Garden Disrupted

I had a totally different post penned, till I spoke to my mother this morning. That’s when I heard about the Bangalore blasts. 9 blasts and two people killed?? First from shock, I moved to sadness for the loss and finally right now I am in a stage of absolute anger. I love Bangalore, being the city of my birth and where some of my relatives and most of my friends reside.

The ‘garden city’ with its beautiful Lal bagh and Cubbon parks formed the backdrop of most of my summer vacations. And later my home, when I entered my first job after college. I love the streets adorned with flowers due to the cool breeze that that the trees sent our way , during the hot summer months. At it developed into the Technology city, the old beauty still remained a part of its charm from the high arches of St Josephs church to the subtle beauty of the Bull Temple . It’s a place of co-existence, Hinduism and Christianity having their influences over malleshwaram and cantonement, the traditions of Sankrathi and Christmas mixing with gen "Y" pub culture. Bangalore has changed dramatically the last couple of years, the travel congestion can beat any developed country in the world. As more people started moving towards the work all night and party whenever you can, the city has got a bad reputation in the press, largely also due to the call center culture. The real estate prices are so exorbitant, that most of the single people there have to room together or get into paying guest accommodations, to save a little bit of their income. But in the end, the city makes you addicted to it. Right from the mouthwatering food all around, to the warmth of the people from all walks of life, Bangalore dances to a separate beat.

So its with horror, that I stared at the news articles, proclaiming that Bangalore was rocked with bombs !! Its sad that the most peaceful city I had known , is now a target for terrorists. It was bad enough that the residents of city, had to grapple with incomplete flyovers, polluted air and the cabs that ferreted employees around trying to kill them. But to have bombs go off near the places, where most of them live is even worse. Terrorism seemed to come home direct to their doorstep. For years we have read articles about Kashmir and the northeast India, grappling with outside sources trying to get power.Somehow, even though they are an intergral part of our nation, the terror seemed further away.But a taste of it today in Bangalore , even though I am 11,000 miles away , I can sense the terror and anger, that I am sure that every one of my friends and family are feeling right now.Considering the political turmoil we went through,with the no confidence motion, I hope that the Indian parliament wakes up to reality. While they are internally fighting and trying to get their people,into the most lucrative cabinet positions, the outside world is intruding in. As much as India grows, she has to combat the forces, that do not want to see her to reach her true potential.

Sometimes I just want to scream my head off when I see the headlines with the political party struggles that happen. I don’t expect the politicians to be like Gandhi or Nehru, the times have changed and so have the external forces, that affect the country. But when will they ever get to a point where the good of all overrides the betterment of one. Party Men burning effigies when insults are passed in parliament , shops and hospitals shutting down for random caste issues and long processions celebrating a politicans birthday have to be stopped. We need to mobilize the ideas, within each working individual into actions that affect us all. The brave army men stationed across the country are not enough to protect the geographical mass of India. It’s the people who need to bond and think of a solution. If the government and people work together, these explosions should and will be a thing of the past.

It’s so easy to get carried away with day to day problems that we encounter. But for our generation and the generations coming after us, we have to leave a legacy of peace, and I pray to the divine above, that every human thinks of peace first instead of picking up a weapon of harm.

For the thought, I want to reproduce here a poem from my favorite poetess

IN SALUTATION TO THE ETERNAL PEACE

by: Sarojini Naidu (1879-1949)

MEN say the world is full of fear and hate,
And all life’s ripening harvest-fields await
The restless sickle of relentless fate.

But I, sweet Soul, rejoice that I was born,
When from the climbing terraces of corn
I watch the golden orioles of Thy morn.

What care I for the world’s desire and pride,
Who know the silver wings that gleam and glide,
The homing pigeons of Thine eventide?

What care I for the world’s loud weariness,
Who dream in twilight granaries Thou dost bless
With delicate sheaves of mellow silences?

Say, shall I heed dull presages of doom,
Or dread the rumoured loneliness and gloom,
The mute and mythic terror of the tomb?

For my glad heart is drunk and drenched with Thee,
O inmost wine of living ecstasy!
O intimate essence of eternity!

Keep thinking ppl
Anu

PS : I just read that Randy Pausch passed away. A true inspiration to me and millions others, I pray for his family and his friends to find strength to continue .