By Karthik Gala
In the depths of India’s untarnished rural landscape is found a lifestyle long forgotten. It mimics a way of living which most of us can associate only with a known fictional world such as Malgudi, as it would seem absolutely absurd to imagine such a place in existence. Interestingly, places such as these are home to the majority of our countrymen. The people staying here are untouched by our tainted words of cynicism or our scarred thoughts that have never known innocence. Conversations among children here do not contain irrelevant imperative references to recently bought gadgets that result in a tussle of power with the monetary value of these items as the arbiter. It is a land of utopia where dreams are unchecked by the evil hands of Conformity, and hopes are not thwarted by the corrupted fangs of Rationality.
I was forced into a state of retrospection when I was interacting with a few teachers and students from a high school in Bhuj, Kutch. The enormity of the terrible earthquake in that area had not shaken their resolve; if anything, they emerged stronger, with a renewed sense of enthusiasm that was all-pervasive. Talking with these people resulted in a strange revelation: these young men and women had not been converted by the looming fear of failure. Because of their proximity to the India-Pakistan border, most of them opted for careers in the army, as doctors, engineers, analysts and army officials. Some of their success stories astounded me. Ominous future possibilities held no meaning for them. They never gave a thought to the dangers of the profession they were about to venture into. All they cared was to serve their country and be a part of the ever-present change, and to carve for themselves a niche in the annals of history for being a monumental cause in the process. The commendable aspect of their outlook was their undying resolve to achieve what they wanted, unblemished by any form of pessimism. They made for an outstanding example of new-age citizens, sans the amenities that we take for granted in our urban lives. These underprivileged children taught me how to realize my aspirations so as to be a true hero in my own eyes, as well as others.
We want many things to happen. We want our work hours to be shorter and our weekends to be longer. We would like our road traffic to be equipped with a futuristic concept of easy travel, like teleportation. We long for short queues at the banks as well as the movie theatres. We dream of world peace. The only problem faced is the realization of our aim. Rarely do we ever strive to achieve these goals. We keep waiting for someone to come and lead the way, to be the torchbearer on our journey towards a better tomorrow. If only we paused for a moment to think, the truth will inadvertently dawn upon us that the people in the frontlines are no different from us. We too can champion a cause, if we cast away the cape of self-reproach, and assume a positive approach towards our goals. Our efforts need not be a travesty of hope; we can be the people bringing about the much-needed change.
Money is the least of the concerns to the people fighting the actual battle. So are the spoils of war, and all the accolades and post-victory reveling. The only thing that a true warrior ever lusts for is to be remembered long after the fight, as someone who made a difference in its outcome. His goal is to achieve martyrdom, and forever rest in the elusive land of constant remembrance.
