Dear,
I don’t know how to address you; you look almost like my younger brother. I have no idea what just happened to me. All I can see is that I am lying on the ground and there is blood gushing out of my throat. I see some more bodies around me and I can see you. I am just guessing because I see a gun in your hand, you probably shot us all. I feel no pain and I feel as if this body doesn’t belong to me, may be because I am going to die. That makes me think that I have very little time left and I might never be able to catch the fast local I am waiting for.
All my life, I have hated people of your kind like everyone else does. But today, when I know I am dying, I am left with no hate for anyone. A feeling of overwhelming love embraces me today and I feel the same love for you. I am struggling to breathe, but I can think clearly and I am sure you have done no good for yourself or for anyone else by shooting us all. You have not killed me; you have only killed any possibility of a hopeful future.
I have a three year old son, a very lovely son. He has just started speaking, in broken words. He calls me ‘Ppaaahh’. It is very unusual for a kid of his age that he stays awake till I return home everyday. I sing a few songs till he sleeps on my lap. On days when I am too late, the first thing in the morning, he looks for me. Our day doesn’t begin until we exchange a few laughs. In his presence I forget all my worries and realize how wonderful this world is.
I am late today. He might have slept by now. But when he wakes tomorrow morning, I am sure he will be hoping to find me by his side and I am afraid he won’t find me. He is very scared when the power goes off or when the room is dark. But when I am with him he fights his fear. He is full of hope that I will protect him. In the parks or on the stairs, he runs without a worry, never looking back. Because he knows that I will always follow him like a shadow. He cries when others throw him in the air, but when it is me, he is full of excitement. He feels that he can fly and trusts me completely to catch him when he is falling down. He rode with me on my bike for the first time yesterday.
But things are going to be different tomorrow. When he wakes he won’t find me, neither will he have a reason to wait late in the night for me. When he runs in the park or on the stairs, he has to look back every time to ensure that someone is following him. He should now learn to fight his fears without me and get used to darkness. Probably he should now let others throw him in the air and try to enjoy the excitement of flying. But he should always be wary of falling down. He is too young to ride a bike or understand all this, but he should soon learn to be his own man, because, after today, there is no hope of my return. Brother, you have not killed me, but killed the hopes of a three year old kid.
When you kill hope, all you get back is hatred. Life is so dear to those who are living. I would want him to be filled with the same love I have for you today. But on the day he knows his father was brutally murdered by men of your kind, on the day he knows his hopes were killed by a young man carrying a gun in the CST, it is tough to convince him to love you. I don’t know why you are on a killing spree, but I know it does no good to you or your cause. I am an atheist. The only religion I believe in is humanity and the only Gods I worship are those who serve mankind. Hope is the only prayer and you have killed someone’s prayer. It is foolish to expect grace when there is no prayer.
If you are doing this because you had a bad past, it makes no sense, because you will be replied back in your own language and the mankind will run in a vicious circle of vengeance. If you are doing this for a peaceful future, your ways are definitely wrong. Bloodshed brings more bloodshed and not peace. I don’t know why they call you a terrorist. To me, you look the most terrified. This terminus will open again tomorrow and there will be another bunch of people like us, waiting for the fast local. But you will go into hiding; scared and terrified of our strength, of our courage and of our hope to live another day.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
First Failure
Bangalore Mirror thoroughly disappointed me yesterday. Apart from bringing us news as significant as the “who-is-who” of Bangalore, Bangalore Mirror also features news as insignificant as the “who-slept-with-whom” kind. But yesterday’s edition had no mention of the protest rally that took place at the Vidhan Soudha on December 8th, 2008 against terrorism. It was extremely important to cover this rally for the set of demands that were supposed to be presented before the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The demands were very interesting and the approach the organizers proposed to achieve this was unique; calling for a boycott on taxes.
