AN EXCEPTION-THAT’S ALL?

SOURCE:
http://paulbielaczyc.com/art-galleries-2/black-white-gallery/unity/ ( I love this picture!!😃)

Hey everyone. Today I wanted to share a very important note for all of you. These are my thoughts and I dont force upon you.  I want to make a point to all of you today. Read it till the end you may find some similar thought or opposing one. Does it matter?🙂

.  After I had studied for my exam, I took some time to browse through my Youtube page and here is what I found. Please watch this video till the end. It is not crappy, it is not complaining, nor is it stupidly funny. And I just felt watching it gave me strength to continue writing without considering second thoughts and rethinking.

WATCH FOR SOME SECONDS!

I hope you have watched the video. It may not be full. Just partial. It may just be a few seconds as well. Just remember what the guy was doing. He was hugging people alright. He had his eyes- covered. So many people just hugged him whatever the reason may have been. Some hugged tighter, some little kids grinned at the camera. People young, teen, busy, old, wretched, black, white, green, blue. all were there and hugged him. Some stayed longer, still hugging him not wanting to let go of the comforting reassuring rub at the back.

Judging is not a bad word nor a word at a diffidence to compassion and humanity.  Sometimes judging is important. We must have certain parameters in life. Life can’t be the hazy right and wrong. For instance, when someone attends an interview for a job, the people standing behind the bar must be judging him/her on specific parameters. Like communication, skill, personality, candour, and utmost important knowledge of the expertise. When a landlord is to give a flat to someone at rent, a bachelor in most cases, it is rightful and in fact, wise enough, to question his habits, demeanour, and sometimes even background. When we want to befriend someone, we must understand whether the person is right for us or not. All of this is natural, and significant.

These certain parameters are what makes one conscious of the person other than his name. 

Opinion wise, these parameters are which we develop ourselves. A mother rears her child to thrive among these bounds. We thus, create ‘identity’ in this world.

 However, when we all judge someone on the basis of natural alienable facts they can’t change or have control over, whatsoever?  Maybe that is where the discussion needs to start. Many people face judgement based on not the essential parameters elaborated above rather such like race, gender, disability, religion, caste etc. during their interviews workplaces and public arenas.  more often. 

The video you had watched a few moments ago was by Aaron Le Conte. He blindfolded himself and prevented his eyes from looking at the different spheres of judgements, for those few moments.  We can’t shed this blindfold before our eyes really. We can’t stop wondering about the nationality or the blackness, paleness or odd clothing of the person. it comes out as a lingering thought in mind. 

But we need to make an exception. However, not without rationalism. And not just to show that we are making an exception for them, as a favour.

Everything needs a historical example.

In the past after India ‘s independence most princely States ( around 547) integrated into India with some acceded to Pakistan ( sharing border with Pakistan)  However question remained for one very important Princely state – Jammu And Kashmir which also shares border with both India and Pakistan.

The ruler of Kashmir had agreed to integrate with India. But leaders like Nehru rejected the offer and wanted Sheikh Abdullah to be first made the caretaker of Kashmir when it could have been done without. 

Some other leaders opposed this, because under the ruler of Kashmir it would be convenient to seek integration with India and the ruler enjoyed a degree of trust within all communities. So would it be a convenient integration? Yes.

However due to some leaders who wanted to show support for some Muslim leader the  offered opportunity  was missed.  Such people made an easy integration of Kashmir into India conditional and not without heavy cost of lives.

 Sheikh Abdullah forgot all about his ideological commitment to India and used his power to start riots against the minorities. It became a breeding ground.

Gandhi himself, in 1947, pointedly refused the hospitality of the Hindu ruler of Kashmir and remained the guest of Sheikh Abdullah. For absolutely no reason. It was after many riots, the problem of Kashmir integration was solved.

Doesn’t it mean they were looking at the situation from a communal angle? With sentimentality to support one people of one type, so that they could be viewed at as secular later on? We want bringing people together from all grounds, but we also view every situation, every misdeed as discrimination against someone, even if it is non- essential?

