Ramblings    
When Bangalore Burnt! 
by Garima Gupta

Bangalore burnt with the police buses set on fire. Bangalore broke with every stone pelted on innumerable glass front buildings. Bangalore ached with every unruly push of the crowd. Bangalore mourned when five people lost their lives in senseless violence. Bangalore cried, when the film icon Rajkumar’s family found it difficult to perform his final rites with the dignity and grace every human being deserves in death.

Some say it was overwhelming grief that made the fans go mad. Some now say, that it was a politically sponsored and planned event. To me, as a Bangalorean, it makes no difference. It shocks me no less, that men can become beasts, together, for the slightest of reasons, be it grief or greed, be it language or religion.

When we shifted base from USA to India, Bangalore was the only city we were willing to relocate to. It was ideal. In many ways, it still is. Perched on 7th floor of a luxury apartment, knowing only enough local language to say ,”Kannada Gotilla” (I don’t know Kannada), having access to enough superstores and malls to never need to explore the city’s old Chickpet market, In a ever-pleasant climate and ever growing choice of companies to work for, life couldn’t be better for an average IT family. But when the other side of the coin turns over, and looks in your face with all its brutality and rawness, it’s difficult to turn the face away.

I ventured out today in the city after being in virtual house arrest for two days. The area near Kanteerva stadium, the center of all ‘action’, was full of devastation. Destroyed Cars , Shattered Glasses, overturned police posts and burnt Petrol Pumps. It brought me much closer to the ugly reality than the live TV images did.

Why did the mob do this? What have they achieved? Will they be ever brought to the book? Who is safe today? The questions that came to the mind were aplenty.

I am looking for larger answers. How can we create a better society where frustrations of the lesser lot gets a proper outlet and where the better lot is more involved. A society with opportunities for all. How can we end violence, corruption, inequality. How can we win over the obvious drawbacks of democracy?

I get no answers. There is no easy “Rang de Basanti” out there perhaps.   

April 16, 2006

Top | Ramblings    

The Week of April 16, 2006      
Choice Before China : Dalai Lama Tests Beijing's Credentials by Rajinder Puri 
Oh God, I wish to be Sonia ... by Usha Kakkar  
India MUST NOT Lose Nepal to the Maoists by Dr. Subhash Kapila
Will the US Strike against Iran? by B. Raman  
Antulay's Proclamation for Vicious Vivisection of India by V. Sundaram 
Earthquakes Threaten Obelisks of Culture by VK Joshi 
Leaders Must Set the Example so Others will Follow by William C. Gladish 
The Song and Science of Dance by Rajgopal Nidamboor 
Misuse of Myths by Foolish Fundamentalists by Gaurang Bhatt, MD
Is there an Alternative for the Wars of the World? by TA Ramesh 
Next Stop Iran! by Usha Kakkar 
When Bangalore Burnt! by Garima Gupta    
Some Vastu Questions by Niranjan Babu Bangalore
A Humble Indian's Grand Vision for India by Aruni Mukherjee
Global Search for Software Patents by M. Qaiser & P. Mohan Chandran 
VoIP : Technology to Cut Phone Bills by Ruchi Gupta
Irom Sharmila, a Living Icon of Liberty-Famished Indians by Marc-Olivier Parlatano
Call for Papers: Development Studies (Volume 2) edited by Dr. Presenjit Maiti
Film Making as a Career by Pallavi Bhattacharya
The Strange Case of Homeopathy by Dr. Muneeb Faraaz 
Silicosis – A 'Dusty' Tale in Rajasthan by Deepak Malik
Meditation and Beauty by Sugandha Indulkar 
Parents are People Too!  by Garima Gupta 
Damned if I do, damned if I don't by Monisha Sen
Biking to Work by Subra Narayan  
Poster Women by Deepti Priya Mehrotra  
Chainsaw-Wielding Women by Stephanie Hiller 
Mothers Sued, Docs go Free by Sreelatha Menon
The Right Name: Child Rights and You by Smita Jain  
100-Day Schools by Vinita Deshmukh 
   

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