In the Midst of the Journey..

Walking on the road newly tarred,

It was difficult for me

To walk, a bit hard;

The road looked new,

I never saw it being made

Just as a gift to me it flew.

Rare it is to have difficulties with gifts,

But this one was not ordinary,

Elders said ancestors had laid it, struggling, in bits

Still I knew my feet struggled,

But I didn't know what it was

My mind, my heart couldn't just walk on it past..

It reminded me of the Golden Quadrilateral,

The Social Studies books presented them,

So great their name sounds, 'literal'.

Walking further, vehicles 'flew' past me,

There wasn't any toll!

I wondered who the authority could be!

Initial six years were vague,

I knew no rules and no regulations

Nothing was real, none 'fake',

But next six were rigorous though,

Helmets, seat belts were indispensable,

My teachers taught.

And today, me too like others,

Is walking..

I remember I had heard someone saying:

"The road's not complete, somewhere it ends! The people are supposed to build it further"

I wanted to see where it ended,

I wanted to see what I had to work on.

My feet ached, but now I knew why,

The road pimpled further,

Tar had washed off,

Or was it the end?

Ahead the road deteriorated,

And I couldn't walk any further.

I stopped.

How shall I move on?

I had promises to keep, dreams to be made realities,

How could I move on, on this rusted road?

Thought I..

Aha! A man came to my help!

Brilliant solution he had,

My feet would be safe

Sooner would I be on the other side.

He had a vehicle 'India's Development'

Feeling proud, I sat into it.

My feet felt a drastic transition,

From hard, thorny stones

To the velvet mattress of the 'India's Development',

Engine blew to fire,

And the vehicle lifted into air!

Amazing experience it was!

The feeling of Modern India ruled every corner.

A curious young mind led me to peep down,

I was too high, perhaps that was the reason

I couldn't see any road further,

I rested into the cozy seat, waiting for the stop.

I was a responsible person,

Contributing to the modern India..

As a second try, I once again peeped out,

And this time I could see some pedestrians,

Trying to make their way out,

But still..It was missing!

The Road showed no sign!

My young mind tried to analyse, 

Words flew past me..

"The road's not complete, somewhere it ends! The people are supposed to build it further"

Who were these people?

Labourers? Mazdoors?

But... I was supposed to complete the incomplete!

Yes! I was among the people!

A thought choked me, the man who helped me,

Hadn't actually.

I was kidnapped.

Kidnapped by thought, by heart..

Modern India was a bait,

And I was rat-trapped!

I had to free myself,

And I did..In the Midst of the Journey, I tried to look back.

Smashed the window and I jumped out, height did not fear me now.

With a thud I landed, the velvet bid goodbye,

I was back..on the Road,

I was Gifted.

They laughed at me from above,

Some clicked photographs,

Unusual was the property of the YouTube though.

But I was firm, I had to build the road.

Back to the point I went,

Where the road started fading,

Another bait asked for me, in vain.

But not my ancestors' efforts.

I was to build the road,

I was to take it ahead,

Now I knew, Aerial journeys weren't what I needed,

At last, roots are the best for a plant to-be-fed...!

Guys, we have come so far from that point, where the road started spoiling, and we are flying so high, that the ground foundation level of our country becomes invisible to us. We aren't still so free, to think completely of ourselves(and one never should be). We have a lot more to do for our nation, a lot more to make everyone able to fly. Baits would keep attracting you, have control. Look how beautiful our country is, and imagine how much more it could be if everyone would start thinking for its good. Never think it wouldn't do any good, it's your effort, love that counts and rewards. Let's make every citizen able to fly, you must be remembering the pigeon story! How they flew together. Guys please do not fly away alone, think about the people, your brothers, start from that point, where the country lost the route, start from there..look back in the midst of the journey.. Wish you all a Happy Republic Day!! 

The Road(s) Not Taken

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference"

Robert Frost beautifully and metaphorically mentions how he chose to be different. The roads meant all those thoughts or practices, followed all over since evolution and those which were new, tender. Few tried to deviate, but fear made others to confine themselves. Innovations are seldom. Today in India many young men and women are making a difference. The brutal incident of Delhi moved all of them and this has made them choose differently. 

Country at present sees many such protests and rallies against the ill-happenings. Many are actively participating. One such rally was planned to be held in my town. People were informed, message was spread. The day of the event dawned, just to set down the idea! None turned up. I am sure the organizers would have thought the ones who didn't turn up as cowards. Hmm..may be it was true. But here I think a bit different and a message to those unlucky organizers..

