Bye Bye Great Souls

(ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ಅಜ್ಜಿ )

ಕಳೆದ ವಾರ ನಾನು ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ಅಜ್ಜಿಯನ್ನು ಕಳಕೊಂಡೆ.ಅವರ ಕೊನೆಯ ಗಳಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಅವರ ಹತ್ತಿರ ಇರಬೇಕಾಗಿತ್ತು ಅಂತ ಅಂತ ತುಂಬಾ ಅನಿಸುತಿದೆ. Atleast ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೋಕೆ ಮುಂಚೆ ಅವರ ಜೊತೆ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಸಮಯ ಕಳದೆ ಅಂತ ಆದರು satisfaction ಇದೆ .
ನೆನ್ನೆ ತಾನೇ ನಮ್ ಜೊತೆ ಇದ್ದೋರು, ಇವತ್ತು ಇಲ್ಲ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ನಂಬೋಕೆ ಆಗ್ತಾ ಇಲ್ಲ.ಒಂದು ವಿಷಯ ನನ್ನನ ಕಾಡ್ತಾ ಇರೋದು ಅಂದ್ರೆ, ನಂಗೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಬೇಕಾದವರು ನನ್ನ ಅಗಲುವ ಮುಂಚೆ ನಾನು ಅವರನ್ನ ನೋಡಲಿಲ್ಲ, ಮಾತಡ್ಸ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ, ಅಂತ. ನನ್ನ ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಸತ್ಹಾಗಲು ಇದೆ ಥರ ಆಗಿತ್ತು.


ಚಿಕ್ಕ ವಯಸಿನಿಂದ್ಲು ನಾನು ಅವ್ರ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಆತಡ್ಕೊಂಡು ಬೆಲ್ದೆ. ಮಗು ಆಗಿದಾಗ ನಾನು ಅವರ ಅಡುಗೆ ಮನೆಗೆ canteen ಅಂತ ಕರಿತಾ ಇದ್ದೆ. "ಅಜ್ಜಿ ನಿನ್  canteen ಆಯ್ತಾ??.ಮಲ್ಕೊಳೋಣ" ಅಂತ ಕೇಳ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದೆ. ಮಧ್ಯಾನ ಅವರ canteen ಮುಗಿದ ಮೇಲೆ ಒಂದು ಚಾಪೆ ಎಲೋಕೊಂದು ಬಂದು-"ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಬಾ ತಾಚೋಲನ" ಅಂತ ಇದ್ದೆ. ಇವ್ವತ್ತು ನಂಗೆ ಗ್ಯಪಕ ಇರೋದು ಅಂದ್ರೆ , ಅವರು ಅಡುಗೆ ಮಾಡ್ಬೇಕಾದ್ರೆ ಅಡುಗೆ ಕತ್ತೆ ಮೇಲೆ ಕೂತ್ಕೊಂಡು ಪುರಾಣ ಬಿಚ್ತ ಇದ್ದೆ. ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ವಿಷಯ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಗ್ಯಪಕ ಇರೋದು ಅಂದ್ರೆ , ನಾನು ಯಾವಾಗ್ಲೂ ಪಕ್ಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೂತ್ಕೊಂಡು, ಅವರ  ಕ್ಯೆ ಬಲೆಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಆತಾಡ್ತಿದ್ದೆ.ಅವರ soft soft  ಕ್ಯೆಗಳು ಇನ್ನ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಗ್ಯಪಕ ಇದೆ." ಅಜ್ಜಿ .ಕಥೆ ಹೇಳು" ಅಂತ ಅವರ ಕ್ಯೆಗೆ ಸುಧಾ magazine ನ ತಂಕೊಡ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದೆ.

ಹಬ್ಬ ಹರಿದಿನ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ನಮ್ಮಜ್ಜಿ ನೆ chief cook. ಅವರ ಸಾರಥ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲ ಸೊಸೆಯರು ಸೇರಿ ಅಡಿಗೆ ಮಾಡ್ತಾ ಇದ್ರೂ. ಅವರು ಮಾಡ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದ bisibele baath  ಇವಾಗ್ಲು ಬಾಯಲ್ಲಿ ನೀರು ತರುತ್ತೆ.ಹಾಲು ಬಾಯಿ , ಅವರು ಮಾಡುತಿದ್ದ ಮತ್ತೊಂದು special sweet.ಅವರಿಗೆ ಹೂವು ಮುದಿಯುವುದು ತುಂಬಾ ಇಷ್ಟ. ನಮ್ ತಾತ ಸತ್ತ ಮೇಲೆ , ಹೂವು ಮುದುಯುವ ಹಾಗಿಲ್ಲ ಅಂತ ತುಂಬಾ ಬೇಜಾರ್ ಮಾಡ್ಕೊಲೋರು.

