In Between

HE WAS BORN IN AN ORPHANAGE, WAS BROUGHT UP IN A REMAND HOME. HE HAD NO RELATIONS, NO FATHER, NO MOTHER, NO CASTE, NO RELIGION, NO CULTURE, AND NO ANCESTRY, NOTHING TO CLAIM HIM. HE HAD NO TRADITIONAL MARKINGS TO PROVE HIS BEING INTO EXISTENCE. HE WAS BORN WITH NAME NOT KNOWN . HE HAD NO NAME; HE JUST HAD A NUMBER, JUST LIKE THE PRISONERS. HIS CHILDHOOD WAS FULL OF QUESTIONS. HIS ADOLESCENCE WAS SPOILED, HIS YOUTH WAS SNUBBED. WHEN HE GREW INTO ADULTHOOD, HIS QUESTION ALSO GREW WITH HIM. THESE QUESTIONS MADE HIM AN ADULT. THEY SHOULDERED HIS PARENTING. THEY TAUGHT HIM, THEY HELPED HIM TO RECOVER. TODAY, HE IS AT SUCH A STAGE WHERE LIFE UNFOLDS BEAUTIFULLY IN FRONT OF HIM. THIS IS A STORY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EVERYTHING YET WHO DO NOT STOP COMPLAINING AND ARE EXTREMELY INCOMPETENT. अनाथाश्रमात जन्मलेला, रिमांड होममध्ये वाढलेला तो. त्यास आई-वडील नव्हते. जात, धर्म, कुल, गोत्र, वंश, नातेवाईक अशा पारंपरिक अस्तित्वाच्या कसल्याही खुणा न घेता, जन्मलेला तो एक ’नेम नॉट नोन’ होता. त्याला नाव नव्हतं. होता, एक नंबर. (वैÂद्याला असतो तसा!) त्याचं बालपण प्रश्नग्रस्त होतं. कौमार्य कुस्करलेलं. तारुण्य अव्हेरलं गेलेलं. तो वयात आला तसे त्याचे प्रश्नही वयात आले. प्रश्नांनी त्याला प्रौढ केलं. प्रश्नांनीच त्याचं पालकत्त्व पेललं. प्रश्नांनीच तो शिकला-सवरला नि सावरलाही! आज त्याच्या पुढे आहे पर्यायांच्या प्राजक्तांचा सडा! सर्व काही असताना काही न क