Private Bigotry - A Major Problem

As the Loksabha elections and all the campaigning draws to a close I wanted to write about a peculiar issue I have observed. I read a similar observation on Twitter as well. It was to do with how the rise of Narendra Modi and resurgence of BJP on a public forum was increasing the private bigotry.

Before I continue, some disclaimers. One I am born a Hindu and though I have my struggles with religion and faith itself, as Javed Akhtar identifies himself culturally to be a Muslim despite being an atheist. I am 'culturally' still a Hindu. Whenever the time comes to pray I still start reciting the Ganpati Atharvasheersha probably because that is the one prayer I do know by heart. Two I went to a right-of-center school, so all my school mates, please have an unbiased read of this. Of course you may find this unpalatable and just another 'pseudo-secular' rant, which is fine as well, you are entitled to your own opinion as I am to mine.

With that out of the way let us continue. I have observed over the last few months, a growing number of opinions which are nothing but bigotry. They call people of any community other than their own as unpatriotic and will then point to statistics about how maximum 'terrorists' are from this one particular religion. I personally feel ashamed to spell these religions out because I don't want to even be a part of that discourse. Frankly, I am sick and tired of answering and engaging with people who are bigots.

Yes, bigots. I googled the definition of that word. According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary it is "a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance". You people fit this definition perfectly and have expressed an opinion to fit this definition in the confines of a Whatsapp group or to me personally.

I will not be as brash as to point out who you are or be rude enough to say what you said in those private spaces. I have let it be known to you then itself that such opinions make me highly uncomfortable and extremely sad that you share that opinion. They have ranged from your garden variety Whatsapp msg forwarded in badly written English or unending lines in Hindi about how Hindu's have been persecuted against in a country where they are a majority to absolute hate speech.

Now people reading this would think that these people are proper far right and fundamentalists who don't know any better. But that isn't the case. These opinions, I was shocked myself to know, are shared by people who are talented, extremely smart, highly educated, successfully employed. A well travelled group of individuals who have seen the world and really should know better. These are your regular blokes and gals who enjoy a drink or two over the weekends and are now settled across the globe. People who read this and are identifying some of the characteristics as your own, consider this a public naming and shaming of your private bigotry. This is me saying, I disagree with you and your disgusting opinion, about my religion and your extremely narrow world view of other religions.

Let me explain. You people point to a community and ask them to verify their patriotism according to your standards. Why? They don't need to, they are as much an Indian on account of them being born in India. You questioning their patriotism doesn't change the fact. You point to some idiotic 'secular' politicians like Mulayam Singh and his like and talk about how they are pandering to a vote bank, without realising you are merely the other side of that coin, stalking the Hindu religious flames at every chance you get. I doubt you are that stupid, to not understand that neither BJP nor SP/Congress are in it for the betterment of any community. If it was so they would have achieved it over the last 60 years, wouldn't you think. And yes here is looking at BJP too, I don't see you have done any different sitting in the opposition. All you do by mounting rhetoric against rhetoric, is fan the flames of communal disharmony over which the politicians are only happy to bake their cake.

Why should any community or person be seen through the prism of their name or which religion they were born in. Look at the person as he/she is and their actions. Just because he/she is from another religion you will squint your eyes every time? Just because you are a Hindu doesn't make you any less of a prick.

I was a part of a conversation that spoke of how everyone in the Indian sub-continent is Hindu or of Hindu origin and how they should accept it. Why? What will that achieve? I was born a Hindu, but what is it other than a passive label attached to me because I was born to Hindu parents? Thankfully I was brought up in an extremely liberal environment and I was able to shape my own thinking. Let us change the Hindu parents to any other and keep the environment same. How does that change me as a person? Not very much I hope. But it does change your view of me doesn't it? Ergo, you are a bigot.

The conversation went on to talk about how they are proud to be a Hindu and how some of the other communities are lagging behind in being progressive. Tell me, what are you proud of? The damned caste system that has been in place for millennia and still continues, refusing to go away. We treated humans like they weren't even animals, we didn't let them drink the same water, we didn't their shadow fall on us?! A proud few millennia for Hinduism. How do we treat women? As property, remind me about the importance of Kanya-daan in a wedding. And before you say about how we have moved ahead, let me remind you of a incident in Ahmednagar, not far from Pune and Mumbai where a boy was murdered because he fell in love with the 'wrong' girl, this is from just last month. 'Honour' killing indeed, Hindu and very proud.

