The Change

This word “change” has a great significance in the state of West Bengal. It may be premature to say that it has some similarity with the word “hope” that was popular in the only super power. But the kind of response it has generated is comparable. This simple word has different meaning to different people. Depending upon to whom you are talking, you will find whole-hearted acceptance to outright rejection. And this paints the volatile political picture of west Bengal.

For a long time Bengal has remained a battle ground of extremes. It has been in the political vicious grip of “ora” (they) and “amra” (us). This unsuspecting demarcation that began in 1977 became fanatical frankenstein by 2007. In March 2007 the state government ordered 4,000 armed police personnel to stamp out the “protests” against state promoted land acquisition. The premeditated massacre shocked the people to the extent of disbelief. The then governor of Bengal summarized the event – “cold horror”. The chief minister washed off his hands by a customary press statement that raised more questions than it had answered.

The “rot” was visible when in November 2007 the party chairman gave his tacit support to another round of violence by saying unforgettable – “a new dawn” and the chief minister going a step further and edifying party victory as “paying them back in their own coin” . This time the unusual event and remark exposed the state of affairs of Bengal to the whole nation. Since then Bengal was never going to be the same again. The long years of uninterrupted, unchecked, unopposed rule of the party (read not the state government) had taken the rulers to the height of arrogance.

For me the “change” is very simple, very basic. It’s not about GDP, Development Index, welfare schemes, and various other kinds of political gimmickry. For me the “change” is about the fundamental right of a citizen, the fundamental rule that makes a democracy alive. The right to exercise ones voting right. This may sound absurd and unrealistic but the fact is for years, subverting this very right was the ultimate strategic tool that the ruling party fine tuned to perfection to get unabated access to power.

The above inference is not made on some newspaper article, it’s based on personal experience. There was a time when only fools or people with true grit could oppose the arrogant rulers. During that time my father took plunge in the local election ignoring thousands requests/warnings from my mother. Events that occurred almost a decade ago could make one realize the significance of the “change” that I am referring to.

We were (my family members) always intimidated through some subtle and some not so subtle time tested techniques of the party. Few days before the polling while my mother was in the neighborhood and walking towards home a loyal party supporter on the street said something (my upbringing doesn’t allow me to pen those words) in response to that my mother said “you touch me and I will cut you into pieces right here”. Before the polling day in the evening the street lights in front of our house (and of the neighborhood) were broken to convey the message “peacefully”. From evening till late night people with sticks roamed around our house and to add the artistic touch to terror they used to beat on the boundary wall often. This used to be the picture of pre-polling days. Thanks to all the pre-planning my father lost the election by few votes. My mother had enough and she gave two choices to my father (it’s easy to figure out what those two were) and luckily he opted not to enter politics ever again!

To be honest, I am apolitical, but that doesn’t mean I am not conscious about to whom my vote should go. In the same vein, just because a party has got my vote once, doesn’t mean it will get it next time. Political parties who take people votes for granted are the biggest fools.

I believe, the winners that came in 1977 were elected by people. Their policies/promises ensured their rule. Their arrogance may lead to their demise. In 2011 it’s the people who will elect winners again. What happens next is a matter of debate and only time will tell the results but I am happy just like million others who, on this day were free to cast their vote without fear, without intimidation.

I may have doubts about the future of my Bengal but I expect, hope and pray that this freedom will stay. Irrespective of the change in color at the seats of power the freedom to choose will remain unchanged.

bus itni zaroorat hai

“बस इतनी जरूरत है”

कुछ फूल निकले बगीचे से, प्यारे से मासूम से,

कुछ मंदिर को तो कुछ मस्जिद को जा पहुंचे,

मंजिल तो है वही उनकी,

बस पहुँचाने की जरूरत है |

फितरत तो इंसा की भी कुछ फूलों के जैसी,

खुशबू तो हर में है,

बेइंतहा और बेहिसाब,

बस अंदर के इंसान को, जगाने की जरूरत है |

कोशिश की कीमत को इक बच्चे से तुम पूछो,

मुस्कराकर वोह जमाने को बदलता है,

दुख तो मेहमान है बस दो चार दिन का ही,

जिंदगी को जीने के लिए, मुस्कुराने की जरूरत है |

एक कदम की ताकत का अंदाज़ा नहीं हमको,

फासले लाख हों और मंजिल बेनिशान मगर,

हर फासले मिटाने को,

बस एक कदम बढाने की जरूरत है |

बेहरों को सुनाने के लिए धमाके की जरूरत है,

जब हरसूँ फैला हो बस घनघोर अँधियारा,

मझधार में हो नैया और दूर हो किनारा,

तब चिंगारी से इक शमा को जलने की जरूरत है |

धूल की क्या हस्ती जो शैतानों से भिड जाये,

हलकी फूंक से वोह बस यूही उड़ जाये,

पर शैतानों को रुलाने को,

इक धूल की आंधी की जरूरत है |

इस वतन को लूटा है,

गैरों ने नहीं गद्दारों ने,

जो बैठा है घमंड कर ताकत की ऊंचाई पर,

आज उसे चोराहे पर लाने की जरूरत है |

भर चुका है पाप का घड़ा जिनका,

रोक न पाएंगे हर कोशिश कर पहरेदार उनके,

वक्त तो कबका पूरा हो गया है,

आगे बड इक ठोकर लगाने की जरूरत है |

It got to stop somewhere

It’s been bothering me for a long time, to be precise after passing school (since 1996). I have seen it, I have felt it, I have hated it, at times it has exposed best of man, at other times it has shown worst of man, in a moment it can make a sane person insane, in a moment it can destroy years of trust, faith and brotherhood.
If I have already got you thinking what it is then let me tell you it’s not “LOVE” (specially when you and your friend aim the same person! )

Well, what I had in mind was “religious intolerance and discrimination”. Something, so potent and nefarious that it can destroy whole humanity in a blink. I believe, this intolerance is the only prominent thing that has kept on doubling along with human population. And this very fact is bothering and puzzling! How come this monster that we should have obliterated a hundred years ago, still lingers among us with unchecked ferocity.

