Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Book Review - Duishen

Duishen
-by Chingiz Aitmatov
(Translated from the Russian in English by Olga Shartse)

The description “If there is one single book on education which will make you weep, this is it.”, stands very true.

The story is narrated by an artist who is given the responsibility to convey a touching story of an orphan who for the first time ever is treated with love and respect by the teacher who is like an elder brother to her. This story revolves around an illiterate teacher, his student and the two poplars (type of tree) standing tall like forming a link between the past and the present.

The background is the rustic village of Kurkureu where a girl has to bear with the harsh treatment of her aunt as she is an orphan with only other refuge of her aging grandmother. Ignorant of her rights and potentials she quietly endures everything until the day hope in form
of Duishen arrives. Duishen in spite of himself being barely literate sets about to achieve a nearly impossible task of setting up a school in a place where the notion of schools itself is unheard of.

With unwavering courage he sets about his tasks of teaching children whose and forefathers had all been illiterate. Naturally he receives absolutely no help from the villagers and is mocked at when he works in freezing temperatures to build a school out of an old stable on a hill. Hardly able to read, with no textbooks and completely innocent of grammar he gives in his best, teaching whatever he thought children should know giving them glimpses of a new and wonderful world. Although at that time it seemed like his hard work was in vain but in long run he accomplished more than he realized.

The fact that it is narrated by an artist who is puzzled as to what picture he should draw related to the story, made me instantly connect as I love both, writing and drawing. Some things are left untold in the end adding a sense of incompleteness to the story leaving the reader to predict the rest. The sentences are very picturesque describing the scenic beauty of the place and the language used makes you think that you are reading a literary masterpiece but unfortunately as opposed to masterpieces it is only 35 pages long... :(

35 pages of pure emotion and inspiration with many dramatic scenes. Duishen's patriotic nature, his struggle to keep his promises made to children, effort to make children laugh in spite of himself facing insults and the fighting spirit showed by a simple village girl make you want to read this book again and again....

-Anwar Sahib

देशमुख जाधव भाई-भाई...

पाण्‍याच्‍या आवाजानं सकाळी पाचलाच जाग आली. थंडी पडलेली.. कम्‍प्‍युटरचा खूप मोह होत असूनही घरातल्‍या कामाला लागले. संध्‍याकाळी आणलेलं किराणा सामान भरुन ठेवायचं होतं. अपूर्वला उठवलं. भराभर आवरलं. ऑफीसला जाण्‍यासाठी दार उघडणार तोच दारावरची बेल वाजली. डेंग्‍यू पेशंट अपूर्व परीक्षेसाठी कॉलेजला गेलेला, कोण असू शकतं यावेळी? जरा आश्‍चर्य वाटून दार उघडताच समोर एक अधिकारी आणि दुसरा त्‍याचा मदतनीस अशी जोडी दिसताच मी ओळखलं ते कोण असावेत. मी त्‍यांना ‘आत या’ म्‍हणत सोफ्याकडे निर्देश केला. दीनानाथ हॉस्पिटलमधून अपूर्वला डिसचार्ज मिळताना डॉक्‍टरांनी सांगितलं होतं की, ‘आठ दिवसाच्‍या आत मनपाचं पथक तुमच्‍या घरी येऊन जाईल. तुमच्‍याकडून सगळी हिस्‍ट्री ते घेतील आणि फवारणी करतील. हॉस्पिटलकडून अशा पेशंटबद्दल त्‍यांना कळवावं लागतं आम्‍ही ते कळवलंय’. मला डॉक्‍टरांनी सांगितलेलं सगळं आठवत होतंच.

मी त्‍यांच्‍यासमोर ऑफीसला उशीर होत असूनही बसले. मनपाचे डेंग्‍यू पथकाचे मुख्‍य कर्मचारी जाधव म्‍हणून होते.

त्‍यांनी मला आपुलकीनं विचारलं,’पेशंट कोण ?’

मी म्‍हटलं,’ माझा मुलगा’

ते म्‍हणाले, “किती वर्षाचा ?”

मी- “19 वं चालू आहे”.

“आता कसा आहे ?”,

मी सांगितलं “आता चांगला आहे. परीक्षा देण्‍यासाठी गेलाय”.

मग त्‍यांनी विचारलं,’ कधी त्रास सुरु झाला?”,

मला 30 ऑगस्‍ट आठवला. त्‍याची थंडी वाजून चढणारा ताप, दुखणारं डोक,अंग, लालेलाल झालेला चेहरा आणि तळहात...ससून हॉस्पिटल...दीनानाथ हॉस्पिटल.. सगळं तारीख आणि वेळेनुसार आठवलं. मी त्‍यांना आवश्‍यक ते सांगत गेले....तो आत्मियतेनं ऐकत होता.

“घरात किती लोकं असता ?”

मी म्‍हटलं, “आम्‍ही दोघंच”,

तो म्‍हणाला, “इथं कधीपासून आहात”.

मी म्‍हटलं, “दोन-तीन महिने झालेत, याआधी मी मुंबईला होते”.

तो म्‍हणाला, “मिस्‍टरांचं नाव?”,

मी सांगितलं. तो म्‍हणाला, “काय करतात ते, मुंबईला असतात ?”

मी म्‍हटलं, “ते नाहीत आता. आम्‍ही दोघंच असतो”.

तो म्‍हणाला, “सॉरी मॅडम”.


Its ok म्‍हणत मीच त्‍याला समजावलं. पण एकूणच मला इतकं छान वाटत होतं. त्‍याचं विचारणं एक गंभीर कोरा चेहरा ठेवून यांत्रिकपणे नव्‍हतं तर इतक्‍या आपुलकीनं तो विचारत होता की तो माझा कुणी नातलग असावा असं मला वाटत होतं. त्‍याला सगळं घर पहायचं होतं. घरात फ्रीज, कुंड्या आहेत का, कुठे पाणी साठलंय का..खूप व्‍यवस्थित काळजीपूर्वक तो सारं पहात होता. बोलत बोलत आम्‍ही बाल्‍कनीत आलो. तो म्‍हणाला, “तुमच्‍या नावाचा खाली सोसायटीत बोर्डही नाही. तुम्‍ही हा फ्लॅट आत्ताचं विकत घेतलाय का ?” त्‍याच्‍या या प्रश्‍नानं “चला घेऊनच टाकूया आता” असा फील मला आला. मी मनाला दटावत आनंदीत झालेला चेहरा जाणीवपूर्वक गंभीर करत “मी इथं रेन्‍टनं, किरायानं रहाते” असं सांगितलं. तो म्‍हणाला, “मॅडम, तुमचा हा फ्लॅट खूप छान आहे !” मी मान डोलावली. त्‍याच्‍यासाठी कांदेपोहे आणि चहा करावा असं मला तीव्रतेने वाटू लागलं. पण ऑफीसला होत जाणारा उशीर बघून मी मनाला पुन्‍हा आवरलं.