Take your pride and stuff it where the sun don't shine. No pride in such a religion. Before you call me out for only blaming Hinduism only, all religions have issues, but I start with the one closest to me. Islam and the thugs in Nigeria going by the name of Boko Haram, Christianity and some of the far right loonies in USA. All religions have issues and yes like you, they too are bigots if only far more extremist in their views. I do hope my friends in other religions and beliefs have to deal with a pain like me - a moderate know-it-all, who just wont shut up.

Patriarchy and misogyny is an issue that plagues all religions equally and we must move to eradicate it. Inequality plagues religions equally (didn't miss the obvious irony in that sentence!). Claiming exclusive access to the big guy/girl up there another problem that plagues all religions. What are we doing to tackle these real issues? Nothing much, are we?

This Loksabhe election will come and go. All the best for the impending coronation/oath taking of Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of India. I do hope that he is does possess the magic wand all of you so hope he has. I hope he delivers on all the promises he has made, because we need a person to deliver. But do remember owing to a secret ballot and the make up of the Indian polity, he becomes the leader of all us Indians. I only hope we aren't left suckers in the bargain and have this same conversation after 5 years.

Why the rant then? I remember the last scene from Inglorious Basterds, where Brad Pitt carves onto Christopher Waltz's forehead the Nazi Swatik. Because he says, once you take of Nazi uniform, we would still like to recognize you as a Nazi. Now I am not equating you to be a Nazi, but it would be easier to deal with people if all the private bigots just came out. Answer that question for yourself and step out of your closet. There is also the option to stop being a bigot, but that would be too much to ask right?

Me? I am what am in public and in private. I refuse to have a narrow world view about a person because he/she has a certain name or is from a certain religion. Peace!

डायरी

तेरे मेरे ना जाने कितने किस्से हैं,

और तेरी मेरी अनगिनत यादें है.

सफ़ेद पन्नों पर काली स्याही में,

छोटीसी डायरी में सुंदर लिखाई में,

मैंने उन्हे संभाल के रखा है

मैंने उन्हे नज़्म बना, रखा है.

हर साल खुद ही को पढ़ता हूँ वो नज़्मे

और ना चाह कर भी एक आध आँसू ,

आखों से, कागज पर उमड़ ही पड़ता हैं.

वो कंबखत स्याही घुला ले जाता हैं,

और मेरी नज़्म जो कभी पूरी थी,

अब बेवजह अधूरी रेह जाती है.

ऐसे कई साल हो गए हैं,

की अब देखूँ तो लगता है

पन्ने पीले पड़ने लगे हैं.

काली स्याही भी धीरे धीरे,

हल्के हल्के, फीकी पड रही है

और स्याही के साथ नज़्म भी.

सोचता हूँ, ये डायरियाँ कबाड़ में दे आऊँ,

नहीं, उन पैसों की फिक्र नहीं और ना जरूरत हैं,

बस सोचता हूँ बोझ हल्का हो लेगा.

सब समेट गया तो था मैं कबाड़ी के पास,

वो बोला “ साब, नज़्मों का कोई मोल नहीं होता

और यादों को साब, कोई नाप कोई तोल नहीं होता.”

बोझ लिये फिर लौट आया मैं भारी भारी कदमों से,

चाह कर भी पीछा छुड़ा ना पाया उन यादों-नज़्मों से.   

कल जब ना तुम होगी और ना मैं रहूँगा,

कोई इन पीले मुरझाए बुजुर्ग पन्नों की,

उम्र बता कर कहेगा, यहाँ कुछ हुआ तो था .

पर अधूरी, फीकी, उजड़ी नज़्मों का,

शायाद मतलब नहीं लगा पाएगा,

की गर कुछ हुआ था, तो क्या हुआ था?  

मैं और तुम दूर बैठे कहीं, इन पहेलियों पे थोडसा मुस्कुराएंगे

आखें मिलाये, धीमी सासों में धीरे–धीरे कहेंगे और दोहराएंगे 

"ना जाने कितनी हैं अनकही अनसूनी, तेरे मेरी कहानियाँ,

कई किस्सों की अधूरी नज़्मे हैं और उनकी अधूरी हैं डायरियाँ!"

- प्रतीक  

10/3/2014 

The idea for this poem, 'peele panne' or paper turning yellow over time came to me when I observed that some of the pages or 'foolscap' that I had written my poems on 8-9 years ago had started turning yellow. I found that concept very very interesting that with the pages wilting and turning yellow, the memories are fading away as well. I tried to explore that fading and wilting away in this poem. There is a lot more to explore in that concept and there definitely is another poem to be written. 

