No "AND" please.

Cup and Saucer, Bread and Butter, Over and Out are a few of the hundreds of Siamese twins that exist in the language. Well, for one, Deaf and Dumb is certainly not one. It's not a twin but an example for cause and effect. All dumb people are not deaf. And certainly all deaf people are not dumb. 

DEAF AND DUMB

On the other day, I was returning home after a taxing day in college. As usual, the train was crowded - what else to expect at 5.30 PM on a weekday - and I managed to board it. I stood near the compartment door or what they call, foot-boarded the train. Earphones doing their work effectively, I hummed along with it. The trees and structures whizzed past me and so the stations. The hue and cry of the city didn't affect me in anyway except that I got down at every station and boarded again at the sight of green flag of the white attired guard. Everyone was shouting "Please leave way!" all along till they got down and they never forgot to give us a stare as if there was enough space inside and I was standing near the door to show off. Pity them. 

And then three school kids got in. White unbuttoned half-sleeves, grey full trousers and an emblem stitched to their pockets. Anyone could have easily taken them as some ordinary school kids but giving them a closer look indicated me something different. They were silent and I was curious. I removed my ear phones to hear their forthcoming conversation. But removing my earphones didn't do me any good for they didn't open their mouths. It was blatant that they should be weary of the day similar to me. 

Then moved their hands. So fast that I could not easily see their position and momentum. Heisenberg's uncertainty Principle. I had to give more attention to see what they were doing. They were communicating. Yes, by sign language. I was moved yet at the same time thrilled. Like any other layman, I mistook them as Deaf and Dumb. But something which happened immediately wronged my mind. A Gentle man tried to catch the train after it had started and he fell down on the platform badly hurting him. Everyone understanding the peril before our eyes started shouting out loud. I instantaneously noticed them with their mouths opened in fear. They too were shouting. They were successful in making the noise though they didn't know it. I heard them and others near didn't care to. 

These kids are a part of the special school and they are trained very well on sign language. They communicated very casually and in fact more emotionally than us through their eyes. Though they were not dumb, their deafness made their mouth mute. With proper training, they could voice their thoughts. 

That evening, I noticed a contest in Indiblogger to write for a cause based TEDxGateway Mumbai. I casually browsed through the videos not for entering the contest but to check out the issues these people talked about. And I noticed one particular talk by Ruma Roka who is the founder of the Noida Deaf Society, which uses specialized vocational programs to help the deaf achieve gainful employment and more fully integrate into their communities. I decided to write about the one I witnessed that evening. 

We all can see one Visually Challenged person or many travelling to work. And we can see stupid people working everywhere with all their senses wide open except their mind. But have we seen one who is deaf or dumb who has gone to one proper job? By proper job I mean, the job which is not an underemployment to that person I am talking about. No definitely, we haven't. Why are these set of people refused every where they go? Since they have no hearing or speaking ability? But job is a mental work though a little physical work is needed. I am not telling that they should be employed in a job where communicating is important but there are jobs where these people can shine. 

Ruma Roka says this one important point which can be an advantage. "They are deaf and they are focused on their job without any distraction." See her talk here. Franklin Templeton Investments partnered the TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012. We need not get down on the field to bring the change. A few small changes in our mind, in the way we perceive things can bring upon enormous effects in our society. 

Links : 

Ruma Roka http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ai3XTLyGboQ

Change, Are you ready?

I have always believed in this proverb. "Little drops of water make the mighty ocean." Whenever I think about a single change which is likely to bring an all round prosperity to our society, I often get confused how a single change will shake the entire society which has been built slowly for millions of years! The way we live today is a result of the slow but steady progress of the "minds" of our ancestors over a huge period of a little above hundreds of thousands of years! And how does a 'single' change is likely to change the entire condition?

And what else can we expect? A revolution? Like the French or the Cuban one? No, it isn't possible in our India. India isn't a country suitable for revolutions. What else can we possibly do to bring about this change? Only small changes in ourselves, in the minds of the people who wish to see a change, in the hearts of those who are eager to change this society, in the thoughts of those who just sit there to watch a change will bring about the change we desire. Yes. Everything, every single thing starts at a single point: "Me". If you wish to see a change in the country, first try to bring a change in your actions and that shall lead the country to.

One can ask me many questions pertaining to this. "We are common citizens and what can you expect from us to change this complex society?" Well, the answer is simple. It is in the proverb in which I have always believed. Little drops of ocean water make the mighty ocean. A tiny change in yourself and that shall shake the world. Let me introduce you a new character Mr. Changer alias Mr. C, who is a social activist.

Small change #1: There are several "Save energy, save power." campaigns going on all around the world. The environmentalists protest with placards "Don't waste power and hence the natural resources!” We all talk about those big, showy campaigns. We run marathons, participate in debates, give lectures etc., But how many of us follow that in our places? How many have that slightest attitude to switch off the fans and lights in the room when we leave the room, though we are going to return after two minutes? The statistics reports that nearly 50% of the energy used for home purposes are wasted in the inefficient usage of electricity like the above one.