त्‍यानं एक पॅम्‍प्‍लेट मला दिलं. त्‍यात डेंग्‍यूबद्दलची माहिती होती. तो स्‍वतःही काय काय काळजी घ्‍यावी याबद्दल मला सविस्‍तर सांगू लागला. त्‍याचं पथकही तितकंच प्रेमळ आणि गुणी होतं. घरात परवानगी घेऊन (जसं शाळेत मुलं “बाई आत येऊ ?”, किंवा “मे आय कमइन?” विचारतात तसंच विचारत ते आत आलं.) सगळीकडे फवारणी करु लागले. मला या सगळ्यांमुळे ‘घर भरल्‍यासारखं वाटतं’ म्‍हणजे काय याचा प्रत्‍यय येऊ लागला. दिवाळी किंवा दसरा साजरा करावा असंही वाटू लागलं. या धावणा-या मनाला काबूत ठेवता ठेवता माझ्या नाकी नऊ (किंवा दहा) येऊ लागले.

माझ्या शेजारी कोण रहातं याची त्‍यांनी चौकशी केली. मग प्रत्‍येक फ्लॅटमध्‍ये जाऊन फवारणी करत ते पॅम्‍प्‍लेट देत माहिती देऊ लागले. काय करावं याबद्दल सांगू लागले. घरात ज्‍या बारकाईनं ते त्‍या डेंग्‍यूला शोधत होते. मलाही कुतूहल वाटू लागलं. यांना तो डेंग्‍यू डास कसा सापडणार, कळत नव्‍हतंच. मी विचारताच ते म्‍हणाले, “सापडेल. फ्रीजमागं, कुठंही कोप-यात..” मग ते टेरेसवरही गेले. तिथे त्‍यांना एका अर्धवट पाण्‍यानं भरलेल्‍या बादलीत डासांची अंडी दिसली. ती गील नावाच्‍या आमच्‍या फ्लॅटधारकाची होती. विजयी मुद्रेनं त्‍याचा नायनाट करीत ते फ्लॅटच्‍या खाली लिफ्टचा वापर न करता पाय-यानं उतरले. मला आठवलं. काहीच म्‍हणजे पंधरा दिवसांपूर्वी मी आणि अपूर्व लिफ्टमध्‍ये अडकलो होतो. म्‍हणजे लिफ्टचं दार उघडतच नव्‍हतं. मग खालीवर करत टेरेसवर पोहोचून ते शटर उघडण्‍याचा आटोकाट प्रयत्‍नही केला होता. आणि लाईट गेल्‍यामुळे आता लिफ्ट खालीदेखील जाऊ शकत नव्‍हती. टेरेसवरुन ओरडूनही कोणालाही आवाज ऐकू जाणं शक्‍य नव्‍हतं. त्‍यावेळी चावला असेल का हा डेंग्‍यू डास ? त्‍यावेळी त्‍या गील महोदयांनीच अनेक क्‍लुप्‍त्‍या करीत आम्‍हाला लिफ्टच्‍या बाहेर काढण्‍यास मदत केली होती. मी जाधवांना ही माहितीही पुरवली. ते म्‍हणाले, “लिफ्टमध्‍ये अडकण्‍याची भीती मलाही फार वाटते त्‍यामुळे मी आपला पाय-या चढत उतरतच कामं करतो”.

खाली येताच निरीक्षण करणारे इतर कर्मचारी बघून मी त्‍यांच्‍याशी बोलती झाले. ते कर्मचारी मला सांगत होते. “सोसायटीचं चेअरमन कोण आहे ?” अर्थातच माझ्या स्‍मरणशक्‍तीनं याही वेळेस मला दगा दिला. मला आठवेचना. खरं तर मेन्‍टेनन्‍स द्यायला मी त्‍यांच्‍याकडे गेले होते. मग मला जरावेळानं एकदम नाव आठवलं. “कुर्तकोटी..”.मी ओरडले. तो म्‍हणाला, “बघा ना, पिण्‍याच्‍या पाण्‍याची टाकी आणि झाकणं तुटलेलं, किती कचरा आत जात असणार, डासांची अंडीही या उघड्या पाण्‍यात होणार...शिकलेल्‍या लोकांनी ही काळजी घेऊ नये का ? तुम्‍ही बघाच. म्‍हणजे तुम्‍ही काळजीनं त्‍यांना सांगू शकाल. एक झाकण करुन घ्‍या ताबडतोब”. तो अतिशय मृदू आवाजात मला सांगत होता. सरकारी किंवा कुठलेली कर्मचारी ज्‍या दमदाटीच्‍या आवाजात गुरकावतात आणि आपण गुन्‍हेगार आहोत असं वाटण्‍याचा न्‍यूनगंड आपल्‍याला देतात त्‍यापेक्षा हे सगळं उलटंच चित्र होतं.

तो म्‍हणाला, “तुम्‍हाला उशीर होतोय का, तुम्‍ही जाऊ शकता ऑफीसला..आमचं काम चालू राहील. आम्‍ही उद्याही येऊ”. आसपासही ते फवारणी करत होतेच. मला त्‍या सगळ्या पथकाचाच अभिमान वाटला. इतकी जागरुकता, आणि कामाला दिलेला माणुसकीचा चेहरा मला थक्‍क करुन गेला. मी अक्षरशः तरंगतच आफीसला येऊन पोहोचले. या आनंदाचं काय करावं हे कळत नव्‍हतंच. मग मी जरबेराची छानशी केशरी रंगाची दोन फुलं घेतली. जरबेरासारख्‍याच असणा-या पॅट्रिशा मॅडमच्‍या केबिनचं दार ठोठावत त्‍यांना दिली. त्‍यांनीही “Thank you, how is your son ?” म्‍हणत ती स्‍वीकारली. मी तशीच तरंगत माझ्या जागेवर आले. सागर जोशी प्रसन्‍न चेह-यानं माझ्याजवळ आला होता. त्‍याच्‍या हातात माझ्यासाठी आणलेली दोन जरबेराची टवटवीत फुलं होती. मी ती हातात घेतली. असं वाटलं जोरदार आवाजात म्‍हणावं,

देशमुख जाधव भाई भाई....

