The bags were packed, rooms were locked and the cab was waiting out, we were just about to leave, I rushed to room unlocked it, had my special box out, mean while I was in the surveillance of my brother Arjun. “What is in it? ” he demanded. “Nothing as such, but a few refreshments for the journey”. “Boys where are you? ” it was a call from my mom. Then we left after a petition for a peaceful journey. There was no room even for an apple to fall, in the ‘New Delhi’ station. The ‘Mumbai Express’ was twenty five minutes before time.
We had 28, 29, 30 and 31 sleepers reserved for us in ‘Tatkaal Quota’. I rushed to my upper berth with the refreshment box, overwhelming with excitement and enthusiasm. Arjun bought some best sellers from the station. It was somewhere after the Jaipur station that I saw a crowd of protesting youth, that made me brood over the ‘BIG DAY’ of my life, twenty sixth of October 2009. The reign of religious leaders had dug their roots deep in the society from almost a year ago. There were many of them, different for every community. Komal baba for Hindus, Molana Azad for Muslims, Hari ji for Jains .
Collectively I called them ‘Baba Brigands’, the devils, the demons, used to promote discrimination, disintegration, among public. Instilling poison and removing sweetness of relations in society. They all had the same philosophy ‘I am the messenger of God, the holy saint, I am here to enlighten you, you have lost your track, you’re here to serve the creator. It’s now or never, you need to wake up before it gets late, purify your souls, separate from rest and worship your master, my lord is lamenting at the fat headedness of his devotees.
Be grateful to him, he is the one made you, so it is your duty to serve him, I am a messenger, I can guide the route but you are the one who need to follow it. ’ India was cracked into pieces and harmony was lost in society. I studied in a Convent school, being a Sikh boy I was ignored, my 150 horsepower speed was in vain, when I was not selected for the district level race. My dad was under much worse circumstances. Depressed, and upset I lost all my hope. 25 hours a day I used to sit against the idiot box watch movies, serials, and what not.
Then I realsised the power of youth, I could no longer hold my horses anymore, it was high time for a revolt. A revolt for life, a revolt for us, a revolt for India. Then I got a silver box lying on my bed I opened it, it had a device, well I think, I will keep this secret from the world till last breath. But it was the thing I required, it supported me every time. Then I needed public support. I started from school assemblies to formal associations. It was the power of youth that ‘I’, rather ‘we’, could get the ‘Baba Brigands’ behind the bars, on twenty sixth.
Even today they have their followers, but there are many enlightened today. We are still on a mission of national peace “Karn, Karn, look we have reached Mumbai, are you prepared for your speech” asked Arjun. “Of course” I replied. I kept something out of the refreshment box to my pocket. We had a room in ‘Oasis Palace’ then we had a taxi to ‘Andheri Auditorium’. There I had to deliver a speech on the occasion of Third National Peace Meeting. I started “Good morning, today I am here to catch your attention to national peace.
Have you ever wondered what is a religion, it is a means to connect to god, to differentiate between the good and the bad. Each has their own rules and customs, but same philosophy- god is one and he is happy when all are happy, he doesn’t care for the customs he cares for the deeds. I find a religions to be very similar like mobile network companies, each of them has its own call rates, schemes, but same work. We have travelled metres but miles are more, we have attained temporary peace with regulations of laws, but for permanent peace, we need mind alleviation.
Have you ever wondered- why to fight just for religion? We all are born humans no one is born with this ideology, it is the society that teaches one to discriminate, I guess we need to forget our lessons and start with a chapter of equality and elation. I wish my India becomes a prototype of a packet of gems, all chocolates different in colour, but equal and untied, in the packet. Before all try to be human. The core of each chocolate is same, the same way all of us are humans. Follow humanism and spread peace, tranquility, equality and harmony. Raise your voice against unjust society.
