न्यूज़ीलैंड में हिंदी बोलने पर लड़की चीखने-चिल्लाने लगी, लेकिन बात यहीं पर खत्म नहीं हुई
न्यूज़ीलैंड में हिंदी बोलने पर लड़की चीखने-चिल्लाने लगी, लेकिन बात यहीं पर खत्म नहीं हुई
हममें से हर कोई हर दिन कहीं न कहीं आता-जाता होगा. ज़्यादातर हम ट्रेन, बस और मेट्रो के सहारे होते हैं. भरी हुई बस या ट्रेन में अक्सर कुछ ऐसे भी लोग चढ़ते हैं जो हमारे शहरों के लिए नए-नए होते हैं. इस महादेश के किसी भी अनाम देश से आया कोई भी परिवार हो सकता है. जो आपकी शहरी सभ्यता के सफ़र में आपके साथ शुरू से नहीं रहे हैं. अभी-अभी आपकी सभ्यता, सोसाइटी और कल्चर वाली बस में चढ़े हैं, शहर में नए हैं.…
What is one necessary ingredient for a comfortable journey to your hometown, thirty hours via train? A good co-passenger. But that seldom happens when traveling in India where it’s all about socializing, secularity, and celebrations. And no matter how hard you try, you always end up with a noisy interfering traveler.
My co-passenger was a top-notch chatterbox, fifty-year-old woman and like every other Indian was well versed in discovering long-distant blood links to any stranger. The cherry on top was the fact that she had met my father.
I bid farewell to my comfortable, safe, and happy journey. Put on my poker face and inculcated all the Indian traditions and respect at once. This was not going to be easy, family reputation was in my hands. The same hands that did tradition less triple tango before boarding the train.
I answered every question she asked, even the ones that your doctor doesn’t ask. I spoke at length about inconsequential things that could have bothered even my carefree dog. And kept the conversation floating when my eyes were drowning.
I made sure not to dishonor or provoke any of our sacred religious and cultural matters. Agreed with her viewpoints and entrusted her that a child must take care of his parents, no matter what. She seemed pleased. I felt successful but not even a little jubilant.
Finally, I found the perfect opportunity to escape and so I dozed off. I left quickly when the train arrived at the destination, so I didn't have to exchange formalities while bidding adieu.
Next night I was at my father’s club. Dinner was over. People were saying their goodbyes, finishing deserts, or just enjoying their inebriated state. My Father comes up to me and whispers in my ear, “The lady you met in the Train is here. She told me something about you.”
My family wouldn’t care about my triple tango but how did she know? I ask nervously, knowing that family name could be ruined, “What did she say?” My father gently replies, “You don’t talk much, very shy.”
Flyer Arrested For Flashing Co-Passenger On Bangalore-Mumbai Flight
A 31-year-old man, who was travelling in an early morning flight from Bangalore to Mumbai on June 27, landed behind bars for touching a co-passenger inappropriately and flashing at her.
When the woman raised an alarm, the airline crew handed him over to the security officials, who later took him to the airport police station for further action. After registering an FIR in the matter, the police…
तीन थे वे
उनमे से एक अभी अभी नींद से उठा है
उसकी माँ अभी भी लेटी है ऊपर वाले बर्थ पे
वह निचे, दादीमा के गोद में आ लेटा
दूसरा सिर्फ गमछा लपेटे है
उसकी गीली पतलून खिड़की से टंगा हुआ
उसके बाबा मोबाइल पर कुछ देकते हुए, उसकी नज़र उसी पे
तीसरा खामोश है, जबसे देखा है
खिड़की के ग्रिल पे उसके हाथ, नज़रे बाहर
मानो वह अकेला ही आया था
साथ वालों का पता नहीं, न ही ज़रुरत
मैं कहता हूँ, इनको ऐसे ही रहने दो
जगाने की जल्दी नहीं होनी चाहिए
जग गए तो सवाल पूछेंगे
सवाल पूछेंगे तो झूट का सहारा
चुप करवाने का और कोई रास्ता भी नहीं