“If a person is bad, he is bad. If a person is good he is good.”

 In my belief, whenever there is a situation we need to consider facts and reason. We don’t need to show how secular or caring we are through actions when that oppose the true character of a person. 

Whether it is someone of one gender, or one caste or one religion or anything, we must punish those who sin and support those who don’t! We have to make an exception but not for image as so many leaders do. We just have to do it and judge  situations on different grounds. 

Prejudices have most of the times evolved true, otherwise they won’t be called so. But try to think that the person standing in front of you could be an exception. Take into consideration what matters. 

We can try and not think about the lingering questions which prevail in the back of mind, rather start with a simple finding of people’s attitude and interests. I have read bios of some people on WordPress who have openly disclosed who they are their beliefs etc. I had judged them and I had lingering thoughts in my mind.  But when I read their thoughts, their articles, I was mesmerized. I decided to make an exception. 

And in WordPress, it is a very good point to note that we connect through writing. Not any other futile basis.

  It is a strange feeling when the beliefs about people don’t go the way they should. But take firmness that these prejudices, when, may hold for some in a similar way may not hold true for the remaining ‘some’. Each of us will discover much beyond human relations.  I am still discovering. What about you?

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I hope you liked this super super lengthy ( **Thanks for coping up with me) one! These are my total teenage thoughts. And my musings. My intention was never against someone.😀

Would be happy to know what you feel down below! ( Of course!)

Kunjal.G

~DuoDisseminators

(Btw anyone about to have exams? We are to have them soon!!!🥺)

“Our Candle,

RAIN SOUND

Have you ever had a power cut? When it rains? What do you do? What if batteries have drained out? Do you..

It was a normal night.

Well all nights are normal till,

And Everyone with their laptops

Me with a book in my hand

And suddenly something happened 

Actually, nothing a havoc of surprise around.

The lights went out due to a power cut,

It was somewhere 9 ‘o clock?

All of us staring and trying, setting, mushiness into right.

Even though knowing light would come again alright.

So why not wait for it to arrive?

The encumbered batteries about to drain, 

No one paying  here a sight

Not even the clouds and shudders creeping inside,

And agitation growing, dwindling inside.

Hence, a candle somewhere turned out alright. 

 Some time spent in the dark,

With the single candle being lighted and giving light,

The wax gradually melting 

But till the last moment the candle did thrive.

 And we huddled together to the warmth we found. 

The candle stood there alone and we did.

The gloom and the dark, 

The glow both defied, denied.

We took care that it glowed

Brighter than before,

Till everything went alright.

And the light came ,it sure did.

when the lights went out, we hated it

So, instead waiting for the bulb light to pop on,

We lit one right then in its sheer demise.

To have a candle ‘s light in unusual circumstance

one must take it into strangeness,

when the gloom and darkness prance.

And so did we when frightened by a sheer power cut.

And hence the sooted candle, left a grave mark. 

“It is Human tendency to try while being chased by dread. Of course no one knows how will it go. But he will not wait.. Not yet.. “

~DuoDisseminators

Hope you all like this piece. Check out our previous post ‘Reforming our way’ here

Reforming our way.

“Ah mami let me sleep for the last 5 secs!!”, Alia moaned and shook her head as she lifted it upwards. Towards the screen which showed the stained black teams page and the names she had to see everyday.

