Childhood heroes

Everybody wants their childhood back; many authors and poets have touched on the topic to relive their childhood and the joy attached with it. Even I wanted my childhood back today, but it was not because of the no worries situation or the innocence n happiness associated with it. In fact I feel only a child knows what all problems he had. As a child it was so much frustrating to know that your parents are not taking you seriously. You talk with so much concern over a topic and your parents pretend to listen with the same concern with a smile on their face. And the pressure of studies, the best thing about growing up is you choose to study or not. But no matter how much you were in control of the elders the childhood still has a charisma of its own which always attracts you. When you smile back at an innocent child’s smile while you are irritated over something you wish you were like that child, who has no knowledge about what the hell is going around your mind now.

I felt a similar wanting to be a child forever, when I read that V.D. Savarkar was the key conspirator in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. My school books and popular movies had taught me that he was one of India’s great freedom fighter. One among the many other patriots in the pages of Indian history whom I was proud of. On further thought I realize that most of my childhood heroes were not really one. During my graduation years as I was not very good student didn’t bother to read much but remember how we had books and readings that also showed and tried to prove Gandhi himself in poor light. The best part of doing a graduation in history is you get to know that never believe any of the history completely as there is always or in most of the cases some or the other historians debating over how it happened. You learn that all the stories you were told in school also had another side to it which was never told to you.

Having been partially convinced that both revolutionaries and peace lovers were not just simply fighting in the interest of their country I turned my thoughts more inwards towards my family. For any son his all time hero throughout the life would be his father. Even if it is not said it is shown in most cases. So while thinking of my parents who will also be my childhood heroes by default a question mark rises. Were they really too? One instance remember n makes me put up that mark in mind was when a police official not in uniform came for passport verification and was handed over a 500 rupee note by me on the insistence of my parents. Isn’t that what you call bribe? Well there was no need for it as all my documents were perfect. But the roots of corruption has grown so deep in the society it was more like social custom of giving water or tea to a guest at your house. Well we were not taking any favour from him it was our right to have a passport, then why did way pay him? Just for our happiness of being assured of getting a passport in 3 months. That means it was not a bribe as it was paid out of happiness and not in return for any favours. But then why is it that we didn’t share such happy moments with a beggar who would come to the house asking for money or someone who needed it more? Frankly, they couldn’t assure you a passport as quickly as possible.

Most(or all) of us(including me, maybe, not sure) grow up to be big boys and girls inculcating all such life skills in our life taught to us from various institutions of the society and then blame it without realizing how much we are a part of it. But then is the world reaaly full of bad people? Are my parents who taught me not to tell lies n be law abiding also not heroes n just corrupt? Not really, parents are still heoroes because of the fact that I could think like this today. Whatever I could do today is because of them. When someone who is known as the Father of nation and regarded as the epitome of truth by all religions and people alike can have made mistakes in life, as humans all of us makes mistakes and the will to correct it is what gives hope for tom. So while the parents are still heroes for their lifetime contribution towards ‘you’. Like the economist say while formulating theories; other things being equal. Similarly other things kept apart both Gandhi and Savarkar were heroes for fighting for their countries. Even our legends like Mahabharatha which we consider as a holy text is full of deceit. It says your path is not important but your final goal. So everything is defined and answered well within our cultural roots.

Coming back to the question of if I still want my childhood back? No. I like it this way when I think, make possible theories then correct them when I find it wrong rather than the childhood when I didn’t knew and possibly could not have contributed more than a smile on an irritated man’s face. I do not mean that smile is less important but I feel this way I will be able to spread more smiles on more faces.