I know I could be inviting a lot of trouble for myself with this post. I
could be bashed and detested for venting out my disappointment on the ongoing
state of affairs in the city that I call home - Delhi!
I have been that kind of a Delhiite who would pounce on the person talking ill about my city, defend it blindly to the extent of getting into a serious tiff. But it seemed the tables have now turned. The other day, a conversation with a friend left me surprised at my own self. The lines that I could never even dream of uttering where actually said by me - "I wish I was born in another city or a better country."
Trust me, I actually I have a sound sleep at nights, it's the mornings that give me nightmares about stepping out of home. The last week was upsetting. It seemed that I woke up every morning only to read about the brutal crimes. Be it the recent much publicized Uber Rape case or Mercedes Benz Manager who was hit with an iron rod by a youth whose car he 'brushed against'. Even while I could barely recuperate from these two high-profile cases, I experienced/heard of a few incidents myself that made me actually think that Delhi is going to the dogs.
Two days back, while having lunch, one of my colleagues informed me that there has been a murder at Nehru Place, one of the important IT and commercial hubs of Delhi and perhaps India and where my office is located. Apparently the fight broke over some petty parking lot issue. A shop owner and his son were attacked by a group of men that left both the father and son seriously injured. My jaw dropped. The reason couldn't have been more bizarre. I couldn't find any reports on the incident on the internet but the entire complex has been buzzing with the news - until it came in the papers.
As if this was not enough. To conclude my week, last night, while on my way back from work I was followed by a man on a bike. At first I took him as a regular flunky trying to act smart by trying to match up to the speed of the autorickshaw I was in but it was when I almost reached the road on which I live that I felt something was wrong. I immediately got off ten houses away from my own and reached out to the guard of one of the houses. Of course, it did help me scare away the stalker for the time being but I was not quite sure if I was safe the next time I stepped out of home.
At times I try to recall, was Delhi like this forever? Has our tolerance level come down or the number of criminal offences (recorded/not-recorded) have gone up over the years? Each day comes with its own challenges to survive in this city. People here seem to be oblivious of the fact that the other person too is a human, may be has a family to support, is a beloved of someone and is eagerly awaited to be welcomed at home. Taking out a weapon and attacking someone has become a matter of everyday. Since when did life become so cheap?
It's not that I have suddenly woken up from my slumber and chose to write this. It's just that since childhood I have been taught to ignore the letch ogling at me, be cautious about my surroundings and give a blind eye to those whistles and cheap remarks. But there's a limit to how much one can take.
I wonder is it actually the city or the people who make it a hell to live in? And that's when I get my answer. Those who indulge in evil give the city a bad name. And it pains to see the place where I am born and brought up being in the limelight for all the wrong reasons.
Wonder if my city was a little better, I would have loved it even more.
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| Image Source: The Times of India |
I have been that kind of a Delhiite who would pounce on the person talking ill about my city, defend it blindly to the extent of getting into a serious tiff. But it seemed the tables have now turned. The other day, a conversation with a friend left me surprised at my own self. The lines that I could never even dream of uttering where actually said by me - "I wish I was born in another city or a better country."
Trust me, I actually I have a sound sleep at nights, it's the mornings that give me nightmares about stepping out of home. The last week was upsetting. It seemed that I woke up every morning only to read about the brutal crimes. Be it the recent much publicized Uber Rape case or Mercedes Benz Manager who was hit with an iron rod by a youth whose car he 'brushed against'. Even while I could barely recuperate from these two high-profile cases, I experienced/heard of a few incidents myself that made me actually think that Delhi is going to the dogs.
Two days back, while having lunch, one of my colleagues informed me that there has been a murder at Nehru Place, one of the important IT and commercial hubs of Delhi and perhaps India and where my office is located. Apparently the fight broke over some petty parking lot issue. A shop owner and his son were attacked by a group of men that left both the father and son seriously injured. My jaw dropped. The reason couldn't have been more bizarre. I couldn't find any reports on the incident on the internet but the entire complex has been buzzing with the news - until it came in the papers.
As if this was not enough. To conclude my week, last night, while on my way back from work I was followed by a man on a bike. At first I took him as a regular flunky trying to act smart by trying to match up to the speed of the autorickshaw I was in but it was when I almost reached the road on which I live that I felt something was wrong. I immediately got off ten houses away from my own and reached out to the guard of one of the houses. Of course, it did help me scare away the stalker for the time being but I was not quite sure if I was safe the next time I stepped out of home.
At times I try to recall, was Delhi like this forever? Has our tolerance level come down or the number of criminal offences (recorded/not-recorded) have gone up over the years? Each day comes with its own challenges to survive in this city. People here seem to be oblivious of the fact that the other person too is a human, may be has a family to support, is a beloved of someone and is eagerly awaited to be welcomed at home. Taking out a weapon and attacking someone has become a matter of everyday. Since when did life become so cheap?
It's not that I have suddenly woken up from my slumber and chose to write this. It's just that since childhood I have been taught to ignore the letch ogling at me, be cautious about my surroundings and give a blind eye to those whistles and cheap remarks. But there's a limit to how much one can take.
I wonder is it actually the city or the people who make it a hell to live in? And that's when I get my answer. Those who indulge in evil give the city a bad name. And it pains to see the place where I am born and brought up being in the limelight for all the wrong reasons.
Wonder if my city was a little better, I would have loved it even more.
2 comments:
Anupriya, I feel your sentiment for I share the same. Stanley Bhaiya, the Mercedes manager who's in coma, is from my church. Keeping him and his family in prayers. Infact, keeping all the families in prayers. Its deeply disheartening that people have so much rage building in them and so less regard for the living. Its hair raising scary that you were followed and with all the incidents in the city (and elsewhere). Praying that We the people find patience, grow sensitivity, and kindness.
Thank you for sharing Anu, very well expressed.
Lets spread the message of love 10 folds more than they spread fear in our city
Thank you @Smita for reading and sharing your thoughts. I hope Mr. Stanley is doing fine. Have not been able to trace any news from that event after the previous week. I hope he gets well really soon.
Agree with you when yo say 'We the people find patience, grow sensitivity, and kindness', not only in our city but everywhere in the world.
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