“ Good morning everyone.” Alia jerked her head upwards. Riya followed suit rubbing her aching head. The bio teacher had arrived. Or opened her laptop, entered the password, logged in on Teams, shook her laptop again (because it will hang), clicked her bio class, and clicked the mic button. To speak “Good Morning”

Biology was the least favourite subject of the class. Teacher could repeat twice or thrice and one could still not get a single thing. A numb feeling of floating in the abyss would cease to do nothing. However, her booming high-pitched syllables (Can~ a~Lic~u~lar you got me students?). wasn’t the reason really there was a pin drop silence. In fact, her tone was almost weary. Almost feverish with old age, and fast with experience and was all the more easily evadable.  It was actually…

Riya looked up at her screen delighted. She quickly typed a reply back. And almost an instant back she received a message. Leo, her best friend, had sent her an important message. A form of satire.  She giggled and typed an emoji back. There she reverted back to the ever old screen, hurriedly finding the page where the teacher was on. She had learnt the tactic.

But no, she was not on some page. She had reverted back to Paint 3D and was drawing a bio diagram. And explaining. What a tactic.

“So, these are called pits as you can see here, which facilitate water transportation. Remember this. This may not be there in your book.”

what won’t be there?

“.. and I can ask you this. You might receive some questions at the end of the class”

A ding. Alia checked her phone. She felt the urge to pick it up again but eventually put it down. Listening ahead, a question formed in her mind. She asked.

“ Um Mam?”

“Yes?”

“Can I ask something please?”

“Okay you go ahead”

“Umm you said pits facilitate water transportation in xylem. So, vessels as you have drawn seem to have more no. of pits. Doesn’t it mean there will be more water transportation. Since the holes are more”

“Yes, good observation.” Riya cringed and started typing. 

“- you are correct, Alia. Vessels will do more water transportation. While tracheid will do lesser water transportation”

“Ok mam thank you!” Alia said. A huge smile formed on her face.

She is a bookworm. Riya typed to Leo. She instantly received a reply back. An affirmation, which triggered her to type another message. 

Where does she mug up from? Rote learner. Probably from a bunch of some of the thickest books of all time!

Leo replied back “This is not real learning. She will most probably go to become a doctor. Always mugging up extra things and trying to impress, the bio teacher.” She wanted to reply back. But then it almost felt like she got caught by the teacher. 

“ Ok Riya will tell us, what she observes in the diagram”, The teacher said fearing a pin drop silence again.

“Just a second mam. I am thinking.”

“ What do you observe in the diagram” she asked Leo. No reply. Riya started shuffling her book rapidly. Her mic was on.

“Ok tell me riya what do you understand by the function of Connective tissue.” The teacher asked again.

Ok so there is a paragraph describing the features of connective tissues.

Riya blurted it out. Just like most of the students do.

“Stop stop. I asked you the function of connective tissue. Pretty simple. Such tissues in our body connect. Like blood becomes a medium connecting all organs. Bone for another example”

And you picked up the definition from the book. You didn’t understand or noted a thing that I said”, Her teacher rebuked. In an almost dejected voice.

Riya couldn’t say anything. She fumbled for a reason. Was she rote learning?

Alia stared at the screen. she felt better… after… after all the shaming. 

Alia checked her phone now. She smiled.

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I was a lot skeptic to publish this. But when I remembered the times we had activities and history discussion there were complete silences, i was a bit unhappy. There is a notion about Indian schools totally working on rote learning. But well that is changing.( Quite!) Apart from some things, I speak object, and ask during classes as much as possible, to initiate a live discussion. but these days it seems most of the children are just clicking beside their teams window( You know what I mean).

Secondly, those who speak different in classes are regarded as bookworms or something. It is just the way of understanding and expressing things! And I have been bullied and joked that i am a nerd, which however some people say to ignore them is hard to ignore. I hope you guys liked this story. the concept maybe a bit alien. So I had to write this.

“A vast bushy tree of mango overhead to pluck from. Shouldn’t we try to pluck out chances to make difference in the prevailing education system? It is not just the teachers….”

Question at the end ” Do you believe reform in both sides? What do you really find faulty?

DuoDisseminator

~Kunjal.G

POEM/PROMPT WRITING 2

WE MET! THE FILTER WHAT DO YOU THINK ABT IT?

ONE SWEATING DAY, 

 KUNJAL : I was travelling and I remember,

More than I intended to,

And what will remain,

Perchance longer  than I could intend to.

