ਨਵਾਂ ਵਰ੍ਹਾ – Navaan Vrhaa – New Year

ਨਵਾਂ ਵਰ੍ਹਾ,
ਕਲੰਡਰ ਬਦਲ ਕੇ,
ਜੀਵਾਂ ਉਹੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ |
-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੰਵਲ

Navaan Vrhaa,
Calendar Badal Ke,
Jivaan Ohi Zindagi ..
-Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

New Year,
After Changing the Calendar,
Living Same Life ..
-Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

ਆਤਮ ਚੇਤਨਾ

ਦੋ ਰੁੱਖ - Do Rukh

ਤਿੰਨ ਕਦਮਾਂ ਦੀ ਵਿੱਥ,

ਦੋ ਰੁੱਖ,

ਇੱਕ ਸੁੱਕਿਆ ਇੱਕ ਹਰਿਆ |

-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੰਵਲ

Tinn Kadmaan Di Vith,

Do Rukh,

Ikk Sukkeya Ikk Hareya..

-Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

ਇੱਕ ਵਿਚਾਰ – Ikk Vichhar

ਇੱਕ ਵਿਚਾਰ:

ਉੱਚਾਈ ਵਲ ਲੱਗੀ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਉਡਾਰੀ ਕਹਿੰਦੇ ਨੇ ਤੇ ਨਿਵਾਣ ‘ਚ ਜਾਣ ਨੂੰ ਡਿੱਗਣਾ ਹੀ ਆਖਾਂਗੇ; ਫੇਰ ਚਾਹੇ ਉਹ ਬੰਦਾ ਹੋਵੇ ਜਾਂ ਖਿਆਲ |

Ikk Vichhar:

Uchayi vall laggi nun hi udari kehnde ne te nivaan ‘ch jaan nun diggna hi aakhaan-ge; fer chahe oh banda hove jaan kheyaal ..

ਬਚਪਨ – Bachpan

ਸਿਆਲਾਂ, ਰਜਾਈ, ਗੱਲਾਂ,
ਜੀਵਾਂ ਬੀਤਿਆ ਬਚਪਨ,
ਪੁਰਾਣੀ ਸਹੇਲੀ ਨਾਲ |
-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੰਵਲ

Siyaalaan, Rajayi, Gallaan,
Jivaan Beeteya Bachpan,
Purani Saheli Naal ..
-Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

ਕੱਚਾ ਰਾਹ – Kacha Raah

ਧੂੜ੍ਹ ਤੇ ਖਿਆਲ,
ਉੱਡਦੇ ਦੋਵੇਂ,
ਕੱਚਾ ਰਾਹ ਪਿੰਡ ਦਾ |
-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੰਵਲ

Dhood Te Kheyaal,
Udd-de Doven,
Kacha Raah Pind Da..
-Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

ਕੁਝ ਸੁੱਕੀ ਕੁਝ ਹਰੀ – Kujh Sukki Kujh Hari

ਸਿਆਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਸਵੇਰ,
ਤ੍ਰੇਲ ਭਰੀ ਘਾਹ,
ਕੁਝ ਸੁੱਕੀ ਕੁਝ ਹਰੀ |
-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੰਵਲ

Siyaalaan Di Saver,
Trel Bhari Ghah,
Kujh Sukki Kujh Hari ..
-Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

ਜਨਮ ਦਿਨ ਇਓਂ ਮਨਾਈਂ – Janam Din Eyon Mnaayin

ਇਕ ਸਵਾਲ ਸਾਨੂੰ !

ਨਿੱਕੀਆਂ ਜਿੰਦਾਂ ਨੇ ਜੋ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਓਸ ਵਰਗੀ ਇਤਿਹਾਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਤਾਂ ਕੀ ਕਿਸੇ ਮਿਥਿਹਾਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੀ ਮਿਸਾਲ ਨਹੀਂ ਮਿਲਦੀ !

