Travelogues

Our  inked  fingers! Right after inking our index finger in the 18th general elections, we proceeded to a week-long stay in a homestay in the Tehri mountains of Uttarakhand. The ranges are beautiful, as usually are mountainous regions everywhere (more so for people from the plains), and more than anything else the cool climes are a charming relief from the burning heat on the plains of northern India during this time of the year. Not that the summers don't have their own special charms like having the king of fruits -  Aam  (mangoes of myriad varieties),  Kharbooja  (Muskmelon), and  Tarbooja  (Watermelon). What to talk of the excellent mountainous fruits that come along each year from a friend's sasural (in-laws) which includes raw, soft, juicy  Badams  (almonds),  Loquat  (Japanese Plums),  Aadu  (Peaches) and  Aalubukhara  (Plums) - all hand plucked and oozing with lots of love from  Rampur Bushahar ...

This morning too was the same as any other day at Mohali, but then it was the day of the 10th General Election of India from the time I was eligible to vote. After the usual morning walk, we exercised our rights to cast our vote at the polling booth at a nearby school. Each time I have voted, over all these years, I ask myself "Why is it that there is so much enthusiasm in public about elections? What exactly is that drives people like me to do it?". I, for one, may not actually, by any means be committed to voting, for instance, this time I went to vote only since we were in-station and had not much to do and moreover, election day is a government holiday. To vote whom (and why) was another dilemma that clouded my silly mind this time. Strong leadership inspires me surely but to be strong at the behest of communities does not behoove my consciousness. I also had the predicament of a lack of choices as alternatives. NOTA as a choice was not too convincing too! Democracy and s...