A COMMITTED ANGEL (29th August 2010, 1350 Hrs)

Every single rupee and every single small contribution from every single individual counts to make the mission of my life a better reality for the future of all the farmers’ widows and their children in Vidarbha. I am just a means to do the needful from your side world and I am content and grateful to Sai Baba for choosing me to support suicide farmers’ families in Vidarbha.

The fact that more and more beautiful noble angels are chipping in valuable contributions in their own respective ways, is making the base of the world’s mission stronger and healthy. Thank you one and all for your kind noble support. I would like you all to meet a truly committed angel, who came from nowhere to lend her support to strengthen our small unit. On July 22^nd post, I had written about a celebrity angel sending us 19 kilos of old magazines, who never wrote her name in the parcel. The only thing that was written there was A-2 Annapurna, Versova...

Recently we received another parcel of 6 kilos of old magazines from the same angel and thank God, this time there was her name and full address. No, it was not a celebrity angel but a truly committed angel, who has the heart and soul to do the needful for farmers’ widows in her own special ways. To be very honest, I was very surprised and grateful to see Parull Gossain’s name. The reason being I must have mailed to more than hundreds of people that I have known since years, requesting for old magazines, but only a few have responded for such a noble cause. Here, I would also like to thank one individual from SAREGAMA Company Mumbai, who has sent us magazines...without writing the name... We are grateful sir / madam for your valuable contributions!

I have known Parull since the last 7 or 8 years as a Film Journalist. She has her own PR Agency and handles some of the major stars’ work in Mumbai. Our interaction over the years has been limited. Only when I received the second parcel did I come to know Parull was the committed angel and almost immediately called her office. An enthusiastic girl named Ekta responded with such a passion that I could gauge her happiness in doing something noble. Ekta informed that they will keep accumulating all the magazines in their office and would keep sending us regularly. I asked for Parull’s number and then called to thank her for her valuable contributions. A kind angel, she was glad for helping us in her own ways.

We wish more and more committed angels like Parull Gossain will come forward in the coming days, months and years to send us old magazines for our small paper envelopes making unit. From all the widows and their children here, we wish to thank our committed angel a very BIG-BIG thank you for her valuable contributions! Truly Parull, we are all very grateful to you and your office staff for such a wonderful noble act! Sai Baba bless you!

Cuidate!

मुसाफिर जो हूँ... (29th August 2010, 0010 Hrs)

दोस्त बन जातें हैं 
राह पर चलते - चलते
मुसाफिर जो हूँ...
जो मिल गया उनसे दोस्ती कर ली
बिछड़ने की रीत के डर से
मैंने मंजिल को 
अपने और करीब पाया है...
मुसाफिर जो हूँ...
चलते जाना मेरा जूनून कहिये


२९ अगस्त २०१० 

अभिलाषा (27th August 2010, 1200 Hrs)

एक मेरी अभिलाषा जीवन की आओ मिलकर करें इसे पूरी
किसानो के विधवा वः  बच्चो की ज़िन्दगी न रह जाये अधूरी
एक मेरी अभिलाषा जीवन की सब मिलकर करें इसे पूरी
हर एक किसान के परिवार को मिलें जीवन साफ़ सुथरी


बरसों से किसानो ने जीवन हम सब को है दिया
अब हमारी बारी है आओ ज़िम्मेदारी निभाएं ज़रूरी
एक मेरी अभिलाषा जीवन की आओ मिलकर करें इसे पूरी
देश का कोई किसान न करें कभी खुदखुशी


एक मेरी अभिलाषा जीवन की आओ मिलकर करें इसे पूरी


२२ अगस्त २०१०

IN THE NAME OF MAHATMA GANDHI CONGRESS’ MGNREGS IS PAYING Re. 1/- AS ONE DAY’S WAGE TO POOR VILLAGERS IN RAJASTHAN (27th August 2010, 0050 Hrs)

Is this the real independent modern India the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi had visualised before 1947? Is this the real independent India all the freedom fighters, who laid their lives for all of us fought for? How independent are the poor of our nation in Manmohan Singh’s government? Are we really living in one of the fastest growing economies of the world?

Truly so! We all should give full credit to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi’s able leadership to lead the nation in the most modern era to break a new world record to pay 99 poor villagers (Tonk village in Rajasthan) a daily wage of Re. 1/- for 10 long hours of hard physical labour in sultry high temperature of Rajasthan, under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Hats off to you Madam and your son Rahul Gandhi (who did a brilliant staged act of shramdan in villages to cheat voters to show his concern for poor villagers)! Hats off to our sleeping Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who has closed his eyes to allow 1 lakh crores go in drains in the name of CWG and no action taken on Kalmadi, the main culprit! Hats off to the person responsible for the implementation and execution of all NREGA’s scheme in the nation! Hats off to Human Rights Organizations of the nation who have shut their eyes! Hats off to all the leaders in the government for whom conducting 1 lakh crore corruption oriented Common Wealth Games in the nation has become the pride of the nation when poor villagers are being paid Re. 1/- as daily wage in the name of Mahatma Gandhi!

