It’s really hot out here in
Kochi, or rather in Kerala. I expected the heat of election campaigns to outdo
the natures. But for now, my expectations has got a thumbs down. Nature
definitely wins. Wins by large margin!!!
Kerala, I believe is the
only state that does the “marching” very religiously – Left Right Left
Right….and the march goes on and on and on….
Even this time around, the
walls have become dirty with those “Faceposters”, but one difference I found
was that, I could see a good number of “Face Paintings” on the walls and where
ever the paint stays! Looks good though. At least an artist is getting paid (hope
so). Seriously, these face paintings look good, but for the rosy lips!!!. But
where are those loud speakers or “kolambis”? where are those jeeps and
ambassadors which used to be covered with the candidate posters and banners and
logos? Why am I not getting to hear those “parody” songs? Where are those
support groups who bang our gates and walk in straight with that typical “grin”
and handover us the manifestos? Are those boys not in job for throwing the
“promisory” papers, “vaakdhaanangal niranja paperukal”?
Everything and anything OLD,
is GOLD. I have been fortunate enough to live through those traditional
election campaigning days. Today, I come home in the evening, and my mother
says, with a very humble face, “innum aarum vannileda, election ingu
ethile..…ini eppo vannitta….” and I am like, “hellooooo, where’s my
coffee???” She doesn’t know what’s happening in the digital space. She knows
that I have an FB account…ooops…Facebook account, my sister has one etc., but
does she little know that our,
malayalees, ever green political mega stars too have an Facebook account now and
its there that the heat of the election campaign is felt and that’s where the
real fight is happening.
I don’t think it’s just my mother’s
situation, but most of ours parents, mostly mothers. The kolambis has been
replaced by trolls, jeeps and Ambi’s by timelines, support groups has taken
shape in the form of likes, shares and comments and how we benefit is, our ears
are not polluted by those “prasangams”, our house gates are in good shape,
verandas are not littered with the posters and newsletters and the best part –
we do not get to see those sweat dripping faces and grins!!!
Yes, it’s very hot. Why
simply take the heat? Its digital era. Let’s campaign digitally. It’s a nice
place out there. No 38-40 degrees heat, No sweating it out, No sound pollution,
No walks, No throat drying talks, No wastage of paper and many many more…..Now
if we don’t like any of these trolls, shares, messages, videos, don’t get
irritated, JUST DELETE IT. Athreyullu.
Tonight, while dining, my
mother, after listening to my “tuition classes” on the digital campaign’s and
related things, all she said was this…
“enna pinne aa facebook
kunthrandathil poyi kutthannulla samvidhaanam undaakaan para….veyilum kollanda,
queuelum nikkanda, viralum cheethayaakkanda….”
My reply –“facebookkil povaanonnum
pattila….kerane pattu”!!!
