The Strong, Brown God

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Haridwar, Rishikesh, Speaking Tree, Times of India

This piece was published in the ‘Speaking Tree’ Column of ‘Times of India’ on 28th June 2012 written by Kumar Vikram, the son of AKS, on his father.

On the banks of the Ganga at Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh, we await the start of the evening special aarti on Ekadashi in early November. At twilight a huge crowd watches as the brimming Ganga swirls by, hastening towards Haridwar on her journey to the great Gangetic plain of northern India. The priests arrive and begin invocation to the Ganga as night falls. Holding in their hands multi-mouthed brass diyas, the priests and host families sing paeans to the river, gods and goddesses to the accompaniment of cymbals and drums. It is a magical moment, with people poised with earthen diyas in their hands, waiting to offer them to the holy river. But something disturbs my father, who brought us all here. Quite unlike his general rational disposition, that morning we had taken a bath in the Ganga near the Ram Jhula, for the first time. A religious man, but with no faith in religiosity, this trip was rather unusual for him as well as for us. “This seems a glamourised form of a conservative faith,” he muses to me. I wondered if he would walk away, once his rationalist side took over. But he went through the motions till the very end; perhaps his composure came from the very rationalism that we thought would pull him away. Back at the guest house, now at ease with himself, he said once again that he found an element of vanity in the entire affair. He, like all of us, did not know that the aartis were hosted by particular families—indeed along with the invocation to the deities, the priests had also praised and wished for the well-being of the host families. Utilising his long and sustained teaching to us for the Buddhist golden mean—the Middle Path—and his love for all life and nature, I rationalised that the choreographed aarti should be seen as homage and thanksgiving by human beings for natural forces like the Ganga, a life-giver. I thought this perspective would appeal to my father as his favourite festivals were Holi and Chhath—both outside mainstream Hindu festivals, completely secular, celebrating life and exalting Nature, without show of wealth and privilege and with no mythical gods and goddesses strictly at the centre of it all. It was Ekadashi, which he had been observing for many decades devoid of all its religious paraphernalia and more as a desire to skip meals twice a month for general benefit. Eating fruits to break his fast, he said, ‘You are right. In ‘Four Quartets’, Eliot called the river ‘a strong, brown God.’ He said this calmly, with a composure coming from the insight he’d gained from, among others, teaching literature for four decades and also annotating and critiquing that long, philosophical poem a few years back. The next day, we proceeded to Haridwar. As is the usual practice, I bought two plastic cans to fill them with ‘Ganga Jal’ as souvenirs of a tourist destination. My father waited for me as I bent down to fill them with the ‘holy’ water at the Har-ki-Pauri. He carried one of the cans to Patna, and the other can was left with us at Delhi. The Patna can that he carried would come handy for his last rites three weeks later—droplets of the life-giving brown God silently sprinkled their blessings on his still frame — devoid of all sounds and invocations, perhaps the way he would have liked it to be.

The writer is an editor with National Book Trust, India

Courtesy: http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-articles/faith-and-rituals/the-strong-brown-god

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कहाँ शुरू, कहाँ ख़त्म

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Amal Kumar Sinha, Writings on AKS

बात वर्ष १९६९ के उन दिनों कि है जब मैं हायर सेकेंडरी की परीक्षा पास कर इंजीनियर कालेज में दाखिले का इंतजार कर रहा था ! मेरा नाम चूंकि प्रतीक्षा सूची में था, अतः मैं कुछ दिनों के लिए मोतिहारी जाकर एम. एस. कॉलेज में क्लास करने लगा ! मैं अपने मामू प्रो अरुण कुमार सिन्हा के यहाँ ही रहकर क्लास कर रहा था और इस दरमियान मुझे उनका दो – तीन अंग्रेजी का क्लास करने का अवसर प्राप्त हुआ मुझे उनकी बुलंद आवाज जो कि क्लास के आखिरी बेंच तक सुनाई देती थी, अभी भी मेरे कानों में गूंज जाती है ! छे वर्ष बाद जब मेरे पापा का ट्रान्सफर मुजफ्फरपुर हो गया तो मैं मकान खोजने के सिलसिले में हमेशा उनके संपर्क में रहा, चूँकि अब वे मोतिहारी से मुजफ्फरपुर के लंगट सिंह कॉलेज में स्थानांतरित हो गए थे. किस्मत से मुझे मकान भी उनके घर के समीप में मिल गया ! तब शुरू हुआ उनसे दोस्ती का सिलसिला– दोस्ती इसलिए कि अक्सर होली के मौके पर हमलोग एक दूसरे के दोस्त के यहाँ जाते थे और उनका कहा हुआ यह वाक्य के “घर में नहीं खाओ तो अंत तक खाते रहोगे” हमेशा मुझे होली में उनकी याद ताजा कर देता है !

