छळ मांडला!!!

गेला एक-दीड महिना भटक-भटक भटकतो आहे. अगदी मेळघाट्च्या जंगलापासून ते केरळ-कन्याकुमारीपर्यन्त जाऊन आलो आहे. आयुष्यात पहिल्यान्दा सलग एवढा फ़िरलो असेल. माझे वाढलेले वजन बरेच कमि झाले हा एक महत्वाचा फ़ायदा धरुन इतर अनेक गोष्टी य सर्व प्रवासादरम्यान शिकायला मिळत गेल्या. अनेक अनुभव मिळत गेले, अनेक माणसे भेटलीत आणि मी आतुन सम्रुद्ध (हा शब्द देवनागरीत कस लिहू जर सान्गा बर) होत गेलो . निसर्गाची अनेकविध रुपे बघितलीत आणि अधिक शान्त होत गेलो. मग ते मेळघाटचे विस्तीर्ण जंगल असो कि कन्याकुमारीचा डोळे विस्फ़ारुन टाकणारा निळाशार समुद्र किंवा मग लोणारचे सरोवर! प्रत्येकच ठिकाणी स्वत:च्या खुजेपणाची जाणीव होत गेली. मनात विचार आला, आपण माणसे कशाचा आणि का एवढा माज करतो? या भव्य निसर्गासमोर आपला अस्तित्व तरी काय? आअपण तर अगदीच क:पदार्थ.
कदाचित असे विचार आणि असे अनुभवच आपल्याल खूप काही शिकवून जात असतील. म्हणूनच प्रवासाने मनुष्य शहाणा होतो असे म्हनत असतील, नाही का ?
हा निसर्ग, हे अनुभव, प्रवासात भेटलेली माणसे, मनात येणारे विचार सगळच काही शब्दात व्यक्त करत येणार नाही कारण काही अनुभव शब्दांच्या पलिकडलेही असतातच ना, आपल्या सर्वांचेच!
पण व्यक्त करता येण्यासारखही बरंच आहे! तेच शब्दात मांडण्याचा प्रयत्न करणार आहे. वज़्ज़र, धारगद, रायपुर, केरळ आणि लोणार!
मित्रांनो, छळ मांडला आहे, सहन करायला तयार रहा!

सुंदर!

निघालो आहे मस्तीत वेगळ्याच,
ध्यास घेऊन सुंदरतेचा
उर भरुनी प्रत्यय घेतो
जगण्याच्या या विशालतेचा!
अश्रू सुंदर, हास्य सुंदर,
मुखामुखावरील स्मितही सुंदर
धरती सुंदर, अंबर सुंदर
माणसान्मधील प्रीतही सुंदर!
मिट्ट काळोखी अन्धारही सुंदर,
मंद प्रकाशी दीपही सुंदर
विश्वात व्यापलेला अवघ्या
जीवन्ततेचा हुंकार सुंदर!
कवेत घेऊन जगणे सारे,
मस्त मोकळा गातो आहे
हात पुढे मी पसरलेलाच
जो जे देईल घेतो आहे!
माणूस सुंदर , झाडही सुंदर
अनादी सुंदर, अनंत सुंदर
प्रत्येकामध्ये लपून आहे,
व्याप्त तो भगवंत सुंदर!
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नक्षलवाद तुमच्या दारातही येऊ शकतो!

