[sustran] Poem on the sacrifice of a small child in the cause of pedestrians

[kisan mehta]

----- Original Message -----
From: kisan mehta <kisansbc at vsnl.com>
To: <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>; <akiladinakar at hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 8:59 PM
Subject: Re:poem on the sacrifice of a small child in the cause of
pedestrians


> Dear Akila and Sustran friends,
>
> Our heartfelt sympathies for the innocent child for his sacrifice for the
> cause of pedestrians.  Governments of India and states are all after
> providing facilities to motorists.  They are unconcerned to what happens
to
> pedestrians who form the bulk of the population.
>
> Kisan Mehta  kisansbc at vsnl.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Akila Dinakar <akiladinakar at hotmail.com>
> To: <sustran-discuss at jca.ax.apc.org>
> Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2001 11:22 AM
> Subject: [sustran] Re:poem
>
>
> > A poem on the recent incident at Mannady in Chennai.
> >                       The Perilous Path
> >                       -----------------
> > What a cherubic boy was he
> > Barely five and raring to go
> > His eyes had just opened
> > To the joys of this earth.
> >
> > Tamilmani, he was named
> > By hopeful parents
> > That one day he will adorn
> > His mother tongue like a jewel in the crown.
> >
> > Only cheer knew he when
> > Trotting home from school
> > Satchel yoked behind, eager
> > To gorge on Mama's evening delicacies.
> >
> > He knew not what was in store
> > When eyes gaping and heart jubilant
> > He set foot on soil loose
> > Down he went and eight feet deep.
> >
> > And thus began a saga
> > That brought inconspicuous Mannady
> > A tiny spot in North Chennai
> > To hog the international flashlights.
> >
> > Was it for this that the fateful path
> > Was named Aadiya Padam Street?
> > Nataraja danced, but surefooted enough
> > He did not fall into a thirty-feet bore well.
> >
> > And when Tamilmani did fall
> > Every tongue wagged about how perilous
> > Our city roads are - lip sympathy the
> > Easiest help to offer.
> >
> > Sure there was assistance
> > For the milk of human kindness still flows
> > They tugged at his shirt
> > And his collar came ripping off.
> >
> > Not content with holding him eight feet within
> > Mother earth sucked in the lad
> > Loosening her throat
> > Into her 30-feet long mouth.
> >
> > There he stayed for two days and nights
> > As humanity worked above
> > Pumping gallons of oxygen
> > Digging and redigging wells about him.
> >
> > When the whole world watched
> > On television and newspapers
> > Fire service remained hopeful each minute
> > At 1-30 past midnight they sniffed death.
> >
> > Onlookers aghast - their prayers in vain
> > When personnel in masks drew out of cruel earth
> > Chirpy, joyous and bouncy Tamilmani
> > Secure in a jute sack.
> >
> > When it was all over - the three day drama
> > Arc lights off, all went back home
> > Like dispersing after a thrilling school game
> > Letting Tamilmani into the hospital morgue.
> >
> > The Government announced solatium
> > Of a few lakhs of Rupees
> > But the grief of loss for doting parents
> > Can it ever replace?
> >
> > Here was one case of social apathy
> > An illegal well scooped out
> > Covered like a camouflage trap
> > Laid in the forest to catch an elephant.
> >
> > But how many we have in our cities and villages
> > Pushing the hapless pedestrian
> > To the edge of extinction
> > Is one Tamilmani enough or do we need more?
> >
> >                           - Akhilananda Bharati.
> >
> >
>