It was a bright day and Mr. Changer was standing out of his home admiring the bright sun after 3 days of heavy downpour. Suddenly a small kid, around 7-8 years, called him.

"What’s the matter kid?"

"Changer sir, do you know where the control of the street lights located? It is a bright day and yet the street lights are all on. It is wastage of power, right? None seem to have any concern about it and switch it off. I myself will do it."

Mr. C was completely lost. He didn't notice that those lights were ON. He came out of his home, walked towards a lamp post and turned the switch off.

The kid smiled, "Thanks Changer sir."

And that kid left the place. C thought that he should have been the one to thank him. But he did and C admired his social thought.

Do we have this?

Small Change #2: Accidents, accidents and accidents everywhere! Yes, I do hear you saying that you are all very cautious in driving vehicles and it is not your fault. If every individual who rides vehicles justifies him/her, then who is the reason for accidents? Oh, it may be the vehicles themselves. Yeah we can blame it on the vehicles and even the road blocks. “I was riding vehicle and suddenly my vehicle fell in love with the bumper of the car in front of me and it wanted to impress the dash board and so it sped hitting (on) it! And so the accident.” Well, this might work only if you survive. What can we possibly do?

I also drive vehicle and I drive almost every day. And out of 10 vehicles, 9 don’t care to turn their indicators on or horn when they take a left and 4 don’t care to turn on their indicators even when they take a right.

Once a vehicle was taking a left turn in a day time but he didn't turn his indicator on. Mr. C saw this at a distance from his vehicle and drove to him.

"Hi Social buddy, what‘s up?"

"You didn't turn on your indicator while turning left."

"Hey, lefts are free in India and one need not turn on his indicator while turning left."

"Then why do vehicles manufactured in India come with a left indicator at the front and the rear?"

"But you always talk about energy saving? I saved power now without turning on the indicator unnecessarily."

"Oh, you quote energy saving now?"

"Yeah!" (A vicious smile!)

"Turn off your head lights. It is day time."

The guy couldn't reply and left the place. He took a left turn without his indicator ON again and ‘THUD’, a sound of a metal body crashing against other. C rushed to the place to find the guy on the road with his bike 30 feet away from him.

Small Change #3: These days, there are loads of opportunities abroad and we all study here and leave the country. After few years, we return to see our relatives and friends and to show off our standard. We follow the rules in that country but never care to follow them here.

Mr C went to a theater to see a documentary. During interval he went to buy a pack of popcorn. He heard a conversation between a dad and his son. Seeing the guy’s appearance, C thought that he should have recently returned from foreign. C noticed that the son’s pocket was full of empty chocolate papers. He approached the kid to inquire that.

"Son, why are you having many empty chocolate wrappers in your pocket? Why don’t you throw them off?"

"There are no dustbins around here sir."

"See over there, all are throwing their wastes in that corner. Put it there and the sweeper will clean it later."

"But that isn't a dustbin. I need a bin named "Please put your trash here" or something like that written and so I can throw it in the bin and not on the floor."

C was inspired. "What if you don’t find one?"


"I will carry these all the way to my home and put it in the dustbin there."

"Who taught you to do this?"

"We are from abroad and the rules there strictly tell us not to litter. My dad also told me not to litter there. Isn't that same everywhere?"

I patted his back and at the same time his dad threw his plastic cover on the floor several feet away from the corner.

Small Change #4: We all have become so selfish. We always want our work to be done first. We don’t care about others. We have become so self-centered and we never care to care for others.

Mr. C went to a show and they announced in the end that they would distribute gift bags to the people present there and the gift bags are less in number. They requested the people to form a queue. And suddenly the people from various corners of the hall rushed and crowded the place in front of the stage to get the gift bags. C stood as the last person in the crowd and got peevish because of the people’s behavior. He thought that he was the last person in the so-called queue and was surprised to find a small girl standing even behind him. He went near the girl and asked her in a loud voice so that everyone could listen. All turned to face them.

"Why are you standing here while the queue is so much far before you?"

"The organizers announced to form a queue and as per my calculation, the queue should end here."

"But the queue doesn't end here. See it has stopped much ahead you."

"Sir, a queue means one person should stand behind other and not two behind three or four behind five."

"Haha. That is fine. You are standing here and you think that this is going to make difference in them?"

"It will certainly sir. People are always afraid to stand at the last because they might lose the gift bag or whatever. They don’t want the last position. And so I have taken it and all of you can come and stand before me so that I will always be the last person to get the bag if there is any left."

The people hung their head in shame and they formed a queue. Almost all got the bags and the organizers gave that girl a big gift.

I have quoted you some small changes which we don't notice as necessary ones and there are further many more. See the incidents and all of us will know how these small changes will do miracles. Take a small step towards the change and we shall see a large change in the society. I shall rest my post here.

P.S: This blog post is submitted for the Indiblogger-Indichange-IDiya contest. Read more about IDiya here.