I wonder whether there was a rally at all and if there was none, I am tempted to consider this as the first among the many failures our struggles will face in the future. I am not interested in stock market, but my trust on this particular rally was very bearish from the outset. The call came via emails and there was no organization/individual who took responsibility for the call. It was from a FELLOW CITIZEN. Protest rallies are like babies and they need a parent to bring them up. Otherwise they will be as pathetic as one of those orphaned street children about whom every fellow citizen thinks, but no one owns up. The ‘call’ was neatly written on a three page document, a well presented case and I saw some of those put up on public notice boards across Bangalore. But who has the time to standby and read an essay? Demands, approach and the protest date and time would have sufficed.
This protest was deemed to be a failure for its choice of date and time. I think the originator of the idea expected that people will pour on streets at 12 Noon on a Monday. It was ridiculous on the part of the FELLOW CITIZEN to expect that the people of the nation are still mourning. We are already geared up for the India-England test series. There are deliveries to meet, sensex to follow, night life to be revived and festivals to be celebrated. Life has moved on. Every single head that adds to the gathering will add strength to a rally. Hence it was important to decide on a date and time on which many could attend, even at the cost of looking like a weekend-free-time protest. Every failure such as this is like spraying water over fire and some water is sprayed now from across the border too.
All of a sudden, Pakistan has started to crack its whip on LeT, a terrorist group that has been causing considerable damage to Pakistan along with the Taliban. It is very surprising that the Pakistan government never thought of taking a stern action against LeT during blasts in their own country, but finds it very urgent to act because of the Mumbai massacre and to add to that they have already arrested the LeT masterminds and the JUD chief in no time. Come on; people of the world need a break. It is encouraging to know that US is still not buying news from Pakistan. Unless we are shown video footages of these barbarians taken into custody we will not believe a word that Pakistan has to say. And what was that? Trial will be as per the law of Pakistan? Terrorists are enemies of the world, they must be judged as per the law of the world, of mankind and not of any country. Whatever it means!
I wonder whether there was a rally at all and if there was none, I am tempted to consider this as the first among the many failures our struggles will face in the future. I am not interested in stock market, but my trust on this particular rally was very bearish from the outset. The call came via emails and there was no organization/individual who took responsibility for the call. It was from a FELLOW CITIZEN. Protest rallies are like babies and they need a parent to bring them up. Otherwise they will be as pathetic as one of those orphaned street children about whom every fellow citizen thinks, but no one owns up. The ‘call’ was neatly written on a three page document, a well presented case and I saw some of those put up on public notice boards across Bangalore. But who has the time to standby and read an essay? Demands, approach and the protest date and time would have sufficed.
This protest was deemed to be a failure for its choice of date and time. I think the originator of the idea expected that people will pour on streets at 12 Noon on a Monday. It was ridiculous on the part of the FELLOW CITIZEN to expect that the people of the nation are still mourning. We are already geared up for the India-England test series. There are deliveries to meet, sensex to follow, night life to be revived and festivals to be celebrated. Life has moved on. Every single head that adds to the gathering will add strength to a rally. Hence it was important to decide on a date and time on which many could attend, even at the cost of looking like a weekend-free-time protest. Every failure such as this is like spraying water over fire and some water is sprayed now from across the border too.
All of a sudden, Pakistan has started to crack its whip on LeT, a terrorist group that has been causing considerable damage to Pakistan along with the Taliban. It is very surprising that the Pakistan government never thought of taking a stern action against LeT during blasts in their own country, but finds it very urgent to act because of the Mumbai massacre and to add to that they have already arrested the LeT masterminds and the JUD chief in no time. Come on; people of the world need a break. It is encouraging to know that US is still not buying news from Pakistan. Unless we are shown video footages of these barbarians taken into custody we will not believe a word that Pakistan has to say. And what was that? Trial will be as per the law of Pakistan? Terrorists are enemies of the world, they must be judged as per the law of the world, of mankind and not of any country. Whatever it means!
