Citizen like us...

Travelling is something which would turn me on all the time and of course, a few exceptional things have ruined my mood also.  Here is an incident...

It was about 7.00 in the morning; I boarded my bus early that day keeping our city's traffic during peak hours so and could be on time for my meeting. It was a pleasant morning the bus which I took was not very crowded and happy with comfortable seating. I started my usual routine to observe the shops, people and what not! The bus stopped at a bus stand and commuters were busy getting in the bus. The seat beside me now was occupied by a lady of mid-forties. She was munching something and fished out into her bag for money to get her tickets. And finally, she got her tickets managing her munchies on one hand. I smirked and turned to the window.

Indulged in my own thoughts, suddenly the woman beside me called to take my hands off the windows and the next moment I got totally freaked out by what she did. She just threw her waste outside the road. Ridiculous! She was grinning and her eyes were beaming as if she had accomplished something big. It's her next turn, now this is a banana peel. She was so courteous and asked me to throw it away outside on the road (I still don't know why she asked me to do it). I flatly told her NO; and asked to keep it till she got down. Her face changed and here goes the weasel, she threw it outside all by herself just to make me angry. WOW. Of course, I was red and I wanted to slap her. All I did was stare and keep my mouth shut to control my outburst and not to spoil my mood the whole day.

This incident is always pricking me. I was outrageous and ashamed of me and also my fellow humans. I am coming across a similar situation almost every day. I have gone to this extreme once I asked this girl not to throw her empty cool drink bottle on the road, she was adamant saying it was her right and she could not keep it in her bag and so on. I tried a lot to convince her but she persisted. Finally, I took the bottle from her and I dropped it in my bag. The comical part is that she did not want me to have it in my bag also. All she wanted to throw away somewhere right down on the road. Finally, I managed a grim face and said no to her. I did not care about what she felt. I was partly happy about what I did. She is a young girl who should be in her school. But she is not ready to do a small thing which is of course her responsibility.

And THIS thing, not just restricted with eateries, even a small piece of chocolate covers, old tickets, chips packets, papers etc. We throw it anywhere, everywhere. Most annoying part is, I have observed few of our fellow citizens, pretend like you have thrown your stuff involuntarily on the roads, autos, buses any empty place under the sun but certainly not on the dustbins!! Whoa!

This is something which worries me all the time. I could observe this habit irrespective of age and education. I do not understand it at all!!  We do not just bother who is on the road and what is happening around us. All we want is, to dispose your waste then and there. And there are few good citizens here, who are not willing to use a dustbin, but ready to give us big lecture about what a government should do and all that.

To put it this way, this scene is something which every one of us go through every day. How many of us really care about it? We are ready to protest against many crimes and other sensitive issues. But why we just fail to do our own responsibility?  Yes, Government has to take actions and emanate few steps to curtail such behaviours to keep our city clean. But at the same time, it is our moral duty too.

Well, You'd ask me what a passengers could do all about it? A simple step could make a big difference. It costs nothing!

• Do not throw away your waste outside in public places.
• Please try to use the dustbins
• If you cannot spot any, try to carry it on your bag or separate cover and you can throw it away once you come to the dustbin.
• Please do not eat or drink inside the bus or train unless you have a necessity
• If you’re travelling long distances, try to have a trash bag, where u can collect all waste and keep it separately and when you get down, you can of course find a dustbin and trash it.

ALL YOU NEED IS BIT PATIENCE AND RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN.   

With this, I'd like to request all who are reading my post or anyone hearing by word of mouth. I request only one thing, please SPREAD THIS MESSAGE TO ALL. HELP YOURSELF TO KEEP OUR CITY CLEAN

P.S. My friend Deepak, suggested an idea - that a dustbin can be installed inside a bus or train. It is a very good idea indeed, but we should also keep in mind, that you still have "unused public dustbins" and few good citizens who are only willing to resort to our old method of "throwing out anywhere". Good to impart such facilities, but it is also in the hands of the public to change their attitude.

My Independence Day pledge this time, I will stick to all I have mentioned (as I am doing already) I'll spread the message and continue to do my service of collecting such items from noble citizens too! ;)

Jai Hind!! 