Some poems just happen on their own, this one happened on a bus ride back home. I read this poem to out to myself, as I was composing it in my head and then just typed it out before I forgot what I had said. Hope you all like it, let me know what you feel in the comments below. 

मी कविता का लिहितो

"मी कविता का लिहितो?" ह्या प्रश्नाला तसा काहीच अर्थ नाही, जसा "माणूस का बोलतो?" ह्या प्रश्नाला नाही तसाच. मला व्यक्त व्हावंस वाटतं आणि मी तो कवितांमधून होतो. कविताच का? गद्य ,निबंध, लघु कथा का नाही? माहीत नाही, मला कविता होते म्हणून मी कविता लिहितो. तशी असतील ही कारणं, पण आता पर्यन्त ती मी शोधायचा प्रयत्न केला नाही.

कविता मला पहिले आठवते ती बडबड गीत म्हणून. लहान असताना आई, बाबा आणि अण्णानी ऐकवलेली. तीच बडबड गीतं कुठे तरी आहेत खोल वर पेरलेली. आठवायला सांगाल तर कदाचित आठवणार ही नाहीत पण त्यांचा काही तरी अंश रेंगाळत आहे कुठे तरी. कदाचित एकदम माझ्या मुलाला, नातवाला ऐकवीन आता ती .

माझं प्राथमिक शिक्षण इंग्रजी माध्यमातून झालं. शाळेत आम्ही हिन्दी शिकलो पण मराठी नाही. त्या मुळे मराठीचा वापर घरी बोली भाषा म्हणून व्हायचा. आई मराठी ध्वनिफिती नक्की आणायची मला ऐकवायला. त्यात पुन्हा काही बडबड गीतं, लहान मुलांच्या गोष्टी होत्या, वेगवेगळ्या मोठ्या कलावंतांच्या आवाजातल्या. अश्या दिग्गज कलावंतांच्या आवाज ऐकताना मस्त वाटायचं. त्यातला जो आवाज अजूनही आठवतो तो म्हणजे सुलभा देशपांड्यांचा. त्या आवजांचे माझ्या मनावर नक्कीच ठसे राहिले आहेत, म्हणून कदाचित मी आज ही कविता लिहिताना, स्वतःशी बोलत, स्वतःला वाचून दाखवत असतो. 

इयत्ता पाचवी मध्ये मी पुण्याला शिकला गेलो ज्ञान प्रबोधिनी मध्ये. त्या शाळेत मराठी हे एक शिकवायचं माध्यम होतं. आता मराठी ही बोली भाषा न राहता, लिहायची आणि शिकायची भाषा झाली. पुण्याचं मराठी हे 'साजूक तुपातलं' म्हणून ओळखलं जातं, त्याचा माझ्या मुंबईच्या 'अस्वच्छ' भाषेवर प्रभाव झाला आणि माझ्या भाषेला अजून एक पैलू लाभला. पाचवी ते आठवी मराठी शिकलो तेव्हा कविता म्हणजे काय, हे हळू हळू समजू लागलो. आमच्या शिक्षिका, अनुराधा ताई, चारुता ताई आणि पूर्वा ताई, खूप छान शिकवायच्या. तेव्हाची जी कविता आठवते ते म्हणजे बाल कवींची 'गवतफुला'. अनुराधा ताईंनी त्या कवितेला ला छान चाल लावलेली. ती कविता अजूनही, शब्द विसरलो असलो तरीही, गुणगुणत रहावीशी वाटते. तेव्हा कधी तरी लिहायला लागलो. एकदा लिहायची म्हणून सात पानांची कविता लिहिलेली, कवितेचं शीर्षक आणि विषय, अजून काय असणार "मी"!

ह्या मध्ये सातवी-आठवी मध्ये सौमित्र आणि मिलिंद इंगळे ची 'गारवा' ही ध्वनिफीत प्रकाशित झाली. माझं, पाऊसाचं आणि कवितेचं नातं त्यातल्या कवितांमुळे आणि गाण्यांमुळे अजून पक्कं झालं. पण अजून माझी पहिली पावसाळी किंवा पावसा बद्दल ची कविता व्हायला काही वर्षं लागली, पण संस्कार हे नक्की 'गारवा' चेच आहेत.

