Padmanabh

My dinner: a strategic game plan for him

2009-04-06T19:23:00.001+05:30

It has been 13 years, since I had taken breakfast regularly. I had completely abandoned the idea of breakfast and I am sure, I had never taken breakfast at least in this millennium. When I was in school in late 80's my routine was like this, I use to wake up at 05:30 AM, got myself ready at 06:00AM, breakfast at 06:30AM, mathematics tuition from 07:00AM to 08:30AM. Taking bath at 09:00AM, Lunch at 09:30AM, school from 10:00 to 03:30AM, snacks at 04:30AM, all (wild) play from 04:30 to 06:30PM, study/home work from 07:00PM onward and dinner at sharp 08:45PM just before hitting the bed. I remember, I use to follow this routine 340 days a year. Rest of 25 days were meant for festivals, guests and the days when we were celebrating the preparation of non-veg, which was very rare, because my mother has been a pure vegetarian, right from her childhood. Point to be noted my lord, no TV, no internet and no cricket. Still what a fantastic lifestyle.

Everything has been changed now. Virtually no routine, lunch timing is always based on work schedule and the leisure time after work is attributed to the internet. My famous slogan is "जब से इन्टरनेट ने साथ दिया टी.वी. और बीवी दौनो की छुट्टी हो गई thanks to the internet my wife and TV both got reliving letter" But irrespective of the schedule, I have made sure that we take dinner at the same time (08:45PM) with everyone sitting on the ground, plates and bowls spread around us and we ensure we use our four fingers to stimulate the taste buds effectively. Though the schedule of most of the activities changed but still the schedule of our dinner remain same. We still take dinner at the same time 08:45PM. Moreover, now we have 3 years old Ayachi, my son, in the family to be with us for dinner.

It is our dinner but it is a strategic game plan for Ayachi. Mostly his mom feed him "daal-chawal-sabji" three times a day. However, he never miss to be with us during dinner. He always use to occupy the middle seat. He insists his mom to match the numbers of bowls and plates. He use to sit like me, with two of his legs cross folded into his lap (palathi) and his body erected at 90^o to the ground.

Though, he always positioned himself to be in line with me and my wife, however, he is more happy in positioning plates and bowls strategically within the reach of his hands, rather he has to re-arrange the system for him. He use to put sabzi in daal and enjoy rotating the mixture with his index finger around the periphery of the bowls, thus making a hollow cone. If he finds either of us staring at him, he makes sure to give us an intelligent look, pretending that he is very serious in his business. Even if it is not require, he will ask for spoons and play with the bowls. He rotates the roti several times like a wheel and sometimes ups and downs. He maintain the pattern very well in either of the case. In between, just for pretending, he will put a piece of aloo. Instead of bringing his hand closer to his mouth, he bends down at 90^o making his half of the structure parallel to the ground. For anybody else, this may be his immature behavior but for him, it is "yet another game". If we leave him at his will and if we give him company, he will continue to eat (read play) for 3 hours, 4 hours or any number.

I don't have any hesitant in writing, though I happen to be our dinner, but it remains his strategic game plan.

My dinner: a strategic game plan for him

2009-04-06T19:21:00.001+05:30

I don't have any hesitant in writing, though I happen to be our dinner, but it remains his strategic game plan.

Vivah: the non contractual marriage (part-1)

2009-04-03T10:51:00.003+05:30

So, when Columbus started his voyage to find India, he incidentally discovered America. But he did not stopped at America and kept moving ahead. Finally he reached the place where he departed initially. He was wondering, he traveled so much but why he reached that departure point. Later, he realized the world is round. In ancient time many people across the globe traveled to India for one reason and eventually discovered others. The process of finding India didn’t stop at Columbus. Mr. Thomas Friedman traveled to India in 21st century and observed the changes caused by IT and BPO and he claimed that there is no boundary between any two individual and actually the world is flat.

