Regression...

Ok, I only got a few more hours before my main exam starts and with nothing else to do as the books speak gibberish back at me, I figured, I might as well put in this series while it's still here in my head.
Does anyone remember the good ol' days.. when skeletons in the closet was a metaphor ? When kids worked after school or maybe stole from daddy's purse for extra money ? When beer cans were cool and kind of the forbidden fruit ? I miss those days.
I don't know. I just feel we've started off the new year on a really really bad note. I mean, 2007 has yet to shave it's first fortnight stubble off and already there's so many shockers popping up, scaring the Bejesus out of me.


It started with the ushering in of the New Year, actually. A pre-pubescent kid was kidnapped from Chennai and a ransom demand of Rs 5 lakhs was demanded. The body of the child was later found, skull bashed in. The police were eventually successful in capturing the kidnappers. Which is a funny term. Why ? They were 11 and 15 years old. Kids !! They wanted money to buy a mobile and to have a New Year party. They lure the victim to a house on the pretext of showing him video games, then held him there. When he screamed, they 'had no other alternative' than to kill him. The sad part is, this isn't what burned me up. It's what they did next. To prevent sniffer dogs from tracing the body, they covered the house with chilli powder ( an idea from a recent Tamil film hit ) which confuses the dogs. And then went on with their plan to get the mobile and still be on time for heir New Year party. Every step of this was premeditated. No remorse.No shame. And guess what, pals ? As they are juveniles, their names will never be known to us AND ( you're gonna love this part ) they'll be out on the streets in a maximum of 3 years since that's the best a juvenile court can sentence a 'child'. This is justice ? You have got to be kidding me !!

Of course, the Noida killings is now sure to be a story we can narrate to our grandkids decades from now. After the parents pleas for the missing children fell on deaf ears for more than a year as they were indeed children of a lesser God ( their parents do not form part of the voting population in that area.. so why would anyone care ? ), finally the unearthing of more than 17 bodies in skeletons has brought the 2 serial killers to the court room. Or has it ? I'm starting to sense falsehoods creeping into this once air tight case as each and every day goes by. The servant's claims, under narco analysis, of sexually abusing the children and cutting them up 'while his master knew nothing' is plain ridiculous - especially since the master claims he knew about it and ordered the guy to do the dastardly deed. What kind of narco analysis is that !! At any rate, as more and more bodies get uncovered, the duo continue to add to the initial number they quoted. But that's the point - why do we care ? We have them. Everyone knows they did it. They themselves say so. Either lynch them or go through the whle nine yards and hang them. Please don't tell me at the end of this story that they walk away on a technicality or get something silly like 50 years in prison reduced to 10 years for good behaviour. The kids deserve justice. And India doesn't need this scum.


Of course, close on his heels is the newly developing story of the skeletons of 4 kids found bound and gagged in a Congress dude's godown in Punjab. I mean, seriously, what the hell is going on here ? In Mumbai, we have a serial killer running loose and leaving beer cans next to the victims he kills and , weirdly enough, what should be a high profile case is totally out of the public eye. Maybe that's part of the strategy - bait him with his over confidence / cockiness. But it begs the question - would this approach have been followed if it were a bunch of ministers' children being targeted ? I mean, last I heard, Mumbai was a big place with lots of hiding spots for Beercan Bunty to be hiding. Yet this wait and watch approach. Hopefully, I'll be proven wrong and they'll nab this guy before this article goes out. Hopefully. If not, I pray we have a "V for Vendetta"- esque (anti?) hero swoop down on us. God knows India needs one badly.


And it's not the just the literal skeletons in the cupboard that's left a bad taste. Down South again in Kerala, once more, faith is put to the test. A national news channel went to Sabarimala with the aim of tracking down the 'divine light of MakaraJyothi' ( the shining of a star in the evening of the day on which the Sun passes from the Equator to the South - the most auspicious moment in a year) , said to come every Jan 14th, I believe, visible to all devotees from afar. In years gone by, DoorDarshan and All India Radio have broadcast this event to rapt audiences and devout followers. And then came this story. The news team followed the trail to the spot where the light appeared to come from. They found signs of burnt camphor and kerosene. They also interviewed a former government officer in charge of the proceedings who admitted that the light was , in fact, made by them, detailing the procedure of how it was done. Non - Keralites will probably scratch their head wondering what's my point ? Well, you see, we've grown up 'believing' the light to be a divine miracle as part of Lord Ayyappa's blessings..that's why millions throng to SabariMala around this time of the year to see it. Now, you tell us it's a 'state sponsored deception' of our faith. And the counter argument from the leaders ..God !! What was that ? " You shouldn't ask such questions. We may be doing it, but it's people's faith. They believe. That's all that matters. You musn't question it." On national Tv, no less. What kind of a shit hole answer is that, you moron ?? Atleast do the normal 'Deny everything' routine properly!!! Suddenly all my fights with God seem so small when compared to this deception. But then again, I guess, it isn't all that shocking . Pity the millions who scurry there for their divine glimpse, though. No pillar so heavy as a crumblin' faith, me thinks.

Of course, the biggest travesty of justice still remains a mystery here in India. One for which no one has an answer.. not today, perhaps not ever. Once more, it has been proven that, in the end, name and fame can mask anything, even a slow killing poison. I'm speaking, of course, of the illusion that has left me stunned as 2006 ended - HOW THE HELL DID KABHI ALVIDA NA KEHNA ( @ 150 crore rupees ) BECOME THE ALL-TIME BIGGEST INTERNATIONAL HIT OF BOLLYWOOD ???
Are there no limits to this insanity and suffering we have to endure ?

Personally, I think 2007's started in a fashion similar to ol' mommy Britney.. just a tad too revealing for my tastes. Hopefully, they'l both sober down and settle into more subtle shades as January passes. Me, I have places to be, seats to fill and dots to darken . Somewhere, there's a Pg seat calling for me...I'm coming, honey.
Till we meet again, Godspeed.