Facing storms and dancing in the rain....

Facing storms and dancing in the rain....

It was suicide prevention day before yesterday.  Different thoughts were  coming into my mind almost in a state of flurry. I kept thinking about a few friends and dear ones who had chosen the path to exit in what we may describe as  an unnatural manner. Their action may have been well-thought out by them or perhaps done in impulsiveness and spur of the moment forcing them to take their own life but nevertheless it was illegal.
WHO states that more than seven lakh people in the world commit suicide and the numbers attempting suicide are even more.
Intense grief, trauma, low self-esteem, family discords, professional failure, financial losses, poverty are among the few reasons quoted for committing suicide.
In a society which thrives on successes and perfection very often  reaching an equilibrium becomes challenging especially in a world which is becoming more competitive with each passing day.
So we have students and couples, family members and professionals struggling to cope with the rising standards. 
But is life only about achievements and success or is there something beyond that? What about the satisfaction quotient? Also what about the tragedy which befalls on the family and friends of those who  rashly committed suicide? And  does their death really resolve their problems and difficulties or those of their families? In fact the sudden exit would add to their existing woes.
Life is certainly not easy and honestly for most of us it is full of difficulties and struggles. Yet is there any problem which has no solution?
Every problem can be fixed for sure only one has to reach out and seek help. At times one maybe shunned by society, family, friends or  employees but surely there are tens of others who could help you out or be willing to offer help. 
Reaching out to them could possibly give a different solution or meaning to life.
Last year, on suicide prevention day,  I was in conversation with Prof. Ananth Govindrajan of Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and the budding music director from Kurukshetra, Mr.Vikas Relhan on my Youtube channel. We focused on reaching out, seeking help, finding ways to relax one's mind or even take medical support.
The focus has to be on seeking and providing support because that could be the best way forward.
As an after thought, I could not help question my mind about the emphasis on success and the struggle before it. Success could mean different things to different people. Getting admission into the best institute or a dream.job can be one of the reasons for happiness. It could also be vice-versa in case of failure leading to depression and mental upheavals.
Satisfaction could therefore be the key to a meaningful life. The satisfaction of giving one's best in life despite the outcomes. Having given your best would keep you in good staid.
And as said by Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami, “And once the storm is over, you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in.”
So let's learn to be strong and face the storms and in fact dance in it.
After all Vivian Greene has said,
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain."

मैं, तुम औऱ हम...

मैं, तुम औऱ हम...

ईमान मेरा देखा नहीं
विश्वास मुझ पर किया नहीं
बस सोच लिया
भरोसे के काबिल मैं नहीं
साथ दो कदम चले भी नहीं
हाथ मेरा थामा नहीं
बस सोच लिया
चलने के काबिल नहीं
आवाज़ मेरी सुनी नहीं
शब्द मेरे समझें नहीं
बस सोच लिया
अभिव्यक्ति मेरी सही नहीं
करुणा मेरी देखी नहीं
वात्सल्य से मेरे वाकिफ़ नहीं
बस सोच लिया
रहम मेरे दिल में नहीं
शराफत मेरी देखी नहीं
अंदाज़ मेरा महसूसा नहीं
बस सोच लिया
नेकी मुझसे होगी नहीं
दिल मेरा देखा नहीं
संवेदना मेरी समझे नहीं
बस सोच लिया
भावुकता मेरे मन में नहीं
मेहनत मेरी देखी नहीं
काबिलियत मेरी जानी नहीं
बस सोच लिया
योग्यता मुझ में नहीं
फितरत मेरी देखी नहीं
इंसानियत को मेरे जाना नहीं
बस सोच लिया
सफर के मैं काबिल नहीं
पर कहना मुझको तुमसे यही
ताली एक हाथ से बजती नहीं
आग के बिना धुआं नहीं
जिम्मेदारी हम दोनों की रही
औऱ कमी सिर्फ मुझ में नहीं
काश जान लेते तुम भी यही
की परिपूर्ण तो कोई नहीं
सफर जीवन का सफल वही
साथ देता हैँ जब जब कोई
तुम औऱ मैं जब अलग नहीं
क्यों ना भुला दें हम अहं अभी...

मन विमल 

ज्योत जीवन की...

ज्योत जीवन की... 

आँखों की छोर में रुकी दो बूँदें 

बहने को तरस रही बस दो बूँदें 

निकली तो वैसे थी हालत पे मेरे

कुछ बेबस और हताश रेहमत को तेरे

घिर आये जैसे हो बादल घनेरे

कालिख रात की जैसे मुझको हो घेरे

सूझता भी कैसे कुछ औऱ उस मन को

लिपटा जो सिर्फ खुदगर्ज़ी से तन हो

छन से हुआ फिर सच्चाई से सामना

दिखी उन्हीं आँखों को जीवन की यातना 

बुजुर्ग थे कुछ उनमे कुछ भिकारी

महिलाएं थी कुछ पीड़ित बेचारी

अनाथ बच्चे भी थे औऱ किशोर अपराधी

अपनों से औऱ अपने घरों से मीलों दूर

गुज़ार रहे ज़िन्दगी होकर के मजबूर

लम्बी साँसों के बीच तनिक रुक गई फिर मैं

अंतरात्मा को अपने टटोलने लगी फिर मैं

नसीब से वो औऱ मैं खयालोँ से मजबूर

सराहती कैसे फिर मिला मुझे जो भरपूर 

पल भर में हुआ बयान सत्य जीवन का

आँसूओं के बूंदों को बनाओ मोती

औऱ जला दो किसीके जीवन की ज्योति... 

मन विमल 

वृद्ध होना...

वृद्ध होना...