WHO IS BLIND??!!

 

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      Since it was a long weekend, I was so lazy to get up and to get ready for my college. Apparently, I have no other go other than getting ready, because I had important classes and works to be done in the campus. As usual, I have finished my works and started up for my college very late.

     It is a well aware fact about Chennai, how punctual are our MTC buses and how good is our traffic. Since, I was late; I got an auto from my bus stop since I stay about 3 kms. away from the main bus stop where I will get my bus frequently.  So, I managed to get an auto between the huge crowd, cursing myself for being late and spending 10 rs. in the place of 3rs.  Once again, it is a herculean task to get my concern bus from the bus stop amidst of the huge crowd of people waiting for the same bus to arrive.  It wasn’t a new thing for me, to see such a big crowd standing in that stop and to wait for the bus. I’ve always find it’s fascinating to observe people around me. Day by day, we see new people coming in and taking the bus and also the old people like me who are accustomed to the bus stop.  Although, we don’t know each other well but a smiling at them as a note of recognition makes a big difference.

      Amidst the tension, I didn’t fail to observe the people around me.  Looking at the familiar faces and nodding and inspecting the new faces, I stood there like a person who seeks some mystical truth of life. People were too busy with their handy –the innovation of the 21^st Century!! A visible pavement to the “torture”!!  I was wondering, how these people could talk for hours in the mobile. I was standing there for more than 20 minutes, a woman standing beside was there talking in her mobile since I have come, wondering to whom she is talking so seriously and so curious when she would put down her phone. Because, as far, all I could see was the strangest expressions on her face. I was utterly irritated and lost patience.  And almost I spent my 30minutes standing there, observing the ridiculous and weird expressions and faces of the people around me.

At the verge of my frustration, finally, my bus was arrived. But this time, I was wondering about different thing, yes!  How am I going to get inside the bus??!! Thinking, I wish I’d be a Jumper, and I managed to get in to the bus. Among the pool of men, I swimmed and reach so-called “ladies side” in the bus.  The conductor was yelling at the people to get inside and to get the tickets in his very famous “Madras Language”. I passed on my money and bought the mangled, crumbled ticket for my destination. The bus was very crammy to stand; I was cursing myself for being late once again and miffing me for skipping a class and swearing that I’d never be late from tomorrow. (Though, I know that is never going to happen: P) at the same time, I was elated that somehow I reach my college in another 20 minutes time. The bus stopped at the next stop, where 1/3^rd of people gushed out of the bus, I was happy to see the picture but next moment more than 1/3^rd of people got in and filled the bus in a moment.  Woof!!

       As I was standing, noticing the people getting in and out, I saw a man helped a visually-challenged guy to get in to my bus.  I couldn’t control my smile at the man who helped the guy, thinking there are few good people lives in the country middle of this corrupted, fake politicians and people.  The guy was so young, pitying for his disability and thanking god for creating me as a full human, I saw the guy struggling to get to the middle of the bus. The bus was too crowded, no space to move an inch too. The guy was very much struggling to reach the inside, the moment I saw this scene, the honour I had for the guy who helped him to board the bus has vaporized. I started to curse the man who helped him to land up in this worst situation.  Between, the crowded pushed him inside in the name of helping. The guy managed himself and got a position to stand amongst the crowd. Yet another awful hour was waiting for me to spend—the peak hour traffic!!  The drivers must undergo special training to drive in the Chennai traffic!!  The bus was literally crawling between the pools of other vehicles. Inside the bus everyone was growing restless, passengers started to hush, curse, and scold the authorities and the traffic. Some of the brilliant minds started giving suggestion for the conductor and the Transportation Authority to run more buses and how to control the traffic and so on.  Looking at the funny talks and weird ideas I smiled myself, thinking, “this why India is still a developing country”!!

