CAR(E)
FREE MORNING AT ELLIOT’S BEACH
HOW IT LOOKS ON A NORMAL DAY ....
And the day dawned finally. The beach
would wear a different look today. The drizzles which started early morning
continued and I was somewhat pessimistic about the turn out. Surprisingly, it
was a large crowd that was all pumped up and greeted The Hindu team.
There was not a dull moment. The public
numbering over a few hundreds were enthusiastically following the simple yoga
postures that the Team Hindu leader was demonstrating from the stage. There was
music, aerobatics, dances and what not ! And to involve children, there was
life sized ‘Snake & Ladder’ and other games.
A few enthusiastic youngsters were engaged in serius badminton game, unmindful of what is going around. And then, there was
this group of ladies who were vociferously telling people why ‘ Cerebral Palsy’
is not a disease, but only a state of the mind, and that the children with the
syndrome should be unconditionally accepted and not looked down. What they want
is empathy and not sympathy etc., etc.
It was such a pleasure to see the empty walk way. On any given day, and
especially on a Sunday morning, the area would be full of two wheelers and four
wheelers. And you will not get a parking slot. Surprisingly, the entire public
seemed totally oblivious about the drizzles that went on till about 9.00.
The stark contrast can be seen by
looking at the array of vehicles on a normal day and this Sunday. We have
resolved to observe all Sundays as ‘car free’ days at least from 6.00 AM to
9.00 AM. It would be a humble beginning, I am sure…..
A N A N D . . . . .
