THE RANDOM QUESTION

Image Courtesy: umnet.com

"What are we upto? Can you believe this? This is just bullshit! " Said Govind watching NEWS on Aaj Tak.

Thousands of North Eastern people fled various Indian states amid fear of being attacked in the revenge of the wake of communal violence of Assam. The news reporter on TV said.

"Nothing. It's just what we Indians are like." replied Javed indifferently.

"What? So you say that we deserve this?"

"No, I just said that this is how we are. We would go upto any extent for differences in our ethnicity, caste, religion or even SRK and Salman; whatever, but where we face difficulties together we won't stand up against the problems."


"What do you mean?" asked a confused Govind.

"I mean we just need a statement for a rebellion when it comes down to religion. It just takes a moment when something is said against your ethnicity or your caste and there shall be protest all over country within no time. Go to youtube, and look into the comments section of any video relating to either cricket or movies and you will know we are even fighting when it comes to SRK, Salman or Ganguly & Dhoni. The problem is we don't respect the differences.But then talk about similarities. Everyone is facing poverty, insanitation, corruption and what not. Where is the anger now?"

"Then what about Anna Hazare movement"
"What about it?"
"A year ago, it was in the Headline with thousands of people swarming for satyagrah and all. I was involved too."

"Yes, and after a year when the old man is again sitting for Satyagrah, you and several others are sitting at home." Said a smirking Javed.

"Oh that's because I don't like politics and there was too much of it."

"Politics is a dirty game of dirty names." For once Javed agreed.

"Yes, see the Goddamn Newspaper dude. Isn't it flooded with corruption and shameless corrupted politicians? pathetic I would say."
"Ah! Media. A new age tool to brainwash people, that's what it is for me."
"Now, whats wrong with media you cynical-narcissist bastard?" asked Govind teasingly.
" You very well know Govind whats wrong with it. Media is always at the right place, at the right time, for the wrong reasons. They want hype, they want TRPs and they know how to get it. People these days want to be feared, want to be sad. You know being an MBA student the management funda of demand and supply. You want it and media gives you a pony-tailed man (with more hair on his face than his head) yelling out at you SANSANI."

"It again depends on perspectives don't you think. You have the remote. There are numerous TV channels, numerous websites and numerous ways in which you can use these things for your benefit. To be happy if you want."

"IF and only IF you want."

"Huh?"

"You watch porn, Govind?"

"What? This is so unlike you?"

"What is?"

"Changing the topic in the middle of an argument."

"I am not changing the topic. Just answer."

"Yes of course I do."

"So you would be aware of the term S&M. Sadism and Masochism or Sadomasochism. Where a person knowingly ties himself up, let himself being beaten to be aroused. Thats how most of us have been now-a-days."

"NO WAY... I am certainly not into S&M...eeew... never." an irked Govind retorted.

"No, you idiot. I mean we want pain. We want to be sad. When we are sad its okay. When we are not, we look at these depressing news channels for news like these so that we can blame someone. When there is nothing, we switch to TV serials where mother in law tortures the newly wed bride. All in all we somewhere somehow want to be sad because 'to complain is human; to enjoy, Divine.' God is a sadist and he enjoys it very much, you know."

"Oh now who is complaining and whining, huh?"

"Seriously. It is obvious. Who would like to see a Rajshree Productions movie with a Prem in it who is the "ideal" son and then there is that "ideal" girl who brings water in tray and then the "idea" love, the "ideal" family and ...

"Booooring" Govind cut him short.

Exactly my point. You want Drama. God likes it too. Look around you. Look around the world. Aren't there people in every stage of life unhappy and discontent. From violence in Egypt against government, to unemployment in London. Earth quakes in Japan to poverty in China. That's country-wise-superficial info for you. Now look at the deeper cross-section. The problems are more common. A rich billionare - broken family. A joint family - Family Disputes and poverty. A post graduate - runs a corner store; while a 12th pass dude- sits in a Government office unhappy 'cause he wanted to do a business but has ended up working in a Govt. office. I remember a line which suits this situation:

"Har kisi ko mukammal jahan nahin milta
Kabhi zameen to kabhi aasmaan nahin milta..."

"Wah wah! But I am happy and you are too. So you mean God is not trying to be harm us?"

"Let me tell you a fact you very well know. You are madly in love with Kajal and she loves me. And you know how much I hate that girl."

"Hmmm..." Govind was dumbfounded. It hurt him but he knew it was true.

"Come on now, Cheer up. Why do you get sentimental and all when it comes to her, you typical Indian."

Govind smiled. " So now you have problem with how Indians love?"

"No, it's how they look at love."

"Okay master Javed, Please enlighten us with your words of wisdom."

"Seriously, haven't you seen that the only meaning now-a-days love has is the typical "Bollywood Definition" of love involving a male and a female who are attracted to each other and by the authority vested in them and the Cafe Coffee Day they are now pronounced 'Boyfriend' and 'Girlfriend'. You may now kiss 'sip' the coffee"

Govind laughed. "Okay I agree some what with it. But isn't it nice. Two love birds 'sipping'. winked Govind emphasizing on the 'kissing' 'sipping' part.

"What's nice about that? The amount of petrol a guy wastes on chasing girls, it would have been more than enough for a whole month of fuel for some needy fellow."

"I agree."

"And then there are malls and cafes where you sip coffees. I tell you, 'sipping' has never been costlier."

"I agree."

"And then there are long threads of facebook comments and youtube saying " Dear, I miss you, I love you and all that suff... Give me a break."

"Okay, now you are sounding like Mr. Sibbal. Banning Facebook on moral grounds." said Govind taking a dig at Javed.

"Don't compare me with any of those politicians. I am a better man. That was a waste move by the Government, by the way. Facebook is Facebook. I depends how you use it. Its 'wall' is actually like a big public wall where anyone can write any thing, paste any bills, spit on it or even piss on it. It's what we do the best here, don't we? Pee on walls. If they can't ban peeing on walls, why ban the facebook wall. It will be like banning soaps because it can be used for making bombs."

"Yes, but then its our duty too. We should ..."


"Morals and values cant be taught by introducing a 'Moral Science' subject and 'removing cartoons' from textbooks. It is inherited more or less from family and personal experience. People here don't have enough food, why would they care for values.If you say so, i might believe that there should be some duties and obligations to be performed form our side too, but then practically, I know that his conversation would just end up with you being running behind your stupid girlfriend and I watching a movie on TV."

"But everything has a purpose in life. The karma, the balance of life..."

"Its all random" Javed cut him short.

"So you believe that we are born on this earth just out of some random chemical reactions and that it's just a matter of chance."

"Ofcourse. It's like a lottery where someone ought to win a prize. One in a million. That's all we are." Javed said in a matter of fact tone.

"Then, for you everything is just random and has no purpose?"

"Lets see..." Javed started pretending to think with his finger on his chin. "A big bang- years of chemical changes- Out of that a unicellular organism came into being and than gradually through evolution we came into existence, sitting here with TV switched on discussing on various subjects from politics to religion to pornograpgy to science. Then, one day this piece might be a part of some blog which either you or I might write and some random person may be reading this. Isn't it RANDOM or is there a PURPOSE?"

The argument went on but the question remains the same:

"IS IT JUST RANDOM OR IS THERE A PURPOSE ?"

© Shreyansh Chouradia