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I
am learning to be politically correct these
days. I want to write things that makes everyone
happy. I won't write about "Biharothaan" because
a few writers specialize on that topic. I
decided to write about the Kashi bombings. I
wrote a whole article. I was reading it, but
before I hit the "send" button, I realized that
even with watered down language, the topic could
inflame passions of some. So I scrapped the
article.
Then, I wanted to write an academic piece about
the Battle of Karbala to educate the Hindu (or
even some Muslim) readers and thus promote a
better mutual understanding. When I mentioned my
desire to write about it to a Muslim friend. He
said that it was not a good idea because, many
people did not want to talk about it, and like
the holocaust, it was a "no-no" topic for the
Muslims. I scrapped that idea too.
Then one day I decided to write about the birds
of Bihar. I wrote the article half way and then
I realized that for most readers a Jacana or a
Pied Wagtail were as alien as the moons of the
planet Uranus. So I scrapped the idea.
Then I decided to write about the movies. I
found that the explicit nature of most of the
new movies made me angry and an article written
in passion is never good. I found Parineeta to
be good, but it had explicit sexual scenes
unnecessary stuffed in it. That took a nice
movie out of the Living room setting and you
could not watch a movie like this with the
family. Sushmita Sen's 'Chingari' was even
worse. I found it contrary to my values and I
did not want to write about a topic I felt so
strongly about. So I scrapped the idea.
So, I wrote a poem.
Mera Kagaz reh jata hai kora
thami kalam chal nahin paati
Phool bhi chubhte hain yaarab to
sookhti syahi gal nahin paati
bandishen itni hain to fir
halak ki baat nikal nahin paati
kya kahen, kya naa kahen
kashmakash hai is baat ki
man ke khayalon ki bhasha
shabdon mein dhal nahin paati
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Comments: |
Aarcee
ji, whoever you are but surely a
genius person. Even I hesitated to
write comments on PatnaDaily now a
days. But, it is emotion for Bihar
that brings us back here.
Hum to chale the apano se milane,
lekin hame apano ne hin maara,
Rok diya hamaari kalam ko, kar diya
bichron ka batwara,
Hame rokana hin tha to chupchap rok
diye hote,
Hum sambhal jaate likhate huye
dobara.
yun gaaliya na dete, Aakhir hum bhi
kuchh hain,
Ab kuchh bhi ho, hamesha ki tarah
Bihar jita aur main haara.
- Tarakeswar Dubey - Mar. 11,
2006
Aarcee ji, your pain is
understandable but there are many
topics on which you can write. Your
tongue is not tied just sharpness of
your words should be occasionally
blunted.
Point it is that a topic which is
sensitive can become soft just by
tweaking a few words and vice versa.
Like you, I believe in "Freedom" and
"Freedom of Expression" but see what
we are getting whenever people
exercise this the way they like.
Many people like to speak and write
bitter truth for hours but when it
is their turn to receive, they jump
out of their chair. That is why in "Satyam
Shivam Sundaram", "Sundaram" is
imaginary. Truth is ugly, naked and
bitter and never "Sunder". That is
why in our old puranas also it is
written "Satyam Vada, Priyam Vada"
means we should speak truth but also
speak sweet.
I don't think there are any shortage
of topics. I believe discussions on
politics, religion, casteism are as
valid as "Bihar Vikas", movies, and
literature. The point is, nothing
should be flammable.
In my normal day to day life I have
made a rule not to discuss something
which touches weak nerve of someone
e.g. don't discuss language with a
Tamil, religion with Muslims, or
Vietnam with Americans etc. -
Kaushal Das - Mar. 12, 2006 |
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