Thursday, July 11, 2019

The Hawk and the Rabbit














The hawk spread its wings, and the rabbit cowed. Such a scene is a marvellous setting for a pictorial rendition. In reality, though, it evokes a sense of trepidation and turmoil. The rabbit scampers but the hawk swoops. The rabbit caught in its talons, the hawk soars in the sky. And soars higher and farther … till it reaches its den. The rabbit mortified but yet alive, shrivelled but yet puling , looking through its pleading, nay resigned eyes towards its purveyor of impending death.  Will the hawk mellow or delay? The right question is whether it will abandon its instincts.  A hardened and long look from the hawk on the rabbit. The hawk moves its head ever so slightly; the rabbit understands; it stoops its head as if in submission; the hawk accepts the offering; the long beak pierces the soft epidermis on the rabbit’s neck; the rabbit whimpers and then ululates, but in a matter of 10 seconds, it lolls forward desiccated of energy and so-called life. The hawk swallows, feasts and satiates; it looks around the surroundings and presently soars again into the sky against the cerulean and into the oblivion, with keen eyes looking down till everything fades from sight.  

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Election Mania

“If you keep away from social media and not hark to their pestering bullhorns, life will be saner  and more believable.” I was restored to my normal self by a random tweet perused during my own heightened sense of activity in this pro or anti party stance euphoria so prevalent in the country nowadays, especially during General Elections 2019. I followed the diktat, and immediately started feeling better. Over time, I was also extricated of the thoughts which not only convince you of their being the only viable, elevated and correct ideas for the country, but also want you to bring into submission others present around to accepting them as the almighty truth; the whole process not being more than just a satiation of one’s ego. If a precept constantly buffets you, it ingrains your soul and barnacles your thoughts. Over time, it can also lead you to believe sun rising from the west and sun revolving around the earth, even if you have known the opposite throughout your life.  
     Supporting any party or ideology is one’s personal choice, and it is not measurable with any rhyme or reason. If a particular rationality is to dictate one’s preference, then there would be no need for universal personal suffrage. Each person selects his candidate based on elements defining his identity  – region, religion, caste, job, lifestyle, thoughts et al , and none can or should dare deprecate his choice. This was the basic idea why even the poor and illiterate persons’ votes  were given equal weightage to those of the affluent and intelligentsia. So, why this squabble of influencing others ideas on mass media – news sites, whatsapp groups, TV news etc.
      For me, any political party or government is not without its virtues or without any blemishes. Also my profession demands neutrality which I intend to follow to the hilt. There will be personal choice nonetheless, which will however be reflected in the ballot box only.  Amidst all this, I will try to respect others ideas and beliefs about any political party or government. If ever we need an apt maxim to follow in this time, then it is this attributed to Voltaire – “I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to death your right to say it”.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

The Pursuit of Everything



A distinct difference in the current time from the yore is the surfeit of everything around us. Earlier devoid of supply of demand, now we are spoilt for choices; however the supply still remains unattended - the culprit not being the victuals which are available in plenty but the unavailability of time which renders taking even a morsel a hurried and exasperating experience. So, what a cataclysm for those who want to revel and partake in everything conceivable on this earth. Ever pushed from one thing to another, jostled from one place to another, their life becomes a veritable carousel of sorts. This scramble doesn’t sate them either, rather it demeans their achievements to mere footnotes and in turn, fosters in them the urge to chase more things. The irony is not lost though - this pursuit of everything never ends, and the chasers instead remain seated on the unstopping whirligig of wishes.
What to abandon then – the pursuit or the goals? The answer should be both, however sacrilegious it may sound. In modern times, enough goals have been achieved, it is time now to savour them rather than go after next ones. And savour them with grace and gratitude. And in the end, always remember -an unhurried sense of time is in itself a great form of wealth.