A frantic call from my father asking me if I was safe because German Bakery happened to be my favourite haunt in Pune especially after I moved to the University of Pune. It is almost with religious fervor that my classmates and I would run off, from the IUCAA gate to the shed-like structure that offered salvation in its craft for the perfect coffee and chocolate cake. My dad wanted to know if I was safe... Sure, I was; because the numbness in my gut was telling me I was so close to being there that day.Pune has changed. Maybe I wasn't expecting it to because I had heard so many people say that they "wouldn't let terror win". But people walk straighter now, their eyes never steady but always alert; taking in every detail and almost expecting something to be out of place so that they can call the police... One of the reasons why the hoax calls have increased and all the machinery is screaming at the citizens to stay calm.
Calm... Such a precious commodity in the post 9/11 era; an event where the first reaction was, "Oh my God! Those S.O.B's actually did this to the U.S of A..." It made everyone sit up and take notice. If the American Dream could go up in smoke, what little hope was there for us?
Peace is such a warped concept that I, personally, am surprised we haven't already bombed each other into oblivion. Contrary to popular belief, peace isn't the absence of war and violence, it is the maintenance of status quo or "as things are". We increase our arsenal, develop new tactics and strategies and keep preparing for a war which might or might not happen. What stops the war from occurring is not our assured ability to destroy in the first strike, but more the assured ability of our opponents to retaliate.
Our relationship with Lady Peace is very much like two distrustful lovers; in love and at once afraid to let go but looking for a way out. We have cheated on peace so many times in order to pursue our greed and cut corners by way of ambiguous words and two-faced clauses worked into treaties of trade, co-operation and coexistence that the lady in question can't afford to trust us with her body and has already locked her heart and mind away in a frozen wasteland we can't even hope to reach until we change.
What hope is there when all of our confidence building measures are laced with an undercurrent of mistrust and inherited violence (for example - India, Pakistan and China)? What hope when compromise is worked out on whose greed can be supported by a bigger bank balance? What hope when a smokescreen is set up for an arbitrary war fought by a legal government due to its lust for precious resources? What hope when everything about peace comes with an escape clause into terror?
6 comments:
i dunno about our relationship with peace, but circumstances are perilous. it isn't safe anywhere - london, ny, mumbai, madrid, pune - its the same racket.
the german bakery thing left me really sad. having lived in the neighbourhood for a year and a regular haunt after that, many a breakfasts where at german bakery. i hope they rebuild it, though charm maybe lost...
ok.... Third attempt....i hope this comes through. I absolutely love this post.... For the writing style, for the pertinent topic and for the ease with which u have put everything.
u know, i am pained to see how callous our authorities can be. its almost as though it really doesnt matter... a german bakery happens almost every month month now and the funny thing is that we have almost started to expect it.... its sad! i just wish our lives mattered a lil more than they do abhi!
i know its pessimism at its best but is there anything we can do???
o by the way i love the way u have explained peace...... Interesting huh?? Who know....?
As the say there are some things money can't buy...Preace is one of those priceless things that even USA couldn't afford to buy.
I don't know if and how things would change for a better tomorrow:(
German Bakery incident is sad:(
I lost a friend in that blast.His sister and friend with him.You never realise the fear untill it srips you down,stares you up close and walks away.
Post a Comment