Lockdown - The Fourth

A relevant topic in the media is the lockdown. Good or bad, this has affected us in as many ways as the colours of the rainbow. For many, it has been a tragic experience, for some a new way to make money and for others a stagnation. But the common thread which binds us all is the experience. The way our lives been been totally turned around, is new. A kaleidoscope of scenes in "I am Legend" flash across the mind. The lonely streets, buildings taken over by nature, the once concrete jungle vanishing under creepers, cement sidewalks peeped through by weeds and wild plants. Kudos to the imagination of the write/s, producer/s, directors who screened their vivid imagination for the world to see and ponder on!
If one sneeks around during the lockdown period (with a murmured prayer of not getting caught), one sees deserted dust strewn streets, silent bazaars, countering the vibrant picture drawn up by Sarojini Naidu in her classic poem In the Bazaars of Hyderabad. 

Deserted streets

Silence roams the streets, a calm permeates the air, hush-hush envelopes the structures. As I traversed the streets, once in a while, a shadow flits across a roof, a figure peeps through a window. Some brave enough to venture out of neccesity rush to an small open window of a house to buy something, keeping a watchful eye for the law keepers who roam the streets swinging the arm of the law, stricking those who dared to venture out. While treading cautiously, sometimes hiding under the arches and recesses of entrances of the closely packed houses which help in avoiding being noticed. I felt like one of the spies in those cloak and dagger movies, more like James Pond, 007.5 in the Magazine "MAD".

In need of a smoke, my eyes focused on a shop in the inner lanes and espied a wee nondiscript shop from which I occasionally bought my smokes. In reply to my soundless knock, a face peeped through a crack in the window, recognising me, handed the smokes to me. Paying him off , I moved.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie.

On my return journey, I noticed something very peculiar. Something was missing from my vista. Hah! The Street Dogs! They were not out on the streets. Though this would be the best time for them, no annoying traffic, no interfering humans, absolute freedom. Normally, they could be seen near sweet meat shops, tea shops, wherever some kind soul gave them something to eat.  They have their regular hauntings. However, tripping along, I came across these dogs. A common expression is to live a dog's life; looking at these dogs, I wonder if many of us would want to really live this life!  With no one to feed them, none to shoo them off, left on their own, what better than to sleep it out during the day. The sounds of silence have hit them too.

The Wall Doodle!

The world is a wow place. And to see with seeing eyes is very rewarding. Having returned home, I swayed myself to open the bank of photographs I have; treasured momeries stored for life. Among them I found this very interesting doodle on the wall of the classroom of the school I was teaching in. These walls have a depth of meaning and gives away the mental status of the doodler at the time when his/her thoughts vented themselves onto to the ever enticing wall. Rarely, have I seen such use of the walls of the classroom. It seems it was a trend. 

Rumi, the great Persian poet says: "Listen to silence. It has much to say."

So long! 

Till we meet again............