Golden Days

It was perhaps one of the most eventful weeks in this year. The best thing that happened was when I received a call from my close friend lost in Mela like circumstances ( like two brothers missing each other and the family and meeting after decades in Movies )  La Deewar Style. A shrill voice called and asked " Is it Mr. Ganu "? I said - YES. Again he said the BEST Ganu, I again said - YES. He then said " I am Tendulkar ". That was enough to take me back in a flash by almost 45 years. We talked and lived every incidence of those days. Then he said " Yaar Ankolkar is dying to meet you. He has even told me that whether I believed or not in Rebirth, He believed and would like to be born again, only to meet GANU". It was an emotional shock to me too, and it brought tears in my eyes. He then told me to wait for some time to get a call from Ankolkar, and then Haridas. 

That day both called me up and we talked as if all those years gap never ever existed. I promised both that we will again revive our association. 

Today I went to Talegaon, about 35 kms from Pune, by local train and met the Man - Ankolkar. The first thing I had realised was that I had preferred to take train journey even though my driver had not come, just to meet him. This was really a defining moment. Travelling by local transport with the common man keeps you rooted and makes you feel that you are part of the common man on streets. You are not different. I had missed out on that feeling for last 3 - 4  decades, since I stopped travelling by local transport ( Bus or Local Train ). Even in long distance trains the warmth had gone out since I stopped going by sleeper / unreserved coaches. In fact I had distanced myself from that pleasure and warmth unknowingly. I had become too materialistic and a slave of comforts, and in return lost the touch & smell of warmth found in a common man. Today I was back amongst them and was happy to be their part.

Warmth I saw when an elderly person offered his seat to a lady with two children, a site you would hardly see in upper class travels. 

And then the meeting with Ankolkar. OMG. We spent almost 4 - 5 hours together. In between, We brought lunch for ourselves and his grand daughter. He took out his harmonium and started playing tunes from old Hindi Films. We talked about classical music and family issues. We were our good old days' self. The strings were tuned again, so to say.

I had to catch a 4.45 PM train to return. I called him again before the train started. We spoke for a couple of minutes and then he concluded and said his trademark sentence " LOVE YOU ", spoken from heart.

Today will be an unforgettable day, after so many years.

Thank You Tendulkar for the efforts of finding my whereabouts.

Tendlya - We are all meeting in your house when Haridas would be in Mumbai during the first week of January 2014. I am sure that we will then celebrate our reunion and say " HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN "

Back to Panchaayti Type rule

Finally Aam Admi Party decides to form a government. Kejriwal and his team resorted to seeking public opinion by way of SMSs, Media & about 25 Lac letters sent to the people. It appears great on paper and for a beginning. Does it mean that for every little / big decision the party will seek people opinion ? Just to say that it is for the people, by the people and of the people. Then why leaders are needed? Governments can not be run this way. Probably you can take public opinion once on what issues they would like the government to address and their priorities, and this should be done before election and before making the party manifesto. Once it is done then the party should implement the agenda and accept accountability for its' failure or success. 

Just imagine this opinion seeking on a larger stage like a big state or on a national stage. It will be a real mess of sorts. Government will not function as lot of time will be wasted in seeking opinions. In what way this style of functioning would it be different then the present status, when Congress ruled government at centre had already been functional for last 5 years or say a decade? 

I remember this way of functioning when in good old days sarpanchs in gram panchayats used to have meetings under a tree and decide on some issue. there too it was never based on public opinion. it was left to a bunch of people from the panchayat. However these people sought public opinions earlier and privately, before sitting on a judgement.

Is the Aam Admi Party taking us to the stone age era  ?? 

Is it Change of Hearts for Congress ?

The drubbing congress has got in recent state elections have not changed them a bit even. They are with their dirty games yet again in Delhi. Now the local congress body has sent a letter to the Lt. Governor showing support to the Aam Admi Party. They do not want the BJP to come to power on one hand , and they want the AAP to fall pray to their well disguised trap and accept the offer on the other hand. This is killing two birds with one shot. They hope that AAP accepts their offer, form the government and fail to implement even one of their assurances, because they will not allow any such bill to pass where congress has been opposing all through out. Then they will claim that AAP offers only hollow promises, and try to mislead people and tell that BJP ran away from responsibility and AAP has failed to deliver, and show how only Congress is the party who knows governance.

I only hope and pray that none of this happens.

सौ चूहे खा कर बिल्ली हज को चली

हाल ही के चुनावी नतीजों के बाद  कॉँग्रेस  में उथल पुथल चालू हुई ! पर परिमाणों में कोई फर्क नज़र नहीं आता ! फिर वोही ढाक के तीन पात ! खुर्शीद भाई कहते हैं कि सोनिया भारत कि माँ है , भाईजान तुम्हारी होगी पर देश भर की क्यों बना डाला ? मणिशंकर जी ने भी अपनी चिर परिचित चिड़चिड़े अंदाज़ में प्रधान मंत्री पद के लिए सोनिया के नाम पर महर लगा दी ! सिब्बल जी भी  भला क्यों पीछे  रहते  ? उन्होंने भी सोनिया कि दावेदारी कि हिमायत की ! 

और हाँ ! दिग्गू भाई तो हमेशा से ही बड़बोले रहे हैं , वो क्यों भला अपनी इन आदतों से बाज आते ? उन्होंने कहा - मैं तो पहले ही से कहता आ रहा हूँ कि सोनिया का कोई विकल्प नहीं है, पर यदि है तो वह सिर्फ राहुल बाबा ही हैं ! 

अब सब कॉंग्रेसी बयानबाजी में लगे हैं - कहते हैं कि सोनिया को फिर से बागडौर संभालनी चाहिए ! अरे भाई छोड़ी कब थी कि फिर से सँभालने कि नौबत आन पड़ी ?

कितने भोलेपन से ये सब लोग इस तरह कहते हैं मानो जनता बेवकूफ है , सोई है , नादान है , कुछ जानती नहीं है !

यह सब सौ चूहे खा कर हज जाने जैसा ही है ! है ना ?