ਵੱਡੇ ਲਾਲਾਂ ਨੇ ਵੀ ਭਰਦੀ ਜਵਾਨੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਾਰੇ ਸੁੱਖ ਤਿਆਗ ਕੇ ਧਰਮ ਤੇ ਸਿਧਾਂਤ ਤੋਂ ਜਾਨ ਵਾਰਦਿਆਂ ਦੇਰ ਨਹੀਂ ਲਗਾਈ, ਸਗੋਂ ਜੂਝ ਪਏ ਕਿਸੇ ਅਗੰਮੀ ਚਾਅ ਵਿੱਚ ਇੱਕ ਸਿਦਕ ਦੀ ਓਟ ਲੈ ਕੇ, ਲਾੜੀ ਮੌਤ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਆਉਣ ਲਈ !!

ਕਲਗੀਧਰ ਦਸ਼ਮੇਸ਼ ਦਾ ਹੌਸਲਾ ਦੇਖੋ... ਆਪਣੀ ਸਾਰੀ ਬਿੰਦੀ-ਅੰਸ਼ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇ ਰਾਹ-ਏ-ਸਿਦਕ ਤੋਂ ਵਾਰ ਕੇ, ਨਾਨਕ-ਸਿਧਾਂਤ 'ਤੇ ਪਹਿਰਾ ਦਿੰਦਿਆਂ, ਮੁੱਖ ਤੇ ਦਿੱਲ ਤੋਂ ਬਸ ਮਾਲਕ ਦਾ ਸ਼ੁਕਰ ਹੀ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ !! 

ਇਸ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੀ ਨੇ ਸਿੱਖ ਇਤਿਹਾਸ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੱਚ-ਮੁੱਚ ਨਵੀਆਂ ਲੀਹਾਂ 'ਤੇ ਪਿਰਤਾਂ ਪਾਈਆਂ ਹਨ, ਤੇ ਉਹ ਜਜ਼ਬਾ ਭਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ ਸਮੁੱਚੀ ਸਿੱਖ-ਮਾਨਸਿਕਤਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਿ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੀ ਤੇ ਸਿੱਖੀ ਇੱਕ ਦੂਜੇ ਦੇ ਪੂਰਕ ਹੀ ਬਣ ਗਏ ਹਨ..

ਪਰ ਕੀ ਅੱਜ ਅਸੀਂ ਉਸ ਜਜ਼ਬੇ ਨੂੰ ਕਾਇਮ ਰੱਖ ਪਾਏ ਹਾਂ?

ਕੀ ਅਸੀਂ ਸਹੀ ਮੁੱਲ ਪਾਇਆ ਹੈ ਕਲਗੀਧਰ ਤੇ ਉਸਦੇ ਲਾਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਕੁਰਬਾਨੀ ਦਾ???

ਜ਼ਰਾ ਕੁ ਸੋਚ ਕੇ ਦੱਸਣਾ...

ਮੈਂ ਤੂੰਹੀਂ ਤੇ ਤੂੰਹੀਂ ਮੈਂ

ਗਰੀਬ-ਲੀਡਰ-ਸਾਧ – Gareeb-Leader-Saadh

ਗਰੀਬ ਦੀ ਮੌਤ,
ਲੀਡਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਲੀਡਰੀ,
ਸਾਧਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਗੌਲਕਾਂ |
-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ‘ਕੰਵਲ

Gareeb Di Maut,
Leadaran Di Leadri,
Saadhan Dian Golakan..
-Kawaldeep Singh ‘Kanwal’

Banning of Alcohol or Tobacco Products from India

Many times alike in the past, its today also, in a discussion on the issue of Alcohol or Tobacco Hazards in India in general (or in Punjab in particular), I heard a very generic suggestion that such products must be banned totally by government by passing some law. This a very simple and ‘running from the core problem’ kind of suggestion which we always throw to just pass-on our own responsibilities towards every and other problem of ours.

However as far as the issue of banning them is concerned, I have doubt if they could really be banned by any successive government of India in practical senses. With so much of revenue coming from them in taxes (Punjab government’s significant budget comes from number of taxes on Alcohols only and center & other state governments’ also earning huge capital from tax revenue from Tobacco Products as well as Alcohols) along with contribution to party (as well as personal) funds coming from various Liquor Barons or Tobacco products makers and huge vote-bank provided by poors working in such industries, it is impossible for government of India to Ban them completely..

