Govinda gela re!

Photo Credit: DNA

Was meaning to write on Janmashtami quite earlier… or as us Mumbaikars fondly
call it “Govinda”… But a wedding got in the way! Here’s my take on it:




They piled
their faith or
the lack of it
onto trucks,
Volvo buses,
tempos, carts
and all things
with wheels.

Scores of ‘em
turned
foot soldiers
running riot
on the roads.

Several were
reborn ‘Rasta’farians,
draggin’ on ganja…
while others
downed cheap
beer holed up
in rickshaws.

Brandishing
flags of
mandals,
Shiva’s militia
and maha
rashtra’s
new architects
insignia;
the politics
of the festival
played out.

Human pyramids
rose and fell
faster than
real estate prices;
as new-age
maakhan chors,
clambered atop
each other.

The puny kid
came into
his own
as he
pussyfooted
his way
to the top;
head-butting
the handi
and bathing
in the deluge.

Spoils were up
for the taking;
money strung
on the pot
and five minutes
of TV coverage,
fame in the making.

The task done,
triumphant boys
revelled astride
their vehicles,
whistling,
jeering,
hissing at
women.

In the name
of religion,
libido
spilled
onto the
streets.