दांतेवाडा घटनेने हादरलेल्या प्रशासन आणि शासनाला सावरायलाही वेळ न देता, नक्षलवाद्यांनी छत्तीसगढ मध्ये पुन्हा एक बस उडवून सर्वांना जोराचा धक्का दिला. या आणि अशा अनेक घटना घडल्यावर आपण नक्षल्यांवर टिका करतो आणि ते कसे चुकीचे आहेत हे स्वत: ला व इतरांना पटवून सांगतो. नक्षलवाद्यांचा मार्ग पटो अथवा न पटो, आपल्या प्रत्येकाच्या मनात एक कुतुहल त्यांच्या बद्दल, त्यांच्या आयुष्याबद्दल नेहमीच असते. आणि तरी सुद्धा कुठेतरी नक्षल्यांबद्दल मनात रागच जास्त असतो.
पिचलेल्या जनतेला न्याय देण्याच्या उदात्त भावनेतून चारु मुझुमदारांनी सुरु केलेली ही चळवळ आज, त्याच जनसामान्यांच्या विरोधात जात असुन त्यांच्यातच नवीन जमीनदार आणि बुर्ज़्वा लोक तयार होत आहेत. आज जरी या चळवळीची दिशा चुकली असेल आणि तिचे मार्गक्रमण हे दहशतवादी संघटनेकडे सुरु असेल, तरी जी परिस्थिती प्रखरपणे या चळवळीने जगापुढे आणली, ती परिस्थिती आज देखील कायम आहे, वेष्टन बदललेल्या स्वरुपात!
आज देखील सरकारी यन्त्रणेची मुजोरी तितकीच आहे, निर्ढावलेपणा तसाच आहे, माहिती अधिकार कायदा येउन सुद्धा त्यांचे छुपे व्यवहार व गरिबांना नाडणे तसेच सुरु आहे. अधिकारी, नेते, गुंड आणि उद्योगपती यांचे साटे लोटे तसेच सुरु आहे. प्रत्येक जातीतील ठराविक लोक सोडले तर अनेक जण 'वंचित' या एकाच जातीत सामावणारे आहेत. त्रास खेड्यातच आहेत असे नाही, ते शहरातही आहेतच, त्यांचे स्वरुप वेगळे असेल. आमच्या देशातील जे भाग १९४७ साली मागास होते, ते आजही मागास श्रेणीतच मोडतात. आहे रे आणि नाही रे यांच्यातील दरी विस्तीर्ण होत आहे. आमच्या देशातील सर्वच जाती समूहांना असुरक्षित वाटत आहे. अशी सर्व परिस्थिती ही नक्षलवादासाठी अत्यंत पोषक असते. याचाच अर्थ आमची शहरे देखील नक्षली गटांची ठिकाणे बनू शकतात. चळवळीला प्रतिष्ठा प्राप्त होण्यासाठी तिला बुद्धिवंतांची साथ लाभणे आवश्यक असते. काही वर्षांपूर्वी विद्यापीठांमधून शिकणार्‍या कम्युनिस्ट व जहाल डाव्या विचारवंतांनी, कलावंतानी, साहित्यिकांनी नक्षल चळवळीला अशी वैचारिक साथ दिली होती. त्यामुळेच या चळवळीला तात्त्विक अधिष्ठान प्राप्त झाले; अन्यथा ती मुस्लिम दहशतवादी चळवळीच्या मार्गाने गेली असती. आज ती त्याच मार्गाने चाललेली आहे. तिला पुन्हा सुशिक्षित तरुणांकडून समर्थन मिळू द्यायचे नसेल तर सरकार प्रमाणेच अम्हालाहि काही तरी पुढाकार घेऊन करावे लागेल. सरकार ने विकास कामांना आदिवासी भागात गती दिली पाहिजे, सुविधा पुरवल्या पाहिजेत, सरकारी यन्त्रणा अधिक माणुसकीपूर्ण झाली पाहिजे, हे अत्यंत आवश्यक आहे. तसेच नागरिक म्हणून आपण काय करु शकतो याच देखिल प्रत्येकाने विचार करण्याची गरज आहे. लहान पणापासून राष्ट्रवादाची भावना रुजविणे, सर्व काही मीच न ओढता वंचितांना काही देण्याची तयारी ठेवणे, त्या वंचितांपर्यन्त पोचण्याची, जाण्याची तयारी ठेवणे आणि नक्षली चळवळीला समर्थन करणार्‍यांचा विरोध करणे, आपापल्या ठिकणी हे आपण नक्कीच करु शकतो. गडचिरोलिला जाऊन एक वेगळे टुरीजम करणे, ख्रिश्चन मिशनर्‍यांच्या पैश्यावर पोसलेल्या आपल्या देशद्रोही मिडियाचा विरोध करणे हे ही आपण करु शकतो. हे खूप सोपे उपाय झालेत. काही उपाय आपण ही सुचवू शकता. मला अपेक्षा आहे प्रतिक्रियांची आणि ऊपायांची! वाट बघतो आहे!
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Yeh 'India' Ka Cricket Hai !

