Tuesday, April 7, 2009

THE TUNNEL


There is a tunnel that has no exits. The exit, it has, but cannot be seen. The tunnel has no light, no windows- to let its travelers have a peep. What lies beyond is not for the eyes of the traveler. And when one indeed sees what is beyond, can never travel again. Yet, every traveler tries to guess- the sight beyond the tunnel, dark. Most keep guessing, while a few claim to know. A few others just don’t bother, and a handful- well, they might actually know! The tunnel has a definite structure- a kind of maze. It has its sources and a destination. The travelers travel together- sometimes alone- but most of the times, together.

The tunnel has in hold, many surprises for its travelers. And each traveler, takes in these surprises in different ways. The tunnel keeps a track of all its travelers; judges them by the way they take its surprises. A traveler must never displease the tunnel. For the tunnel, always expects its travelers to like its surprises. This tunnel also has a strange sense of humour. Sometimes, the tunnel starts playing games with its travelers. The travelers must play along. For if they don’t, they won’t be able to move on! They get trapped. The could neither turn back, nor move ahead. Wicked, though it may sound, it is, but a part of the path that the traveler has to take, through the tunnel. The tunnel, knows.

How long is this tunnel? That is subjective. How big is the tunnel? No one knows. For the travelers never have known that they are in a tunnel. The darkness inside the tunnels has prevented the travelers from knowing the truth about their path. Some of these travelers have tried to light the lamps. But these lamps failed to help them know the truth. Instead showed them lies which took them ahead- towards their exit. While many other travelers, have ceased to find the truth. They prefer to take in the surprises, not to displease the tunnels- and move ahead on their journey- safely. Safely? Their ignorance is the source of their safety. And this ignorance is their bliss. Is this what the tunnel wants? Its travelers cease to try and find the truth? No. It wants the travelers to try. For only then, it could show them lies!

Through the darkness and through the lies, as the traveler journeys along, the tunnel unleashes its final surprise! The dark humour of the tunnel, never ceases to test its travelers. A few travelers, who’d traveled enough, know all about this surprise. The tunnel is not “entertained”. Yet, a few others are completely taken aback! And the tunnel, celebrates! For, the tunnel is particularly proud of this surprise. Some of the travelers, try to fool the tunnel. The tunnel humours them. It lets them believe that it is being fooled. And throws in this surprise, so suddenly, that they never get the chance to even realize that they were the ones that were fooled! The mysterious, yet the most precious surprises of all- exit. This surprise, puts and end to the games of the tunnel. It helps the traveler, realize the truth, see the light. And this surprise, answers the travelers. Strange is this tunnel- the dark, cruel; yet great, merciful, is this tunnel, called- Time!

35 comments:

Kartz said...

That was a neat parallelism you drew, Matangi... But I dunno y I feel that there was some element missing here.

Time, like God, is one of those infinite conundrums...

Keep writing. Spread the voice.

Peace. Have a nice day.

Arv said...

Amazing write up on such diverse things... I saw the journey of life and the exit of death there...

yeah... its filled with surprises... maybe the exit leads to the entrance of another tunnel :)

enjoyed this a lot...

have a nice day mate... take care... cheers...

Unknown said...

Initially i thought it was death you were talking about,but then,DEATH never fools people around.But,Ya time does...Great Post!!

Arnab Majumdar said...

I somehow related this post to life, till the last line where you said it's Time. Interesting read that one... keep writing, cheers...

Das said...

Excellent.
All our journey in life is through the tunnel. Not sure of what awaits. Length of the tunnel begins from the moment u were born and stops abruptly, still without an answer when life ebbs away.

preethi said...

Nice one :)

Think Tank said...

Cool symbolism Matangi ... but i don't like tunnels ;)

Parul said...

nicely put...as always... :)

On a lighter side it reminds me of the Mahabharata starting, back in the ol' days...
Mai Samay hoo...
Dunno if you used to follow it though... :)

keep up the good job!

El Furibundo said...

Some people really do see a light at the end of this tunnel. The light doesn't really serve any practical purpose. It doesn't help them see. It is just a pinhead of undarkness.

By the way: Why is the blog called lighter side?

Matangi Mawley said...

@ kartz..

thnk u!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ arv..

thnk u!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ fearbond..

thnk u!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ arnab..


thnk u!

Matangi Mawley said...

@jayram..

thnk u!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ preethi..

thnk u!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ thnktank..

:) neither do i.. bt i love Time!
thnk u!

Matangi Mawley said...

@parul..

:) ya i remember tht.. i loved the serial.. dialogues were brill.. thnk u!

Matangi Mawley said...

@ el..

nice thought!

"lighter side".. when u'r mind is light, u tend to think better- deep n clear becomes u'r thoughts..

I'll try 2 be truthful said...

i was finding the tunnel as a symbol of life and then you wrote -TIME . now can draw the parallelism between the two.

reminds me of something from harry potter ' one is afraid of darkness and death coz' one doesnt know what lies beyond'

Matangi Mawley said...

@ i ll try t b truthful..

:) sure.. n also.. "for a well settled mind, death is nothing bt the next gr8 adventure.." :) (Dumbledore, book1)

rauf said...

Beautiful Matangs.
why do i get into the tunnel and move forward ?
The tunnel offers security
There's a promise of light at the end and there is hope that further up would be brighter. This hope though false, boosts my energy. The promise is sold and i bought it.

Matangi Mawley said...

@ rauf..

thnk u! :)

Anonymous said...

wow..a nice concept of describing time..a near impossible feat :) but you have deftly given it a shape..great :)

Matangi Mawley said...

@ verbivore..

thnk u! :)

ishqia said...

i thought it was life

Matangi Mawley said...

@ ishqia...

:)

FloatingBoats said...

nice imagery!

Matangi Mawley said...

@blowhot..

thnk u!

arunima said...

amazing :O
i wish i could think like that
cheers

Matangi Mawley said...

@ arunima...

thnk u!

bibhuthegyaanguru said...

is there a tunnel between dream n reality ?

Matangi Mawley said...

@gyaan guru...

hmm.. i think yes. I think we do live when we dream, in our dreams.. though our physical self stays firm, i think we travel in a tunnel into our dream life.. it s my belief!

SHWETHA said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
SHWETHA said...

Wata description? On time? could not guess till the end. What a build on suspension, u got it!
All the best. Waiting for more such posts.

Matangi Mawley said...

@shwetha...

thanks!