'Bubble' of Democracy!

We are living in stormy times, where turbulence shakes the world at every level—global, national, and regional. As man-made wars rage on and human-caused climate disasters scorch the earth, the ideologies and institutions that once stood as pillars of hope in the twentieth century are now crumbling, weighed down by nepotism, personality cults, and sycophancy. At the heart of this growing disorder is the tragic reduction of democracy to a mere word—an empty badge of pride, worn without true understanding of its essence or the profound responsibility it demands. Democracy, now too often reduced to the ritual of elections, allows politicians to claim the "will of the majority." But in this age of coalition politics and the manipulation of voter preferences through digital narratives, we find ourselves trapped in a fragile bubble of democracy—one that could burst at any moment.

One of the greatest threats to democracy lies in the infiltration of celebrity culture and fandom into politics. When politicians become more like celebrities, aided by image consultants and public relations experts, they start expecting blind admiration from voters, as though they are fans, not citizens. Political parties are evolving into a kind of religion, demanding uncritical loyalty to both strengths and flaws, good and bad. Any dissenting voice, no matter how valid, is treated as an existential threat to the political system.

No human being is always right or always wrong. The same holds true for political organizations, which are, after all, groups of (im)perfect people. They, too, can never be right or wrong all the time. Divergent voices and spirited debates are the lifeblood of resilient institutions, enabling them to navigate even the stormiest of times.

It was in 2020 that Justice Chandrachud made a powerful observation that bridge the 'imaginary' discontinuity between democracy and debate. He stated, "Dissent is the safety-valve of democracy." Dissent creates room for self-correction within any system. The ability to acknowledge mistakes and make amends is a mark of true moral strength and integrity.

In a world where dissent and democracy are seen as opposing forces, and the crucial safety valves of democracy—dissent, debate, self-correction, and adaptation—have been rendered ineffective, we stand on the brink of democracy's irreversible collapse. The democratic bubble is already riddled with cracks, and it’s only a matter of time before it bursts.  

Gurupooja on Vijayadashami

Dedicated to Jayasree Ma'am with love

To the one who taught me how to learn,

Whose gentle hand, leading me into the world of wisdom,
Ignited in my soul an ever-burning flame,
A thirst for knowledge, to learn and unlearn,
To forever seek and question,
And embrace the art of thinking beyond the confines of certainty.

You planted within me the seeds of curiosity,
Evergreen, blooming each day
In ways both unexpected and wondrous.

You bestowed upon me the sacred love for learning,
Boundless and pure,
And charged me with the moral duty to share this light,
To offer my hand to those in search,
To guide with humility
As I ascend higher into the temple of wisdom.

Your guidance, like a beacon,
Has kept many from wandering astray,
Leading them onto the radiant path of knowledge.

For all your students—those whom you’ve called your own
And those whose hearts you’ve adopted along the way—
We offer our deepest gratitude,
A bouquet of blossoms laid humbly before you,
For sharing with us the greatest treasure,
A gift no thief can steal, no force can claim.

You taught us to transcend the shallow use of knowledge,
To rise above its mere pursuit for power or praise,
To see it as a prayer,
A sacred offering,
Lifting us closer to the truth
And the divine.

Ashes to Flight

A girl in her tender teens
dreams of chasing rainbows,
a world of colour and wonder,
enticing her to explore.

The twenties arrive, a time of flight,
where ambitions bloom like wildflowers,
and aspirations soar on wings
woven from faith and confidence,
in the boundless power within.

But then, the thirties come—
and the life boat meets fierce waves,
rocking in perilous ways.
You tell yourself it’s just a storm,
that vibrant days of joy and light
wait just beyond the horizon.

Yet, as the thirties close with a thunderous crash,
you find yourself in fragments,
shattered and scattered,
pieces to be gathered, mended,
while your yearning for a soulmate
fades into the wilderness of endless time.

The forties stand as a daunting peak—
a time to glance back at broken shards
of who you once believed yourself to be.
The promises once held like treasure
have dissolved into nothing,
crushing your ego like fragile glass.
You stumble through the dark,
tasting the bitterness of shattered wings
and crumbled dreams.

But now, it is time to awaken—
to rise from the ashes of lost years
and forgotten dreams,
to rebuild with strength anew,
and let the flame of your rebirth
light the path ahead.

If still you don’t wake up,
eternal slumber will claim you forever.