DEAD ALL THROUGH

Dead, Demise, Dying are familiar words to all of us. Nothing new about it, just another word that literally means the action or fact of dying or being killed; the end of the life of a person or organism. Simple isn’t it when a doctor says Sorry He Is No More, implying a person is dead- the human heart has stopped beating. Family members mourn, perform necessary rituals to set free the spirit of the deceased and slowly life moves on for those who are still not DEAD.

From the visage a person is indeed dead when the human heart stops beating once and for all. But in reality is it so? We all experience death in our own ways, all through our lives till actually we are gone from the face of this earth.

The death of a loved one leaves us dead from the soul. Take that widow whose husbands death brought along the demise of her wishes to lead a good life, death of her right to wear colourful garments; take part in ceremonies, in short death of her as a being. Only her heart beats mechanically, inside she feels numbness. Death it is!

The death of relationships has a catastrophic impact on people. Divorce leaves not only the couple emotionally dead but families and most importantly children suffer the worst. One of the most precious relations-  Friendship, a relation that people choose on their own, when that breaks it has a devastating effect. Death of trust, cheerfulness and more!! 

The death of one’s dreams and aspirations kills the individual for a lifetime. The long cherished dreams people have need not be fulfilled always, life spent running after it and at the end outcome zero. The person may move on find new dreams, but part of the persons soul that had held on the dream so dearly is most certainly is Dead!  

 

Death does not happen when the heart stops beating and medically it is verified. Death is a lifelong experience that no one can avoid. When the soul of a person is wounded to an extent that one begins to question one’s own existence that very instance can be called DEATH!!    

Taker of Torture and Trauma

A news article that appeared on 24/7/14 send shivers down the spine and only compelled the mind to think that all humanity is lost. This article spoke about a certain fanatic organisation passing a decision ordering genital mutilation of all women in war stricken Iraq. In no time again these reports were also debunked stating that these were rumors and all the commotion put under covers.     

Whether the report is true or false is immaterial, if any religion proposes such dictates is questionable. But what is of concern, is the fact that in any part of this world for any cruelty or kickback women become the exclusive target. No country, community is different in this regard, stories are different but the victims the same – Women. History stands testimony that women have been subjugated to immense subjugation in all forms possible- physical, economical and mental. Sati, Purdah, Acid Attack, Female Feticide, Dowry Killings, Child Marriage and the list can just go on.

All efforts have been directed to suppress women be it religious decree, social dictum's, all possible forms of rules and restrictions. As it is said ‘A Women Is Not Born but Rather Is Made into One’.  A woman is nurtured in a fashion that suits the societal norms and as a result most do not dare to stand up for their basic rights even. In some pockets no doubt steps have been initiated to give women the space, the right that they have been denied but at the same time in some other place this very woman is oppressed to such an extent that humanity is put to shame.

Supposedly we live in a civilized, progressive society but that is a farce, for in a society where humans cannot co-exists with dignity, what progressive society are we talking about. The basic premise that most fail to understand is that the only difference between female and male is biological. This biological difference does not imply that man is superior to women, and that it is a license to tyrannize women. Because all rules have been made by men the opposite gender becomes the taker of suffering, have the men ever thought if the case was reverse what their plight could be.

The essence of the problem lies in the lack of humanity and respect for the Female and Man’s big ego of being superior and omnipotent. And till then such incidents will keep happening uninterrupted, such reports will continue to appear and most will feel apathetic about it for its just another story !! 

            

What About Me? What About Us?

The country has to returned to normalcy after the long drawn dance of democracy. No more rallies, slogan shouting, traffic jams, propagandas, netas and netagiri... Some sense of respite could say! Finally the fiasco is done with, lights off and the drama over... No wait, is it over? Yes so to say the political ignominy and excitement has come to an end.

But the day to day drama of people in this land of paradox, has that come to an end? Well, let’s see-

In the dark corners of this land thousands each day live with the hopeless agony of food scarcity, the twinge of not being able to feed one self and loved ones, the pang of seeing someone die every odd day due to chronic hunger, the trauma of stooping down to the level of a beggar or thief for Some Food Babu, Some Food.

Yes we are surely waiting for the benefits of what do you call it the Food Security Bill! By the way you can have your laugh we do kill rats to fill our stomach, we have learned how to eat wild berries and not die. And yes! Now that the forests are gone we can only count our days to die!

Not a shirt on my back not a penny to my name. Wonder why? Oh I just married off my youngest daughter. Lucky I only have three daughters. Have? no Had. The elder one was burnt alive because I could not give a motorbike to my son-in-law, who is a businessman himself. This time I took no chance I fulfilled all their demands, hope this one will survive.

Don’t ask why is did all this. Dowry Oh no, we don’t believe in dowry, we Indians are modern and very broad minded. Cash and Kind we give in a daughters marriage is for her well-being only, all of it belongs to her. Yes surely and that is why grooms family like blood thirsty leech is ready to sell their son to the highest bidder.     

