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!!