making light of demockersi

pithy remarks can have only so much use in times like these -- putting things into perspective. with the recent goings on in the power circuit in the country it would be fair to borrow a phrase which sums up a condition as endemic in india's socio-political destiny as breeding among rabbits --- crisis of power. something that feeds on itself and is a certain black hole that sucks in all the energies of a resurgent nation. as far as the events of the two succeeding dates of 30,31 itself are concerned im sure its in our national character to deal with it and have closure. that is forget all about it until it happens again. although much couldve happened (a jumpy colleague even suggested that some enemy state might have attacked in the meantime) and though not this time much has happened to indicate that we as a country can just take it on our sweet chin and carry on. not bad considering that for at least 4 hours one fine day more than 600mn indians were without electricityc(actually it was really half that number who really experienced the outage, the rest apparently have no access to power, or so claims http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/08/what-was-revealed-when-the-lights-went-out-in-india.html and it makes me wonder).
domestically so common an occurrence as to be a non-event for so many of our countrymen but the magnitude of this one meant that india was like hit by a tsunami or earthquake or both.what followed can be demonstrated in as few as three simple steps which have now through rigorous refining of the best practices at the hogwash school of witchcraft etc become the hallmark of involved governance in our country
> deny responsibility
> appoint committtee
the above steps have already been attained wherein a reshuffle and a fate is to blame-this is not uncommon/unheard of/unnatural stance-later it has been decided that a high-powered committee is to look into the whole thing
> the third step is obviously something miraculous once all three steps are together seen as constituting the most ridiculously silly con one man ever tried to pull on another.
but given our numbers, at the national level i guess this theft of reason is exquisite. an unparalleled heist. which is to say im not too clear about the third step because inquiries are done, reports are submitted, in between, the drivers of inquiry panel members switch the fans on in their cars while they sleep all afternoon as their lords grapple with the most complex issue who, after having presided over the early disappearance of white ambies from indian roads are now finally at ease about their comfort knowing that ministers' cars are only going to get bigger and the convoys longer.
what the lay public will never wake up to though is the truth, rti or no rti. nor for that matter would they find a remedy. all this makes me think that the great indian circus sums it up. we, the people, of india are circus goers who having gaily resolved to abandon all loving care to the winds and yield the field to a gang of filibusters, carpetbaggers, gerrymanderers, horsetraders, double-crossers and all manner of assorted fly-by-nighters kartabwale that they may amuse us with their endless comedy of deft posturing and bumbling performance, will now sit back and enjoy the show.
of course, the ticket is free and we can stay as long as we want. so we do. this time, during the circus, current went. what to do. i suppose most of the audience would be too lazy to now go out and see whatever was the matter. no, they would rather stretch out and wait. or nod off. the kids will start bawling but they will soon have sweaty teats to suck on. on the whole i think it is this attitude that is going to help us as a country. this belief so immanent amongst us that we are in a circus and how lucky we are to be here. for it is entertainment merely and not art or life or one posing as the other. timepass of  a cheap kind, our politics in the theatre of babel.




up and down we go
up and down under
forbearing eyes of
boulder and fair rock
they twist and turn
these roads they fall
away in a flash or
breathlessly rise
grey phantoms
in the night
this has been my
city of fear and
a city of mad lust
chipping away
at my soul but
this city has air
but i never believed
i was choked