Freedom...

Just few minutes back I was thinking of the true meaning of Freedom. What it means when we say a free nation, a free guy, a freeway... does it mean that everyone is free to do whatever he wants to... No!!! Freedom, of course does not mean that... Freedom does not give the permission to do harm to others... but at the same time to do good for mankind one has to be freed from all sorts of shackles... a man can stand up on his own feet only when he breaks free... now there are two types of freedom – one may be freedom at a group or a community level and the other is at an individual level... when I say freedom in a community level, it means there has to be some laws and restrictions at the community level, but laws must be made for the mankind and not the vice versa... And when I say freedom at an individual level, it means one has to vow “Don't do evil”....

Freedom, to me, essentially means freedom to dream, freedom to walk, freedom to work, freedom to speak and freedom to love mankind....

The Mini Bharat - experience the Little India inside a train...

"Chai garam..." the two words entered my ears... 

suddenly all the co-passengers became alert... 

it was a cold winter morning... and I was traveling by a short-distance train on the way to my hometown... 

having studied in Kolkata, the train between Kolkata and Purulia became almost like my second home...and every time I travelled by these trains, it gave me a sense of joy and belonging...while sipping the hot tea in the clay cup, I felt like going back in the time machine... 

I have not travelled a lot... 

maybe my point of view is incorrect...

however I must say to know the actual Bharat, one has to travel by local trains and short-distance trains in Bharat...It portrays the true picture of Bharat...starting from the Chaiwalas (the tea vendors) and the Jhalmuriwalas to the Cobblers and the Baul artists (in Bengal) - all of them are a part of this picture ...

The cucumber vendors, the hawkers, the magazine vendors, the students, and the daily office-goers are an integral part of this little Bharat... 

I have travelled by train in Singapore, Japan, and the USA... 

Everywhere it gave me a different feeling and I wondered about the smooth ride and the perfect timings... 

however, the journey on a local train in Bharat is altogether different... 

it's not because of a smooth ride... 

it's because of the people who ride the train...

it's not plastic... it's very lively...of course, one has to open up his mind to enjoy this journey...

one may bump into a long-lost friend and shout 

"Bondhu ki khabor bol... kotodin dakha hoyni..." 

the compartments may lack air-conditioned facilities and the compartment windows may not be soundproof... but one has to look outside the window to feel the gusty air and the lush green...

that's the true Bharat, indeed...

So.... here I am... enjoy the song...