Dignity

“Be strong. Live honourably and with dignity. When you think it’s the end of the rope, tie a knot.”     

-James Frey, A Million Little Things.

Right from the Apple that came from Adam’s time to the “Apple” (fad) that prevails in today’s age; the term ‘dignity’ has existed for aeons. It has frequented to being synonymous with vocabulary like Self-respect, self-honour, self-worth. Has our vista broadened any further? 

The word is older than mankind himself. They say, the Gods too, before creating the world had a duel to prove supremacy over one another, often modestly deemed as 'QUEST FOR DIGNITY' under the pretext of Humility. Misguiding.

To speak of Humans, as the Homo Sapiens cocooned out of their animalistic instincts, and started gaining a sense of Society and it’s implications, came the onset of 'Dignity of Clothing'. A scarcest need of existence. Then came shelter, a means for man to show his prowess, again deemed as the 'Dignity of Lineage'.

Further the knot of human development with 'DIGNITY' went on getting twisted. Unfortunately, more than getting strongly imbibed and rooted within the DNA of human race in it’s truest sense, got entwined around the latter in a bewildering-undesirable fashion.

Elephant: A symbol of dignity

‘DIGNITY’ as defined by greatest scholars, is the sense in an enlightened human, that himself and the matter that may meet his eye, are all a part of a mechanism. A mechanism that is all pervading, incarnates itself every moment, destroys itself every moment. And the most authentic, unadulterated part of this mechanism would find a reflection of the supreme in each and treat him as an equal, as he himself is desirous to be treated. The truest test of human dignity, as in the Vedic times, is communicated by a humble ‘Namasté’.

However, when the human race boasts of achieving summits of achievement in every walk of life human feet tread, it is of importance to analyse, how pure are our means to ‘dignity’. Atrocities towards women, rampant corruption, cold-blooded Jihadism and violence are some of the biggest stains on the tech-savvy youth’s head.

Some of them may wish to carry it as a symbol ‘PRIDE-PROWESS’ over the ones they harass, wreaking havoc to ensure ‘DIGNITY’ of hierarchy, or clean it out to create a platform where the pawn and the king drink from the same palette. 

Time to Brainstorm, Mr youth. 

:knock: :knock: 

THINK FOR YOURSELF.  

  

- Vidhi Patni

When in Bombay!:'Chāi maarna' & 'Chāi daalna'

Your lessons in Mumbai's Terminology

'Chalo main ek chai maarke aata hu!'

'Oh ji sunte ho? ek cup chai daalu aapke liye?'

'Main toh ek cutting marunga'

'chai marneka toh iss tapri ka'

West, South, South-west or North-east. Wherever you go in Bombay, you hear this seemingly violent and destructive statement 'chai maarna' and 'chai daalna' o.O

Before you start wondering why all these people are as keen as mustard to pour perfectly good tea on people, let us caution you- Chai maarna= To drink tea

Chai daalna= To make tea

Well, Mumbaikars can go a bit over the top.. but we still don't play Holi with chai.