Rape is the new buzzword in this country. Every newspaper, television channel each day reports about some or the other story on RAPE! A girl was gang raped...minors raped and hanged...women raped in a moving train...father rapes daughter...uncle rapes niece...

Enough I say! Nothing will happen to the perpetrators of the crime, the law fails the victim and media reports will go on and on reporting about it. Can the mind-set of the people be changed? What rape are we talking about when visibly some abuses a girl in the open? What about the constant ogle, dirty comments that girls face each day? Did I miss child abuse even of little boys, sodomy, marital rape? So much for being part of a cultural rich society, where people do not have right over their own body.       

Did you know that in certain part of this country there are people who are Chinese or Japanese, Korean possibly. The region is somewhere near West Bengal, northeast India it is called. How many states that region has, no idea. Cannot go there for people believe all the year through there is terrorism.

Does anyone bother to know that the North-eastern region is home to vivacious tribespeople and many other non-tribal communities. That it is a hub for bio-diversity and holds in its bosom some of nature’s greatest bounties- Cherrapunjee (highest rainfall in the world), Majuli (largest river island in the world), Loktak Lake (only Floating lake in the world) and the list can go on. But why to talk about all these because north-easterners are only stereotyped ignoring the fact that in culture, education and in almost all domains if not better people here are at par with anyone else all across the country.      

Most of the people of this country are obsessed with religion, gods and goddesses. Some who wants to make a living can do so by selling goodies related to gods, it’s a huge lucrative market. At every nook and corner of this country one can find a mandir or masjid or church or gurudwara. This obsession is claustrophobic for those who understand that gods cannot give solution for every problem or rather any problem. Being spiritual is not the problem being a religious bigot is the problem in this country.

Religious fanaticism has led to enough bloodshed and loss of dignity and has it stopped yet? Well the answer is but obvious. My son had small tea shop infront of the masjid, on the day of the riots they killed him as they thought he was a muslim. Another lady lost her entire family in the riots and now has become a lunatic herself. The stories are endless but question is has the outlook of the people changed at all? Or at a drop of a hat we will witness another massacre in the name of Religion!

Governments will come and go, bureaucrats will change, new polices will formulated and life goes on!! But- What about me? What about us? Living in the very many corners of this country does life change, rain or shine the seizures of life doesn’t seem to abandon us and every moment is a new struggle.

A battle to breathe till one day nature decides to take its course and wipe us from the face of this earth… For me, for us The End, The Bliss, The Redemption, The Happiness will then arrive!!      

Who Are You ?

Who are you- a nameless, formless being, walking around on the face of this earth? Who are you, whose facade is indiscernible layered in mire and yet your stride stands tall! Who are you- your eyes glowing like a tigress, yet naive like a fresh blooming flower? Who are you, trying to shield this mystifying world? Who are you, with bruises in your mind and body, yet the poise does not fade away? 

Stay, tell me who are you? Do not shy away for coyness is not your game!

Who are you- a friend, philosopher, guide? Who are you- embellished in red ready to change hands? Who are you- who lay motionless the last night when your body was being used? Who are you- whose body is ripped open to bring new life? Who are you-adorned in white, robbed of all worldly pleasures?

Implore you stay, tell me who are you?

People know you as woman is it?

Oh! What a beautiful expression to symbolize what you ought to be and should be!!  

But who are you....         O woman ??         

Where Does One Find Solace?

A walk down any random street of any random town or city…familiar faces (though we may not known them in person), there goes Mr.Sharma panting for breathe to catch the 8 am bus; for he misses it he would be late for work. Our little Champ barely 10 years old I think, wearing neat uniform and carrying the load of the world in the huge bag resting on his prettied shoulder… oh there you are Mrs. Ray rushing to see your mother in the old age home, it’s her birthday today I presume, for you are carrying a lovely bouquet…and here arrives little Miss Muffet, whistles, you look gorgeous dear, fresher’s social is it?   

So many faces come and go infront of us, some we keep in mind some we forget. This is fairly the story of all our lives, everyone is pressed for time, running the mad marathon for survival and life goes on.

But as one gasps for breathe once in a while in this maddening world and feels lost in the midst of bewildering crowd, where does one turn around for solace?

Solace I say sounds like a fancy word, but yes where does on find solace. Shopping in Malls? Rejuvenating body massage in a spa? Sipping coffee in Costa coffee? Watching films in a multiplex? WHERE!!

Or may be in the hustle bustle of this world we do not even think about Solace! May be in some corner of a busy street sitting on the bridleway with a cutting chai, observing people, soaking in every sound and scene can ease out one’s mind. Or may be reading a book in one corner of the room with a steaming cup of coffee! Or maybe just hugging one’s granny and listening to bed time stories.

But the only lingering question is Where does one find SOLACE !!