A day of bliss,

Finally meeting you after a long ado.

Circumstances  led to delays,

Yet that day our endeavour truly came to relay,

I remembered what I had lost,

Or I did rather say we lost.

And I cringed my face when I lost~as we played.

It got a bit okayish, not bad.

When, Parting to meet somewhere again.

Getting into the vehicle waiting,

And greeting my scorched dad.

After our long day.

A melodious voice started in the air,

I lost my rational rhythm as it played.

 Staring through the transparent door,

I looked at the glittering cars as they went away.

And the children, people, with no cars.

All returning after a long day.

There we turned a circle and reached the market,

And I listened to the harsh cries of shopkeepers,

Or bar gainers as they shifted and wriggled.

And I felt no longing.

For a better place to stay.

I felt comfort in all this supposed discomfort.

And I know I will miss even these people wringing disordered.

It was a lovely day, if I wanted to see it in some way.

All this happened,

After the very long day…

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KHUSHI:

It was a long day, yes I agree.

Why even 8 hours seemed  much weighing, is a mystery

As excited I was to meet you after months

I laughed at our silly fights, few but million.

You left as the night neared

After a day of merrymaking and hilarity

After our conversations of books, dancing on the mashup

 And  fantasies

I was soon dragged back to sore reality

I went for an unaccustomed walk downstairs 

To see people walking with their phones

No one had time to pay.

Most adults busy, hurrying on toes

And i wondered, maybe i do that too much

That  when we grow up

Who would we call our friends, our foes? 

Later that night I wondered  from now on

What do all these fun filled moments turn into ? 

But i had no clue

Just before i was about to dose of 

That pillow caught my eye.

As it always does,

To feel my smiles, to feel my cries

Maybe that’s what would happen to all of us

All the laughs, love and hate we sail across together

And years from now as we grow up

Like torn pillows our friendship would weather.

But maybe, maybe we can prevent it

That will be a good thought to end my rambling!

It was a fine day, if I wanted to see it in some way.

All this happened,

After the very long day…

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KUNJAL:

    You are concerned about us future chaps, that is my concern now.

           Because friendship buddy is all about now.

           And even if we part, which I prefer in dismission.

          Let us say we parted on good enough conditions!

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KHUSHI:  It seems the long day,

         Did Carry us too far away!😀         

Too far away indeed.

     What do you think about this super long poem?( Since you know we really got carried away!)

     Do tell us in the comment section now!

Also check out the first post for prompt writing here. now!

” Advices or Vices?”

Whispers which I did hear partial,

But sometimes,  hushes in  the ear, advices  pouring in,

Tied in gentle slews of verses, too experienced, too earful.

That at times it becomes an effort to distinguish the true.

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And the effort so strenuous that I give up listening, fearful.

Some advices look well off and hence I rework endlessly for the output.

I try try and make a checklist to look upto,

In my mind, again too fearful to conflict to.

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Years from this all, and you would feel me some relieved.

I finally achieved the goal I had made a mind to ‘achieve’,

And still dismayed because  there seems some glitch   years from now,

Some advice  became vices, a haunting part of me now.

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I see the people now moving on to give advices to little hoods,

If only I had cared for myself while heeding in my youthful.

Fulfilment is just more than we can be advised of.

And hence I think again  will advices become haunting vices some time from now?  

If only we can ask the question now…

WRITTEN BY:KUNJAL.G

~DuoDisseminators

Check out our previous post here

Why to deal with them~ Problems

Illustration by Khushi and Kunjal

Our school recently informed us that from now on they would start taking oral tests , better known as VIVA. For checking whether we truly comprehend things in classes or not. It was our first time giving it and I for one was scared and nervous. How difficult it would be to face a teacher one on one but obviously I had to give the vivas if I was to score good. Secondly I had understood things, and I didn’t want to spoil my vivas with my nervousness.

