Emotions and 'Raakshasa'
ರಾಕ್ಷಸ – ತುಡಿತ
ಲೇಖಕ: ದಿನೇಶ ಕುಮಾರ ಶೆಟ್ಟಿ ತೆಕ್ಕಟ್ಟೆ
ಆ ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನೊಂದು ಭೂಸೇನಾ ವಿಭಾಗದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಆಗಾಗ ವ್ಯವಹರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ. ನಾನು ಸಮವಸ್ತ್ರದವನಲ್ಲ, ತಂತ್ರಜ್ಞನಾಗಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಹೋಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದುದರಿಂದ ಅಲ್ಲಿನ ಸೈನಿಕರು ನನ್ನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಬಿಗುಮಾನವಿಲ್ಲದೆಯೇ ಸಲೀಸಾಗಿ ಮಾತನಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಅವರ ಶ್ರೇಣೀಕೃತ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳ ಸಾಲಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನನ್ನಂತಹವರನ್ನು ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಿ ನೋಡಬೇಕಾಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ ಅವರಿಗೆ. ಕಠಿಣ ಪರಿಸರದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲಸಮಾಡುವ ಸೈನಿಕರು ತಮ್ಮ ಮಾನಸಿಕ ತುಮುಲಗಳನ್ನು ನಮ್ಮಂತವರ ಬಳಿ ತೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ದೂರದ ತಮ್ಮ ಸಂಸಾರಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆಯೋ, ಸಂಸಾರದ ಖುಷಿಕ್ಷಣಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆಯೋ, ತಮ್ಮ ಕಷ್ಟಕಾರ್ಪಣ್ಯಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆಯೋ, ನಮ್ಮೊಡನೆ ತೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಒಬ್ಬ ಸೈನಿಕ ಕಣ್ಣುತುಂಬಿಕೊಂಡು ನನ್ನೊಡನೆ ತೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದ - "ನನ್ನ ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಮಗಳು ಕೇಳುತ್ತಾಳೆ ನಾನ್ಯಾಕೆ ದೀಪಾವಳಿಗೆ ಮನೆಗೆ ಬಂದಿಲ್ಲ? ಆಕೆಗೆ ಹೇಗೆ ಅರ್ಥಮಾಡಿಸಲಿ ಇದನ್ನು?"
ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಸೈನಿಕರೊಡನೆ ಮರುಭೂಮಿಯ ಸುಡುಬಿಸಿಲಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುವಾಗ, ಅವರು ನಮ್ಮ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಕನಿಕರ ತೋರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಅವರ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ನಮ್ಮಂತೆ ಬುದ್ಢಿಮತ್ತೆ ಉಪಯೋಗಿಸಿ ಕೆಲಸಮಾಡುವವರು ವಾತಾನುಕೂಲಿತ ಪರಿಸರದಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಕೆಲಸಮಾಡಬೇಕು ಇಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಕೆಲಸ ಫಲಪ್ರಧ ಆಗಲಾರದು. ಅದಾರು ಹೇಳಿಕೊಟ್ಟರೋ ಹಾಗಂತ ನಮಗೆ ತಿಳಿಯದು.