उनका यह कथन कि ‘ देवानंद की फ़िल्म देखने के बाद मैं अपने आपको दस साल छोटा समझने लगता हूँ ‘ बरबस मेरे चेहरे पर मुस्कान ला देती है ! मुझे याद है कि तब १९७७ का चुनाव आ चुका था, और प्रो. सिन्हा जॉर्ज फर्नान्डिस के निकटतम राजनितिक कर्मियों में से एक थे. उनके पोस्टर को दिवार पर चिपकाने के लिए रात रात भर जागरण करना पड़ता था ! उनका सन्देश आम लोगों तक पहुँचाने के लिए उन्ही के कथनानुसार बस स्टैंड, रेलवे का प्रतिक्षारूम, कुछ ख़ास चौराहा, जहाँ आम आदमी की बहुतायत  होती है, बांटा करता था !

एक और घटना मुझे याद आ रही है, उस समय मेरी बहन की शादी मुजफ्फरपुर में ही तय हो गयी थी ! रोशनी बाजे का इंतजाम मेरे जिम्मे था ! हमलोग उस समय के मशहूर मच्छन बेंड के पास गये थे !प्रोफ. सिन्हा का विनोदपूर्ण मिज़ाज़ था और उनकी बात-चित से ही प्रभावित होकर उस बेंड मास्टर ने ५०००/- कि जगह सिर्फ ५००/- में ही बंद देने की हामी भर दी. एक और वाक्या है.  जब मैं पटना में था और मेरी छोटी बहन की शादी की बात मुजफ्फरपुर में चल रही थी ! उस समय बहन को दिखाने के लिए एक करीबी रिश्तेदार की लाल बत्ती वाली गाडी मुझे मिल गयी थी.  उस समय उन्होंने मुझे कहा था कि अगर लड़के वाले तुम्हारे गाडी में बैठ गये तो समझो कि पहला सेट तुमने जीत लिया ! उनका यह कहना बिलकुल सच साबित हुआ ! लड़के वाले ने गाडी में बैठने से इंकार कर दिया और शादी वहाँ तय नहीं हो पायी.

यह इसे संयोग ही कहिये कि हमलोग ने पटना में अपना गृह – प्रवेश एक ही दिन रखा ! इन्होने समस्या का हल भी ढूंढ लिया ! दिन का खाना अपने यहाँ रखा एवं रात का खाना मेरे यहाँ तय हुआ ! सन २००८ में मेरा जब ट्रान्सफर दिल्ली हुआ और मुझे द्वारिका में रहने का सुअवसर प्राप्त हुआ तो फिर करीब होने एंव मुलाकातों का सिलसिला चल पड़ा ! जिस दिन मैं अपना किराए का मकान फाइनल कर रहा था, उस दिन से लेकर आर. के . पुरम. में क्वार्टर में रहने तक कई बातें हैं जिन्हें मैं कुछ शेयर करना चाहता हूँ ! छठ के समय घात का चुनाव हमेशा उन्हें तनाव में रखता था.

और अंत में उनकी अंतिम इच्छा जो थी हरिद्वार, ऋषिकेश जाने की, उसमे उनका साथ मेरे लिए अविश्वनीय है ! चाहे छोटी वाले के यहाँ खाना हो या गंगा स्नान या गंगा की आरती सभी में हमलोग साथ साथ रहे ! उनके चेहरे पर जो मैंने संतोष की झलक देखी वह हमेशा मुझे याद रहेगा ! नियती का भी कैसा विधान है जिस गंगा जल को उन्होंने हर की पौड़ी पर लिया वहीँ गंगा जल उनकी मुक्ति के वक़्त उपयोग में आया. ! विशवास ही नहीं होता है कि जो अपने अंतिम रात में दोस्तों के साथ भावी योजनाओं को अमल में लाने की बाद करता है वो चंद घंटों के बाद बिना किसी को आवाज दिए उस यात्रा पर निकल जाता है जहां से लौट कर कोई नहीं आया ! सिर्फ आती है उनकी यादें ! यादें ना जाए उनके साथ बिताये पलों कि, दिल क्यों रुलाये ! यह सिलसिला अभी ख़त्म नहीं हुआ है, पता नहीं कहाँ ख़त्म होगा ! शायद अंतिम क्षणो तक यह साथ रहेगा !