ಕಳೆದ ವರ್ಷ ನಮ್ಮನ ಅಗಲಿದ ಮತೊಬ್ಬ ಅಜ್ಜಿಗೂ ನನ್ನ ಮನಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಶೇಷ ಜಾಗವಿದೆ.ಪ್ರೆಥಿಯಿಂದ ಗುಡ್ಡದಹಳ್ಳಿ ಅಜ್ಜಿ , ಅಂತ ಕರಿತ ಇದ್ದೆ.ತುಂಬಾ ಶಾಂತ ಸ್ವಭಾವದ,ಅದಮ್ಬರವಿಲ್ಲದ ಹೆಂಗ್ಗಸು.ಆಗಿನ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ 10th standard  ಓದಿದ್ದ ನನ್ ಅಜ್ಜಿ, ನಾನು 4th standard ನಲ್ಲೂ ಸಹ ನನಗೆ maths ಹೇಳಿಕೊಡುವಷ್ಟು ಬುದ್ಧಿವಂತೆ.ಮಗುವಗಿದಾಗ -"ಅಜ್ಜಿ..ಅಜ್ಜಿ ಎತ್ಕೋ..ದೋಸೆ ತೋರ್ಸು" ಅಂತ ಹೇಳಿ ಅವರ ಕ್ಯಲ್ಲಿ ಎತ್ತಿಸಿ ಕೊಂದು ಅವರು ದೋಸೆ ಬಿಡೋದು ನೋಡ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದೆ.ಅವರು ಮಾಡಿದ ದೋಸೆ ನಂಗೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಇಷ್ಟ.ಅಡ್ಡಕ್ಕೆ, ನಾನ್ Engineering ಓದುವಾಗಲು ಸಂಜೆ ಬಿಸಿ ಬಿಸಿ ದೋಸೆ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ನಮ್ ತಾತನ ಕ್ಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಲ್ಸ್ತ ಇದ್ರು.ಕೊನೆ ಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ Parkinsons ಇಂದ ಬಹಳ ನರಳಿದರು.
ಇನ್ನು ಮುಂದೆ ಅವರುಗಲ್ಲೆಲ್ಲರು ನನ್ನ ನೆನಪಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾತ್ರ ಉಳಿಯುವರು.ಒಂದು point  ನಂಗೆ ಅನ್ಸೋದು ಅಂದ್ರೆ , ಇವರು ಬದುಕಿದ್ದಾಗ ಇವರ ಜೊತೆ ಎರಡು ನಿಮಿಷ ಕೂತು ಮಾತು ಕೂಡ ಆಡಲಿಲ್ಲ ನಾವು. ಚಿಕ್ಕ ವಯಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬೇಕಾದ ಸೇವೆಯಲ್ಲ ಮಾಡಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು , ಅವರ ಕೊನೆಗಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರನ್ನ ಅಷ್ಟು neglect  ಮಾಡ್ತಿವಲ್ಲ ಅಂತ ಬೇಜಾರ್ ಆಗತ್ತೆ.ಪಾಪ ಪ್ರಜ್ಞೆ ಕಾಡುತ್ತೆ.

ಅದ್ದಕ್ಕೆ ಹೇಳ್ತೀನಿ, ನಿಮ್ ಅಜ್ಜಿ-ತಾತ ಯಾರಾದ್ರೂ ಇದ್ರೆ ಅವರ ಪಕ್ಕ ಕೂತು ಒಂದೆರಡು ಮಾತಾಡಿ.ನಿಮ್ಮನು ಎತ್ತಿ ಆಡಿಸಿದ ಆ ಹಿರಿಯ ಜೀವಗಳಿಗೆ ಪ್ರೀತಿ ಬೇಕೇ ಹೊರತು ದುಡ್ಡಲ್ಲ. ಅವರು ಇರುವ ವರೆಗಾದ್ರು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ನೋಡ್ಕೊಳ್ಳಿ, ಇಲ್ಲದಿದ್ರೆ ಆಮೇಲೆ ತಿಥಿ ಮಾಡಿದ್ರು ಅಲ್ಲ, ಅವರ ಹೆಸರಲ್ಲಿ trust ಓಪನ್ ಮಾಡಿದ್ರು , ಏನು ಉಪಯೋಗ ಎಲ್ಲ..

Hum Aise Hi Hai

All these days i had heard from people/watched on television channels about Indians being discriminated against.I had seen some great people make racist comments against indians.I am trying to understand the reason behind such incidents and what is it that makes some people look down upon us indians as a whole.In this post i would like to share some of the instances that  have come across personally, which might bring out the answers to my questions.

Cooking inside a Hotel Room is banned,especially if it is a 3-star hotel..you know what i mean.I heard of an incident  where one indian guy was found cooking inside the hotel room(3-star).He had been doing this from the past 1 week, despite knowing the fact that it should not be done.So, The Hotel took up the issue with the employer and put a blanket ban on indians from entering the hotel.They have virtually put up a board "Indians Not Allowed".The question is -"Is this the right way of dealing with the issue.Does it mean that if one indian does something wrong, does it mean that all the indians will do the same? Is it correct to generalise the issue from an individual to the whole?