Monday, December 8, 2008
The Beginning
Our new found unity and fight against terrorism by conducting rallies is going to be yet another failure. Knee-jerk rallies have never won a battle and the impact of a rally is directly proportional to the number of people and length of the duration. The recent events of Mumbai would not have made this big an impact, had 130 lives were lost in a car bomb blowing off. It took almost 72 hours for the army to bring down the terrorists. The whole world stayed grooved to the happenings for a longer time than usual. The people decided to speak so vocally against the government because the happening left a deeper mark. We need to pay back these terrorists in their own coin. By making our protests longer and forcing Governments to reply the terrorists in bombs and bullets.
However, it has been almost two weeks since the Mumbai bloodshed and we have already started to move on with our life. I am afraid that the Mumbai episode will now stay in our memory just like one of those several instances of terror attacks this country has faced in the past. The front page of newspapers are devoted to news other than terrorism and when I write this, it's the state elections that are being covered by the news channels. One cannot blame the media, because media is an industry, a business that has to make profits. Hence it is obvious that they will stay opportunistic and cover what is current or what will sell. But, how good are we? Why are we so resilient? We only suffer rude awakenings to sleep back again into this rut of a society.
Terrorism is already a world problem; while we hear Governments announcing a fight against terrorism, we don't see the governments of less powerful nations doing anything worthwhile in the fight. Powerful nations are just using this as a catch phrase to gain entry into nations rich in Oil. It is time that nations, powerful and otherwise for once join hands as citizens of the world for the betterment of human race. Let strategic alliances be made not for some economic gains, but to eliminate terror from the face of earth. For once UN should act responsibly and bring together nations, send troops to selected areas that house terror camps and bomb them. Nations should keep faith in the world order and open their borders for an UN security operation.
In times such as these, I strongly consider it foolish that a handful of people rule over 6.7 billion citizens of the world. Be it democratic or autocratic, this looks unacceptable because the Governments have failed in protecting the 6.7 billion people who belong to planet Earth. We might all look different in color, speak different languages and practice different traditions but after all we belong to humankind. Each life is as dear and important as any other. For God's sake can Governments please take this a bit serious? But they won't because we have not made enough sound to fall on their deaf ears.
The time of the hour is not a mere rally but a march never dreamt of in the history of human civilization, a march of indefinite length and unprecedented participation and a march not just across cities and states but across the nation and south Asia, a safe haven for terrorism. I am reminded of the Dandi March of 1930. It was a powerful march and a powerful register of protest against the British and shook the entire world. Starting on March 12th and ending on April 6th, 1930 it showed tremendous organization and sustained for a long duration ending with the breaking of Salt Law. For any movement to create an impact, it should run for a longer time and end by delivering a message of civil disobedience. In India, to make an impact right now, we will have to march to the parliament, motivating people all over the country and perform a total boycott of elections, until our demands are met. Out of this whole struggle, I expect some real leaders to arise.
However, it has been almost two weeks since the Mumbai bloodshed and we have already started to move on with our life. I am afraid that the Mumbai episode will now stay in our memory just like one of those several instances of terror attacks this country has faced in the past. The front page of newspapers are devoted to news other than terrorism and when I write this, it's the state elections that are being covered by the news channels. One cannot blame the media, because media is an industry, a business that has to make profits. Hence it is obvious that they will stay opportunistic and cover what is current or what will sell. But, how good are we? Why are we so resilient? We only suffer rude awakenings to sleep back again into this rut of a society.
Terrorism is already a world problem; while we hear Governments announcing a fight against terrorism, we don't see the governments of less powerful nations doing anything worthwhile in the fight. Powerful nations are just using this as a catch phrase to gain entry into nations rich in Oil. It is time that nations, powerful and otherwise for once join hands as citizens of the world for the betterment of human race. Let strategic alliances be made not for some economic gains, but to eliminate terror from the face of earth. For once UN should act responsibly and bring together nations, send troops to selected areas that house terror camps and bomb them. Nations should keep faith in the world order and open their borders for an UN security operation.
