Prelude to the poem:

 It was December 2009, a month had gone by after I first landed in Delhi. This was the second time I was planning for a permanent stay in Delhi. I was lonely, lost in the wilderness of Hudson Lane, Single Storey.The very places where i used to enjoy during my college days, had started haunting me. I hardly found any mates of my past adventures, nor did i enjoy the sorroundings I once relished. I did not have any inkling of being an unwelcomed guest after three long years. With everything conspiring against me, i was confused and cursed my fate. My whole day was lost in longing for Bangalore, the warmth and solace that i got during trying times of job- hunting, during recession. Delhi looked like a distant shore, devoid of friends, excitement and merriment.I had nothing but to pray for winds of change so as to make Delhi look normal again.













Where is that wind ?


I long for the wind which once blew over this plain
Coming from a forest drenched in melody of solitude
Carrying in its womb harmony of chirping birds, free-flowing streams
I felt all when it flirted through the city's geography

When the breeze kissed humans, romance oozed out of sorroundings
The beauty it was in manoeuvring through trees, lamp-posts, our loose clothings
Godly it was in dressing the naked land with leaves
o' nature's sweet child, where art thou hidden, the place looks forbidding
The imposter wind does impose occasional flings though not sensuous

I came here for thee, here I am wandering lonely through streets
So dull and devoid the roads looks without your shade
Engulfed in piles of dust, the city looks blurred and unreal
Here I breathe like an alien on a distant planet many light years away
I tumble like an idiot, dance awkwardly to silent tunes of past
Since November, I have been a clown among masses, unaccoustomed of your warmth
My soul is jammed in thoughts of embracing you
O' soothing wind, I sigh for thy return, to wipe some dirt from here

Its not Rahul Vs Modi!

We, the people of India tend to do hero-worship out of individuals of even dwindling credentials. This happens to be a national hobby churning fanatics, who often forget to demarcate reality with whims and fancies. Various sects are the off-springs of these fan-following and mass-hysteria, each waging a war on the other at the vulnerability of their ‘icons’. The imaginative bounds of the followers have raced past oblivion, shrugging off the contradictions encompassing their day to day life. 

Who is to be blamed when the debate is of colossal nature and the protagonists are none other than Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. The former being the buzz word in our current political landscape, dwarfing his very own party- the BJP, which seems crawling like a toddler, with Papa Modi  as the only bet to bail it out of its ‘blues ‘and teach how to walk again on two legs . The other ‘guy’, hey wait, mate he has got a name, a family heritage, the surname to die for and swarms of bootlickers- ever ready to lick his spit from the very go. He is Rahul Gandhi- to most a novice, to some a youth mobilizer (though his stint in Punjab and UP hardly justifies it) and to a very few a potential architect of modern India.

There is an uncanny similarity between Rahul and Modi, as both are yet to show their true colour and grit pre-requisite to govern a country as wide and diverse as India. Forget about languages, here the dialects change within a span of kilometers. The four directions have a resemblance if not anywhere but in India. The culture, the socio- economic fabric of the region is such that it’s going to be a herculean task in washing off the stains, especially for those deeply rooted on their chairs in Delhi and Ahmedabad.The country’s flora  and fauna though distinct but enough to sustain the part devoid of it. Question is who will do the balancing act?  The biz world has for long been an oppressive tyrant, looting, plundering and dividing India- the ‘rich India’ and the ‘poor India’. The pathetic politicians- are they wary of their shameless, disgusting stature?  Don’t they only know how to tame, mould and drive the poor India for their own perks, commissions? 

Sorry, I just got deviated from the debate, but believe me my blood boils and there is an outpouring of emotions whenever I embark on a voyage of such nature, where humans are but carcasses of political and economic gains. According to many, Modi has a proven track –record of good governance and socio-economic infrastructural development of Gujarat for more than a decade. A vast majority of Gujarat’s population acknowledges this fact, they have further lauded various developmental schemes concerning all the sectors of state’s economy initiated during Modi regimen. The minorities, mostly Muslims have slowly started getting in tune with Modi’s Gujarat vision, are willing to tread towards his shade. Point taken, but somehow my doubt persists. Gujarat for long, has been one of the most economically advanced state of the country, it only requires a bit of skill and expertise in sharpening a already glittering sword. However, a majority of the country’s 1.3 billion population have put their stake on an individual who is yet to come to terms with the distinct trials and tribulations running through the length and breadth of India. Sounds a hasty decision, are the people left with any choices? Rahul may be!  