Otherwise, if we use such products, is it our problem or a National issue of concern? Why don’t we ourselves have the willpower to say NO to such filth?

Tomorrow, if we reach to our office delayed by an hour or so, would we shout for that the Government of India must ban either TIMING CONSTRAINTS or MAKING OF CLOCKS in this country? When would we learn to solve our problem ourselves??

It would only be we ourselves who could ban them from our lives, then in real senses they would automatically be disappeared from our society… Are we actually ready to solve the problem or are just passing the bucket with feeling that we have played our part well?

Your Views Please…………………..

ਚਿੜ੍ਹੀਆਂ

ਟਰਿੱਪਲ ਹਿੱਟ – ਹੱਡੀਂ ਹੰਢਾਈ ਦਰਦ ਭਰੀ ਦਾਸਤਾਨ !

ਕਾਂ ਨੇ ਕੀਤੀ ਇੱਦਾਂ ਬਿੱਠ,
ਮੇਰੇ ਵੀ ਪੈ ਗਈ ਥੋੜੀ ਛਿੱਟ!
ਪੁੱਛੋਗੇ ਕੀ ਹੈ ਏਸ ‘ਚ ਨਵਾਂ,
ਐਸੀ ਘਟਨਾ ਵਾਪਰੇ ਨਿੱਤ!
ਹੋਇਆ ਨਹੀਂ ਸੀ ਇੰਨਾ ਸਿੱਧਾ,
ਇਹ ਸਾਕਾ ਸੀ ਅਣਡਿੱਠ!
ਘਟਨਾਂ ਹੋਈ ਸੀ ਗੁਰੂ-ਘਰ,
ਜਿਥੇ ਖੜ੍ਹੇ ਸੀ ਅਸੀਂ ਅਚਿੱਤ!
ਕਾਂ ਮਹਾਰਾਜ ਨੂੰ ਫ਼ੁਰਨਾ ਆਇਆ,
ਸਾਡੇ ‘ਤੇ ਆ ਗੜਬੜਾਇਆ ਢਿੱਡ!
ਬਨੇਰੇ ਦਾ ਬਣਿਆ ਵਧੀਆ ਐਂਗਲ,
ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਹੋਈ ਉੱਥੇ ਹਿੱਟ!
ਫਿਰ ਰੂਟ ਲਿਆ ਉਸ ਹੇਠਾਂ,
ਢਾਣੀ ਸਾਡੀ ਖੜ੍ਹੀ ਸੀ ਜਿੱਥੇ ਫਿੱਟ!
ਭਰੀ ਨਾਲ ਦੇ ਦੀ ਪਗੜੀ,
ਜਿਹੜਾ ਖੜ੍ਹਾ ਕਰੀ ਸੀ ਪਿੱਠ!
ਫਿਰ ਆ ਲਿਬੇੜਿਆ ਮੇਰਾ ਗੱਲ੍ਹ,
ਜਿਵੇਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਹੀ ਤੁਰੀ ਸੀ ਮਿੱਥ!
‘ਕੰਵਲ’ ਯਾਦ ਤਾਂ ਰਹੂ ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾ,
ਅਨੌਖੀ ਸੀ ਇਹ ਟਰਿੱਪਲ ਹਿੱਟ!

-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ‘ਕੰਵਲ’

ਬਰਫ਼-ਤੜ੍ਹਫ਼ – Baraf-Tadaf

ਠੰਡਾਂ ਨੇ, ਬਰਫ਼ ਪਈ ਹੈ,

ਅਸੀਂ ਐਸਾ ਕੀ ਆਖਿਆ,

ਸਰਕਾਰ ਤੜ੍ਹਫ਼ ਗਈ ਹੈ !

-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੰਵਲ

Thandan Ne Baraf Payi Hai,

Asin Aisa Ki Aakheya,

Sarkar Taraf Gayi Hai !

-Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

ਸਾਡੀ ਗਲੀ – Saadi Gali

ਫੁੱਲਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਚੁੰਮਦੇ ਹੋ !

ਸਾਡੀ ਗਲੀ ਆ ਜਾਵੋ,

ਕਿੱਥੇ ਪਏ ਘੁੰਮਦੇ ਹੋ !!