I will neither agree nor disagree with Mr. Friedman. Sometime when I am communicating across the globe using emails, telephone or yahoo and google groups, the world appears completely flat for me. However, when I see this world without emails and mobile phones through my rich cultural heritage, this world still appears to me a giant rounded football. If you start discovering a particular culture eventually you will arrive at the the point from where you have started in beginning. For example, if I start thinking what is marriage? Is it not absolutely possible to have a family without marriage, thereby, a social life? Yes, more I try to discover the answer of these questions more confusion I get. Then I feel sorry for Mr. Friedman, for, I have every good reason to say the world is still rounded.

Before the readers start feeling the roundness of this world through this article, let me be to the point, “why I am writing this article?”. Yes, in this article, I will try to explain the process and rituals of marriage in Mithila region of India. You may ask, “who are you to explain these things? and why are you doing so?”.

Well, I am a common man and I have been observing these things for last 32 years. I have an eye of anthropologist and I can not understand illogical things. So in this article I will try to see the process and rituals of marriage in Mithila with my anthropologist eye.

“What does it mean?”, you may ask this question again.

I have an anthropologist eye, it means, I don’t believe in the “Garden of Eden” where an apple caused so many issues (yes, I say it an issue). On the other hand I believe in the theory of evolution and thus I believe monkeys were our forefathers.

Second set of questions may be asked to me, “why are you writing this? whom do you want to educate and why?”. My actual target readers are those young maithils who want to understand the rituals of marriage. Typically they are those young people who are either going to get married soon or recently married couples who always wonder what is the purpose of a particular process in a ritual? It is also targeted to those young maithils, who wants to avoid a particular rituals only because he/she doesn’t like it to go through. I can promise, if the readers go through these articles sincerely, there will be no confusion in their minds. If not confusion at least I can vouch that the readers will come to know there is a reason behind every process of a ritual.

Being a firm believer of the principal of social science, I think even there is an important relationship between a reader and a writer. I have already mentioned the purpose of this article. Now it is my expectation from the reader. First thing I would expect from the reader to have patience. I am very energetic and if this energy is not tamed it flows as my arrogance. I would expect from the readers to bear with my un-tamed energy. Third expectation is, I am not a trained writer. So, you may find some strange way of explanation. If you are a voracious reader of English language, it may be possible that my language is non-conventional. I will appreciate, if you can point out these.

So at the very outset of this I have started finding how the word marriage is defined across the globe and let me thank google, for its enormous strength. Following are the excerpt of my research on this word:

Wordnet, a Princeton dictionary defines marriage as, “the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)”

Wikipedia defines marriage, “Marriage or wedlock is an interpersonal relationship (usually intimate and sexual) with governmental, social, or religious recognition. It is often created by a contract or through civil processes”.

One of the famous websites of USA defines, “Socially-approved sexual and economic union, usually of a male and a female, which is assumed to be more or less permanent.”

Another website of family matters in US define, “Historically, a relationship between a male, a female and their families whose primary purpose is to raise offspring. Today many people use the word to describe a committed, loving relationship with or without children.”

Indian says, “Marriage is a union of two souls which is made in heaven”.

One important point to note at this point is that marriage is volunteering act till divorce. Another important point to remember is that a marriage is a contract. So the definition of marriage is based on the term divorce and contract. This will help the reader to understand the marriage from maithils culture point of view.

To be continued….

A lady or a Book of Mathematics

2009-03-05T19:03:00.007+05:30

For foreign visitors: Believe me, the first time when I saw Leelawati, a heritage book of mathematics written in ancient India, I was astonished. This book has more than 500 pages, written purely in Sanskrit verses. Its language is so brilliant that you will not accept it readily, that this is a book of mathematics, a spherical trigonometry in particular, rather it will appear to you as an epic, like Ramayana and Mahabharta. This book has been written thousands years ago. In those days, Indians were very rich in literature and science and technologies. The research works were carried out in deep jungle and the researchers believed that you cannot find peace in materialistic world. Though, several times, researchers and religious leaders had differences of opinions, but it was widely believed (still now) that during that period there were very thin line between religion and science. There has been a contradictory theory (1) Leelawati was rather daughter of Bhaskaracharya (2) she was her wife. I have come across the later one more often. Irrespective of the theory, Leelawati, a popular female name in India is a book on mathematics. In following story, I am trying to explain why a name of the book is given after a simple lady.

