A Sojourn with Gurudev

A day of happiness in every sense, though a holiday due to Mahanavami. I came to Trivandrum to explore Sanskrithi Yathra, A mobile museum comprising of 5 coaches to commemorate the 150^th Birth Anniversary of Great Poet and Proud Son of India Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.

The Musuem was on Platform no 1 in Trivandrum Central Rly Stn. I asked the Reception desk, whether there is any pass or ticket and he replied that the entry is absolutely free. I thanked in my heart to Indian Railways.

I boarded the train with curiosity. The coach was Air conditioned. There were students, men, women who all have come with the same curiosity I have, I hope so. My frnd Devu who has gone through Tagore’s works and knows the poet more than me as she is a Post Graduate in English and has commendable knowledge in Litt. She was explaining some facts which were new to me. I was happy that there were rare photographs which made me closer to the Poet. As we say ‘A photograph is worth thousand words’ It was interesting in every sense. I was speechless many a times.

I am not a person to make a study on Tagore, but a student I would say that I know him as a Great poet, Painter, Playwright novelist, Musician, and so on. A versatile person who can’t be described in my words which are inadequate.

The first coach goes through Tagore’s life, his life at Shanthinekthan, Sreeniketan. The rarest family pictures with description in English, Bengali and Hindi gives a vivid picture of Gurudev. It shows that he comes a family of wealth and knowledge.

The second coach is dedicated to Geethanjali . It was marvelous.

Coach 3 shows that he was not only a Poet, a short story writer, Novelist, Play wright, Essayist, and as a whole a performer. I bowed with folded hands in respect in my mind when I left the coach to enter the next.

The fourth coach made me horripilated by seeing the paintings which made me speechless and I was amazed to see the portraits and sketches other than Paintings.

Coach 5, the final one has gone through the final journey of the Great Son of India, and there is a stall at the end of that coach where we can buy handicrafts made at Shanthinekthan. I didn’t wait there to browse as my purse was not healthy.

It was a great experience. And I would take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Railways and Indian Railways for arranging such an exhibition in a befitting manner

Touching Untouchable

           Travel is a part of  learning. I had always traveled out of inquisitiveness to study different cultures. Proud to say that at least i could step in at least 10 states of India.  

                    Today, Prof . Nagappan Nair who was gave us a lecture on Media Law in Institute of Journalism gave me an apt answer. He says, India and China are strong developing countries. But we cannot compare China with India or India with China, there are lot differences between these two nations.In China 90 % of the population speak Mandarin Chinese and people in china are similar, but when we take India, there is a lot of difference, for eg, ,me being a keralite, when i visit Tamil Nadu or any other state i feel i am an alien, its 100% right, we are not accustomed with the culture of another state in our nation itself. First of all the Language itself makes the barrier among Indians. and to be more clear we people find free are more related with  a person from Britain or America than a Brother from Assam who also has the same nationality of ours.

             In Erode Dist, there is place by name Kasipalayam enroute Sathyamangalam, once famous for Forest Brigand Veerappan. I had been there once to one of my friend's home in 2000 who comes from a Zamindar family ( there its Gounder). Gounders are known as landlords. His father is a known Gounder from the above mentioned place, One fine morning, we had a morning walk, and to be more clear, I had been  in his home for about 7 days and all these days we had a morning walk. The walk was not for an exercise but for excretion( Nature's call) as there was no paraphernalia for the same. But I have a habit, I need a cup of hot tea before this act. Hence we walked about a mile and found a tea shop. As we were approaching the shop, the man came out with folded hands seeing my friend as i have already mentioned he comes from a Zamindar family. Anyhow we were offered seats in the bench which was in the shop. I saw the shopkeeper cleaning the Glasses with soap as it is not often done. In the mean time, i could see a man with mud allover his body approaching the shop and took a Steel Glass which was kept outside the shop and went to a bore well nearby and cleaned the same and waited 10 mts away from the shop. and i could also find 3 or more glasses of the same. I asked my friend what does this mean. He in this 21st Century without any shame cleared my doubt, Its nothing but, Untouchability. I was ashamed to say that I was a human being, The very next second my mind said that i must act something now. I took a Steel Glass from where the man had took it and pour my tea in the same and had my first sip. Then came the Problem,The Shopkeeper told me to keep away from the shop and he wont allow me to sit inside with the Steel Glass.I told him if you feel the person who is here comes from a lower caste then I too represent them. I could see my friend was in a trouble as he was not able to take a decision where to support. Any how i made a hue and cry there and shouted at the shopkeeper that he will be arrested soon. That was a rare experience for me as I had studied Untoucability only in text books, but i could see and  feel in my life. when we reached home his parents were waiting for us as the news had reached them in Speed Post.

                We learn many things while we travel. I learned a lot from Traveling. Still I am in search of knowledge from Traveling. I would advise to any one especially young men and women to travel .... travel... travel.... and explore India... not the whitish India but the darkish India....... Jai Hind.