My Independence Day began yesterday,
when I embarked upon my ‘expedition’ from office (in Hinjewadi) to home (in
Bibwewadi)…..a journey of about 35 kms. On any day in monsoon, typically it
takes about 1.5 hours for me to cover this distance. But yesterday was unusual
day (and there are many such unusual days in an year), when it took about 2.5
hours to reach home.
‘One often meets his destiny on the
road he takes to avoid it’ – Master Oogway in Kungfu Panda 1 (Brilliant movies…all
three parts).
So to avoid traffic congestions, out
of 3-4 different routes to my home from office, yesterday I thought of taking a
different one, which I rarely commute on. I used to take that road last monsoon
as the condition of my usual road was pathetically pathetic (don’t worry about
grammar, there is no adjective which can convey my emotions about the road
condition). But this season (yes; it’s seasonal), I had not travelled on that
road for long time. This is the road from Hinjewadi Phase 3 to Pirangut.
I started on that road, and within few
minutes I realized that I do not have to put my foot on clutch, or accelerator
either. Put the car into first gear and then enjoy the moon-like ride! There
were patches of few feet in which the road was indeed …… ‘a road’…….errr!
Soon I realized that I have a spine,
as all my vertebrae started acheoing (yes spelling is correct, it means when
your body aches and echoes its pain) in one voice to change the road, I took
one diversion which connects to my regular road. After a peaceful drive of
about 15 minutes, I reached a point of disappoint, as at around 9 p.m. (in the
night……RaGa) there was lo(0=n100)ng line of cars waiting for their
turn to move on. It was almost 2-3 kms long queue, on that pathetically
pathetic road (NASA recently discovered that this area on the earth resembles
moon, and since there life in this area, they are inclined to draw a deadly inference
that there must be life on the moon too). I tried to play something on YouTube;
Ted or iTunes, but I was not surprised that there is no service by Vodafone in
that area (Can’t blame them; I do not think there is any carrier providing
mobile service on the moon…..or moon-like area).
Thank God, wait doesn’t increase your
weight; else I would have gained at least 50 kgs yesterday in the car itself J J
Finally in about 30-40 minutes I crossed
that 2-3 kms terrain faster than a snail; but slower than a turtle, and reached
two acutely curved turning point(s) to hit the highway; where a huge bus trying
to take turn, but the curve was beyond its turning radius. After a lot of hick
ups and back-n-forth, he succeeded. Someone said ‘history repeats’!, and I experienced
the same when on the next turn barely after 100 mtrs, the bus displayed ‘action
replay’ of previous turn. Goes without say that this ‘action replay’ was in ‘slow
motion’!
Yatto (finally in Japanese), I hit Mumbai-Pune
highway (?) and was hoping to push my foot on the throttle, but actually the
road was throttled by traffic. I was dismayed and despaired to helplessly see
and haplessly experience the vapid traffic, and my irritation was growing
rapidly. But this time respite was that I could find an audio book of ‘Wings of
Fire’ in my audio-stick. It engaged my mind for rest of the journey, and it was
sheer delight to hear what I read years ago.
After about 2-3 kms of elephant-pace
drive, finally the road was relatively clear and I could accelerate the machine
to reach home in another 30-40 minutes. By the time I reached home, I was drained.
I went straight to bed room and slumped on the bed. Thoughts started flowing in
mind when I closed my eyes.
‘Is this the country worth living’; ‘Can’t
we have better life’; ‘Why our Government cannot fulfil some simple
expectations of basic needs of good roads’; ‘What have we done in past 72
years, and does this give us right to celebrate 72nd anniversary of
our independence as free nation’……..
Now I was experiencing congestion of
thoughts in my mind. Countless neurons were rushing through my brain-nerves,
creating strong electromagnetic waves and my head started stirring. I went to
bathroom and splashed some running cold water on face. Perhaps that cooled me
down, as by the time I wiped my face and looked into broad mirror, I recalled
sentence from Wings of Fire which APJ mentions when he narrates the story of
his despair after his rejection in first interview and met one Swamiji in an
Ashram in Hrishikesh, who says unto APJ that (may not be exact words) ‘desires,
if they are intense and strong, they become electromagnetic waves and go to the
ether when the mind sleep in the night, and come back with cosmic energies when
we wake up in the morning’. This calling back of immensely thoughtful thought refreshed
me lot more than cold water. Harmonious positive thoughts started flowing in
mind, and perhaps those neurons and their electromagnetic waves were dancing in
synchronization!
72 years back at midnight, when Mr.
Nehru was elated to talk about independent India’s ‘tryst with destiny’, what cunning
Britishers had handed to our forefathers was a nation cut into, not just 2, but
many pieces. It was not partition of greater India into two nations, but it
offered freedom of choice to 564 princely states to choose their partner or
freedom as independent nation. We all know that story; don’t we!
So when Mr. Nehru was rejoiced to cut
the cake with the letters ‘tryst with destiny’ written on it amidst hooray and
cheers, the cake was already cut into 565 (or 566) pieces. Indeed Gora Sahib
must be smiling how he made India to ‘eat the cake and have it’ at the same
time!
The time must have been horrific! Our
great leaders saved us from breakage and wreckage, and let it not sink. They
sailed us through high tides; cyclones and perhaps even Tsunamis of challenges
and abysmal conditions. Many known and unknown hands inked history of last 72
years and put us in today’s situation, which is no less than paradise compared
to those days, and even compared to many nations which attained their
independence around the same time.
Indubitably, there is lot more and
better that could have been done. This country could have been lot better and
perhaps true paradise! But journey we have travelled wasn’t easy for sure. Even
now, we have many unique challenges, but we are moving ahead like a giant
elephant. World is watching us and reckon us as one of the nations which has
big role to play at international arena.
And trust me my friends, our progress
is promising! We are going to be a great nation as we always were, but for perhaps
few centuries which marked downfall of a great nation; great civilization. We
are bound to be world leader in many ways! We have travelled this far roadlessly,
but we are, and we must, now build mega-expressway to our future!
Have faith; have trust…..as that is
our ‘tryst with destiny’!
-
Sarang Bhanage
(15th
August 2018)
