6 Dec 2004, 5:51pm
Milestone reading:150 km Hyd.
As our car came to a screeching halt as a band of people carrying black flag paraded across us, it hit me, "Today's Dec 6th - Black Day!"
I was heading home after a religious trip, and the two routes into the city would be either through Charminar or Saifabad; both essentially, Muslim domains. I am not a bigot,but surely Lal Krishna's new Hindutva stance may tempt a minority leader to make a statement. God forbid, it may be on this day. Scenes from Mr. and Mrs. Iyer flash across my mind. I am surely over reacting. As I shift my focus onto the long stretching road, my mind wanders back more than a decade ago, when the incident actually happened; there was curfew in the city and everyone was locked up in one's houses. I remember that guy carrying a long knife wandering on our lonely street, when I peeked through my window, wondering what such a creature was doing in a respected locality like ours. It was a jungle then.
Waving off those thoughts, I turned to my family, who were oblivious to these scary scenes in my mind. I felt I was now a part of a Maniratnam movie; merry victims before they face their gawry end. My aunt looked at the beautiful sunflower stretches longing a picture of the same. "Last wishes", i thought.
Milestone reading:120 km Hyd.
I look at my cell, still no signal. Are the Idea towers safe? C'mon, I am surely over reacting! Mind wandered a couple of hours back.. Saffron flags, VHP slogans on the walls shouting out "Hindu is Hindu's patron", such fanatic explicits, why? I dared not to think of the counterpart. " Papa, dash kardo!" giggled my little brother indicating to the car in front.Suicidal tendencies at such an early age?!! God, are trying to tell me something? Is he showing me the true worth of a mortal life? Or... ?
Milestone reading:90 km Hyd.
I now begin to remember all my Muslim friends and check for their phone numbers, just in case. Surely, I am over reacting!! I do not carry any hostility against anyone, of any background, leave aside religion. I have no reason to be afraid. It is this mistrust that breeds sin. No, i shall not pre judge, I think, as my eyes fall on the Hindu God's sticker at the corner of my windscreen. I shall not judge, but will they hold discretion? "They"?????? What???!!! What am I turning into?
Milestone reading:30 km Hyd.
Thank God the signal towers are safe! I "was" over reacting!
As we turn the by lanes and enter the outskirts, a lonely black flag greets us. My entire education flashes across my mind, this is a civilization, not a movie! As we head in to the city, we see a hoard of policemen/RAF security lined up against the streets. We were passing through a "sensitive" area. The car in front of us gets pulled up, a rugged man with unkempt facial hair appears out of it.
Fifteen minutes later, we enter Koti. It seemed as if nothing ever happened. It was just another Monday. It actually was! It was never anything else. For a brief while, I became one of "them". Hanging my head in shame,I entered a restraurant promising my self, never to indulge in such petty thoughts.
But is the stigma gone?
Current Mood: Embarrassed
Current Music: Junoon - Sayyonee
6 Dec 2004, 6:51pm
as the tradition goes... nice!
10 Dec 2004, 10:28am
In 1993 there were serial bomb blasts in Mumbai followed by Hindu_Muslim riots.
I got to one of the blast sites within 6 minutes of it happening, and got some pics.
There were cops with guns, people crying, bleeding, fire brigades, sirens - the works.
It was out of a Terminator movie.
I was paranoid for a while, as I heard about cases where Hindu fundamentalists were stripping down suspected Muslims to see if they were circumsized, and torching them if they were !!
I'm not Muslim, but I am minus 2 inches of foreskin, and yes i was so F#%*ing paranoid !
As a thumb rule i stay AWAY from crowds when i see them, as i've learnt that any kind of crowds generally mean trouble. This is a simple survival technique our school principal kept re-inforcing with us. And i thank him for it to this day.