Zindagi Bahut Choti Hai

A famous cinema dialogue of Shah Rukh Khan – “Zindagi Bahut Choti Hai”. The exact English translation will be Life is Very Short. This became famous – it is a household saying in India.

Everyone believes in this statement; the truth of the statement is self-explanatory. However, I beg to differ with all who said Life is Very Short. Saying that life is very short, smells of selfishness, ingratitude and greed. People who say Life is Very Short lived their full life! During their life they were born, educated, laughed, cried, married, changed jobs, constructed houses, sold houses, got children and grandchildren. In one word, they did all what can be done during their time. Yet they say Life is Very Short! After living life, after enjoying life one cannot say Life is Very Short.

I ask why these people did not say Life is Very Short when they were born or when getting married or when buying a house? These people tell it was only yesterday – it looks as if like yesterday – they got married. See! Life is already over! That’s why Life is Very Short? This perception is faulty. If you think Life is Very Short then you have the option of not living life at all! Having taken everything from life, much more than what Shah Rukh Khan deserves, he cannot say Zindagi Bahut Choti Hai!   

This life / this existence has given everything one can ever ask for. It is time for us to thank life for giving us everything. Our average longevity is more than 99% of the animal / bird kingdom put together. It is very unthankful to say ‘Zindagi Bahut Choti Hai’!  In fact, this has been the attitude of man from times immemorial. The sages, gods, demons, princess, kings and the queens – all practiced magic; eaten herbs; recited sacred mantras for a forever life.

Life is not too short. Life is not short at all! Life is as long, as tall, as great and as exciting as it can be. It has everything; it gave us everything; it doesn’t except anything. I would at any point of my life say Life is Long.  I am being thankful to life, when I do not say Life is Very Short. Zindagi choti nahi hey; Zindagi choti ho nahi sakthi. It is impossible!

Life gave more than what I deserved. Had it been short I couldn’t have taken so much. Saying Life is Very Short is mean and being an ungrateful to life itself.


About the Author

Dr. K. Raja Gopal Reddy is a seasoned internationally qualified Insurance professional.

What you are reading here, may not answer all the questions we have, but has the absolute power of asking unsettling questions which increase the interest in the strange world, and show the contradictory wonders lying just below the surface of the commonest things of life. Look at this disturbing but beautiful thought of Friedrich Nietzsche “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him”.

Dr. Reddy can be reached at: raja66gopal@gmail.com

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