Today, it was just a simple dawn, as it seems though. The birds were chirping, the Saint had gone for morning bath. The sun was about to bang at the horizon but its appearance can be felt. The petals of the flowers were gaining energy to bloom soon. The light was about to convert from blackish red to full fledged bright sunlight. It was a great morning.

This lady was performing her routine activities. However, today, she was in no mood to escape from the Saint. Rather, she would face the truth of the reality, a fact about her way of life. The work that she has been doing for last 20 years. Why not, She? A wild goose chase has just converted into a Red letter’s day, today, in the life of the Saint. She has just completed her daily duty of cleaning his work place, placing his carpet and necessary tools beside his holy seat. She had given fodder to his cow. Arranged sticks of dried mango trees. She had been desperately waiting for the Saint who had gone for his morning bath in nearby river. She was feeling unusual, for... She has to leave the scene before the Saint arrives, the routine work she had been doing for last 20 years. But she is proud today, for what she has done. It was really a Red Letter’s Day in the life of both the lady and the saint.

Almost all the great mathematicians from all over India were invited to take part in the banquet, which was organized by this Saint named “Bhaskaracharya”. The banquet was organized on the occasion of the completion of his research work in mathematics and astronomy. Mr. Bhaskaracharya would be honored by above mathematicians for his unique work. The heart of the lady was banging and breaking the silence of the loneliness. Suddenly, the Saint Bhaskaracharya arrived. Completely, engrossed in his thought, he ignored the lady in front of him.

The lady bent down and touched his feet in his honor. His instantaneous feelings could not stopped him to ask the lady, “Who are you?” In response the lady couldn’t tell anything, as the tears broke out of the corner of her eyes. She could have demanded her compensation for the sacrifice; she has been making for last 20 years. If not the compensation, it could have been the right of a common woman. But, she was completely silent, and tears were the only means for communication to the outside world. The Saint again asked, “Who are you?” This time she couldn't stop herself, replied, “It is me, Leelavati”. In response he composed himself and a sign of interrogation appeared on his face which was loud enough to be read as, “ Who Leelavati?” Facial expressions are mightier than the words, it was too much for her, and she couldn’t stop herself, as the Saint was not able to recognize her. “Remember, the promise, once you had committed to my father”, She murmured. The Saint looked into the eyes of the Lady called herself as “Leelavati”. The tears were still coming out of the corner of her blank and big eyes. The saint found himself disappeared in the event that happened 20 years back.

He had just graduated from the school where the father of the said lady was his mathematics teacher. This Saint “Bhaskaracharya” was his brilliant student. He had seen every quality in Bhaskar for the quality research in Mathematics and Astronomy. The father of the lady and teacher of Bhaskaracharya was on his deathbed and felt that his daughter could be an orphan after his death. So he called his one of the best student and demanded “Gurudakshina” as his ultimate wish. He was knowing that Bhaskar had taken vow not to marry in his life for the sake of his study in mathematics. In those days, great researchers of India, use to stay in jungle for carrying out the results. There are great examples (like Aryabhatt who invented “zero” and it was customery for a student to give an ultimate gift to his teacher. Now, the man on deathbed had given him an order to marry with his daughter Leelavati. Bhaskar was in “Dharmshankat” (holy dilemma) but still obeyed his guru at the deathbed.

Bhaskar thought that he had been trapped by the wish of his teacher and his further career would never be the same, the way he planned. He would indulge himself in earning bread and butter for his wife and children. But to the women with whom he had married, had a super gene in her blood. She had decided not to be an obstacle in the research work of his man. She had decided to give every daily life comfort and fulfill the needs of her husband. And in this process she used to stay away from his working place but looked after him, worked like a maid for him, so that he can carry his research without getting disturbed.