99 villagers from Tonk village in Rajasthan worked for 11 long days to be paid Rs. 11/- each at the end of the MGNREGS’ work. Re. 1/- wage for a day’s work is the cruellest joke one cannot even think of, but the reality was well exposed by Apurva of Indian Express (Some Guarantee: In Rajasthan district, daily wage under NREG is One Rupee – Indian Express dated 24^th August 2010)! A new world record was created in the modern India under UPA – II! Every Indian can truly be proud of the greatest achievement ever that our nation has achieved after finding water in the moon! This achievement by UPA – II government has surpassed all their previous achievements! I would really like to congratulate the 99 villagers from Gudaliya village for having big hearts to decide to donate their Rs.11/- wage to the Rajasthan Chief Minister’s Fund!

Tonk District Collector Pramila Surana will check on the matter, as always it happens in our great India but will all the 99 villagers get their rightful Rs. 100/- per day wage, that is Rs. 1100/- for 11 days of work? Daily wages under MGNREGS have been earlier paid from April to June as Re. 1/-, Rs. 7/-, 12/- & Rs. 25/- in Gudaliya... (will all those villagers be paid in full ever?) so the practice is not new one can say... so why have the Congress Government closed their eyes on such a heinous crime? While they can swindle crores & crores to build leaking Common Wealth Games Stadium (another great achievement of corrupt Kalmadi), how could they have the instruction to pay such a wage to daily labours in the name of MAHATMA GANDHI? Where is our Gandhi scion, who cashed in farmer widow Kalavati’s plight in the Lok Sabha to tell few leaders not to laugh on such serious national issue? The government announced that under NREGA, every labour is being paid Rs. 100/- for a day’s work, so why the Re.1/-? The details of the wages are well-documented in MGNREGA’s website too! That shows the officials’ callousness towards poor villagers...

As usual, the officials (Narendra Singh, MGNREGS mate who supervised the job site) connected blamed the poor villagers for not working for some days... such an act is not a crime under the Human Rights? Imagine such things are happening in the month of the Independence... 63 years of Freedom and the BIGGEST achievement? Well... I wish readers will just not read this to forget the next day but REACT just like they reacted to show the Rs. 2/- hike in Auto Fare in Mumbai... so are the reaction only meant when the poor gets a little or have we all really become emotionless to become highly educated inhuman? I leave everyone to judge self to raise their voices for the poor villagers, who are being exploited all over the nation by everyone to die and lead lives in miseries... my heart bleeds when I read such things... I cry to witness the crude realities of rural India... I am a human being and God has given me a heart... are you a human being too? Search for your own answers within yourself please!!!

IN THE NAME OF MAHATMA GANDHI (24th August 2010, 2340 Hrs)

http://epaper.indianexpress.com/IE/IEH/2010/08/24/ArticleHtmls/24_08_2010_001_028.shtml?Mode=1

A National Shame for entering the Guinness Book of World Records for the cheapest labour wage given by any country's government scheme in the name of Father of the Nation - Mahatma Gandhi!

Sonia Gandhi & the Congress Government should be applauded for bravery and India's success for Economic Growth - the secret is out there in the open now

MY NAME IS ARUNA JEEVAN BARDE (21st August 2010, 1300 Hrs)

I am a farmer's widow and my name is Aruna Jeevan Barde from village Salod, Wardha district, Vidarbha. My husband committed suicide because of debt. I own 2 acres of land. I work as a daily labour in my own land because I cannot afford to cultivate my land as I have no money or source. So I have leased it for Rs.30,000 per year... (Rs. 2500/- per month is my income from it)

 

I have three beautiful children, who have to be given good education to stand on their feet. When there is no work in fields, I work at various houses washing clothes, utensils and sweeping etc to earn few extra money so my children can go to school. In the meagre sum of money we are living our lives and so far have not stoop to begging from the world to help us because we are not beggars but hard working villagers even though we are living a life in miseries.

 

After the monsoon we are starting the Paper Envelopes Making Unit and we need old magazines, so we widows can work hard to earn a little from the waste...

Vidarbha Widows EARN-2-SAVE-ENVIRONMENT Project request each one of you to send us old magazine, one person one magazine... so we will have more magazines... ONE OLD MAGAZINE...

We thank you all for helping us with old magazines...

We all will be waiting with great expectations...

Support 4 Suicide Farmers Families

C/o Swapnil Barai

House No: 200

Opp: Dr. Harne's Hospital

Dhantoli Chowk

Wardha: 442001

Phone: +91 89830 04533

ANGELS-ANGELS COME LET US FLY (15th August 2010, 0130 Hrs)

(Dedicated to all the angels)

When angels fly to enter your life
Burden seems oh, so light!
Worries vanish from the sight
To make you feel oh, so bright!

When angels tread by your side
Your greatest fear too subside
However high may come a tide
For you angels will make them abide

New roads open up with a smile
In spite of journey of endless miles
Angels gather some more to smile
In God you believe to look up the sky

Angels are visibly invisible in broad daylight
They have no wings to take a flight
They are just like you and me
If you are lucky they will be on your side

Let us stop the world to cry
Angels-angels come let us fly...