-दीपा देशमुख


Saturday, September 19, 2009

गाव छोडब नही

मित्रांनो,

काही ब्लॉग्स वाचत असताना हे गीत ऐकले. विचार करायला लावले. शब्द जेवढे समजले तसे लिहिले आहेत. गीत ऐकून खालील शब्दांमध्ये काही चुकले असेल तर कळवावे. विडियोत सब टायटल्स इंग्लिश मधे आहेत.

गाव छोडब नही, जंगल छोडब नही,
माय माटी छोडब नही लाडाय छोडब नही।

बाँध बनाए, गाँव डुबोए, कारखाना बनाए ,
जंगल काटे, खदान खोदे , सेंक्चुरी बनाए,
जल जंगल जमीन छोडी हमिन कहा कहा जाए,
विकास के भगवान बता हम कैसे जान बचाए॥

जमुना सुखी, नर्मदा सुखी, सुखी सुवर्णरेखा,
गंगा बनी गन्दी नाली, कृष्णा काली रेखा,
तुम पियोगे पेप्सी कोला, बिस्लरी का पानी,
हम कैसे अपना प्यास बुझाए, पीकर कचरा पानी? ॥

पुरखे थे क्या मूरख जो वे जंगल को बचाए,
धरती रखी हरी भरी नदी मधु बहाए,
तेरी हवसमें जल गई धरती, लुट गई हरियाली,
मचली मर गई, पंछी उड गई जाने किस दिशाए ॥

मंत्री बने कम्पनी के दलाल हम से जमीन छीनी,
उनको बचाने लेकर आए साथ में पल्टनी
हो... अफसर बने है राजा ठेकेदार बने धनी,
गाँव हमारी बन गई है उनकी कोलोनी ॥

बिरसा पुकारे एकजुट होवो छोडो ये खामोशी,
मछवारे आवो, दलित आवो, आवो आदिवासी,
हो खेत खालीहान से जागो नगाडा बजाओ,
लडाई छोडी चारा नही सुनो देस वासी ॥

This video is a description of how life seems to our Adivasi community. It has subtitles in English so the meaning can be well understood.


Saturday, September 5, 2009

Sayano Sushenskaya catastrophe and PPP

17 ऑगस्ट 09 ला रशियातील सर्वात मोठ्या जल विद्युत प्रकल्पात अपघात घडला. टरबाईनचे झाकण तुटून रोटर हवेत उडाले आणि सर्वत्र पाणी शिरले. यात 75 कर्मचारी दगावले. चेर्नोबिल नंतर हा रशियातील सर्वात मोठा तांत्रिक अपघात असे मानले जात आहे.

Sayano Sushenkaya प्रकल्प

रशिया मध्ये बोरिस येस्ल्टिन राष्ट्रपती असताना सरकारी यंत्रणा आणि उद्योजक यांमध्ये सलगी निर्माण झाली ज्याला पुटिन च्या काळातही बढावा मिळाला ज्यामुळे भ्रष्ट आर्थिक व्यवस्था निर्माण झाली, ज्याला burness म्हणजे bureaucratic business असा वाक्प्रचार वापरला जातो. याचेच फलरूप सयानो च्या प्रकल्पात दिसत होते. ओलेग डेरिपास्का या उद्योजकाचे क्रेमलिन शी घनिष्ट संबंध होते. रसअल (RusAl) ही त्याची कंपनी ही जगातील सर्वात जास्त ऍल्युमिनियम बनवणारी कंपनी आहे. सयानो प्रकल्पात गेले काही महिने क्षमतेला ताण देवून वीज निर्मिती होत होती. त्यापैकी 75 टक्के वीज ही रसअल सवलतीच्या खरेदी करत होती. रशिया मध्ये वीजेचा दर सरकार ठरवते. इतर ग्राहक व घरगुती वीज पुरवठा दरापेक्षाही कमी दरानी रसअल ला वीज विकली जात होती. रसअल ला झालेल्या नफ्यामध्ये सरकारचा काहीच वाटा नव्हता. या नफ्यातून काही रक्कम ही सयानो च्या दुरुस्ती साठी वापरता येवू शकली असती.

2005 ते 2008 या दरम्यान नेब्रिसाका यांना सरकारकडून $8.2 बिलियन डिविडंट म्हणून मिळाले. मंदी येताच बेलआऊटची मागणी नेब्रिसाका यांनी केली आणि त्यांना सरकारनी $4.5 बिलियन डॉलर देऊ केले. अर्थतज्ञ डेल्यागिन यांनी याचे वर्णन ‘Privatization of profit and nationalization of loss’ असे केले आहे!

भारतातही PPP चे प्रयोग आता चालू झाले आहेत. PPP म्हणजेच Public Private Partnership. याचे फायदे आणि दुष्परिणाम अनेक ठिकाणी आपल्याला दिसून येते. कंत्राटदार राज म्हणजेच काँट्रॅक्टर राजचा एक जमाना होता. NREGA मध्ये कंत्राटदाराला काढून सरकार नी सर्व जबाबदारी घेतली आहे. दुसर्‍या बाजूला PPP च्या तत्त्वावर चालणारी cleartrip.com याची सेवा सरकारी irctc.co.in च्या पेक्षा कितीतरी चांगली आहे.

PPP मधल्या Public मुळे प्रचंड ताकत येते (आर्थिक, पायाभूत सुविधा, व्याप्ती) आणि Private मुळे कार्यक्षमता आणि उद्योजकता येते. पण या दोघांचे संगन्मत होवून लुबाडणारे लुटारू लोक निर्माण होण्यापासून थांबवण्यासाठी कोणती व्यवस्था तयार करायची हे मोठे आव्हान आहे.

MKCL हा PPP च्या एक पाऊल पुढे जाऊन यातील तोटे कमी करण्याचा एक प्रयोग आहे. पण त्याबद्दल अभ्यास करून मग लिहीन.

या निमित्त काही आकडेवारी

1979 मध्ये बांधलेला सयानो सुशेंकया प्रकल्प हा वीज निर्मिती क्षमतेनुसार जगातील सहाव्या क्रमांकाचा व एशियातील प्रथम क्रमांकाचा जल विद्युत प्रकल्प आहे. इथे अंदाजे 6700 MW वीज निर्मिती होते. रशिया च्या एकूण वीज निर्मिती च्या 2.5 टक्के व जल विद्युत निर्मिती च्या 25 टक्के वीज इथे निर्माण होते.

जगातील सर्वात मोठा जल विद्युत प्रकल्प हा चीन मध्ये, थ्री गॉर्जेस डॅम या ठिकाणी आहे. सध्या इथे 18,300 MW इतकी वीज निर्माण होते आणि काम पूर्ण झाल्यावर 22,500 MW निर्माण होईल.

