In hindsight.....

As my teacher put it, "In hindsight, you can always do things better".

Roti, Kapda aur Makaan.....

This post is dedicated to the homeless people of the world, be it LA or Madras or Garfur or Rio de Janeiro.

In a world, where the word "success" has to do a lot with money and fame, the basic tenets of roti, kapda aur makaan veritably serve as the quantifying measures of the intangible success. Everything that one is taught or forced to do in the so-called game of the "survival of the fittest" has to do with sense gratification in the form of these materialistic goodies. One has to study well, get into a good school, get a good job, build a house, have a family to make the house a home, procure a vehicle for personal transportation, etc. Else, the other route of business or politics. Very few times, does the pursuit of a fine art, lead to this materialistic success. Crass commercialization of arts and dependence on arts for non-aesthetic and non-spiritual reasons can be a tough task at hand.

Well, whatever be the vocation, accumulation of wealth due to one's own value, has been the norm of the game. But then, even when these are fulfilled, are people happy? Isn't the pursuit of happiness utopian? The state of being happy is more like an orgasm. You follow a specific course of action, build towards the climax, and explode in that bursts of happiness. At times, the bursts of happiness could be those spasms of pain when the "unavoidable" happens. Naturally, people seek solace in spirituality or a healthy pastime or social service or whatever to help get over the mundaneness in life. Nevertheless, despite the mundaneness, at every stage in life, one often has something to look forward to.

Despite the socialist tinge to the post, the author doesn't hate capitalism. Nor does he love socialism. Both are theories that are not great in practice. Reservation for these underprivileged people towards the basic right of education might still be acceptable, if it is towards the more fundamental primary education. However, using reservation or the principle of diversity to foster the needs of the creamy layers (people who belong to the underprivileged category but are actually more than just privileged) within these sections is abominable. Using this same theory as a one-point agenda to further one's own vested political interests in the name of vote-bank politics is even more detestable. Anyway, this point is a digression from the actual topic.

The author met a homeless person, sleeping on the road, with all his belongings, under the sky with Mercedes' Benz's cruising by. I am sure there are quite a few of them in the various parts of the world. They must be having a private laugh at the ways of the world, despite their moments of sadness.

A section of the world aghast at the early exits of India and Pakistan in the ongoing cricket world cup. War happening in few parts of the world. Certain countries exercising their monopoly of trade over others. A few policing the world. Somewhere in the world, someone must not be happy with his/her job. She must have fought with him. A person complaining about the food that was served for dinner. The neighbour's beautiful daughter getting married to the love of her life. Music concerts in the name of humanity. A couple on a honeymoon. Quite a few mad politicians mad at the court of justice quoting injustice. A politician being indicted of corruption charges or a sex scandal. A prostitute offering her body and not her spirit for money. Quite a few persons experiencing orgasm due to sex at this moment. A teenager spending his/her pocket money on expensive clothing. Another teenager (includes elders too) confused about his/her sexual feelings. A person praying to Him/Her.What is the Bible, Koran and the Gita. A person in silent meditation. A person dancing to the tunes of Samba with his/her partner. A man ogling at a woman's well-endowed breasts. A woman lusting for the tall, dark and handsome prince. A child playing the game of hide-and-seek with its friends. A youth apprehensively pondering about the future. Who is Pamela Anderson?.....

Mad, mad, mad, world. But, then, I, am homeless. No makaan. No wife. No children. No education. No money. No roti. No kapda. No respect from others. Is life beautiful? But then, what do I have? Spiritual strength... and no ego and neither hatred nor love for humanity.