ಸೈನಿಕರ ಶ್ರೇಣೀಕೃತ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರು ಮೇಲಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳ ಅಣತಿಯನ್ನು ಪಾಲಿಸುತ್ತಿರಬೇಕು. ಭಾರತೀಯ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಯ ರೂಢಿಯಂತೆ ವಯೋವೃದ್ಧ ಸೈನಿಕರಿಗೆ ಉಳಿದವರು ಗೌರವ ಕೊಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಭಾರತೀಯ ಸೇನೆಯ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿವರ್ಗವನ್ನು ನೇಮಿಸುವ ವಿಧಾನ , ಸೈನಿಕರನ್ನು ನೇಮಿಸುವ ವಿಧಾನಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಬೇರೆಯೇ ಇರುವುದರಿಂದ, ಸೈನಿಕರಿಗೆ ಮೇಲಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳಾಗಿ ನವತರುಣ ಯುವಕರುಗಳೂ ನೇಮಕಗೊಂಡು ಬರುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಅವರು ನಾಯಕತ್ವದ ತರಬೇತಿ ಹೊಂದಿಬರುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಹಾಗೆ ಬಂದವರಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾರು - ಅವರ ಕೆಳಗಿನವರನ್ನು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ನೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾರೋ, ಗೌರವಯುತವಾಗಿ ನಡೆಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾರೋ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯಿಂದ ನಡೆಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾರೋ ಅವರು ಅವರ ತಂಡವನ್ನು ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಮುನ್ನಡೆಸಬಲ್ಲರು. ನಾನು ಅಂತಹ ಕೆಲವು ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳನ್ನು ಬಲ್ಲೆ. ಅಂತಹವರ ತಂಡದ ಸೈನಿಕರು ಅಂತಹ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳನ್ನು ಅವರ ತಂದೆತಾಯಿಗಳಷ್ಟೇ ಗೌರವಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ, ಅವರೇ ದೇವರು ಎಂಬಷ್ಟು ಕೂಡಾ. ಆದರೆ ಕೆಲವು ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು ತಮ್ಮ 'ನಿಷ್ಠುರ ಅಧಿಕಾರ' ಚಲಾಯಿಸುವುದೇ ಸರಿಯಾದ ದಾರಿ ಅಂದುಕೊಂಡಿರುತ್ತಾರೆ.
ನಾನು ನೋಡಿದ 'ಅಧಿಕಾರ ಚಲಾಯಿಸು'ವುದರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಅಪಾರ ನಂಬಿಕೆಯಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳಲ್ಲೊಬ್ಬ ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಭಾರ್ಗವ್. ನಾನು ಮೊದಲು ನೋಡಿದಾಗ ಆತ ಆಗ ತಾನೇ ಹೊಸತಾಗಿ ತರಬೇತಿ ಮುಗಿಸಿ ಆ ತಂಡಕ್ಕೆ ನೇಮಕವಾಗಿ ಬಂದಿದ್ದ. ಜೀವನೋತ್ಸಾಹದಿಂದ, ಆತ್ಮವಿಶ್ವಾಸದಿಂದ ತುಂಬಿತುಳುಕುತ್ತಿದ್ದ, ಪ್ರಪಂಚವನ್ನೇ ಗೆಲ್ಲಲು ಹೊರಟಂತಿರುವ ನವತರುಣ. ಆಕರ್ಷಕವಾಗಿ ಕಾಣುತ್ತಿದ್ದ, ಧೃಢಕಾಯದ, ಸಾಕಷ್ಟು ಎತ್ತರದ ನಿಲುವಿನ ಗೌರವರ್ಣದ ಹುಡುಗ. ಆಕ್ರಮಣಕಾರೀ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವದ ಹುಡುಗ. ನಂತರ ತಿಳಿದು ಬಂದ ವಿಷಯ ಆತನ ತಂದೆಯೂ ಭೂಸೇನೆಯ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಯಾಗಿದ್ದರು ಮತ್ತು ಕೆಲವರ್ಷಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ತೀರಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದರು.
