The super busy schedule of the FC continues and keeps us on our toes. It is so difficult to keep a track of time here. At the end of the day you feel like you had just got up from the bed cursing the stupid idea of PT and the associated interstellar travel to the Polo ground. And when you wake up, you feel like you have been cheated as you had just slept. Finding time for self, for talking to family and in special cases romance over the phone- all these have become luxuries.
Over strained from the Karate and Gym sessions, I returned to my room this evening only to find food articles scattered here and there all over the room and the trail finally ending in the balcony. My roommate told me that he had mistakenly left the balcony door open just for a small time while he was away. But these monkeys here I tell you, they are so smart, aware and fearless, sometimes I feel that the evolution has been reversed or something to that effect. As if they were just waiting to pounce and looks like they firmly believe in that saying that "Enter as soon as the window of opportunity opens!"
So they breached into our rooms and scanned all possible drawers and shelves for food items. When Amit returned, he was taken aback seeing a whole platoon of our ancestors enjoying the luxury of munching on first class beds with the Discovery Channel playing on this big LCD screen on the wall. Upon seeing him, they all rushed to the balcony and continued their supper as if they had crossed over to their side of the fence. And since unlike us they had no exposure to the Mess Etiquette class, they made a mess of our balcony.
Seeing our sweet little balcony in ruins, I called the reception to inquire if any of the cleaning staff is available at this hour to which he first denied but then sent this guy. After he was done cleaning up, I asked him how come he was still here at this hour. He replied " Sir, I have to work till 10 pm in the night. And I start early in the morning. They have given me a place to stay here only". Okay, that's a lot of work man, what about your food and salary? He took a deep breathe. He pretended to smile but one could easily get under his mask. "Sir, they don't give us food, we have to cook ourselves. And we get 5000 Rupees per month."
There was silence for long in the room. Then he smiled again and went out. I looked at my roommate. He had the same expression on his face. As if I had looked into a mirror. "5000 only". We spend that much in such petty and wasteful things. Our mess bill comes double of that. Our trekking shoes value somewhere around that. People spend much more that that for monthly booze and smoke. And after working his ass off for most part of day, he gets only this much. What is left with him after the expenditure on food? What he sends back to his family? What he saves? How does he buy the amenities?
The other day, we were discussing the damaging extent of poverty and destitution in the country and it all came flashing back. On one hand we have people struggling to get one meal a day and on other we have people wasting food amounting to three such meals everyday. On one hand we have people living on the street, on the other we have a couple living in a 5000 sq feet bungalow. On one hand we have people wearing the same torn cloths every day, on one hand we have people living the German lifestyle of throwing cloths after one use.
The people on the greener side often argue that they have earned all this and they deserve to spend it the way they wish to. Yes, you do. But along with that you have a moral obligation to help your brethren in their desperate times. And those who have helped, would second me, when I assert that there is nothing like that feeling. That feeling of having come to use for someone. That feeling of making someone feel better. That feeling of making a difference for good in this unfair world. That feeling of having done something.
Dear reader, I hope you know what that feeling is like. If not, please make sure you do. Lastly, this very feeling was well conveyed by Swami Vivekanand when he said
Over strained from the Karate and Gym sessions, I returned to my room this evening only to find food articles scattered here and there all over the room and the trail finally ending in the balcony. My roommate told me that he had mistakenly left the balcony door open just for a small time while he was away. But these monkeys here I tell you, they are so smart, aware and fearless, sometimes I feel that the evolution has been reversed or something to that effect. As if they were just waiting to pounce and looks like they firmly believe in that saying that "Enter as soon as the window of opportunity opens!"
So they breached into our rooms and scanned all possible drawers and shelves for food items. When Amit returned, he was taken aback seeing a whole platoon of our ancestors enjoying the luxury of munching on first class beds with the Discovery Channel playing on this big LCD screen on the wall. Upon seeing him, they all rushed to the balcony and continued their supper as if they had crossed over to their side of the fence. And since unlike us they had no exposure to the Mess Etiquette class, they made a mess of our balcony.
Seeing our sweet little balcony in ruins, I called the reception to inquire if any of the cleaning staff is available at this hour to which he first denied but then sent this guy. After he was done cleaning up, I asked him how come he was still here at this hour. He replied " Sir, I have to work till 10 pm in the night. And I start early in the morning. They have given me a place to stay here only". Okay, that's a lot of work man, what about your food and salary? He took a deep breathe. He pretended to smile but one could easily get under his mask. "Sir, they don't give us food, we have to cook ourselves. And we get 5000 Rupees per month."
There was silence for long in the room. Then he smiled again and went out. I looked at my roommate. He had the same expression on his face. As if I had looked into a mirror. "5000 only". We spend that much in such petty and wasteful things. Our mess bill comes double of that. Our trekking shoes value somewhere around that. People spend much more that that for monthly booze and smoke. And after working his ass off for most part of day, he gets only this much. What is left with him after the expenditure on food? What he sends back to his family? What he saves? How does he buy the amenities?
The other day, we were discussing the damaging extent of poverty and destitution in the country and it all came flashing back. On one hand we have people struggling to get one meal a day and on other we have people wasting food amounting to three such meals everyday. On one hand we have people living on the street, on the other we have a couple living in a 5000 sq feet bungalow. On one hand we have people wearing the same torn cloths every day, on one hand we have people living the German lifestyle of throwing cloths after one use.
The people on the greener side often argue that they have earned all this and they deserve to spend it the way they wish to. Yes, you do. But along with that you have a moral obligation to help your brethren in their desperate times. And those who have helped, would second me, when I assert that there is nothing like that feeling. That feeling of having come to use for someone. That feeling of making someone feel better. That feeling of making a difference for good in this unfair world. That feeling of having done something.
Dear reader, I hope you know what that feeling is like. If not, please make sure you do. Lastly, this very feeling was well conveyed by Swami Vivekanand when he said
4 comments:
I just love the transition that this particular post evolves into, from being funny to interesting and eventually showing flux by hitting the reader's conscience and yet resting with some moral hope!!!
it sucks when most of you marry politicians and started to oil same old machinery. the current system is not capable of helping poor it need a revolution and we need another Gandhiji.
it sucks when most of you marry politicians and started to oil same old machinery. the current system is not capable of helping poor it need a revolution and we need another Gandhiji.
Vikas, while I understand the frustration expressed here, it would be grossly wrong to make such generalization. There are many civil servants who are working hard to bring changes to the system and the spirit of this new generation of civil servants gives me exciting hopes.
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