The Last Ferry
The prisoners of Caca Island
"Ah! I can see the land
and smell the fragrant soil.
seems we will back to home, soon."
Remarked the petite Bhuvan, pointing his fingers to the coast. Bhuvan was among the many other immigrant labours returning that day from the faraway Caca island. years back they have left their homeland to find a good livelihood to sustain their poor families at the famine-stricken part of India.
Kaali Handi, as they called it in Orissa. It is 68+ years post Independence, yet the country was still struggling to find independence from poverty, hunger and many such social evils. Today was no different.
Bhuvan, along with other workers who went around the globe and Saudi Arab were returning back to the country today. The life looked rosy outside but the reality was nothing like it. They struggled not just for wages or food in that foreign land but they also struggled for their identity. They lived like rats in dirty, decaying human godowns and were tortured by their masters. They would work 20 hours a day, yet could manage a very meagre salary.
He often wondered that when he is not differentiating the land that is giving him his sustenance, why would the citizens differentiate? He could never understand the point of difference or the rift. He worked there for thus long until one day he could not take any more. He was beaten black and blue at the work. Fault? Not worth mentioning. He went to the beach to drown his pain and cry his heart out.
He heard the announcement of a ferry leaving the coast. It was the last ferry for his homeland. He wasted no breath and ran to board it. I will be home soon, he told himself. But whether it will be his home too? He asked himself. Unsure about the answer, he sailed.
"A human is not a trademark of a land
he is an inhabitant, a co-habitant.
The land is the deity,
mother nature that he worships
irrespective of the boundaries.
Brothers do not divide their parents,
you keep the ear portion,
the hand portion is mine.
So then why do we differentiate
Mother Earth?
for its Ember always smells divine".
________
10 Visitor's Comments:
Hi Folks,
You heard me...now its time for Bouquets and Brickbats!