ಆತ ನನ್ನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸ್ನೇಹದಿಂದ ವರ್ತಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರೂ ಆತನ ಕೆಳಗಿನ ಸೈನಿಕರತ್ತ ಎಂದೂ ನಗುಮುಖ ತೋರುತ್ತಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವರೊಡನೆ ಕಠಿಣವಾಗಿ ನಡೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದ , ಶಿಸ್ತಿಗೊಳಪಡಿಸಲೋಸುಗ ಶಿಕ್ಷಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದ. ಆತನ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಕೆಟ್ಟ ಅಭ್ಯಾಸವೆಂದರೆ ಕೆಟ್ಟದಾಗಿ ಬಯ್ಯುವುದು. ಅದು ಮಾತ್ರ ಸೈನಿಕರನ್ನು ಬೇಜಾರುಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತಿತ್ತು, ಸಿಟ್ಟುಬರುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ಅದರಲ್ಲೂ ವಯಸ್ಸಾದ ಸೈನಿಕರಿಗೂ ಆತ ಕೆಟ್ಟದಾಗಿ ಬಯ್ಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದದ್ದು ಎಲ್ಲರನ್ನೂ ಉದ್ವಿಗ್ನರನ್ನಾಗಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಆ ಸೈನಿಕರು ಬಂದು ಗುಟ್ಟಾಗಿ ನನ್ನೊಡನೆ - " ನೋಡಿ, ಈ ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಹುಡುಗ, ಹಾಲುಕುಡಿಯುವ ಮಗುವಿನಂತಿರುವ ಹುಡುಗ, ನಮ್ಮಂಥ ವಯಸ್ಸಾದವರ ಮೇಲೆ ಹೀಗೆಲ್ಲ ಬೈಗುಳದ ಮಳೆ ಸುರಿಸುತ್ತಾನಲ್ಲ! ವಯಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಗೌರವಕೊಡುವುದು ಹಾಗಿರಲಿ, ಈ ರೀತಿ ಕೆಟ್ಟದಾಗಿ ಬಯ್ಯುವುದೇ?” ಎಂದು ದೂರುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಆತನಿಗೆ ಅವರೆಲ್ಲ 'ರಾಕ್ಷಸ' ಎಂಬ ಅಡ್ಡ ಹೆಸರು ಇಟ್ಟಿದ್ದರು. ಅವರೆಲ್ಲ ಆತನ ಹತ್ತಿರ ಹೋಗಲು ಭಯಪಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಆ ಭಯ ಎಷ್ಟೆಂದರೆ ಆತ ಬಳಿ ಬಂದರೆ ಇವರು ಹೆದರಿಕೆಯಿಂದ ಕೆಲಸದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಡವುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು!ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಭಾರ್ಗವ ಕಠಿಣ ಪರಿಶ್ರಮ ಮಾಡುವವನು. ಬಿಸಿಲು,ಮಳೆ ಗಾಳಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಜಗ್ಗುತ್ತಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಆತ ಉಳಿದವರೂ ಆತನಂತೆಯೇ ಪರಿಶ್ರಮಿಯಾಗಿರಬೇಕೆಂದು, ಕಷ್ಟಕ್ಕೆ ಜಗ್ಗದವರಾಗಿರಬೇಕೆಂದು ಬಯಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದ.
ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಮರುಭೂಮಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಭಾರ್ಗವನೊಂದಿಗೆ ವಾಹನವೊಂದರಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ. ಆಗ ತಾನೇ ಒಂದಿಷ್ಟು ಮಳೆ ಬಂದು ಹೋಗಿತ್ತು. ನಮ್ಮ ಮುಂದೆ ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ವಾಹನ ಸಾಗಿ ಹೋಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಅದು ಎಬ್ಬಿಸಿದ ಧೂಳು ನಮಗೆ ರಾಚುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ಒದ್ದೆಯಾದ ಧೂಳು ನಮ್ಮ ಮುಖಕ್ಕೆ ಮೆತ್ತಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ನನ್ನ ಮುಖ ನೋಡುತ್ತಾ ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಪಕಪಕನೆ ನಗುತ್ತಾ ನವಮಿಯ ಹನುಮನ ಹಾಗೆ ಕಾಣಿತ್ತಿದ್ದೀಯ ಎಂದ. ನನಗೆ ಸಿಟ್ಟು ಬಂದು ಅವನಿಗೆ ತಿರುಗಿ ಹೇಳಿದೆ -ನನ್ನ ನೋಡಿ ನಗುತ್ತೀಯಲ್ಲ! ಕನ್ನಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಿನ್ನ ಮುಖ ನೋಡಿಕೋ, ನೀನು ಈಗ ಜಾಂಬವಂತನ ಹಾಗೆ ಕಾಣುತ್ತಿದ್ದೀಯ ಎಂದೆ. ನಾವೆಲ್ಲರೂ ವೇಷಧಾರಿಗಳಂತೆ ಕಾಣುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆವು. ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ತೆಪ್ಪಗಾಗಿ ಮುಖವೊರೆಸಿಕೊಂಡ.
ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಆತನಿಗೆ ಸಂಜೆಯ ಪಾನೀಯಗೋಷ್ಟಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಜೊತೆಯಾಗಿರುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆ ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿ 'ಕೋಕ್' ಗ್ಲಾಸ್ ಹಿಡಿದುಕೊಂಡು. ಲೋಕಾಭಿರಾಮ ಮಾತನ್ನಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆವು. ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾದ ಪಾನದಿಂದಲೋ ಎನೋ, ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಆತ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿದ 'ನೀನು ಯಾವಾಗ ಮದುವೆ ಆಗುತ್ತೀಯ’? ನಾನಂದೆ ' ಸಧ್ಯೋಭವಿಷ್ಯದಲ್ಲಂತೂ ಇಲ್ಲ’! ಆತ ಹಠಾತ್ತಾಗಿ ಅಂದ - 'ಯಾಕೆ? ನಾಯಿಗಳ ಹಾಗೆ ಬಾಲ ಮೂಸುತ್ತಾ ಕಾಲಕಳೆಯಬೇಕೇಂದುಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದೇಯೋ?" ಇರುಸುಮುರುಸುಗೊಂಡು, ಆತನಿಗೆ ಏನೆಂದು ಉತ್ತರಿಸುವುದೆಂದು ತಿಳಿಯದೆ ಸುಮ್ಮನಾದೆ. ಅದೇನು ಅನುಭವಗಳಿಂದ ಪ್ರೇರಿತನಾಗಿ ಆತನು ಹಾಗಂದನೋ, ಆತನಿಗೆ ಮದುವೆಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಅದೇನು ಕಲ್ಪನೆಯಿತ್ತೊ ತಿಳಿಯಲಿಲ್ಲ.
ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಅದೊಂದು ದಿನ ಸೈನಿಕನೊಬ್ಬ ಒಂದು 'ಹಿಲಿಕಾಪ್ಟರ್ ಪ್ರತಿಭಂಧಕ ಕೋವಿ’ಯನ್ನು ಶುಚಿಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದ. ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಬಲಶಾಲಿಯಾಗಿರುವ ಸ್ಪ್ರಿಂಗ್ ಗಳಿದ್ದವು. ಅವುಗಳನ್ನು ಎಳೆದು ಒಂದು ಕಡ್ದಿಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿಸಿ ಲಾಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ ಇಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಆತ ಆ ಭಾಗವನ್ನು ಕೈಯಿಂದ ಶುಚಿಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ, ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಭಾರ್ಗವ ಅವನ ಬಳಿ ಬಂದ. ಆ ಸೈನಿಕ ಆತನನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ ಗಾಬರಿಪಟ್ಟು ನಿಂತುಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಎದ್ದಾಗ, ಕೈತಗಲಿ, ಕಡ್ಡಿಯ ಲಾಕ್ ಜಾರಿ, ಸ್ಪ್ರಿಂಗ್ ಗಳು ಭರದಿಂದ ಸೆಳೆಯಲ್ಪಟ್ಟವು. ಆತನ ಬೆರಳೊಂದು ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿ ಕತ್ತರಿಸಿ ಹೋಯಿತು. ರಕ್ತ ಚಿಮ್ಮನೆ ಚಿಮ್ಮಿತು. ಸೈನಿಕ ನೋವಿನಿಂದ 'ಓಹ್' ಎಂದು ಕೂಗಿಕೊಂಡ. ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಅದನ್ನು ನೋಡಿದವನೇ 'ಹೋಗಾಚೆ ಮುಠ್ಠಾಳ, ಒಂದು ಕೆಲಸ ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ಮಾಡಲು ಬರುವುದಿಲ್ಲ' ಎಂದು ಆತನನ್ನು ಅಟ್ಟಿದ. ತಾನೇ ಕೂತು ಆ ಕೋವಿಯನ್ನು ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸತೊಡಗಿದ. ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬ ಸೈನಿಕ ಆತನನ್ನು ದೂರದ ಡೇರೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಡಾಕ್ಟರ್ ಬಳಿ ಕರೆದೊಯ್ದ. ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಹೊತ್ತಿನಲ್ಲೇ ಆ ಇನ್ನೊಬ್ಬ ಸೈನಿಕ ಓಡಿಬಂದು ' ಸಾರ್! ಡಾಕ್ಟರ್ ಬೆರಳು ಬೇಕೆಂದು ಕೇಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ' ಎಂದ ಮತ್ತು ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಡುಕಲು ಕೂತ. ಆಗ ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಆ ಕೋವಿಯನ್ನು ಕೆಳಮುಖ ಮಾಡಿದಾಗ, ಅದರೊಳಗಿಂದ ಬೆರಳಿನ ತುಂಡು ಜಾರಿ ಕೆಳಗೆ ಬಿತ್ತು. ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ನಿರ್ಭಾವದಿಂದ ಅದನ್ನು ಆ ಸೈನಿಕನೆಡೆಗೆ ಎಸೆದು 'ತೊಲಗು, ಆ ಡಾಕ್ಟರ್ಗೆ ಕೊಡು' ಅಂದ. ಮತ್ತೆ ಕೆಲಸದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಗ್ನನಾದ.
ಆ ಘಟನೆ, ಆ ತಂಡದ ಎಲ್ಲ ಸೈನಿಕರ ಮನಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಕಲಕಿತ್ತು. ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಬಗೆಗಿನ ಅವರ ಮುಂಚಿನ ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಗಟ್ಟಿಯಾಯಿತು. ಆತ ಅಮಾನುಷ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿ ಎಂಬ ಸರ್ವಸಮ್ಮತ ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದರು. ಅವರಿಗೆಲ್ಲ ಬೇಜಾರಾಗಿದ್ದು ಸೈನಿಕನ ಬೆರಳು ಹೋಯಿತೆಂದಲ್ಲ. ಅವರೆಲ್ಲ ದೇಶಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ತಲೆಕೊಡಲು ಸಿದ್ಧರಾಗಿ ಬಂದಂತಹವರು. ಅವರಿಗೆ ಬೇಜಾರೆಂದರೆ ಅವರನ್ನೆಲ್ಲ ನೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕಾದ, ಸಲಹಬೇಕಾದ ಆ ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಆ ನೊಂದ ಸೈನಿಕನ ಮೇಲೆ ಕಿಂಚಿತ್ತೂ ಕನಿಕರ ತೋರದೆ ಅವನನ್ನೇ -ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಲು ಬಾರದವನೆಂದು ಬೈದು ಕಳಿಸಿದನಲ್ಲಾ ಎಂದು.
