School Bus Stop

Usually morning here is a chaotic marvel, extremely happy yet way too disordered. This is the bus stop where atleast 20 kids from our community ride their bus to go to school every morning.

It used to be right on the main road with lots of cars and utility vehicles and everything else moving a lot close to these kids. Every morning the road was crowded with people rushing to their jobs and on the side walk parents standing behind the queue made by kids waiting for the bus. All of them used to stand at their designated place in the line with one very nice kid making sure that the order is maintained. Sometimes one of the kids will just forget that order and will try to do something more appropriate for the kids that age (monkeying around in common language); and the parents will skip a beat as the road was so close. I have witnessed some nervous parents screaming at their baby for breaking the order of the line obviously out of concern for the safety of their child.

Finally after frequent deliberation and consistent requests the stop was moved to the gate of the community. Our own part of the road; where no cars or vehicles zip through as that is the small side road only for the people living in our community to go in and out of the community. In addition to that the circle at the end of the road provided a sizable grassy area for the kids. The 1^st day stop was shifted to that spot; the parents in chorus let go a sigh of relief and the kids following that chorus screamed in ecstasy knowing that they have got the morning freedom they were always dreaming for.

Now every morning till the bus arrives; giggling, running around, kicking the leaves, playing tag and above all being happy is what the kids do. Though it all appears chaotic, but still it is so beautiful to watch. And I am sure it makes the day for most of us parents.

Last few days have been extremely cold with mercury dipping way below freezing especially in the morning; so every child comes dressed in thick jackets and caps and mittens. The running around is slower than usual. The kids, no matter how active they are; have started listening to the nature and responding to it too. 

Today was way extremely cold in the morning; even compared to last few days. The temperature dipped to 16 degrees below freezing if one counts the wind chill factor (well that is around 3 degree Fahrenheit for those of you who do not follow the metric scale). I was worried about my son and all the other kids at the stop who were to stand in that cold waiting for the bus. When I reached the stop I saw this wonderful sight, all the kids were there, no one was running around. Their usual companion; the soccer ball; was missing. They all huddled up in a corner standing very close to each other chatting, laughing, and feeling the warmth from each other.

Kids; aged from 5 years to 11 years. Kids; coming from different homes. Kids; who have been asked to follow different faiths and religious practices by their parents. Kids; belonging to different parts of the world. Kids; Coming from different races, different skin color, different genders and different everything. All huddled together, helping each other to stand against the cold weather. No one taught them to do that. They all knew that a difficult situation like this weather can be faced by staying together.  They all learnt this, without being taught, directly from the nature.

 And there it was; the vision for the future of world for me. They are what the future can be for this World unless we grown-ups corrupt their minds and teach them to be different. Something that had mesmerized me with its beauty just a few minutes back startled me with the powerful message it was conveying.

“Why do kids always have to listen to parents and learn from them?” My son had asked me many a times in the past, especially after being denied too many candies. “Because parents are older than kids and know more things than them, but you can teach me things that you know and I don’t” had always been my answer. Always thinking that it might be many years later when he will really have something to teach me. But today I stand corrected; he and his friends have taught me something great today.

God Bless you kids; if you always stay how you are now then this World will be a very beautiful place. And thanks for making my day start with so much Hope.

उन्नति की ओर

कहीं कोई जानवर सा 

इंसानों को ही नोच खा रहा है 

कही कोई मासूम बच्चो का खून बहा रहा है 

कोई देश दुसरे पे आग की बारिश है करता 

तो कोई झूठे मान के नाम पे अपना ही वंश जला रहा है 

                 कहाँ जा रहे है हम?

                 है यही उन्नति तो विनाश सी क्यों लग रही?

दिलों में डर, घरों में दहशत है 

इंसान मूक ताकता नाच रही वेह्शत है 

अच्छाई हर दिन कमज़ोर होती जा रही 

बलाएँ रक्तबीज सी हर रोज़ बढ़ती जा रही 

संस्कार दकियानूसी और अल्पसंख्यक हो रहे 

मॉडर्निज़्म* के नाम पे बेशर्मी मुस्कुरा रही       (*Modernism)

"सब सरकार की गलती है" कह अपना फ़र्ज़ टालते 

खुद पे जब आ जाती तो चीखते - पुकारते 

सडको पे निकल, बसें जलाते पत्थर बरसाते और गुस्सा निकालते 

यदि सीखे होते कभी पडोसी को भाई मानना 

तो कहाँ दुसरे देश पे बमों की बारिश करते?

