War: Need of an hour

A file photo from Indo-Pak War - 1965

If someone ask you, what you will prefer sudden death or daily pain which will last long with multiplying injuries until your death. Off course, we will prefer sudden death, at least me. Now a days, who like to get pain equivalent to death everyday in so fast pace life?

The proxy-war between India & Pak has lot to learn. It has been 60 odd years and we are still killing or get killed on the name of terrorism. Bilateral dialogues spoiled, a great valley of Kashmir which is equivalent to heaven has only wake up with scream of bullets everyday. Starting from China, Pakistan to country like Myanmar, everyone chasing land, taking each others life, blocking each others roads and very recent threat to water resources.

I have been in Europe for a while now. I visited Edinburgh, London and few great war memorials. What I learn is that before forming European Union they fought two great wars, have number of civil wars. Before wiping boundaries between countries, they cut each other's throats, they trashed each other's women, children. They revenge each other by every possible way.  They shed every drop of blood.

Another best example is of Japan. Until they get attacked with Nuke which killed lakh of civilians, Japan keep empowering their military will. Now their world is changed. They are only speaking about technology, development and economical growth. They understand, an eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.

On similar ground, what major civil war witnessed by South Asia. For more than 150 years, they looted by British. Post freedom, we had 2-3 wars between military establishment where we had hardly seen throats cutting of civilians (Indo-Pak partition is exception where train of death bodies of civilians exchanged). South Asia is so much lucky that they never get directly involved in world war. People of South Asia never seen women, children abused or blood of their own flowed next to them. But the recent past history of fight between each other really suggest a want for a war. A war that teaches an importance of losing nearer, an importance of peace, an importance of having good neighbours, importance of shared capabilities, ultimately it will teach power of being united.

There is famous quote by Einstein states, Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. If Indo-Pak-China never read essence of this quote then they must fought and learn the lesson by hard way!

Note: For historical reference, this article has been written when Indo-Pak relation tensed in light of terrorist attack on Indian Soil at Uri, a military base at LOC.

Reference - Great wars represents World War I & II

अपनी मिट्टी दि खुषबु

Courtesy - IndianExpress

Some pictures need to see from certain distance to understand exact meaning out of it. Something similar happened to South Asian who visited Europe in recent past. 

Jet Airways flight 9W122 landed me at Heathrow, London airport. A cool breeze made me to head towards taxi before I freeze. After few miles of drive out of London, a taxi driver asked me about my whereabouts. I shared a quick journey from India I did so far. As I mentioned that I belongs to India, I found a taxi driver so happily said he belongs to Pakistan. As he was about to say something more about himself, I interrupted and said, but you were Indian and now turned Pakistani, resulting both busted in the laughter. He nodded and said yes, his grandfather belongs to Utter Pradesh and had only chance to visit India in his childhood. He seemed around age of 45. He shared his schooling in Pakistan and his journey to London at his early 20's. After spending more than 20 years in UK, he confessed that 'अपनी मिट्टी दि खुषबु ही अलग है' meaning 'No country equals feeling of being at motherland'.

The sudden comment on feeling of motherland shivered me more than freezing weather outside. While our conversation during hour long journey, I lived his 45 years through his share of experience. Till then, we reached at famous conversation on bitter relation of Indo-Pak. Meanwhile we reached at hotel when he said, 'How many wars we (Indo-Pak) had as we are still fighting with each other which has no end. Visit European countries, they had two world wars and still they are together as Europe Union!!!'

Last night bed story

It was another way back journey to my college after summer vacation from my home town to Kolhapur, around 100km away. I used to read books during travel. However the story was different, not in the book I was reading but of course happened during my short journey. A girl, age around 24 with average look, seated beside me in the bus. She was little curious about the book I was reading and asked me about the book. I told her a little about the book and conversation turned to personal as she asked me about ongoing schooling, hometown, etc.

I used to talk with person beside me during travel, however most of the time I restrict to talk with male co-travelers. Here story was different, a girl beside was so talk-active and never hesitating to ask question to anonymous person like me, even during travel. As she asking me question, I showed some courtesy and ask few questions to her as well. Here I started with which college she studying. And you cannot believe, apart from answer to my question, the explanation I received was so lengthy to prove that she is typical girl, a talk active girl who stopped only after I reach near to Kolhapur.

She said that she was pursuing architecture study and staying in Kolhapur since last three years. She was recently married and it was her love marriage. I wondered as she exploring that she got married to son of corporator from my hometown where she used to visit on weekends as she still finishing her studies. On top of that she explained how she got introduced with this boy, her husband via one of her college friend.

She was talking uninterrupted and explained how a simple friendship turned to late night conversations and finally to marriage. She was accepting that she was not looking good as her boyfriend was. And how her friends and classmates were jealousy on their relationship. After marriage even her class-teacher says “Tu jari changali disat nasali tari, mulaga khup changala patawala tu, to pan nagar-sevakacha.” meaning “You are not looking good, however you managed to marry with son of corporator.” It was painful for her to listen such comments in college and wanted to finish graduation as early as possible.

On top of this conversation, she revealed some secrets of typical boy-friend who turned to became husband. She was explaining that before marriage her husband talk over phone till late night and used to travel 100km to meet her by skipping his friends. However situation changed after marriage, he partying with friends and came home late even she was visiting on weekends only. I puzzling a girl whom I met an hour ago who putting her sequence of life stories one after another next to a strange person. However I found her love story interesting as she told me that she had fight with her husband last night on the bed by showing injury mark on her hand. I was more curious about their fight and never refused myself to ask the reason of fight. Although I said it is not necessary to give me explanation. She elaborate with tearful eyes that her husband went to visit Mahalaxmi temple in Kolhapur with his friends yesterday. So she planned to have dinner with him at home as she confident that her husband will come to home for dinner. Even he promised dinner with her when he left in the morning. However her husband return only after having dinner with his friends whereas she was waiting late night for dinner with him. On top of that he took non-veg meal making her angrier as she was expecting he should have veg meal post visit to temple. This anger turn to fight in their bed room at second floor and she tried to jump from there. However her husband managed to caught her causing minor scratches on her hand. At the end she said that she wear full sleeves dress to hide injuries from her in-laws. I thought so caring daughter-in-law.

Meanwhile, we reached almost in Kolhapur. I was thinking to ask her why she explaining everything to a strange person like me. But as I told you earlier, she was so talk active. She said, I understood you might be thinking why I am telling everything to you. I mumbled how she able to read my mind. She continued, she belongs to Baramati, almost 500km from Kolhapur. As she did love marriage, everyone from her home stopped speaking or calling to her and no one around to share such things in nearby locality. She found a good friend in mine to speak loud and freely what her state of love-life going through since her marriage. I found she was little relieved when she step down at University.

Moral of the story is simply stated in famous quote in Hindi “Khola hota dil dosto ke saath, to kholana na padata aaj avajaro ke saath”. So keep sharing, keep speaking freely till you feel relieved, no matter where are you or with whom you are.