Time to get a room!!

Man, even as a social being has always tried to perfect the personal side of his life. Dreaming of building a perfect home to him is a valid activity to do than building a street or a city. That is definitely alright and to be fair, that is no doubt the better thing to do. But when I was in New Delhi a few days back on some personal work and was walking near the India-Gate/Parliament/Rashtrapathi-Bhavan area, the things that I saw were ugly and disappointing.

Firstly, what I saw in the gardens alongside the 3 kilometer long road from India-Gate to Rashtrapathi-Bhavan were several young couples having active foreplay (no kidding) while few other regular families tried not to be embarrassed having their kids play a few yards away from them. I could simply ignore them and go on my way and that is what I did. But something in me just doesn’t feel right. Now if I say that I hated them, will that make me a conservative fool? Am I being a narrow minded asshole like the RSS or say other religious groups? I don’t care because that is exactly what I felt and I don’t take that back. I was furious at them and still am. It was because I was there standing at the place that I had studied about in my social studies text books since I was a child. Having seen the pictures of those monuments (not just buildings) in the form of sketches in text books, it was a moment of pride for me. I was there once when I was in elementary school but as one can imagine, it was mostly a typical tourist visit that only had photo sessions when you stand at attention and smile at the camera. Now I don’t expect all of them to stand there with a flag pinned to their pockets and saluting the national flag. Hell I’m no patriot myself. But doesn’t the place deserve some respect; at least to an extent that you shouldn’t fuck there? After all it is where the parade takes place on the republic day every year. The place where the “Amar Jawan Jyoti”, reminds the sacrifice of the martyrs who died for the country in the freedom movement and the succeeding wars for the defense of sovereignty of their country. People, most importantly, leaders and statesmen, the founding fathers of the present day India have walked there. The place is much more than a road where you can take clever pictures like you were actually lifting the India-Gate or holding the Rashtrapathi-Bhavan by its tip. There is a sense of history that is attached to it. It is a matter of pride. The damage being done to that cannot be measured and sadly there are no practical threats that this may pose. Does this mean that the issue need not be addressed? Of course it should be.

The thoughts took me to a much simpler question. Is public display of affection a bad thing or an anti-social thing? I don’t feel so and I shall never say so. But isn’t there a thin line between what is displaying affection and what is screwing around in public. It all depends on the aesthetics I guess and I don’t talk about what is “acceptable” in public because that is an entirely different study as what is acceptable might depend on so many factors like history and culture of that region. The only scenario I’m addressing here is the lack of respect to the place and what it means to some young people of the country while they do what they do sitting at what to me feels like the one place that every one of us should feel privileged to just stand and appreciate. There was a point when I thought that I was being hyper. Just because I was from somewhere else and those people were living in Delhi all along and they just got used to the place and don’t really pay attention to all these frail and unimportant things. I might just be a Hill-Billy while they are the local people there and they know more about the place than I do.  But that is no excuse because the fact that they live there only makes them more responsible and they shouldn’t be told by an outsider like me to value what they possess.

Interestingly, another thought crossed my mind. Is what we see/hear about what happens in say Kailasagiri (Vizag) or Necklace Road (Hyderabad) same as what is happening there in New Delhi? May be yes. The statues on the tank bund in Hyderabad (those that remained after certain uncivilized fuckers demolished them) are all about the greatness of the cultural heritage that our state has. No matter how old-school I may sound, I honestly feel that if anything, we should only feel proud and respect what they represent. Disrespecting them in whatever way is only insulting our own past. The Buddha statue that stands still at the center of the lake is not there as a show-piece. It is a way of remembering the noble soul, the “Light of Asia” whose simple ideals have transformed the course of human history; whose lessons have inspired not just people but civilizations and religions too. Doesn’t that mean anything? Isn’t relieving sexual pleasures there the most disgusting way of insulting them? A thousand more of such thoughts ran through my mind as I walked alone from the India-Gate to the Rashtrapathi-Bhavan twice during my 3 day stay there and no need to mention, it was a privilege to have walked on that road.

Talking about a similar issue, last week when I was in Hyderabad, my uncle told me that the famous Golconda fort in Hyderabad has been temporarily closed for the tourists because of the same reason i.e., excessive indecent activities going on and I remember I was once asked several questions before I was permitted to enter the “Qutub Shahi tombs” as it was Valentine’s day and they didn’t want any funny business. I had to convince them that I was there alone just to see that place and that I didn’t have a girl already in there. Now that I think about that day, isn’t that sad? I mean, they are tombs for God’s sake. If that doesn’t deserve some respect then I don’t know what does.

Okay so all that I am saying is that people should at least stop insulting such places if they find it hard to respect them. Things that I would like to see are boards that would say: “Get a Room Perverts” in all such places and then sincerely hope that they would work. It’s funny how we make so many funny jokes about the leaders and the parliamentarians ruining our country and all but a few hundred meters away from where our constitution was passed and from where on republic day, the world watches as the floats representing each state of our country make their way portraying with all grandeur the rich cultural diversity that we have; things like this happen and no one seem to care. Here, we not only fail as civilized citizens of the country but as rational human-beings. Certain things are meant for the privacy of the four walls and are better that way. If you really want to satisfy your urges do it somewhere else or if it is just a kinky way to do it in public, you are sick bastards. But that is not what I really wanted to address. All I wish to see is more respect to the places that we take for granted forgetting their history and significance. I personally would consider it an honor and stand in front of and take a picture of the India-Gate that is built in memory of the Indian soldiers and I only feel it is fair enough that I expect people to do the same. I know I cannot force these things because I don’t have the right or the authority to impose. If I had powers to punish them I wouldn’t hesitate even for a second to slap the shit out of those assholes and remind them about the greatness of the place where they are standing.

Man has come a long way since the stone ages and it only right to behave as such. There should be a media campaign teaching the “educated” youth of the nation that historical and heritage centers were not constructed by our ancestors so that one day, a bunch of hormone rich perverts could fuck each other and insult their greatness. Each of such places has its own fascinating story. If you are too busy to learn about them, at least try and respect them. After all, we are all human beings and not animals.

P.s.. Sadly, I know that these things never change and if anything, they will only get worse. What should I do now? Forget about them and do what I regularly do… appreciate beauty, love it and respect it.

Cheers!!!