Johnny D
15th August 2010
0055 Hrs

MY NAME IS SHEETAL RAMJI BARADE (12th August 2010, 1330 Hrs)

I was barely nine when my dear father committed suicide. My mother has worked really hard to send my brother, sister and me to school. She is still working hard to make our two ends meet... all she wants is ONE OLD MAGAZINE from you all, so she can make paper envelopes to earn & save environment... dear uncles & aunties, please-please do send us one old magazine every month to support us, so that we can go to better schools and live our lives with dignity and less suffering. My mother and other widow mothers like her will not hesitate to work hard to earn for us while saving the environment for the nation...

I will be waiting with great expectations dear uncles & aunties for ONE OLD MAGAZINE from each one of you every month...

If each one of you send one, it will become so many for my mother and other widow mothers to work hard to earn some amount every month...

A very BIG THANK YOU from my brother, sister, my mother and me...

SHEETAL RAMJI BARADE


our address:

support 4 suicide farmers families
House No: 200
Opp: Dr. Harne's Hospital
Dhantoli Chowk
Wardha: 442001
Phone: +91 89830 04533

A WONDERFUL DEVELOPMENT (11th August 2010, 0025 Hrs)

 

So many angels are there in our world and when they enter your life to enhance your destiny, you really marvel at God’s disposition. The movement is in its fifth month and yes, I must confess that so far nothing concrete has happened. The undying effort to establish its strong base surely is taking a great deal of time slowly and steadily. The small progress is taking shape of a bigger world, a world where Vidarbha farmers’ widows and their children will benefit in very near future to lead a decent life with their heads held high. It’s my life’s mission and it certainly will take many-many years before some results will be seen by the world and honestly, I am quite content with the everyday progress.

 

The movement in Facebook has generated awareness to such an extent that people from all over the world are following the exclusive blog with great interest. There are many, who have come forward from nowhere to chip in with their valuable contributions and we are truly grateful to each one of you for supporting the cause with so much zeal and enthusiasm.

 

Today, a wonderful message arrived from Kerala. It came in as a big surprise because it came from an organization called ‘soulsindia’. The mail stated that they want to make use of the envelopes made by farmers’ widows for their office correspondence to support the cause. It is definitely a wonderful development to see how serious some organizations are to support and provide a helping hand by encouraging farmers’ widows’ endeavour.

 

Mahesh Nampurkar, a Pune based Landscape Architect-Designer was the first one to commit to make use of our envelopes once we start the production. Now ‘soulsindia’ has come forward and it is these sincere efforts that make us go ahead from strength to strength. Even though they have been very open about their small requirement, I must confess to be really grateful to them to make us believe that every single drop makes an ocean big. We are moving in the right direction is an indication of these organization’s trust in us that tomorrow will be a wonderful day for the farmers’ widows of Vidarbha.

Our samples will be sent to ‘soulsindia’ for their approval by next week and we know through them we will be reaching in many more offices, homes and individuals... they have surely laid a strong base for our first ever small unit... Thank you ‘soulsindia’ for your kind concern and support, we look forward for a long association with each other in years to come!

2 KMS RUN, 4 KMS WALK – THE FIRST DAY (10th August 2010, 1430 Hrs)

 

At five in the morning, I got up today to start my running practice for the Nov-December run. It was surely a beautiful early morning with clouds overhead and cool temperature. Nearly after two decades I was wearing my track pants and the run was good for a start.

Age surely catches up with you and after running two kilometres, I realised my stamina was nowhere near when I was an athlete two decades ago. On the very first day I was able to run two kilometres and walk four kilometres without much effort was indeed satisfying. The determination is all in my head to run across 11 Vidarbha districts for 45 long days to spread awareness and raise funds to support the suicide farmers’ families. The foundation was laid today.

 

I knew well in advance after the run, my body would ache and shout for more rest before it gets seasoned in another couple of days. Yes, the body aches and climbing staircase has become an uphill task hehehehehe... the shin bone, calf muscles and thighs are facing – what we call the seasoning effect in athletics term... one week or maybe ten days... the pain is going to linger but my determination to get prepared for the run is going to soar higher as the days will go by.

I really am amazed at all times to find a new vigour and strength from within to pursue my goal to help the suicide farmers’ families... something I have never felt before in Mumbai. Life changes as destiny leads to take you where you belong... I feel so fresh inspite of all the tiredness... and in my head the song by Irene Carra from the movie Flashdance is playing – ‘Oh, what a feeling! I am dreaming now...’

NATURE OF NATURE SO-SO VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND (9th August 2010, 1900 Hrs)

Catastrophes and devastation of nature is another side / nature of nature and most importantly, it always engulfs the poor with death and endless miseries for life. Nature of nature is so-so very difficult to understand while the modern day scientists and researchers have tried to their hilt to control such mishappenings with modern day inventions and discoveries... yet, it is always the nature who has had the last laugh to teach us humans endless valuable lessons, but we still never learn from our mistakes and egoistic nature.

