Comedy Series called Congress!! but could have been any party....

Our vacation visit to India has been really exciting and fun. More fun for Achyuta with all the attention and presents given to him. A visit to India is our way of letting him learn the culture and understanding the family.

Until recently i considered politics to be politics & like a lot others had taken the congress domination in stride and also accepted the numorous parties off-springing almost every other day. I seriously believed in some politicians ideology and even followed their moves with interest.

So very enthusiastic i was that as an nine year old i went about collecting the parties badges during the elections and also traded the dual ones with friends and took pride in my collection of a tens of the badges and even remembered the slogans being shouted. At one point i along with my brother even had toured in the small truck with the posters and shouted the slogans at the top our voice. All this only for a couple of badges and a free stale samosa. We could very well afford a fresh samosa but a free stale samosa possibly tasted better.

Years later i had even actively campaigned for a family friend. He was standing in the local municipal elections. I had put in my time and monetary free effort and even took pride doing it.

Such belief that i voted in all forms of elections while i was in India - doing a citizen's duty.

Lot has changed in the years but not much has changed with politics. Huge cutouts & banners of the politicians adorn the streets from villages to cities alike.

Chappals & shoes are routinely hurled at the speaker of the house. Chairs are broken, dhotis pulled down, slogans screamed, members chased around the house and the house getting adjourned to ensure that normalcy returns.

Normalcy returns with rejuvenated force - New chairs are broken with more gusto, abuses hurled freely. When they enter the house the uniformed Usher shows them in with a salute but its not long before they show themselves out to avoid being hit with the different sized flying shoes and abuses.

All shown on T.V routinely.

Yet i was pretty interested in politics be it in India or elsewhere and then saw the light.

While in Bangalore, there was a procession held by the congress to protest something. We showed Achyuta the procession with people mostly wearing white and carrying party flags and bursting fire crackers. Why they burst celebratory fire crackers in a protest procession ?- no idea but Achyuta had this to say about the scene -

" Ohh i like the procession and fire crackers and i think Congress means the start of a new comedy series".

We laughed at his innocent yet factual comment. I had been watching the many such comedy series for years.

My six year old saw the truth in six minutes and i couldnt fathom that in forty years - such is reality!