The last will

The dusk approached

And darkness gripped slowly

The nerves were dipping

And the sight was blurred

The traveler of love was approaching

the last mile stone

Rehearsing within was one question

Will you remember me as martyr?

No you will not

My love is meaningless

Meaningless as I am

The heart bled for you

Till I was alive

The color of that blood

Was not red nor black

It was white

And thus ended this life

Worth lived in pain

The pain that was

The greatest treasure of love

Worth admiring, worth remembering

Now I am dead

But the pain remained

Remained as the powerful emotion

But more powerful is its narrative

The narrative is my last will

For all who will fail to be martyred

THE NIGHTINGALE’S ASSASSIN

It was raining heavily. Thunder and wild rain seemed frightening for everyone; for everything. The view was hazy from the glass window but the sound of splash as the rain lashed on to the glass window was imperturbable. The atmosphere within was rather languid than the climate outside; the compartment was relaxing in peace. She was resting her head at the window with eyes closed. Her face calm but some lines of thought were perceptibly etched on her forehead. The Train was whistling, bustling and speeding towards the last resort. The forward journey of train was pulling her backward. A nostalgic drive rehearsed within her. The rest was a rest in past.

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Everyone was on the street just perpendicular to the primary school of the village. Men, women, children – all were whistling, dancing and were setting off fire-works. They were drunk in their celebration. Most of the children, whose ribs one could count were naked and all men in their lungis were looking half naked. The thatched huts of mud, famine stricken paddy fields and stinking water bodies added to the ambience – ambience of a rare gala.

Sara was garlanded and everyone was offering sweets to her; after all she was the reason for this festivity. Sara was the first to pass matriculation exam in her village. It was history not only because
someone has passed it for the first time but she made history because of her gender too. She was a source of pride, a symbol of excellence and an icon worth inspiring in her village and in villages nearby. She was the admirable Crichton for all the tribal girls. Her performance was as different as her appearance. She was an unlikely tribal girl. Her eyes were illuminant and spoke for her intelligence. She had deep brown eyes, striking, worth dying for, the symbols of her calmness and self containment. Sara was fair and tall. She had been studious ever since books and teachers entered her small world.


Boys were singing and dancing in the front row of the small caravan, the men following them in row were beating drum; the sound of drum beating was loud and constant. This happy caravan approached every home of the village and every villager contributed in the noble cause of educating Sara as if their daughter was going to study. Enough funds were raised to admit Sara in a college for her further studies. Sara turned cheerless when she had to leave the village. The orphan Sara looked at her empty hut with hope and hopelessness for one last time. She loaded her luggage in the rickshaw and boarded the bus – the villagers had booked a bus ticket for her. She was sad on leaving her village and nervous about joining a college in city.

Sara made herself comfortable in City College very quickly. Her love for books and hunger for knowledge quadrupled in the new learning environment. One day while studying in the library, he came closer to her and asked, “Do we know each other” and he laughed, laughed as abderian. She gazed at him very keenly and said, “No. No I guess not”. The boy reacted suddenly as if he was ready for it, “then we must know each other, mustn’t we?” “Yes. We can.” Sara nodded her head with both acknowledgment and suspicion. “Do you know we are in same class?” the boy interrupted Sara’s reading again. “Oh really, then we are friends from now.” “I’m Sara” she said. “I know” He replied, “I am Raj”. She laughed for the first time after this friendship deal.

Sara visited her village after a year. It was more pathetic now. Sara noticed while coming to the village from the city that the neighbouring was empty and silent. Sara was worried about the village conditions. In the moon light she walked to the sarpanch's home, who was relaxing on his bed outside the hut with a beedi in one hand. “Oh Sara,” he got up from his bed and greeted Sara. “Come. Sit Here”. Sara gave him a half
hearted smile and asked him, “Why is the nearby village deadly calm, and why does our village look more pathetic now?” It was more pathetic for Sara after coming from the city, earlier she had never noticed that ‘patheticness’. The sarpanch felt uncomfortable and muttered indistinctly. Then after taking a deep breath he said, “Daughter, the situation here is worsening. Some big company has acquired that village, and they are asking for our land too.” The tension and distress was visible on his face. Sara
felt the anxiety. Sarpanch, after making himself little relaxed said, “You don’t worry my daughter. We are fighting against it. You just focus on your studies”

