The Great Indian Tamasha

As Indian democracy ‘s festive season comes to a close, the voters or the power creators; the way I like to address us, wait anxiously for the result it’s important to reflect on this ‘power’ that we have. All was said and done. It’s now a thing of the past, but are we any better? There are flurries of questions that keep my mind occupied. All I've done this season of politics is played devil’s advocate with myself. But as we stand looking at yet another beginning of an era, can we find stability and are we as individuals doing anything to make our society an enhanced place.

As most quote, ‘The most important elections India has ever seen’. It was an election of a one-man lead army looking for revival and a party thriving to move beyond dynasty politics. Emergence and looking for domination of regional parties and different ideologies took birth. The rat race for the ‘power’ of the world’s largest democracy got deeper, crueler, dirtier and fiercer with time. But what have the citizens of this largest democracy done to lift themselves. Did we fall prey to the custodians of democracy or did we become slaves instead.

With each and every turn this great tamasha took, India witnessed the growth of emphasis on self evaluation. Apart from being glued to our television sets, what did the citizens take away. Let’s be thankful that at least due to elections we see our politician’s faces once in five years. Instead of passing on the blame to the other side have we looked at ourselves first?  As some of us can’t even get ourselves to go and vote for reasons of sheer laziness, there’s little that the country can expect from bright citizens like us.  A voter turnout of 66% which is the best till date is still far from perfect.

The months were filled with high levels of drama everywhere. It would well run in theatres for years. Marketing and branding of single men promising to take India to new heights or parties trying to prove the work they did. I fail to understand why does one need to prove the work he’s done! This entire episode of Indian democracy was no less that an enthralling movie. I say so, because it had all the elements to make it one. Only time will tell whose villain and whose the hero, as in every hindi movie the hero always conquers the rogue.  It was perfectly packed with twists and turns at intervals to keep the audience engaged. The point is were we any better than mere spectators? We were made to see a picture not what we wanted but we were shown. Are the voters of this noble country smart to read between the lines?

Amongst the shrouded clouds of dirty politics and blame game, the war to the centre intensified. Different parties looked for different path ways that lead to 7RCR and a magical figure of 272. While some played caste cards to win hearts, few took the route via the hindi heart-land. With the negatives of politics on one side and unfaithful ways of winning, there’s much more to the great Indian tamasha. The elections were a sign of India’s strength to complete a massive nine-phase election. The ability of few good leaders to prove that this country still has potential. With the expensive campaigns on one-side, there still were new technologies and new marketing and PR strategies used. Something that I, as a youth take away are the people’s will to revitalize them. The niche tactic of winning hearts and yet again the feeling of belonging to this country re-established itself in me.

Like every person waiting for a new sunrise, I am waiting for one too. Like every citizen fed of corruption and red-tapism, I am looking for new governance too.  Like every youth I am hopeful of better technology and development in the name of new government. When the water is filled with dirt, the creatures have no hope of surviving. I feel like that being struggling for breath. But as the 16^th nears, comes a hope of a better existence.  As India is on the eve of counting 550 million votes, let’s hope that tomorrow India sees a new crack of dawn. With renewed beliefs, India will awake to life and freedom.