भारतात सध्या अंदाजे 1,50,000 MW इतकी वीज निर्माण करण्याची क्षमता आहे. त्यापैकी 37,000 MW वीज ही जल विद्युत पद्धतीनी होते.

सध्या महारष्ट्रातात (व भारतातही) कोयना जल विद्युत प्रकल्प (अंदाजे 2000 MW) हा सर्वात मोठा जल विद्युत प्रकल्प आहे. चंद्रपूर इथे कोळशापासून औष्णिक वीज प्रकल्पात अंदाजे 2400 MW वीज निर्मिती होते.

सतलज नदीवरचा नाथपा झाकरी प्रकल्पात 1,500 MW वीज निर्माण होते.

कोयना प्रकल्प

4 सप्टेंबर 2009 च्या द हिंदू या वर्तमानपत्रात आलेल्या अग्रलेखावरून प्रेरीत. हा लेख आपण इथे वाचू शकता.

-प्रियदर्शन

Swimming with the Fish

I was sitting amidst a bunch of 7-8 unknown women in a small house, in village called ‘Nagari’.

Each one was talking with other very loudly. Sitting there I was recalling Nayna’s (Dr. Abhay Bang) words.

The same morning Nayna had opened the first session of Nirman 2.3 Camp with the sentence now familiar to us; “What you get from outside is training but what happens inside is learning”. With this sentence our Nirman Journey had started. Nirman is a series of four camps, an initiative by Dr. Abhay & Rani Bang to sensitize youth to social problems and to encourage them for action. This camp was the third of the series.

In first camp we learned about ourselves, our body. Second camp introduced us to various societal problems like energy, alcoholism, terrorism, rationing; by people who actually worked on them.

And now this was the third one. It was now time to experience what we had learned. All of us had assembled at SEARCH, Gadchiroli from different parts of Maharashtra. After Nayna’s session we would leave for our village experience. Each one of us was allotted one village. We were to spend four days there. One house was identified in each village and those people were informed about our arrival. We would contact the Community Health Workers or ‘Arogyadoot’ of SEARCH after reaching the village and they would drop us to the concerned house where we would stay for next four days.

“You are going to village to learn about it, by living with it.”, Nayna continued. “You will see entire universe in that small village.

Even if I am able to understand one person on this earth, I will understand entire mankind. That person is none other than me.

See how 60% population of India lives. Be a part of their lives for four days and yet be a silent observer. See what happens outside you and also watch what happens in the world inside you.”

I was recalling all this as I was not able to become a part of the conversation going on around me.

Where do I start? How do I break the ice?? “I am grotesque at communicating with strangers.” I said to myself, irritated.

Wife of Arogyadoot of SEARCH whom I had contacted after reaching the village had come to drop me here. This was the place where I was going to stay for next four days. I had taken bus from Gadchiroli to Nagpur and got down at about 10 km from Gadchiroli, at Village named Mozri. From there this village, Nagari, was three km which I had walked down. When I reached, it was about two in afternoon. I found out Arogyadoot’s House. He welcomed me, offered me tea. Then his wife came to drop me at the house chosen for me.

When we entered the house, it was empty. I and the wife of the Arogyadoot sat in verandah. The lady of the house, Kaki, had gone to their farm. She would return only in the evening. After five minutes her two daughters appeared on the scene. The younger one, Peeru, was about 18-20 years old. The elder one, of age 22-23, was mentally challenged. To my surprise, her name was Nirasha. In Marathi, Nirasha means disappointment, no hopes! Later I learned that when Kaki was pregnant with Nirasha, she was expecting a boy. And since a girl was born, everyone was disappointed. Hence the name Nirasha.

After some time curious faces started popping up at the door. I had seen these faces staring at me when I was walking down the village.

Within first half an hour my first round of interrogation was over. Where do I come from? What was my name? Why did I come here? What was my cast? How much had I studied? etc.

Endless stream of questions started fading gradually. Now that they were busy talking amongst them, I busied myself in observing the house.

It was about 400 Sq Ft, with 3 rooms. It was plastered with mud and had Mangalore tilled roof which leaked when it rained. Light and ventilation was a major problem. The open verandah had a chullah. The house had toilet and bathrooms, but they didn’t have doors. The water closet of toilet was closed with Mangalore tiles. Later I saw that no one in house ever used that. Next to verandah, there was a cattle shed. They had one buffalo, two calves, two goats and lots of hens and chickens. Other than two electric bulbs, there was no gadget which ran on electricity. I had learned concept of ‘minimalism’ in Architecture, now I was seeing it.

Time was refusing to move ahead. I had nothing with me to kill time. No book, no TV, no internet, no mobile phone. We had to leave all the valuables at SEARCH. We had left with money just enough to go and come back.

Unknowingly I started comparing my and their lifestyles. I was a typical middle class girl from a metro city, and this was a typical house from village. Soon I realized, there could not be any comparison.

You can’t compare apples and oranges.

Our problems were…well…Pune didn’t have enough of water supply. These people didn’t have water connection. They had to get drinking water from a well which was around half kilometer from their place. Pune had too much of traffic. These people didn’t have vehicles.

Had it not been for this camp, I would never have had a chance to see this kind of living.

Kaki came back in the evening. I introduced myself. They were a family of seven. Five daughters, Kaka and Kaki. Kaka stayed in nearby village. He was watchman with forest department. He came once or twice in two weeks. 3 of the elder daughters were married. Kaki and the younger daughter Peeru looked after the farm. They had 2 acres of land. Paddy was the main crop. They consumed whatever they produced. There was never a surplus to sell.

Kaki soon got busied in cooking. They had a stock of wood for a year. I was seeing cooking on chullah for the first time. In Environmental Planning we learned about the problem of indoor air pollution and now I was seeing Kaki, coughing because of smoke, her eyes red.

But apart from this problem and problem of light and ventilation in house, their lifestyle was the most Eco-Friendly. I had learned terms like Zero Waste House, Carbon Friendly House; I could actually see all that here. Typically waste produced in one activity would get used in some other activity. The food remains would be given to the buffalo, ashes of the chullah would be used to clean utensils, the house was built with local material, the cow dung would be used for surface preparation of the floor….. there were many such interesting loops…

They all would get up at 5.30, would go open air to defecate. Cooking was done by 8 o’clock in morning, one subji and rice. Then they would eat and go to farm at 9 o’clock. In morning they worked as laborer in someone else’s farm. Being a woman, Kaki and Peeru got daily wage of Rs 30. Men got Rs 60. Nirasha never went on farm. She mostly did household work. The two of them would be back by 1 in afternoon. Then they would take bath, washed clothes then had lunch of same subji and rice. After lunch they went to their own farm. At this time, paddy field bunds were being constructed and toor was being sowed on the bunds. They would come back by 6. Cook and have diner. All went to sleep by 9.