The time had started passing and the saint was so much busy in his work that he had forgotten that sometimes he had married to a woman. It took almost 20 years to complete his work. He had compiled his work and today he was going to get recognition for what he had done in last 20 years. The book dealing largely on arithmetic’s, spherical trigonometry, and astronomy was ready to challenge the world of science and technology across the globe. He had to worked through day and nights to complete his work. But into the eyes he was looking at that moment, had a great contribution. The saint felt a selfless sacrifice of the true womanhood, which was only meant for her husband. This book wouldn’t have come into present shape without the hidden contribution of his lady.

It was a log poise. Saint decided to break the silence. He asked the Lady, “What is your name?” “It is Leelavati”, she whispered. The Saint hold both the arm of the lady, started looking into her big blank eyes, “I have committed a sin. No, this is not fare. Now only compensation, I can award you is…”.

“What?”, Asked the lady.

The saint continued, “I am going to name this book after you. This is Leelawati, a book on mathematics and spherical trigonometry, whoever will read this book, will have to remember your sacrifice”. Enough is engough. This time, it was the saint couldn’t stop himself in crying like a kid. However, the lady was standstill like a statue. She didn’t have the right word to express her feeling. See composed herself and escorted her husband to the open compound, where other experts were waiting for him.

Thousands year later, someone has written in west, “There is always a woman behind the success of a man”.

What is there in a name

2009-03-04T21:38:00.000+05:30

It was a fine breezy morning when the security personnel of one of the customer of my company in Pittsburgh, PA, USA returned back with wide smile on his face. It was not the simple smile as it seems though; rather it was the mixed reaction (not in proportion) of his inability to pronounce my name and his ability to find it in his computer database thereby giving me permission to enter into their huge premises. Momentarily, I cannot stop myself blaming my father for giving me such a name. But later realized that your name in india is not just a name, it is more than that. My father did what generations have been doing in India.

When the Vedic culture in India was about to become an extinct; all of the Indian decided to defend it. In doing so they decided to name their kinds as one of the character of the Vedic era. Their esteemed offspring followed their path. You will find lots of people in India with the name Vishnu, Venkatesh, Arjun, Bhism etc. which are most known personality of Vedic era. Little did our forefathers know that the population of India will cross 100000000. Alas! There was no more Vedic character remaining to be renamed as another Indian. Necessity is mother of innovation. With shortage of Vedic Character Indian parents took the most innovative techniques to give a name to their kids. Thus in doing so the process of naming a child was re-defined and twisted a bit to suit the current scenario. Now synonymes (not the antonymes) of the original words, the adjective of the name or their offspring, the hybrid methodology was used. Thanks god colonial european didn't find any issue with it.

Now, the Indian Parents start looking for the name of the kids the day an embryo is conceived in the mother’s womb OR even earlier. They apply their all intelligence in doing so. The name should be unmatchable. It represents the aspiration of the parents. It represents the un-fulfilled dream of the parents which they want to visualize (read realize) in his kids.

My name Dr. Kumar Padmanabh has so many constituent drivers. Obviously, I have earned the first two letters of my name by putting my efforts and therefore I am bit different Indian who can dare to go beyond his father’s imagination (You may not disagree once you will happen to meet me). I don’t have my surname (Mishra) which is a custom in Bihar a state in the Republic of India to protest against the cast system (In India your surname represents your caste). Kumar means the ever young. Padmanabh Consists of two words (i) Padma: The lotus and (ii) Nabh: The navel in the middle of the abdomen. Literally means a person who has grown a lotus in his navel. In hindu mythology it represents the god Vishnu. The Vishnu: who takes care of all the creatures of this universe? So I am Dr. Kumar Padmanabh, the ever young Vishnu who had gone two letters beyond his father’s imagination.

