Some verbal analogies are intriguing. Some decades ago, a job was called Naukari. The earnings of the said ‘Naukar’; the sole breadwinner of the family, were enough to feed a family of nine; hence Nau-kari. It was sufficient for the parents, spouse, children and guests too. Lifestyles were simple. There were no concepts of air conditioning, vacationing abroad, multiple vehicles, branded clothing and footwear, jewels etc. Because less was more!
Some years hence, the term Chaakari came into common parlance. This was perhaps when the concept of nuclear families and Hum 2, Hamare 2 became popular. The emoluments from Chaa-kari were enough to meet the expenses of a family of four. Nothing less, nothing more!
As the cost of living escalated, earnings came to be known as Tankha. Tankha was just sufficient for meeting one’s own needs. Hence Tan-kha! It became important for each one to earn. The principle was, ‘To each, his own’. What mattered was, ‘I, me and myself.’ Just this and nothing more!
Time moved on and Vetan happened. Now earnings were not even enough to feed one self, hence Ve-tan! Sigh! Enter loans and finance schemes. Udhaar! Take Udhaar (loan) and live life king size ... increase your wants, needs and desires. Self-gratification is key! Earn more and spend more!
Let's zoom into today. It seems people work only to buy themselves a Cell phone and what they earn is called Salary! (Read Cell-ary) They believe in, ‘I earn; I spend!’; ‘My money, My life!’ The world is in the palm of everyone’s hand. Everything is just a click of a button away! Alexa and Siri are at your beck ’n’ call. You have everything but you still want more! Someone said, ‘Cell phones are called Cell phones because they ensure that you stay buried in the Cell (Jail) of your phone!’
Sometimes we ask, ‘Kitna Kamaya?’ Kitna Kaam Aaya? God alone knows whether it is enough to satisfy our growing desires … for more and yet more!
Talking of earnings did you get your Pay check? Well in this age of net banking this is what we do all day … pay and check; pay and check … well if your desires are copious, you have to keep paying because without pay’n (read pain), there is no gain.
With the consumer market booming, online shopping, discount sales, buy one - get one free offers, brands and bargains, flights and cruises, credit cards and debit cards; for everything we buy, we put our tongue in cheek and say, ‘Just this and nothing more …’
But really speaking, does it bog down to, just this and nothing more? Or are we always left wanting for more? Care for a ceiling on desires anyone?
Arz hai ke farz nibhaao to dua milti hai,
Karz uthaane ki marz ki dawa nahi hoti.
Khudgarz ki to kamaayi mein bhi barkat nahin hoti,
Khudaar hote to Rabb ne bhi rehmat dikhaayi hoti!
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A slightly concise version of this piece has been published as the ‘Middle’ in The Tribune on 29.09.2022.