Same routine every day.

I told Kaki that I wanted to try my hand on farming! She told me since in morning they worked as laborer in some other farm, its better I accompany them after lunch. I agreed.

After Kaki and Peeru left, only I and Nirasha were there. Once again I encountered the slow pace of time. “I should have got some book!” I cursed myself.

It was the first day of my stay and I was not able to set myself with this life yet. Kaki and all the other ladies seemed very confused about why exactly I was there.

They had immense curiosity about urban people. But they had very less exposure to the urban luxuries. They asked me questions like ‘Do you also do farming in city? Do you have cows at your place? How big is Pune? Is it as big as Gadchiroli? Is it twice the size of Gadchiroli? You must be having water from taps, you must be cooking on LPG…..’

Seeing this life I thought I belonged to some other planet. All the malls, ATMs, multiplexes, glass towers of corporate….all seemed so irrelevant here!!

Why am I here??? I started thinking again. What am I going to do to change these people’s lives? Will I ever be able to leave city and stay here forever?? Do I have any capabilities to survive here?? The thing is, I know that it is a game of 4 days. Will I be as much patient if I wasn’t to return after 4 days?

Why should I allow myself to think that I am educated? I don’t know farming, I don’t know how to even light chullah, let go cooking on it, I don’t know how to milk cow….. I was the most unfit to survive there.

In afternoon I joined them on farm. We sowed toor.

Two hours of work. My back started aching. I was drenched with sweat. But it was fun. One could see fields stretched for miles in all directions. Very beautiful!

In the evening I went with Peeru to fetch water.

She gave me a large Handa (utensil to store water) to fill. It was heavy. Since I was quite sure that I will drop it if I carried it on my head, I took it in my hands. By the time we reached the chowk near Kaki’s house, I was dripping with water. The Handa was wet and it was slipping from my hands.

And……at one point of time my hands could not take that weight anymore and the thing dropped….. almost 30-40 people in the chowk were watching. Within split second there was a roar of laughter. I was standing right in the middle not knowing how to react!! It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. The very incident later became a huge entertainment package for everyone. Now I can laugh at it, but at that time…it was really tough!!

The next morning when people were coming to buy milk from Kaki, each and every person knew the water story. In village nothing is private. Everything is public.

Typically in afternoon ladies gathered at Kaki’s place for chatting, gossiping. They were still not understanding the purpose of my visit. They were under impression that I had come there to do some survey. And the fact that I wasn’t doing one was drawing objections.

Alas I tried to explain. I told them, “See, we people in cities get all the food from stores. We never get to know about the hard work that a farmer has to do to produce it. That is why SEARCH has sent us. To see how difficult the life of farmer is.”

That’s it. That worked like a key. The communication was unlocked, the ice broken.

Their attitude changed drastically. All the traces of disapproval because I was an urbanite dissolved. They started sharing their problems. Kaki said, she wanted Peeru to get married to a person from service sector. “I have been working hard all my life. But I don’t want Peeru to have a life like me. I want her to have a comfortable life.” But person from service sector meant more dowry. What’s more, if your girl had dark complexion, the dowry amount would increase!! I asked Kaki, how did they manage to get 3 girls married? They must have paid sizable amount of dowry. “We borrowed from our relatives, friends…” Kaki told, “….and we are still paying back. Till we clear previous debts, we can’t get Peeru married.” “And what about Nirasha?” I asked. “She will stay at our place, what can we do? After us one of the daughters will have to take care of her.” I was surprised about the maturity with which this issue was handled. They had accepted her so naturally, without any noise.

Since there was no man in house, ladies of all ages would often drop in for while. Since Peeru and I were of similar age, I could see life of women and girls in village very closely. They seemed quite insecure. You will never see a girl roaming alone in that village. They would always go in group. Kaki never encouraged me to step out of the house alone. It was one of those few times when I am aware that I am a ‘Girl’.

Story of all the girls of Peeru’s age was more or less similar. They would learn till 10th, at the most 12th. Then join their parents in farming and soon would get married. I really doubt of what use that education is for them.

But they didn’t seem to have any complaints. They had accepted that this is what their life was about. And it would never change. For all of them, the fact that I had come all the way from Pune to Gadchiroli for camp, was hard to believe. I tried explaining about my graduation in Architecture and Post Graduation in Environmental Planning, but they were worried that I am 25 and still not married!!

In next two days I went to many ladies staying nearby. Now they were more or less knowing me. Everywhere it was a warm welcome. I was going with Kaki on her farm everyday.

Slowly I could match their pace of life, yet when 4 days were over, I was eager to return to SEARCH, to my friends. Each one had different experience. People had bunch of things to share.

After the prayer, the laughter & the talk started. Hosts of some Nirmanees made them work like anything, some of them got marriage proposals, some were mistaken as naxalites, two were attacked by wild boar… the list was endless!! An hour was passed with roars of laughter. Slowly the paradoxes of life which were witnessed by all of us started surfacing. Alcohol, tobacco were chronic problems. People had seen children of age 3 eating tobacco. Castism was not only present but dominant in all the villages. Committing yourself to one person, the very basis of institution of marriage was nonexistent. It was a shock to hear some of the facts narrated by people. In many places ill effects of urbanization have reached even before urbanization. Is it the Indian Culture that we are so proud of?? Everyone was asking. The romantic concepts about Indian villages were completely broken. Everyone had seen the reality and now it was difficult to run away from it! Everyone was equally clueless about his or her role in changing that picture.

The next day we had a session for sharing the experiences. After listening to them I felt what I had seen was enough to put together only one or two pieces of a huge jig-saw puzzle! Even if we combine all the experiences, that would give only a glimpse of that huge picture.

After that session we were to pen down the questions that arose in our minds. My first impression after coming back was that I had understood village to some extent. When I heard experiences of rest of the people, I understood what I saw was not enough. I could see a complex web of problems. Where do I fit in this web?? What is my role?? Where to start?? Is it really possible to isolate one problem and solve it?? Will I be able to leave my present lifestyle and go to villages for working? Will I want to go in the first place?? And my basic question was ‘In four days how much of village have I really understood?’