During her journey back to the city she felt the pain for her village entrenched in her mind. She tried, in vain, to get rid of her village memory but it was not possible. Sitting in the college canteen alone she was brooding. The weather outside was pleasant and suddenly Raj came in. “You are here. I was looking for you in library”. Sara smiled. Looking into the deep eyes of Sara, Raj started expressing his self in poetic strains. “Do you know Sara, your eyes are magnetic?” Sara felt little uncomfortable and just smiled. Encouraged, Raj uttered a couplet for Sara

Although your fine, young body gave rise to sighs

I was held captive by your tribal eyes

Sara laughed. “Tribal eyes??” she said and continued laughing. “Raj. You are amazing.” Poetic Raj was all ready to impress Sara. “Sara,” he said and took a deep breath. “Sara. I like you.” Sara was not shattered, nor was it exactly unexpected for her. Raj conjured up his literary tools and started singing

I know we're apart but not for long

I hope that day won’t be too long

As I am here waiting for you

To show and share my life with you

So hold my hand and

Hear my Heart this is for YOU .....

Sara smiled and her deep brown eyes started spilling the warmth which Raj wanted to see in her eyes for a long time. Raj keeps on continuing “Sara you are my nightingale”. “Marry me” said Raj finally. Sara promised to marry him but after graduating next year and after seeking permission with her Uncle.
This was the day of Raj’s excitement. All students were in festive mood. The graduation party was at its full swing. Raj asked Sara, “When you are going to the village?” Sara replied, “Tomorrow”. “And when you are coming back?” asked Raj. Wondering Sara asked Raj “When do you want me to come?” “On 1st of September,” Sara thought for a moment in her typical way of rolling her eyes left and right, and said, “Ok. We will meet on the 1^st.” Raj handed the rose to Sara with a great hope.

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It was the Ticket Checker who broke the silence of the compartment. “Ticket please,” he shouted. “Madam, please, can I see your ticket?” She opened her eyes for the first time, rolled it left and right. “Yes. One minute please”. Some more passengers had boarded the train. It was no more the place for nostalgic journey. But she tried it again, resting her head on the window once her ticket was checked. She realized a moment later that someone was staring at her, trying to read those lines on forehead and waiting for her to open her eyes. She opened her eyes; a man was sitting just opposite to her.

“Do we know each other?” the stranger asked her and laughed. This was the same abderian which she had heard long ago in her life. Then both of them laughed, laughed in their own way, at their own meaning. “Sara!” exclaimed the man. “Raj,” said Sara. Sara felt that tingling calmness again, as a deadly silence descended between them. Everything seemed still. Raj looked into those hazel pools of her eyes and tried to read them again. “Don’t! Don't look at me like that again! It’s no more the same. It’s not yours anymore,” blinked those brown eyes in return for the searing and searching glance that Raj gave.

A hawker entered the train and startled every passenger. “Chae, sir, chae.” “Do you want some tea?” asked the gentleman to Sara. "Yes Raj," she said without any emotion. Holding the tea cup with both hands, it was apparent that she wanted to avoid Raj. He asked, “Why Sara? Why?” “Why is as irrelevant for me as is the motion of this train,” she replied. Her eye was full of angst and anxiety; there was nothing so deep about it now, nothing. All this while tides changed on Raj’s complexion. His gesture was of a man who was about to die for some unknown reason. He tried to probe again. “Where are you going?” “Are you married?” asked Sara in reply. Unprepared Raj kept the cup back and said, “Yes and you?” he enquired. She smiled and pressed her lips with teeth and replied discretely, “It’s not for me. Not anymore.”

Adding her melodious voice to the atmosphere along with the unpleasant sound of train she said, “Do you know what Seamus Heaney says?” “No” replied Raj. She said “he says,

History says, don’t Hope

On this side of the grave,

But then, once in a lifetime

The longed – for tidal wave

Of justice can rise up,

And hope and history rhyme.”

“He is right, I guess,” claimed Raj. “Do you know I like these lines of Tennyson?

This truth within thy mind rehearse

That in a boundless universe

Is boundless better, boundless worse”

“Boundless worse, yes, there is boundless worse,” said Sara crossing her legs. Train was now moving constantly. Both of them started staring outside. There was no thunder. No rain. Moon light appeared. The moon had its own story to tell.

“It was this same weather that day when I was talking to you on my mirror,” again breaking the silence said Sara. “They finally raided our village as the resistance was not allowing them to acquire our land,” tears had left runnels down her cheek. Resting her head on the glass window she started speaking distinctly and discretely, “We are landless. We are dispossessed. Our women were raped; men were shot at point blank.” The Train was slowing down and so was her pace of speaking. In her broken voice she said, “I was raped, raped thrice that night.”