In times such as these, I strongly consider it foolish that a handful of people rule over 6.7 billion citizens of the world. Be it democratic or autocratic, this looks unacceptable because the Governments have failed in protecting the 6.7 billion people who belong to planet Earth. We might all look different in color, speak different languages and practice different traditions but after all we belong to humankind. Each life is as dear and important as any other. For God's sake can Governments please take this a bit serious? But they won't because we have not made enough sound to fall on their deaf ears.
The time of the hour is not a mere rally but a march never dreamt of in the history of human civilization, a march of indefinite length and unprecedented participation and a march not just across cities and states but across the nation and south Asia, a safe haven for terrorism. I am reminded of the Dandi March of 1930. It was a powerful march and a powerful register of protest against the British and shook the entire world. Starting on March 12th and ending on April 6th, 1930 it showed tremendous organization and sustained for a long duration ending with the breaking of Salt Law. For any movement to create an impact, it should run for a longer time and end by delivering a message of civil disobedience. In India, to make an impact right now, we will have to march to the parliament, motivating people all over the country and perform a total boycott of elections, until our demands are met. Out of this whole struggle, I expect some real leaders to arise.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Stop This
Oh! my fluttering bird, stop this.
You've been flapping a long time in my skull,
Why did you put your wings to wake from the lull?
I sense, the roar of a thousand storms inside,
Rising from deep within to the surface, never to subside.
And your beaks, piercing between my brows,
As if hit by an archer's sharp iron arrows.
At times you spread your wings across my chest,
The bones of my ribs shaping your delicate feathers,
Your tiny little head looking up through Adam's apple -
Resting as the crucified Christ Himself.
Just to split my chest open and drink,
The unceasing nectar of the unabound space - And
To rest in the lap of immeasurable eternity.
Stop this, you unmerciful sparrow.
Sucking life out my every marrow.
Your dreadly legs, gripping my navel,
An acute pain, as though, groins dig by a shovel.
My knees are trembling and calf failing to hold
My blood has frozen and body turned extremely cold
A death so wanting, for new regions to unfold.
Oh my fluttering bird...
You've been flapping a long time in my skull,
Why did you put your wings to wake from the lull?
I sense, the roar of a thousand storms inside,
Rising from deep within to the surface, never to subside.
And your beaks, piercing between my brows,
As if hit by an archer's sharp iron arrows.
At times you spread your wings across my chest,
The bones of my ribs shaping your delicate feathers,
Your tiny little head looking up through Adam's apple -
Resting as the crucified Christ Himself.
Just to split my chest open and drink,
The unceasing nectar of the unabound space - And
To rest in the lap of immeasurable eternity.
Stop this, you unmerciful sparrow.
Sucking life out my every marrow.
Your dreadly legs, gripping my navel,
An acute pain, as though, groins dig by a shovel.
My knees are trembling and calf failing to hold
My blood has frozen and body turned extremely cold
A death so wanting, for new regions to unfold.
Oh my fluttering bird...
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
The Pyramid
They walk, draping the skin of earth,
The blood thirsty men of the mind.
Do they know, they suck like leeches -
Cowering men of your kind.
I am not one of them,
Nor am I one among you.
Hanging between, a vein, hearing pain
Of drum tearing shrill of centuries.
Kings lie at the top, thou at the bottom;
Pyramids change in every societal autumn.
On the next spring we shall be woken,
Flow reverses and earth shall be shaken.
Hail the Revolution of that day!!
The blood thirsty men of the mind.
Do they know, they suck like leeches -
Cowering men of your kind.
I am not one of them,
Nor am I one among you.
Hanging between, a vein, hearing pain
Of drum tearing shrill of centuries.
Kings lie at the top, thou at the bottom;
Pyramids change in every societal autumn.
On the next spring we shall be woken,
Flow reverses and earth shall be shaken.
Hail the Revolution of that day!!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Bashing up The New Year
Hands they did not Grope -
Her, in pairs of Seventy.
Eyes they did feast on
In crores of plenty.