It is not only the name, it is more than that. Had I ever got a chance to meet Shakespeare he must not had stated, “what is there in the name”.

P.S: I put all my resources and efforts to name my SON as “Ayachi Padmanabh Mishra”.

My vaishno devi tour (Part-1, the train journey)

2009-03-02T12:56:00.003+05:30

Out of eight berths in the compartment, 5 were occupied by 3 girls and 2 boys in their early 20’s, another was for single passive stranger, yet another for one old man in his early 60’s with vibrant personality and the remaining one left for me. It could not have been a better combination of co-passengers for any writer’s fantasy. If not the writer, this was a perfect framework with right configuration for an interesting travelogue. The old man in his early 60’s was the first one to greet me, once, I entered the already crawling Rajdhani express after running for 1.5 KM tirelessly and avoiding dozen of collie just to acknowledge them that I am healthy, fit and still young. For, I didn’t want to miss the train and catch a flight in Rs. 5,000. After taking deep breath for 10 minutes, I asked the old gentleman, just to set the context, “will we get the dinner?”. Instead of giving me a direct answer, he asked me, “are you traveling first time in Rajdhani?”. “Yes! This is my first Rajadhani trips”, I nodded my head in affirmation.

“hey young man, in Rajadhani you will get, dinner after the hot soup, not only dinner you will get tea, breakfast, lunch everything. The cost is included in the ticket. Anyway, relax! it is two hours before you get the dinner.” He explained everything without a single pause. Then he asked, “Do you have your business in Delhi or are you working in Bangalore”. I did not understand readily, why no business in bangalore or no jobs in delhi. Rather, I was not convinced the very idea. But I had to reply him for the sake of conversation, “Yes, I do work in Bangalore; actually I am working for Infosys”. “Oh! My god, nowadays everyone is working in Infosys. Every 3^rd person in Bangalore is working for Infosys, thank god my two sons are not like that” that old man was more enthusiastic, his palpating voice was evidence for this.

“So, what they are doing?” this was my next question. He had a quick reply, “One of them is in Yahoo research and another in nokia. I had a business in Hariyana. I abandoned my business and now I am settled in Bangalore with my kids. Younger one has been very intelligent; therefore he is working in yahoo. His first salary package was 7 lacks a year. Now it is 2 years, therefore it is substantially increased.” He told everything in one shot as he got an audience after long time. He was happy to find me for this purpose. He was among so many proud fathers whose life changed dramatically post economical liberalization (after “world become flat” as sensed by Thomas Freidman).

I have also experienced those changes, so could not digest his ignorance about my company. I asked him, “Uncle jee, I know very well, the different components of 7.0 lacks offered by yahoo”. I am an alumnus of IIT and I am in research. First time he realized, his information for Rajdhani express has gone waste, since I must have been traveling by flights or Rajadhani. I did remember what my professor (PhD advisor) told me 3 years back, “In India brand name of IIT and Infosys always works. This old man was not arrogant in describing his son’s success, rather he was enthusiastic, extrovert and entrepreneurially skilled spokesman, who could always think and speak out of box. Except the huge age difference, I felt, I was like him.

I spent next 40 hours talking to him on different topics, starting from IT industry to present economy through national and international politics. Except IT he was yet another common man of R. K. Narayan who has been witnessing so many disturbances around him but was helpless to change the system. Next morning, I observed strange sequence of events. He pulled out his new HP laptop from his bag and started playing old bolywood music video. He was enjoying himself. He was using earplug to avoid disturbance to other passengers. It was all normal until he told me, whether I was interested in music. I replied,”Oh no! This is not my cup of tea”.

So he asked, “You must be interested in new movew, the slum dog millionaire. It is yet to be released in India. Yesterday, I put it for download from the movie website torrence.com. This is the website where you can download movie. You know it take 24 hours to download this movie.”

He was more confident in describing India will never change. With so many IT developments in Bangalore still it takes 24 hours to download a movie.

