Talking Shop: Smoking cauldron

“There is magic, but you have to

be a magician. You have to make

the magic happen. Real magic

is not about gaining power over

others, it is about gaining power

over your own self. Remember

that you are divine. Be patient.”

―TheMindsJournal

Much as Getafix, the village druid in ancient Gaul, would brew a delectable magic potion that made his village-folk invincible against the rampaging Romans in the comic book series Asterix (and Obelix), penned by Goscinny and Uderzo, India today has its own set of magic-brewers, the startling difference being that the broth being put together by our New-Gen sous-chefs is making us anything but unassailable. To the contrary, the bouillabaisse being served out is deliberately fraught with wrath, malaise, ill-intent and self-gratification—a deadly blend that makes the new-age concoction noxious and a very vile consommé indeed. What should have been a potent mix to invigorate us is making us emotionally and in every other way impotent, bringing out the devil even in our earlier patient brethren who dotted our nation’s landscape.

How so, you ask? Well, be it our new-fangled highways, defence personnel manning the borders and other sensitive areas, the impending State Assembly elections in five states (and then General Elections), our response to international turmoil and angst, or even our approach and reaction to sporting events, we are turning out to be quite a visceral, primitive people. This new potion we are partaking of is making us unruly, shamelessly boisterous and cacophonic, numb to the suffering of others, devoted only to our own well-being. I will delve on this in this variegated column. While writing this piece, I look back at the times we were learning about the birds and the bees—life was clean, our conscience cleaner and there was no un-fangled hatred or ill-will towards anyone. Today, things are different, for lives and aspirations have metamorphosed beyond comprehension, for the worse.

Highway robbery

As the Vishwaguru and a superpower, we have to be at the zenith of the crest each time. Thus, here we are, constructing four- and six-lane highways that are changing the contours of our roads and boosting connectivity. For a bit, let’s leave the financial escapades aside as there are greater costs attached to our scarpering along to super-highway-ness. For instance, our drivers quite often display their agility and non-bankability to life insurance firms by driving on the wrong side, veer through traffic just as we did as children in video games, jump lights and break traffic rules for the heck of it, only to stop at an appropriate dhaba (roadside eatery) for an hour to gorge on paranthas and whatnot, and then jump their flatulent behinds into the driver’s seat and start the joyride all over again. After all, what’s life without the bellow of a turbocharger?

I will tell you what is, and I was a rally driver for long—after the adrenaline-pumping bellow comes the hollow sound of tragedy. Here are numbers to keep the fodder going; keeping pace with the development of our fancy highways are the number of deaths due to infrastructural growth in a country that revels in breaking traffic laws and engages in driving histrionics. India recorded the highest number of road fatalities in 2022, with over 1.68 lakh deaths—that’s 462 deaths a day, one every three minutes. While the concerned ministry is yet to release data, the numbers indicate a 9-per cent jump compared to 2021 and a 11.5-per cent rise over 2020. The only dip in accident-related deaths was during the COVID-19 lockdowns, but we are assiduously making up for lost time. A total of 4,12,432 accidents were reported last year, claiming 1,53,972 lives and causing 3,84,448 injuries. It may be time to start flirting with the brakes and not pledge our whole soul to the accelerator. Remember Mephistopheles and Godot?

Polls, Agniveer & Gaza

The notification for the assembly elections in five states has been issued. Strangely, the gap between polling in Mizoram and the preceding states is larger than expected, but that’s because the authorities admit that poll observers in Mizoram are generally drunk and undependable—hence the staggered timeline. Insightful as this vignette might be, it gives a few political parties two extra days of campaigning in what is a ‘weak’ state for some parties. Conspiracy-theorists be damned; this is only giving Bacchus-lovers their due, allowing them time to go about their duties in a disciplined and sober manner. Kudos for this.

This paragraph I write with a heavy heart, for it is an unfortunate and heart-breaking incident, where India has lost its first Agniveer in Sepoy Amritpal Singh, posted near the Line of Control in Mankote area of Mendhar in Poonch district, while performing sentry duty. Amritpal Bhai died on the spot. That’s debilitating and mind-numbing, but what is truly sad and currying is the vilification of his martyrdom by the state police, who claim to be now verifying whether it was an accidental firing or a case of suicide. Some amongst the authorities seem to have lost their moral turpitude and, thus, all that I can suggest is that they take one of my cats or dogs for a day of learning and reference, for four-legged animals have a far greater regard for stand-up-ness and sacrifice than most of our so-called two-legged protectors.

And as if the Russia and Ukraine embattlement was not enough, we now have breakneck skirmishes and hundreds of deaths and retaliatory bombarding leading to a 1,000-plus carnage in Israel and Palestine. For the uninitiated, this is the land where Jesus came from and boasts of cultural heritage that puts the world to shame. Whether it was with paint, canvases, sculptures and murals, this was the bulwark of artistic expression. Now, the expression has changed to missiles, grenade-launchers, mortars or just plain-simple bullets. And we, the world, are merely paying lip service to appease some powerful nations.

India-Pak at WC 2023

Clash of the titans it is called—I disagree. That’s just hype and adulates created by the powers that be to stir emotion, stoke religious fervour and spur ticket sales. The only thing going for this arch-rivalry is history and the concerted few who stoke and milk it for all that it is worth. India-Australia is the real cusp, the crux, as also New Zealand. Anyway, let’s not write off the Aussies just because they have lost the first two clashes at this year’s Cricket World Cup. The night is still young, as it is for Pakistan and India as well. India won, taking their tally against Pakistan to 8-0 in ODI World Cups. Salutations to our Men in Blue, may their streak continue. Commiserations to Pakistan; they were going well till the 30th over, and then they stuttered. They shall be back.

To end this column on a note that’s brighter than I began with, here’s a quote from Sirius Black in The Harry Potter Series: “We have all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.” True. We have to figure out what we want to dig into. Is it a potion from our very own loveable Getafix, or is it gumbo from a wannabe chef who surreptitiously wants us to toe the line? The choice is ours and we have to choose wisely.

The writer is a veteran journalist and communications specialist. He can be reached on narayanrajeev2006@gmail.com. Views expressed are personal