On the day of my Chemistry viva, 1 hour before the scheduled time I started feeling jittery because it was my class teacher who would question me. I started walking here and there because there were butterflies in my stomach . 

At that time, my younger cousin entered the room, he had crayons in his hand and a paper in another. I had told him to draw a night sky so that he would not disturb me but here he was and out of anger and nervousness perhaps I shouted at him to leave the room . 

He looked at me with his innocent eyes and asked softly

“ Di ! there is only 1 moon but how many stars should I make ?”

There are billions and trillions of stars aren’t there? But what would I tell him?

“ You can draw as many as you like. Just leave the room “ I said

“ As many as i like??” he asked with wide eyes “ there are so  many stars in the sky but all surrounding just one moon?? “

“ Yes all surrounding just one big moon “ I replied

“Or they are scattered all over. Not surrounding anything! ”

“ Yeah” I replied gruffly.

“ di why are you so angry ?” he said 

“ I am not angry, I am just nervous, I have a test and then some pending assignments and then…. Nevermind just go and draw something the sky if you wish”

“Oh so you are like the moon. Centre of it all! ” He said and left the room.

He came back to my utter utter  displeasure teasing “ Not centre of attraction, centre of all problems” I had to give in. My life appeared..

                          

Name tag I should truly wear!

Truly dark. 

I sat there to just revise once again but my brother’s words resonated in my head. 

Maybe I was making too big a mountain out of a mole? Maybe I was scared when instead I should be happy that I got to interact one on one. And what better opportunity than now to actually show who you are. But you know what? I didn’t apply this to my chemistry viva that time. Of course. I felt nervous but the viva went just fine!.( If you care to know!)

But more than that I think the proposition in my mind which is something different was just wrong. Which means he is right. My cousin. We all do live in our own universes. Where we are the moon surrounded by different stars of different shapes and sizes and the sun. But the moon is illuminated by its surroundings, right? The sun and the stars. For us our biggest flaw or the biggest challenge is like the sun – massive and hot. Every challenge seems big. But in the end it is the light of the sun which when reflected makes the moon and us, who we are , illuminate.. ( Not exactly beautiful, yes, but it may soon be in your hands!)

And the remaining stars are the everyday problems some big, some small but all of them a beautiful attribute to define our universe.

IF the moon starts hating the stars ( Which cannot happen, maybe some scientific deed could explain) what will it be other than a mere dark spot, just like our lives without obstacles- dull and boring. 

We all need ups and downs in our life, maybe that is why a sudden change in our exam pattern was required , to surprise us, yes but also to enhance our personalities. We all like to hear the success stories filled with chunks and chunks of problems, not luck. 

I know it is not that big of an incident to learn this from, it was just a viva ( to say that so simply though is still a big deal because it felt big that time) , there are bigger problems , Yes I fully agree. 

But learning can come from anywhere I believe. Maybe what we now think as stars are just waiting for us to learn our lesson 🙂 It is if we just don’t get too scared away. Try once. Going in? We will too!

Written by KHUSHI.M

~DuoDisseminators

Heyy there everyone. We all deal with problems we do and you do too! it was just to give you an understanding that why we can’t and shouldn’t wish for a problem free life! Hope you all liked this post. A deep topic indeed( Not restricted to the current time only) it is and we would love to hear anything and everything from you!!.

Also check out our previous post here

Test of beliefs.

Imagine someone, some people breaking into your homes. The knocking and greetings dismissed ( wait what?) and  stepping into your home with loaded guns, entering and  opening cupboards and racks for anything gold documents or just anything. They know they will find it. All the documents.  

And if you hadn’t been careful to know or do something , admonishing you with sticks and canes.

Oh!

Not what we expected right now.

But not that it is not happening today..

