Evening at Zambezi River, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, May 2015
and so does everything around... the situation, the people, the perspective, the needs.... and we too change.... the wise and courageous seek change.. because only change is constant!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

156. Missing Link

While leaving, I felt that I should not have visited the place at all. I had not visited the place for years - in fact, it is my first visit and today was no special reason to visit. However, this day was marked for you; it seems.

Almost everyone got down at Red Fort from the HoHo bus, and the guide looked at me enquiringly. I told her that I wanted to go to the next point. I was the only one getting down there.  

The entry was not a problem at all. No security check, no queue, no tickets.
But everyone is asked to take shoes off. I keep the shoes in the stand and come across one of your well known statements. You say:


The simplicity of your words is touching. I stand there for few moments – asking the question to myself I guess. I don’t have to go inside and take your ‘darshan’ – for that matter you are no God for me. If I could have met you, I would have certainly argued with you and you know I am hard nut to convince. But that is not to be – we never met and will never meet.

I move inside and watch people clicking around – just clicking and clicking.

Only few foreigners are interested in your life and in your actions. At least some people are talking about you finally – better few than none.

I move further around. The original idea of the place must have been great. The surrounding cell-like structures (sort of open cabins) should be a good place to sit and think – like the one they have in Buddhist monasteries.  


But they are so dirty, one cannot sit there. If you were there, you would take a broom and start cleaning those. To young ones who wanted to join Freedom struggle, the first task you gave was toilet cleaning. At least I know story of one person whom you had given this task.  Now you would need more people to clean things around – you alone won’t be able to do it – even with your ‘weapon’ of fasting. I know, weapon is the not the right word!

I sometimes wonder why I treat you as if I know you fully well. I have hardly read anything you have written. You had time enough to write volumes and I don’t have time even to read those.

The truth is: I am not interested.

Do I think you are outdated and hence irrelevant?
I don’t think so. Otherwise why should I visit Rajghat on a foggy Sunday morning?

But what is the relevance? Where is the connection? Where is the bridge? Where is that thread? Where do we stand in the scheme and the dream you talk about?

The link is still missing.

11 comments:

  1. For all of us, the link is still missing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. BTW who is responsible for that missing link......he himself or nation as a whole...???

    well penned...:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. His ideologies may be subject to debate but he has inspired great men and women and will continue to do so.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Irfanuddin, we all are .. he had his role in it, we have ours!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Purba, he certainly will keep on inspiring many more generations.

    ReplyDelete
  6. When he gave the task of cleaning toilets to someone, it wasn't just a task. I think, we both know, that the toilet represented our stinkiest and sinister thoughts and our fear to go near them and confront it and remove it was tremendous..And he gave us courage to not to run from it, rather face it, and clean ourselves of it. And once, we are clean of our all, so called fears, then we can face the world and follow our path with courage and honest...

    Alas, many people think, that his ideas are outdated. May be. May be not. But, honesty and truth can never go out of fashion...And god save us, once it does....

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kunal, I fully agree with your interpretation and understanding of 'toilet cleaning task' set by him. And of course, truth can never be outdated - no two opinions about it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have Rajghat and Gandhi memorial museum in my wish list for such a long time ... last foggy Sunday in Delhi, I went to Tughlakabad .. the brief Delhi visit is already over! :(

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gandhi Memorial Museum is on my 'wish list' too. And was planning to visit Tughalakabad on that Sunday .. instead went to Rajghat :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Why viewers still use to read news papers when in this technological globe the whole thing is existing on web?



    Here is my web page - Rolland Garros

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your Feedback.