The problems of villages were not just one or two issues, they were deep routed. I think the real problem was, those people didn’t have a vision for their life. I am not talking about vision of money or material gains. A good life is about living it a good way. Once they have this vision, they know what to achieve rest are just tools. Then it won’t be a fragmented approach to solve problems one by one. First their thinking should change. In this context I think swadhyay has a very fundamental answer. It helps you change your vision about your life. This sets a momentum, and then you yourself find ways and means to achieve better life. But that vision is the key.

This is what our group suggested in the manifesto of Ideal Village which we prepared the next day, the Ideal Village is the one where everyone has such a vision about his or her life and about the village.

We also did a role play on “Na aane ke bahane”, list of all our excuses for not working on the problems. We had to face the fact that what we call reasons are in fact excuses!!

Today I am back to my own life and I can’t help but compare. Today whatever life I have, what my contribution to it? Frankly- Nil. I was fortunate enough to born in a good house, to get good education, to get ability to think, to choose between right and wrong. Today if I am in the category of ‘Haves’, it is my duty to help people in category of ‘Have nots’. We always ask ‘Why not me?’, but how often do we ask ‘Why me?’

But in today’s life we just don’t have time to take a brief pause, and think about it. I was saying that the village people didn’t have vision for life. Do we, city people have?? Or our vision has started to mean only money… consumption??? Are we selling our sensibilities, sensitivities? Are we really worthy of the resources that we consume? Do we have right to take things for granted???

I don’t have answers at this moment. But I plan to keep looking for them. And even if I am able to change my lifestyle by 1%, I would say I proved myself worthy of that visit.


-Amruta Pradhan

Decision: Freedom to Choose

The Engineering course was nearing an end. I certainly had options to choose from on one end I had the perspective that Nirman had given me and on the other two lucrative jobs. I have called them ends because I feel they are choices apart.

There were a few reasons as to why I picked the other option…

1. Having studied Information Technology at my graduation level, I was rather I still am very curious to know what actually goes into the Industry. How people in the corporate world work, why do they work, what they expect from their field of work, how and why they have gotten into it, how passionate they are about their work, how do they maintain a work life balance and lots more...through interaction and introspection. I am pretty sure I wouldn’t have been able to know all this unless I would be here and do that.

2. Money is another important aspect. I have always wanted to know how much money I need to earn. I could have easily accepted a certain sum of money and defined my lifestyle but I needed to know how much money is more money. And I think a lucrative job was the easiest source.

3. I also wanted to truly learn on the technology front. I didn’t know how we would apply what we learnt in our graduation years.

I feel I needn’t justify my reasons for having chosen this option. However I am trying to put across what went through my mind when I made the decision. There is a whole lot of learning that roles in with the decision. After all people working in corporate are also people and even smart people.

Before I joined the firm I had thought that when I leave the company I should feel happy that I am saying good bye and not repent later in life that I didn’t try this in life. It sure has been a rare experience so far… I am going to be working along for another 8 months or so….to get a real time project experience how processing happens and how development actually takes place. Of what I have come across till now all industries have a very efficient system in place. It surely is not a piece of cake to be reining in oddly 3000 or more people and getting work done in an effective manner. Not all people working are smart or intelligent…but they have their own means of getting work done. You can learn to be a team player… and you also get to realize how much importance your dedication to a particular job is valued.

You must be wondering that for long I have been mentioning just the good stuff…. Frankly speaking now I know that this is not the place that I would want to spend the rest of my life. I feel sad and depressed at the end of day when I don’t know how much or for how long it has “rained outside” i.e. how easily I am weaned away from what’s happening in the world outside. I come to know of the events only late after I have reached home or the next days newspaper People live in fake lives…. they want to be doing lots of stuff other than work but they can’t. They are stuck in the 9 to 6 schedules. And even more to earn a 5% hike at the end of the year. Ultimately, not realizing this wouldn’t give them happiness. I used to always wonder at the number of advertisements that are shown on television that always showcased “weekend homes”, “weekend getaways”,” retirement homes” but I have realized you never actually have time to get a” weekend”. Though here in my company they say “You own your career” yet you feel like you are reined to a carriage and that you are driving the carriage but someone has the leash.

I would like to conclude with a small incident….
The other day I left office later in the evening, at this time of the evening we get cab drops. Apparently that day for some reason a cab that comes to our area wasn’t yet assigned and we were waiting for it to be allocated at the same time it started pouring heavily… and the rains drenched us wet in the 5 minute wait span. I was a little irritated because I was wondering I would have to sit all wet till I reached home. Another guy complained about the same thing to his friend… and pat came the reply from his friend: ”Are yaar kabhi bigh gaya to kya hua vaise bhi ham aaj kal barish mein kaha bhig sakte hain”. And I suddenly realized how I loved getting wet in the rains…..

-Shweta Kulkarni

आनंदानुभव

10 वीच्या सुट्ट्यांमधे मी आनंदवन येथे गेलो होतो. असाच एकटा. नुकतीच दहावीची परीक्षा झालेली. साधना आमटेंच समिधा हे पुस्तक वाचनात आलं आणि मी त्यांना पत्र पाठवलं. तर प्रत्यक्ष साधनाताईंच पत्रोत्तर आलं. भेटायला आणि आनंदवन पाहायला ये म्हणून. तसाच निघालो. मनात आनंदवनाबद्दलच्या खूप सार्‍या कल्पना घेऊन.

आनंदवनाच्या गेट मधून आत प्रवेश केला की उजव्या बाजूला काही अंतरावर एक मोठी ड्रेसिंग रूम आहे. तिथे कुष्ठरूग्णांच्या जखमांना रोज ड्रेसिंग केल्या जातं. तिथे जाऊन पोहचलो. त्या वेळी बायोलॉजीची आणि डॉक्टरी पेशाची मनस्वी चीड होती. म्हणून मग ड्रेसिंग कसं करतात ते पाहायचं आणि जमलं तर प्रत्यक्षात स्वतः करून पाहायचं असं ठरवलं. दुसर्‍या दिवशी सकाळीच क्लिनिकला गेलो.


माझ्या आधी मोना नावाची एक वर्ध्याची मुलगी अनेक दिवसांपासून स्वतःहून तिथे ड्रेसिंगचं काम करायची. तिची मला सोबत होती. तिने थोडा धीर देखील दिला होता.

ती रूम बर्‍यापैकी मोठी. चार खाटा ठेवलेल्या. आणि बॅंडेजच सामान. आयोडीनचा वास.खास हॉस्पिटलचं वातावरण. बॅंडेज करायला चारजणं आणि गरज असल्यास इंजेक्शन द्यायला अजून एक. असे पाचजण मिळून आठ-नऊशे लोकांचं बॅंडेज करायचे.

