Indiblogger Aur Zee Zindagi #JodeyDilonKo - Dosti Ki Khushbu Sarhad Ke Paar!

Wahi Shaam Hai Wahi Savera,
Aisa Hi Des Hai Mera, 
Jaisa Des Hai Tera...

Something is wrong. Flashback to some key dialogues I remember from my childhood, spent in many little hamlets and towns throughout India thanks to my dad's transferable job....

'Aei,Wapas Pakistan Ja Re..'

'Pakistani Cricket Team Jeetti Hai To Ye Aatishbaaji Karte Hain..'

'Islam Is A Disease..All Muslims Must Go To Pakistan..'

'Ye Khans Ko Dekho, Pakistani Hain Sab Ke Sab Aur Bollywood Mein Baithe Hain Dawood Ibrahim Ke Spy Bankar..'

'Wahan Pakistan Mein Inko Muhajir Kaha Jaata Hai, Aur Yahan Ye Hamare Sar Par Baithe Hain?..'

'Ye Zaroor Hamare Padosi Mulk Ki Chaal Hai..'

'Those Who Do Not Support XYZ Politician Will Have To Go To Pakistan After The Elections...'

How do I remember all these? I did not say a single one of them, but had the opportunity to first-hand listen to each one of these in some context or other...

Once when there was a cricket match going on in our school and some Muslim child dropped a catch...Once when there was a crucial Indo-Pak match was going on and some celebrations started somewhere in the vicinity of our apartment when Pak scored runs..Once when one of my father's friends was describing his hatred for the Khan trio at top of Bollywood food chain..Something I read in a newspaper sometime near the 1993 Bombay blasts..Something that cropped up during the Indian General Elections..Something that was repeated often in many 80s and 90s movies where they showed fighting at the border and had to blame someone evil...

Snippets All Of Them. But Powerful, Yes. I remember each one of them like they were personally directed to me.

Once I asked my father what did all these barbs against Pakistan and mostly,by extension, Muslims meant? I don't remember the exact explanation he gave but I do remember him being as pained by the question, as the fact that his 10 year old daughter was asking him something like this which ideally, a child should not.

A 10 year old child is supposed to be so engrossed in his/her toys and storybooks and fairytales and Kabbadi matches that such harsh realities of life shouldn't even touch him/ her. But in India, it is not possible, is it? I suppose it is the same case in Pakistan. Our News Outlets, Our Movies, Our Stories, Our Media by and large -at least the part catering to the masses - finds it more profitable to spew venom against Pakistan. Needless to say, the wounds of Partition are also not completely gone and politicians on both sides have become adept at scratching them again & again. Result-people on both side have been turned into virtual monsters for each other, haven't they? After all this is the natural result for those who have had almost no contact with each other in a normal way for decades!

I try and remember. I have seen countless American sitcoms and Hollywood movies. It feels like I can glide through New York, Washington, Chicago and nearly half of America without any guidebook or map, they are that familiar to me! I see American, European, Japanese, Korean tourists all the time. I have read wonderful books written by American, British, Mexican, Norwegian, French, Chinese, Japanese writers. I have used South Korean & Japanese electronics, European cosmetics, American websites, Chinese home decorations, Taiwanese Laptop, Swiss chocolates...

But what about Pakistan? Oh, like every Indian I have devoured hours of News and General Entertainment worth of them being branded as heartless, evil, monsters learning jihad in every school, every house apparently containing terrorists ready to blow India to kingdom come...

Dharti Sunehri, Ambar Neela....
Aisa Hi Des Hai Mera,
Jaisa Des Hai Tera...

So why could I not hate Imran Abbas when he sang these lines that day? Well, I am a complete failure. I have refused to be swayed by the grisly murderous call given by the dirty politics on both sides to hate somebody..and guess what, I am not alone :)

Chupke Chupke Raat Din...

Through Music, Poetry, Theater, Arts & Culture,the biggest wounds of the world have been healed successfully. And when it comes to Indo-Pak relations, many stalwarts have tried to mend hearts on both sides for a long time. It is an open secret how Pakistanis love Bollywood movies, songs and Indian TV serials and women there have cried buckets when Mihir died! Listening to Mehdi Hassan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Adnan Sami, Ali Zafar, Strings over the years; Watching Javed Sheikh, Zeba Bakhtiar, Veena Malik and others in Bollywood while Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Kirron Kher among others starred in some famous Pakistani films-nobody can blame the creative community for not trying. But these were still not enough. Sure, I listened to an Adnan Sami song and head-banged to String's album. And then what? I switched on TV and saw 10 terrorists roaming through Mumbai and attacking The Taj Hotel and news headlines screaming how Pakistan is THE Hotbed of terrorism in the world for months afterwards. What changed?

