Mera Bharat Mahan - coming back from OZ

Time has come finally, when me and Pratibha would bid good bye to Adelaide and …… the long chased OZ dream…….. on 7th of December 2009, on a Monday morning when most people go to start their week. They go where they don’t want to go 

It might sound weird, strange, surprising, shocking, immature, impatient ….. and blah blah…. like a decision in haste or whatever….. But we believe it’s the right decision in our circumstances. We thought long and hard about it, and then finally decided that It’s better to go to ‘Incredible India’. Yahan, wahan, pura Jahan, par? Mera Bharat Mahan.

Yes, the roads in OZ are good, bcos there are not enough people to drive on the roads,
Yes, there is no pollution in air, bcos there are not enough people to pollute the environment,
Yes, the Govt employees are not ‘babus’, bcos there are not enough people to keep them busy,
Yes, the kids can enjoy playing in clean parks, bcos there are not enough kids to make the park a mess,
Yes, the beach is clean and tidy, bcos there are not enough people to throw enough rubbish around,
Yes, there is no corruption bcos there are not enough people to see the hard side of life,

Par? Phir bhi ‘Mera Bharat Mahan. Kyun???

Road kharab hai, lekin raat ko there are enough cars on the road to race with you,
Pollution bahut hai, par there are enough people to care about your health,
Govt employees kaam nahin karte, but there are enough people to help you with ‘jugaad’,
Parks clean nahin hai, but there are enough kids to keep the park lively and chirpy and noisy,
Beach bahut gandi hoti hai, but there are enough people to keep you away from them,
Corruption hai, but there enough reasons to like this corruption,

Diwali par acchcha lagta hai, bcos there are enough people to make it a festival,
Har occasion par, there are enough people to wish you and celebrate with you,
When you are sick, there are enough people to ‘pretend’ they care for you,
When you face a challenge, there is enough free advice available.

It was a difficult decision for me and Pratibha to decide. In fact, I believe every decision is tough when it relates to your life and that one decision could change your life forever. Today I believe, it was a great decision for us to come to OZ because it has made us realize the value of the things what we left behind. What used to be irritating yesterday, is missed a lot today.

Whether it be an uninvited friend or relative, who just barge in when they like (whether you like it or not ). Whether it be dhakka mukki in the temples, trains, stations, whether it be the chil po of the cars, whether it be waiting for a chair/table in Haldiram’s, whether it be waiting in queue at BigBazaar? Yaa phir kisi kee shaadi mein na jaane ke bahane dhoondna? Yaa phir bin maangi free ki ‘phaltu’ advice dene wale log? Aur ya phir, IPL mein betting karna? Yaa phir thodi chad jaane ke baad, colleagues ya dosto ka kehna “tu to mera bhai hai……….. tere liye jaan bhi haajir hai”?

And we are already preparing ourselves for the ultimate when we land up in India:

“humne to pehle hee kaha tha ki …….….”

“apna desh best hai kyunki …………”

“are Australia kee bajaye _______ jaate………”

“Tumhe pata hai, hum bhi chahe to jab marji Australia ja sakte the, magar ……….”

“are, aap log to badi jaldi himmat har gaye ……….”

“acchcha hai vapas aa gaye, kya rakha hai vahan par …………….”

…………………………. baate, ……….. aur baate………… aur gossip…………..