सकाळी 6 वाजता काम सुरू व्हायचं. सगळ्या पेशंटना बॅंडेज करून आपापल्या कामाला जायचं असायचं.म्हणून सकाळी तिथे कायम गर्दी आणि घाई असायची. सगळ्यांनाच कामाला जायची लगबग.

पहिल्या दिवशी सगळं फक्त पाहात होतो.आधीची पट्टी सोडणं, औषध लाऊन जखम धुवून त्यावर पट्टी लावणं. पिवळी आणि पांढरी असे पट्ट्यांचे दोन प्रकार. ज्यांची जखम अजून ओली असेल अशांसाठी पिवळी तर इतरांसाठी पांढरी पट्टी. अनेक जखमा. आणि त्यावर रोज केल्या जाणारं बॅंडेज. काम करायचं असेल तर चालणं आलचं. आणि त्यासाठी रोज पट्ट्या बदलणं देखील.

बहुतेक सगळी म्हातारी नाहीतर चाळीशी पार केलेली माणसं. बर्‍याच वर्षांपासून आनंदवनात असणारी. तिथेच काही ना काही काम करणारी.

पट्ट्या बांधणं वाटलं तेवढं सोपं नव्हतं. प्रत्येक पेशंटची पट्टी बांधायची विशिष्ट पद्धत असायची. वर्षानुवर्ष पट्टी बांधून तयार झालेली. झडलेल्या बोटांनुसार, ते जे काम करतात त्या कामाच्या स्वरूपानुसार ठरलेली. शेतात काम करणार्‍या म्हातार्‍या एक जादा पट्टी सोबत ठेवत. प्रत्येकजण आदल्या दिवशीची स्वतःची पट्टी सोबत घेऊन बसायचा.

पट्ट्या बांधून घेताना त्यांना कसल्या वेदना होत नसत. कारण कुष्ठरूग्णाला त्या भागात संवेदना नसतात. बंडेज गुंडाळताना, ती पांढरी पट्टी घट्ट आवळून बांधावी लागायची. आधी खूप सारा मेडिकेटेड कापूस पायाभोवती गुंडाळायचा आणि मग पट्टी बांधायची. अशी घट्ट बांधली की दिवसभर काम करताना ती निसटत नसे.

दुसर्‍या दिवशी मी पट्टी बांधायला घेतली. आदल्या दिवशी जखमा पाहून नजर मेली होती. नीट व्यवस्थित, जरा जास्तच वेळ घेऊन पहिली पट्टी बांधली.आपणही हे काम करू शकतो हा विश्वास आला.

कधी कधी जखमेतून छोटे दगड, काचेचे तुकडे असं बरचं काही काढावं लागायचं. शेतात काम करताना पट्ट्यांमधून हे सगळं त्या जखमेत जाऊन बसायचं.

मी नवीन आहे, अजून शिकतोय हे कळाल्यावर तिथल्या म्हातार्‍या पट्टी बांधताना धीर द्यायच्या. त्यांना पट्टी कशी बांधून हवी ते स्वतःहून सांगायच्या. चुकलं तर ओरडायच्या. नीट जमल्यावर मनापासून शाबासकी द्यायच्या.

मी आणि मोना सोडून ड्रेसिंग करणारे बाकी सगळे कुष्ठरूग्णच होते. ट्रिटमेंट घेऊन बरे झालेले.

सकाळी सहा ते नऊ प्रचंड काम. गडबड आणि धांदल. नऊ नंतर मात्र म्हातारेकोतारे, कामाला न जाऊ शकणारे पेशंट यायचे. सगळं आवरायला अकरा वाजायचे.

ती ड्रेसिंग रूम म्हणजे गडबड, गोंधळ आणि आनंदाचा नुसता कल्लोळ असायचा. ड्रेसिंग करणारं कुणी आलं नसेल तर त्याची चौकशी व्हायची. एकमेकांची थट्टा करत आणि हसतखेळत सगळं काम चालायचं.

रोज काम करून कामात सफाई येऊ लागली. 10-12 दिवस काम केल्यानंतर तर कुणाला कशी पट्टी लागते हे पाठच झालं होतं. पट्टी नीट जमली तर त्या प्रेमळ म्हातार्‍या खूपच कौतुक करायच्या..आर्शीर्वाद द्यायच्या.

सुरूवातीला वाटायचं, काय ह्या त्यांच्या वेदना..किती हा त्यांना त्रास..रोज पट्टी बदलायची. जखम झाली तर ती चिघळायची. मग काही दिवस काम बंद. असं बरच काही.

पुस्तकातून वाचून डोक्यात बसलेलं दुःख मी त्यांच्यात शोधायला जायचो. पण ही मंडळी तर भलतीच आनंदी असायची. कसलं दुःख आणि कसलं काय? जे झालयं ते मान्य करून जगायची.

प्रत्यक्षात दुःख होतं, वेदना देखील होती. पण या लोकांनी ती खूप सौम्य करून टाकली होती.

एकदा तर एक पेशंट आले होते. बरेच म्हातारे होते. त्यांच्या डाव्या पायाचा अर्धा अंगठा उंदराने रात्रीतून कुरतडून खाऊन टाकला होता.. संवेदना नसल्याने रात्री त्यांच्या लक्षात आलं नाही. सकाळी ऊठून पाहतात तर अंथरूणात सगळं रक्तं. त्यांचं ड्रेसिंग करताना खूप भरून येत होतं.

चार-पाच दिवसात बाबांच्या कानावर ही गोष्ट गेली की जालन्याहून आलेला मुलगा रोज ड्रेसिंग करतोय. त्यांनी मुद्दाम भेटायला बोलावलं. तोपर्यंत त्यांची भेट झालीच नव्हती. आनंदवनाचा सगळा परिसरच एवढा मोठा होता की तो पाहताना सगळा दिवस निघून जायचा. आणि त्यांना भेटायला जायचं दडपणचं यायचं. आपण काही काम करत नाही, तर पहिल्याच दिवशी जाऊन त्यांना कसं भेटायचं अशी काहीशी भावना मनात होती.

मग मी त्यांना भेटायला गेलो. खूप वेळ बोलत होते..काय बोलत होते ते आता फारसं आठवत नाही कारण मी खूप भारावून गेलो होतो. केवढा मोठा माणूस.. काही सुचतच नव्हतं त्या वेळेस.