The Train stopped. She gathered her luggage and tried to escape. Raj followed her. “Sara, don’t go… Wait … Tell me. Who did this to you?!”

The Train halted. Sara stepped down. Raj followed her. A battalion of CRPF was loitering about, cracking jokes and laughing. Sara came back to Raj who was standing on the threshold of the train, holding the rod to overcome his nerves, she whispered, “Men in khaki.”

Train started moving. Moon hid under the cloud. Now it’s been years and years. She is dead. She was assassinated

Now she’s been dead nearly as many years

as that girl had lived. And of this circumstance

there is nothing to say at all.

Its silence silences.

O my Love !

Why I cant sleep

From nights and nights

Am I turning into an

Insomniac?

O my Love !

Where are you?

Come to me

Its been years

The days are

Restless

The nights are

Sleepless

O my Love !

Where are you?

All narrators are dead

The narration is struggling

Struggling for an expression

Expression which gives meaning

Meaning not to text

But to our own existence

O my Love !

Where are you?

Hold my hand

Or embrace me

Embrace me

Or hide me

Hide me

In your narrative

O my love !

Where are you?

Tears lost its way

Mind displaced

Spirit no more spirited

Dreams shattered

Shattered not of absence

But absence of presence

Made it noxious

O my Love !

Where are you?

Promise of

Sheeraz garden

Bosphorus bank

Taj mahal

A walk in paris

Is still alive

O my love !

O my love !

Am waiting

Waiting for that gentle touch

Which make me sane

Which deliver sense

Sense of meaning

Sense of being

Am missing that gentle touch

Touch which made me sensible

Sensible not for you

But for me

O my Love !

Where are you?

Night is passing

And soon the

Melody of azan

Will be in air

O my love

Come to me

End my anxiety

Open the chapter

The chapter

Of which

You are the first word

O my love

Where are you ?

THE IDEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF IMPERIALISM (2)

Psychology of Imperialism:

Imperialism is nothing but using power & force, and ensuring their stability & continued use. Power creates a special type of psychology. There are two sides to this psychology. One side is related to the ruler and the other to the ruled. A special type of psychology is created in the ruled people (or nation). The ruler or the imperialistic power has a distinct ideology. Authors like Octave Mannoni, Frantz Fanon, and Albert Memmi have explained the psychology that gets created due to imperialism and neo-colonialism.

Structured Violence:

Structured Violence is deeply rooted in the psychology of Imperialism. The colonies are a ground to execute violence. Frantz Fanon unveiling this psychology of Imperial power describes colony as “a place where an experience of violence and upheaval is lived, where violence is built into structure and institutions. It is implemented by persons of flesh and bone, such as the soldier, the administrator, the police officer, and the native chief. It is sustained by an imaginary - that is, an interrelated set of signs that present themselves, in every instance, as an indisputable and undisputed meaning. The violence insinuates itself into the economy, domestic life, language, consciousness.”

Frantz argues that “spirit of violence” is omnipresent, exposing the very psychology of imperial power. The imperial regime uses all legitimized means to extend violence.

Control over difference of opinion:

This is a primary psychology of power, and imperialism is incomplete without this. Critics and those having difference of opinion on imperial policies are taken into control by a particular methodology, and are kept in it directly or indirectly. This is the primary and the strongest specialty of imperialistic psychology. On the other hand those interpreters and policy makers who can be useful in the accomplishment imperialistic ideas are given opportunities. The primary function of imperial psychology is to decrease the difference of opinion in the field of politics, and to prove criticism and conflicts (with imperialism) meaningless.

Humiliation of the conquered nation:

This is the second prominent psychology of political imperialism. The imperial powers think that it’s their political right to humiliate the conquered nation. Different methods of humiliation of the conquered nations are fundamental to imperialistic psychology. By this humiliation they want to justify their rule; and the “growth” of oppressed is not possible without imperial support and aid. Orientalism developed as a science of study for this political project only.

Greed and Power: Weapon of Imperialists

Imperialist forces have always used greed and power to fulfill their ambitions. Psychologies evolve due to greed and power. As a result of force and power, the fear is imbibed in the seized nation. When this feeling of fear and greed makes space into the minds of the enslaved nation, it serves as a milestone towards the triumph of imperialist forces. To develop this feeling of fear, the concept of “terrorism” came into existence. In this way the terrorism is a political issue that came into being through imperialist ideology. So, the objective of the imperialist forces is to devise various policies to pull common man into fear and greed. For imperialist objectives, the force is used unsparingly irrespective of whether that is against our own people or not. Under this condition, it can be said that the nation has become imperialist.

