Incredible Azad!

Recently I’ve got to put my hands on an autobiography ‘Wings of Fire’ by the legend Mr. Kalam. What I have is it’s hindi edition ‘Agni ki Udaan’, probably my second hindi book and second autobiography after ‘My Experiments with Truth’ which I hardly remember. I know as usual I am the late reader.

As I am reading the pages, I’m amazed by his simple thinking and simple writing (excluding some hard technical words that are almost painfully indistinguishable in Hindi!!). The writer hasn’t anywhere mentioned his strong points and talents. Instead he writes about his mistakes and how he learnt from them. He is so down to earth and honest when he thinks ‘why I? There are so many hard working and brilliant engineers around’; a great person who is not aware of his greatness is actually so CUTE!!!!!

Like a very efficient doctor has he analyzed what is wrong with India’s development and mind-set (mainly)...it’s almost like a socio-political brainstorming sessions you encounter in any public meeting place from public transport like trains to small shops!!

The story starts with a very obvious beginning: a small village, a very simple self-sufficient family, and parents who are ideal as couple with a wise and spiritual father, a generous and caring mother. He talks about their greatness and how he has always tried to embed their teachings in his science and technology!! Isn’t it common to all of us? Every child sees a hero in his parents but some are really good enough to pay them back!

I remember my first day to school when I was trying to put my belt over my tunic that was coming too loose at my waist. Since the belt was shorter, it was getting clumsy and I was getting frustrated, really frustrated. Imagine your first day at school: not cool...your clumsy dress on first day: more not cool!! Mom scolded me while putting on the belt saying it was such a small problem and I was acting this way. There are even bigger problems to come! I still remember those angry words of mom were like drops of water on boiling milk. Her words have always been a glimpse of God for my life ahead. Whenever I get frustrated I recall that scene. I learnt from dad how to be brave and believe in the almighty. To trust is the easiest thing to do but hardest to maintain!!

Thinking of any of sudden impact from dad I get to recall one situation. Kids do call each other crazy (pagal), it’s very common with the adults as well. Once I used this term for my brother before dad to which he very coolly told me that it’s so mean to use such term, to declare someone mentally ill, one who has lost his senses. I was sure I had heard many highly ‘mean’ words before, so what’s the big deal in this harmless looking term. I don’t know but the way those words travelled inside my head and framed themselves, I grew a very different perception. I began respecting people: words should never be used to hurt others...yes sometimes I’ve been careless with words but I don’t remember if I’ve used this word ever again.

Personal achievements bring spiritual development or actually to be more true it is the other way. Azad ji has never missed to tell it anywhere where he has experienced God. Be it in his work or friends. He talks about his initial days when he had the Rameshwaram shiv temple as well as a mosque nearby that provided an excellent breeding place for his spirituality (he hasn’t talked much about it, maybe because he want us to learn that it’s not the thoughts that matter but how you implement them to grow into a better human!). Ours was a convent school: we played and studied beside a chapel and mother Mary statue...our home is near a shiv temple. Every evening one can hear the bells from the temple as well the nawaz from a nearby mosque and it’s usually that time when I pray for my evening prayer before Guru Granth Sahib (the living guru) at my home!! Such a pleasant environment...He tells how he always works on partnership with God and it made me remember my old days. It was like me and God on a constant conversation, questions and instant answers...

One more thing I especially liked is the way he has praised his friends and fellow engineers, making them appear larger than him. This kind of attitude completely took my attention away. He has never failed to praise people in his life and he does so with so much enthusiasm and honesty!! He talks about making a perfect working environment by hard work and sincerity and at the end complimenting each other. Isn’t this what we are lacking now days? Complimenting people around actually makes you feel good. You get a positive energy of having good people around. I used to be that way: giving compliments was so natural to me. Whenever I liked something I never failed to compliment it: not to please anyone but just trying to brighten the day!! I came to realize this ‘thing’ of me through one of my very good friends. Complimenting is filled with such a childish joy and does wonders. I realized how complimenting mom for food can make her day. Even in the famous book of ‘Life’s little Instructions’ the first point is: compliment at least three people everyday!!! Aren’t in our prayers we compliment God?

I haven’t finished the book yet but I couldn’t help myself from writing these thoughts. Let’s see what’s more to come! I have an inherent habit of marking paragraphs that attract my attention and putting comments where required (something that my grand dad and dad do)! It will be first time that I will be marking first (if ever dad comes to read it)...

Azad ji has so beautifully justified the title saying “We are all born with a divine fire in us. Our efforts should be to give wings to this fire and fill the world with the glow of its goodness.”

‘har din jiyo, jiyale

Jaise jeevan apna paao|

Jab moosal ho, maaro,

Jab okhal ho, chotein khaao|’

For all your days prepare.

And meet them ever alike.

When you are the anvil, bear-

When you are the hammer, strike.

P.S. Did you know they actually have Tipu Sultan (a war scene) pic framed in NASA!!! I knew he was the first to use rockets and the flying fire things in war fare but to be glorified this way, it’s more than just awesome!!!!