Here is a brief profile of Gaja (age 35):
Education : B. Com.
Job/business : None (tried several odd jobs)
House : stays with aged parents in their home
Income : Nil
Married : No (nobody is bothered)
Physic : Healthy, over weight, lazy, no diseases
Problems : No confidence, poor vision, average cognitive skills, fears society due to harrassment
Social status : insecure (highly)
The only problem with Gaja is that he cannot survive in competition. Not of senior managerial or of cunny traders. But simple, day-to-day life competition. For example, cutting the queue to get into the bus, bargaining price of a t-shirt at roadside vendor. Obviously, he did not get a simple clerical job and when he got some odd jobs at small shops, he was teased and chased out by the rest of staff. So, by the age of 27, he had lost complete confidence of living in the society on his own. This is not in Mumbai or Pune, this is in a town in ROM (Rest of Maharashtra). Everyone around him, including his parents, pity upon him for not having the minimum capabilities to survive in this fast world. Because he is physically good, healthy and from a middle class background, he does not qualify for the sympathy awarded to physically challenged or economically weak or caste based backward.
What should Gaja (and so many others that we come across in our own towns) do? He does not earn any money so he does not possess any decision power in home. As he does not have job nor income, he cannot marry to have a family of his own. All the basic perquisites that a human being enjoys being in society are kind of disallowed for him. Does he not feel to go watch a movie on his own? Does he not imagine of having a partner in his life? And what about sexual urgencies? Who is stopping him? The society around him. He is denied the basic tenets of the life on earth awarded by The Creator to all! And what is his mistake or drawback? He cannot compete in the fast and cunning race of the life! For not running in the race, one would definitely be not rewarded like one who runs, but is it justifiable to punish one?
How will social science experts address the problem of so many Gajas, Mushtaqs, Freddies and Chagans? And Godas, Saranyas and Fatimas? They are healthy living bodies with average IQ and want to live a peaceful and fearless life away from the stampede of the main bazaar. Is it possible to have some kind of human sanctuaries where gaming, racing or poaching by outsiders is banned? Being Human!
Education : B. Com.
Job/business : None (tried several odd jobs)
House : stays with aged parents in their home
Income : Nil
Married : No (nobody is bothered)
Physic : Healthy, over weight, lazy, no diseases
Problems : No confidence, poor vision, average cognitive skills, fears society due to harrassment
Social status : insecure (highly)
The only problem with Gaja is that he cannot survive in competition. Not of senior managerial or of cunny traders. But simple, day-to-day life competition. For example, cutting the queue to get into the bus, bargaining price of a t-shirt at roadside vendor. Obviously, he did not get a simple clerical job and when he got some odd jobs at small shops, he was teased and chased out by the rest of staff. So, by the age of 27, he had lost complete confidence of living in the society on his own. This is not in Mumbai or Pune, this is in a town in ROM (Rest of Maharashtra). Everyone around him, including his parents, pity upon him for not having the minimum capabilities to survive in this fast world. Because he is physically good, healthy and from a middle class background, he does not qualify for the sympathy awarded to physically challenged or economically weak or caste based backward.
What should Gaja (and so many others that we come across in our own towns) do? He does not earn any money so he does not possess any decision power in home. As he does not have job nor income, he cannot marry to have a family of his own. All the basic perquisites that a human being enjoys being in society are kind of disallowed for him. Does he not feel to go watch a movie on his own? Does he not imagine of having a partner in his life? And what about sexual urgencies? Who is stopping him? The society around him. He is denied the basic tenets of the life on earth awarded by The Creator to all! And what is his mistake or drawback? He cannot compete in the fast and cunning race of the life! For not running in the race, one would definitely be not rewarded like one who runs, but is it justifiable to punish one?
How will social science experts address the problem of so many Gajas, Mushtaqs, Freddies and Chagans? And Godas, Saranyas and Fatimas? They are healthy living bodies with average IQ and want to live a peaceful and fearless life away from the stampede of the main bazaar. Is it possible to have some kind of human sanctuaries where gaming, racing or poaching by outsiders is banned? Being Human!