बाबा त्यावेळेस रोज पहाटे स्ट्रेचरवरून फिरायला जायचे. मला म्हणाले, तूही रोज येत जा. तिथून पुढे आनंदवनात होतो तोपर्यंत मी रोज पहाटे त्यांच्यासोबत फिरायला जायचो. तो अर्धा पाऊन तास भलताच भन्नाट असायचा. पावसाळी वातावरण, पहाटेची वेळ आणि त्यात बाबांसोबत त्यांचं बोलणं ऐकत फिरणं. सगळच स्वप्नवत.

अकरा वाजता ड्रेसिंगचं काम झालं की जनरल वॉर्ड मधे चक्कर टाकून यायचो. तो तर सिरिअस पेशंट्सने भरलेला असायचा. सोबत पोळकाका असायचे. ते बर्‍याच वर्षांपासून तिथलं हॉस्पिटलचं काम पाहायचे. इथले पेशंट कंटेजिअस लेप्रसीचे असल्याने सगळी काळजी घेऊन तिथे जायचो. इलाज सुरू असल्याने डॉक्टर आणि नर्स सोडून त्यांना फारसं कुणी भेटायला यायचं नाही.त्यामूळे आम्ही गेलो की तिथल्या पेशंटना खूप बरं वाटायचं.आम्ही येण्याची वाट बघायचे. त्यांची विचारपूस करायला, दोन शब्द बोलायला ना घरचे असायचे, ना कोणी जवळचे. आम्ही भेटल्यावर खूप भरभरून बोलायचे. स्वतःचं दुःखं सांगायचे.

कुष्ठरोगासारख्या भीषण रोगाशी लढणारी ही माणसं. आता आनंदी असली तरी खूप काही सोसलेली. कुष्ठरोगाचे निदान झाल्यावर घरच्यांनी आणि गावातल्या लोकांनी झिडकारलेली. त्यांची वेदना सारखी असल्याने सगळी एकमेकांना धरून राहायची, सांभाळायची.

बाबा त्यांच्या झडलेल्या बोटांकडे पाहून त्यांना जीवंत मानवी शिल्प म्हणतात. तेंव्हा त्याचा अर्थ कळायचा नाही, पण आता कळतो.

मी आनंदवनात गेलो होतो तेंव्हा वैचारिक गुंत्यात फारसा पडलोच नव्हतो. आपण काहीतरी वेगळं करत आहोत असंही तेंव्हा वाटलं नव्हतं. सेवेचं सामर्थ्य मला बाबांच्या आनंदवनात शिकायला मिळालं. मला ते खूप भावलं. जवळचं वाटलं. त्या नकळत्या वयात तिथल्या कुष्ठरूग्णांशी मी जोडल्या गेलो. माझा मित्र मला विचारत होता, सध्या जे काम करतो आहेस, त्याची प्रेरणा तुला कुठून मिळाली? मागे वळून विचार केला आणि आनंदवनातला हा अनुभव आठवला. कदाचित हीच माझी प्रेरणा असेल..नक्की ठाऊक नाही..प्रेरणेचं नक्की माहीत नाही, पण आनंद आणि समाधान मात्र खूप मिळालं. या अनुभवाने खूप काही दिलं. शब्दांच्या पलीकडचं !

-सागर जोशी



एक जाणीव

गावात राहून आल्यानंतर म्हणण्यापेक्षा निर्माण 2.1 पासून आजपर्यंत सुरू असलेल्या विचारप्रक्रियेतून झालेली एक जाणीव...

अनेक छोट्या खेड्यांनी मिळून सोलापूर हे शहर तयार झाले आहे. या शहरात आजुबाजूला थोडस डोळसपणे बघितलं की लक्षात येतं, अरे, आपण गावात पाहिलेले, आपल्याला जाणवलेले प्रश्न फक्त गावात नाहीत , ते आपल्या अवतीभवतीसुद्धा कोणत्या ना कोणत्या स्वरूपात आहेत.

रस्त्यावरून जाताना सोलापुरात अशी कित्येक ठिकाणं आहेत जिथे रस्त्याच्या कडेने लोक उघड्यावर प्रातःर्विधीसाठी बसलेले असतात, वेगवेगळ्या कारखान्यात, हॉटेलात, दुकानात लहान मुले काम करीत असतात,कित्येकांना विडी, सिगारेट, गुटखा, तंबाखूचे व्यसन असते, एखादी 70 वर्षाची म्हातारी आजीबाई रोज गाडीवर केळी विकून पोट भरते, जिल्हा परिषदांच्या शाळांमध्ये शिक्षक निम्म्यापेक्षा जास्त वेळ इतर कामे करतात, या शाळेतील मुलांना 5 ,6 वीत गेले तरी वाचता येत नाही, विशिष्ट भागातली (झोपडपट्टीतली) मुले, मोठी माणसे, तिथली अस्वच्छता, व्यसनाधीनता, दारिद्र्य, इ. अनेक प्रश्न.

ही यादी न संपणारी अशीच आहे. वरील सगळ्या गोष्टी आपल्याला माहीत नव्ह्त्या का? तर होत्या. पण असं वाटायच, की मी म्हणजे कुणीतरी वेगळा आहे. वेगळा म्हणजे श्रेष्ठ नाही पण तरीही हे सगळे प्रश्न आपले नाहीत, आपला त्यांच्याशी काही संबंध नाही, अशी टिपिकल मध्यमवर्गीय मानसिकता होती. पण आता लक्षात येतंय, आपणही त्यांच्यातलेच एक आहोत. हे आपल्या सगळ्यांचे प्रश्न आहेत. ते सोडवण्यासाठी फक्त व्यवस्थेला जबाबदार धरुन आपल्याला मोकळं होता येणार नाही. समाजाप्रती आपली काही कर्तव्य आणि जबाबदा-या आहेत.

हा फक्त माझा एकटीचाच प्रश्न नाही. जवळजवळ प्रत्येकालाच वाटतं की, मी डॉ. म्हणून वेगळा किंवा इंजिनिअर म्हणून वेगळा किंवा आणख़ी काही. त्यामुळे आपण स्वतःला एका कोषात बंदिस्त करून घेतो. आपल्यातला संवाद कमी होतो. समाजात प्रत्येक व्यक्तीची वेगवेगळी बेटं तयार होतात. या कोषातून बाहेर येऊन स्वतःहून लोकांशी संवाद साधणे, ते कोणीतरी वेगळे किंवा आपण कोणीतरी वेगळे असे न मानता आपण सारे एक आहोत. हे सारे माझे प्रश्न आहेत अस मला आता वाटायला लागलेय.

कदाचित, सारे भारतीय माझे बांधव आहेत या प्रतिज्ञेतील वाक्याचा अर्थ मला आत्ता समजायला लागलाय!

-तृप्‍ती कल्‍याणशेट्टी