For 100 odd hours, Vidarbha recieved heavy rainfall till Sunday (8th August) morning... a phenomenon that many in this region have not seen in the past few years. Even before the poor farmers could resurrect themselves from the past few years of drought situation, the heavy rainfall has this year washed away their crops in watery grave... farmers in Wardha district are the most affected and they will have to again borrow money to buy those precious seeds once again and sow them to hope, the second time nature will not play traunt with them. Such calamities and devastation by nature’s fury will not even stir one bit the city-folks, who will be busy partying in rain dance in the outskirts of city to enjoy their weekends. Political leaders will worry about the Common Wealth Games where in 1 lakh crore rupees have been swindled to stake National Pride. What a sham!

On the contrary, while there have been excess rainfall in the region, there are more than 200 odd villages in Bihar, which are facing drought... no water! I remember last year there was a similar situation in the same state, where in farmers were protecting water for irrigation with their guns to save it from nearby villages... contrasting to the scene of devastation in Leh, where the cloud burst took hundred of lives in a split second... Ahmedabad faced flash floods on Saturday because of heavy rainfall. There must be more of such happenings in various parts of the nation, which has not been reported by the media but then why we always live by the same attitude of BHAGWAN BHAROSE (God’s mercy)? Where are the scientific tools and gadgets that can forewarn mishappenings in advance? Why the respective scientists and officials, who keep vigil 24 x 7 always seems to be giving us the wrong predictions and the same excuses time and again? Why the head of the nation, the Prime Minister is so incapable to implement a more effective system to safeguard the poor population of the nation?

Crops, cattles, houses, belongings and lives are lost and washed away in floods, if not, all these things are sold to survive famine... while crores worth of food grains are being allowed to rot by the nation’s incapable system to feed the hungry and the poor. Yes, we will all march in white clothes, burn candles and lay flowers when a terrorist strike us... but we will never even bother to say a silent prayer for all those who die in nature’s fury... as long as one is not affected, we will all close our eyes, conscience and party hard to enjoy life and complain when the power supply goes for even ten minutes to blame the system. But I really keep asking myself all the time, who will save the poor from such calamities and disaster? Will we ever respect nature so that nature respects our existence? It is so-so very difficult to understand nature’s nature... Nature please have some mercy for the poor...

ONE OLD MAGAZINE (9th August 2010, 1530 Hrs)

I am old now & my son committed suicide because of debt. My daughter-in-law needs just one old magazine from all of you... will you not send one, so she can earn to save environment? The widow wants to lead a decent dignified life by working hard for her children... will you not help her with one old magazine??? Please... a sincere request from an old farmer who has lived all my life to feed the nation... a big thank you to all of you in advance!

address:

Johnny D

support 4 suicide farmers families

C/o Swapnil Barai
House No: 200
Opp: Dr. Harne's Hospital
Dhantoli Chowk
Wardha: 442001
Phone: +91 89830 04533

ONLY THE JAPANESE CAN ACHIEVE SUCH A FEAT! (6th August 2010, 2145 Hrs)

While our nation is busy fighting tooth and nail to build the CWG Stadium in time with crores and crores of money being gobbled by the authorities, I was indeed amazed by an article in the newspapers to see what the Japanese Farmers had achieved way back in 1993 by thinking way ahead of time to create the paddy fields into an art canvas. Truly amazing are the precision, dedication and devotion of these farmers to use computer technology and all thanks to one man’s creativity!

 

Koichi Hanada, a clerk of Inakadate village hall was requested to increase tourists inflow by his superiors… for months he wondered how to do the impossible in the rural northern part of Japan until one fine day, he saw school children planting rice paddy for their projects. The students had used two varieties of rice paddy – one was dark purplish stalks and the other the usual bright green ones. The canvas was born in Koichi’s head and that is how the Paddy Art was born, which has become a big hit in Japan.

 

Every single year since 1993, farmers of Inakadate village have created images by using rice paddies as colours and their fields as the big canvas to give Paddy Art a new dimension. From small art form to the latest football ground size depicting Samurai Battling a Warrior Monk, the size of images have been growing steadily since the last 17 years to draw the growing media’s attention and millions of curious tourists. In 2009, as many as 1,70,000 visitors visited the village to see the Living Art Form! Japanese known for its amalgamation of high technology, painstaking perfectionism and one of the most ancient cultures growing rice can only achieve such a feat… truly-truly out-of-this-world!

 

Unfortunately Inakadate village is facing hard times from its shrinking population, a crushing debt load and declining revenues from agriculture. So far the farmers have failed to accomplish financial benefits from their creativity as visitors who come to Inakadate village don’t spend much to see the Paddy Art… sad and very ironical that such a magnificent art form is being discouraged by the world instead of being encouraged! I wish, farmers of Inakadate will be ultimately recognised for their creative art form and be rewarded to lead a better life in near future!

