Little did the celebrated
cartoonist R.K. Laxman know that his glorified “common man” will someday transform into a “Superman”. We are not talking about the fictitious character out of
DC novels but a real life hero, who deserves applause and acknowledgement for
the unimaginable feats he performs in real life. So our Superhero not only
juggles between his responsibilities towards work and home but is also up
against corrupt Government authorities, errant rickshaw drivers, uncompromising
cab unions, angry traffic cops, an unyielding education system, and a host of
stress inducing trials. His travails do
not end with fending for his family but he is witness to hosts of rage emerging
in a world starved of patience, right from road rage, school rage, to office
rage, and every possible condition that would enrage even an ahimsa follower.
He wakes up to
the sounds of incessantly blaring horns or if neighbours are in festive mode,
then bhajans played at ridiculously loud decibels attempting to be heard beyond
the skies. If he belongs to the middle
or lower side of the socio-economic divide, he has already mastered the art of acrobatics
that come handy while travelling by local trains. Once he manages to squeeze
into the train, he has to engage in deep breathing, as artificial fragrances
are still a luxury in our country. And
if he resides on the upper side of the divide, he better gear himself up for a
long drive, arming himself with enough distractions to kill the extra hours
before he reaches his destination, and God bless his soul if he is in the
driver’s seat cause shifting gears will keep him busy throughout the journey.
Our superhero
pays a premium for basic necessities, bears the weight of exorbitant taxes, is
regularly subject to food, fuel and every possible price hike, and is supposed
to take all this with a pinch of salt, lest that gets dearer too. He keeps
himself alive breathing toxic gases which are far deadlier than what he lets out
and has no choice but to ignore the crumbling state of infrastructure. He has limited access to basic hygiene amenities in the city, is constantly susceptible to
bomb scares, terrorist attacks and alien viruses such as H1N1, which do not
attack computer systems but choose to target the human body. Unwillingly remits a hefty sum to school/college
authorities for admitting his offspring and has to keep a running bank account
to see them finish education. The rising
costs of living, with barely any increase in income, just add to his woes, thus
causing numerous ailments, which only contribute to the earnings of the medical
fraternity.
Inspite of
contributing to the revenues of the Exchequer he leads a chequered life abound
by twists and turns caused by his immediate surrounding than fate. Each day he leaves home to battle a fresh
set of challenges without any magical prowess.
He survives and surmounts countless obstacles with the hope of a better
tomorrow. Just one look in the mirror will find a superman staring back,
telling us “C’mon man get up and get
going today is another day”.
