The Night Tale

Almost all the corners are covered, all the stalls visited, quite a long time I have been roaming around the fair. The gathering of people was increasing and so was increasing my tiredness. Thought, it's time to leave, and I started walking towards the exit point. Just before I exit, the announcement started. I looked back; the event is all set to start.

Ohhh Fiona... I remembered.

She has completed a number of shows as an anchor and I have never attended any of her performance. Many a times she had told me to watch her live. With time our friendship has become even stronger. I thought to stop a while and have a look at her performance. As soon as the curtain rises a beautiful girl dressed in bright red color appeared and started a solo dance.

No, it wasn’t she... She must be in the backstage and would be preparing her anchoring. I thought of giving her a surprise with a sudden visit and I went there.

There, she's. Sitting on a chair and deeply looking at some papers. Beautifully dressed, looking perfect, an anchor, and ready to explore herself. Slowly I stepped towards her and tapped her, OMG she's really so surprised, too much excited. We took two chairs and placed just at a small distance to have a talk together. She seemed so confidant and excited while elaborating me what she's going to do in the next hours. We were happy talking to each other when a man around forty went to us and inquired

“Who kept these outfits there, on the chair?”

“ohhh! It's me, I just kept it here” She said casually.

That was the end to the happiness, that man who seems to be the manager of the show gave a sharp blow to her and warned her not to repeat that anymore.

Everything gone, suddenly there was the cloud of melancholy. Tears of sadness and anger rolled out of her.

“Is this the way you are treated usually” I asked.

“No! I can't understand why he did this” she replied, clearing her throat and gathering some courage.

And we decided to leave that show there. The arrogant man told us to meet the organizer, who brought her there before we leave. We went to him. He was an old man sitting with 4 more people around him. The manager too went there.

Before anything happens, she went to the manager and unloads all her anger on him with a sharper 

blow in return.

“This is what you deserve.” she told him.

Others sitting there however managed the situation and calmed both of them. She then told everything and asked for the explanation. That old man tried his best to bring the situation under control but ended up in nothing. Finally she refused to work with such arrogant people and decided to leave.

Yes! We left the show there itself without caring anything. She didn't care how the event would go. We left; we crossed the main exit of the fair together. We reached the main road, slowly the crowd disappeared, the sound of the loudspeakers fainted and we move towards silent, darkness and towards a lonely road, we walked together.

I looked at her, she was puzzled, and her face had an unusual expression that was difficult to read. 

“How would they do it in your absence?” I asked.

“I don't care” she replied.

“I can't lose my dignity, and no one should. How can one work where such idiots exist!”

I looked at her. There was silence between us, a cool night with cool silver moon. She moved forward, closer towards me. Looking at my eyes she spread her arms and hugged me tight.

I could feel the sensation in me, the warmth of a bold girl. I am proud of her.

We again started walking together on the lonely road...

... And suddenly I realised. Ohhh gosh! I was dreaming. I woke up! It took a while to regain my sense. I switched on the light and sat on my bed, took a sip of  water and thought...

Was it really a dream?

and got the answer  “yes it was”.

SPEAK UP

Views expressed here are personal.

Language

Well, for the definition let’s ask our most reliable source, Wiki, it says, “Language is the ability to acquire and use complex systems of communication, particularly the human ability to do so, and a language is any specific example of such a system”, Seems a bit complicated one and as per the Oxford Dictionary it is, “The method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way”.

To make it more simple I understand 'A Language is a medium of expression', A tool that we use to express our emotions before others. In ancient times too people used various types of languages like pictures and gestures to make others understand them. Gradually, with the passage of time, everything changed and so also the way we used to express our thoughts and expressions. These days there are numerous languages spoken globally. Some languages have a lot of dialects too. It has become a tool to define a region or a geographical area. Anyone can easily understand your region the moment you start speaking your native language.We love our native language. We love to speak, to write and to promote our mother language and we should. What can be a simpler way to express our emotions except our own mother tongue? It is so easy and so convenient too, that’s why we love it and feel proud of using it as much as possible.

Other languages! What if we don’t know a language and we have to communicate a person who doesn’t understand our language? Isn’t it troublesome? Do we get irritated? Do we start hating such a person just because we do not understand each other’s words? What if the other person loves their native language too much that he never felt the urge to learn others. These are certain situations we do not want to be in.

Imagining a world where every one understands each other. No language is a barrier to communicate with people, A world with one universal language. All people speaking the same way! That would be really a simple world to live in, with no more complications over language, region, beyond any geographical area our medium of communication is same. However English has become such a language accepted world wide after the internet gained it’s popularity world wide. Almost every corner understands English. Everyone must learn this as a universal language. Learning a universal language helps us communicate those other people from other areas whom we can’t convey anything in their so loved mother tongue.