L.H.S = R.H.S (3rd August 2010, 0950 Hrs)

 

I must confess that I was very poor in Mathematics during my schooling days. I must also confess that in our modern day’s life, majority of us have failed to make a use of the subject in our every day life… no, I am not talking about addition, subtraction, multiplication and division… we all do the simple mathematical solutions… however, when life gets complicated, we often forget to make use of the subject…

 

Mathematics as the subject have taught all of us that L.H.S (Left Hand Side) is always equal to (=) to the R.H.S (Right Hand Side)… however, if you don’t provide the right solutions to the problem, you will always get a zero. The way I looked at these two short forms (L.H.S & R.H.S) of Mathematics, I have marvelled as to why till now someone else or I have never thought about its importance in solving our every day problems. It is so simple to understand these two to make life Quadra Errada Demonstrandum (Q.E.D). I must confess that I always enjoyed writing Q.E.D at the end of every problem…whether my solutions were right or wrong hehehehe…

L.H.S to me means LOOK for HIDDEN SIGNS which equals the R.H.S, which elaborates as one will get to know one’s REAL HIDDEN STRENGTH… when one looks at both the sides one will automatically find the solutions to any problems in the world. So simple yet we humans have often overlooked this aspect of Mathematics in life. The reason I am writing about these two sides is because it can be applied to everything in our lives, yet we love to complicate things (like I used to do in solving Mathematical problems in school :) to get a big zero heheheheh) to increase our woes and never solve the problems of life.

Till, I started the movement even I had overlooked these two sides, even though in life I have used them more often than not without knowing the full forms, which I had coined only a few days back. I was truly amazed because when a guy like me, who hated Mathematics so much can coin the full forms to understand life, I wonder why the top economist of the country (Dr. Manmohan Singh, our PM) has failed to apply them to solve the problems of the nation… instead his so-called able learned cabinet ministers have complicated every single citizen’s woes by increasing the steps to solve a problem.

Solutions seems to be nowhere in sight and imagine this has happened ever since our Independence. None, I repeat none of the ministers, who claim to serve the nation has even bothered to build enough FCI Godowns to safeguard food grains to make our nation self-sufficient and healthy, instead all they have cared to do is accumulate crores and crores of black money by every single means. While in the last 63 long years, our nation has seen malls, multiplexes, flyovers, high-rises, swanky airports, hotels, restaurants & bars have been build in great numbers, we as the nation have not even bothered to build the most essential thing for our nation – Sufficient FCI Godowns!

 

Our Finance Minister may claim in pride that the economy is growing at a faster pace of 9% but as an economist why has he overlooked this simple solution to allocate funds to build enough godowns for our nation’s better future on war footing. While we may have achieved to find presence of water in the moon, our hard worked poor farmers’ produce are being allowed to rot in open to the tune of 58,000 crores every single year. Our billionaires may acquire foreign companies to make our nation’s proud, none of the 331 so-called rich have bothered to donate godowns for the sake of nation’s future. Well, the least said about our Agriculture Minister’s callousness to kill more farmers every year will hardly matter to his ambition to be the head of the ICC… I wonder what will he achieve by cricket? Will the crores worth rotting food grains be saved he one is creating records in cricket… does constructing godowns take 63 long years to complete?

Ironical and really pathetic that a simple solution to construct enough food grains godowns for the nation was not and is not on the HIGH PRIORITY for the government of India and yes, on the 15th of August, we will play patriotic songs, unfurl the tri-colour, talk of freedom, show-off our patriotism and what not… Wake up young generation if you really want to make the L.H.S = R.H.S… Only you can change our nation… so look for hidden signs to find your real hidden strength to prove there exist simple solutions to every problem.

Q.E.D!

VIDARBHA 11 DISTRICTS RUN IN NOVEMBER – DECEMBER (31st July 2010, 1325 Hrs)

For 45 days, I will be running on the roads of Vidarbha in the month of November – December covering all the 11 districts and near about 200 villages / small towns & main cities of the region to spread awareness and raise funds to support suicide farmers’ families. The months from mid-November to December, the region witness the harvesting season and maximum farmers’ suicide are witnessed.

200 Villages, small towns & cities will be touched & covered during the 45 days run through the 11 districts of Vidarbha

1). To raise funds for Vidarbha farmers’ widows and their children

2). Generate awareness about the ill-effects of suicide

3). Spread awareness about the use of paper envelopes made by farmers’ widows to save the environment

4). Spread awarenesss about the benefits of organic farming

5). Cultivate grassroot culture among the school children to protect environment

6). Trees plantation drive

7). Teach farmers to construct bhaands around their fields to increase ground water table

8). Request people to contribute old magazines for paper envelopes making unit

9). Request more farmers’ widows to join the small unit of paper making envelopes for “Vidarbha Widows Earn-to-save Environment”

Through this post, I would like to request one and all to come forward and donate generously in whatever ways one may or can to support this event… I know it is very challenging indeed to be on the roads for 45 days but my determination and devotion to do more for the farmers’ widows in Vidarbha is what is keeping me going to make this movement bigger so that in near future there are lesser farmers’ suicide in Vidarbha.

