The Lonely Traveler

The great Marathi poet Suresh Bhat has penned an extremely insightful poem - 

रंगुनी रंगात साऱ्या, रंग माझा वेगळा 

गुंतुनी गुंत्यात साऱ्या, पाय माझा मोकळा.

The two lines above would make no sense if translated literally. However, the sense of the two lines is that although being a part of the society and a part of the people in the society, I am different. I stand out among all. Although being involved in the various problems of life, I am still free from them. 

Translated literally - Although being drenched in different colours, my colour stands out. Although being stuck in all the mess, I am still free. 

It is not as easy to understand as it sounds. The poet has put down an extremely intense emotion in very simple words. It talks about a certain arrogance, a certain indifference and a certain ego. It talks about how a person perceives himself to be different from others. The poet tries to tell the reader that his life is lonely. It conveys pride and yet conveys a certain sadness. I am completely in love with this poem. It has also been rendered exceptionally well by Devaki Pandit. 

Do we all feel at a certain point that we are different from others? Do we all feel at a certain point that our's is a lonely path? We are surrounded by our friends and family and yet it feels so lonely at times. In the Qawwali, 'Chadhta Suraj', the poet touches upon this point very nicely. Perhaps the word nicely might sound too mellow, given that the words in the Qawwali are neither subtle nor indirect. They show a very naked reality. 

Perhaps my life has not yet given me the opportunity to fully understand this emotion. I have always been fortunate enough to have my family and my friends to support me. There were times when I have been physically alone but their presence in my life was never missed.

And yet, I felt like I was alone! I am in the driver's seat and I might face obstacles, bumps, potholes and diversions and even break-downs but it is in my hands whether to keep on travelling or not. Whatever support one may have in his life, he is really always alone. Your experiences are your own and your decisions are your own. 

My friend Aamir had written about a conversation that he had once had with a total of two people in it - his Alter Ego and Himself. So, if you look at it from that perspective, you are never alone. 

Strangely, it is a soothing thought when you accept that you are alone and you have to face life alone. It give you confidence in yourself and the strength to stand up to the challenges of life. You understand that help is not always round the corner.

For those who would like to hear the song, it's simply brilliant: