Whisper

Background

The experience of visiting some of the best museums in the world is truly awe-inspiring. It literally seems like taking a ‘walking tour’ of the world. However, how much of the world has been plundered to create those displays was a thought that kept haunting me time and again. Nations have started demanding their treasures back and rightfully so. Their plea has fallen upon deaf ears. In one way, these museums do great service to the world by preserving and protecting artifacts which at least in some cases would have otherwise fallen to ruin – we are all familiar with how easily this could happen in India. Nevertheless, a nation does have a right to its history and relics that represent that. But then who says everything in life is fair and square
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Whisper...

I drifted from one gallery to another
In wonderment of what lay ahead further
It seemed like the whole world had converged under one large roof
The sun rushed in through the glass top…determined it stood!

People posed for pictures…
Some kneeled in front of the displays
To capture their mere presence at this place
On to the sculpted marble...some others held on
To merge with a moment in time, by-gone

As I stood watching…I heard a whisper…

I looked around and everywhere
I heard it again…though saw no one there
I listened closely and found
In the corner of the room, from a column came that sound

‘Twas a column from an ancient stupa
Which stood tall…in all its splendor
Though now only a poor shadow of the past…
It was reminiscent of the days of grandeur
From the plaque I knew
It was one of the two
Together the twins
Adorned the gates of the shrine

It whispered…

I have stood here now
As many (years) have come and gone
I feel…here, I do not belong
I belong to a different time…a different place
Without me…which bears no grace

My soul yearns for my people…my land
Which lies incomplete without me and in ruin
I wish to be taken there
Where I am one amongst my kin
For there my soul will find peace within

I drifted again from that gallery to another
I heard more voice, cries from many others
From columns, statues, pillars and tombstones
That belonged to another time …another nation
They lay locked in their glass cases
All waiting for salvation!

Categories: Poems_