Farmers work zealously to feed the nation and the least we all can do is to help them continue farming and not quit farming to migrate to cities, while the government sits carelessly to claim proudly that the nation has the audacity to allow wastage of 58,000 crores worth of food grains every single year when near about 40% of children are dying in the nation because of mal-nourishment… I really wonder as to why these children or the poor, who have no access to food are not fed with all these food grains… not only the wastage will provide life to the poor and hunger but also strengthen the nation…

Tomorrow the month of our Independence will commence and I am indeed amazed that since the last 63 years the government of India has not even bothered to build enough FCI Godowns to store the total produce of the farmers of the nation safely, who toil hard in hot sun and heavy rains to feed the nation… indeed this is the biggest shame and the most serious issue that our government needs to tackle in war-footing… because only day before yesterday I read in the papers that our Supreme Court has finally woken up from its 63 years’ sleep to state – “Wasting even a single grain of food is a crime!”… so I wish to ask will the Supreme Court prosecute all the Prime Ministers of the Nation since our Independence in 1947? Will justice prevail or just melt like ice and vanish in vapours…

Obviously, it is the later which will happen as always to vanish in just vapours and next year the wastage of food grains in the country will raise to more than 60,000 crores and the Supreme Court and the Prime Minister will once again go to sleep for another 60 odd years… Imagine 80% of the yearly produced food grains are still stored in open air to rot and we the nation proclaim to the world that ours is the fastest growing economy… Is this really the growth of our nation? I leave it to one and all to think about…

INSPIRING ANGEL (28th July 2010, 1455 Hrs)

As I had written earlier that angels are visibly invisible for all of us, and only, when they enter your life, you will be able to see them and feel their presence. They come from nowhere to provide help, support to make you feel blessed. A beautiful angel came to lend her helping hands through Facebook… and she is a management student. What really amazed and made me feel happy about her is that she is young and feel so much for the serious national issue that she has come forward with a promise to do something concrete as soon as she will start earning.

The effort to reach out for others is the ultimate blissful emotion any human can really have. I am sure each one of you reading this post will agree with me because each one of us have felt such a blissful state in our lives many a times… the inspiring angel has enliven the state within me and I know she will do a lot when the time comes to support the cause.

Prerana Sharma hails from Greater Noida and is pursuing MBA in International Business from Birla Institute of Management Technology. She joined the Events in Facebook to show her support like many others and over a period of time took active part to encourage me through her comments. Each time she used to tell me that if there is anything I need, she would be there… this assurance surely was very valuable and encouraging for me to get strength to do what I am doing. Once we were chatting and Prerana said, ‘I really wish that my studies finish fast so that I can support the movement both financially as well as with her active part in helping the suicide farmers’ families.’ Wow! I felt a strange indebtedness towards this beautiful young girl for her commitment even when she is just a student. I know for sure that Prerana will do many things in her life to achieve greater heights and will spread joy with her radiance in many-many lives. 


Oh yes, Prerana was inspired when I recently shifted from Mumbai with bags and baggage. She wrote, ‘By shifting to Vidarbha you have shown your single minded determination and I am really happy for the decision.’ What is more noteworthy about her is that she is spreading the word fast about the movement among her friends’ circle and even asking them to support the cause. Honestly, I have no words to thank her for all the things that she has been doing to support the widows of Vidarbha.

There is a misconception among the elders that the younger generation are not aware about the national scenario forget about world. However, I will beg to differ here because it is the younger generation who have come forward to support the movement and yes, they are well aware about the current situation of the nation and the world. For many of them, with whom I interact… I have seen their zeal to do something better for the nation in various fields… now this is something really beautiful as the younger lot will nurture a better future for not only their kids and families but also the nation. In my quest, I am truly blessed with all the inspiring angels, who have joined hands to help the suicide farmers’ families in Vidarbha…

Before I die… Vidarbha should become ‘suicide free’ and become famous for its cotton. I know all these angels will never let this movement die even after my death to one day see ‘Suicide Free Vidarbha’ in near future!

SHREYAS TALPADE SUPPORTS WIDOWS OF VIDARBHA (26th July 2010, 1500 Hrs)

I must specially mention the name of actor Shreyas Talpade for his undying support to support the suicide farmers’ families in Vidarbha with much gratitude for his effort and assurance to do more. I have known him since his IQBAAL days. I have enjoyed interviewing him for his humaneness rather than being a star from Bollywood. And from that instance, we have often bumped in various parties and inspite of his growing stature in Bollywood as an actor of true substance, he always remained a person with great humility.

 

I left a message on his cell requesting him to contribute with old magazines for our small unit. The next day, Shreyas called and was amazed to know more about my devotion. He promised me that soon he would send me the magazines and said that I should feel free to ask more of his help for the movement. Truly, I was moved by his gestures because many from Bollywood have not yet come forward like he did. No hard feelings though as there have been very few actors, who have come forward to support the cause in their own special ways. Jaya Bhattacharya, Nausheen Sardar Ali, a well-known director (prefers to remain anonymous though) have all been very supporting with their invaluable support to see this movement growing from strength to strength.