पुढे परत कविता सुटली, कारण की व्यक्त व्हायला मी 'नाटक' हे माध्यम निवडलं. त्यात वाचिक अभिनय भरपूर केला, काही नाटकं शाळेत लिहिली व दिग्दर्शित ही केली आणि मराठी भाषेशी एक कलाकार म्हणून अजून जवळ येत गेलो.

अकरावी मध्ये कधी तरी कविता पुन्हा भेटली आणि भेटली, ती तरुण वयातलं पहिलं प्रेम वगैरे घेऊनच! तेव्हा पुन्हा शब्द, कवितांच्या मार्गे कागदा वर उतारू लागले. तेव्हाची कविता म्हणाल्या बरोबर डोळ्या समोर उभा राहिला तो म्हणजे, शिवाजी पार्क इथला राखाडी खाडी वजा समुद्र, त्याचा तो घमघमाट आणि अंगावर उडलेले काही खारट तुषार . माझ्या कविते वर माहीम च्या समुद्राच्या लाटांचे ही असंख्य फेसाळेले आणि  राखाडी संस्कार आहेत.

तेव्हाच्या माझ्या कविता, मी एका मैत्रिणीला वाचून दाखवल्या. तिने वाचल्यानंतर, कवितांची चोपून टीका केली, तिला जाणवलं की माझ्या कवितेत अजून खूप सारे प्रश्नच आहेत, उत्तरं मात्र नाहीत. बहुदा माझी तेव्हा ची कविता ही माझ्याच मनस्थिती चं प्रतिबिंब होती, ज्यात भरपूर प्रश्न होते उत्तरं मात्र मिळत नव्हती. तिची टीका तेव्हा कळली नाही पण आता मागे वळून बघतो तेव्हा पटते.  

पुण्याला बायरामजी जीजीभोय वैद्यकीय महाविद्यालयात असताना भरपूर लिहिलं. पुण्याच्या घरी माझं टेबल खिडकी ला लागून होतं. पाऊस चालू झाला की मृद्धगंध दरवाळायला लगायचा आणि मी पार मुग्ध होऊन लिहीत जायचो. माझ्या पहिल्या पावसाळी कवितेवर, 'गारवा' चा सौमित्र च्या कवितांचा विशेष प्रभाव आहे. पाऊस आणि कविता हे नातं त्या टेबला जवळच्या खिडकीने आणखी घट्ट केलं. बरसणारे थेंब थोडे ऐकत थोडे झेलत, एका अपूर्ण पण नितांत सुंदर कविते कडे मनातच बघत राहावसं वाटायचं. नकळत तीच कविता मनातून निसटून कधी कागदावर जाऊन बसायची ते कळायचं नाही. नितांत सुंदर, देखणी, ओढ लावणारी आताच पावसात भिजून आलेल्या प्रेयसी सारखी.   

मी कविता करत नाही, मला कविता होते. मला आज कविता करायची आहे असं ठरवून, मारून मुटकून लिहायला बसलो की कविता नाही उतरत कागदावर. कविता आधी मनात घर करून बसते, चटकन एखादं अत्तर दरवळावं तशी मनात दरवळत राहते. ते अत्तर केवढं सुंदर आहे, हे सांगायला शब्दांचा मात्र आधार होतो आणि मग कविता बघता बघता, होऊन जाते.

होणे, हे क्रियापद मी "मूल होणे" या अर्थी ही वापरतो आहे. कधी कधी ते व्हायला वेळ लागतो, त्रास होतो. पुरुष असल्या मुळे, जरी प्रसूती वेदना अनुभवता येणार नसल्या तरी त्या कवी म्हणून भरपूर प्रसूती वेदना अनुभवल्या आहेत आणि तसाच नवनिर्मिती चा आनंद ही!

पहिले नमूद केल्या प्रमाणे, मराठी ही माझी सर्व प्रथम बोली भाषा आहे, म्हणून मी पहिले कविता बोलतो. नाटकवाला असल्या मुळे मला कवितेतही नाट्य असणं, त्यातून एखादी गोष्ट सांगणं महत्वाचं वाटतं. कविता अशीच, स्वतःशी बोलता बोलता लिहितो. म्हणूनच माझी कविता मला वाचून दाखवायला जास्त आवडते, तिची पडती बाजू सांभाळून मी घेतो आणि काही खास जागा आणखी खुलवून मांडू शकतो. माझी कविता वाचायला कशी वाटते ते मला नक्की माहीत नाही.   

