Geleck Khedup with the LAST TWO CANDLES...
There is a thing or two I must learn about living in a free state. The idea of freedom, which is as stale as can ever, be. It is the idea of belonging that haunts and most importantly further alienates. Today the very few that were gathered at the candle light vigil should be able to put the missing pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that its emancipation is often mistaken. I see the growth of it all when I listen. The smiles and giggles here and there would explain indifference or rather self-indulgence (I would rather call them lost). I would have to exclude the laughter and smirks of the passer-bys (as today I heard none). The girl sporting the black Team Tibet zipper clearly announced rather incoherently but audible even for the common jack requesting the people not to smile or laugh during the procession towards the Arts Faculty. Last year during a similar protest a group of young Tibetan enthusiasts rallied bare torso with fiery paint symbolizing the pain of the self-immolation we have been seeing lately. I heard some quips of laughter when these young men were trying out something radical something new. I’m nowhere near blaming anyone here. I wish it could be only vaguely depressing when I come across such things but they don’t!
The candle light walk ended quickly and vaporized into thin air like the fag end of winter approaching by. The main highlights would have been the chanting of prayers in Tibetan (none of which I can recite or even read). I sheepishly walked along and a bit embarrassed of not being able to chant along. After two short announcements everyone dispersed leaving behind prayers behind who ended their lives with literally sparking up a revolution by burning themselves. Truly my heart goes out to all of them for what its worth. The last ones to leave were me my girlfriend and her sister who was glued on the phone. Just before leaving I found the guard blowing out all the candles. When he reached the fourth candle I asked him to stop. As much as my broken Hindi would allow me to express my annoyance, I did it with gusto! My girlfriend’s sister also chipped in a bit (her Hindi a bit superior to mine). At this point the guard said that he was given orders to blow out the candles. He seemed relentless at first but said if one of us would stay behind it would mean that the affair would be still considered to be on full swing. To humor him was the last thing on my mind but since I was waiting for a friend of mine I told him to bugger off and cockishly replied that I would stay till the candles burned out.
The wait was rather cold and chilly (not that I’m complaining). I began to contemplate and noticed that having chic looking Tibetan girls with knee high boots passing out flyers get more response. As anAspiring Tibetan my heart gets rather heavy after such meets. My thoughts and beliefs often get the better out of me and most of the times get frowned upon and sometimes near being disowned. There is an onslaught of something so bizarre and dysfunctional going on that not talking about would be criminal. Keeping my personal conflicts aside. After a half and hours wait and being treated to coffee and a late snack. I walked back to the Arts Faculty and asked my friend to click a picture of the last two candles that were still burning. Religious or non-religious the things and events have been talking place and the violation of all human rights in Tibet is simply wrong and unjust. I wonder if democracy here is a blur one can only imagine how things would be on the other side. Lives are precious to everyone…isn’t it!
