा और गधे भी उसके पीछे पीछे चल कर रास्ता जान लेंगे।
धोबी एक घोड़ा खरीद लाया। वह रोज सुबह घोड़े पर बैठ कर गाँव जाता गधों पर कपड़े लादता और जंगल के रास्तों से हो कर नदी पर जा कर कपड़े धो कर शाम होते जंगल के रास्ते होते हुए वापस घर आ जाता। क्यूंकि घोड़ा तो जंगल के रास्तों के लिए ही बना था, धोबी उस पर बैठ कर बहुत जल्दी जल्दी आता जाता रहा। गधों को इससे परेशानी होने लगी। एक तो धोबी गधों को भूल घोड़े पर बैठ शान दिखाने लगा, दूसरे जंगल के रास्ते होते हुए घोड़े के भरोसे अंधेरों से निकलना उन्हें नागवार गुज़रने लगा।
उधर धोबी को भी घोड़े पर बैठने की आदत तो नहीं थी। खुद भी मोटा हो जाने और घोड़े की चाल की वजह से उसे भी धीरे धीरे घोड़े पर गुस्सा आने लगा। वह आखिर था तो आदी धीरे धीरे नाटे गधों पर ही चलने का। धोबी की मुश्किल ये थी की उसे घोड़ा तो चाहिए था, उसे दिखा कर उसे गाँव वालों पर रौब भी झाड़ना था पर उसपर लगाम भी रखनी थी। उसने बड़ा ही उम्दा इलाज ढूँढा।
कुछ दिनों बाद उसने गधों से कहा की तुम्हे अब जंगल का रास्ता पता है। तुम लोग कपड़ों के साथ आगे आगे चलो और वह घोड़े पर बैठ कर उनके पीछे पीछे चलेगा। उसने घोड़े को अनुयायी बना दिया। गधे तो गधे थे। छोटे छोटे पानी के गड्ढों से न जाना पड़े इसलिए वो सूखे लम्बे रास्तों से ही जाते थे। घोड़ा ये जानते हुए की पानी के गड्ढे उसके लिए कुछ नहीं हैं तब भी उसे गधों के रास्ते ही जाना पड़ता था। घोड़े के धीरे धीरे चलने की वजह से अब धोबी भी खुश रहने लगा। उसे अब गधों और घोड़े के फर्क की चिंता नहीं थी। घोड़ा भी खुद को इक गधा समझने लगा। घोड़े को छोड़ सभी खुश थे।

This is how Lucknow created Jobs, once

The year was 1784 and the region of Oudh had suffered one of its worst famine of that time. Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daulah knew how proud the citizens of Lucknow were. Lucknowites did not accept charities as long as they had an ability to work. Quality of a ruler is to know the pulse of its citizens, to hear it when it beats something today's leaders have failed to do. He had money collected overtime as revenue and he had it to dispose it off for good. And in spite of mounting debt that he owed to Britishers he chose to create jobs first. Even then he knew if people have Jobs and they are proud to do it is a solution for a greater threat like Famine. He knew threat of British rulers were more on him than his riyayah while in case of Famine it was opposite. He chose the people's way. Learn.
Dilemma was, though people from Royal and other noble families did want to work even physical but wanted to preserve what they believed was their honor. The honor they thought they achieved by learning, by producing literature, by administering and by protecting the state. It was not a socialist society and neither it was a time to change it to one, and the Nawab knew it. So he planned a novel method. He invested in construction projects building Imambaras places that are public in nature. There is no other feeling of goodness if you could use what you have built. While under the day light he asked laborers to construct walls and pave roads once a week under the Moon he let the members of the noble families destroy them. This cycle continued and he was doing it preserving the real map till the Famine was over and its citizens could get back on track with their lives. The buildings the Imambaras are still standing undestroyed, untouched, undetered and proud. It was a people's place that continued to wither out the test of time. Nawab was a great ruler and a great human being who was successful in addressing one of the biggest problem of that time with dignity, with honor and with the satisfaction of all affected.
The story has some startling resemblance with what we find today. We have mounting debts here in US, Jobs are difficult to create and find. Honor of people are affected and the education and experience is not always getting appropriately rewarded during the current hardships caused by the bad economy. We have a famine. While the President Obama is about to announce his plans around it, Nawab Asaf-Ud-Doulah is becoming relevant again. And we want to invest in something that could stand up right for centuries to come, proud.

A story I told my friend

Once upon a time a King died. The death agents came and decided he has always been a good guy so he should go to heaven and not to the hell. The King said all his life he has always chosen things after looking and testing it and he would like to see the heaven first before moving in. So the agents decided to give him a solo tour for a few minutes, after all he has been so good all his life. Just after a few minutes passed the King came back running nodding his head. Nope I would not go to the heaven, Its not what I thought it would be like - he said. What's wrong? After all people only wish to enjoy it - asked the agents. NO! the angels are not as beautiful as I thought they would be!! - King remarked.

A story..

The story goes.. there was this true wizard. Poor, unaware but with an astute brain. He had this ability to guess things with his strong intuitions. The King invited him to see if he was a cheat. Without anyone seeing him, the King slipped a diamond ring in his fist and asked the wizard if he could guess what it was? Wizard thought about it for a bit and said it is something circular. Then he thought more and said it has a hole inside it, you have a stone that is elevated on one side. Then he thought more and then - "Its a Grinder" - the wizard said. Everyone laughed and made fun of him. How could a stone grinder could be inside a fist? Wizard was a cheat and stupid everyone said.
Being poor, Wizard had never seen any Jewellery, far from a diamond ring. What he had seen was a hand-driven stone grinder also called a Chakki. What he lacked was awareness and a sensibility to relate even if true how could a grinder fit in a small fist. What he was right about was how he saw the problem and how close he was to solve it that people who laughed would never have guessed either.

What you see is not what...

After an epiphany a man thought of building his own house. He studied 100s of houses. Single family homes, Condominiums, Palatial homes and what not. He took notes of anything and everything he could see in a house. How the kitchen should be, how the living area should be, bedrooms, study. After months and months of research he started to build his own. He bought a land, put bricks on top of each other for walls. He carefully put the roof on. The most beautiful entrance he could afford. Just as he finished building it, the house collapsed. Alas! He never had seen a foundation.

The dream of being a Daaroga

This was an interesting true story I came across, inspirational as well equally funny. So let me blog it:

There was a small village that had a Thana (A Police Station) near by. The villagers were mostly laborers and illiterate, including the family which this story is about. The parents were very fascinated by a Daaroga (The Police In-charge) for his power, clout, lifestyle and the respect he demanded and unequivocally got. The Daaroga controlled the truth. Nothing was possible if he said 'no' and his 'yes' was a command from the God, what we see in a typical western cow-boy movie. The parents wanted their Son to be a Daaroga - Their ultimate dream. From an early age they sent him to a near-by City to his Aunt's for his education. With the inspiration of the Parents on his side, the boy was good in studies. After his graduation he successfully qualified for the Civil services and became a Commissioner. During his training (before the posting) he visited his Parents in the village. Even though happy, he did not find any relief on their faces. Something was missing and he was not sure what? As if their dreams were not fulfilled. The news of him becoming a Commissioner had spread fast. One day, the Daaroga came running to visit his family and to introduce himself. An usual arrogant Daaroga looked humble as he paid his respect to the Commissioner and his Parents. First time in their life had anybody shown any respect to them. They were not only happy but relieved. We didn't know a Commissioner was bigger than a Daaroga, said the deeply touched Father.