From railways to realities: A reflection on life's journey amidst scorching summers and soaring birds
Summers had arrived with a vengeance. This is the time when increasingly hotter days are interspersed with sprinkling of relatively cooler ones through dust storms, and occasionally a few drops of rain. It was one such pleasant morning, when I noticed birds flying in the sky. There were also a few eagles circling the sky in ever increasing smaller circles.
A few memories surfaced.
I had attended many rail accidents during my professional life as a railway officer. Those were not the days of remote-controlled synchronised operation of the four hydraulic jacks used to lift a derailed coach or wagon. Staff would stand at the four corners of the vehicle and shout out in a sing-song voice 'hadia' or 'hadd', depending upon whether he wanted the jack in his corner to be lifted or lowered or stopped. The four staff and the hydraulic jack operator would be immersed in the activity, oblivious to the climate or the environment around.
Another memory is that of labourers straining not so developed muscles while performing a hard task like lifting a heavy object all the while singing 'dum laga ke haisha'. This ditty would make them forget the pain of exertion, and they would complete the assigned task within no time, waiting for the master to pay them a paltry sum.
These were, and continue to be, people, who fight for their sustenance every day of their lives, uncomplainingly, not only believing, but with an implicit trust in a supreme power, that they would certainly overcome someday. I have yet to meet such a person come to me with a complaint against the Supreme being.
The same way that the birds were soaring in the sky, not for an exhilarating experience. They too need to work hard for their daily sustenance. They too need to forage for their food. But they never complain. They seem happy in doing what nature has intended them to do. They too are masters of their life.
I continued contemplating. Is my life going nowhere! Am I not free to do what I want! These were only a few of the emotions flitting through my mind, making me restless.
I met a family a few years back. They had fallen on tough times due to the pandemic. They wanted their son to continue studies but did not have the resources for the school fee. They had dreams for future, which seemed distant and elusive. I am happy that my wife and I could be of some use to them. The young boy is now in the tenth standard and wants to be an astronaut.
Each day of our lives, we find ourselves slaves of our life and destiny, thrown into the cesspool of petty biases of gender, caste, creed, religion, politics.
Yet, each individual has the power to choose the course of action for a better life. And each authority - of any kind, be it affluence, governance, religion, or community - has the means to enable the individual to work for a better life. However, in the final reckoning, it is up to us not to be influenced by others. We should, and we must, change the heading of life to Master of my Destiny! Master of my life!
(The writer is an electrical engineer and an author. He has penned three books; views are personal)