Necessity is the mother of invention

This happened when we were staying in Baroda during the scorching summer of May 2004. Once when Isha (my younger niece) was about 8 years old, she came to me and asked that she needs help in her homework to write a Hindi Poem. This was a task given as a Hindi homework for the summer vacations. I believe she was in IInd then. I could not believe that this task of writing a poem was given to an 8 year old kid. Well in those days if there was some awkward homework task given to Isha she always used to come to me to get it done. And in those days I learned something from small children. They never think anything is impossible. When she asked for this hindi poem, I was like "Poem!!!, baby, It's not my cup of tea, impossible for me." Children never think anything is impossible. It’s only the up-bringing which teaches them that things are impossible. Isha could not take no for an answer. I was never able to convince her that it is impossible for me to write a poem. She was always so sweet that she would never throw tantrums in front of me, but I could always understand that if I could not fulfil her demand she is going to be upset.

The incident made me think a lot. I did remember that I had written short 4 liners when I was in class XIth for our seniors in Hindi for their farewell. It was a tradition that each of the senior was given a nickname and a short rhyming 4 liners were written in their honour and handed over to them after announcing them during the farewell. I do remember creating those 4 liners in Hindi for about 12-15 senior guys. Necessity was the mother of invention. Since no one else came forward to take the responsibility, I took the onus on me and did it that time. Same was the case now. I motivated myself to think that, "Man! You have done it before. If you try it can be done again."

So I was at the task and this poem was created when for some reason I was at the MS University of Baroda, waiting for someone and I had enough time with me. Suddenly out of nowhere this thought of using animal (as children love animal stories) as the central character of the poem came to mind and following is my creation.

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सयाना हाथी

एक था हाथी बडा सयाना
उसके थे नानी और नाना
नाम का उसके नही ठिकाना
बहुत सारा वह खाता था खाना

एक दिन वह गया नदी पर
बहुत सारा था पानी वहा पर
पानी देख उसके मन में आया
चलो नहा लू पर घबराया
अगर पानी में होगा घडीयाल
तो मैं बचूंगा ना मेरे बाल

सूझभूझ उसने दिखालायी
जोर कि एक आवाज लागाई
सुनकर आवाज आया घडीयाल
हाथी बोला भैया वच गए बाल बाल

सही समय पर अकल लगाई
हाथी ने अपनी जान बचाई
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It would be worthwhile to notice that when I gave this poem to Isha, she did not like it :) :). She had her own doubts whether her teacher would approve this funny little poem. I was shattered. My first creation and first reaction to it was disapproval :). But, I was so proud of my creation that I somehow convinced her, that this is the best I could write and she had to adjust with this for now. My sweet little niece agreed. But, I do not know whether after the summer vacations her Hindi teacher asked for the poem and whether Isha had the courage to hand over this poem to her teacher. I didn't even inquire about it.

Necessity is the mother of invention. How true?