Indians hardly love any other thing with such fascination, desperation and aggrssion than Cricket. Whether we love cricket stars or the sport itself has remained the topic of debate always. For me, the thing to mention is that these cricketing stars reflect the changing mode of our society, change in attitudes of our people and in general changing India.
Indian Cricket got real world recognition only after Sunil Gavaskar. Before him, our Cricket was under big impression of Britishers as our country was in that period. Mind you, Gavaskar came in 1971 and Amitabh Bacchan did his entry in same '70s. Indians had started to come out of any sort of obligation and binding of others in that period and hence his 'Angry Young Man' image was so much accepted. During same years, Gavaskar came on the circuit and since then he took Indian cricket to a newer height earning respect from cricketing world. Kapil Dev was also the product of this decade. The first Pokharan was also done in same decade. Is it a coincidence?
Cut to 90's. India was striving to sustain and earning greater credibility in the world. Some aggression based on old basics was coming both in cricket and in society before 90's. After the globalisation, scenario change. This is the decade, when the ever great batting trio of India, Sachin, Saurav and Dravid came and rocked the world. It was the next step, when aggression was increased, confidence was on much higher levels. Throwing all shackles, the regenerated India, in Cricket, was ready to set a big challenge in front of other cricketing countries. Was not this the same story for India as a country in world affairs? Sachin, Saurav and Rahul were the icons of that generation who had seen old values and want to go ahead without going away from those values. Politeness, patience, down to earth attitude of the trio was the peculiar characteristic of Indian society then. How can I forget Anil Kumble in this list? In 1997,Kumble took 10 wickets. 1998 was the most successful year of Sachin and he was acclaimed as best betsman by the world after this. Second Pokharan was also done in 1998. Was it a coincidence?
Cut to 2005, India was emerging as a power in world and in Cricket also. There comes the entire new generation. Yuvraj, Dhoni, Harbhajan,Gambhir. More aggression, more confidence, totally different attitudes, values, beliefs and styles. Sometimes, loosing ground due to over confidence and over aggression. Isn't it a story of Indian youths after 2005. Mind you fiends, college going students have changed tremendously after 2005. Same is the Cricket. They want to do new things, hardly ready to listen others and believe much in themselves. IPL came after this? Breed of young politicians in India also came after this. Is this too a coincidence?
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Refreshed and Silent!

Jungles fascinate me and for me those are like schools. Every visit to forest carve out some different lesson hidden in the treasure of the nature and makes me wealthier than last visit. The recent visit to Tadoba gave me similar experience which can only be termed as 'spiritual' and i became literally 'speechless'.
Tadoba tiger project is in Chandrapur district. Taru Ba is the god for Madiya and Gondi tribals in this area and hence the jungle is known Tadoba. Gond king use to organise Pooja and fare in this jungle earlier. For Tadoba, we started at 6 a.m. in an open gypsy and with a young enthusiastic guide. As like our family, people go to Tadoba, with the one and only desire, that is to see the Tiger. It is not totally wrong with that, but the danger is that we may miss to spot on the other beauty of the forest. There is one board at the entrance of Tadoba forest. It says, no one can assure you that tiger will be spotted, but the real fun lies in this unpredictability. Apart from Tiger, there are Cheetal, Chuasingha, barking deer, wild dogs, bison, crocodile, beer, wild cats, any number of beautiful birds and of course amazing forest. There is tree called 'Karai', it turns white in summer, green in winter and red in rainy season. When it turns white, with its peculiar branches, it looks like a ghost and hence also called as 'ghost tree'.
Tadoba as like many other forests really have many fantastic stories about forest and animal. along with us, there was a foreigner researcher on the tour and it was his ninth round to forest. Inspite of that he had not seen the tiger and was determined to do the 'task'. Now, when I am writing this, I am sure he will be on the Safari doing same mary-go-round activity. As our guide told, once he was as usual surfing through forests along with his troup of tourists which also had one professional photographer. On the way, they found four wild dogs, trying to hunt a mother deer and her two baby deers. For any nature photographer the seen was rare and an exciting opportunity to capture. Two wild dogs, seperated mother from her babies and two others were killing those babies. When dogs were trying to leave the mother, she was attacking them and babies were running away. The fight continued for 15 to 20 minutes and at last wild dogs got the success. These dogs eat the prey when it is alive. Dogs were eating small deers when they were alive and their mother was just seeing it helplessely. A minute later, teers fell on the earth, from the eyes of mother deer and also of the tourists who were watching that struggle for life. The photographer, just shut down his camera, even though it might be a supreme snap for him and sat down in shocked, speechless condition, the scene was such a horrible. Neither deer nor wild dogs were wrong. There are many things in life which might be wrong from our eyes, but can be the reason of sustaining for others. As deers were important for dogs for their living. Many times our fate, lies in the control of others. Ah!
We also saw the dead beer killed by the tiger just a couple of days back, a Chuasingha falling fruits with its awsome horns, the idle looking crocodile on the bank of the lake, birds flying over water in style, the blue- green parrot and the beautiful lake in forest. The beauty of Tadoba or of any jungle lies in, just seeing what comes ahead of you. What I like personally, is the silence in the jungle, which is a thing to experience personally. The refrshing experience!
So, it was my another tour which ended on positive note and an invitation from the guide to come again in Tadoba in summer, just to see the king of Jungle, The Tiger. Who knows I may go again there, as the first eye contact with that beauty, has already created eagerness and excitement in me.
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Happy New Year of Hope!