-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੰਵਲ

Fullaan Nun Chummde Ho !

Saadi Gali Aa Javo,

Kithe Paye Ghummde Ho !!

-Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

Life & Emotions

We needn’t to be above emotions, we need to be emotive, and to live in them but don’t allow them to take over us..
An emotion is a sign of life but life is much beyond emotions, we have to be emotional however just need to be careful that they simply not take control of our life or wisdom..
We can’t live without emotions but couldn’t conclude to a logic with them too..

Emotions are no doubt a necessary part of life. An emotion is actually a sign of life, if and only if a person is emotive then only one could be considered as alive in real terms. However emotions when take control of our wisdom, our decision making capabilities, then they are the worst enemies of the life itself. Emotive mind goes illogical could be think freely at all on new thought against ones prejudices or presumptions with which our self has developed some emotional attachment. We simply don’t want to give second thought when something we feel is hurting our emotions, irrespective how much weight it might possesses on logical plane. So in that manner emotions controls our wisdom or our otherwise intellectual self.

Emotionlessness is actually lifelessness, however life is not emotions only but moving beyond while still keeping them alongside. It is not leaving them all alone, but its actually practicing detachment from them while spreading open arms for them.

It is actually living in between, like Lotus in a pound, an otherwise muddy pound.

Tearful Onions !

Tears which we are having on sky-rocketing ONIONS, these days, is only due to the hoarding… Black-marketers just artificially increase or decrease the prices of essential commodities by doing planned stocking and preventing the commodity reaching the retail market. This impacts the availably while demand of commodity remains same, so does the rising of prices. They use to pocket huge money before Govt. could take steps to bring the prices down. 

Media plays big role in it. One day, it was selling Rs. 20/kg in small cities, same evening a news came that onions are being sold at Rs. 50/kg in metros and you just seen the prices rocketing very next morning in small cities.. Then it raised to Rs. 70-80 on next day with the grace of information spreading through electronic media specifically.

Along with controlling hoarders, black-marketers, something need to be there to control such hoax pass to spread through media..

MEDIA IS BECOMING MAFIA these days..

Human Emotions, Science & Future

Human emotions are something which are still unexplainable with the scientific knowledge that mankind currently possess. There is no scientific theory that can explain why we get happy on some moments or why some things make us unexplainably aggressive? Why we get jealous with some achievements of others? How we sometimes feel huge intrinsic desire for somewhat? The very weak reply comes as what is visibly happening in the neurons, present in strength of millions in our brain, in form of some electrochemical reactions. But why these reactions exist on first place? Why only some particular emotions are there at specific occasions rather than the other ones? Who is actually deciding which emotions to be best suitable for the situations in which they actually emerge? Current knowledge is astonishingly silent.

May be the knowledge to which we would evolve with time in future, we can answer these questions. Then, by that time, we might be able to control or generate the human emotions. Loss of some loved one would not be going to generate any shock and grief. Or we can imagine a world free from depression or any kind of mental disease. But this could turn the humanity into mechanic puppets with nothing left humane. Somebody or something could control all the emotions, all the feelings and can generate them or wipe out with the central control. There wouldn’t be any motherly love and care, there wouldn’t be any affection, love, romance, bravery, kindness, zeal for struggle and our million other emotions which actually make us what we are today. Everything would be controlled or falsely induced. Isn’t it a terrible visualization?

Now try to imagine the authority that is having the control of whole false and induced world. The one with that power wouldn’t be anything less than today’s God or even above that. God of today atleast has no control on our feelings.

But the question arises would we ever be able to attain that power. Is this anyway possible? However whole world sharing and evolving information with internet was not even imagined in one or two centuries back. Nobody had ever thought about cloning, travelling to moon or other planets & stars beyond. So what is hidden with future would only be revealed when the appropriate time would come.

ਕੁੱਝ ਚੋਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਕੁੱਝ ਸਾਧਾਂ ਦੀ

क़ातिल, मेरा खुदा!