Rallies and protests are today trying to be more peaceful, which is a very good sign. But still they fail to be completely. 23rd December was an example. The protesters grew violent and the situation invited a lathi charge. Some peaceful protesters were also hit and this created huge outrage. So a series of concentric protests were happening. One against the inhuman activity and other against the act of hitting silent protesters. People demanded stronger laws and strict punishment. Social networking sites saw recently various pictures regarding the punishment for the accused. People by words, by videos, by slogans were and are supporting the uprising. Some were serious, their eyes spoke, some were there for fun, enjoying a chance to join hands to blame the Indian Government. Many were there who didn't know the cause, only knew that rape was bad, but words called abusive(the F ones) ruled their tongues. So, what was it all about and how good?..

The girl, called Nirbhaya, left us on the 30th of December, victim of so inhuman act. She battled for 13 long days but at last, the brutality showed off. So why did she face all this? What made the men do such a soiled act?...Recently the world welcomed 2013 (A happy new year to all!). Me hadn't any plans except sitting at home and watching TV. Something had to be special! So I decided to remain awake to welcome the new year. Entertainment channels showed new year party-cum-award-shows(I always wondered how they could fake a new year days before, just to get it on TV at the right time!). I stuck to one of them which seemed to have most of the celebs I knew. There were awards, comedy punches and yeah! Dances of course! Beautiful senoritas danced on some of the trending songs of the time. The party was over, countdown done..and..the new year came!! It was 2013 now, I said to myself. Nothing much, the show ended and I had some very good cake my mum had made. Enjoying the orange filled somewhat-crunchy crust, I got something in my mind. This moved me, giving me a sense of realization saying 'Look that's what it is!', 'You are ignoring the most seen'..

Those dances were being reminded to me. More-over the songs. One said 'Fevicol something,..misscall something'(Notice the height of mistakes; English used in Hindi that to 'misscall' which is rightly: missed call') another said, 'Halkat jawani..something'. Many of these sounded stupid, as if the poet just looked up into a dictionary to match the rhyme. One thing was common, all of these had a lady dancing, asking attention. These are called, popularly, 'Item Numbers'. These shamelessly and very frankly put forward a lady as a piece of art, to be adorned, to be tossed money at, in service of males, to fascinate them! What made me anxious was the number of males aroused by such a dance, these dancers were safe with bodyguards all around. But what of those who live unprotected, always under hunting, tempted eyes?..

We all use 'F' words, don't we? I don't know how these were born but I'm pretty sure 'he' had a great revenge to take on women. Today all of the abusive language used has words which slangly relate to woman's body. We unknowingly tend to use them, because it's a trend now right? And I bet, there might be people, calling those people with these words, who didn't turn up for rallies. So friends, a rally for a girl, still abusing her??
Robert Frost rings bells again, tempting me to add something..

"Two roads diverged into the woods

I took the one less traveled by

And that's all that made the difference...

I now come to this famous place,

Where the two roads still diverge into the woods,

Yet none of them is less traveled by

Trodden grass lays both ways.

I wonder which is the 'second' one.

Moving ahead, there's a board;

'The Less Traveled By'

But I couldn't see a trace of a sign

Which proved it wasn't a lie.

Well, the dilemma crept over me,

Of the two roads I had to choose one

A long thought led me to think

Which none would have done.

I believed in Innovations,

I believed there was a Third one..

Out here I stand,

Where the two roads diverge into the woods,

When others decide to take 'the less traveled one'

I stand alone, firm,

Looking for the third one..."

Guys, rallies, protests can lead to awareness, but it's a process just like spraying seeds over a piece of land. You just don't know how many of them will grow up and bear fruits! What I ask for is a change in the process of change. Most of us have a thought that participating in such rallies is being different. But people, if you go personally to each and every square feet and sow a seed yourself, you have the guarantee, a fool-proof one. Guys many have now chose the second road, rallies and protests lie on this path, but there is a still better road to choose. The third, where you don't think bad, you don't think negative, but you start with positive yourself. At your level you take a step. Make your friends aware, make your siblings know whats good, what's better. Respect each and everyone you have in your life. Start alone, believe me, you won't be so for long. Requirement of strong laws points at the animal instinct growing in us. We put up chains around, just to ensure they don't get wild. If we can only strengthen our Laws then what's the difference between us and the animals? We have a better possession, our mind, which rules our body. Let's control it...Let's educate the ones growing now..let's stop such people from getting birth..Let's change the process of change..Quiet but powerful..To eradicate negative but itself positive..Let's still make a change..Let's choose The Road Not Taken..