COMMON YET NOT SO COMMON!!

Walking down the road, I saw a Mercedes pass by in which a businessman, sitting in heated comfort in the bitter cold was busy working on his palm top… Just then my attention got diverted to this old, haggard man drawing his food hawker… Something that has always perplexed me is how in one society where there is supposed to be unity n diversity, there are absolutely contrasting lifestyles, needs and values and people are oblivious to others’ ways…. So what unity in diversity do we talk about?!! People hardly care how the other sections of the society are living. Yes, there are a few groups who have taken up the social challenge of creating awareness about the various sections but these groups are a minority…

I would like to contrast between two types of people, both of whose presence is very predominant. First of all lets take the likes of the businessman. Highly successful, either a self starter or runs the legacy of his family business, lives in palatial houses in posh colonies, a few luxurious cars, children going to the best private school, wife rolling in diamonds and gold, state of the art gadgets and gizmos and all that one would want to lead a grandiose and extravagant life… But if one would go below the surface and all the materialistic superficialities, unearthed would be a constant feeling of emptiness and vacuum.. Even though that man and his family would lead such a life, its not certain that they would feel and kindle a euphoric happiness and feel emotionally complete and satisfied. Because of having so much material pleasure, they forget to enjoy just the simplest moments in life, always in search of something ‘greater’ and ‘grander’, which at times, I feel doesn’t exist and its just the overworked mind running ‘wild’!!!

On the other hand, a middle class common man, simple means of livelihood, either working under someone or owning a small shop, hawker, or road side vendor.. The old man I mentioned above, fits this category best. I really did want to go into the depth of their ways of livelihood and their lifestyle.. so I did! Baijnath Bangali, a 65yr old man, has a hawker right outside Palika Bazaar in Conaught Place and has been selling some simple, common man dishes for the past 36yrs. Now he sells chole kulche and he takes pride in the fact that he has satiated several appetites.. He lives in Paharganj with his wife, 5 daughters and 1 son. I was really amazed to see glee and pride on his face when he told me that he had 5 daughters. Opposite to the common perception, this man seemed really delighted with the fact that he had 5 daughters and he even sends them to school. On being asked the essential question if he was happy with the kind of money he earns and the job he does, he frankly replied “Ji dekhiye, humne zindagi guzardi logon ka pet bharne mein aur jo bhi kaam kiya who sachhai se kiya, toh dil mein koi gunjaish nahi baki hai. Yahaan sab mujhe jaante hain aur baba kehke bulaate hain. Sabse mujhe kafi pyaar mila hai”(yahaan referring to the road he has his stall, where there are several other vendors) . This showed how important it was for the common man to earn his livelihood in a fair and honest way and nothing else mattered more. His conscience was clear and that itself gave him immense satisfaction and a reason to be content with life, not bothered by the fact that he was just a roadside vendor. He had friends who admired him for his exemplary character and respected him.
This is exactly what I am talking about… He got simple pleasures from having 5 wonderfully caring daughters, he working with utmost self integrity, earning money he hard way, enjoying everlasting moments with friends and family!! Then it struck me, let me at least know how well he does economically i.e. how much he earns and his standard of living. With a satisfied look on his face he told me that he earned a profit of either Rs.100per day or a max of Rs. 200 on a very busy day; lived in a 2 room house which barely had the basic necessities of water and electricity. Oh my god! This man and his family don’t relly want any materialistic gains other than safe water and electricity!! Some simple living!! But its this that helps them stay grounded, true to life and really understand the essential purpose and meaning of life. Might sound a little too philosophical, but then that’s the truth. This man saved penny by penny to send his children to school and is ecstatic about the fact that 2 of his daughters are now working and stand on their own two feet. Imagine a rich father being soo passionate about sending his children to school, sounds funny!! Sending children to school is just taken for granted! He won’t waste even a second pondering over how much joy he gets by sending his children to school.

If one is just so engrossed in the acquisitive pursuits, then its life that we lose out on, we loose out on the great moments that define our life.
Here I may quote Hans Hofmann :
The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak……..
Wake up!!.. you, me , we al l need to learn from these people.. They seem so common, but their thoughts aren’t. They need to be appreciated and along with that follow their foot steps, understanding what LIFE IS REALLY ALL ABOUT!!