Society abuzz with hocus-pocus as election fair looms

It is the time wherein almost everyone is being distributed in different groups. There is some sort of unity among a few as well as lots of arguments and criticizing of the others. Concept of jingoism could be witnessed here. You can see the banners everywhere. The subliminal advertising is going on. Swap the channels and you keep looking at the same faces trying to convince you in the best possible manner.

In one channel, you see someone speak so convincingly that you seem to have already swept off your feet and you are in favour of him and the very next moment, someone else is providing you with the facts and statistics and many valid proofs and trying to convince and prove you that the previous person you heard talking was making fake promises and simply building castles in the air!

These are all professionals and the old faces and have been doing this since a few years and you see someone tearing the crowd apart and he is now representing the “MANGO MAN”. (Common man) He is a commoner just like you and me. But once he is on the stage, he is no longer the audience.

Some other person claims to do the job well as he inherits it. Whereas the other claims to have already been doing a great job and he would like to carry on with the same!

It's the time of a grand fair nearing. The poor people of the state can afford only one ticket and choose just one magician. The state is been lit up grandly with pomp and show. There is anticipation, like that of when you are almost nearing the climax of a thriller novel. You keep biting your nails and want to know who killed her?  Look forward to who will finally continue to perform magic tricks on the state until the next show?

The stage is well prepared. The audience is well seated. Many are standing yet trying to be a part of the show. Watching it is our right they say! So everyone must watch it. There is a marvellous aura that has being created. Every magician has his own chant like “abracadabra”. The lights are off. There is beating of drums and also some sort of music in the background.

The magicians come one by one. Their supporters cheer them. The mood has been set up. Just like when we go to watch a movie, our minds are subconsciously set to believe whatever is screened is true and that is the only way to enjoy the movie. In the same way, the people have made up their minds to support and believe their favorite magicians.

First magician comes, and there is a spot light on him. The rest is completely dark. He has worn the typical attire best suited for his job. He takes off his hat and puts his hand in it, and takes off birds named policies. The audience is amazed and happy. They clap but don't realize that the birds flew away.

The next magician performs another beautiful trick wherein he asks the audience to volunteer and come forward and get tricked. One bold man named Bhaarat, steps up. He is made to lie down on the long table and is covered with the black blanket and the magician's good looking helper slowly pushes the table and the person lies there as though unconscious. He doesn't fall down. The magician seems to whisper some chants and they could see, bhaarat rising up! Everyone clapped and were happy to witness something as such and the magician questioned, “Don't you wish to see Bhaarat rise higher? Choose me and I will make it happen.”

The tricks continued and people enjoyed. The show came to an end. One of the Magicians was selected. The people leaving the fair talked among themselves. One man said, “I have seen these tricks the previous years too”. The others joined and the talks on this continued until they reached their home. The aura formed in their mind was slowly disappearing. The mist was now getting clear and they realized they got tricked again! The tricks were performed in the dark after all. There were no more banners about the show. There were no more speeches and advertisements on the same. It seemed as though all that they witnessed never happened.

The people waited for the next year to come just like the previous years…. Such a fair is nearing again. Go ahead and don't forget, being a part of it is your Right. Just go ahead. Maybe this year we keep our eyes wide open and don't get tricked. After all we have the right to choose. Let us be wise and make the best decision.

Arpita Chipkar is a student of Journalism and a regular contributor to Coastaldigest.com