We indians are very good at crossing the roads.We dont look for the Zebra crossing to get to the other side of the road.Whenever we feel like crossing the road, we just cross.Some of us look on the either sides and then go ahead, while some of us just go ahead without giving a dam for the oncoming Traffic.Some of us are even right in crossing the roads in this manner because, the concept of pedesetrian crossing is completely absent .Another thing is if wait for the incoming traffic to slow down to cross the road, it might just be impossible to get to the other side in our country.There are  offcourse exceptions to the above.So, if we have have a particular road culture, there is a strong reason for that and it is hard to let go of it.We carry the same thing when we visit some other countries where people are hypersensitive to issues like this.

Another issue that deserves mention here is that of personal space.We indians are used to crowded places, where you cannot even think of maintaining personal space. Think of travelling in local Trains, buses where your hand will be on someone else's shoulders and his legs will be over yours. And i need not talk about the various scents and smells in such conditions.But , people else where have a completely different definition for this personal space. I personally came across a situation like this very recently.I came into the changing room after the gym.I found that some guy was standing in front of the my locker. There was very  little space behind him.But, i just managed to squeeze myself in that space to reach my locker."Stay There..."- the guy said with angry look.It was then i realised that i had got too close to him(As per his definition.As per my standards, i was maintaining a good distance from him, as i had not touched him).

We love anything and everything that comes free.We grab whatever that comes free .Whether it is of any use to us or not is a different question.I heard of instances where some of our indian friends being sent back to the parent company from the client location for taking the small milk cans in the pantry to use them later, taking a bunch of office stationary for personal use at home.

And , last but not the least it is a fact that we indians are making in roads in every field leaving every one behind. We are good technically, we can speak good English and more than anything the way we were brought up and the kind of environment in which we have grown up makes us see the positive aspects of everything and we feel that everything is so easy out here.Take for example, driving a car in a western country.If you have driven a car in any of our metros , then driving on silk smooth roads where every one follows the traffic rules should not be a big deal.The same is the case with many other things.

Therefore, i believe it is our -"Hum Aise Hi Hai" attitude and others feeling jealous of our progress that makes outsiders look at us in the way they do.Some of them go to the extreme and become racist.

My First Travel Abroad

I had never been on a flight before and here i was ready to board an international flight, change 2 flights and 1 bus in a foriegn country i had never been to.All the immigration,checkin,security procedures seemed very intimidating.Travel briefing in the company, tips from collegues /friends seemed to turn the situation even more tense.With so many things going on in my mind , i finally came to BIAL to board a flight to Frankfurt along with my family. That added an extra emotional baggage to  my already overloaded mind.

Finally it was time to checkin at the aiport and say goodbye to my family. I had thought that i would cry at this moment, but i dont know why and how , but was able to control my emotions , especially in front of my mom  who was on the brink of breaking down. Then went inside the airport only to find that all the intimidating procedures were simple formalities to be finsished and did not seem complicated any more. Later came boarding the plane.To my surprise it was a Boeing 747, which i had seen only in Discovery Channel and was really excited to board this mighty Beast.It was time for take off finally.The only thing that came to my mind was the program "Air Crash Investigations" on National Geographic Channel. The take off was very smooth and without even realising, the plane was already in air.

I wanted to take out the seat belts only to find that i did not know how to take it off.I looked around to take some help from the Air Hostesses, only to find none. Then i hesitatingly asked my fellow German Passenger  grinningly.She was more then ready to help me out with a friendly smile. Then came the time to eat the so called Hindu Vegetarian meal on board.There was something that resemled idli, seviyan along with black coffe,butter and fruit paste. Horrible food coupled with reapeted landings/takeoffs turned my stomach into biogas plant.Finally i landed in Dublin.The aiport was looking completely empty. I was really surprised to find an aiport with so little people.It looked more like a 3 star hotel, than an aiport.

Came out of the Airport to take the bus to Dublin. The buses were really superb. I got onto one of the Scania buses and sat in the front row itself so that i could talk to the driver about where/when to get down." Could you pls tell me when Athlone comes?"- i asked the driver with a smile.He returned with a prompt reply -"Sure..It will be about 4 in the evening by the time we reach Athlone".One thing that struck me was everyone entering the bus wished the driver and even the driver prompltly replied back with a friendly smile.Do we ever do this in our country? Even if we wish the driver, do you think that we will ever recieve any reply, let alone a friendly smile.

The travel from Dublin to Athlone was a memorable one.I did not want the journey to end as the scenery around was really superb.There was endless greenery on either sides of the road.One thing that struck me was there were only green pastures all over, i did not find fields growing vegetables,rice or anything else. Later i came to know from people here that they dont grow anything except apples.Everything is got into the country from outside.Finally , i reached my destination Athlone.But, still i could not realise that i was in fact in a foreign country and not india.Everything around me was looking like a scene from a yash chopra film.

Even after spending 3 days here at Athlone, i am not reallly feeling that i am in a foreign land which i used to see in the movies.