सितम्बर, २०१३

अमल कुमार सिन्हा

श्री अमल कुमार सिन्हा केंद्रीय जल आयोग, नयी दिल्ली से हाल ही में वरिष्ठ अधीक्षक अभियंता के पद से सेवा-निवृत हुए हैं

ENLIGHTENED GUARDIANSHIP—A WRITE-UP BY PROF. HIMANSHU RANJAN

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Bihar University, India, Matthew Arnold, Muzaffarpur, Patna University, Second Anniversary Special, Sikkim, Writings on AKS

Special Posts on the Second Death Anniversary of AKS Falling Today, 28th November 2013

 We are grateful to Prof. Himanshu Ranjan for sending us this write-up on AKS coinciding with the Second Anniversary Special Posts–AKS Centre

Once when I was about to light a cigarette, held between my lips, at a cigarette shop at Aghoriabazar Chowk, Muzaffarpur, AKS suddenly came up close from behind and asked the shopkeeper for a stick of Panama. The sound of his voice and his reflection in the mirror in the shop made me go numb from head to toe. He casually lit up his cigarette and moved ahead towards Kalyani.

I came home trembling all over and went to sleep under a blanket. About an hour later AKS returned, called out my name and asked if I had fifty paisa change for giving to the rickshawalla. I gave the same to him with downcast eyes and got busy with my studies. We even took our dinner together sometime later like any other day. Between then, when I was just a graduation student, staying with him and under his tutelage, and the time just before he breathed his last, he never mentioned the matter to me or to anybody else to the best of my knowledge. Why didn’t he do so, I often asked myself. He had all the liberty, authority and right to give me a dressing down. But his soft, understanding and large hearted approach to the issue engendered an enduring profound respect for him in my heart.

Conscientiousness

Once I came home from the movie ‘Bullet’ produced by Dev Anand. The time was of the infamous Emergency and the historic Sampurna Kranti agitations. I found AKS pacing up and down in the verandah in an obviously disturbed state of mind. As soon as he saw me, he asked, “where are you coming from?” I said I had gone to watch the movie ‘Bullet’. He said with a profoundly painful expression, “you know only too well what the condition of the country is, and yet you had the frivolity to go and see a movie like ‘Bullet’—clearly a worthless one?” It was a revelation to me that a private, simple person could be affected by the general state of his country. Later, he told me he wanted to discuss some of his ideas and feelings with me and was disturbed to find me absent. I was flabbergasted to realize that he wanted to share something with me—a mere graduation student! Needless to say, the small incident did wonders to my self-esteem.

Sense of Humour

Once AKS and myself were walking to Aghoriabazaaar Chowk. I was pulling along his bicycle by my side. Being busy in conversation with him, I did not notice a motorcycle coming from the opposite side. At a particularly narrow point near a big pothole, the motorcycle screeched to a halt right in front of me. The rider shouted at me in anger: “Couldn’t you see a ‘Bullet’ coming towards you? Are you not scared of being hit?” AKS thought something over in a flash and responded with a disarming smile: “Bhai Sahab, how can an army be scared of just one bullet?” Both the rider and myself gave uncomprehending looks towards him. Then AKS slowly pointed towards the brand logo on the front portion of the frame of the bicycle: it was ‘Army’. All of us suddenly burst into a fit of laughter before going our ways.

Various compulsions relating to my job in Sikkim did not allow me to complete my Ph.D on Matthew Arnold under his supervision. I failed him, could not give him the satisfaction of shaping me up in a much more desirable way, especially because I know he doted on me and had certain expectations from me. But then, life is a complex play which hardly ever takes a pre-judged path. AKS is there behind whatever, whatsoever I am.

Himanshu Ranjan (second from right) in the front row.

Prof. Himanshu Ranjan,  a senior Associate Professor in English at SHEDA, Deorali, Sikkim,  did his Graduation with English Honours from Bihar University, Muzaffarpur (batch 1976-78), and his Post-Graduation in English Literature from Patna University (batch 1978-80). He was one of the closest students of AKS., besides being a family member.