The amount of changes that we have seen in last 10 years is more than what we saw in previous 50 years. Mr. Sharma, an old man in his early 60’s, my co-passenger, was the best example to describe this changes. He had an Orkut profile, and was trying his hand on facebook, he use to download movie of his choice from a website, which I (33 years old young IT professional) don’t know.

I had to kill my time, so I agreed to see that movie, though, I don’t like movie, for I don’t want to spend 3 hours in front of the idiot box. So far, I was the only one to know about the old gentle man who had an Orkut profile, a 10th grade pass ex businessman who use to download pirated movie (though he didn’t know, it was illegal) from the website, who had the complete knowledge about few yet to be released movie, who own a personal laptop and who was thinking that he was at par with any young educated man, who readily accept the fact that he was merely 10^th grade pass but a proud father of two successful young IT professional. As I started movie without the earphone the other co-passenger also joined. Initially they thought it was my laptop but after listening our conversation about his expertise on new movie stuff, the group of 3 girls and 2 boys joined us, just for the sake of applauding old gentleman.

Frankly speaking, had it not been this old gentleman, my journey would have been a complete mess, boredom and I would have spent time in sleeping. It was a beautiful 42 hours, I didn’t realized how my journey was over. To be continued…

2009-02-20T22:21:00.002+05:30

I am leading the wireless sensor networking (WSN) research initiative of Infosys Technology Limited. This is a part of convergence research Lab, inside SetLabs (R & D wing of Infosys). I have been the main architect of the Infosys-Elixir, a product for wireless sensor networking. You can read more about this product on Infosys website [click here] and in print media (click here and here).

I have a degree of PhD (after B.E and M.Tech) in wireless sensor network from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India. I had worked under the supervision of Prof. Rajarshi Roy in the department of Electrnonics and Electrical Communication Engineering. Topic of my PhD dissertation was "Some New Approaches for Lifetime Maximization in Wireless Sensor Network". The examiners of my thesis were Prof. P.V. Raman from Indian Institute of Science and Prof. P. Tran-Gia. Würzburg Am Hubland Würzburg

Article 1

Germany.

मा...स्सा...ब पाँच मिनट..

2005-05-14T11:38:00.001+05:30

रात के साढे दस बजे इंस्टीट्यूट के मुख्य परिसर के सामने घास के मैदान मे बैठा कुछ सोच रहा था, बल्कि प्राक्रितिक हवा का आनन्द ले रहा था. सामने लिखा लम्बे बोर्ड पर लिखा था "इन्डियन इंस्टीट्यूट आफ़ टेक्नोलोजी, डेडिकेटेड टू द सर्विस आफ़ नेशन" लगा कितना प्रासंगिक एवम सत्य है ये वाक्य???.खास तौर पर "डेडिकेटेड" शब्द तो ४५ डीग्री उल्टा लटका था जो मेरे मन के शंकाओं को और ज्यादा बलवान कर रहा था. इतना ही नहीं उसमे से भुगभुगाती रौशनी मेरे ध्यान को केन्द्रित ही नही होने दे रही थी. "डेडिकेटेड" सब्द के भुगभुगाती रौशनी से मेरा ध्यान यादों के गलियारों से निकलता हुआ पहले खडगपूर से शुरु होकर "इलाहाबाद" फिर गोरख्पुर से होता हुआ बनैनियाँ तक जा पहुँचा. " बनैनियाँ " मेरा गाँव जहां मैं जिन्दगी के शुरुआती १४ साल गुजारा था. ललित कोसी पीडीत उच्च विद्यालय बनैनिञा. हाँ उससे भी पहले राज्यकीय मध्य विद्यालय बनैनिञा मेरा वास्तविक कर्म भूमि. इस स्कूल की याद आते ही कान मे जोर से सुनाइ दिया "मा...स्सा...ब पाँच मिनट...!!! सोचा क्यों ना ब्लोग लिखूं.........

