SOME VIEWS OF THE ARBIAN SEA - SURATHKAL BEACH MANGLORE ( DAKSHINA KARNATAKA )

                                            

 Aey Mouje balaa Unko Bhi Zara - Do Chaar Thapeide Halqe Se ,

Kuchh Log Abi Taq Saahil se Tufaan Kaa Nazaara kartey Hain    . 

(O High Tide! Reach to them and splash them gently three four times ,

Since some  people still continue to watch the turbulence
from the safe distance of the sea shore)

Water, so essential to life on this planet was perhaps provided free to us by nature .Our selfishness made us to spoil it wherever it existed . We even did not spare the sources. We treated our lakes shabbily dumping all our wastes . They  got choked and contaminated . We threw our drains and sewerages back to the pure water source below the soil making everything unfit for consumption. The village wells have since dried up . The village ponds are nothing less than mud and filth . our underground water has arsenic , lead and other poisonous substances .Our rivers carry entire filth of the lanes and drains of our cities .we have angered the rain god as well. Where is the water to drink now?

Yes buy in bottles and pay for the collective negligence .Buy a litre for 12 Rupees or 15 Rupees or 20 Rupees or even 50 rupees . On my recent visit to Mangalore , I bought it at Rs 15 a litre from the market . again at Indira Gandhi international airport  I bought it for Rs27 a litre from the shops outside the arrival lounge. The Hotel where I stayed for my morning flight to Managlore charged Rs50 for one litre bottle .I have also checked up and found that the wholesale price of  a litre bottle is just Rs6 to 7 only. The manufacturer must be selling for Rs4 to 5 at the most . Who regulates the sale price of bottled drinking water in the country ?could any person let me know? I request the government to intervene and ensure that the sale price of one  litre bottle does not go beyond Rs10 at any station or centre in the country. Else we shall be shortly buying this commodity at Rs100 per litre .

Enjoy this  brief story on bottled water with some views of Surath kal beach near Mangalore ( Arbian sea ). The pictures were clicked by me recently .Every time I visit a sleepy beach with sand , sun and villas , I am reminded of Albert Camus Novel OUTSIDER. The characters of Marie , Meursault , Celeste ,Raymond and Salmano start reliving and creating images in my mind .

Zabt Ka Aihad bhi hai Shouq Ka Paimaan Bhi hai ,
Aihad o Paimaan se Guzar jaane ko ji Chaahtaa hai
Dard Itnaa hai Ki Har Rag Me hai Mehshar Barpaa,
Aur sukoon Aisaa ki Mar Jaane ko Ji Chaahtaa hai

( Faiz Ahmed Faiz )

My vow of restraint ,Also my desire’s covenant ,
But I wish to move beyond pledges and promises .
Pain so intense , there is a riot in every vein-
And such a tranquility that I would rather cease to be.

( Translation from urdu by Shiv K . Kumar )