Today is Ganesh Chathurthi
But somehow this morning no lines flowed miraculously,
Perhaps this year (I thought) it was not meant to be.
And then right now it struck me
Not about Ganesh per se, but about my locality,
The neighbourhood has never celebrated so silently.
The lights are on in the pandal in which the murti is residing,
But no loud bells are ringing, no speakers are chants and bhajans blaring,
The silence has a message resounding.
'... times, they are a-changing"
It is so very becoming.
Slow, steady, the fires have been long burning.
Not to burn, but to resuscitate
Not to exclude, but to equity inculcate,
The laws, the people all out to humanity celebrate.
There resides a vignaharta in each of us,
The fight to fight or give up is up to us,
It is not about an idol but an ideal that deserves the fuss.
Yes, this month we overcame ignorance, overcame fear,
But more causes are yet to be fought dear,
And so, let go, reinvigorate, to again herald cheer.
For now rest, take a break from the drill,
"Imagine" "a world that's for everyone"; it's brill,
"Change is gonna come, oh yes it will".
- Written on 13 September 2018.
- Today is Ganesh Chathurthi. On 6 Sep Section 377 in the Indian Constitution changed to allow for gay rights finally. Then, of course, over the weekend we had the Serena Williams match triggering yet again the controversy of rampant sexism in tennis and elsewhere. So here is to another fight, another day. :)
- The quotes are taken from some of my favourite songs Bob Dylan's 'Times They Are A-Changing', John Lennon's 'Imagine' Colonial Cousins' 'Krishna Nee', and Seal's rendition of Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come'.
But somehow this morning no lines flowed miraculously,
Perhaps this year (I thought) it was not meant to be.
And then right now it struck me
Not about Ganesh per se, but about my locality,
The neighbourhood has never celebrated so silently.
The lights are on in the pandal in which the murti is residing,
But no loud bells are ringing, no speakers are chants and bhajans blaring,
The silence has a message resounding.
'... times, they are a-changing"
It is so very becoming.
Slow, steady, the fires have been long burning.
Not to burn, but to resuscitate
Not to exclude, but to equity inculcate,
The laws, the people all out to humanity celebrate.
There resides a vignaharta in each of us,
The fight to fight or give up is up to us,
It is not about an idol but an ideal that deserves the fuss.
Yes, this month we overcame ignorance, overcame fear,
But more causes are yet to be fought dear,
And so, let go, reinvigorate, to again herald cheer.
For now rest, take a break from the drill,
"Imagine" "a world that's for everyone"; it's brill,
"Change is gonna come, oh yes it will".
- Written on 13 September 2018.
- Today is Ganesh Chathurthi. On 6 Sep Section 377 in the Indian Constitution changed to allow for gay rights finally. Then, of course, over the weekend we had the Serena Williams match triggering yet again the controversy of rampant sexism in tennis and elsewhere. So here is to another fight, another day. :)
- The quotes are taken from some of my favourite songs Bob Dylan's 'Times They Are A-Changing', John Lennon's 'Imagine' Colonial Cousins' 'Krishna Nee', and Seal's rendition of Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come'.
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