The Rational Fear

A few weeks after their harrowing experiences at the bus station and witnessing the collapse in the bazaar, a friend invited Santa and Banta to a grand opening of a new shop in the bustling Tibetan Market.

Santa, who usually loved any excuse for a celebration and free snacks, politely declined.

Later that evening, Banta found him sitting quietly on their porch.

“Are you feeling alright, Santa?”

“You seem quiet.”

“And you never say no to free samosas.”

Santa looked down at his hands, a shadow of embarrassment on his face.

“I don’t know, Banta.”

“Lately… the thought of going into a big crowd… it makes my stomach turn.”

“My palms get sweaty.”

“I just see all those bodies pressing in, and I feel like I can’t breathe, even when I’m sitting here.”

“I think I am becoming a coward.”

Banta pulled up a chair and sat next to him.

“Santa,” he said gently, “you are not a coward.”

“You are becoming wise.”

“What you are feeling is not a weakness; it is a very real and understandable response.”

“It even has a name: Enochlophobia.”

“Eno-what?”

“Enochlophobia.”

“The fear of crowds,” Banta explained.

“For most people, it might be an irrational phobia.”

“But for someone like you, who has seen and understood the real dangers—who knows that the threat isn’t just being jostled, but being crushed or suffocated—that fear is not irrational at all.”

“It is entirely rational.”

He continued, “Your brain has learned that a dense crowd is a genuine threat to your life, like a fire or a wild animal.”

“So, it sends you warning signals: the sweaty palms, the turning stomach.”

“It’s your body’s way of saying, ‘Be careful. We have been in danger like this before.'”

“It’s not cowardice, Santa.”

“It’s your survival instinct, now armed with knowledge.”

“The goal is not to stop living, but to listen to that fear and use it to make smarter choices—like choosing to visit the market on a quiet Tuesday instead of a chaotic Sunday.”

Santa looked up, a sense of relief washing over him.

His fear wasn’t a shameful secret; it was a logical shield he had earned.

संता – बंता की इस जुगलबन्दी से आज हमने क्या सीखा:-  

• सीख / Discover: कुछ लोगो को सच में भीड़ से डर लगता हैं या फिर उन्हें भीड़ में घबराहट महसूस होती हैं और अंग्रेजी में इस डर को Enochlophobia कहते हैं  / A fear of crowds is a recognised phobia known as Enochlophobia.
• विज्ञान / Science: भीड़ से डर लगने को प्रायः अतर्कसंगत डर के रूप में परिभाषित किया जाता हैं, परन्तु भीड़ से जुड़ी आपदाओं के प्राणघाती भौतिक विज्ञान की समझ पर आधारित होने की स्तिथि में यह तर्कसंगत व विवेकपूर्ण सुरक्षा उपाय दृष्टिगत होता हैं / A phobia is often defined as an irrational fear. However, when based on a real understanding of the lethal physics of crowd disasters, a strong aversion to dense crowds becomes a rational and logical safety mechanism.
• चिंतन / Reflect: भीड़ से उत्पन्न हो सकने वाले खतरों की समझ, निश्चित ही किसी भी व्यक्ति में डर व सावधानी के भाव उजागर कर सकती हैं। इससे व्यक्ति को डरपोक या कायर समझने के स्थान पर इसे व्यक्ति की जिन्दा रहने की स्वाभाविक प्रवृति के रूप में देखना चाहिये / True knowledge about the dangers of crowds naturally and rightly instills a sense of caution and fear. This should not be seen as a weakness but as an enhanced survival instinct.
• उत्तरदायित्व / Responsibility: भीड़ से उत्पन्न होने वाले डर की स्वीकारोक्ति जरूरी हैं। यह आपको आवश्यकता न होने पर भीड़ का हिस्सा न बनने का निर्णय लेने में सहायता करता हैं, और भीड़ में शामिल होने की स्थिति में सतर्क बनाये रखता हैं / It is responsible to acknowledge and listen to your fear of crowds. Use it to guide your decisions, avoiding unnecessarily dense situations and practicing heightened awareness when you cannot.

 संता – बंता की यह जुगलबन्दी आपको कैसी लगी, कृपया हमें जरुर बताये 

व 

इस जुगलबन्दी को बेहतर बनाने के लिये अपने सुझाव अवश्य दें।

हमें हमेशा की तरह आपके सुझावों, प्रतिक्रियाओं व कटाक्षो का बेसब्री से इंतजार रहता हैं और सच मानिये इसी के आधार पर हम अपने आप में, अपनी सोच व रचनात्मकता में सुधार करने को प्रेरित होते हैं। 

सो अच्छा – बुरा जैसा आपको महसूस हुवा हो, कमेंट जरुर करते रहें।