ಇದಾದ ಒಂದು ವರುಷದ ಸುಮಾರಿಗೆ ಕೆಟ್ಟ ಸುದ್ದಿಯೊಂದನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿದೆ. - ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಟನ್ ಭಾರ್ಗವ ದುರ್ಮರಣಕ್ಕೀಡಾದನೆಂದು! ಆತನ ತುಕಡಿ ಇನ್ನೊಂದೆಡೆಗೆ ಸ್ಥಳಾಂತರಗೊಳ್ಳುವ ವೇಳೆ ಆತ ರಾತ್ರಿಯಿಡೀ ವಾಹನ ಚಲಾಯಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ, ಬಹುಶಃ ಆಯಾಸದಿಂದ ತೂಕಡಿಸಿ, ವಾಹನ ಮರಕ್ಕೆ ಡಿಕ್ಕಿ ಹೊಡೆದು ತೀರಿಕೊಂಡನೆಂಬ ಸುದ್ದಿ ಕೇಳಿದೆ. ಆ ತಂಡದ ಸೈನಿಕರೆಲ್ಲರೂ ಅತೀವವಾಗಿ ಶೋಕಿಸುತ್ತ - ನಮ್ಮ ಕುಟುಂಬದ ಮಗುವನ್ನು ಕಳೆದುಕೊಂಡೆವೆಂದು, ಚಿಗುರುವ ಕುಡಿಯೊಂದು ಚಿವುಟಿಹೋಯಿತೆಂದು ದುಃಖಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರಂತೆ. ವಿಧವೆಯಾದ ತಾಯಿಯ ಇದ್ದ ಒಂದೇ ಮೊಗ್ಗು ಅಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಅರಳುವ ಮುನ್ನ ಕಮರಿದಂತಾಯಿತಂತೆ.
ಈ ಸಂಬಂಧಗಳ ಕೊಂಡಿ ಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಬಗೆ, ಮನಸ್ಸು ಮಿಡಿಯುವ ಬಗೆ - ಅಚ್ಚರಿಯುಂಟು ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ. ಇವನ್ನು ಸರಳ ಕೂಡಿಕಳೆಯುವ ಲೆಕ್ಕಾಚಾರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವಿವರಿಸಲಾಗದು, ಅರ್ಥೈಸಲಾಗದು.
(A version of this was told to limited audience at Minnimane Kathaavali Edition 4)
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Emotions and 'Raakshasa'
(Author: Dinesh K Shetty T.)
I, sometimes wonder what makes oneself feel for a person. Is it just due to the fact that one happens to be associated with him/her or liking for his personality? Is it possible that you do feel for the person even if you hate him/her due to their bad behavior?
Those days I was interacting with an army battalion. Since I was a civilian & technician, soldiers used to interact with me freely. Since they often work in remote harsh areas, some soldiers get emotionally disturbed sometimes. They do talk about their difficulties with us. They do talk about their family back at their hometown, their frustrations, their joyous moments, etc. Once a guy was confiding emotionally with me -"My little daughter was asking me why I missed to visit her for Diwali? How can I make her understand?" Sometimes when we go with them to work in desert areas in scorching heat, they do pity us. They were of the opinion that we technicians need to work in a cool environment for our mind to work efficiently, else things won’t work, we may do damage to the equipment on which we are working. They work in a strongly hierarchical system.
They need to strictly obey their commanding officers. They do respect their colleagues who are seniors by age too which is due to the influence of Indian culture. Since the officer's cadre in Army is drawn from different qualification criteria, the soldiers get young men as officers commanding them. They are trained to look after their men well. Those who can look after their men giving them due respect and connect with them emotionally too will do well. I have seen a few officers who do that. I have seen soldiers who treat that kind of officers like their 'Mai-Baap'(parents), as their god! But some develop the notion of 'controlling men by command & using their 'power'.
One such officer I had met was Captain Bhargava. I had met him during his initial days in the army unit. A young boy bubbling with energy & brimming with confidence and courage to conquer the world. A handsome guy, well built, quite tall and with fair complexion too. He was an aggressive person. Later I came to know that his father was also an army officer and was diseased a few years back.
He was friendly with me but never used to smile with his subordinates.