Dhaani...O Dhaaaaaaani...Chunariya...

Something changed when I got this email from Indiblogger inviting me to 'Zindagi Indiblogger Meet'. I am a new entrant to Mumbai and to the world of blogging (and a lazy one too, must add rather shamefacedly!) I had been watching some ads about a new channel being launched named Zee Zindagi with stories from across the border. But since I sporadically watch TV, I wasn't really sure what to make of it. Were they going to adapt Pakistani stories and make them with Indian actors? Were they actually showing Pakistani shows? Or was this similar to one of those cross-border initiatives like Aman ki Asha with both sides co-creating shows? In any case, my interest was piqued :)

Tere Bina Jiya Nahi Jaaye...Tere Hi Maine Hain Sapne Sajaaye...

On Saturday, 21 June 2014, I reached The Leela,Mumbai. First Indiblogger Meet of my life. And first time I was part of an event that had anything to do with Pakistan. Trying to keep my small towns' upbringing, that streak of ignorance, my inherent shyness and cobwebs of insecurity away, I entered this gorgeous ballroom where the stage was set up for Bloggers from Mumbai and Delhi to interact with each other as well as with officials of Zee behind the idea of Zee Zindagi as well as Imran Abbas, an actor from Pakistan! Whew, was I in for a treat or what!

                                     

Good food, Good Company, Chitter-Chatter of excited bloggers all around-some of whom I recognized as celebs in their own right with gargantuan readership and followers! The Tech team was ready to connect the bloggers in 2 different directions of India and not only that, a very special someone from Pakistan too! The camera team was hard at work capturing all the moods and expressions for posterity. And I was wondering what am I doing here!

The lights dimmed and the wonderful host started making things easier for me (I have a little social anxiety!) With jokes, anecdotes, I could feel the atmosphere getting lighter and easier. Then there was this wonderful game of wits -a sort of debate between the Delhi and Mumbai blogging teams. Without getting further into the questions and the insane way it threatened to spiral out of control, it is important to note the critical issue it brought forth -It Is So Easy To Divide & Fight, So Difficult To Unify! Brilliant point! We humans have this distinct tendency to pick up fights with everyone else based on any excuse- language, color of skin, gender, socio-economic background, religion...Guess how difficult it is to unify us all, and when it comes to cross-border love, it must be a mammoth task,isn't it!

Kinna Sona Tenu Rab Ne Banaya..Dil Kare Dekhda Rawan...

This is where the creative team behind Zee Zindagi and Imran Abbas came to fore. Explaining the rationale behind introducing Pakistani shows on Indian television so people could connect, their hearts could connect in the realest way possible, that is the aim here. Myths that Pakistanis are all terrorists,that their women are all burkha clad and forced to stay at home with no independence, that Pakistani society is one big conservative ball of doom and gloom are bound to dissipate once we see them smiling, singing, eating, talking to their friends and families, thinking, sleeping, dreaming just like us on this side of the border. Isn't this an admirable aim?

Imran Abbas spoke about the time his parents & grandparents used to talk about catching Doordarshan on their TV sets by fiddling with their antennae. He spoke about how he has been shooting for a movie with Bipasha Basu and has faced no kind of problem, discrimination or hatred of any kind. He waxed eloquently about his love for Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd. Rafi. And I sat there listening to him. He is not a monster. He looks like someone I could have gone to college with! He reminds me of this really good looking guy in my earlier neighborhood in a city in Bihar where everyone coaxed him to come to Mumbai to become a model. And here I was, listening to an actor who looked just like him. What was the difference between them? One is an Indian, One is a Pakistani. But if I did not know Imran Abbas's name, would I be even able to tell he is a Pakistani? NO!

Panchi, Nadiya, Pawan Ke Jhonke..Koi Sarhad Naa Inhe Roke...

Same questions arise every time. Same answers are given every time. Why is there so much hatred between Indian and Pakistan? Why are both the governments and military of both countries at near permanent loggerheads? And how has this percolated down to the masses? Shared culture, history, food, manners, traditions, family values..and still so much barrier between hearts? It was heartwarming to see many bloggers talk about their warm experiences of having been to Pakistan and first hand experience of warm hospitality. And about watching many Pakistani serials even back in 90s. Having been brought up completely removed from this cosmopolitan environment I was not privy to any of these honors, but the stories gave me goosebumps, and unbelievable happiness. 

