Monday 31 October 2016

Random thoughts 31102016

#RandomThoughts The "day after" syndrome that hits  us all on the completion of a festival is perhaps at the maximum today . Thank God it's a holiday , for some reason , I am not sure why . Not that we had a very busy festival with guests , rituals etc.  For the last couple of years , we have even stopped bursting crackers. I find that it is much better to observe others bursting crackers and burn their money in smoke . Anyway someone else will do it . Let them do . So I myself put the earphone on  and enjoy the fun from my balcony .

The morning started a little later than ordinary with a  mild feeling of guilt watching the sweepers working on the roads strewn with debris of last night's festivities . We take so many things for granted;, I again had that feeling of gratitude  towards the sweepers.. Most probably they are temporary staff  employed by the municipal corporation . Within one hour , the roads were clean , like any other day . That was a redeeming feature and a message to lucky lazybones like me that not everybody is enjoying a holiday .

Mumbai is definitely a city which shrugs off everything in its stride and  brings back life to normal very quickly . As I picked my copy of The Indian Express after opening the front door of my flat , I couldn't help wondering . And again that feeling of guilt . So many people took the pains to write , print , deliver this newspaper to my doorstep. I wouldn't have complained . At least today .

The biggest change that has happened in the last three years or so is the polarisation of the society . It has now reached the ridiculous stage when  the simple act of watching a movie is taken as affirmation of your political leanings.  This may seem to be joke on the surface , but actually is just the tip of the iceberg. If one cares to look around , we will find how people are getting alienated from those considered close once . And getting aligned to new people . This is all happening actually , more on the virtual space . Anybody putting up a brave face and denying this fact is just living in self denial .

A major fallout of the hype and hoopla attached to everything that is being done by our rulers is the big question mark on the credibility of their actions. A news like killing of  fugitive undertrial prisoners is being taken with a lot of cynicism by many . Within eight hours of the incident happening , doubts are being raised on the authenticity of the "encounters" . Again that divide is responsible.  Winning of hearts is more important than speaking your heart out , so it seems .  But then , when all doubts raised , all questions asked are taken as opposition to a viewpoint and the unaligned are pushed to either fall in line or risk branding as antinationals , this sort of polarisation is bound to happen .

Time passes us by

Time passes us by , 
even as the moments spread 
into it's shadow and then ,
merges into oblivion.
The fragrance of joss sticks , 
the smell of new clothes ,
linger for a while before fading away .
All those evening of lights ,
decorations on streets,
words of love and looks of envy ,
they come to an end.
They never return ,
the flowers that we immerse
with the idols
after the worship is done.
Every year is a different story
of hope and heart break for us .
Still we wait , to repeat
this sense of loss
over and over again.

Sunday 30 October 2016

I dream of the anarchy

I dream of the anarchy 
that will ravage 
this cosy arrangement 
of makebelieve happiness.
Happiness that winks at me 
from the newspaper reports;
myths framed on false smiles.
I want the orderliness to break
into disarray of chaos .
I want to feel my world
in all its vulnerability
with the houses of cards gone
all swept away by a hurricane.
Then savour the raw appeal
of the dishevelled beauty
taking her in my arms and caress.
I want to place the seeds
of a new beginning; to sprout
from the womb of the shamble.
The morning that peeps in
after the darkness of night.
I want my child to wake up
in the dawn of promise
and see the sunshine.
I want the announcement to be made
on loudspeakers at every crossing
- We have left yesterday behind
for the tomorrow and it looks so glorious.