It was around 10 pm and Farid heard a noise.As he went out,he saw around 10-12 people walking fast.Farid 1st thought,it was some local fight which had taken place.But as he looked closely,he could hear the neighbourhood Chaiwala Hyder leading the crowd and also keeping 1 snake on a stick and saying,the snake is still alive.Someone in the crowd then suggested,put some ghee on the snake and then burn it to death.This idea had excited Haider and he went to his tea shop and brought some ghee and tried burning the snake.
Farid could see the joy in the eyes of the crowd as they burnt the snake.Suddenly,he could also hear,the snake is a Karate as its black and doesnot have a hood.The name spilled shivers in Farid's mind;he had read,a Karate bite can invite death within 2 hours.Farid felt relieved as the snake,whether Karate or some other one had been killed.
As it was touching 11 pm,Farid's Ammi called him inside.Why you are still outside;Am coming Ammi.Farid was anyways frightened,so did not have his usual hesitation of listening to his mother in getting inside.What if there were more snakes near his house and what if some snakes appears in front of his eyes.
Farid then slept and it was around 5 AM and he could hear a loud noise.Farid could hear the slogans of Har Har Mahadev and Allah o Akbar.Oh no,there are riots or what.Farid left his room and and went to his Ammi's room.Farid's Ammi told him of the Hindu - Muslim riots which have started in the city.
Farid was in a state of disbelief and was probably still in a state of half sleep.Later he was told,riots had happenned for the snake being killed.It was shocking for Farid,as he himself had seen the entire incident.
Farid's Ammi later told Farid that Hyder had been burnt alive.Farid's Ammi informed him as Hyder was going to get Ghee so as to burn the snake,one of Haider's neighbours had warned him,if he burnt the snake,Nag Baba will also destroy him in the same way.The man who warned Hyder was called Shiv and he owned a Halwai shop opposite Hyder's tea stall.
And at 4AM,when Hyder was sleeping on a bench,one man poured petrol on his body and then lit the match stick.Poor Hyder could only cry and later when he was taken to hospital,had only one word,Shiv killed me.
Hyder's death had in turn led to Muslims attacking shops owned by Hindus and vice versa.Riots had started and Farid was still wondering,had people known,the snake was not a Nag,but a Karate,there would have been no riots.
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Monday, September 20, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Clock is not time
Farid was alway inquisitive about time.Although,he never told anyone of it,he secretly doubted,if the day was actually of 24 hours.He had his alarm clock,which he always used to keep fast by 30 mins and of course,as he used to proudly brag, 30 mins faster than the wrist watch of my grand father.Keeping the watch faster was Farid's way of mocking at the very measurement of time and day.
Once,one of Farid's Mamu called up from London and his Ammi asked,have you finished dinner.Farid was shocked,as it was morning in his town.Farid went to his Ammi and asked,why you are checking,if Mamu has taken dinner or not.To his amazement,his Ammi told him,how watch at London is fast by 4 hours.
These small incidents were creating great doubts in young Farid's mind and he wanted to understand,if time is simply,how you keep you clock or was there something outside the clock in time.
One fine day,when,he was depressingly confused on the status of time,he went to his grandfather and asked,why different people are at different stages in clocks.Before his grandfather could answer,he asked how can time at India be different from the time at London.Now his grandfather could guage,he will have to answer his grandson;He smiled and replied,dear son,its not the poor clock,which changes time across different places.He then informed Farid,time has to do with what position earth is vis a vis sun,in the course of its rotation of sun.Farid genuinely loved the answer,he could finally see an absolute being in earth;the tried,tested and each day seen earth.
However this discovery of time being linked to earth's rotation of sun made Farid more belligerant and he fastened his alarm clock by further 30 mins and was not 1 hour faster than the wrist watch of his grandfather.Farid sensed a pride in doing it,as he could control time and it dint matter to him,if he could not control earth.
Sent on my BlackBerry® from Vodafone
Once,one of Farid's Mamu called up from London and his Ammi asked,have you finished dinner.Farid was shocked,as it was morning in his town.Farid went to his Ammi and asked,why you are checking,if Mamu has taken dinner or not.To his amazement,his Ammi told him,how watch at London is fast by 4 hours.
These small incidents were creating great doubts in young Farid's mind and he wanted to understand,if time is simply,how you keep you clock or was there something outside the clock in time.
One fine day,when,he was depressingly confused on the status of time,he went to his grandfather and asked,why different people are at different stages in clocks.Before his grandfather could answer,he asked how can time at India be different from the time at London.Now his grandfather could guage,he will have to answer his grandson;He smiled and replied,dear son,its not the poor clock,which changes time across different places.He then informed Farid,time has to do with what position earth is vis a vis sun,in the course of its rotation of sun.Farid genuinely loved the answer,he could finally see an absolute being in earth;the tried,tested and each day seen earth.
However this discovery of time being linked to earth's rotation of sun made Farid more belligerant and he fastened his alarm clock by further 30 mins and was not 1 hour faster than the wrist watch of his grandfather.Farid sensed a pride in doing it,as he could control time and it dint matter to him,if he could not control earth.
Sent on my BlackBerry® from Vodafone
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