He used to be quite harsh with them, punishing them often to discipline them. Worst thing used to be his scolding - bad mouthing them. That was putting the soldiers down, making them seethe in anger. The soldiers used to get agitated seeing him bad mouthing elder soldiers. They often used to confide with me complaining that "see this small kid - looking like a milking baby, gives 'Gaali'(Badmouth using dirty words) to such aged persons, forget about giving respect for age, how can he bad-mouth them?". They have nicknamed him as 'Raakshasa' (a Demon). They used to get frightened whenever they are near him & fumble.
He was a hardworking man. Never cares about the harsh working environment. Scorching heat doesn't bother him. His expectation was - all should be as stubborn as he is. Once I was traveling with him on a vehicle in a desert. It had just rained. The soil was a bit wet. A vehicle was going ahead of us kicking dust on us. The wet dust was sticking on our body. Captain Bhargava looked at my face and started laughing in hysterics saying I am looking like Ramnavami Hanuma. I got angry and told him to stop laughing and advised him to look at his face in a mirror and chastised him saying that he is looking like Jambavanta now. The fact was that we all were looking like the ones with Ramnavami makeup.
I used to keep him company during some get-together holding a glass with coke. Maybe due to the effect of his drinks, once he asked me when I will be getting married. When I told him that I have no plan of getting married in near future, he suddenly shot back saying "Why? Do you want to keep sniffing around like dogs?" I was embarrassed, didn't know how to answer him. Hence kept quiet. Wondered what circumstances he had been and what notion he had about marriage.
I do remember an incident when a soldier was cleaning an anti-helicopter gun. There were some powerful springs attached to a locking lever. Captain Bhargava came there. By seeing him, the soldier fumbled a bit in an attempt to straighten himself. His fingers touched a lock accidentally and the springs went into action. One of his fingers was in its path of action & got chopped off! Blood oozed out. He gave a sharp cry! The Captain saw that and cursed him 'Bhaag Saale(Run Idiot)! Can't even do this work properly' and chased him off and he himself sat inspecting the gun. Another soldier took him to the doctor in a nearby tent. After some time, the other soldier comes back running saying 'Sir, the doctor wants his finger'. Captain and the soldier searched for the chopped finger. When Captain lowered the gun, the finger came out. He threw the finger to the soldier without an iota of emotion asking him to run and give it to the doctor and he continued his work as if nothing had happened.
That incident had put off all the soldiers in the unit and it had firmed up their belief that the Captain is in-human. It's not because a soldier lost his finger they are upset. After all, they are ready to offer their head for the country! They are upset because the Captain didn't even show a bit of empathy towards the injured soldier, rather cursed him blaming it as his incompetence.
After a year or so, I heard the bad news that Captain Bhargava passed away in a road accident. It seems when his unit was moving to another place, he was driving a long distance in the night and dozed off a bit due to tiredness and the vehicle hit a tree. I also heard that the whole unit wept their heart out saying they had lost their family member, a young budding kid. I was also told that Bhargava was the lone son for the widowed mother. She lost her lone blooming bud.
I was quite puzzled about the chord which connects people, the emotions they develop! It doesn't seem to me that it can be explained in simple arithmetic formulas nor it can be easily understood!
Those days I was interacting with an army battalion. Since I was a civilian & technician, soldiers used to interact with me freely. Since they often work in remote harsh areas, some soldiers get emotionally disturbed sometimes. They do talk about their difficulties with us. They do talk about their family back at their hometown, their frustrations, their joyous moments, etc. Once a guy was confiding emotionally with me -"My little daughter was asking me why I missed to visit her for Diwali? How can I make her understand?" Sometimes when we go with them to work in desert areas in scorching heat, they do pity us. They were of the opinion that we technicians need to work in a cool environment for our mind to work efficiently, else things won’t work, we may do damage to the equipment on which we are working. They work in a strongly hierarchical system.
