Home is no more a safe place or a comforting thought for many these days in many parts of the world. Many are refugees or what we call homeless. Separated kids from their parents; lost and confused, with dried tear- marks etched all over their faces evoke very little sympathy because our human milk has dried out. Hungry and frightened they wander aimlessly in ghost towns or drown in deep blue seas to escape the misery. They may seem a lot in our headlines but very few of these settle happily od meet happy endings.
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Deafening sounds of bombs in the middle of night, followed by the grey smoke, swallowing everything familiar. Turning dwellings …beautiful cities into a piece of rubble. Entire communities are being wiped off from the face of the earth in a wild-frenzy, by their cruel monarch or a tyrant or even a religion crazy unruly mob. Frightening indeed are these pictures of a century, which hasn’t seen its’ first twenty years yet .
A cruel culture of war and destruction is emerging where nothing matters, nothing is considered on the ground of humanity and kindness. Accept that animal like desire or ambition to ride above all, rule or destroy.
Small girls are being gang raped, young thinkers, bread winners be-headed. Old tortured, even buried alive…list of this inhumane behaviour is endless. And we all are mere spectators. World leaders are silent, world community is silent. It pains no body, no body bothers, because they are either far away or belong to other community, other religion, speak different languages … live on the other side of the fence.
This is the shameful and unreal reality of our Time. Our time which has almost forgotten to care and respect other fellow human beings, because everything is so commercialized. It has reduced human-beings to insignificant status –there living or dead life draws no attention. Their suffering or ill-fated death is just another news only to the world. Feelings, relationship, even the caring for ones’ own parents are now considered old fashioned way of living. No good to family or society. If one does not provide, is not productive , or source of some money, is no good to any one any more !
Lekhni is a magazine of art and literature, it has always celebrated whatever is beautiful and lasting in our lives, in our society. Sensation is never our motto. But in this issue of Lekhni, we have tried to depict the uselessness and horror of war and hatred. To highlight a point we have put ugly and horrible beside the good and beautiful. Ripple causing is not our motto but every drop matters in the ocean. A good powerful movement or tide, is their combined effort and parting is never pleasant; be it from our familiar way of existing , from our beloved people or from our peaceful and time tested believes.
All is not lost yet. Let us all still believe in the goodness of mankind and hope that peace will prevail on our planet. Amen!! Theme for July-August is -Disarmament: Definitely a brave step closer towards World’s peace. Your thoughts and views in form of prose and poetry are most welcome. Last date for submission is june the 7th.
See you again in the month of July with lot more new and exciting read.
Shail Agrawal