Remembering My Teacher, A.K. SINHA aka AKS (अक्स) or (Pollen)

This is a rare write-up by Dr. Rajendra Sanjay, a student of M S College, Motihari between 1962 and 1965, remembering AKS as a young Lecturer in English at the College. We are grateful to Dr. Rajendra Sanjay for writing this piece putting together episodes that took place nearly fifty years back -AKSCENTRE

For digging out the past one needs spade work. Later entering deep, comes out pondora’s box of memories. The scattered memories dazzle like precious jewels. To pinpoint one’s past is an audacity that fills heart with sweet and sour reminiscences that keep the person oscillating between pleasant and unpleasant incidents– a real tough job to write about as the incidents do not occur in chronological order. Besides, with each incident emerges a particular face. To collect all these scattered memories in order along with relevant appearance is another difficult job. To write memories related to a particular person is real hard task because it requires the analysis of that person, his character, his traits, attitudes, good and bad. In other words, it becomes an evaluation of a person who is physically very far but in memory very near and alive.

While my short stay in Delhi in connection with the publication of my latest book, I met with one young man of pleasant personality named Kumar Vikram, who in flow of conversation revealed that his father Shri A.K. Sinha was professor of English at Munshi Singh College from 1961 upto 1975. What a surprise! I too studied Science at the same college from 1962 to 1965 and was close to his father!! The picture of my college days ran on the memory screen.

After completing my study at MJK College, Bettiah, I got admitted at M.S. College, Motihari, to study Chemistry Hons on insistence of Maths professor, Shri C.P. Singh, who on leaving MJK College had joined MS College. At MJK, I had availed full freeship. So, I applied for the same at MS College too. But unfortunately, only half freeship was offered to me, apart from the hostel accommodation. So, I met the concerned professor Chakradhari Singh to explain my poor financial family background. A quite hefty and sober looking simpleton Chakradhariji bluntly asked me “why should you get full freeship when you are enjoying the college hostel at concessional rate?” I had no reply. Helpless, I approached C.P.Singh, who introduced me to English Professor A.K.Sinha, who had good rapport with the Principal Bholanath Singh, the Chemistry Professor. He strongly supported my case to the Principal. Having known that I was not only a meritorious under ten at the Board Exam, but also a brilliant poet and stage actor, the Principal passed a funny remark in a question as per his jovial nature “Tell me kaviji! putting stress on ‘Kaviji’-” the belt you are wearing is a ‘belt’ or lasso (‘Naada‘ in Hindi)?” It earned a laughter from C.P. and A.K. Sinha, both present there. Being young blood, I felt hurt and embarrassed too. Those were the days of thin belt used in pant as fashion very popular among the youngsters.

A View of the building of M S College, Motihari

So controlling my nerves and keeping my senses together, I replied in quiet and poised voice-“That I don’t know sir! Please determine the same with a measure tape,” I replied innocently, “I have used it not as a fashion like today’s young generation, but as a dress code requirement.

“Well said”, praised Professor A.K.Sinha. The Principal pinned his eyes at me for a moment as if he was studying me. I gave him a timid look. He later called Professor Chakradhari and recommended for my full freeship. But Chakradhariji clarified, “He is doubly benefitted Sir!– with half free ship and hostel accommodation.” I thought he must have felt otherwise on my appeal to the Principal.

“I think kaviji should be considered as an exceptional case,” Prof. A. K. S pleaded for me.

“It will send wrong signal among other students,” objected Prof. Chakradhari.

“If kaviji vacates the hostel accommodations?”, before I could understand suddenly Prof. C.P. Singh suggested. There was a complete silence for a moment. I didn’t know, what was in C.P.’s mind, behind his utterance, but it was certainly like a bombshell for me. Losing accommodation where would I go?

“In that case I have no objection for his full freeship,” Prof. Chakradhari gave me a victorious glance. I looked awkwardly at C.P. who shotback, “Then kaviji will stay with me as he deserves full freeship.” I felt elevated in my eyes and obliged to him.

“Kaviji! you are lucky having three seniors in your support. So don’t let us down,” A.K.S said warmly.

“I am highly obliged sir! Be sure! I will never disappoint you all,” I was overwhelmed and felt proud of myself that all the three stalwarts treated me not as a student but like their younger brother or junior in making. Thus I came near to A.K. Sinha with whom although  I had no connection study-wise but yet he had developed a soft corner for me. The reason for such support in my opinion was that I was a self made person right from my school days. A.K. Sinha used to come occasionally to C.P.’s rented house specially on Sundays and holidays and ask what new poem I had written. I remember once I had narrated a poem in Hindi with a title एक सांवली पत्नी का निवेदन (Request of a Swarthy Wife). the last two lines of which had touched his heart-cord. I got his pat affectionately advising me to keep it up. That day I had a great feeling. Most probably that was the reason why those two lines became very dear to me-

न रुठो अरे प्राणतम से न रुठो

तिमिर से ही ज्योति किरण फूट पाई

 While staying with C.P. Singh, I came to know a bizzare name addressed by CP for AK Sinha as ‘AKS’ in one word. It became in fact a puzzle word for me. He was ‘A.K. Sinha’ or ‘Prof. A.K.’ for people, but ‘AKS’ for CP. On asking, CP explained ‘AKS’ is a Urdu word (अक्स) that has parallel word in English ‘Pollen’ i.e. ‘essence of flower’ or any substance better known as ‘Parag’ in Hindi. I liked the word immensely as it truly reflected the sweet nature of A.K.S ever since I too started calling him ‘AKSji.’