Life, Questions & Answers

What is the meaning of life? Is it only respiring, earning, eating, sleeping, romancing, reproducing or so? We are living on a planet full of around 6.5 billion of people. Everybody is doing these things, so de facto all are qualified of being alive. My conscience always asks me am I here to be just like crawlers or there is a specific purpose of my existence? Why am I alive otherwise? It seems to be representing spiritual alter-ego of my personality but it is a valid question in all senses. If completing my daily tasks is the only need then I am nothing but a crawler. There would be hardly any difference between the existence of a cattle or an insect and sophisticated, intelligent and so called humane existence of mine.

The best way to know the answer(s) of these doubts is to earn the eligibility to get answered. Wisdom says that there is no question without answer(s). Answers are ready much before the question is posed. Only thing is some answers are readily available while for others we have to put extreme efforts of ours to find out. In addition to these, there are some answers for whom we have to earn the qualification to get them known. Questions of life meet the criteria of answers belonging to later category.

Now this believe is itself a web of questions. How could one become eligible to get the answers of life? Where to start the journey and what actually is to be achieved? What is on stake and what could be in the way as facilitator or as obstacle? How could I be sure that I am following the right path or direction i.e. whether I am moving ahead on the road to attain eligibility to get the solutions of riddles put forward by life or just confusing with and getting all my energy wasted for none? Can someone be chosen as the guide or this travel actually needs guidance? There are millions of other threads in this web but foremost is whether these questions of life which appear to demand answers are genuine or just an escape route for running the routine challenges and pains of human life?

This subject is so mystic in itself that once you start with it and you find yourself in an unending maze. Begin with any corner and you never seem to find the other one while losing the way from where you have actually started and left puzzled & perplexed in every sense. So do we need to quarantine this thinking to save ourselves from mental stigma or at least dive in the ocean of thoughts and try to search? I agree with later argument. It doesn’t matter if we would fail to reach to conclusion(s) but the pleasure of search is itself a big achievement. Answer(s) would definitely be the target but steps we follow and logics we employ could never be underestimated in its value.

Even though we could disturb our routine life while seeking out the solutions for the questions whose genuinity we couldn’t sure about, it would always be worthy to struggle for.  It could be anything but an escape route. Every life in existence has a motive associated with it. It’s exploration worth our efforts.

Search of an individual is the reflexion of the intellectual capability one possesses in the way of one’s thrive for answers about the truths of life and is specific to particular identity. So there is no question of external guide. The one could take the guidance from self only. Others can give suggestions based on superficial thinking which could never be helpful until the self search. It is similar to way that we could never learn swimming unless we ourselves dive in water. Only the submergence of our conscience can make us able to find the pearls of truthful answers.

Even if we have doubts about path we are following we should at least attempt to search. A failure in an attempt wouldn’t be a failure in real sense but the success in manner we would have discovered another way via which success couldn’t be achieved.

ਯਾਰ ਨਾ ਭੁੱਲਿਆ ਜਾਇ

ਜਦ ਰੱਤਿਆ ਇਸ਼ਕ਼ ਅਲਾਹਿ,

‘ਕੰਵਲ’ ਮੁੱਕੀਆਂ ਪੰਜ ਮਜ਼ਾਕੜ੍ਹੀਆਂ,

ਇੱਕ ਪਲ ਵੀ ਯਾਰ ਨਾ ਭੁੱਲਿਆ ਜਾਇ |

-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਕੰਵਲ

Jadd Ratteya Ishq Allahe,

‘Kanwal’ Mukkiyan Panj Mzaakadhiyan,

Ikk Pal Vi Yaar Na Bhulleya Jaye ..

-Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

पराया अल्लाह-राम

मंदिर भी तेरा, मस्ज़िद भी तेरी,
पराया तो बस अल्लाह-राम |
-कवलदीप सिंघ कंवल

Mandir Bhi Tera, Maszid Bhi Teri,
Paraya Toh Bas Allah-Raam ..
-Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal

ਇਹ ਕਿਹੜੀ ਮਰਯਾਦਾ ਆ ਗਈ !

My Spirituality

Two people asked me about spirituality, today – One theist and other atheist.. “Does it makes any difference?”, one asked. I said, “It makes for me while embedding something in usual conversation, because spirituality is nothing about words, but all time beyond that. Words otherwise require perspective as well as pre-study of the mind of listener”. We couldn’t explain same thing to tailor or a doctor in a same manner. So does the spirituality.

