NEW GLOBAL INDIAN
A silent Yogi
Written by Haimanti Banerjee Tuesday, 27 December 2011 12:27
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"To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil."
-- William Shakespeare - To be, or not to be (from Hamlet 3/1)
The English teacher pointed to lad in 10th standard and asked him: "I have heard many interpretations of this poem, 'stylist', can you please express yours?"
And the boy explained his thoughts in such an eloquent manner that the entire class listened to him in rapt attention.
Despite his tender age, his quest for knowledge and curiosity was amazing: He always tried to figure out 'another way' of solving a problem or another way of expressing the writings of doyens of literature like Shakespeare and Tagore.
A solid foundation of idealism, human values and deep patriotism was instilled in him during his early childhood by his parents and teachers. An example will illustrate the value system that was ingrained in him.
One day he came home after dusk from school, where he played a football match, and showed his mother a 10 paisa coin that he had found in the soccer field. His mother promptly asked him to go back and leave the coin in the same place where he had found it. The boy pleaded that it was dark and the soccer field was some distance away, if he could go there the next morning. But she insisted to do it right away. The boy carried out his mother's order in spite of his lurking fear of darkness.
He and his family moved from Madhupur to Dhanbad, and he got admission in the 10th grade in Dhanbad H.E High School. His father was a railway engineer. He gained love and admiration from all the teachers in no time and was called "stylist" not for his appearance; he did not care much for his appearance and dress sense. He believed in "simple living and high thinking". He was called so for his remarkable knowledge of diverse subjects, and his articulation.
At the age of 18, he appeared for the Railway Service Commission exam to take up a job, and support a big family after his father's retirement. But he had to wait for a few months to turn 18 to be eligible for that job.
He had to abandon his dream of being a scholar or a poet or a scientist. He moved on, setting aside his personal ambitions. Although his baggage of responsibility toughened him, his quest for knowing the unknown made him as fresh as a rain-drop drenched green leaf till the end. His innocent laughter like a child won everybody's heart, whoever had the fortune to enjoy his enchanting company.
He got many awards for his extraordinary performances in the railway service and inspired many colleague and continued to fulfill his ambition to gain knowledge. His honesty and simplicity was praiseworthy. While he was working as the chief instructor, a special position was created for him in zonal training school, Bhuli, in the Eastern Railway. He was offered bribe several times by trainees. However, he not only refused, but also took action against them. He was a renowned instructor all along for his creativity and dedication toward students.
His reflection on Tagore was profound and limitless as was intoxicated in love for the collections by Shakespeare, Wordsworth, and Yeats etc. He often used to say that his life would be dry and banal without Tagore.
His children grew up in a fun-filled environment and he nurtured their upbringing with a great sense of humour, affection and rich culture and plenty of teachings. Their mother was also a great silent teacher in all aspects of their lives. He always emphasized to dream big and cultivate love towards the country and often used to become emotional while talking about personalities like Rana Pratap, Shivaji, Vivekananda and others. His children and later his grand children used to be mesmerized by his story-telling.
He had so much love for his family that he did not hesitate to decline the offer that he received from the railway management to write a book on "Rules and Regulations of a new railway set up", when Dubai launched a new rail network because the arrangement was that he had to stay in Kolkata, away from his family.
His last visit to the USA in 2008 was shorter than expected. Besides spending time with grandchildren and children he immersed himself in the golden moods of poetic reverie and unspoken solitude.
He was the main source of inspiration and motivation among few others behind the birth of the New Global Indian that was launched by my husband and I with the partnership of Prof. Ujjwal Chowdhury. The first issue was published with his blessings and he resumed his writing upon many requests. The magazine is into its fourth year, and it is well received and now available to readers in many countries.
He could enjoy fun and laughter or could soak in deep silence in a noisy place. He would enjoy the beauty of the sun set from his house, cherish the fragrance of the flowers and watched the tireless rain with a great enthusiasm.
His unwavering honesty and highest respect for truth even in most adverse situations astonished many; a life of values and principles are not abundant in today's society – we are fortunate have been in his sacred company.
He was my father Jogjiban Sanyal, who left the mundane world last September, leaving behind my mother Anjali, three daughters and five grandchildren. He was a yogi, who moved on to another world.
"he is a yogi, who...amidst the deepest silence and the biggest solitude find the most intense activity and ... amidst the most intense activity find the silence and the solitude of the desert." – Swami Vivekananda
