“Hello…Punjab Power…Lighting up your life”….These may not be the exact words Mr. Sharma may utter while picking up the phone…But his dressing style-n-lifestyle was similar to that of Suriji in ‘Rab ne bana di Jodi’…Mr. Sharma...a common man with a simple life…Struggling everyday for his survival on this earth… His lower middle-class life in Mumbai was going on like a man dragging his feet in despair…
It was the day of Holi…He ventured out of his house to earn his bread-n-butter…He was about to reach the railway station…and someone threw a balloon at his white shirt – splashing red colour all over his shirt…He thought of going back to his house and change his shirt…But one late-mark in the office muster…and he would lose half day's pay – which he could not afford in his fight to meet two ends (Read: First and last day of every month)…He decided to continue with his dangerous local-train-journey towards his office…And he observed one thing…much to his surprise...that everyone was looking at his shirt…Many people were laughing at him…Girls were giggling at him..Someone rarely had sympathetic look…Yet…he was very happy with it…because in a normal life, nobody cared to give him a damn…and just because of his wet-n-colourful shirt…he had become the centre of attraction at this moment…Having attention of girls was a special achievement for him…which he had never managed so far in his entire life…In addition to this…he got a comfortable place to stand inside the local compartment…as no one dared to stand close to him - to get coloured by his shirt…He was enjoying this luxury for the first time being used to hanging on doors of train…fighting for space to put his foot inside compartment…
That night…He came outside to celebrate Holi…Standing next to bonfire, he could imagine all his worries-n-tensions getting burned with Holi…At the time of shouting ‘gaalis’ loudly, he yelled-shouted-sweared at every opportunity…A common man like him doesn’t get a chance like this to air his opinions…and he utilized it to the maximum extent… Neighbours living in his building – who never said Hi / Hello to him – were talking to him…applying colour on his face…This was the only day when people were ready to recognize him as a human being and his existence on this earth…and even if it was meant to have colourful fun…He felt nice… Those colourful faces of everyone made him to think of them as equal…regardless of caste, language and status…He danced on the beats of DJ…like no one is watching him…till his bones were about to get dislocated from their original place…Some political party workers –who always thought of him as an outsider in Mumbai – also joined him…A festival like Holi – made him an insider – at least for one night…
So far so good…After having enough of bhaang, he decided to return to home…On the way…He met his childhood friend whom he loved so much – but never had he dared to propose to her… he was always scared of her beauty, financial status and lifestyle…and his love remained silent expecting rejection…But today was different day altogether…Bhaang still had effect on his brain…He proposed her and got slapped immediately…It brought him back on this earth…
He went home…But he was a very happy soul today…as he had dared to do something which he never thought to be possible…He resolved that, next day onwards, he is not going to continue with his boring life…Not a new life exactly…but same life…with new colours, newly-found guts and a nasha that bhaang can have...
Sometimes a festival can bring a refreshing change in a common man’s life…no need to visit expensive restaurants…luxury malls…Only thing he needs is...a different perspective to look at ordinary things with an ability to find happy moments in day-to-day life...I guess...a common man can afford it....!!
4 comments:
Yogesh! What a refreshng post! Refreshng in d sense tht it does contain ur take on a common man's life, his aamdani,d economy etc and at the same time has a deeper meaning and a philosophical twist towrds the end..i really liked the line, "a different perspective to look at ordinary things with an ability to find happy moments in day-to-day life...I guess...a common man can afford it...." Great job man! :)
Well... THAT was great...! How through the metaphor of one festival you brought out extra-ordinary perspectives... A feeling of camaraderie amongst, dancing like noone's watching... It was unlike anything u've ever written and my favourite post so far... Keep it up... exploring newer aspects and bringing newer perspectives..!
Any 1 read this can relate to 100 people he knows.
Ordinary simple story written in Extra ordinary simple way.
Superb.
Hey, now thats quite a change from your regular posts... and I agree with Smita, quite a refreshing one too! Its really something you can identify with, as there's a Mr. Sharma in each and everyone of us to some extent. Well, yor posts keep getting better and better, but this one definately scores on the 'surprise' scale!
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