Tentacles.

As i walked down the avenue after a frenzied and satisfying bout of shopping , drenched in the sweet smell of Nithyamalli ,the jasmine creeper,blooming in the 100's twining over a steel arch of a tall gate way that was out of reach of greedily gathering hands of a few and thus its scent was made available to all, be it residents of the row of houses or passersby and under the reddish light , the dying rays of a tired sun filtering through bunches of blood red gulmohar flowers that crowns several trees and soaked in the bounties nature offers along with the spiritual solace which no amount of money can buy or be manufactured by man to be bought, i saw a neta dressed in crisp costly cotton, face bright with the conquests made, wearing a charming smile that came easily lighting up all the features , gliding in a car seated erect and elegant ,surveying his domain and subjects with a benevolent look.

A cold shiver ran down my spine.The deserted street suddenly lost its ethereal quality and all those trees suddenly looked dark and threatening ,throwing their gloomy shadows ,giving the street a haunted look .I shed the deliberately dallying adopted just a few minutes before and quickened my pace.

As i reached my street ,the easy street ,after some how managing to negotiate the unbelievable parade of never ending vehicles,speeding,honking and braking on the main thoroughfare , the unpleasant odour associated with this area assailed my nose that was coupled with the odious view of ugly stringing of chicken and meat in revolting rows in a corner shop .The street was filled with workers drinking tea and eating cakes and biscuits after a hard days work whilst children ran around chasing each other and women filled plastic pots with water from handpumps which is more or less their24 \7 duty .

I then bumped into a motley group of local dadas in yellow faded dhothis that have seen several washes and wringing, busying themselves with the oncoming much awaited local temple festival .The dark and supposedly the most dangerous rowdy of them all looked my way.

My steps didnot falter at this nor did my heart flutter in fear.Instead i felt a surge of pity.For all their muscle power their influence or the power over life and death extends possibly only to a maximum of a 100 or so?But that neta's and several such's and specially of those at the top have far reaching tentacles covered in smooth velvet gloves spreading through out this country of ours, affecting millions and more .

Strange it may seem but it sure is the truth.I felt no fear on seeing those openly aggresive and violent men .They appeared pathetic to me.A dirty but neverthless a handy tool to be used and discarded at will by netas comfortably enconsed in their aseptic environs with sweet smiles lingering eternally on winsome visages exuding a radiance that power and wealth automatically confers.