Walk Alone……

“Jodi Tor Dak Shune Keu Na Ase Tobe Ekla Cholo Re” – If no one responds to your call, then go your own way alone”, commonly known as Ekla Chalo Re, is a Bengali  song written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1905 dedicated to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

This is one of the finest memories I carry back with me from the 18 years I spent in Bengal. (Shreya Ghosal singing the song – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPqdlR_X1Vk).  For some strange reason I loved the song and I still do – especially on a quiet night in soulitude.

Its enchanting when you listen to this song all by yourself in the midst of nature – sitting in a balcony on a cold wintery night with the mountains surrounding you and a gurgling brook flowing by. You can get different interpretations – it could mean A leader is always on his own alone and it could mean that every man needs to find his own way … eventually.

Every book you read on spirituality talks about the same thing ” search within”. But we get joy in a crowd , in a company of others. It feeds our Ego. They say man is a social animal – is it really so ? Which man the artificial man or the true man ? Once you start enjoying soulitude its addictive.

I was talking about this to a friend in Gurgaon today – telling him how boring it is to be sitting alone in a hotel room (I do that a lot when I am in Gurgaon) and he immediately shared this beautiful poem written by his sister.

A lovely touching poem by Dr Alka Marwaha

When life bogs you down,
And nothing seems your own;
Hold the hands of your mind;
And start walking alone.

When the self is tortured;
by thoughts awry and askew;
Leave the old beaten track,
and walk afresh and anew.

When the path ahead is hazy,
and truth seems obliterated;
Clear the dust off the soul,
and walk re-juvenated.

Happiness lies within,
only source of joy and bliss;
Muster courage to reach out,
and walk out of the abyss.

Observe the highs and the lows;
The ecstasies and the pain;
Watching it all pass by;
With neither love nor disdain.

Walk alone on your path;
With head held high;
Many may join in pursuit;
And many may bid good bye.