Darkness below

Dear Diary,

In the volunteered blackout of the whole nation on April 5, 2020- in each house there was the ignition of 'sacrifice,' 'tribute,' 'hope,' 'unity,' 'bliss' and the illumination which circumvented the citizens of the Indian Republic. The honourable and beloved Prime Minister of India: Shri Narendrabhai Modi had demanded complete nine minutes of his friends and relatives (i.e., the citizens; as the Hindu Kshatriya Kings consider the public as their sons and daughters; I have termed a more general metaphor ) residing in any part of the nation at nine o'clock in the night. He also requested people to undergo a mass blackout for that period so, the light which is emitted by a diya (lamp) or a candle or torch can be noticed very briefly. There might have been a serious apprehension of communal riots in his mind that is why he had not told to light a specific thing and surely that statement is my perception of things- no need to take seriously.

A demand from such a dignified man is ought to be taken seriously and most of the public did. Somewhere across the country a Mohammedan might be igniting a Hindu's lamp to sound above these unwanted frequent riots that we are equal, we are bound by 'unity!' The dropping lachrymose ignited lamps or candle or torches of those unfortunate people who had their acquaintances and intimates bereaved; a unified 'sacrifice.' The other fellow unaffected countrymen were supporting this endeavour as a 'tribute' for those social workers who cure you, who protect you, who clean for you and also for those who are on duty. Kinsmen of those poor affected souls contributed their nine minutes for their getting cured- a donation of 'hope.' Where there are jovial children, even strangers delight or envy; these young clusters of softness would have surely enjoyed spontaneous turning on and off of torches and swinging the emitted beam here and there! They attained 'bliss.'

Contrary to all observations and analysis of various people contributed- I think there are some homes in which a flame, very feeble, often burns throughout the year; without even reaching its stronghold!!! In the light of this day's night I ruminated the condition of those families who are surviving in a hut or merely a ramshackle rubble with some vacancies. They have never espied the true expanse of an LED bulb or flashlight- they have only survived in that incandescent flame for years but still I think they might have also donated this time for the country.

With that though in mind and that period of contribution remaining only to three minutes- I rushed towards my Mother and asked her for a diya to light it; she argued on not putting more but I hurried her and then it was in my hand. On the parapet there were three of them glowing to which I added a fourth one by placing beside them.

I lighted it and my mind gave the words, "O hut dwellers! You will get an LED tubelight overhead and a tile below your feet!" I should not forget that beneath a lamp there is also darkness but it can be ignored as well...