A.K.S was quite young, energetic, gregarious and good orator. His art of non-stop speaking English was miraculous. It was his art of speaking that impressed me to pick up English for writing and speaking. In the beginning, I used to stumble or fumble while speaking but AKS kept on encouraging by saying “English is so easy to speak and graceful to impress others.”

This art of oration later helped me to become Science teacher in an English medium higher secondary school and part time Chemistry teacher in Darjeeling Polytechnic in Kurseong after completing my study. His keen interest in cultural activities impressed me to follow suit in my school’s extra-curriculum activities.

I remember the year 1962 when Chinese aggression on Indian Territory in October had created tremendous sense of unity and patriotism among we Indians, raising our voices to the top against the traitor Chinese-imperialism. During those days, a Kavi Sammelan had been orgnised on the campus of MS College in which Gopal Singh Nepali had recited firebrand patriotic poems. AKS in association with the Hindi Department had participated deeply to make the function a success.

Well before the Republic day celebration, AKS had asked whether I was ready to participate for the poetry competition and I had replied in affirmative. On 26 Jan, 1963, many participants came on the stage one by one, recited their poems, all patriotic. I too receited my patriotic creation by singing.

है जब तक दिशा ध्रुवतारा रहेगा

हिमालय हमारा हमारा रहेगा

ये माटी न देंगे भले जान जाए

रहे सांस जब तक ये नारा रहेगा

हिमालय हमारा हमारा रहेगा

 The judges of the competition took their decision collectively and announced the name of the poet, adjudged as the best. It was no other than my name. At the end of the function AKS as a jury member said in his thanks giving speech that my poem had reminded him of Gopal Singh Nepali and that he felt proud of me.

I did not know what made him say so, nor did I know what bond was between me and him that he showered so high on me. Perhaps he had become my fan or because I was his fan? Whatever may be, but undoubtedly it was the affection, encouragement or blessings of AK Sinha, CP Singh and Bholanath Singh that I remained throughout my life indebted to them. Even today, whenever I see the award winning memento given to me, I slip into my college days at Motihari, all the names associated with me glitter like gold that draws a thin line of smile on my face.

It is unfortunate part of my life that I never met again either of the two personalities of my student life after I left Motihari nor ever heard about them as myself was so busy struggling to get a firm permanent foothold for my livelihood thousands of miles away in Tram city Calcutta, hills of Darjeeling and later human ocean Mumbai. During my last visit in 2004 after 2000 I tried to know about them but could not get any hint even. I owe to them cultivating my career initially that helped me for founding my later career. This article has provided me an opportunity to peep into my college days past by putting reels on the projector to have a re-look on both of them and thus reliving those days again and again by fast forward and rewind like film reels.

Dr. Rajendra Sanjay

Dr. Rajendra Sanjay [B.Sc. Hons (Chem), B.A.(Hindi), IT-(Dip), MA, Phd. (Environ)], originally from Motihari, Bihar, is an accomplished theatre activist, film-maker, scriptwriter, playwright, actor and a poet with an educational background in Science and Environment. A multi-linguist, having knowledge of languages like Hindi, English, Nepali, Bengali, Urdu, Gujarati, Marathi & Bhojpuri, he has been associated with All India Radio for more than four decades.  Writer, director, lyricist  and producer for numerous documentary shows, radio-plays etc., he has also acted in popular Hindi feature films like ‘Saudagar’, ‘Hum Bachchey Hindustan Ke’, ‘Teesra Kinaara’, ‘Ek Thi Hirni’ etc. He has also published poetry collections and books on theatre, while various research books have been published on his creative writings. He lives in Mumbai.   