Afghanistan – a country in south Asia, our neighbouring country has been overrun by the Taliban. On the day of our 75th Independence Day celebration when our country’s Prime Minister underlined the serious threat of terrorism, later came the news of Taliban, a terrorist organisation, that it had captured Presidential Palace of Afghanistan. It had captured the capital Kabul without resistance.  It has been an utter shock for everyone and the two of us can’t help but mull over it again and again in our thoughts and prayers. 

Kabul has been taken over, and Afghanistan’s name has changed to the Islamic Emirates, with the Taliban even ceremoniously declaring their rule over the state, promising an inclusive open Islamic government. With the Taliban overflowing the country,  emitting threats for security for neighbouring countries as well as world wide nations, foreign ministries of nations will be wrestling and deliberating again over the question – ‘Should the Taliban government be accepted?’  Some fast countries including Russia and China  have already strided one step ahead. International relations are built on ensuring peace, harmony, cooperation and maintaining security as well as addressing concerns in an effective manner. However another aspect, if not less important is providing aid to countries and addressing issues that are important in response to the donor country.  Foreign aid by one government to another can effectively underline its objectives such as combating poverty, health, education as well as terrorism. 

Though it is a partnership between governments and depends upon the nature of undertakings by the two governments it ultimately benefits who?

The people of the place.

Afghanistan was as much our ally than any other. In 1950, a Friendship Treaty was signed between Afghanistan and our country which has continued to expand development projects in Afghanistan including public libraries for people. The hasty troops pullout of The United States has led to the ultimate Taliban takeover,  contradicting the relations it had evolved with  Afghanistan over the past few decades. The previous 20 years  had meant 20 years of fighting for women’s rights. Under The U.S it had been achievable.

“I can’t believe the whole world abandoned Afghanistan… Our relatives are gonna get killed”

Today it is the responsibility of all the nations who had affirmed in the past, friendly ties with Afghanistan and its people to really come up to their good means they had meant.  There are horrible pictures from Afghanistan being forwarded on every social platform. People are running frantically, are subdued, or are shut in their homes. Thousands of people can be seen thronging the Kabul Airport and climbing the evacuation aircrafts parked on the taxiway.  The frenzied spirit of the people to evade the Taliban regime just to escape the cruelty in their lives is clearly evident as they dangle off evacuation flights meant for diplomats and Embassy people.

 However it is an even tougher battle for the women.  Not a battle, an end of the matter consequence to be correct. The UNSC affirms that the Taliban says it will ensure the rights of women in the country. We know what that really means.  The rights  would be assured/deleted under the Sharia Islamic law. Under their interpretation women have to drop out of universities and give up their lives they had earlier worked for. Pictures of women without hijab have been vandalised, and they  will have to cover their body and not be allowed to step out of the house. Most likely women will not have any doable representation in the government.  Women won’t have any life, because they won’t have any choice..

“It’s a tragedy and it was completely avoidable…”, Immigration activists.

The fight is and has always been against religious radicalisation and Islamic terrorism, not Muslims. Leaving them to rejoice the future of Afghanistan will be  the worst open mistake we will make in the face of terror. We must ensure an escape for Afghans as well, and open up borders and accept Afghan refugees looking for shelter. Evacuation flights must be sent for the people who wish to escape in capacity. Humanitarian aid must be revamped.  It can still be different from the 1996 time. That is if the world chooses to support the afghans. Actively.

“Biden must protect Afghans amid Humanitarian crisis- Malala….

” When I die wrap me in my country ‘s flag.”, an Afghan woman.

“As Afghans take responsibility for their future, the world must stand with them in solidarity and support-  Prime Minister Modi, in 2015”  

Humanity is at its true test.

~DuoDisseminators

If you really care about the situation in Afghanistan don’t hesitate to contribute to the protest in your own way, be it through writeups, (like us), joining protests, speaking in social media, art illustration, singing, or basically anything. ✌. We are not the policy makers but support like such brings solidarity. Thank you.

I Wanted to Write a Poem

Lovely poem! Life is indeed a poem! Read this up!

La La Land Writings

I wanted to write a poem,

A poem explaining my deepest thoughts,

A poem filled with my life.

