A PAGE FROM THE DIARY OF A STRIKER

From the pen APN

 

A fight/strike of five days came to an end. Our group started to crumble. Cracks widened into chasms and the central force could not hold us united. Financial pressure, physical strain, uncertainty of future and the thoughts of the family made us quit. We decided to give in. And by the evening of the 5th day we called off the strike

We were fighting for our self respect, for equal treatment and for safeguarding ourselves from social humiliation. So we had gathered on one platform and had raised our voice. But our wails practically had no effect on the slumbering government, insensitive passers-by and the egoistic bureaucrats. They deliberately ignored our voices till we broke under our own weight. 

A friend had to marry in a couple of weeks. A striker had an old father whose life depended on Medicine. Another friend dedicatedly served  to a callous master who sucked the cream of his life and left him at a cross-road with his two daughers and family. Simillarly, most members stood at the end days of their youth and at the beginning days of their oldage. 

However, they all fought valiantly. And in the dark ocean of fear and tear also they rowed their boats and pursued the faintest rays of hope. 

There may be danger and the dark clouds of apprehensions hung over head. But this is just a beginning and definitely it has an end which will soon come with the golden rays and a calm morning.

Hudhud...... A self analysis

Hudhud...... A self analysis

From the pen APN

SITUATION 2 (6 DAYS AFTER HUDHUD CYCLONE)

Many trees that stood tall for ages are now lying flat with their roots out of the earth cave. Power saws are put into action to cut the fallen trees into transportable sizes. Logs are still lying by the road side and I drive past by them. Some men are working on restoring the electricity. A transmission cable is lowly hanging down. My car now stops at the cable. Two men come forward and hold the cable up with their raised hands and I move through the arch of their hands. I put the window glasses down to say the words of thanks to the men who are diligently fighting with the wrath of Hudhud. I see the sweat covered faces of those men and behind them I see houses whose roofs are blown by the gale.  

(This is how I experienced the after effect of Hudhud on my return journey to Malkangiri)

SITUATION 1 (ON THE DAY OF HUDHUD CYCLONE)

During Hudhud cyclone I am at Bhubaneswar. The state capital has nothing to worry about. The malls are open and people are seen marketing. On this day I change the covers of my car seat because the cobbler is relatively unoccupied on account of Hudhud. It is raining hard but life is normal.

On my return, my wife gets inside the car and insists on taking her to a mall. I choose to get her wish fulfilled. It is raining. The music is on the play and the roads are with lesser traffic. The ambience is wonderfully romantic. And the only mother of my only child is smiling charmingly.  In the mall she gets all her chosen products in return of her smiles and ungrudgingly I have to empty my wallet.

It is too late to cook food in home so we dined in a restaurant where dimmed lights and instrumental music accompanied our dinner.

SITUATION 3 (8 DAYS LATER HUDHUD CYCLONE, IN THE COMFORT ZONE OF HOME)

Sitting before the laptop I write and repent. I analyse my shortcomings and insensitivities. When I am in SITUATION 1, I never think of SITUATION 2. I DO NOT GO VOLUNTARILY TO DROP A CHEQUE OF DONATION IN PM’S/CM’S RELIEF FUND. SHALL I CONTINUE LIKE THIS????????????    

A QUEEN OF ALLURING BEAUTY

From the pen APN 

That day, in a prominently visible place, she was confidently sitting with all her charm, appeals and ALLURING BEAUTY like a flame of burning fire. 

She is beautiful, intelligent and talented. She is matured and very stable. So in the name of love she will not commit any mistake. But she will love to make others mad after her. Her beauty smells so....

But I am no more like the foolish fly that will abruptly and impulsively jump into the flames of her magical charm. So I deliberately opted to stand at a safe distance and see her pearl like teeth shining in between her parted lips. Although I kept a safe distance, I was strongly compelled to think of her. She smiled most alluringly and my heart beat loudly for her. And I was damn sure that she would smile more and more till I was miserably trapped in her love-net.  But this time I had resolved to keep my body, mind and soul intact and unhurt. Seeing her smile attractively, l smiled back but l dreaded to involve my heart which often create oceans of colourful hopes and then drown me like a weak unhappy creature. 

That is why, this time, although she smilingly circled around me in all dazzles and flashes, I neither asked for her number nor for her email id. I left her unnoticed. And I moved farther. However, for a long time her smiles echoed in my ears......