You wanted it and hence
You kept mum;
What thought you had,
That her dignity saved
By mere blurring of the bum?
Maniacs all around,
Fear unbound,
Triumpant she came, though
With hurt and pain.
Inconsiderate, you "Flashed"
Untouched, but she wailed,
When her hymen you tore,
In the news, again and again.
Beyond the fort of her palms,
Not a nail could pass, when
All there was,
A thin hair's gap,
And Only Barbarians neared.
But for you the fort was gone,
Your tongue was rolling,
Her assets squealing,
All day, unstopped, untired.
All you could do,
In the beam was to catch fourteen.
Where are the thousands,
That were left in the hiding?
Chuck your pen,
Pick the Sword mightier,
On the judgement day, you
Might hang till death.
But Today, chop those hands,
Dig those eyes and
Bring their shovelled balls;
My museum wants to fill,
In the list of "Species Extinct".
Her, in pairs of Seventy.
Eyes they did feast on
In crores of plenty.
You wanted it and hence
You kept mum;
What thought you had,
That her dignity saved
By mere blurring of the bum?
Maniacs all around,
Fear unbound,
Triumpant she came, though
With hurt and pain.
Inconsiderate, you "Flashed"
Untouched, but she wailed,
When her hymen you tore,
In the news, again and again.
Beyond the fort of her palms,
Not a nail could pass, when
All there was,
A thin hair's gap,
And Only Barbarians neared.
But for you the fort was gone,
Your tongue was rolling,
Her assets squealing,
All day, unstopped, untired.
All you could do,
In the beam was to catch fourteen.
Where are the thousands,
That were left in the hiding?
Chuck your pen,
Pick the Sword mightier,
On the judgement day, you
Might hang till death.
But Today, chop those hands,
Dig those eyes and
Bring their shovelled balls;
My museum wants to fill,
In the list of "Species Extinct".
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Dear Dimple
*An attempt at translating one of my tamil poems
In the valley of your dimple,
I live in a small hut of my own;
Smile not Senorita,
The earth below me shakes.
"My face forgotten Fidel? I don't have a dimple."
Refuse not, my Egyptian beauty,
I am an Archealogist.
To the mystery of pyramids,
My Senses surrender,
And you are no less a wonder.
"You love the fairskinned, I am jet black".
No doubt, my Black pearl -
The Shameless sun! he shines,
From your fairness stolen.
Fearing my wrath, in the darkness of night,
He lies hidden.
"Lies, All Lies".
What a suprise!
That I don't hear my death knell,
When your lips spell, Liar,
Let a strand of your frock be my noose
And I shall hang myself here.
"Enough Fidel, Let me sleep".
Sleep well my darling,
But hear the ailing heart;
For you lie on the left
Its beats are sobs,
Your name a part and my name a part.
"True Fidel, when you know, why this show?"
In the dust of time,
Buried are my imprints dear.
The pages of this poem
Are to wipe the dust and
Revive your memories clear.
In the valley of your dimple,
I live in a small hut of my own;
Smile not Senorita,
The earth below me shakes.
"My face forgotten Fidel? I don't have a dimple."
Refuse not, my Egyptian beauty,
I am an Archealogist.
To the mystery of pyramids,
My Senses surrender,
And you are no less a wonder.
"You love the fairskinned, I am jet black".
No doubt, my Black pearl -
The Shameless sun! he shines,
From your fairness stolen.
Fearing my wrath, in the darkness of night,
He lies hidden.
"Lies, All Lies".
What a suprise!
That I don't hear my death knell,
When your lips spell, Liar,
Let a strand of your frock be my noose
And I shall hang myself here.
"Enough Fidel, Let me sleep".
Sleep well my darling,
But hear the ailing heart;
For you lie on the left
Its beats are sobs,
Your name a part and my name a part.
"True Fidel, when you know, why this show?"
In the dust of time,
Buried are my imprints dear.
The pages of this poem
Are to wipe the dust and
Revive your memories clear.
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