अपनी माँ के आँचल में सोये होते तो 

क्यों किसी की बेटी को बेईज्ज़त करते?

आँखों में पानी होता अगर तो 

क्यों न उमर के तुज़ुर्बे की इज्ज़त करते?

फूलों भरा चमन देखा जो होता 

नन्हे बच्चों की मासूमियत की हिफाज़त करते 

पर शायद समय ही नहीं मिला कुछ लोगो को 

ज़िन्दगी की खूबसूरती समझने का 

उन्नत होने की दौड़ में इंसा होना भी भूल गए 

                कहाँ जा रहे है हम?

                है यही उन्नति तो विनाश सी क्यों लग रही?

अब भी कही थोड़ी सी उम्मीद है बाकि 

है दिलो में सो रही इंसानियत, जगा दो उसे 

डरी ही सही, हिम्मत बटोरो और हौसला दो उसे 

छू के पांव किसी बड़े के थोड़ी दुआये लो 

कर के कुछ अच्छा किसी बिखरते को आशाएं दो 

संस्कारो का मूल्य समझ के उन्हें गर्व से अपनाओ 

अपने कर्मो के बल पर ही अपनी पहचान बनाओ 

छोड़ दो उस दौड़ को जो झूठा दम्ब दे रही 

किसी बच्चे को हँसा कर सच्ची ख़ुशी पाओ 

उन्नति वही है जो समृधि दे सके 

खुद को ही नहीं दुसरो को भी रिद्धि दे सके 

इन्सान की औलाद हो इन्सान बन कर जियो 

पीना ही है तो किसी का दुःख पियो 

उन्नति वही है जो सब को उन्नत करे 

ऐसा भी क्या उठना की बाकी सब छोटे लगें?

बढ़े बनोगे तब ही जब सोच को बढ़ा करो 

फेसबुक*  की फ्रेंड लिस्ट#  के मापदंड पे    (*facebook   #Friendlist)

खुद का बड़प्पन नापना छोड़ दो 

है वही उन्नति जो सब को ख़ुशी दे 

है वही उन्नति जो अधरों को हंसी दे 

है वही उन्नति जो डर को समाज से भगा दे 

है वही उन्नति जो स्वाभिमान जगा दे 

है वही उन्नति जो अपने तक ही न सीमित हो 

पारस की तरह हर छूने वाले को स्वर्णिम आभा दे 

             आओ आज नववर्ष पे उस उन्नति का आह्वान करें 

             जो जीवन का उत्सव (उल्हास और मर्यादा से) मनाना सिखा दे।

 ~~ निखिल डोगरा

This day 13 years ago....

9th of January; this date has a special place in my life. Seems like just some time back when my family was excited, scared, praying, hoping and even crying. It was 9th of January year 2000. I with my older brother in the hospital lobby and my sister in law in the labor room about to deliver her 1st child.

I have been for many years the youngest in the family and so that was my day to officially gain Seniority.

I still remember the doctor walking out and stating that things didn’t seem as good as expected and they will have to do a C-section. I could figure out that signing that paper allowing the C-Section was difficult for my Brother. He has always been the care-free member of the family known for being never upset about anything. And that day I learnt that my brother was a very caring person and had a super sensitive side.  

Go ahead and sign it brother, things will be okay. Have faith and be positive. That was me, showing my confident side with tons of faith and that was a first time thing too as I have always been way too sensitive and somewhat afraid of everything. And our parents who were in a different city at that time more than 200 Kilometers away were praying as usual.

That followed by about 30 minutes of anxiety which faded into a mesmerizing spectacle of seeing him in doctor’s hands, wrapped in a soft receiving blanket. Shubh was born. So small, so fragile, so beautiful. Everyone in the family felt blessed seeing him.

Brother and Sister in law just got promoted to being mom and dad, Mom and dad were the grandparents now. And for me I was no longer the youngest one in the family. Shubh’s arrival changed so many things for every one of us in the family.

In my mind; I can still vividly see that scene of the doctor walking with a tiny baby in her hands. Today that tiny baby has become a teenager. He turned thirteen today and we all look back at the life so blessed. Grandma has rightly named him Shubhankar as he has been an auspicious extension to the family.

I dedicate my post today to wish you a very Happy Birthday Shubh.

Sharavya, Shaunak and Shaurya will always look at you for guidance as you are the Big Brother.

And now that you are stepping in your teenage years, we wish you joy, happiness and success in all what you do. Make us all proud and have fun doing that.

Love- Chachu