I received invitation from a friend to participate in RastaRocko. I was in lets-try-new mood, so went.
The Rastarocko is to protest against the locking down of a Temple in my friend's colony by the Municipal authority. The Rally was already started when i reached their colony. I parked my bike and participated in it. I was still not decided to participate in the road-blockage.
The percentage of people according to age and gender is intriguing. The rally is headed by youth. Not even ten members and most of them are known to me. I was surprised to notice the low participation of youth from that colony. Its a big colony and i have seen the youth power in Ganesh Pandal. I bowed to the father of my friend in respect and joined youth.
A large gang of ladies followed behind , with banners depicting the temple behind bars. I agree, a group of middle aged aunties should not be called a gang, but they are more active and looked more ferocious than the youth ahead of them, and middle aged men following them.
I let the rally move ahead of me to join the Uncles behind the train. They are slow, sloppy but shouting the right slogans. Like the youth , they are not much in number. Its like kids are running faster, mothers are behind them shouting and fathers slowly walking behind knowing how the whole story going to end. However, the choice of slogans shows their distorted aim and how they want to get focus on them but not on the actual issue. The whole protest is for a temple of Lord Venkateswara, and the slogans were " Jai Sri Ram" and " Bharat mata ki jai" .
Few priests with pigtails and a well groomed local politician were waiting for us at the cross roads.Soon , everybody started settling down on the road. Its Nagarjuna Sagar Highway which we are trying to block. Its a four lane road, with bunch of always-half-asleep traffic police controlling it.
Initially i was hesitant to sit on the road to block, that too for cause of a temple. But then i thought, i might not get another opportunity to sit on road with my friends. Its not that bad, road is relatively comfortable to sit except i cant lean back with support of elbows. Sun is not too harsh on us, i was hoping that the police will bring us tea.
The gathering grew as many BJP members joined it. Slogans are unrelated and just RSS stuff. The well groomed local leader , like father of a bride, over excited but wants to maintain cool demeanor, tried to prove his leadership qualities by giving new slogans. That attempt backfired, they are long and not catchy. The new guys from BJP continued their standard slogans which are largely unrelated to the temple issue. Everybody is waiting for the media to shoot them and police to arrest them.
Sat there till legs got numb. When i woke up walked few steps, the numbness and fun are gone. The traffic jam beginning to build up. I felt guilty a little, for blocking the traffic for a temple. Why could not God help devotees construct temples. Why cant Lord Venkateswara appear in the dream of that municipal officer like Lord Rama did in the case of Sri Ramadasu.
When i returned after tea-break, the traffic jam expanded beyond horizon. It was frustrating and irritating. My friend tells me that four college students, in car, struck in the traffic and they have to go to an exam. They are just behind the gang of ladies holding banners. I could not do much except offering sympathies. I walked further tried to guide few vehicles to take a detour to escape the jam. Some listened , some didnt. Soon, police from nearest police station came.. The local leader is nowhere to be seen now. The talks were successful , everybody agreed to get up from the road and let the traffic flow. Jam was cleared in less than 3 minutes.
Everybody congratulated everybody for making it a huge success and left.
