THE LADY
Today’s world is the world of digitization. Everything and every person has become digital. From buying vegetables to buying high value goods, digitization has covered almost everything. But can we all say this very confidentially, that digitization has not left even a minute corner untouched? You will probably say “yes”, even I would have, if I wouldn’t have met this lady…..
It was Sunday afternoon; I was travelling from Vapi to Mumbai by Jaisalmer Bandra Express. It was a routine for me. As usual I didn’t talk to any fellow passenger. Almost after an hour of my journey, I noticed few ladies (as I was in the ladies compartment) trying to communicate to “The Lady” but there was some confusion. I am addressing her as ‘The Lady” as I don’t know her name, I never bothered to ask (I didn’t know that I was going to write about her). I started wondering about what was happening. On asking a lady I found out that “The Lady” to whom other passengers were trying to communicate wanted to know whether she should get down at Borivali or Bandra Terminus, in-order to reach her destination i.e. Mumbai Central. So I tried explaining her but to my surprise she didn’t understand Hindi. So I tried to find out more and found out that she board the train from Vadodara. I tried talking to her in Gujarati, but she didn’t appear to me as a Gujarati. Simple lady, wearing a maroon saree, having dusky skin, around 30-35 years old, looked like a south-Indian to me (not because of the skin colour but her accent). So I asked her that which language she would be comfortable with. I thought she would understand English and she agreed to it. Then after explaining her, the entire process how to reach her destination, I figured out that she didn’t understand a word. She then said that she can read English. So I typed everything on my phone and told her to read but she still didn’t understand. Then I asked her whether she was travelling alone, and guess what, she was travelling all alone, with no idea about the way to reach Mumbai Central and no common language!!!!
By now I was sure that she was a south-indian so I started asking her about her mother tongue whether it was Kannad, Malayalam, Telugu or Tamil. I figured out that she knew Telugu. Then I used my smart phone and opened Google Translator. I typed whatever I wanted to tell her and translated it to Telugu and made her read. I was now relaxed that everything will be fine now. But, she didn’t understand that. Now? What to do? No phone, no address, no common language, how to help her? Everybody gave up, including me. I tried my best but it didn’t work out. My conscious said you can’t leave her like that. I even thought of taking her to Mumbai central myself, but I had an appointment so I couldn’t go. I wanted to help her, but I couldn’t. I was feeling awful that I couldn’t help her.
Suddenly it came to my mind that one of my friends knows Telugu. I called him and told him everything and made him talk to her. Finally I helped her. Phewww.. I was now at peace. I was happy about the fact that “The Lady” will now reach her destination. I am thankful to him for helping “The Lady”.
This made me think that what is the use of all the technological advancements if they aren’t reaching everyone. More than us, people like her require the advancements. We cannot say that we are developing, if only the upper strata of the society develop and grow. The entire society will grow only if the lower strata’s grow too. We have to understand that our growth lies in the growth of everybody else. We cannot grow alone.
It was Sunday afternoon; I was travelling from Vapi to Mumbai by Jaisalmer Bandra Express. It was a routine for me. As usual I didn’t talk to any fellow passenger. Almost after an hour of my journey, I noticed few ladies (as I was in the ladies compartment) trying to communicate to “The Lady” but there was some confusion. I am addressing her as ‘The Lady” as I don’t know her name, I never bothered to ask (I didn’t know that I was going to write about her). I started wondering about what was happening. On asking a lady I found out that “The Lady” to whom other passengers were trying to communicate wanted to know whether she should get down at Borivali or Bandra Terminus, in-order to reach her destination i.e. Mumbai Central. So I tried explaining her but to my surprise she didn’t understand Hindi. So I tried to find out more and found out that she board the train from Vadodara. I tried talking to her in Gujarati, but she didn’t appear to me as a Gujarati. Simple lady, wearing a maroon saree, having dusky skin, around 30-35 years old, looked like a south-Indian to me (not because of the skin colour but her accent). So I asked her that which language she would be comfortable with. I thought she would understand English and she agreed to it. Then after explaining her, the entire process how to reach her destination, I figured out that she didn’t understand a word. She then said that she can read English. So I typed everything on my phone and told her to read but she still didn’t understand. Then I asked her whether she was travelling alone, and guess what, she was travelling all alone, with no idea about the way to reach Mumbai Central and no common language!!!!
By now I was sure that she was a south-indian so I started asking her about her mother tongue whether it was Kannad, Malayalam, Telugu or Tamil. I figured out that she knew Telugu. Then I used my smart phone and opened Google Translator. I typed whatever I wanted to tell her and translated it to Telugu and made her read. I was now relaxed that everything will be fine now. But, she didn’t understand that. Now? What to do? No phone, no address, no common language, how to help her? Everybody gave up, including me. I tried my best but it didn’t work out. My conscious said you can’t leave her like that. I even thought of taking her to Mumbai central myself, but I had an appointment so I couldn’t go. I wanted to help her, but I couldn’t. I was feeling awful that I couldn’t help her.
Suddenly it came to my mind that one of my friends knows Telugu. I called him and told him everything and made him talk to her. Finally I helped her. Phewww.. I was now at peace. I was happy about the fact that “The Lady” will now reach her destination. I am thankful to him for helping “The Lady”.
This made me think that what is the use of all the technological advancements if they aren’t reaching everyone. More than us, people like her require the advancements. We cannot say that we are developing, if only the upper strata of the society develop and grow. The entire society will grow only if the lower strata’s grow too. We have to understand that our growth lies in the growth of everybody else. We cannot grow alone.
Good social work!!
ReplyDeleteThank you !! We are overwhelmed that you are following us :)
Delete"our growth lies in the growth of everybody else. We cannot grow alone". Very well said , nd i realy appreciate what u did to ur best.
ReplyDeleteU have realy passed on a good msg of its nt always abt i me nd my. Its abt us thats actualy lifts u up.
Thank You !! I am glad to know that you do share the same thought. The world is made up of us. I believe 'Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much' !! :) Hyperpsyches awaits for your thoughts !!
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