Dust in my eyes

Waiting in this crowd, this long, long queue

Brought here following their voice

They said a lot of things they planned to do

And that was all I had to make my choice

But when the first spell of the rain of power

Soaks the secrets hidden in the soil

The smell of misuse of power spreads everywhere

But that’s just the beginning of my turmoil

They’re kicking dust into my eyes

My world’s reduced to one hazy blob

They’re kicking dust into my eyes

I’m disoriented and so easy to rob

Bundles of bucks make great weapons for these hunters

Their tantrums are a show that’s open to all

No matter how much who’s disgruntled

They don’t want the curtain to fall

It’s hard for us to walk around and find some weed-killer

In layers and miles of red tape they have us wrapped

At every corner I run into a logjam

My insides are bursting but my voice seems trapped

They’re kicking dust into my eyes

My world’s reduced to one hazy blob

They’re kicking dust into my eyes

I’m disoriented and so easy to rob

The tempest and the tranquility

An eerie silence descends onto the ground

Life comes to a standstill all around

A sign for you to prepare before you fall dead

To the calamity coming at you, hunting for your head

A gentle but untimely breeze creates turbulence in your soul

It prepares to depart, and you stare at the end of your role

The truth is here; you no longer see those visions wry

As you take a long last glance at the vast dark sky

Clarity arrives in those few moments of dark tranquility

Before the tempest blows into your face

As you prepare to unite with the vast nothingness

And vanish without the slightest trace

The strong, cold tempest of termination

Blows away all of your sensation

In a few moments, your whole life is ravaged

There is absolutely nothing that you can salvage

You lose the fight which had a foregone conclusion

All those years seem just an illusion

Eternal peace and darkness awaits

As your soul emerges from your body’s gate

Clarity arrives in those few moments of dark tranquility

Before the tempest blows into your face

As you prepare to unite with the vast nothingness

And vanish without the slightest trace

Wedding Woes

A certain street:
a) is just broad enough for two cars to cross each other (and this includes the space that would have been available had there been no vehicles parked on the street)
b) is a bus route
and
c) is obstructed by a marriage procession that is occupying more than half the width of the street, is louder than an aircraft engine and is moving slowly enough to put to shame the slowest of snails.
There the groom is, comfortably seated on top of the mare, with brass band members blowing trumpets into scooter riders’ ears, and family members swinging their arms and spinning around on the street. Two vehicles try to squeeze through the remaining space and get stuck. The procession extends further with vehicles lining up behind the dancing people. The cacophony becomes louder as these vehicles chip in with their honking. And thus, another attempt at making it The Great Indian Wedding translates into The Great Indian Traffic Jam. Wait, I almost forgot the firecrackers.

Marriages, we believe, are made in Heaven… but they certainly make the life on the streets hellish (as if it wasn’t otherwise). Incredible India it is.

It refuses to heal

It's 2200 hours and I trudge along a lonely street
The cold, chilling winter wind freezes my lungs as I breathe
My mind prepares to explore, to take flight
as I stroll, head hanging low, on a November night
Searching for something to fortify me,
I could do with a bit of strength
so that I can look straight ahead even after
my spine was left broken and bent...

Everything started falling apart
I could see but could not believe
A dagger pierced into my heart
and the wound refuses to heal

It was all so unreal, such a vicious attack
and it's time to contemplate ways to get back on track
I walk along all by myself, there's not a soul in sight
Even my shadow has deserted me on this path with distant dim lights
As this darkness engulfs me,
I wish it blackened out the reality...
But the rain of truth lashes me in torrents
and I go back to that fateful moment when
Everything started falling apart
I could see but could not believe
A dagger pierced through my heart
and the wound refuses to heal

Divided we stand?

Wow… that was one EXPENSIVE roti…it cost them Rs. 15000 and also led to a dog’s conversion into an untouchable (Times of India, Sept. 24th 2010). This decision (the cash fine and the conversion) was taken by a village panchayat after a ‘Rajput’ household complained of their pet dog being fed by a ‘Dalit’ family. ‘Honour(?!) killings’ are also decisions apparently made by village panchayats, though they have denied that they order killing someone. Whatever might be the case, it defies simple logic to comprehend how such killings can ‘safeguard’ someone’s honour. And our education system defines ‘panchayat’ as a group of five elderly, educated and wise persons who can guide people properly and make decisions for their welfare. Some guidance and welfare we’re witnessing here…

'Jats' threaten scattering bovine barricades (cattle, in simple words) all over Delhi on the day of the ‘Wealth Games inauguration, to press for reservation under the OBC category (Times of India, 24th September 2010). 'Gurjars' uproot railway tracks in Rajasthan, demanding reservation in the SC category (May 2008). Tyres etc. burned all over Maharashtra to protest the murder of four members of a ‘Dalit’ family (2006).

Government approves caste census (August-September 2010) in which the populations of different castes will be determined. Differences in caste are really a serious menace, and the netas have come up with a fantastic way of dealing with it. Hats off to them.

Where is the awareness? Yes, people are raising their voices against caste-based atrocities, but why are they not reaching the ears of the concerned people? Paperwork? Headphones with latest Bollywood hit songs ("Sarkar badnaam hui neta tere liye...") playing at full volume? A ‘Light le’ attitude? A lack of understanding of equality? There are solutions other than reservations and factors other than caste which can make it possible to provide the right kind of help to the needy. And considering the praise lavished on India’s education and education system (where they teach concepts like ‘Unity in diversity’ and ‘equality’ since class 4th), this shouldn’t be too difficult to comprehend…

Playing Games

'There was a person with so much money that he decided to build a bridge out of it. One day, he wanted some money. So, he took some money from the bridge and it collapsed.'

Yeah, we approach the beginning of the 'Wealth Games. An approach ridden with procrastination, security issues, epidemics, child labour issues and what not. Not to mention a few crore bucks going poof somewhere along the way. They tried to build Rome, er... Delhi in a day. It didn't work.

Thankfully, I have no recent memory of news items related to the hydrolysis of the Capital (Sometimes, ignorance is bliss, isn't it?)...

Betrayal

You put your faith in them without too many a query
And everything’s going smooth and merry
You get extremely inclined towards them
You strongly opine in favour of them
But then they come back to hit you
And then proceed to slit your throat
And as the ground crumbles below your feet,
You notice the dark shadow lurking beneath…

Betrayal… it can transform you from master to slave…
Betrayal… it can get you to dig your own grave…

Be it hatred, greed, miscommunication or lust
Some things stain unity with patches of rust
Imitation forms an impermeable crust,
Which then ruptures to reveal a total lack of trust
Everything becomes desolate
It’s you whom they want to immolate
When the time comes, they shed their masquerade
And the last strands of your faith become frayed…

Betrayal… it can transform you from master to slave…
Betrayal… it can get you to dig your own grave…