elections in 6 states are being followed by Indian Janata like never before. It is obvious that people want change. except that not much is making that change happen
. 'Apni saali koi auqat hi nahi' lamented Aamir's Charecter in Rang De Basanti before they decided that it was onto them to avenge their friend's death. There will be many among us, some camped for Anna Hazare, some camped for Ramdev, some took out rallies, some painted the social media red, many did nothing because they were too occupied to come out on streets, but secretly they also wanted change..
then there are many for whom status quo is of existential importance, and others who wanted things to change, except for themselves, except for their own tranquil island of status quo' as late author Sharad Joshi would put it.
The question is what exactly do we want to change? how strongly we want it? what can we put on stake to make that change? will it happen even if we put everything on stake and let it turn to ashes?
these questions are important for us, law abiding god fearing citizens, anxious to conform and yet be different, fearful of 'acting white' and yet straining to act out our dreams, responsible, stable, tamed men & women- we have a responsibility to love right people, and hate some, we have a responsibility to look at the stars each night with long and never to strain our hands enough to touch them.. it is our duty to kill our wildness unless we are an anonymous, faceless brutal mob of beasts..
Yes we want to change, and fear the day when it happens, because we know not whether we'll be able to recognize ourselves, will we get approval from right people for doing good things, and for the bad ones.
My dog hates it when he is collared, chained, he strains and pulls, even though it must hurt, and when we are back from the little walk, he puts his chain back, in hiding, if anyone touches it, he resents it.. it's his,part of his identity for his times...
Apni saali koi auqat nahi.. i saw it in the eyes of a colleagues of mine, as he gave me some of his collection of literature, as a parting gift before he switched jobs. He was moving from a small flat tucked in Mira Road to another city, with his ' happy family'.. He spoke for a long time about his dreams and why he was right in not living his dreams..
Apni salli koi auqat nahi.. whispered the indebted farmer as he stepped down from the table and untied the rope from ceiling fan..It was no use..
Apni saali koi auqat nahi.. murmurs the young unemployed youth as he punches his vote in favour of candidate with more muscle, right caste, it was not long ago that he had fasted for days along with 'Annaji'. He has reasons for betraying his convictions... it's no use...
Apni saali koi auqat nahi.. spits out the trigger happy ' private security' guy manning one of the under construction sites.. He is angry, he breaks window of any car which is parked near the gate' unauthorised' . It is rage and empty stomach, and liquor in the nights that keep him going, breaking glasses and being slapped..it is a game that he has learned well..He is our fidayeen in extreme slow motion..a fidayeen tree, death growing ever so slowly, imperceptibly, magnificently all around the fidayeen.. He has a cause, it's not as glorious as protecting certain god from certain caricature, but merely protecting a commercial interest, neither of the protected would have called for such fervent protection,.. but..we know god works in mysterious ways...
Yes people want change, not a glimpse if change, not a drop of it, but a change that is powerful enough to consume them.. Some are fighting a war against state in jungles and mountains, in hope that their masters will one day stop being extortionists and bring them what the bounty hunting state is taking away...
Others have changed into the monster that they feared....
The eternal optimist one prays that these little mutinies do not land up buried under unmarked graves, hung on trees and ceiling fans, drowned in happiness of those who approve.he murmurs under his breath
."Let the rage fire up the sun within..let it power life..let us dare to dream..
abhi abhi hua yaqin
ke aag hai mujhme kahi.
. hui subah main jal gaya,
sooraj ko main nigal gaya..
roo ba roo roshni hai.."
the pessimist smiles.. it's no use.
. 'Apni saali koi auqat hi nahi' lamented Aamir's Charecter in Rang De Basanti before they decided that it was onto them to avenge their friend's death. There will be many among us, some camped for Anna Hazare, some camped for Ramdev, some took out rallies, some painted the social media red, many did nothing because they were too occupied to come out on streets, but secretly they also wanted change..
then there are many for whom status quo is of existential importance, and others who wanted things to change, except for themselves, except for their own tranquil island of status quo' as late author Sharad Joshi would put it.
The question is what exactly do we want to change? how strongly we want it? what can we put on stake to make that change? will it happen even if we put everything on stake and let it turn to ashes?
these questions are important for us, law abiding god fearing citizens, anxious to conform and yet be different, fearful of 'acting white' and yet straining to act out our dreams, responsible, stable, tamed men & women- we have a responsibility to love right people, and hate some, we have a responsibility to look at the stars each night with long and never to strain our hands enough to touch them.. it is our duty to kill our wildness unless we are an anonymous, faceless brutal mob of beasts..
Yes we want to change, and fear the day when it happens, because we know not whether we'll be able to recognize ourselves, will we get approval from right people for doing good things, and for the bad ones.
My dog hates it when he is collared, chained, he strains and pulls, even though it must hurt, and when we are back from the little walk, he puts his chain back, in hiding, if anyone touches it, he resents it.. it's his,part of his identity for his times...
Apni saali koi auqat nahi.. i saw it in the eyes of a colleagues of mine, as he gave me some of his collection of literature, as a parting gift before he switched jobs. He was moving from a small flat tucked in Mira Road to another city, with his ' happy family'.. He spoke for a long time about his dreams and why he was right in not living his dreams..
Apni salli koi auqat nahi.. whispered the indebted farmer as he stepped down from the table and untied the rope from ceiling fan..It was no use..
Apni saali koi auqat nahi.. murmurs the young unemployed youth as he punches his vote in favour of candidate with more muscle, right caste, it was not long ago that he had fasted for days along with 'Annaji'. He has reasons for betraying his convictions... it's no use...
Apni saali koi auqat nahi.. spits out the trigger happy ' private security' guy manning one of the under construction sites.. He is angry, he breaks window of any car which is parked near the gate' unauthorised' . It is rage and empty stomach, and liquor in the nights that keep him going, breaking glasses and being slapped..it is a game that he has learned well..He is our fidayeen in extreme slow motion..a fidayeen tree, death growing ever so slowly, imperceptibly, magnificently all around the fidayeen.. He has a cause, it's not as glorious as protecting certain god from certain caricature, but merely protecting a commercial interest, neither of the protected would have called for such fervent protection,.. but..we know god works in mysterious ways...
Yes people want change, not a glimpse if change, not a drop of it, but a change that is powerful enough to consume them.. Some are fighting a war against state in jungles and mountains, in hope that their masters will one day stop being extortionists and bring them what the bounty hunting state is taking away...
Others have changed into the monster that they feared....
The eternal optimist one prays that these little mutinies do not land up buried under unmarked graves, hung on trees and ceiling fans, drowned in happiness of those who approve.he murmurs under his breath
."Let the rage fire up the sun within..let it power life..let us dare to dream..
abhi abhi hua yaqin
ke aag hai mujhme kahi.
. hui subah main jal gaya,
sooraj ko main nigal gaya..
roo ba roo roshni hai.."
the pessimist smiles.. it's no use.
When things stop working for you, hope keeps you going. I am on the optimist's side. The fighters should learn to have patience for a long drawn battle and yet not loose the zeal. The injustice of millenia can't be undone in minutes.
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