Between the two Blocks (ours and the adjacent) is located the Jagadish Temple on the right and Kali Temple on the left frequented by the residents of all the Blocks around. It also has a Charitable Dispensary with good doctors and a Physiotherapy Centre with efficient technicians. These amenities again increase footfall to the premise.
Just before the gate to the Temple there lies a pile of garbage on the left. Somebody has thoughtfully placed a broken table there too. Crossing over the gate the heap of the pile gets an extended space by the wall of the Kali Temple.
Old chacha sweeps the rain splashed street to the temple and shoves the dirt into the pile. But the pile is a fixture. It’s never cleaned or removed.
He happily agreed to be photographed while contributing to the dirt load.
Next to the pile is a strategically placed water cooler from which the aam junta (mostly the Temple helps and the beggars) drinks water.
There is a huge banyan tree, as you turn slightly left towards the Kali Temple, which can now be called ancient by the thickness of its girth, the spread of its branches and the length of its shade. Needless to say, the devotees place diyas underneath for all the blessings it brings to humanity. Right behind the tree is a hand pump or tube well which rightfully keeps the ground beneath wet in all seasons.
Amidst all these paraphernalia, snackes in a thick, wide iron pipe, recently laid by the Delhi Jal Board, to pump out the excess water that gets accumulated in the adjacent Block after rainfall. The muddy, turbid water flows straight into the ground in front of the Kali Temple (metaphorically at the feet of the deity), the left side path to which, has been barricaded by an iron mesh.
As a result, we now have to cross over the pipe onto the wet grounds around the hand pump and then again manoeuvre our way over a makeshift speed breaker, on which a long roll of plastic water pipe seems to be perpetually kept, to reach across to the deity.
While I was clicking a devout was reverently bowing to Mother Goddess.
This is also the way to the nearest Metro Station by the left side of the main Temple. Besides the Temple visitors, a large part of the crowd being the elderly, commuters of different age groups too use this short cut to catch the train. There’s a school behind the Temple and a Market next to it.
As evening falls the way to the Temple darkens in the absence of street lights. If one has to avoid this route the longer detour is through the huge park (about which I have already written many times) at the back of the Kali Temple.
Didi (elder sister) took the initiative of writing a letter to our Resident Welfare Association (RWA) signed by the residents, detailing the difficulties faced by all, more specifically by the old and aged members, to reach the Temple, the Metro Station and the big park (This is also an easy way to the park for some residents). This was followed by a talk with the Temple priests by Didi and a former Councellor and Block resident, They were advised to speak to the Head Priest. Yesterday evening, Didi spoke to him who in turn told her to speak to the current Councellor. As we requested him to re-position the water cooler his clear answer was that it would be done when the pipe gets re-placed. The removal of the dirt pile was not even considered.
In the meantime, the RWA , which formally received the letter two days later – evidence of how ‘busy’ they are in “other more important matters” – directed that the letter be written to the Chief Minister (bypassing the RWA???). Incidentally, our locality falls in her constituency.
We learnt through a very reliable source that the Municipal Councellor (who accorded approval for the laying of the pipe) was evasive on the issue while visiting the premise. The ladies of the Block, who had enthusiastically signed the letter, now avoids active participation in the follow-up course putting the responsibility squarely on my sister. Some even went on to suggest that the responsibility should now be delegated to me.
This rainy morning as I was walking past the Temple the loud speaker crooned Jagjit Singh’s immortal bhajan ” tu hi bigaade tu hi sawaare” (You are the breaker You are the maker). Perhaps a divine intervention is required to resolve the issue.
Walking through the park I see two swallows chasing each other on my favourite red bench. Two for Joy…as we used to believe in our carefree childhood days.
I wind back to that innocent belief. Perhaps Mother Goddess is listening to our prayers!!!
एक छोटा सा काम करवाने के लिये आम आदमी को कितने पापड़ बेलने पड़ते हे,जब कि असल में शहरियों को सुविधा पहुंचाना हुकूमत और इस काम से जुड़े मुलाजिमों का फ़र्ज़ हे.
आपकी दीदी ने शुरुआत की हे,कभी तो इसका फल मिले गा.
Let the innocent belief of two birds sitting on your favourite bench bringing you joy be true.
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Given the state of everything, call it apathy, highhandedness, ignorance or inactivity, we have to now depend on symbols provided by the swallow.
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A beautiful blessing, Nusrat!
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And of course on the bhajan sung by Jagjit Singh ji- tu hee bigade ,tu hee sawarey.
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We humans have no hand in it. It’s always the Omnipotent working around us.
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Disrespectful of both deities and elders
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Absolutely. I agree with you.
Thank you so much Derrrick 🙏
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Bureaucracy at its finest. 😦 I find it amazing that government officials tend to be the same, as are the processes, no matter where one is in the world.
I appreciate the glimpse into your life and the situation with the temple. I hope saner minds will prevail and the situation will improve.
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We, in this part, nurture a fixed idea that everything in the West is systematic and aboveboard. Your comment busts the myth.
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Beautifully narrated!
The contrast between the ancient banyan tree and the reality of local politics is so vivid.
Let’s hope for that divine intervention! 🙏❤️
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Thank you Luisa. I am hoping and praying too.
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You’re more than welcome!
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Most interesting, Geeta.
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Thank you Chris.
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The whole thing seems to like trap laid for the unwary to fall, get tangled in the pipe or slip on the water. I hope some action is taken to resolve this mess.
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I hope so too dear Sadje. The place used to be so spic and span. And now it’s becoming a dump yard.
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Very sad. The environment near a temple needs to be clean.
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Absolutely. It depends upon the Management. How they think. Let’s see what happens
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All the best.
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This is the way around the world, Geeta. Everyone complains, but when it comes time for them to take action, they fade in the background leaving the task to the one who leads. And then there are the politicians who keep passing on the responsibility, as well. I hope your area gets cleaned and safe to walk through once again.
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The birds are so cute. I hope the inconvenience you had will be fixed soon. And I wish people will stop throwing trash to lessen old chacha’s work. Hugs to him.
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Thank you Hazel. I hope they will keep the temple premises clean.
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Yes. My pleasure, gc
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Chief Minister, Oops. Lack of involvement from society members and the irresponsible behaviour of RWA is a common challenge in many societies.
I agree only divine intervention can make a difference.
There is a marathi saying, “शिवाजी जन्माला यावा, पण शेजारच्या घरात!”. We all wish someone else would fight the system.
Good luck Geetaji.
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This, for a reader on the other side of the world, is a priceless glimpse into other ways and lives. I totally enjoyed it.
One thing never changes, though ~ no matter where you go, bureaucracy is the same! 🤣
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