What is a government machinery, if not a place where decadence is cultivated and nurtured? Across the paan stained corridors of the 'Mahiti Khata', there exists a room which is different from all the others, while the others have the purpose of their creation etched on the door, this one has an empty slot as an introduction. The inmates- an owl, an orangutan and a weepy donkey- sit idly in their respective spaces, staring at computer screens. " So what is today's issue for the day- riots in Tamil Nadu over the movie Vishwaroopam or the sad issue of communalism ?" asks the weepy donkey, wiping a tear from its right eye.
Discussions don't necessarily need an announcement in this room, the orangutan and the donkey have enough insights on every conceivable issue to keep themselves engaged in mournful discussions, while the owl, the wise one that it is, moderates a few of these discussions or in certain cases ignores them to blatantly fall asleep. On the forehead of each inmate sticks the word 'institutionalised' - they have been co-opted by the system that has more hands than needed. 'Mahiti Khata' is no different from government machinery all over the country.
"Hierarchy is the word to remember here", says the orangutan adjusting the glasses drooping of its nose. " Don't be surprised by what you see here, apart from the grizzly bear at the top, all of us here are usually idle why you ask? well, that is because we are chained to our chairs, throughout this machinery are doors, we cannot see the insides of as the chains don't go that far," adds the orangutan.
The grizzly bear has bigger chains, though it knows more, it acts also less. He is so entangled in the system and has become part of the paan stained walls. The rats scurry around him, three chairs outside his room are occupied by three rats, on the run as soon as the bell rings 'trring trring'. On other times they ferociously read the news paper.
The orangutan starts flailing its arms and begins to make loud noises of aggression, the weepy donkey goes back into its shell, it is crying for yet another cause, the owl lights a cigarette and falls asleep halfway through it. The bear rings the bell, the rats go scurrying in, another day ends.
Discussions don't necessarily need an announcement in this room, the orangutan and the donkey have enough insights on every conceivable issue to keep themselves engaged in mournful discussions, while the owl, the wise one that it is, moderates a few of these discussions or in certain cases ignores them to blatantly fall asleep. On the forehead of each inmate sticks the word 'institutionalised' - they have been co-opted by the system that has more hands than needed. 'Mahiti Khata' is no different from government machinery all over the country.
"Hierarchy is the word to remember here", says the orangutan adjusting the glasses drooping of its nose. " Don't be surprised by what you see here, apart from the grizzly bear at the top, all of us here are usually idle why you ask? well, that is because we are chained to our chairs, throughout this machinery are doors, we cannot see the insides of as the chains don't go that far," adds the orangutan.
The grizzly bear has bigger chains, though it knows more, it acts also less. He is so entangled in the system and has become part of the paan stained walls. The rats scurry around him, three chairs outside his room are occupied by three rats, on the run as soon as the bell rings 'trring trring'. On other times they ferociously read the news paper.
The orangutan starts flailing its arms and begins to make loud noises of aggression, the weepy donkey goes back into its shell, it is crying for yet another cause, the owl lights a cigarette and falls asleep halfway through it. The bear rings the bell, the rats go scurrying in, another day ends.