Shreyas and I had been talking over phone since the first message and one fine day, I received a huge packet with old magazines from him. When I called to thank him he revealed that since he didn’t had many old magazines, he asked his man Friday to collect from three raddiwalas all the magazines to send to me. He has even spread the message to all his friends in Bollywood to collect old magazines for the cause. His assurance that if the movement requires anything, he should be informed made me feel very proud of his commitment. I know for sure Shreyas is the man, who will not go back on his words and his support will always be cherished with much gratitude. I wish to thank him through this post for all his help… thank you Shreyas, thank you so very much!

KHURJHADI EXPERIENCE – PART II (25th July 2010, 1130 Hrs)

 

I really had no option whatsoever but to stay for the night at the village. There was another house that I visited with Prashin. Darkness had engulfed the whole village, first because of the dark clouds and secondly there was no electricity supply. Khurjhadi is accustomed to live life without 12 to 16 hours of power cut daily… I wondered if we are really living in the 21st Century India… Mr. Manmohan Singh are you listening please?

The rain was still pouring and in the dark evening Ujwala’s son led me to late farmer Kawadu Anandrao Petkar’s house. I met widow Usha now in her 40s, who has been leading a painful life since 2006. 45 years old Anandrao Petkar committed suicide on the 21st of February 2006 because of debt, which had risen to 1.60 lakhs. The four children – Surendra (eldest is soon to be married) was earlier working in Pune but after his father’s death has taken over the reign of farming; Nanda (next in line), daughter has been married; Kunda is pursuing Nursing Training in Pune and the youngest son Mayur is a class Xth student. The Petkars have 4.75 acres of land and they grow cotton, soyabean and dal…

Widow Usha with son Mayur

Anandrao’s father and mother are old in their 70s. The compensation money of 1 lakh given by government was spent in paying electricty dues and daughter’s marriage. I managed to convince Usha to join our small unit and eldest son was happy to know about our project, something that will bring in extra money in the house. They all assured that they would work hard to be part of the unit with great enthusiasm. After a while we returned to Prashin’s house.

Father of (late) Kawadu Anandrao Petkar

 

My dress was still wet and immediately mother and son made a nice bed for me and requested me to rest. While we were interacting, I was touched by their reply when I said – ‘Me tumala tras dilo na (I gave you trouble),’ to which Ujwala replied – ‘For us you left Mumbai and in such heavy rains pedalled all the way from such a far distance… this is the least we can do for you.’ Emotions overflowed within me to hear such sweet soothing words and I wonder why we city dwellers cannot be like the villagers… Ujwala got busy preparing food and I wondered who give these widows so much strength to work all day in fields and yet when they are back home, they have the energy to do the household chores… if men have a misconception of being superior, they should really compete with these women… then they will know how superior women are in reality!

 

After 30 minutes, dinner was served hot… bhaakari (rotis made with rice flour), dal, thecha (chutney made by chillies & garlic with oil), onions and cut pieces of raw mango… my-my… I just canot describe the joy of having such a wonderful dinner in words… it is an experience that I shall cherish all my life… the love with which it was served… I ate more than I usually eat :)

 

By 9 pm I tucked myself in the new quilt (I guess that was made for me only, waiting for my arrival) and in wet clothes went to sleep. For a while I was looking in the darkness hearing the sound of the cricket wondering – who am I for them that they have so much trust, love and extended me such loving hospitality? Even before I was reaching to any answers, I was fast asleep. I slept like a baby and it was only in the morning with the cockaduldoo at 4.30 am, I woke up fresh with no sign of tiredness. The most wonderful part of the night was that there were no mosquitoes to disturb and the doors of the house were kept open without any fear.

The early morning ride back to Wardha was a beautiful and fast one… rain had stopped and I felt a joy within and know widows Ujwala, Usha and their children will surely work hard to set up the unit of envelop making once the monsoon is over.

RIDE TO KHURJHADI – FORT (23rd July 2010, 1950 Hrs)

 

On June the 17th, I pedalled my way to Khurjhadi (Fort), a village 27 kms away from Wardha in heavy rains. It was indeed the ride of a life time, however, I do feel there will be many more exhilarating experiences coming my way in future. Since I had decided to visit the village come what may, the drizzle didn’t stop me, little knowing it will take shape of heavy showers all my way.

 

No sooner I had left Wardha, the drizzle became heavy and I had to take shelter at a tyre repairing shop. I thought, I should have taken the bus instead of pedalling my way in such rain. However, deep down I was enjoying the rain. At the shop I met a lady, an LIC agent, who was very surprised with my cycle trip. We exchanged few minutes interacting about farmers’ suicide and government policies. She gave me direction to the village and said with a worried look – ‘The village is very far and it is raining heavily. Go safe.’ I thanked her and as rain stopped for a while, we both left for our respective destinations.

 

I presumed God was testing me and no sooner I left from the shop, the rain started once again and didn’t stopped till about 15 kms… I kept riding enjoying the rain and open expanse of fields on both side of the road. There was no sign of any villages as vehicles were passing by to and fro in high speed on the road. I was wet completely inspite of my windcheater. For the second time after covering 16 or 17 kms I thought I should come another day in bus… but I nixed the thought and said I have not started something to give away in the half way… yes, I was determined to reach to my destination come what may and I told my Sai Baba – Baba give me strength to reach my destination.

