I don’t know the girl. I never encountered her in my old days. The
girl must be one of them who are usually lost in the surging crowd as a
nonentity. She doesn’t have any possession as such so that she can be
identified with any amount of distinction. Amidst so many cross currents of
vested interests and unthinkable as well as alluring greed of life the girl is
alive holding aloft the torchlight of morality and sensibility. Life is
meaningful to him with certain exceptions that contradict the trend of life
gripped with absolute consumerism. Abject poverty even never compels her to
compromise with the back face of life. Poverty appears before her as a way of
bliss with a sterling mark of diviners’ pleasure. So there comes her name in
renewal in my mind with a relentless search for the fountain mouth of her
spirit and strength that turns her versatile icon of humanity.
That day was nothing
special. It was not anticipated by any means that something extraordinary would
take place by any length with a dramatic climax and that would dictate me to go
for a redefinition of the philosophy of my life with a great learning. A man
can learn up to the last breathe of his life, it is a die-hard truth. But if I
am to learn the ultimate education of life from a poorly clad and obviously
poverty stricken teenage girl at my mature age that very much reveals the
inconsistency and incompleteness of my education.
I was going to
Kolkata boarding a Sealdaha bound train. That was around 11’o clock at noon.
The compartment was almost packed with daily commuters and college going
students. That girl was seeking financial help only from the college going
students. They were also making fun with her. I understood the girl is well
acquainted with them and the episode going on is a renewal one. Walking down
the memory lane I was also trying to go back my college days. Beyond doubt that
was nostalgia.
By that time a middle
aged man was singing old legendary songs with an outstanding melodious tune.
There ran almost a strange silence in the compartment. His voice and pleasance
of tune was really mind-blowing. Not an exaggeration but fact, the entire compartment
was obsessed with his skillful art of singing. Appetite for listening to his
songs was running in momentum. My heart was filled with an inexplicable joy. I
felt, amidst endless sufferings of life there is still something left what can
lead me to a world of unstained joy and happiness. I was lost in peerless
pleasure.
The train was
approaching to Bidhannager Station slowly. The man stopped his singing with a
fervent appeal that because of occupational hazard he had to quit his job. Now
he is undone but to be a train compartment singer in order to maintain his
livelihood in a very low profile by accepting financial charity from the train
passengers. All most all the passengers came forward to give him financial aid
according to their capacity. Up to this nothing was unusual or unnatural with
an exception.
At last the little
girl came forward and wanted to help the man with Rs. 3/-. The man at once
refused that charity. But the girl was importunate. The man tried to convince
her saying,” Our fate is tied with the same rope. It will be gross injustice to
accept your charity.” “Look KAKU,
I earn Rs. 20/- a day and this comes as a way of help college going DADA-DIDIES. Today I have earned
Rs.23/-. Rs3/- is earned in excess today. I don’t want anything in excess over
my need. So there comes the question of help. You are to accept it; otherwise I
will be guilty to my conscience. I believe in need base earning. Earning over
need begets vices and ills in a life. I am completely reluctant to entangle my
life with any complexity. Please let me remain stainless.” After a tug of war
of logic the man at last accepted her charity.
I was spell-bound
with the placement of her logic. I came to understand how far we are lagging
behind subject to the concept of mental peace in a life. Very few of us can
draw the boundary of need as need has no limit. This is the basic philosophy to
achieve solace and peace in life. We all boast of our education exhibiting our
self-complacence off and on. How far that is benumb we hardly go for a litmus
test of that. This tiny girl proved us a hierocrat one. She reminded us that
the value of our so-called education is of no worth at all because it hardly
teaches us to look at the faces of life from different angles where senses of
morality and humanity is the only focus point.
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