And here the new year starts! One more time, lets pray for everything better! The year of new hope, new inspirations, new zeal, new freshness, new feel, new romanticism and new facts. The year of new dawn of better life has started. Keeping a step on the stone we turned last year, lets go on more height. Lets cross some more distance in the direction of everything that is good and noble.
This year's morning has peeped into my life with a great freshness. It has brought the message from somewhere that the new year will be better than last year. Today's morning came giving birth to some beautiful words in my mind. Consequently, those words spread on the paper in the form of a poem. Obviously, the poem reflects the happiness, which has come today to reside in me.
On this first day, let me demand something from The Almighty. I hope that I will come across good persons more than last year and give me some more friends. Hey God, give me huge number of and variety of experiences to enrich my life, give me the vision to see everything that is beautiful in the life and give me the power to make this world beautiful. The year has started beautifully and I hope that this beauty will continue to reach to lives of all of us.
The only thing I felt sorry about! Remember, in the last week or fortnight, entire world was expressing the big concern over climate change. The farce of Copenhegan was on mount and global warming had become the buzzword. For media people like us, the conference was as like festival and everybody was talking or writing on it. Yesterday night everything against that concern about climate occured and the fact came ahead crying that our concerns were so temporary and false. The fire works on the eve of arrival of new year at the midnight, might have done such a huge pollution about which we talk making a big mouth. But, media does not care about it nor does many others. Sound pollution and the garbage we would have done at various places, that is different. Developed and developing countries, both were jubiliating and polluting the world on yesterday night. Who should blame on whom? Hope we will become serious about this climate change issue and do something beyond conducting conferences in AC rooms, the most dangerous polluter!
Sorry for bringing this unpleasant topic amidst festive mood and ending here it immediately as I know that we all are happy and fresh today. I wish all of you a happy new year
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I condemn this democracy!

Two political rivals, from same party, met once at a cross section. One is seating MLA as well as a minister while the another one is an aspiring candidate of assembly elections from the same constituency. Both are trying to overpower each other in getting assembly elections ticket. The minister says,” I built roads and flyovers, made the city beautiful, I am trying to bring industries in the SEZ sanctioned due to my efforts, brought the new airport, I am a close associate of former chief minister and have good connections with high command, what do you have”?. The another person replied “Mere Pass Maa Hai”!
This is the anecdote which is nowadays getting told in political and social spheres of Amravati. The minister is Dr.Sunil Deshmukh who has every right to demand a ticket for next assembly elections due to developmental works he has done while the aspiring candidate is Raosaheb Shekhawat, son of President of India, Pratibha Patil. Shekhawat has all of sudden emerged on political scene of Amravati since one year from nowhere, no need to mention due to backing of post of President of India. This is the story of entire political sphere of our country.
You must be remembering, Poonam Mahajan had made a cry on not getting Lok Sabha elections ticket. In these elections of Maharashtra, many political leaders of the state are trying to project their wards as their political heirs. Bhujbal, Pawar, Munde, Anand Adsul, Ranjit Deshmukh, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Sushilkumar Shinde, Datta Meghe, Ranjit Deshmukh, Madhukar Sarpotdar, hundreds of Shikshan and Sahakar Maharshees and many others political leaders are trying to make grounds for their children in coming elections. Are we living in democracy? I have stopped believing in it. If these people are natural choices for candidature, what should a common party activist do, who spend his valuable days and years for party work? How can a common person be given a chance to represent people.
Few years back, Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party used to give tickets to common party workers and made many leaders from those activists. But, this practice is stopped almost completely in all parties. Our shameless leaders ask, if a doctor’s son can become doctor, lawyer’s son can become lawyer why not a politician’s son become a politician? Hell with these shameless leaders. They are talking as if politics is a business and this country is their private property. Are we living in monarchy? Is this country is kingdom of these useless political leaders?
Government makes campaigns for increasing voting percentage. They appeal us to awake and vote for making our democracy stronger. But to whom should we vote when successors of well settled political leaders are only persons contesting elections just due to ability of spending more money earned by their fathers doing all malpractices. Then when will a common person get a real chance to participate in democracy, as mentioned by our constitution and which is buried in those large books only. I don’t believe that we are living in real democracy.
I condemn this political system and such ‘power-blinded’ leaders and their akas. If you think there is some sincerity in my feelings, please condemn this monarchial practice of India. Forward this to all your acquaintances, comment on it, discuss this at your meetings and gatherings, react on it. This will not only do things correct, but at least the subject will be discussed at many avenues. Many great things happen from some small starts only. Choice is yours!
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