NEWS ON THE MOVE?

Today- 30th Sep, Chennai, Tamil Nadu: The news channels hyping up the Ayodhya Verdict to a fairly predictable effect. Certain organizations have closed down their office premises. A good thing- on the whole. While a certain poor, unlucky souls, such as yours truly, are still inside the office building, trying to predict if the office would be closed soon or not. The time is 2:00 PM- and the big people here have no intention to stop working. May be they have decided that there is not going to be much hue and cry, after all? Personally- I think all this anxiety in me is due to the news channels. One Burkha Dutt can make your pulse rate reach the sky! Imagine what a prize this is! A verdict after ages! Now this is just me- post my "news-reading" phase!

I used to think that the verdict was never going to come out. Not before the Common wealth Games at least. The game has had enough trouble so far- and the government does not need another communal riot- especially in the face of the Games! I can imagine how that would be! An end to all that "Athithi Devo Bhavah" campaign of our tourism department! That’s again me- post my "news-reading" phase! I wonder why we read news!? Don’t we have enough trouble already getting on with our own lives? Besides- there is nothing good there- happening in the news channels. It’s all a "Peepli [LIVE]" over there- a media that loves disaster! And to think things like "Commonwealth Games" just land in their lap! Amongst all this shrieks about "uncovering" corruption- a small bit of news did make me happy. Mary Kom- 5 time world champion boxer, returning home after her 5th victory!

The time is 2:11 PM and still no announcements about letting us go. Well my office and I have this in common. Neither of us thinks that anything was going to happen! Besides- c’mon! This is just High Court judgment! Whichever party loses- is sure to appeal! Big deal! Now that would take another, what- 50 years?

Thinking about this- leads me to another thought! Will my kids know who Rama is? Will they know Babar? Most of my friends have no clue whatsoever about Ramayana or the Mahabharata! Most people- friends I have known- take fancy in saying that they are atheists. To think that this is an issue that has been going since the 1800s!

Well I don’t have any view about the whole issue. I, like the media here- am awaiting the verdict. I also believe that this verdict could change a few things. Change many things. Like letting us off work? Nah! 2:20 PM… Now that’s not going to happen is it?

SAILING NOWHERE

The sea was wide- so blue and cold

I needed to land before- I grew old

Not a pint of anything was still sold

Neither rocks so bright, nor the shining gold.

Birds filled the sky-and fishes, the sea

There was no land- to where I can flee

In the winking waters- I felt its glee

Show me a land where- I can be free

Such a weary travel- To where, I knew not

All was litter- What I'd now got

Oh! Please tell me sea! Is this what I sought?

Such a tiresome battle- But for what was it fought?

The sea was wide-so blue and cold

I needed to land before I grew old

I might never land, may never be bold,

It's now just a life here- With rocks and gold...