I am sick of being sad...I am mad at myself for letting me be so melancholy for so long. Saw a setting sun the size of the millennium ball yesterday;shored up my mood considerably. Examinations underway, I have decided to not be sad. Its just not worth it.
The elections are underway here in Bengal and its huge fun. I like it almost as much as music. Mamata Bannerjee, me on my bed with Pakeezah plugged into my ears. Wouldn't have it any other way.
Channels have cried themselves hoarse over the past three days at how strife torn Nondigram registered a 88% turnout and Delhi clocked a placid 45%...the awakening of the masses, as they put it.
A man of seventy woke up at seven after a tiring day in the field the previous day. Tired but determined to register his franchise, he walked to the polling booth in the oppressive heat that characterises rural Bengal nowadays...walked back home only to find out his home gutted by fire,"accidentally" set on fire by "alleged" political goons. He stands outside his home with not a straw in the world to call his own. He cries, buries his face in his hands and you zoom into his now dead face to listen to his hollow, unsteady, almost suicidal voice while you ask him,"So, did you vote for the CPI(M)?"
From the comfort of my bed, I watch them. I have the luxury to contemplate. They don't. They are far too busy seeing their lives go up in smoke. Or like the distraught lady in Asansol who kept asking every passer-by,"Ami Ghashphool-e vote dilam bole eta holo?"..."Did this happen cuz I voted for the flower?". She is too busy crying, you see, to take part in our hoopla over the success of elections in Nondigram.
2009 has seen violence erupt in several parts of normally peaceful Bengal,with scores of people dead, houses gutted, lives shattered.People too scared to step on the village road cuz they're sure to be shot in the open. Or, as the Election Commission puts it,"Isolated little incidents of violence".
My friend consoles me, says the local committee of a certain party will disburse money to these people once the elections are over. He says it will never come out in the open...so its alright I guess.It shouldn't matter.
My largest democracy in the world marches on. As Lata Mangeshkar puts it," Yeh chiraag bujh rahe hai, mere saathe jalte jalte..."
I am feeling really cheery today.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
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Posted by Dhrubo at 8:57 AM
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9 comments:
I hope you will make youself much happier. start with your self, with your attitude and than all sadness and anger will disapear from your life.
Very nice!
Precise, short, to the point and means that it should mean. nice!
Couldnt have put it better.
Is your blog name by any chance inspired by Lawrence?
Now, this post is much more like the ones you used to write long ago. In other words, this is really good. :-)
How much money will be disbursed to those people anyway? I am sure it won't be enough to start their daily life properly once again. And not just these poor people, may polling personnel and security personnel have had to give up their innocent lives in this election because of the feud between the parties.It might be a good time for the parties that have won this election but the families of the dead personnel have been changed forever.
Heidi,
welcome! It isn't the attitude, its all the rubbish that is happening everywhere and around me. Thanks anyway!
Dibbasatya and Monorina,
Thank you.
Joey, naa. Not inspired by Lawrence.
Sinjini,
Dhonnobad. Quite a lot of money actually. But you are right.
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