Sitting there, listening to all these intelligent, accomplished men and women talk about this noble initiative I kept wondering about the world I come from, about the childhood I just spent, about all the bile and hatred I have glimpsed over the years and only one emotion could overwhelm me -HOPE! Hope for a better future, for lasting peace that is formed on a bond cemented by this proof of shared dreams, aspirations and love for humanity!

Afreen Afreen...Afreen Afreen...

Finally it sunk in. I am going to be able to watch Pakistani shows! I am going to peek into their homes and hearts. It is reminiscent of Neil Armstrong's words - 

Small Step For A Man, 

Giant Leap For The Mankind. 

May each child now grow up watching Zindagi Gulzar Hai and Aunn Zara so that 10 years later he might not identify a Pakistani as an enemy,but as that person who is a part of the culture where they make soaps lasting only 25-30 episodes and not 100 years! 

May each family now sit in front of their TV sets every night keenly noticing the home decoration tips to be gathered from each other's shows!

May all the womenfolk now go to their tailors asking for a suit that is just like-''Arre wo Zara ne kal ke episode mein jaisa pehna tha na shaadi ke scene mein..''

May normal conversations now include Pakistani actors and actresses, may plans be now made keeping these serials in mind!

When this starts happening, do you think a true, lasting peace that comes from the heart-be far behind?

No :) And The Giant Credit for the same will always go to Zee Zindagi -Sachhi mein jo #JodeyDilonKo :)

Traveling AND Connecting With Humanity- Dil Se!

Dil Ka Rishta..Sigh! Such romantic notion,isn't it! The thought that all of us are connected not by words but by these little invisible threads that tug at our heartstrings? I really don't know if I believe in romance and romantic notions per se..but this particular thought, well, I think it definitely possesses some merit!

I belong to a family of Banjaras..well, not literally speaking, but yes, in spirit for sure! We don't have any roots, none at all. In this big blue planet, there isn't one particular place or even a house that we can call our home! My grandfather (dadaji) left his home in Bihar at age of 12 to pursue higher education in Varanasi and ended up as a teacher in Assam where he met my grandma (dadiji). My Nana on the other hand left UP for a job in Orissa where my mom was born and brought up. After a series of what can only be described as divine coincidences and astonishing serendipity, my parents were married and settled in Jamshedpur! However, thanks to my dad's transferable job, we have never stayed at one place for more than 5 years at a time. Add to that, the Super Travel Bug that has infected both my parents which keeps them ready to leave home and move on to an adventure in less than an hour at any given day (Yes, I have timed their packing!) THUS my sister and I have grown up traveling more places than actually staying stationary at one place! Not that we mind it :)

Aah, coming back to the point at hand...Through all these travels and adventures, we have seen some of the worst circumstances that can befall any tourist and some of the best side of humanity. A Dil Ka Rishta, if you will :)

Way before we knew that one day we would be living in Mumbai, our family actually spent a fortune to travel here as a tourist..even then the cosmopolitan culture, the openness and warmth of people here has warmed the cockles of our heart..not to mention (as my mom puts it)-generosity of loads of streetside vendors helped her tackle many a diaper emergencies (ahem!)

A Rolly Polly 2 year old at Konark Temple..hmm..my mom says this was one of the best trips of her life where despite having an infant around, she needed to worry about nothing as just adjacent to our hotel room was this huge group of American tourists who spent the entire trip taking care of me and playing with me like their own child! What better way to demonstrate a universal Dil Ka Rishta!

A trip of Mahabaleshwar-where I was besotted with high fever for a few days, again not to worry, the guest house in which we were put up was run by this awesome couple who used many a traditional remedies to get me back in ship-shape for traveling around (That awesome expression on my face is NOT due to fever,rather it is the PDA going on behind me! :P)

Traveling through Kathmandu about 12 years ago..Nepal is such a beautiful memory! Pashupatinath Temple, Bhaktpur (better remembered as being featured in Hare Krishna Hare Ram movie!), the bazaar, the food, the people-there isn't a single thing that I don't feel like a part of my own family. Nearly same language, a bond of brotherhood woven through every single word and deed. Impossible to describe and equally Impossible to forget!

Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath..exactly 11 years ago we went on the massive adventure of our lives. The first time we really incorporated a lot of trekking and walking in our travel plans. No fancy hotels business, just us, our bags, our legs and our eyes! Trekking through the mountains, visiting Char Dham was an experience none of us can ever forget not only because of the beautiful sights we were lucky to behold but also because of the most friendly people we ever met. No matter how lost we thought we were, there was always someone willing to share their bottle of water, their wind-cheater or a pack of biscuits on the often lonely and long paths we were taking!

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The latest family trip we took-Madurai and Kodaikanal. Ooh, the trip! Our tickets were waitlisted till the last moment, we had waitlisted tickets even for the return journey, our hotel and sightseeing booking person absconded at the last moment and still our bags were packed and we went off. At every step, we felt like we were made to go through everything to see THE BEST of humanity! First, the people in our coach adjusted with us, giving us atleast seats to sit in through the 36 hour journey (Bless them!). Food and conversation flowed aplenty and once we were engrossed in the landscape passing by, there was no looking back!

The famous South Indian cleanliness and discipline served us well. Everything is structured, organized, people are helpful, instructions are clearly spelled out and the food-oh yeah, lip smacking!

Architecture, nay, marvels, simply marvels! Whether it be the famous Madurai Palace or the Majestic Meenakshi Temple, we could not avert out eyes for even one second! All the stress of the train journey vanished within one moment!

Kodaikanal is called the Queen of Hills in Tamil Nadu, and it seriously is! Capturing my dad in the bazaar while he was completely unaware is one of my crowning glory moments, seriously :D 

 

Trekking through Pine Forests where many movies have been shot, Boating on the famous Kodaikanal Lake, Trekking again through forests to visit famous falls like-Bear Shola Falls, Liril Falls, Neptune Falls (which hardly have any water right now thanks to summer season!), mesmerized by the beauty and natural splendour, it is easy to remember the uniqueness we all share as being bound by the same thread in this vast universe, thoughts like how significant are we in the larger scheme of things and being able to wonder about the majestic-ness of it all cannot be overstated!

So Newton has his apple and Kodaikanal has these Gravity proving flowers :D Makes my scientist dad very happy,and seeing him happy, well it is my whole life :) 

The day we were supposed to leave Kodaikanal was the day we realized our tickets were still waitlisted-even though we had decided to trust a local agent who had used the Tatkal route to re-book our return journey! So we were-in one moment-squashed to the status of-No hotel, No return ticket, stranded at Kodaikanal! Well, as I said, Best of Humanity-remember? The manager of our room graciously accommodated us-at NO Extra Cost for 2 more days and in fact even shifted the family that was supposed to come to our room to another one! My mom personally talked to them and they were so understanding that it made our hearts sing (could also be a mini heart attack, who knows :D). The local agent who could not get us confirmed Tatkal tickets paid out of his pocket to cover the cancellation charges and got us confirmed tickets on a train 2 days later, apologizing to my dad about 100 times! It is times like these that one is reminded of the divinity working through us all, isn't it!

Oh, and while on point of humanity and dil ka rishta, how can I forget the very generous restaurant manager at our hotel who -at our special request- got us homemade Chapatis as we were fed up of having rice with every South Indian meal?! A 1000 times salute to such kind souls :)

Having talked about all the ways and means in which generous, kind, well-wishing humans made our life easier..let me also touch upon something else I have stumbled upon-not for the first time, but something makes it special for me having felt it first hand. The Milk of Human Kindness flows freely, yes, that is true. Humanity also seems to possess this unique superpower that does not need any particular language to waft through-the Power of Love and Brotherhood. All through our travels through the length and breadth of India and Nepal, we have been brought together to the ONLY core-that humans everywhere are THE SAME! 

We all laugh, we all cry, we all work, we all die! 

We all want the best for our families, we are capable of sacrifice, 

we are a little bit selfish yes,

 but we are also willing to go the extra mile!

The foods we ate, The sights we saw, the way people helped us through, the way they opened their homes and hearts when they found out we were in distress, the way they did everything in their power to make us feel comfortable, they way they shared a part of their soul with us..even the small things-sharing a bottle of Bisleri on a long winding road, the way the bazaars everywhere are stocked, the way we all bargain, the way we all have an eye out for the 'best deal'..oh it all ties together beautifully, almost like a cosmic dance. And it is this cosmic miracle that brings out all those moments that epitomize the emotion behind #JodeyDilonKo !

This Post has been written as a part of #JodeyDilonKo organized by zindagitv.in and Indiblogger :)