Reading “Riders to The Sea” by JM Synge in college was my formal introduction to the literary concept of universality of emotions. Simply speaking, I am referring to ‘emotions’ and how these emotions are same for every human being. The grief that Maurya witnessed when one by one all her sons were devoured by the sea is universal. It’s a mother’s pain in losing her children. And this pain is felt by every mother in an equal amount irrespective of location, social standing and nationality. The same thing applies for happiness, love, anger, hatred. All kinds of emotions are same with all of us. But the distribution of wealth is not equal and here lies the problem. Some are born rich and some are born poor. Just like some road dogs are lucky to find a home. Majority don’t. I constantly wonder why does this happen? Why such grave inequality? Man was born in God’s image….well then why so many destitutes…and so many rich people despite been big time crooks are living comfortably? It’s a stupid world…the more you think the more painful it become.I know you are dead bored by this philosophical bullshit. So let me say what I want to say. A little thing happened at office today. Nothing eventful but it touched me. I was having a glass of water at the pantry area when the Xerox guy came for a cup of tea. The pantry area had quite a few office boys and peons. They shouted almost at the same time “Wo dekho. Charan ne nayi jacket pehena hain”. Ok! The Xerox guy’s name was Charan. And he was wearing a navy blue wind cheater kind of a jacket. Charan gave them a big smile and pointed at his shoes. The peons looked downwards and again exclaimed collectively! “Jute bhi naye!!..kya baat hain Charan”. Charan looked at them smugly and told “Teenso ka liya. Pure leather”. Has he gone crazy? Got a pure leather shoes for Rs 300!! I looked at mine. Four times costlier and I am not sure about the purity of the leather!
So you must be wondering what is the point in this Charan episode. Well I have two observations to make. First one related to my ramblings regarding the concept of universality of emotions. I have a friend exactly like Charan. Whenever he wears anything new he keeps smiling the whole day and asks everybody to give him new pinch. Once I pinched him so hard that these days before saying ‘new picnh’ he adds ‘aram se pinch kariyo’. The happiness at wearing something new is same as that of Charan. And my friend’s salary will be like 15 times more than what Charan earns. The way Charan is happy at his Rs 300 ‘pure leather’ shoes is the same way my friend becomes happy when he wears his Puma or Lacoste. Same type of happiness despite one earning 15 times more than the other guy!
The second point is regarding me…How I have changed over the years. When I first came to Delhi from my small town I was a different guy. A guy who could never imagine that shoes might someday cost me Rs 1500. A shirt will someday make me poorer by Rs 1000. Initially I was so happy wearing ‘sasta’ stuff. Sasta is not the right word gut using it anyway for lack of a better word. These stuff I carried with me in my suitcase from my home…my two pair of shoes (one I got during my university times), few shirts sewed specially for my Big city trip by our family tailor, few trousers…etc etc. I wore them initially. But soon I could realize that I was becoming the center of attraction for all the wrong reasons. Everybody was wearing attractive dresses. I was the odd one out. I used to oil my hair…people in my office geled it. Soon it started becoming embarrassing. And finally the city gripped me. Or may be I was gripped by the glittering façade of the phony city life. Soon I was spending times inside various trial rooms. My tastes changed. I was no longer interested in hometown shoes and clothes. It looked ridiculous. I changed my entire getup. And I still remain the same. Wearing clothes which I don’t want to wear but have to wear because everybody is wearing them. If I don’t I will be called the ‘odd one’. I don’t like it. I feel a prisoner. I want my old life back. I want my simplicity back. But it’s easier said than done. You might be thinking what drama is this. But believe me it’s no drama. People who come from small towns to big cities will agree that the city changes our soul, thoughts and outlook towards everything. I am sure Charan would have never said in his younger days at his village ‘Teenso ka liya. Pure leather’. It is the city which is making him talk like that. He is a puppet in the big scheme of city life. And most of the time it’s not for the better. All that glitters is not gold. The city glitters. Intelligence lies in ignoring it. But I am not Intelligent. Hope you are!
