A prominent English newspaper of Kolkata regularly invites pictures from the readers upon a chosen topic each month; the current topic being “Silver Linings”.
Everyday 5-10 elegant pictures of the setting sun playing peek-a-boo behind the clouds are getting published; the skyline might be of Kolkata or rural Bengal, Qutub Minar or Eiffel Tower. As a matter of fact, I have also sent a picture of sun rays piercing through white clouds above a rural setting!
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As I am regularly viewing the pictures with much eagerness, the other day an exceptional picture not only met my eye, but hit my heart as well. Also I mentally thanked the sender of the picture for interpreting “Silver Linings” in a metaphorical way, not literally. The picture showed a young lady sitting upon a road with deep philosophical eyes and a little girl playing with a few toys with pure smiles and joy in face though poverty written upon the appearance of both of them. No wonder the photographer has discovered “Silver Linings” in the frame as the body language of the two characters clearly imply that they are simply refusing to get bogged down to poverty and sufferings. The photographer deserves kudos for thinking and viewing in a different way i.e. outside the “mainstream”!
However with passage of time, certain contrary thoughts have started emanating in my mind revolving the picture. The photographer had perceived Optimism within the act and stance of his subjects. I also got impressed on the sight of the two unvanquished figures; surely many have also thought likewise. But would the photographer and fellow minded persons agree to put our feet within the shoe worn by the young lady and the little girl? At least I would not as I am not ready to sacrifice my middle-class existence! Then why should I draw inspiration from the “Silver Linings” being transmitted from the folks of the road? If I wish to learn to fight various adversities in my life in a valiant way by thinking that at least I am in a better position than those two fighting smiling figures; then am I not acting selfish by treating them as mere pawns in the war of life.
Thanks to the instant lockdown without notice in March 2020, millions of poorest of poor were negotiating the highways in almost starved stomachs while undergoing the long arduous journey walking back home hundreds or thousands of kms away. Though hundreds of those unfortunate folks collapsed upon the streets out of heat strokes or accidents, surely few of them were seen to be smilingly marching home despite being hungry, tired and sleepless! Now on witnessing the sight, if I only draw inspiration from their positive attitude of life and move on; am I not overlooking another side of the coin i.e. the heartlessness embedded within the whole episode? Shouldn’t I question why they had felt compelled to frantically walk home in the cruelest of conditions! Why they had got subjected to such a mental and physical turmoil when the privileged folks were “enjoying” the pandemic-induced-lockdown to the full. Shouldn’t I feel ashamed that despite billions of our fellow citizens burning in the hell of acute poverty and hunger; we are made to hear the relentless trumpet of India’s “development” and “modernity”!