माझी कविता, वृत्तात बसत नाही. मात्रा, लघु गुरु तिला कळत नाहीत, कधी कधी ताल मात्र धरते आणि मुक्तछंद होऊन बेधुंद नाचते कागदावर आणि मी फक्त धुंद होऊन बघत राहतो .  

एक धागा ह्या सगळ्यात समान आहे तो म्हणजे मी हळवा झालो, की लिहितो. मनात काही लागलं की लिहितो. काही कवितांमध्ये लिहिताना जाणवतं की जखम वाटली होती त्याच्या पेक्षा बरीच खोल आहे आणि मग शब्द भळा-भळा वाहत येतात कागदावर. कविता कधी रडायला खांदा देते, कधी हात होऊन डोळे पुसते, मांडी ही होते कधी आणि थोपटून झोपायला लावते, कधी अनुभव होते कविता आणि चार समजुती च्या गोष्टी शिकवून जाते. मनाची खरी सखी आहे कविता गुंफून हातात हात, चालत राहते, चालत राहते.

शेवट तात्यासाहेबांच्या, वि. वा. शिरवाडकरांच्या काही शब्दांनी करतो म्हणजे अजून काही कविते बद्दल लिहायलाच नको. तात्यासाहेब म्हणतात -

मी शब्दांच्या घालून बसतो अमाप राशी,
जखमी होता धावत जातो शब्दांपाशी,
शब्दच झाले मालक आता सर्व जिण्याचे,
जानवराने काबिज केला हा दरवेशी !          

आम्हा घरी आहे शब्दांचेच धन,
खंत नाही त्याची जाणवते पण,
शब्द देता घेता झाले आता शब्दांचेच मन,
झाले आता शब्दांचेच मन !

                       

Why do I run?

Why do I run?

Because I need to run, because I have to run. 

I run away from my problems, I run sometimes looking for solutions. I run, leaving all the troubles behind, I run to find some trouble along the way. I run thinking about everything swirling in my head and then I run for that ultimate clarity that you get in the last lap - screw all these issues, how in heaven's name am I going to take the next step and the one after that? 

I run because when I warm up, my body knows that something big is going to be thrown it's way. When I begin, the run welcomes me every time, like a long lost lover, comforting me into a rhythm. I run through the first few kilometers to feel numb, to lose my self and yet in the last kilometer find myself, my true character all over again.

Then the urge to push further strikes and you kick it up a gear, your feet quicken, you begin feeling the wind in your hair, the last lap, the last kilometer, the last few steps and then the dash for supposed end line with the stopwatch ticking away on your wrist. I run to answer just one question- did you beat yourself today or did you lose to yourself?

 

I run to maintain my sanity and I run for the insanity of that last dash, the guttural groans, the shout and the scream, to keep yourself going. I run because I chose this drug to help me through my tough times and heck now I even celebrate the good times with it. 

Why do I run? Because I need to, because I have to! 

मना रे

If  रे मना was about talking to the mind, suggesting, almost urging to mend fences.This poem is about understanding that some fences once broken cant really be made whole once again. This poem has a lot to do with not expecting anyone else to come help and care for you. It is about self-soothing and helping yourself out and

This poem was written at an interesting time in my life and it changed the way I started thinking about a lot of things.

You can listen to the poem recorded in my voice here. I hope you enjoy it. Do drop a comment about what you think about it.

पाऊसवेडी

पाऊसवेडी is an old poem, i wrote in 2007. It is a poem about a girl who loves the rains.

Some poems just develop organically taking their germ from conversations and then grow out into full fledged poems. This poem too was inspired out of a conversation like this.

Hope you all like it!

You can listen to this poem in my voice here - पाऊसवेडी.

ती आणि मी

ती आणि मी is a fresh new poem about just that, Her and Me. She is very close to me and what she means to me is obvious as the poem progresses. 

The origin of the germ and the idea of this poem needs to be mentioned though. It is somewhere in the amazing poem called निरभ्र by कुसुमाग्रज. That poem some how gives me goosebumps every time i read/hear it.

The poem is almost erotic, describing the beauty of a woman and this is done with such genuine love that you feel every emotion the poet is trying to describe. Thank you for that clean yet sensual नजर, तात्यासाहेब, thank you very much.

I hope you enjoy reading this poem as much as i enjoyed writing it. You can listen to this poem in my voice here.