They need to strictly obey their commanding officers. They do respect their colleagues who are seniors by age too which is due to the influence of Indian culture. Since the officer's cadre in Army is drawn from different qualification criteria, the soldiers get young men as officers commanding them. They are trained to look after their men well. Those who can look after their men giving them due respect and connect with them emotionally too will do well. I have seen a few officers who do that. I have seen soldiers who treat that kind of officers like their 'Mai-Baap'(parents), as their god! But some develop the notion of 'controlling men by command & using their 'power'.
One such officer I had met was Captain Bhargava. I had met him during his initial days in the army unit. A young boy bubbling with energy & brimming with confidence and courage to conquer the world. A handsome guy, well built, quite tall and with fair complexion too. He was an aggressive person. Later I came to know that his father was also an army officer and was diseased a few years back.
He was friendly with me but never used to smile with his subordinates.
He used to be quite harsh with them, punishing them often to discipline them. Worst thing used to be his scolding - bad mouthing them. That was putting the soldiers down, making them seethe in anger. The soldiers used to get agitated seeing him bad mouthing elder soldiers. They often used to confide with me complaining that "see this small kid - looking like a milking baby, gives 'Gaali'(Badmouth using dirty words) to such aged persons, forget about giving respect for age, how can he bad-mouth them?". They have nicknamed him as 'Raakshasa' (a Demon). They used to get frightened whenever they are near him & fumble.
He was a hardworking man. Never cares about the harsh working environment. Scorching heat doesn't bother him. His expectation was - all should be as stubborn as he is. Once I was traveling with him on a vehicle in a desert. It had just rained. The soil was a bit wet. A vehicle was going ahead of us kicking dust on us. The wet dust was sticking on our body. Captain Bhargava looked at my face and started laughing in hysterics saying I am looking like Ramnavami Hanuma. I got angry and told him to stop laughing and advised him to look at his face in a mirror and chastised him saying that he is looking like Jambavanta now. The fact was that we all were looking like the ones with Ramnavami makeup.
I used to keep him company during some get-together holding a glass with coke. Maybe due to the effect of his drinks, once he asked me when I will be getting married. When I told him that I have no plan of getting married in near future, he suddenly shot back saying "Why? Do you want to keep sniffing around like dogs?" I was embarrassed, didn't know how to answer him. Hence kept quiet. Wondered what circumstances he had been and what notion he had about marriage.
I do remember an incident when a soldier was cleaning an anti-helicopter gun. There were some powerful springs attached to a locking lever. Captain Bhargava came there. By seeing him, the soldier fumbled a bit in an attempt to straighten himself. His fingers touched a lock accidentally and the springs went into action. One of his fingers was in its path of action & got chopped off! Blood oozed out. He gave a sharp cry! The Captain saw that and cursed him 'Bhaag Saale(Run Idiot)! Can't even do this work properly' and chased him off and he himself sat inspecting the gun. Another soldier took him to the doctor in a nearby tent. After some time, the other soldier comes back running saying 'Sir, the doctor wants his finger'. Captain and the soldier searched for the chopped finger. When Captain lowered the gun, the finger came out. He threw the finger to the soldier without an iota of emotion asking him to run and give it to the doctor and he continued his work as if nothing had happened.
That incident had put off all the soldiers in the unit and it had firmed up their belief that the Captain is in-human. It's not because a soldier lost his finger they are upset. After all, they are ready to offer their head for the country! They are upset because the Captain didn't even show a bit of empathy towards the injured soldier, rather cursed him blaming it as his incompetence.
After a year or so, I heard the bad news that Captain Bhargava passed away in a road accident. It seems when his unit was moving to another place, he was driving a long distance in the night and dozed off a bit due to tiredness and the vehicle hit a tree. I also heard that the whole unit wept their heart out saying they had lost their family member, a young budding kid. I was also told that Bhargava was the lone son for the widowed mother. She lost her lone blooming bud.
I was quite puzzled about the chord which connects people, the emotions they develop! It doesn't seem to me that it can be explained in simple arithmetic formulas nor it can be easily understood!
The End.
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