Ever wondered the language in which a baby communicates its mother. A baby cries and a mother understands their need. Can we communicate through crying although we all are very familiar to this act? Should we hate a baby because we can’t understand their language? Can we communicate the way animals do? Lets not forget the widely used language to express our emotions, that is Emoticons or Emoji's.  These emoji's are replacing most of our words or emotions. An emoji can say a lot of words silently. So, a language mustn’t be a parameter to measure people.

You must be agree with me that learning a particular language is not so easy, even our own native language too. Starting from the alphabets to words and then forming sentences is a lengthy process.  Learning means one must be able to read, write and speak a particular language. If we have to master over a language after so much of hard work, then shouldn’t we feel proud of using it? Yes! Everyone should. There are so many multilingual people who can manage multiple languages and those people never find it tough to communicate over regions. They never hate other people just because of the barrier. So if everyone can’t be multilingual, there must be a universal language to learn and communicate. This helps in better placement of our emotions.

Using and promoting your own language is the greatest virtue, but it mustn’t affect us in communicating. One mustn’t hate other languages and should learn the universal language to make life easier.

Let us think, One World, One Language!

I AM SAME

Disclaimer: This is only a depiction of an incident and not intended to hurt anyone.

It was 1st of Nov'14. Winter was just approaching after Diwali holidays. Mornings are like chilling in Rourkela and I was in a hurry to catch the first train to Cuttack at 5.15. Though it's hard to wake up so early, however I managed it by 4 in the morning. Finished pack up and arrived station by 5. Routines start so early that I realized when I saw such a long queue for the tickets, thanks to the fate I had booked it before. I boarded the train immediately after buying some snacks for me along with a water bottle. It was the intercity express and I had booked my seat in the window side chair car berth. The train left the platform exactly on time. The gusty chilling wind forced me to shut the window and I could enjoy the cool morning site vaguely. The train caught speed gradually. Post an hour of my journey I unwrapped the snacks and began eating. The next long halt was at Jharsuguda for 10 minutes. I went outside and bought a cup of tea. It was really disgusting which I couldn't finish and threw it in the bin. However I boarded again and took out a pack of biscuits while the train started moving again.

5 minutes past and I heard a fainting clapping sound and understood the coming of transgender people for begging money. Truly saying, I do not like them at all begging money to the passengers in an unmannerly way. I continued eating biscuits. After a while it came to me and asked for money. I softly refused! Then that trans told me "Khali khautha" ‘you just eat only' and walked away. I was relieved that, the trans went away peacefully. After a while it returned with a bunch of rupees. I was surprised by the earning it made so easily and so early. The trans came and sat beside me. A few people exchanged money.

I ignored, and continued being busy with my mobile.

"Internet! Stay busy always with that mobile!" Trans told which I ignored with a smile.

"All mobile phones should be stopped" zie* told again.

"If mobiles would be closed do you think internet will be stopped?" I replied.

"Then all laptops too. I should ask Modi ji to stop all this" Trans answered.

"Ohh nice then, I could at least  save some money!" I replied to the silly statement.

"Give that money to me"  zie uttered immediately.

I remained silent. Meanwhile the Trans started counting the collected money.

"I did a mehendi on my hair yesterday, it's still shining" zie told with a bit excitement and breaking the silence. I looked back and gave an artificial smile and began surfing again on my mobile.

"I'm the same as you! We are not different from other people. The transgender said normally, not in their typical manner. I remained quiet and thought of starting a chat, at least to kill time. I started;

Me.     Shall I ask you something, only if you don't mind!

Trans.    I don't mind. Ask!

Me.        What's your name?

Trans.    Rashmi.

Me.        A good name! By the way, what do you do?

Rashmi. I didn't get you.

Me.        I mean what sort of work you do?

Rashmi. I don't do anything. I just beg. Actually we are not authorized to do anything.

Me.        Ok! But there are two of your transgender people who run a two wheeler stand in Rourkela bus stop.

Rashmi. I don't know. But we usually can't do any work.

Me.        What do you do with so much of money?

Rashmi. I run my family and sometimes we do donate too.

Me.        So, you have a family?

Rashmi. Yes! It includes my parents and my younger brother. I have to look after them and my brother is studying too.

Me.         Where is your family?

Rashmi.  In Jharsuguda. This is the place where I was born.

Me.        You donate! Whom ?

Rashmi. To our community. We have a community which works for our welfare. Sometimes it   provides fund for some noble purpose too. There is a  head of every local area who collects  money and lead us. We have to move out of state during meets.

Me.        That’s really a good work you people do. I appreciate.

Ok! Now I have to go and catch another train to return. I can't go beyond this station. Our boundaries are limited. Zie told and got off the train.

The next station was Sambalpur. Time passed talking to a different kind of person. Yet I think they are capable. Capable of earning like those who work in a two wheeler stand. They beg but we can't count them in the list of beggars. Transgender people these days are doing so many works and live in a society of common people. They must contribute towards the nation and must join hands in a developing country like India rather than asking money in a tough manner. 

*ZIE is gender neutral pronoun and here mentions the trans.