Puran Chand Sharma
‘Matre Devo Bhav, Pitre Devo Bhav’ has been the hallmark of Bhartiya Sanskriti. Our scintillating cultural practices and prominent moral values being cultivated in the family have been recognized and admired all over the world. However, the scenario has changed upside down in the deluge of unbridled modernization and globalization. Joint family system has suffered serious erosion; focus has shifted from basic moral training in the families together with formal Education in the schools, colleges and universities to job oriented professional courses facilitating students to devour the highest and lucrative package in the multinational companies. Parents cheerfully lead from the front in making the best of investment in terms of money and other resources coupled with worldly love and attachment with a deep rooted emotion of return gift of fulfilling the filial obligations in the fag- end of their life. Barring few exceptions, the society as a whole has been experiencing bewildering and harrowing tales of apathy and moral turpitude of the highly qualified and abroad settled dear ones raising serious question marks on the modern education and hollowness of human civilization. Beyond an iota of doubt, our beloved siblings, after having received the best of education available in the current times by dint of their unflinching resolve, persistent hard work, profuse blessings and timely financial support coupled with kudos and buck ups, succeed in embracing the pinnacle of prosperity and glory, which is a soothing joy for one and all in the family but in the din and mesmerizing glamour of materialistic ecstasy, they forget their roots, get swayed and end up into abysmal moral bankruptcy which is a matter of grave concern. Let us try to understand through the medium of true story pertaining to an Army officer residing in Lucknow with his wife and two well-qualified sons settled abroad:-
“An army officer painstakingly imparted the best of education to his sons by dint of his available resources during the period of his active service. They studied in top most schools and colleges of the country. The father left no stone unturned to settle his sons in life and even facilitated them to have access to highly lucrative jobs leading to comfortable settlement in a foreign country of their choice. Subsequently he superannuated as Colonel from the Indian Army and settled in Lucknow with wife. The journey of life went on smoothly; both the boys entered into married life and got engrossed in their own families. Periodical visits to parents stopped with the passage of time. Telephonic contact too became irregular and one-sided as only parents used to make courtesy calls. Life was just moving on for parents in the hope that our siblings would sometimes visit to meet us in Lucknow but all in vain. Rightly said, “Time and tide wait for none.” Mother could not reconcile with the changed behaviour of her progeny, so lovingly nursed and nurtured in the childhood. Struggling with a grim situation of hopelessness, she slipped into acute depression and kept on murmuring ‘Mujhe Apne Beton Se Milna Hai, Unko Bulao’. Father tried his level-best through mobile contact to urge his dear ones to come to see their ailing mother for the purpose of fulfilling her last wish but in vain. In due course of time, the condition of mother gradually deteriorated with no hope of recovery. Her pampered sons kept on saying, too busy on account of extreme work pressure, relax, would come soon on normalization of work constraints which never happened. The terminally ill mother had no time to wait. Ultimately, on a fateful day she left for her heavenly abode. The desperate father communicated the sad news to foreign based sons. Accordingly, only younger son arrived for last rites. Struggling with pangs of departure of his beloved life partner, father just enquired from his younger son as to why your elder brother did not come to participate in the last journey of his mother who was deeply concerned about both of you and fervently desired to have your last glimpse before leaving the mortal world. Younger brother narrated, “I went to him and discussed the matter in detail, in reply thereof, he said, Tum Jayo Mother Ko Niptay Ke Aayo, Doosri Baar Mein Father Ko Niptane Ke Liye Jayoon Ga.” This statement of the younger brother acted as a powerful electric shock. Emotionally down father was speechless, went straight to his room, bolted it and scripted a letter to his sons before shooting himself dead. “My dear sons, I did your upbringing in an accomplished manner with extreme love and available resources at that crucial phase of life. Your basic schooling and subsequent college as well as higher education happened in the best institutions. You became well educated, went abroad for the highest package and settled there for personal enjoyment and satisfaction leaving old parents to suffer in December of their life. My greatest regret in life is i could not make you good human beings and responsible citizens. I have, therefore, decided to shoot myself so that your elder brother also joins you in performing our last rites together.” Who was at fault is the moot question? This kind of raising and shocking episode is a sad reflection on our fast eroding socio-cultural values not being properly ingrained today in the nuclear families devoid of quality time for growing kids, love and care of Grand-father and Grand-mother, Chacha Chachi, Taya Tayi, Nana Nani etc. Predominantly the focus is on job oriented education and not on the value based education. There is no space for inculcating the faculties of mutual trust, perseverance, tolerance, sacrifice and nurturing the relationship but there is ample scope for the siblings turning greedy and self-centred at the cost of divine family relationship. Parents especially mother and the teacher can play a pivotal role in transforming the gloomy scenario. ‘One of the greatest titles in the world is parent and one of the biggest blessings is to have parents to call Mom and Dad.’ Jim Demint. Jai Bharat.