पाँच मिनट बोले तो बिहार के मिथिला रीजन मे बाथरूम, टोइलेट, १ नम्बर, पकिस्तान के बदले स्कूल मे बोला जाने वाला वाक्य. देश के दुसरे हिस्से मे जितना अच्छा परिवेश उतना अच्छा तरीका.पाँच मिनट को अलग अलग अलग ढंग से बोला जाता है. जितना सभ्य समाज उतना ही सभ्य तरीका. पाँच मिनट के बोलने के तरीके से किसी का संस्क्रिति और सभ्यता उजागर होता है. यही नही लोग यहाँ तक बोलते हैं कि इससे कोइ अपने पारिवारिक वातावरण का संक्षेप मे परिचय दे देता है. बात परिवारीक हो तो कोइ बात नही यहां तो पाँच मिनट से राष्ट्रीयता और राष्ट्रप्रेम की भी भावना जुडता है. दस लोगों के बीच मे बैठे हों और अपना राष्ट्रप्रेम दिखाना हो तो पाकिस्तान को गाली देने से अच्छा और क्या हो सकता है, सो बोल दो पाकिस्तान जाना है. कितना सभ्य तरीका और कितना सारा राष्ट्रप्रेम. लेकिन हम तो राष्ट्रीयता से ऊँचा उठ कर वसुधैव कुटुम्ब्कम मे विश्वाश करते हैं इसीलिए पाकिस्तान को गाली देने के बजाए ... पाँच मिनट.

पाँच मिनट का नाम लेते ही याद आता है राज्यकीय मध्य विद्यालय बनैनिञा के एक टीचर श्री उपेन्द्र नारायण झा गाँव वालों के लिये यही नाम बांकी टीचर के लिए उपेन्द्र बाबू और हम लोगों के लिए उपेन्दर मास्स...साब. विशेषता ये को वो हम लोगो के एक पीढी उपर का भी गुरुजी रह चुके थे. किसी विद्यार्थी को धमकाना हो तो वह बोलते थे तुम्हारे पीताजी को इसी क्लास मे पीटाइ किया था तो तुम क्या चीज हो. लेकिन कालन्तर मे एक विशेष बीमारी बुढापा ने आंखो से लाचार कर दिया था.

हमारे उपेन्दर मास्सा..ब की आंख की रौशनी कमजोर पर गयी थी. हमारे पीताजी के अपेक्षा हम लोगों के उपर उनकी उतनी निगरानी नही रह पाती थी. और उपर से ५-मिनट और १०-मिनट का चक्कर ने तो उन्हें और ज्यादा लाचार बना दिया. वह करते भी तो क्या करते विद्यार्थी आते होठों को भींच कर सामने हथेली दिखाते हुए बोलते... "मा...स्सा...ब पाँच मिनट... इससे पहले की मास्सा...ब कुछ सोच पाते वह भाग चुका होता.

इस बार उपेन्दर मास्सा..ब टाइट हो गये बोले एक बार मे केवल २-३ विद्यार्थी ही पाँच मिनट जाएगा. फिर बांकी का क्या होगा. समय बीतता गया और उपेन्दर मास्सा...ब टाइट होते गए. और फिर आ गया मई का महीना. कच्चे सडक के किनारे जंगली जिलेबी का पेड और उस पर लटका हुआ लाल-लाल रंग का जलेबी. मास्सा..ब इतना टाइट और बीतता समय. स्कूल से ५-१० मिनट मिलता नही. लगा इस साल बिना जलेबी का निकल जाएगा. शाम को हमारे मित्र मन्डली ने निर्णय लिया चाहे जो कुछ भी हो मास्साब से ५-१० मिनट लेकर हम लोग जिलेबी तोडने जायेंगे. दल तैयार तो हो गया वकायदे कुटनीती के साथ की कल क्या करना है.

