This piece has given form to what most of us are feeling but avoiding to dwell upon. I imagine it would not have been easy to, but thank you for writing this.
I love all your posts. You know this, all of substack and our common group know it well. But this one was beautiful in a different way. You have managed as usual to paint a detailed picture with your words again. But the scenes are horrific as was the reality. While you and I live in a relatively save part of the country it pains me to know that some of the most beautiful parts feel out of our reach. We are Indians but there’s no document, visa or otherwise, that can ensure our safety in one of the most beautiful parts of our country. The Himalayas make one realise how puny one actually is in the larger scheme of things but one is now scared to go and see their beauty for fear of not surviving the trip because someone decided your faith is the wrong one. Sigh, I bet you the mountains and the gods look at us, these tiny creatures who keep hacking at the branch they sit on, thinking only the other guy is going get hurt when the damn thing breaks. I wonder if they think the stupidity and its consequences are inevitable. Just one more civilisation racing at breakneck speed to its end :(
Deafening. Silence. Numbness. And emotions engulf. I am terrified. Of my own rage seething, gnawing, chomping at my gut in a slow boil. Questions don't make sense because there are no answers only whataboutery. Appeals don't appeal because there's only fanatical resolve to repeal. Questions - when did we get here? Why did we get here? How did we get here? What do some people who are baying for Muslim blood, really want? What does India and I as a feeling, thinking, secular Indian do? What does our enemy want? Where can and where do we go from here? Will this nightmare of living in a morphed, devolved, fanatical, blood spewing, expletive riddled, farcical place we call country, ever end? Truth be told, I see arms toiling, honest smiles, laden hearts with the same worries and simple aspirations that humans generally have, legs holding up dignity, tongues rolling out words of love, eyes dreaming...and then I read about the doctor, the WA unkils, the ex Servicemen, social media trolls, shrieking anchors (I don't see, read or hear them, but about them) and reality shakes my core. Why? How? When? What? Where? I bend to pick up shards. They're pieces of my heart. I don't know if it can ever be whole again.
Thank you for writing this. I am deliberately trying to tune out the mad rhetoric around the violence. It is too poisonous.
It is. Thank you for reading, Binu :)
This piece has given form to what most of us are feeling but avoiding to dwell upon. I imagine it would not have been easy to, but thank you for writing this.
Thanks for reading, Lakshmi :)
I love all your posts. You know this, all of substack and our common group know it well. But this one was beautiful in a different way. You have managed as usual to paint a detailed picture with your words again. But the scenes are horrific as was the reality. While you and I live in a relatively save part of the country it pains me to know that some of the most beautiful parts feel out of our reach. We are Indians but there’s no document, visa or otherwise, that can ensure our safety in one of the most beautiful parts of our country. The Himalayas make one realise how puny one actually is in the larger scheme of things but one is now scared to go and see their beauty for fear of not surviving the trip because someone decided your faith is the wrong one. Sigh, I bet you the mountains and the gods look at us, these tiny creatures who keep hacking at the branch they sit on, thinking only the other guy is going get hurt when the damn thing breaks. I wonder if they think the stupidity and its consequences are inevitable. Just one more civilisation racing at breakneck speed to its end :(
Thank you for reading, Reshma :) And couldn't agree more.
Wonderful writing, Sarthak! It feels strange to say that because the topic is so gruesome - but it is wonderful writing nonetheless.
Thank you, Amrita!
Searing. Thank you for this
Thank you for reading, Vinayakam :)
Thank you Sarthak. Very important piece of writing.
Thank you for reading :)
Deafening. Silence. Numbness. And emotions engulf. I am terrified. Of my own rage seething, gnawing, chomping at my gut in a slow boil. Questions don't make sense because there are no answers only whataboutery. Appeals don't appeal because there's only fanatical resolve to repeal. Questions - when did we get here? Why did we get here? How did we get here? What do some people who are baying for Muslim blood, really want? What does India and I as a feeling, thinking, secular Indian do? What does our enemy want? Where can and where do we go from here? Will this nightmare of living in a morphed, devolved, fanatical, blood spewing, expletive riddled, farcical place we call country, ever end? Truth be told, I see arms toiling, honest smiles, laden hearts with the same worries and simple aspirations that humans generally have, legs holding up dignity, tongues rolling out words of love, eyes dreaming...and then I read about the doctor, the WA unkils, the ex Servicemen, social media trolls, shrieking anchors (I don't see, read or hear them, but about them) and reality shakes my core. Why? How? When? What? Where? I bend to pick up shards. They're pieces of my heart. I don't know if it can ever be whole again.