My first requirement from them was to come to me with their mind cleansed from their previous preoccupations, prejudices of their ideologies or beliefs; as only a clean vessel is eligible to pour something inside.. One has to forget one’s previous-self to learn something new, else one can proceed with one’s already pre-decided conclusions of something which is otherwise anew/unknown in real sense..

One asked me if I am religious or spiritual. I said give me the definitions of both and I would then tell you which would fits on me best. He asked me whether I follow some specific and stringent prayer-timings or other conducts. My simple answer to it was if you ask me do you believe in God (Any Supreme Authority), I would say I am but if you ask me do you follow some ritualistic conducts, I would say WHAT??

There are no such specific & stringent timing requirements to get connected with your innerself, with realization of Supreme. The very time when you have your realization is the only blissful time (or Amrit Vela in eastern perspective).

Furthermore to it, we need to conclude that there is no requirement of mediator between one and one’s ownself (or the Supreme) of any kind. A Guru or spiritual teacher is just a medium, a medium of connection, and its utilization is till that only. Guru is never a destination but a path or the enlightenment of path, and one has to reach ultimate destination through one’s own experiences.

Actually the religion & spirituality though seemed different superficially but actually coexist in one person if understood deeply. That was my point in asking for separate definitions for both as they are NOT as clear bounded..

Spirituality is not like spoon-feeding, if one aims for same then one has to search it for oneself.

Buddha has given a very powerful statement. “Don’t follow me blindly.. Search yourself !”

This is what spirituality is !

ਚੋਰ – Chor

ਘੁੱਪ ਹਨੇਰੇ,

ਚੋਰ ਸੀ ਫੜ੍ਹਿਆ|

ਲਾਹੀ ਕੰਬਲੀ,

ਹਾਕਮ ਸੀ ਖੜ੍ਹਿਆ|

ਸਜ਼ਾ ਦੇਣ ਨੂੰ,

ਮੁੱਦਈ ਲਿਆ ਧਰ੍ਹਿਆ|

-ਕਵਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ‘ਕੰਵਲ’

Ghupp Hanere,

Chor Si Fadheya..

Lahi Kambli,

Hakam Si Khadheya..

Saja Den Nu,

Mudeyi Liya Dhareya..

-Kawaldeep Singh ‘Kanwal’

दर्द – Pain

दिल में जब जहाँ का दर्द सिमट जाता है|

कौन कहता है शायरी, गम बह आता है| 

-कवलदीप सिंघ ‘कंवल’

Dil me jab jahan ka dard simat jata hai..

Kon kehta hai shayari, gum beh aata hai..

-Kawaldeep Singh ‘Kanwal’

When pain of world shrinks to the heart,

Who could say the poetry, sorrows burst..

-Kawaldeep Singh ‘Kanwal’

Problem of addressing someone Senior–Indian Perspective

When I start a relationship of friendship with persons significantly senior than me, my first hesitation is always that what would I going to address that person. I use to ask people how do they like to be addressed by me?

As far as professional contacts are concerned, I do have a lot of my seniors, ranging from 5 to even 30-40 years older than me. Still I call them by their first name, while on work, as a part of professional practice in my organization.

However, in our subcontinent, we in personal relationship are obliged to give respect as well as respectful addressing to our elders as part of our culture when relationships are concerned.

West, otherwise, has very limited vocabulary of relationships. All Mama, Mosa, Chaha, Taya, Fufa, etc are only Uncle for them and they address all their Mami, Mosi, Chachi, Taayi, Bhuya by Aunt. In addition, they don’t address anyone outside their direct relation as their Uncle or Aunt. I am amused that there is no equivalent world to our simple word of respect “Ji” in English.

Our concept is completely different. We have abundant words in our vocabulary for blood relatives. Though we have our indigenous words for non-relatives we have somehow adopted the address of Uncle/Aunty for anyone close but who is not directly linked by relationships. And not this we use to call every and other stranger, we meet, by Uncle/Aunty due to our mindset.

The possible reason of this behaviour, as I think, would be that our culture works with the comforts of relationships. And if we don’t have blood ones we try to make ones of respect, even with strangers. We might have millions of flaws in us but this is one of the prevalent beauties of our values.

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