     In this due moment, I heard a hiss and strange noise. I turned up and looked at the direction of the sound; it was a girl of my same age who was standing behind—almost in a jagged manner where I can see her easily. I noticed her face, which showed multiple reactions and expression in single moment, next instant I found out the reason for her craziest expression. Yes, it was the “blind guy”, because of frequent brakes, the guy happened to hit the girl many times.  That’s the reason for the twist on her face.  I got irritated with the girl’s reactions, standing helpless to react for her reactions. If that guy knows, if he is standing close to a girl he wouldn’t have hit her or if he had eyes, he wouldn’t have subjected to this unwanted and awkward hisses and hushes. As a moment’s solution, I told the girl to stand in my place so that I can tolerate with the guy.  I was totally annoyed and felt very bad for the guy, at the same time I was in the peak of anger with everyone on the bus including myself.  Almost all in the bus who saw him while getting in knew that he is blind, but none cared to offer him seat to sit; none cared even to treat him well though they are good with all features.  I was angry on me, because of my disability that I couldn’t help the guy who is standing beside me innocently without knowing what is happening around him.  He had a constant smile on his face, the people around him treats and thinks him as an annoying object. But the guy, who cannot see the expression of the people who hates him and shows face on him, whatever they do; in return he is giving a smile as a gift.  That moment I started adoring his disability and it gave me strength, zest and a confidence. If I was sitting, I would have offered him to sit; neither I can ask anyone to offer seat for him.  I was very sad and scolding my incapability, suddenly a voice told him to sit in the chair. Finally, there is a good heart alive, I was happy that he got the seat but I couldn’t see the person who offered the seat to him.  Then this person emerged from the crowd majestically, a man about 80 years old!!  When I saw him it was like someone slapped me on my face. An old man, irrespective of his fragility he offered seat, but we??  Who are we??? Humans?? Yes, Humans with Heartless, Merciless, Pitiless and Disgraceful souls!! I was ashamed of myself that I couldn’t help the guy. But I could thank the elderly person for his greatness. I said thanks to him, he just said, “idhula enna ma irrukku? (A way of modest reply in Tamil) and he gave me a graceful smile. I was regretting for my incapability but his graceful smile and modest reply melted my repentance and gave me a peace for saying him thanks. 

       Oh my God! I totally forgot my tension in this mess. Finally, the traffic was cleared up and I reached my college.  I was late again for the next class as well. I missed my second hour class and lost my attendance. But, this didn’t bother me much for the rest of my day, since my mind was pondering over the incident which happened few hours ago!!

P.S. This incident happened some one month ago. But, I just got right moment to share this with u all!! J

A LITTLE THING...

One day, while I was returning to my home, I saw my old classmate coming opposite to me (I recalled, we both studied in Hindi class together). I was so happy to see him around after a long time. I had an urge to talk to him, so I tried to smile at him in order to give an initiation for our conversation. But, the guy seems to be unnoticed. So I tried again to smile, again he was grim. I felt more miserable and embarrassing. So, I walked fast and reached home.
It wasn’t a simple incident for me. I mulled over and over about the incident nearly for weeks. I tried to rationalize my thoughts in almost all the way I could possibly imagine. However, I couldn’t bear the thought of being insulted. I felt it was impertinent. Yes, I was hurt. Then, it occurred to me why I was hurt and I found the reason miraculously. I felt, I lost my recognition and my joy of being acknowledged. After all, it is human tendency always to seek for an approval, especially, from the people whom we know. It gives us immense joy but we fail to notice it. It might have happened with many of us. But, we never have given much thought about it. It is true; we would never give much importance to other people feelings unless we experience it.
We could even talk about most complicated topics on philosophy, whereas, we fail to discover that even simple things like smiling, saying thanks and sorry could make a biggest difference and it might lead us to biggest morale of our life. I’m not a person who sticks with philosophy of life. I rather strongly believe in one thing, that we are here, only to make others happy and make ourselves happy as well.
I’d rather say that incident was a hindsight to me, which paved me way to share my aura with everyone, moreover, to understand the people feelings. I guess, this is the high time to give room to other people feelings, at least, by giving them an amicable smile as a symbol of approval. After all, it is not going to costs anything.

“Never get tired of doing little things to others,

  Because sometimes those little thing,

 May mean so much to them‼”