I guess when we were in schools we hardly bothered about it, we used to eat, play, fight and if time permitting, study together. There was never a barrier. And I consider my self fortunate enough that I studied in Kendriya Vidyalaya Schools that truly represents Indian diversity. While in school the “religion” was never an issue. As of me, I used to think people who have nothing worthwhile to do, deliberate on this boring issue. I was aloof, even the 1992 event was alien to me( I guess, we were not that informed as compared to today’s 24X7 news network and twittering generation).

And then came college. It was not at all a dream world that I had illusions about when in school. The “monster” was about to rise and even before I could get admitted to a college. What struck me was the audacity with which these colleges never hesitated in exposing their religious bigotry. As an Indian one has the constitutionally enshrined right to seek and get admission in any college as long as one has the necessary marks. But who cares about constitution and the fools who wrote it. It was right there in the application form – “Religion: _______ and Caste ______”. That single piece of information can decide ones fate. That single piece of information is the politically correct “Differentiator”. Hell, I say that’s plain discrimination. I would say, it’s our collective failure that the column still exists.

I became furious in no small quantity when I noticed that dreaded column in my son’s school admission form. In 2010, I wrote in my son’s school application his religion and caste. Alas his nationality of being “Indian” was not enough even at this stage. It got to stop somewhere at least on application forms to begin with.

India and Indian sub continent at large has been home to thousand faiths. Since time immemorial the faith differences among its people never stopped populations to co-exist. It’s the last few hundred years of disillusionment that has pushed us this far. Tragedy is this, that not even sane preaching of Swami Vivekananda, Sri Ramkrishna and Bhagat Singh could deter us form our self-destructive instincts. Men like them gave their lives, and to prove that they were lunatics, our esteemed government authorized census of “Caste” too. Next what, size of citizen’s bums so that planning commission can build statistics on the percentage of fat asses! (I guess I just gave them the clue).

I am pained when during a cricket match, one section within India celebrates India’s defeat. When within India people can’t hoist national flag. When people hide in fear. When people dread discrimination. When color of saffron and green dehumanizes color red. I can’t fathom it. Some people tell me that my loony concept of secularism is all childish, out there it doesn’t work. True, on many occasions I have found it hard to give them an answer.

But now I guess I have got an answer, I think so. The answer lies in the upbringing or the environment in which the mind grows. The stone palters have lived their entire life under guns. There are people who have spent their entire life hating and blaming. People who have been raised on doses of hatred can’t be expected to act rationally but others can.

My school never discriminated me on religion, my teachers never discriminated me on religion, my friends never discriminated me on religion, my father’s friend never discriminated me on religion. When a mind grows under discrimination it will lead to discrimination. Similarly, if a mind grows free of discrimination it will always lead to co-existence.

India is secular not because “few people need it” but because “many people want it”. India is and will main secular because large sections of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and followers of other faiths want it, and it is not only just because of our constitution, because it is reflection of our inheritance, because it was the guiding principle for our freedom struggle, and even eons before that it was imbibed in our culture. The two words that great sages gave us “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (whole world is one single family). The optimist inside me believes that irrespective of vendetta of few poisonous minds, a few political opportunists, a few misguided and disgruntled lot, the bond that binds us shall prevail.


I can’t put a timeframe when intolerance and discrimination will end but there is something I can do for sure, and that is to give my son (and to his friends too) the environment to grow without discrimination. I owe it to him. If not, whole of his life but at least till he finishes school. After that he will be mature enough to find answers for himself.

And where do I start? Well … that dreaded column on my son’s school admission form. I am going to leave it blank. And will ask the school to remove it or the least make it optional. That’s my one point to be raised during Parent-Teacher meeting 2011. My belief is reason enough to give it a try.

“People fight on religion when God has exited their minds”

And so it begins...

The idea was there, lying dormant for a long… long time. But it’s better late than never. So today, a day after completing 5 years of marital bliss (or blunder), and just before I go for lunch, I took the leap of faith and decided to start the blog.

Life’s journey is a paradox - from known to unknown and as we know life exists in between these two extremes. Thus my blog title “Known Unknown and in Between!” is a tiny corner on the wide wild web that I can call my own (umm.. till the time I pay for the domain name fee at least). This is my corner where I can put up my raves, rants, sane (or insane) thoughts, something that thrilled me, something that kept me wondering, or something that kicked me too hard!

Once a friend of mine asked me a very valid question why www.divakarbagari.com. For the benefit of all, let me re-iterate that famous dialog from the movie “Diwaar” where the honest son wins over by throwing an insane line “mere paas maa hai” (I have mother with me) against his rich but dishonest elder brother.

As a caring father as I am, I have invested my hard earned money into this domain name so that in future, on one momentous day, among his flashy and bragging friends my son can loudly and proudly say “mere paas mere dad ka .com address hai!” (I have with me my dad’s .com address and since i may not leave him much in the name of inheritance). Take that! And while I am at it, let me dare say one day my grandchildren can boast of the same :)

And for the skeptics, I thank lord the domain name was simply available.

I welcome everybody “Known… Unknown and in between” to join me on this new journey. So bless me with the most sought after blessing in the blogging world, the blessing of “A Blog a Week”. Amen!