The poem I wanted to write came to me suddenly,

Felt like it was talking to me.

I wanted to write a poem when I was at my worst,

I wanted to write a poem when I was the happiest,

Yes, I wanted to write a poem for myself,

To comfort myself, to know.

I wrote that poem,

It made me laugh,

It made me blush and happy,

No matter how lame I wrote,

No matter how unskilled it was, it was mine,

It was beautiful to me,

It made me think I can do it, I just need to keep going,

It made me realize how much I love this moment,

How much I care,

Yes, I wanted to write a poem.

View original post

Night as I see,

Image source: http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/michigan/files/styles/medium/public/201207/floridacitydark.jpg

Today I would like to pen down on ‘night’

 And Everyone discovers with their own leap.

 Night is just spew of black downright

 Not the slight blue, or that tincture of green just black to seep.

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I gazed at the sky in my gloomy reign.

So much so that the stars belied their own self beauty.

And remained hiding in blackness until I succumbed as well… clean.

Very Pretty..( petty)

..

 I Despaired over the past few weeks

 I Despaired  the known people walking with a glance to my state.

Not knowing I needed someone yet reluctant to turn a help for me.

So much so was my depravity ‘s weight.

…

And then..no  now I am alright, you see.

At those moments it felt impossible to take another leap.

But Something did upturn my belief (something or someone always does)

And there is a point to this, whatever that may have been.

….

Now, I look at the sky from this caress and comfort.

At the same murkiness, which had earlier left me to my discomfort.

I can only reason the moisture laden clouds for shading the twinkles..

Looking at the nightly sky with a resounding purpose…

Written by: Kunjal.G

~DuoDisseminators.

Independence as it was ….

“At the stroke of the midnight hours, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. Not without a cost though……”

Mama shuffles a piece of paper into his hand and fondles it in a  frail knot  with her weak and shivering hands. 

She closes her eyes and sits back in her chair coughing.

They had planned to watch the parade in the small Sony screen she had adored till date and kept it alive through regular fixes here or there. The screen would wake up on coughing and screeching as the son would wrestle with the remote buttons with his technical mind.

“Ma, Ma, where are you? Maa ! ” he shouts now at the moment. He knew this much that she was getting old. But hadn’t expected to.. No time was the right time. Not certainly amidst their bonding moment/

 The flag brooch falls down, and a loud  crunch comes from beneath his foot. Barely audible to the recipients in the room.

She doesn’t move now. She sits there a still figure disobedient to his trying call.

No not yet…

 Some more spits and yellow phlegm. Some more hopeful coughs. And finally there is complete silence. That is Her heart stops.. Silence-

“ Maaa!!” He shakes her violently, and recoils down in sad weak cries. 

“Maa pls come back”

But she doesn’t move and doesn’t pay heed to a single word. 

Cries are the sounds in the room. After sometime, his red swollen eyes jerk up in movement. He opens the crumpled paper in his hands and begins to read it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

15 August 2021  7:00a.m

Today I  am holding a pen after 75 years to write the last time in my life. I know that I am going to die tomorrow. I just know it is nearby, waiting. My 34 year old son will be arriving here  for our celebration together. Still handsome and chiselled. Not exactly a celebration our bonding moment.

Maybe I had to be happy and smiling about it. Independence day.. Freedom.. Mahatma Gandhi.. freedom fighters! And whatnot.

No.

Today I just feel sad. Gloomy sad. Not happy. And I can see a tear carving beneath my eye.

On the 15 day of the 8 month, I was there, my childhood self.  Sullenly sitting behind in the cart. My sikh father walking behind. My mother among all the ladies…? no.

 I was working to hold back my emotions because I knew any sound could get me killed as well. Invite killing stares from the other women.

We were travelling to the railway station from  Ladakh to Punjab. I remember sleeping in the verandah with our family together and staring at the heavy black clouds carving into the air. And snippets of red bursted in night like guiding stars to traveller ‘flight.

