Give Peace a Chance

‘Heal the world and make it a better place’, was the message passed by the students of D.E.S. Law College, Pune when they organised a peace march last Saturday. This peace march was organised as a response to the recent terror attack in Mumbai which caused lurking fear and anxiety for three days. We became so appalled by the sheer enormity of the devastation that we didn’t know what to do other than empathize with the city. As one of the students said, it is not easy to see these things in the evening and go to work the next day like nothing happened.

Distressed by the turn of events, we made a decision to organise a march to prove that the fanatic terrorists cannot quell the spirit of the maximum city. Every pathetic attempt to provoke discord in any part of the nation shall only help us rise above the barriers of caste, community and region. These attacks will be feeble if we stand together and face the adversity with our heads held high. This was the idea when the students of D.E.S. Law College walked through F.C. Road and J.M. Road, holding candles and placards in their hands. It was homage to all the brave souls who laid down their lives to rid us of the chaos and also to the innocent people who lost their lives and loved ones.

Thousands of eyes lit up when they saw the students spreading the message of peace and humanity. Heads turned and people stood up to take notice. The march suggested that the struggle is yet not over and will never be until we, the entire human race, come together and become one. There was no propaganda; all we meant to put across was that the world has seen enough hate. It’s time we make it a better place by giving peace a chance. It may not lessen the grief of the victims but if we have been able to give some hope to a frustrated soul or change the angry mind-set of one person I think it was worth the effort.

India

Languages to culture, water to air, temperature to soil, India varies at very footstep. It is said that you can find a new dialect after every five kilometres. It may not make a huge difference but the constitution itself recognises as many as 22 languages.

Now, this is so since time immemorial, yet we are one of the oldest surving societies. What is that quality that makes us stand apart? What is it that gives us that quality of survival against all odds? Surely not religion, we hardly have that in common.

I am still figuring out.
Sorting out answers...