कितना कठिन होता होगा वृद्ध होना...
आत्मनिर्भर जवानी के बाद, अवलंबित होना...
स्वावलम्बी रहकर ज़िन्दगी भर,
बुढ़ापे में अधीनस्थ होना...
कितना कठिन होता होगा वृद्ध होना...
संघर्षों से लढ़कर,
असंख्य कष्ट सहकर,
पोषण किया था जिन बच्चों का,
बाहें पसारे इंतेज़ार करना, उन्ही के अवधान का..
कितना कठिन होता होगा वृद्ध होना...
हाथ थामकर चलना सिखाया जिन बच्चों को,
हिचकिचाना, के बच्चे थामे आज उनको...
तुत्ले मीठे बोलों को प्रशंसित कर,
बोलना सिखाया था जिन बच्चों को,
तरस जाना, सुनने उनसे,प्यार भरे चार शब्दों को...
कितना कठिन होता होगा वृद्ध होना...
जन्म मरण का यह चक्र जल्द पूर्ण हो,
ये सोचने को मजबूर हो...
कितना कठिन होता होगा वृद्ध होना...
गुज़रना इस दौर से, तय हैँ हम सभी का,

 समझ ले हर शख्श, इस सच्चाई को...
करुणा की ज्योत मन में लिए,
थाम लो उनके हाथों को, ताकि
संकुचित होना ना पड़े फिर किसी भी वृद्ध को...

मन विमल 

पूर्णत्व...

पूर्णत्व ...

अपनों के साथ होने का...
बैठकर बातें करने का...
बेझिज़क कुछ भी कहने का...
खिलखिलाकर हसने का...
कच्चे पक्के व्यंजन खाने का...
पुरानी तस्वीरें देखने का...
हसीन यादों को फिर जीने का...
दिल का बोझ हल्का करने का...
हाथों में हाथ लिए चलने का...
कांधे पर सर रखने का...
चैन से फिर सोने का...
मुस्कुराकर जीवन जीने का...
सच और साहस मन में रखने का...
विश्वास कभी ना खोने का...
संकल्पित रहने का...

दृढ़ता से साथ निभाने का...

यही तो हैँ पूर्णत्व 🌹

मन विमल

खालीपन....

खालीपन....

खालीपन मन का

अकथनीय

हलक में 

कुछ अटका सा

जुबान पर

कुछ रुका सा

दिल में

कुछ चुभता सा

दिमाग में

कुछ छाया सा

आँखों में

कुछ छुपा सा

सपनों को

कुछ रौँधता सा

बेड़ियों में

कुछ जकड़ा सा 

असमंजस में

कुछ घिरा सा

अस्तित्व पर

हावी सा

कोशिश फिर भी

सँभलने का

पहेलियों से

झूज़ने का

सहारा लेकर

तिंको का

मंज़िलों को

फिर पाने का

आँसूओं को

पीकर के 

खालीपन से

उठने का

मुस्कुराते हुए मन से 

जीवन सार्थक करने का... 

मन विमल 

Why you must see the Marathi film 'Y' ....

Why you must see the Marathi film 'Y' ....

It's over two weeks since I went to see a Marathi movie 'Y' with my colleagues. Honestly, like many others I wouldn't even have known about this wonderful movie had my friend not recommended it.
Wedded to reality, the film is a stark representation of  female foeticide, a dreaded as well as a much talked about subject.
In a world which appears equal, preference for the male child are usually covert. Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques PCPNDT or sex determination tests are prohibited and a criminal offence as per law. However there are veiled instances of this gruesome act. 

Medical termination of pregnancy ( MTP )is permitted only on medical grounds if approved by a doctor.
At the centre stage of 'Y' is a hospital run by a machiavellian gynaecologist who professes to be a commited medical practitioner. Under the garb of managing a renowned hospital MTPs are done for couples who do not want a female child. PCPNDT being banned indications of a girl foetus are covert.
Things are hunky dory for Dr. Purushottam Gaikwad ( played with panache by actor, Nandu Madhav ) till Dr Aarti Deshmukh ( peformed effortlessly Mukta Barve), a government medical officer is appointed to investigate and take action against hospitals and doctors involved in illegal practices. Smelling a rat, Aarti makes several attempts to unravel the truth and meets with staunch opposition from all quarters.
Despite all odds and with the support of her team, she continues with her mission exposing many malpractices in the medical and pharmacetical fields ultimately winning the battle.
There are a number of reasons why one must watch 'Y'. First and foremost it is a well-made film on a topic which has been handled sensitively and sensibly. Of course the matter-of-fact details hit you so much that your stomach may churn at the cold-blooded manner in which the medical processes are conducted. Yet the movie drives home several points including the attitude of the family members, both male and female in context to their perpetual desire for sons. A conversation with  the doctor substantiates this when he says that no doctor goes to any house asking whether he should reveal the gender of the unborn child, nor does he want to kill it if it is a  female. The family, society and the parents of the unborn child are primarily responsible for it as well as the prevalence of female foeticide.
One must also watch 'Y' as it strongly puts forth the point that the 'Y' chromosome which determines the sex of a child is from the male and not the female who has only 'X' chromosomes. Yet it is a woman who has to bear the brunt of conceiving a girl child and is always at the receiving end. The title of the film has been subtly and suitably named keeping that in mind.
All actors are flawless in their performance but Mukta stands apart. She struggles to reveal the truth and fight her own fear of dogs. The torch in her hand at climax as she overcomes her cynophobia drives home many facts. Perhaps that is the most important reason why one must watch 'Y' .

P.S. My desire to write this blog came up as among the hundred committees headed by me as Collector there is a committe for effective implementation of PCPNDT 2003. Surprisingly none of the medical fraternity in that meeting had heard about this film. I hope many people see this film, so this blog. Coincidentally Hindi  potboiler, 'Jayeshbhai Jordar' made in a typically Bollywood style also centres around this subject....