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NOTE:
These word-pictures are not
intended to evoke nostalgia but to inspire and motivate.” They were published
in three installments in February 2001:
1.
“NASCENT DEW DROPS” : www.nascentdewdrops.com
2.
“[nukkad] Earth Quake Story”, in Mumbai
Central http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/feb2001/msg00083.html
GLIMPSES
PART ONE
Preamble
As
an "armchair traveller" I traversed the highways and by-lanes of
earthquake- ravaged Kutch, as well as other parts of Gujarat –
from Bhuj, through Ahmedabad to Surat, via Television transmissions, telephonic
talks, newspaper reports, and eyewitness accounts. My eyes get redder and my
heart beats faster as the "scenes" appear deadlier each passing hour
and day, from that Black Friday morning in late January. The rhythmic stomping
of the Delhi Republic Day Parade has long since been drowned by the chaotic
groans and moans of the injured and the bereaved.
There is no point in repeating horror stories of survivors of the killer-quake –
for these are the ‘talk of the town’ in India and abroad. And it is too
early yet to report the impact made in the field by thousands of
generous-hearted and service- minded persons whom the "aftershocks"
have catapulted into the affected areas. My heart goes out with them, since I am
physically restrained. But, to keep in touch, as it were, I apply my mind to the
task of recording the innumerable ‘lessons’ that this colossal disaster
teaches me every single day.
The following are ‘rambling’ reflections of the past week since the quake
struck. They are not presented in any particular order of events or of priority.
The ‘lessons’ are listed randomly and each is supported by the incidents
that triggered them.
PART TWO
Introduction
Gujarat,
the land of Mahatma Gandhi, is inhabited by peace-loving and enterprising
people. Gujaratis are credited the world over for their business acumen, and
Ahmedabad in days gone by was acclaimed as the Manchester of India. The homely
‘symbol’ of Gujarati life, ironically, is the "swing" that is very
much part of the furniture in most houses. Swings are installed in the
courtyard, the foyer, the balconies and even living rooms. People spend time on
them: knitting, reading, resting or chatting... swaying gently to cool their
bodies and soothe their nerves.
On
the morning of Republic Day, January 26, 2001, however, everyone in Gujarat was
taken for a ride as the whole land trembled and swayed like a mighty swing. It
was far from gentle. It turned ghastly. Everything was thrown out of balance –
and the people most affected are yet to find their feet. Fortunately, over the
weeks since the colossal disaster, thanks to the indomitable spirit of the
survivors –
and with a little or great push from fellow citizens, as well as
‘neighbours’ from the global village, things are beginning to swing back to
normal. It is going to take a while, though, since hardly anyone is interested
in returning to the past: enthusiasm is being built up for a "new
Gujarat".
The
earthquake experience, nevertheless, is entrenched in the memories of all those
living in Gujarat, and will be remembered for generations to come as a
historical event that changed the face of the land.
The
following vignettes are intended to serve as word-pictures that capture
significant scenes –
like photographs in a family album –
which are preserved for posterity. These word-pictures are not intended to evoke
nostalgia but to inspire and motivate. They are grouped under three sections:
I. VIGNETTES
II.
TWISTS AND TURNS
III.
SNIPPETS
PART
THREE
Introduction
Is natural calamity a blessing or a
curse? Does it expose the wrath of God while it emphasizes the warmth of Love?
Does the mind remain frozen with images of death and destruction? Or does the
most hardened heart melt in compassion? ... These are only some of the
conflicting questions that concern the conscientious citizens of battered and
bruised Gujarat today.
But
as the debris is disposed off, the corpses cremated, and the clouds of dust
raised by the killer-quake of January 26 settles, the scenario begins to become
more and more translucent. One gives up the numbers-game concerning victims of
the disaster; one stops solving riddles about life and death. One only seeks to
rise above the self and give the heart wings.
As
a mediaperson reported: "Hope and renewal. If these didn’t follow
devastation, death would be replaced by despair –
and that can be just as deadly. Almost four weeks after the earthquake, Gujarat
is still coming to terms with what was and what is. But true grit has emerged
from the rubble of past lives and shattered presents, as people who thought they
had lost heart and those who discovered they had found one in the right place –
even those who have no stake in Gujarat beyond the humane –
have come together for solace and succour. More importantly, in tens of
thousands all across the state, they are engaged in rebuilding futures."
(S. Chakravarti, India Today)
2. Persons
Are Our Best Gifts
Inspirational Stories For
Person-Centered Living
Convivium Press, Miami,
Florida
Persons are our Best Gifts,
in brief, highlights the value of “Persons” and emphasizes “close encounters”
with a variety of “personality types”. Over and above personal reflection, this
collection of inspiring and motivational stories-with-a-difference can be used
as a powerful tool by parents, educators and animators for instruction and
discussion. It is a handy resource and reference book for professionals,
presenters, preachers and ‘pen-persons’.
EBOOK
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NOOK Book (eBook, $9.99
Barnes & Noble
192 pp, 482 KB) on iPhone,
iPad, or iPod touch (Barnes & Noble, $ 9.99), (Amazon-Kindle, Rs
537.99)
iTunes.
