I had
the occasion to be in three or four different gatherings in recent
weeks. It made me think ... before that the details
In Mysore I was attending a litigation case in a trial court
regarding some land related issues. We were waiting in the court hall for the
judge to arrive. Room was full of black dressed lawyers and some clients. One
can sit down if there is a place but cannot cross legs as it would appear to
show disrespect to the judge. The atmosphere is somewhat tense but not as much
as I thought mainly because the cases drag on and many get adjourned. False
cases, forged documents, clever lawyers, greedy ones, immoral lawyers who would
do anything for money abound. (In an accident case, my lawyer - client conversation: Any witness? Did you
come across any one related to the person hospitalized? Have you seen the
victim? Lawyer advises: say ' No ' to ' Did you hit?' ' Did you see the
injured ' etc. ಯಾರಾದರು ನೋಡಿದರ? ಏನು ಕೇಳಿದರೂ
’ಸುಳ್ಳು ’ ಅಂತ
ಹೇಳಿ ಗೊತ್ತಾಯಿತ ). Lawyer, a Jain,
pious and clever man (ಇಹಕ್ಕೂ ಸುಖ ಪರಕ್ಕೂ ಸುಖ ಎಂದು ನಂಬಿರುವವರು ), has Theerthankaras (ತೀರ್ಥಂಕರ ) exhibited prominently in
his chamber under whose nose the conversation took place.
Back to court. No
clients are smiling although lawyers, even the opposing ones, smile, talk,
laugh ... Outside it is chaos. So many people, so many lawyers and their
assistants moving around hectically. Notaries sitting and waiting like vultures
for someone to come. False cases are foisted and several lawyers and judges are
busy for a long time and hundreds of documents get created, copied, falsified
constantly. A huge waste which we can ill afford. When we talk of democracy
we forget what colossal drain on our resources such a system imposes. One
might say it employs so many people but I wonder for what purpose. I am
reminded of army men digging trenches and filling them later for want of better
things to do.
The clients are from
different strata of society - villagers and town folk, literate and
illiterate ; an old man still hoping for something before he dies ;
Religion , caste , gender do not matter. Everyone is united by a greed
more powerful than what their religious leaders, prophets, gurus have advocated
as way of living. It is an unreal world. Second sin according to Christians.
Lobha third in Arishadvarga - Kaama,Krodha, Lobha , Moha, Mada,Maatsarya
- ಅರಿಷಡ್ವರ್ಗ : ಕಾಮ,ಕ್ರೋಧ,ಲೋಭ,ಮದ,ಮೋಹ,ಮಾತ್ಸರ್ಯ,
It distorts and often
destroys the person. I wonder what effect it has on lawyers over extended
periods. Very dehumanizing.
----------------
Lust (opposed by
Chastity), Greed (opposed by Charity), Pride (opposed by humility), Sloth
(opposed by diligence), Gluttony (opposed by temperance), Envy (opposed by
kindness), and Wrath (opposed by forgiveness).
----------------
The second occasion
was standing in the queue for visa - first for finger printing and later for
the visa. Finger printing day was cloudy (had rained previous night) with
impending rains. The road is narrow with heavy traffic in both directions.
Footpath has hardly enough width for people to stand. There are at least
hundred people from the gate onwards. Gate is opened by an impressive (at least
to himself) guard who has assumed importance. People are different now. Most of
them young, most of them can speak English and appear well to do. They arrive
in autos, taxis, cars accompanied by elder persons - usually parents. There is
a gleam in the eyes, ' we are different ' attitude, ‘we have arrived ' - or
almost - feelings all tinged with uncertainty. We wait for our turn, keep
asking the guard and a team of two busy looking officials about what slot is
going on.9 30 he says. A 10 30 man looks benignly at a girl and her mother with
12 30 pm slot. We look towards the sky and wonder when it would start raining.
And then what? Files are in unprotected
covers and we clutch them to our bodies as we cannot allow the rain to
spoil them. Everyone prays - let it not rain till I get in.
Again no one is
smiling. No, that is not entirely true. There are a few who do. Ones who have
attended it earlier and are through and come to help / show off to their
friends. They offer free and serious advice. There is a distinct difference
in demeanour, talk, gait when they get in and when they come out.
Somehow it was demeaning. I wonder about boat people ( trying to get into
European country or USA ) , illegal immigrants trying various means to get into
prosperous countries, our own Biharis and Oriya people , if not illegal,
treated as illegal immigrants in Bombay…
-----------------------
The third group was
when I went to Narayana Hrudayalaya for a check-up after 4 years
of my bypass surgery. Again there are hundreds of patients waiting for their
turn to see cardiologists, surgeons for the first time or for a post-operative
check-up. You can feel the gloom, fear, hope and trust. It does not matter if
the doctor they have to meet is John or Pravin, Jyoti
or Kishore, Indian or foreigner. They want assurance that their Doctor is
one of the best if not the best. There are patients who have undergone surgery
earlier and somehow feel that they are beyond danger. One patient was telling a
new one that he was operated by XXX six years back implying it is safe now. He
misses the irony. It is possible he has exhausted a major portion of his quota
(perhaps 10 years) and is in more danger than the other. He is blissfully
unaware that he may be closer to yet another surgery or he might be beyond
any intervention. I spoke to one person who was sitting next to me. He had
stroke one month back and now is diagnosed with multiple blocks. It appears
that surgery is risky and so also leaving it as it is. He is 50 years old with
two young children. His wife wants someone to ' fill him with some courage'
( swalpa dhairya thumbi ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಧೈರ್ಯ ತುಂಬಿ). Next to me is another woman. She was
disillusioned with an earlier hospital and doctor for whatever reason. She
wanted to know what had happened to me. I told her thinking that it might
infuse some confidence in NH. She was not convinced that mine was the right
case because according to her unless a valve is put in place surgery is not
complete. I have no heart ( what I have is a damaged one with a bye pass; pj
Papu would say ) to argue. Practically
everyone is a heart patient of some sort or the other except the ones
accompanying them. For whom the Bell Tolls? I wonder and that includes me!
Outside there are three places of worship -
Hindu, Muslim and Christian - all joined together (ಸರ್ವ ದೇವ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರಂ ಕೇಶವಂ ಪ್ರತಿಗಚ್ಚತಿ ! ). For me it does not mean
much. Faced with death at last we seem to forget religious differences but not
when life is in full bloom. The place actually fills me with hope. One, I
feel part of a larger group. Two, the irony as I see it - death is a
great leveller. Thank God for that. Basic issues are the same for
everyone. Three, you find unexpected streaks of courage, kindness and
fortitude. There is definitely some dignity here.
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