लो कल भी आ गया.. चाणक्य की तरह कुटनीति तो तैयार हो गयी, लेकिन कूटनीति को लागू करने का साहस किसी मे नहीं था. आखिर सिकन्दर का साहस होगा किसके अन्दर. लोगों ने आखिर सिकन्दर चुन ही लिया 'मैं, और 'अमोल'. समय आया मैं और अमोल सिकन्दर का साहस लिए उपेन्दर मास्साब के पास .... बहुत ही नजदीक एक साथ गया. हम दोनो ने अपना अपना हथेली अचानक उपेन्दर मास्साब के आंखों के सामने करता हुआ जोर से चिल्लाया मास्स..स्स..साब..... पाँच मिनट..... इससे पहले की मास्साब अपनी कमजोर नजरों से कुछ देख पाते और अनुमान लगाते की आखिर हुआ क्य....?? योजना के अनुसार बिरोज, विपिन, कैलाश, ब्रजेश और सम्बोध फ़रार. मुझको और अमोल को तो परमिशन मिल ही गया था. बांस के पेर पर चढ कर जिलेबियां टुटने लगी. ५ से १० मिनट हुआ. १० मिनट से आधा घन्टा और फिर एक घन्टा मे कुछ ही समय रहा होगा कि उपेन्दर मास्साब को ६-७ विलुप्त विद्यार्थी के तरफ़ ध्यान गया. इधर उधर खोजा कहीं नही. हमारे दल मे चाणक्य की कुटनीति थी... समय रहते सिकन्दर का साहस भी आ गया था लेकिन हम चन्द्रगुप्त की तरह दूरदर्शी नही थे. सोच ही नही की मास्साब यदि पैदल चलकर यहां तक आ जए तो क्या होगा. और उपेन्दर मास्सब सामने खडे थे. काटो तो खून नहीं. अपने दल मे एक दुसरे की कमीयां नजर आने लगी. मास्साब गरज कर बोले.... अच्छा ये है पाँच मिनट. विरोज के बुशर्ट मे रखे लाल लाल जलेबी अपने आप जमीन पर आ गया. विपिन तो बांस पर जो चढा लगा मास्साब कुछ देखे ही नही.

अन्त मे हम लोगों को स्कूल लया गया. सजा मिलि १० छडी... एक सप्ताह तक रोज खांत पढाने की जिम्मेदारी....

अभी भी कुछ प्रश्न हमेशा मुझे झकझोरता है. क्या मास्साब पाँच मिनट के बदले इतन ही रोचक कोइ सब्द कोन्वेन्ट स्कूल मे भी बोला जाता होगा या ये कोन्वेन्ट वाले "लौर्ड मैकाले" को अपना सर्वश्व लुटाने के बाद हम गाँव को असभ्य समझते रहेंगे. उत्तर चाहे कुछ भी हो.... हमारे लिए तो "मा...स्सा...ब पाँच मिनट... एक सभ्य संस्क्रिति का नाम है.... जो दुनियाँ मे 'झा' , 'मखान' , 'पाग' , बगिया, सामा-चकेबा सा और इस तरह के बहुत सारी चीजों की तरह पवित्र है.

.................पद्मनाभ मिश्र

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कुछ मेरे बारे मे

2003-04-08T20:46:00.000+05:30

बचपन से लिखने का शौक है. पहले डायरी के पन्ने काला करता था अब की बोर्ड पर ऊंगलीयाँ टपर टपर करती है. अफस्यानी व्यस्तता मे भी लिखने का समय निकाल ही लेता हूँ. बचपन मे सोचता था कि लेखक बनूंगा. लेकिन पिताजी के डाँट ने ईन्जीनियर बना दिया. मेरा दिमाग तो पिताजी की बात मान लिया लेकिन दिल को पिताजी का क्या परवाह. पिताजी का परवाह किए बगैर मुआ ना जाने कौन कौन सा गुल खिलाया. मुआ दिल का क्या ? गुल तो खिलाता ही रहता है! की बोर्ड पर ऊंगलियाँ टपराया तो क्या हुआ.