Nishi & Sandhya,
ReplyDeleteThe characters you wrote about are indeed in millinons throughout the world. Anyone who has little kindness will cry for them as you did. However, since the history of human civilisation, Bali to kan pili has been the rule of the game. It may be a good idea for others to help so many Gajas to live. There are many organisations who get lot of money in donation but not enough man power to do their social work. Anandvan & Swami Vivekanand rock memorial, Kanyakumari are two such organisations which come to my mind immediately. Their work is so wide spread that they always need manpower (manushyabal). Instead of cursing their lives, Gajas can definitely find some work at these places if not the materialistic pleasures. I believe that these are kinds of sanctuaries.
Ulhas has understood the vastness of this demography. He has suggested a clear way to their own rescue from the "market": to be part of a social org who need devoted folks not having much expectations of money or luxaries.
DeleteBut what about the attitude problem of the rest of the "successful" society? I mean, in long run, how to make society adjust these folks in normal life? As Prakash Amte recently said, "We do not want Anandvan to be expanded with money and manpower. Baba's vision was to reinstate the lepars in the society with dignity. That will get defeated if Anandvan grows."
I remember that in some old civilization like chaldian or so, they used to check the overall progress of a male infant for first year after birth, if found below average in terms of war, kill that infant. Isn't our society's current approach somewhat similar to that in this case sans killing?
Sometimes the problem could be that there was no one around such Gaja who gave support, encouragement and confidence to fail. I have seen so many - not exactly Gajas - as they had job - who were given to me - I mean my project team - while I was in IT world. They required some sympathetic approach and someone who understood that they could fail. I am happy to say that I have turned so many such guys from absolute losers to someone who was sought by all other teams who used to simply shun such people. This is my personal experience that I am sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou need not have to do anything spectacular or out of the worls to change their persona - simply show faith and give them confidence and then they would start competing. I am using the word in the same context and having the same meaning as you Nishi.
Keep blog posts coming Nishi and Sandhya! All the best.
Rajan has given a practical approach that he himself has used in the past. Simply showing faith and giving them confidence. He did so in his professional life to turn disadvantage into transformation of a guy.
DeleteAlthough it is simple, in normal day-to-day life, this does not happen. When we are not in professional environ and cautious about our own success, we behave differently. So, instead of supporting such a guy, we ridicule or pity him/her because our success in personal/social life is not dependent on that person coming up. Not to undermine Rajan's approach, we are just emphasizing what happens in normal life.
So, takeaway from Rajan's comment is: simply show faith and give them confidence to convey him that he has my support.
Nishi, the story of Gaja lacks one aspect that eventhough they are lacking in a particular profession/smartness/competitive world, they must have some other ability, may be less significant, but thre is no 100% GAJA in this world. So, our society, must be able to find out "abilities" in such people and use them for nation building !!!! I m not from any party, but U must visit AKSHARDHAM temple once, and see how Guruji has used the hands of thousands of cartisans in Gujrat and Rajastan district and gave them respectable life to such GAJAs.... CSR inititative presently implemented by many companies is just "spending money" here and there.....which is not productive. Instead, such companies must create "skilled persons in any field" from all such "GAJAS" and that should be a CSR program. This is primarily a Govt Job, but considering such poor Govt Machinary and exploding population, we all must do this as per our capacity. I may like to share an example. My driver is trained to make all "business expenses" entries in excel sheet and he performs lot of other works than driver and I pay for him..... I have seen in LODHA Company, that many average trained employees with their only asset of "INTEGRITY" are extremly close to CMD of the Company. This can happen only in "Owner Run" business and not in "Corporate" cultures.... as such person will not be allowed to even take up such assignment, as he lacks basic qualifications..... So identifying such "Gajas" and train them is "Our" responsibility..... I strongly feel that all "HUGE SUCCESS STORIES" are implemented at the back end by such "GAJAS" ......and we shd give due credit to them. Ajay
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