May their souls rest in peace!!

It was a cool evening, the clouds looked pregnant enough to burst any moment. People call it the perfect Bangalore weather. The right time for a cup of hot tea and some pakodas, but I was on my way for a doctor’s appointment. As I stopped at a traffic signal, I saw a group of young boys in their colorful tees and half pants playing cricket. People would normally call this a wonderful sight but I was yards away from feeling wonderful about it. This had nothing to do with my laziness that has set in me in the recent years. Well, I was appalled to see these children play in a grave yard right adjacent to a busy road. The Government decided to expand the main road to ease traffic congestion and decided to break into the grave yard. The poor children of the city then decided to make best use of whatever little space was available to them and converted it into a play ground. Should I be appreciating these kids for their nouvelle idea or sympathize with them for the lack of space?

I remember as a child, I never faced a dearth of space to play, if it was, it was always lack of time, which was a problem. And of course that also was not a big deal as I didn’t have television eating up too much of my outdoors time. Treasure hunts, replays of the famous five and the secret seven, rock climbing were our normal games as there was always place to hide and to imagine one to be isolated on Kirrin Island. Cricket was something one would play in the limited area of their compound or on the neighborhood street. One was scared of breaking window panes and flower pots while playing but I can’t imagine myself to be scared of ghosts creeping out of their graves whilst I while away my free time with friends. I wonder where this leaves the generations to come. Where would they be playing? Or should I be asking where would they be living? On houses built over grave yards?

It feels nice to see images of India with marvelous commercial complexes and even more wonderful apartment buildings. However, are we missing out something bigger in the picture? I am sure we are. As humans we have aesthetic sense to admire a painting with lush green meadows, silver cascades, and the bright blue sky. I remember a tapestry that I saw when I was a child; a bunch of kids of different age groups playing in a park with the new-moms and their little one in prams. It’s been two decades since I first saw that tapestry, yet I still search embroidery houses for a similar one. The simplicity of the picture has left a deep bonding; it captured the normal evening routine of my childhood. Would my child appreciate the beauty of the picture or would he think it’s a wonderful dream captured on a tapestry?

All that I can do is wonder how the deceased must be feeling with little kids’ legs running over them to catch a ball or as they watch their white homes being made as a boundary for a four. Will they ever be able to sleep among the sounds of sixes and wickets? May their souls rest in peace!!