TIRANGA

The old man while walking heard

an old Raj Kapoor’s film song –

“O Brother be careful when you walk

look forward and backward and sideways’

the old man stopped looked ahead –

he saw a truck load of coolies

chattering unrecognizably

perhaps complaining of their daily toil.

 

Then he looked behind and saw

a bike procession speeding up the

street holding ‘Tirangas’.

He looked sideways and saw

curious men women coming up

almost surrounding him.

 

He talked to himself

I saw back and front left and right

how can I move forward?

Then he heard the bikers shouting

stop the traffic , stop the traffic

the truck must stop

we are on a Tiranga march.

The old man decided to go back home

the tricolour will fly

the bikes will move

but the Indian in me

must stop at home.

No Tiranga flies on my housetop

as I stay in a small flat

on the ninth floor

but I must shout Tiranga Zindabad

otherwise my breathing may stop.