 It was Fire at the nearby village. I couldn’t hold my eagerness to visit the river the next day. Hands and legs and limbs If luck favoured even cut breasts or a face with no ears!

We got free from the British today that time. However there is so much more to the text.

 Our Nehru ji and his Congress didn’t do enough to prevent the bloodshed. Their negotiations failed and I will and everyone who survived are the witnesses to prove them to blame for those who died!  However. Let us move on.

Among the 14 million people who had to leave their homes, the 7 year old me was one of them as well. I was inside my small house with my dad when we heard chants of Allah, and loud clicking of metals. They had arrived.

I could not see them behind my father but through the long silhouettes under the roaring fire  I could make out the weapons were sharp. Would they behead us? Would they cut us into pieces? Would they touch me after killing my father?

I didn’t know. They had the whole village lit into flames. All the houses, everything. My father gestured me towards the back door. He said he would come with clothes for me and some utensils. I was scared but he cared for me too much. He even defended me when grandfather was about to behead me among all the women before the riots.

Later when I had come to meet him after marriage we  both rejoiced in the memory of the village. I still miss my Muslim friends and wonder about their state in Pakistan. Have they gotten married too? It is just so dreadful.

I see myself crouching in the same hiding spot and the replay of  the scenes amidst laughter, in the living room. It goes like this first  my friendship with my friends to silence,  Muslim neighbours leaving in green lorries, Aarifa the last time meeting me then more riots, and my elder brother. And finally my mother.. Lovely end.

We talk about Fraternity. I say What fraternity? Three wars have been fought at the Kashmir Border and I am sure more will be fought. Revolts happen in robust show of religion ain’t they even after freedom?

Today at a time when we look at the past there is so much that India and Pakistan could have been together and the partition is now a black stain to both the countries where blood flowed in streams.  Indeed, Partition should not have happened. Cyril drew without knowing that the lines he was drawing would be lines of blood.

But a wise person has said acceptance of past can tread us into decisive steps forward.

 My mind couldn’t think about anything else today. I was scared to speak mournfully in such a frenzy of elation or hear the “Old woman is mourning again”.I wanted to write all this in my diary. Maybe this diary will go up for a historical record  or something of a partition survivor. I can be famous after death too ain’t I? Eh I just  feel happy knowing  I got  to write  the sacrifices of the real people before I died. In some way.

And finally, Jai Hind!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Typical of Ma who can think of joking on her death hour, her son thought, grinning. He looks at her mother now. She  didn’t tell him all this.

Now she looks so solemn and quiet, hands resting on her knees. Without movement. Her eyes don’t  itch as they used to when she blinked, and spoke or laughed. She is no more.

He starts to cry.

“Ma please come back na!”.

***

Partition is a grave reality. A crisis between two communities which lived harmoniously together for centuries. Ethnic cleansing swept Punjab, Lahore and the region we call today as Pakistan. Yes it is very true that we have had grave distrust in relationships due to Partition,   and it is another matter of thought. Yet today  It is not social acceptance of Partition as it happened, rather the sorrowful tragedy has become a part of exchange of swathes of debates of another intention. This was a big refugee crisis in the south Asia continent. Its impact, far greater than we can pen down. Partition shares the common nuances, to World wars,  across the European continent as well as wars  worldwide. Gradations of people ‘s lives and emotions, deaths and betrayal, trust for sometime, and revenge the next get tucked away from the original debate. Are we yet still entangled and scuffled? Accepting the history is very important to understanding ourselves as we are. Blaming it or defuncting it from history textbooks can do no good. At the stroke of this midnight hour, when this post gets posted on 15th August, we must remember that this date means independence to us, too short from the real context because 15th August,1947 was yet another day of torment for those people who survived in a fearful atmosphere.  Only torment and well

.

~ ‘partition’

~DuoDisseminators

( Kunjal.G and Khushi.M)