Grave of Fireflies

"We make war so that we may live in peace" said Aristotle. Opinion it might be, but a strong one at that. There have been innumerable movies, songs and quotes both pro and anti war. Cliches that are deep inside our minds. War is just another word in the dictionary for some, for many others it is a piece of news to debate about. But how often does the truth of war hit you?

I got to watch this Japanese movie named "Grave of fireflies" (Japanese name is "Hotaru no haka"). The movie pictures the lives of two siblings who have lost their parents in world war. It explains the pains that one has to go through irrespective of whether war was an option or a compulsion for him/her. Lives are put in danger at the roll of a dice (If nothing less). I used to discuss war as though it is a natural occurrence but I guess I can never fully understand its importance till the day I put my life in someone else s hands, till the day I face an unknown bullet with my name on it or a shell with probably 30 others along with me or even a nuke with crores of them. What was more appealing about the movie was its depiction of the lives of the people who are not directly involved in the war but have to face its dire consequences for being the off-springs of some unlucky fireflies (People dying with burnouts or people with short lives were symbolically shown as fireflies in the movie). The story being true made my heart sink to the deepest of emotions and tried my best not to cry.

While I agree that eternal peace is impractical, we should not forget that peace is an objective that is to be constantly thought about. Even if war is logical in certain situations, why do we not think of keeping the innocent civilians out of it. I can not believe that I myself was a supporter of Israel when they waged a war against Lebanon. I had turned a blind eye on the thousands of the civilians who were victims of the war although they had nothing to do with the stupid shelling. I hope to support the right side the next time and not support war crime of any kind.

Return to Innocence

13-05-2008

Return to innocence - Reminds of you of that song by Enigma doesnt it? My first impression of the video of this song was just a nicley shot movie with no significant meaning. The video begins with a dead grandpa returning to his life and moves backwards through his life showing his marriage, his love, his mischiefs as a kid, his first haircut all the way till his actual birth. When I saw this video for the first time I was unmoved. It was just something that I watched without any interest. Maybe then I had not lost enough of my innocence to understand that returning to innocence wasnt all that easy.

Today evening I was happy to be back in the cab after doing a complete time killing exercise in the office post lunch. We the cabbies (Cabmates, but the word cabbies was too cool to resist) have this habit of talking, arguing, discussing about some really strange topics which is of course not a very uncommon habbit. These topics occupy a huge domain right from politics, cricket, movies to some very situational topics like how our cab driver would overtake the bus next to us or how a traffic signal has some of the sign boards with grossly misspelt words and so on...

During one such routine discussions we started laughing out so loud that I had tears in my eyes for the next 5 minutes or so. That is when I remembered a movie that I had recently seen - The Bucket List. The Bucket List in the movie is about the list of things that he should do before kicking the bucket. One of them says "laugh till I cry". Today's laughter was about one such thing.

I remember when I was a kid on an innumerable such situations I had laughed out so loud that any onlooker could easily mistake that I was crying. And I think this holds true with most of the people. But when I suddenly remembered "The Bucket List", I started recounting back when was the last time, that I had laughed out so loud. There was one such occasion during the last week. And I dont even remember the one before that. But If I go down the memory lane to the College days, I remember every such occurence.

Why does it happen this way, that as we grow older, we tend to laugh less often? I asked the same question to Vikky, one of the cabbies and he says it is due to the gradual loss of innocence. Back in the school days every smallest of happenings could bring uncontrollable laughter. Then the college days, the frequesncy had gradually reduced. Those days I used to think if I were to earn some good money some day, I would have more fun. But that looks like a stupid mirage today. Whatever the reason is, but I am gradually losing the innocence and losing my happiness.

Finally I have been able to understand the importance of return to innocence. It indeed is a tough and a special journey returning to those good old days when there was no control over the money I could save but at the same time there was no control over the fun I had either, the trade off between money and fun here is perfectly acceptable. I am all set to start my journey backwards, but again the time is ticking and holding me back. It says its not going to wait for anyone, it is running a race with a speed which is comparable only to the speed of light.

Today my race could be with the time in the same direction. But I have no doubts whatsoever that I would win these races of opposite directions some day at the same time. Dont forget to join me in this journey.

Polling Day

10th May, 2008

I woke up really early to a beautiful weekend morning at 8:30 (although it is not considered to be early morning by some of the most boring people on earth). It was only when I woke up, did I realise that it was the polling day in Bangalore. I have been holding a voter's ID for the last 6 years but it has been put to use in every place other than in a polling booth. With a little extra enthusiasm I went to the booth with my ID card and stood in the queue only to experience the obvious indifference by the people in charge of the booth. The officer in charge politely asked all the people to move to the respective rooms where their names would be in the list. But as though to belittle my enthusiasm, the officer cornered me and asked me to produce my well preserved ID card.

When I stood there in the actual room where votes were being cast, there came a constable asking me all those routine questions the answers for which would make no difference in whatsoever. When I approached the final stage before the voting i.e. when there is a markmade on your nails with that special ink, I felt like one of the most responsible citizens exercising his fundamental right.

By evening when the statistics were out as to only 44% of the Bangaloreans had voted, I was dumbstruck. Can anyone believe it? That the city which has been under the anarchy of the coaliations, for past 3-4 years during which Everything in Bangalore from Infrastructure to Economic growth, from health care facilities to Educational facilities has gone from bad to worse has only half of its people ready to take up the responsibility. That these supposedly intelligent people have no interest whatsoever in the most fundamental right given to each of us. That we are running away from our chance to rule ourselves.