Conscious Living – Part I

Quite often we find people saying things without being aware of their implications, without being aware that their unintentional utterances may hurt some people.

Under the topic ‘Conscious Living’, we wish to draw your attention to some issues to which you may be contributing without knowing that they may make some of your friends/colleagues unhappy. Here is the first issue.

Most of you must have read sardarji jokes. Have you ever thought why they are called so, or asked “Why are you calling them ‘Sardarji’ jokes?”

Have you ever come across any Sardarji who is as foolish as depicted in those jokes?

I have not. On the contrary, I have always seen them as the finest people, gentlemen, highly civilized, and in North India, why ‘north’, all over India, they command much respect. Our Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is the best example. In spite of all that, there appears to be a carefully calculated effort to throw mud at them by propagating jokes against that community.

Here is my personal experience. Many years ago, I was travelling from Nagpur to Raipur by the Howrah Mail. Two of the passengers started talking to me, one was an elderly gentleman from Calcutta and the other was a young sardarji. Soon we were having a lively conversation and the young man suddenly observed that I have not eaten anything in the train. I was reluctant to eat the samosa or bhelpuri that were sold by hawkers as I had a sensitive stomach. Reluctant to reveal my problem, I simply said that I wasn’t hungry. The young sardarji said, “You won’t get your idli or dosa here.” However, when the train stopped at some station, he ran and brought some idlis, chutney and sambhar and handed over the parcel to me. Not only that, he refused to take any money. I was amazed by the kind gesture of the young sardarji as I was a total stranger and I had known him for only a few hours. The train reached Raipur at around 10 pm and I reached the guest house around midnight. I would have remained hungry until then but for the kindness shown by that sardarji.

Every time I remember that episode, my heart fills with pride “This is the country of such kind and good people.” But being a good and kind person is not enough, we all have to be aware of our responsibility towards others too. Hence the following request.

Jokes are good. Laughter is the best medicine, no doubt. If you can bring a smile on your friend’s face, it is really a good gesture. But please be aware of the fact that there is a very fine line between “having fun” and “making fun”. Whatever is the case, never forget this fine line. If you get sardarji jokes in your mailbox, read and enjoy. But if you want to forward it, modify the joke so that there is no mention of the word ‘sardarji’ anywhere in the joke.

For example, here is one from the internet:

A teacher asked her class for sentences using the word "beans".

"My father grows beans," said one student.

"My father cooks beans," said another.

Then a Little Sardarji spoke up: "We are all human beans."

In the above joke, why the phrase ‘Little Sardarji’? It is an unnecessary reference to a community. Modify the last sentence of the above joke as follows:

Another little boy spoke up: "We are all human beans."

Once modified, forward it to as many people as you wish. I can hear voices complaining ‘who has the time to do such modifications?’ If you don’t have time to modify, do not send such jokes.

Make a conscious effort to stop such references to “any community”. Always remember, if a similar comment were made about your community, you would not have enjoyed the joke. So, it is your responsibility to stop such demeaning of any community.

We have to be extremely careful about our words as well as our deeds and ensure that our freedom of speech should be utilized only for good purposes.

Live a good life. Live consciously. Remember “We reap what we sow.”

R. Padma