 

After 18 kms, the rain started once again and this time it was heavy. Once again my clothes, which became dry for a while got wet in one go… I was smiling to myself and wondering what the hell, I am enjoying the rain man! People in cars, trucks and two-wheelers were looking at me in amazement. The village was near about 3 kms away from the main road and the rain was so heavy that visibility was mere 5 to 6 metres… thirsty I opened my mouth towards sky to drink drops of rain and enjoying my struggle. It was dark and the thunderous blasts of clouds with lightening striking the open fields shook me once with a fear – what if it strikes me? I prayed to Baba and said – ‘Baba let my work complete here and then you may take me away forever.’ He listened and protected me to make me reach Khurjhadi.

 

One village man guided me to widow Ujwala Prabhakar Petkar’s house. Her son Prashin welcomed me and immediately served me with a glass of water and warm tea. His mother came in a little later and thought I was sent by Swami Vivekanand Trust. When I introduced myself and told them about my mission, they were very supportive. She updated me with what her husband Shri (late) Prabhakar Vasudev Petkar had to go through at the young age of 32 years to give away his life. The Petkars had nine acres of land but in the year 2001 – 02 flood took a toll on the whole village. There was no yield and rupees 20,000 loan rose to 1.5 to 2 lakhs and their four acres were grabbed by moneylenders for the small amount. Left with just five acres, Prabhakar committed suicide on the 8th October 2002.

Prashin with mother Ujwala

Life was tough for Ujwala to look after two young children, Prashin was just 6 years and Rushali was 9 years. I find women to be stronger than men in such circumstances to fight against all odds with bravado and Ujwala did just the same. She worked hard to send her children to school and today, her daughter is doing nursing training in Nagpur with the help of Swami Vivekanand Trust and Prashin is a class ninth student. She grows cotton, tur dal and soyabean in her five acres and have been fighting her war of loneliness with gusto.

It was getting dark and the rain was not showing any sign of stopping. The village’s entrance is a low lying area and the gushing high speed current water had blocked the way from both the sides. Neither anyone could enter or leave the village because of the high speed current. Ujwala told me to stay over at night and leave in the morning as it was dangerous to cross to the other side….

What happens next?... Read in my next post tomorrow…

DESTINY RULES… (22ND July 2010, 1220 Hrs)

Humans are born with pre-destined destinies and I superscribe to the fact, to many it is the belief that they can shape their own destinies. Each to his own, no offence to others who believe so.

19th June when I left for Mumbai, I had planned to be back within a week’s time. However, just two days before leaving, I got viral fever and had to cancel my trip. I had planned to leave Mumbai forever in the month of September as per plan but suddenly after my sickness and recovering I decided it would be better if I leave Mumbai in July itself and much to my friends’ persuasion, I finally left on the 20th once for all. Once I landed in Wardha with bags and baggage, I was so much at peace. Now I know this is where my destiny wanted me to be for the rest of the life.

In my wildest dream I had never thought I would take such a step before March 2010. People flock to Mumbai in search of jobs and here I am, left the dream city to find my calling. Since the last month, I have not been able to blog because windows 7 collapsed and the day I reached Wardha, Sagar repaired it immediately. Life in Mumbai had been very busy trying to arrange for old magazines for our small unit. Many people promised me that they would send some but there was only one person (a celebrity), who was kind enough and took the zealous effort to send 19 kgs of old magazines. And what makes this individual special and worth mentioning is that s/he didn’t even wrote her / his name in the sender’s address. It stated only Annapurna Building, Yari Road, Versova, Andheri… through this post, if at all s/he is reading, I wish to thank her / him from the bottom of my heart for the valuable contribution.

Three Management girl students from Jankidevi Bajaj Institute of Management, SNDT campus Juhu collected 30 old magazines from their seniors room to give me a call to collect it. Actor Shreyas Talpade, who I have known since his IQBAAL days, was so sweet to send me a little more than 10 kgs of old magazines. Shreyas has been very considerate and he took the effort to send his man Friday to collect old magazines from the raddiwalas in his area to realise how important it is to support such a cause. He is been very kind to even assure all his help whenever needed. Tejal Rajyagor, my ninth angel too chipped in with whatever magazines she could carry during our meeting in Mumbai. It is the effort that counts and honestly, I knew such a problem may occur, so I went to Mumbai. I managed to collect more than 100 old magazines lying in my flat. So for a start, we have managed to collect enough magazines to start with.

The paper envelop making unit will have to wait till the monsoon season is over because the dampness in the atmosphere will not allow the glue to stick well. Packing old magazines and carrying it to station to book from parcel office took a great physical labour but I was enjoying every bit of it for reasons really unknown to me. Even though I felt tired with hectic times, the joy that I managed to gather so many old magazines in such a short time is unparallel indeed!

Everything fell in places at the right moment as it has been destined… I was just doing what I was supposed to do. In India, there is an old saying – Daane daane pe likha hai khaane wale ka naam (In each morsel of food, the name is written of the person who will eat it) – From glitzy Bollywood Parties in Five-stars… here I am enjoying food in villagers’ houses in Vidarbha… destiny rules!