Just like chanced intruder, the name pops in. Rahul Gandhi. The sole messiah of a derailed party, coughing agonies compounded with ailments of corruption, rising inflation, inflated crime against women, alacrity of law and order situations and the plethora of other socio-economic problems. ‘Yuvraj’ has failed miserably in Punjab and UP- two states where he put all his sweat, blood even the PM post at bay. Look what he got; a handsome mauling elsewhere, worst part was the defeat at the hands of an unseasoned politician in Akhilesh Yadav, basking in the glory of his father-  "The Netaji". He hardly speaks in front of the media, though his address at CII can be adjudged a mere ripple in the ocean. Modi scores over him on most of the national and international issues? So is he more able than Rahul?

Unsatisfied! I think we need to stress upon the fact whether Rahul or Modi, are they competent and willing enough to oar us to a new shore of socio- economic uniformity? Or are the seats reserved for the privileged class? What if the boarding passes will be handed over to only those with political and economic clout?   We can go on and on towards interrogative madness. Seems we have ceased to look upon our plight germinating from the seeds of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, dismal health infrastructure, food insecurities etc. 

Hope and optimism govern human brain, sometime taking it to a point of abject surrender to a person/object that has the tenacity to shine upon their ‘deprivations’.  We breeze through through a path solely fuelled by our ‘hope and liking’. Is it the way forward? Or do we need the guidance of our logical compass for a proclaimed destination. I think we definitely need to switch it on. Stop fretting about the new PM to be! Only the one with the gut and assumption to align with the 1.3 billion Indian psyches crying foul of the fallen system, will have a rightful claim.

This is a challenge of greater magnitude; no one can take solace by virtue of being the media’s darling (in Modi’s case) and family heritage (definitely Rahul).  Rather our focus area should fix towards the candidates (kindly include Modi and Rahul too) who has a vision for the whole of India, in which there should not be any room for territorial and cultural differentiation, the leader who will spread growth and development through his innovative thoughts and schemes.

Stop creating hype, chanting superficial praises. It’s time to focus on remedial measures required for a brighter future. No one has dared to walk under the sun so far, come on, show some spine. Only then we will decide which side are we really on?                                                                                                                                       

CHAINED SHE

Flirtatious stream diving from rocky cliffs,

Sways leaves aside, mesmerizes idle sand banks,

Meandering into valley, she sprinkles charm on lonely rocks,

Cuddling through habitats, folds into a vast reservoir- the ocean.

Dissolved is her self and her heart is taken,           
Static in tides, she sighs for her lost limbs,

Twisted and curled, she submits to fate,

For nothing but heaps of premonition to date              

Neither will she kiss the leaves again,

Nor will she fall for the shining rocks

With no form, assumptions, she will be an ocean dot!!

The above phrases highlight the plight of so many poor innocent girls, who are crushed under the ruthless male dominated society. The “stream” of girls are wary of their diminutive self under the surveillance of the colossal “oceanic” male demeanor. Before ten, she is devoid of nutrition, so fragile to even match shoulders with boys of her age. After ten, she garners her parent’s attention, which hardly ceases to be ‘heart-rendering’ gesture. She interrogates herself with questions? For how did it happen? Why did she soil her own cloth? Menstruation: long confirmed to be by far the greatest evil grippling the female lot. For sure, as it shuts the door of economic prosperity, for she will never hear the school bell ringing again!

She is married early, to the so called “crusader of her destiny” who very often leaves her in lurch. The husbands treat them as a punching bag, venting all anger, frustration on them. Tell me, will she rise from here again? With problems in plenty, ranging from the lack of education/ skillful training, acute poverty, prevailing social stigmas, will she be able to breathe fresh air again?

Or will she be left crawling on a well architected path of slavery, carefully designed by her husband???