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..