Just when I am inconspicuously wafting through the cycle of time, quite contended with my life and things around, a bovine contentment; suppressing the curiosity that keeps me going, a cat's curiosity; disinclined and extremely indolent with activities in life, unlike a busy bee... Just when any of the living beings dont seem to startle or represent me, letting me idle around the unending swirling motions of time... Just when.. and a vague opportunity knocks on my door...
A chance comes knocking to make a contribution, a significant one, to the community... to make a difference.. to bring in a change.. a head start.. and everything else written on the election campaign brochure.. It was a chance to participate in the world's largest democracy, play a role.. a supreme one.. As Lincoln said.. Democracy is for the people, by the people and of the people and may be on the people.. We, my family, had to vote.. and this time they allowed the pets to cast their votes too.. pets with initials.. Deepu, Dee chauffeur, girl and now Deer, V.A. Deer.. pet with initials.. The polling officer was startled, deer-like, to read out my new pet name as he dint find any visible traits of a deer in me and wondered if I was named after a royal stag or something.. I was compared, related and linked with most of the domestic animals but this is the closest I get to the wild ones.. I casted my vote smearing a blot of ink on my accusing finger and so did my sister who suddenly in the morning turned into a BJP supporter and zealously voted for HER BJP.. The BJP that unknowingly had the symbol of HAND.. (What if Congress won the Elections by one vote... one crucial vote which always belonged to the BJP and fell in the HAND of Congress????)
Elections and democracy was not a new experience for me sparing the novelty in nomenclature. We had them in our schools. Elections were conducted for school group leaders and class leaders.. I was an active part of both sides of the democracy, casting my vote for the group leader and nominating myself for the class leader. A class of 60, enfranchised pupils yet to be citizens penning the name of their able leader from the nominees standing on the dais. The counting is quick and easy(atleast mine which in my three continuous years of filing nominations never required the service of all the ten fingers!!) and a new leader is elected. A leader who would mind the class writing down the names of anyone who couldnt keep their mouth shut in the absence of a teacher; who distributed our unit and assignment test papers and read out circulars.. We practically learnt how democracy works and I clearly knew that Democracy was not a place to try your luck. Fortune in democracy always favoured the articulate and influential minds..
If I ever chanced upon a whimsical notion to file nominations again and perhaps start a new independent party to errr bring about a drastic change in the errr political happenings of this country..!! Royal Stag (animal not the whiskey!!) would be my party symbol.. I have decided on that... For the moment democracy is doing fine for India and I am happy being part of the electorate...
A chance comes knocking to make a contribution, a significant one, to the community... to make a difference.. to bring in a change.. a head start.. and everything else written on the election campaign brochure.. It was a chance to participate in the world's largest democracy, play a role.. a supreme one.. As Lincoln said.. Democracy is for the people, by the people and of the people and may be on the people.. We, my family, had to vote.. and this time they allowed the pets to cast their votes too.. pets with initials.. Deepu, Dee chauffeur, girl and now Deer, V.A. Deer.. pet with initials.. The polling officer was startled, deer-like, to read out my new pet name as he dint find any visible traits of a deer in me and wondered if I was named after a royal stag or something.. I was compared, related and linked with most of the domestic animals but this is the closest I get to the wild ones.. I casted my vote smearing a blot of ink on my accusing finger and so did my sister who suddenly in the morning turned into a BJP supporter and zealously voted for HER BJP.. The BJP that unknowingly had the symbol of HAND.. (What if Congress won the Elections by one vote... one crucial vote which always belonged to the BJP and fell in the HAND of Congress????)
Elections and democracy was not a new experience for me sparing the novelty in nomenclature. We had them in our schools. Elections were conducted for school group leaders and class leaders.. I was an active part of both sides of the democracy, casting my vote for the group leader and nominating myself for the class leader. A class of 60, enfranchised pupils yet to be citizens penning the name of their able leader from the nominees standing on the dais. The counting is quick and easy(atleast mine which in my three continuous years of filing nominations never required the service of all the ten fingers!!) and a new leader is elected. A leader who would mind the class writing down the names of anyone who couldnt keep their mouth shut in the absence of a teacher; who distributed our unit and assignment test papers and read out circulars.. We practically learnt how democracy works and I clearly knew that Democracy was not a place to try your luck. Fortune in democracy always favoured the articulate and influential minds..
If I ever chanced upon a whimsical notion to file nominations again and perhaps start a new independent party to errr bring about a drastic change in the errr political happenings of this country..!! Royal Stag (animal not the whiskey!!) would be my party symbol.. I have decided on that... For the moment democracy is doing fine for India and I am happy being part of the electorate...
Three cheers to Royal Stag! :)