Jottings: Life

Endings & Beginnings!         

By Ashutosh Sharma                                                                       

 Mistakes are quite natural to all of us. Sometimes observations and decisions prove wrong. We regret profusely cursing our mental faculties. The intrepid ones decide not to repeat the same in future and start afresh with renewed zeal. 

However not everyone wants to mend ways or learns a lesson. Sometimes reason and courage fail them to come out of the maze of distress. Their urge for life hits the rock bottom and they find themselves in midst of question: Is life worth living?

During a recent visit to a doctor in a hospital, I met a young demure girl- a patient coping with after impacts of Manic Depressive Psychosis. She had come for some prescriptions and counseling. 

While she was talking to the doctor, I guessed that she had attempted suicide but was saved by timely intervention of family. Death eluded her putting her again “tangle” of life. 

Life after death fascinates most of us. However, neither we can experience death while living nor know about the experience from any other person. Yet certainly, we can know how it feels like after a failed suicide attempt. 

As the doctor was scribbling prescription, I humbly introduced myself as a journalist to her and asked her about her life after suicide attempt. 

She grew pensive for a while, and then said philosophically: “Life appears to be a riddle wrapped in a mystery. But, can death be solution to the problems of life? No. Why? Because how one could be very sure about something – death - unknown and unfamiliar. I have had a love-hate relationship with life for the past 25 years. Death is quite stranger to me and no sane person would rely on a stranger.” 

Silence filled the room and after a pause, she picked up the threads of discussion and quoted a Chinese proverb with a grin on her face: “Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.” 

After she left, the doctor on being asked told me that such patients are usually filled with a feeling of guilt and remorse over taking such steps. 

It’s just a matter of seconds during which such sudden actions like suicide attempts are usually taken. It is a state of frenzy in which the thinking is completely clouded. After that moment is gone the thought of ending life is also over. As our conversation was going on, assistant of the doctor interrupted and informed that the PC (computer) was hung up. The doctor suggested, “The only alternative is ‘restart’ option: turn the PC off and then on.” 

After I took their leave and quit the room, I heard saying to myself: “Life could be much simpler only if one knew use of restart option on the PC called life, after any accidental system failure. Endings and beginnings should remain on our palm !’’ 

Death Sentence

ON RECORD


Death sentence must go, says Pushkar Raj


by Ashutosh Sharma

Dr Pushkar Raj

Even as the controversy over the mercy petition of death row convict Afzal Guru in the Parliament Attack Case continues, the People’s Union for Civil Liberties’ national general secretary, Dr Pushkar Raj, advocates abolition of the capital punishment, maintaining that it defies the very concept of justice. In an interview to The Tribune in Jammu, he says that death sentence won’t help check the crime rate across the world.

(http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100627/edit.htm#4)

Abandoned Children

SOS village steps in to take care of abandoned newborn 

Ashutosh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, January 9 


Just one hour after her birth, she was abandoned, and that too in this chilly weather when mothers leave no stone unturned to keep their babies warm and cosy. The baby was found abandoned at the government hospital this morning. However, luck smiled upon her and in the next three hours or so, she was secure in the warm embrace of a ‘new mother’. 
Newborn baby girl Vaishali in the cosy embrace of Lissy John at SOS Children Village at Gole Gujral in Jammu on Saturday. Vaishali was reportedly abandoned by her parents one hour after her birth. Tribune Photo: Anand Sharma


(http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100110/j&k.htm#12)

Amarnath Land Transfer Controversy

Peace ambassadors or just beggars? 
Ashutosh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, April 24 

Union is strength… they say it, but this trio of child beggars practices it in reality. Their picture perfect presents communal harmony, particularly in the aftermath of Amaranth land row that divided the state on communal lines. Their unity has become a common sight at the main chowk of RS Pura, near bus stand, their favorite turf.


From left: Nabi, Sonu and Bulli

Union is strength… they say it, but this trio of child beggars practices it in reality. Their picture perfect presents communal harmony, particularly in the aftermath of Amaranth land row that divided the state on communal lines. Their unity has become a common sight at the main chowk of RS Pura, near bus stand, their favorite turf.

The group comprises a girl called Bulli, her brother Nabi (both Muslims), and a Hindu boy, Sonu. They have been doing their job collectively and peacefully for the past six months.

The Hindu boy lives in a nearby temple while the Muslim children live in the Peer Baba shrine, both places of worship are located at a close distance to each other. So they keep frequenting each other’s place of living without inhibitions.
This trio moves out in the morning, collect alms and savour eatables and soft drinks together in the afternoon.

