My birthday

Thursday, November 4th is my birthday today. I was born in a small town in Rajasthan called Churu. I did my primary schooling in Churu from a pathshala. I had, never in my wildest imagination, ever thought that a person like myself, born in a small town in an orthodox family, would be able to see a metro city and venture outside India to see foreign lands.

When I was 20 plus, I travelled by plane for the first time. I got my passport in 1994 and I was the first one in the Bhutoria family of 80 to 100 members to travel abroad.

When I think of my village days, I feel that the village life can really teach you to live anywhere and in whatsoever condition the world offers. I remember when I used to travel from Churu to Sujangarh to my grandpa's house in a train along with goats on a common berth.

Today, when I am so finicky about hygiene and cleanliness, I can hardly believe how I used to drink water in Churu during those days, especially after it has been proved today that it is unfit for human consumption. I can earnestly say that the best cars of the world today cannot give me the joy that I used to get from riding the bullock, camel and donkey carts as a child.

I remember there used to be a single 3-digit phone in about 4 sq km area and today I can't count how many telephone connections I have in my establishment. I travelled to Churu every year for 5 consecutive years. Only in the last two years I have not visited that area.

My world has undergone a total change – for good or bad – I don't know yet.

ess bee