She was a beauty!

Every trip to Kerala is like a visit to a critically-ailing friend. It leaves me feeling sad and helpless.
I flee from the city to my hometown in search of a connect with life. But i don't seem to find it anymore. Garbage mounds, increasing number of concrete buildings, commercialization, changing cultural ethos, and other disturbing changes make me uncomfortable. I no longer get to see the flora i associated with my village visits. Barren plots & dream homes have usurped the position of trees & paddy fields. Palatial houses and grotesque commercial complexes dot the landscape; there was a time when gigantic trees and bamboo groves were ubiquitous. The poverty of the land and people's mind is embarrassing as well as infuriating.
When you witness 'a thing of beauty' gradually fading away, you are privy to the cruelty of time and disagree with Keats that it is 'a joy for ever'. Like Keats i could live in the past and revel in the beauty that existed or be realistic and rue over the ugliness I see.

Evil rules

Year 2011
A girl, gangraped by a minister's goons, commits suicide. Her friend (the witness to the crime), who tries to get justice for her, is meted out the same fate by the same guys. She is raped and dies after being in a coma state for 6 months. The perpetrators, ex-Odisha agriculture minister pradeep maharathy's men, have political backing, of course!

2013
Justice in the case is still awaited, obviously! Would things have been any different even if these crimes were committed by some not-so-powerful guys? Maharathy resigned but the nonchalance and  arrogance with which he flaunted law is scary but not surprising any more.
This whole issue has faded away from the collective memory of the people and none will lose anything except for the people who already have.
My heart goes out to Brishti and Babina who had to undergo so much pain for no fault of theirs. I wonder why people say that the good always wins over the evil...

At the crossroad

Here i am - at the crossroad. A sign here reads- all roads lead to hell...