However, they had an unusual spat with each other last week. “A baraat was passing by and a baraati gave us a note of Rs 10,” Bulli puts in when asked as to how good was their friendship. Bulli added naively, “Dividing Rs 10 between three persons is not an easy task. After getting Rs 3 each neither Nabi nor Sonu was ready to give up an extra rupee.”
Boys were quick to add, “We started to quarrel openly in the bazaar…. and don’t ask what happened after that… it brought us wide condemnation from all.”

“So we realised that friendship is more important than money and I picked up the Rs 10 note from Nabi’s cloak and threw it,” Sonu said.

A local shopkeeper, however, said, “Don’t regard their mellow talking, these little monsters have frustrated the entire market. Whichever shop they stand before, it soon wears a deserted look.”

“It’s a business for Bangladeshis to keep on breeding children and spill them over to the roads for begging,” he mumbled and went off.

(http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090425/jkplus.htm#10)

Child Rights

Tender shoulders carry Jammu’s burden 

Hundreds of children are working silently to preserve soil, though unknowingly, by collecting non-biodegradable refuse of the entire city and making a living out of it

Ashutosh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, June 4 


While a child of the age of Mohd Rizvaan might not be aware of any burden other than the schoolbag, but for him it’s different. Everyday he carries a dirty bag filled with rusted scrap, empty bottles, plastic and rubber pieces or anything discarded by people that fetches him livelihood from scrap dealers.

LOST CHILDHOOD: (from right) Mohd Rizvaan, Mohd Yousaf and Mustafa Kamal segregate scrap at Narwal bypass near Bhatindi in Jammu; and a boy (right) and a girl (below) on their way to scrap dealer after day’s work. Photos: Inderjeet Singh (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100605/jkplus.htm#1) Child beggar turns ‘innovative’ to earn more  Ashutosh Sharma Tribune News Service Nata begs for alms in Jammu. Photo: Inderjeet Singh Jammu, May 15 In the age of cutthroat competition, one could hardly afford to continue with the traditional approach. The concept, survival of the innovative, seems to have replaced Darwin’s existential theory, “survival of the fittest”. Take for instance, the case of this child beggar, named Nata (tiny). Earlier, he used to earn just Rs 30-40 on a daily basis. He says, “Every passerby had to bend for putting a penny into my bowl. People might be feeling embarrassed bowing before a beggar in tattered clothes. So I decided to do something creative”. It was only after that he stumbled upon an idea. Nata decided to add extra feet to add to his actual height of 3 ft. With the help of his uncle, he tied two bamboo canes, each measuring 8 ft to his each leg, and this way he attained the height of 10 ft. He also learned how to walk on bamboo sticks. There is no looking back since then. He has been earning well but life has become a tight ropewalk for this boy. “It needs a lot of practice, my uncle helped me a lot to win over this art. One has to be cautious on his left and right while moving on jostling gypsy roads, flooded with gnawing, screeching and honking vehicles. Besides, there is always a threat from loosely hung electric wires,” he says. But there is one thing he is happy about. “A little smart work has enabled me to earn well. People get stunned looking at me, catch their breathe in awe… whip out their wallets… flick out note or coins and put into my bowl with a whiff of happiness. I don’t have to make entreaties”. “They keep their heads high while donating,” he grins while denying coming down as, “It is easy to climb down but it takes a long time to scale height”. Nata strongly believes that others of his cult would also catch up with the idea and enhance their income through such innovations. As of now, Nata with his newly attained bizarre height has become a talk of the town. (http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090516/jkplus.htm#4)

Militancy Hit Migrants

No relief, hope for migrants 


Ashutosh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, May 14 
A recent verdict of the Supreme Court that says there should be no distinction between migrants of the state has offered a fresh ray of hope to thousands of migrants displaced internally due to militancy.

Mohammad Ismail, a migrant, shows the picture of his son who was beheaded by militants; and (right) a migrant girl makes chapatis on a traditional chullah. Tribune photos: Anand Sharma and Inderjeet Singh

(http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100515/jkplus.htm) 

Militancy

Has bagful of commendation certificates, but little to sustain life 


Ashutosh Sharma
Tribune News Service
Jammu, March 9 


Ghulam Hussain, alias Titru, (67) of Haveli, Poonch, carries a bagful of bravery and commendation certificates wherever he goes. Issued by the Indian Army and other authorities related to counterinsurgency and militancy, the certificates are his life’s earning. But no matter how much the glorified piece of paper can make him happy, they don’t fill his stomach.


Ghulam Hussain, alias Titru, with his commendation certificates. Photo: Inderjeet Singh


(http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100310/jkplus.htm#2)