The great Gods in punishment made him roll a boulder up a hill.
But the boulder would always roll down before he could reach the top of the hill. And he had to start all over again.This chap called Sisyphus and Sisyphean tasks need no introduction. We live our work lives don’t we ?
Sisyphean…is this work of sweeping our streets. Here are pictures clicked at very different places.
The lady was in Mahabaleshwar. There she was. Poignant. Persistent. And attentive. To the last speck of garbage on road. She collected all of it and kept it in a small basket. And walked away. Ofcourse, she didnt bother about the dog that cames along and sniffed the basket. And whatever it did from there on.
Cut to scene 2:
Mumbai. Closer home.
The man sweeps mud and dust off the road. There is a whole lot which flies off and settles on other side of the road. And perhaps when he sweeps from that side, will fly and settle on this side. He gathers whatever he gathers and tosses it into a big container in the tractor behind him. A whole lot of dust drifts aimlessly. Settling wherever it can.
Cut.
Scene 3:
Madurai.
A man with a fluorescent jacket is at work. With a shoe on leg. Collecting a heap of mud to to create another heap. In some time, an ants version of Mt. Everest forms ! He moves on.
A bus passes by. The gust from the passing bus, reduces Mt.Everest to a hillock. He doesn’t care. He is creating another Mt.Everest. Many more. Everyday.
Scene 4:
As i am typing this, there is a set of people on TV. Debating election results. And what it means for the country. Loud men & women they are. With some numbers and fancy graphs in the background. They make intelligent sounding points. They definitely seem to have sound.
I hear them talking of ‘Clean sweep in Bihar’ ‘Clean sweep in ….’ ! Occassionally, they are mumbling something about some ‘fundamental change’ that needs to be ushered in. That makes me wonder if they are replaying the last election’s analysis.
But with that ‘fundamental change’ point : I am all excited. We need to bring in fundamental change.
Ofcourse, I am talking of sweeping here!