 Mahavir Nagar, Kandivli (West), Mumbai-67

rajendrasanjay605@gmail.com

 

गाँधी जयंती की पूर्व संध्या पर विशेष:प्रो. अरुण कुमार सिन्हा द्वारा प्रस्तावित ‘आत्म शुध्दि दिवस’ को स्मरण कर रहें हैं उनके विद्यार्थी एवं सहकर्मी डा. विनय कुमार दास

बात 1980 की है जब असम व पंजाब के छात्र-नौजवान अपनी-अपनी मांगों को लेकर तोड़-फोड़ वाला आंदोलन कर रहे थे। श्रीलंका का लिटटे भी भारत में कई तरह की आतंकी गतिविधियों में संलिप्त था। इसके विरोध् में देश के विभिन्न राज्यों में प्रगतिशील और गांधी विचारधारा के छात्र, नौजवान, शिक्षक व संगठन संगोष्ठी, प्रदर्शन आदि कर रहे थे। इसी क्रम में लंगट सिंह कालेज, मुजफ्फरपुर में अँगे्रजी विभाग के वरिष्ट प्राèयापक प्रो0 अरूण कुमार सिन्हा के नेतृत्व में समाज के प्रबुध्ह जन कथित हिंसावादी आंदोलन का विरोध कर रहे थे। प्राध्यापगण, वकील व सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता इसमें सिरकत कर रहे थे।

इसी बीच सितम्बर का महीना आया। राजदेव नारायण अधिवक्ता के निवास पर बैठक हो रही थी। प्रो0 अरूण कुमार सिन्हा ने अपने संभाषण में एक सुझाव दिया कि वर्ष में कम से कम एक दिन हमलोगों को खुद आत्म शुध्दि या आत्म मंथन अथवा आत्म संयम दिवस के रूप में मनाना चाहिए। ताकि हमें स्वयं को संयमित होकर आंदोलन करने का बल मिले। जैसा कि हमसबों ने महसूस किया है कि आंदोलनरत रहते हुए कभी-कभी हम इनकी मर्यादाओं को तोड़ने लगते है। ऐसी हरकत करने में छात्र आगे होते है। उनकी उम्र ही ऐसी है कि वे शीघ्र उत्तेजित हो जाते है। हमारे इस ‘आत्म संयम’ के निर्णय से हमसे अधिक छात्रों को लाभ होगा। क्योंकि उन्हें लम्बे समय तक सार्वजनिक जीवन में सक्रिय रहना है। उनका संयम आंदोलनों को सफलता दिलाएगी और अहिंसा की नीति अपनाने वाला यह देश सम्पूर्ण विश्व के लिए प्रेरक बनेगा।

प्रो0 सिन्हा के इस प्रस्ताव ने  पूरे सदन को गंभीर कर दिया। कुछ देर तो सभी चुप रहे लेकिन अचानक ही सबों ने इस प्रस्ताव पर अपनी सहमति दी। विमशोपरांत 2 अक्टूबर को ‘आत्म संयम या ‘आत्म मंथन  के लिए निधारित किया गया । प्रो0 सिन्हा ने इस दिन को मौन व्रत रखने की धोषणा की। इस प्रस्ताव के दिन सभी उपस्थित व्यकितयों ने 2 अक्टूबर को उपवास रखा और शाम को पुन: राजदेव नारायण के निवास पर एकत्रित होकर गांधी विचारों पर चर्चा की और सामूहिक रूप से नीबू पानी पी कर उपवास तोड़ा।

बाद के दिनों में यह तदर्थ समिति भंग हो गई लेकिन मैं प्रो0 सिन्हा के साथ वर्ष 2011 तक नियमित रूप से 2 अक्टूबर को उपवास रखता रहा। मैं जहां कही भी होता था प्रो0 सिन्हा से बात जरूर करता था और याद दिलाता था कि ‘सर आज 2 अक्टूबर अर्थात ‘गांधी जयन्ती है और मैं उपवास पर हूँ।’ जबाब में वे भी कहते थे कि मैं भी उपवास पर हूँ। यह क्रम जारी रहना चाहिए। वेशक यह क्रम आज भी जारी है लेकिन अब अकेला रह गया हूँ। 2 अक्टूबर को प्रो0 अरूण कुमार सिन्हा की बड़ी याद आती है, कुछेक बूंद आंसू भी निकल जाते है।

बस अभी इतना ही……………………

डा0 विनय कमार दास
असिस्टेंट प्रोफेसर, राजनीती विभाग 
जे ऍम प डी अल महिला महाविद्यालय
मधुबनी, बिहार
एवं
सचिव, ‘समाधान’, कामेश्वरी निवास
विनोदानंद कॉलोनी, मधुबनी, बिहार   
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