New social order

The clear ideology of political imperialism is to, in the society where they wish to rule, devise an order for achievement of political aims. Sometimes this order contains division of the countries or religions, or sometimes to form the different worlds for rich and for poor. New social order is devised under the light of political aims and the idea, of dipping the groups into themselves so deep that they don’t remember each other, is not forgotten. No link between rich and poor is maintained. So, new social order is originated from imperialist ideology, and its real objective is the fulfillment of political aims

Awareness and philosophical enslavement

The last type of imperialist ideology is very obvious and also interesting. Imperialist ideology tries to enslave the awareness and ideology of the nation or community being ruled. It is done so that they never reach their consciousness and never feel that they are being subdued by others.

The other aspect of imperialism is emergence of the idea that force is the only source of victory: by adopting their education, science, culture and political policy can the suppressed ones develop. By using every source, the imperialist forces try to inculcate this thought or idea into the suppressed nations.

Now let me draw your attention towards a very important point. Imperialist ideologies and imperialist psychology are the two basic things which give rise to imperialism. The roots of imperialist nature, imperialist policy, imperialist culture, imperialist methodologies and imperialist exploitation are hidden in aforesaid two things. The deeper understanding we have on the above said two points, the more powerfully can we oppose them. Next important thing is that, for teaching and propagating imperialist ideas and psychologies, all the possible sources are used; therefore our literature, our art and our media are spent for this establishment. In the next chapter when we analyze imperialism in India the above said two points come to fore. On this basis we can form a view that to wage a war against imperialism, deeper understanding of imperialist ideas and psychology is indispensable.

THE IDEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF IMPERIALISM

(This is first half of the chapter of my book on imperialism)

"The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much." – Joseph Conrad

Political Imperialism: an Introduction

For the pioneering of one’s power and expansion of rule, new methods were employed in all ages. There always stands an Ideology behind these methods. Imperialism and Neo-colonialism is also such a method which blushed in the 19^th century in Europe. Imperialism and Neo-colonialism were inherently inevitable post the Age of Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution in Europe. Jules Ferry, prime minister of France in 1884 said: “In the area of economics, I am placing before you, with the support of some statistics, the considerations that justify the policy of colonial expansion, as seen from the perspective of a need, felt more and more urgently by the industrialized population of Europe and especially the people of our rich and hardworking country of France: the need for outlets [for exports]. Is this a fantasy? Is this a concern [that can wait] for the future? Or is this not a pressing need, one may say a crying need, of our industrial population?”

History is evident of the fact that war campaigns are not something new employed for the expansion of a nation. But the Age of Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution gave new ways, new direction, new ideology and new approach to it. Hence, the expansions and war campaigns post Industrial Revolution are very different from the expansions before. This difference is because of the evolution of terminologies “Neo-colonialism” and “Imperialism”.

Neo-colonialism and Imperialism are terms generally used in lieu of each other. But there are two basic differences between them. Firstly, neo-colonialism is confined to economic exploitation whereas imperialism compasses political, economic, social and cultural exploitation. Secondly, imperialism possesses an ideological background which drives neo-colonialism. According to Edward Said, “neo-colonialism is the necessary outcome of imperialism”. Imperialism is the expansion of one’s authority and using of power across the boundaries of one’s geographical limits. It is making captive, as by force and gain control of them.

Eckert writes, “Imperialism is a type of politics which remains active in order to expand its nation, and economical, political and ideological ideas of its culture. This expansion is not limited to the political boundaries.”

Oxford Dictionary defines imperialism as “a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means”

Schumpeter says, “Imperialism is objectless expansion, a pattern simply learned from the behavior of other nations and institutionalized into the domestic political processes of a state by a "warrior" class. This warrior class is created because of the need for defense, but, over time, the class will manufacture reasons to perpetuate its existence, usually through manipulation of crises”

Ideology of Political Imperialism:

Imperialistic policies and determination always remain in search of ideologies, ideologies which are helpful in the achievement of imperialistic objectives. Hence, imperialism possesses some ideologies within it or imports ideologies for the achievement of its objectives. This results in imperialism, simultaneously possessing policies of conflict and confrontation, and adopting any one of these according to the requirement.

Gibbon writes, “For every war a motive of safety or revenge, of honor or zeal, of right or convenience may be readily found in the jurisprudence of conquerors.”

The real motive of political imperialism is hidden in the expansion of empire, continued reign of power and exploitation of conquered nations for the benefit of the imperialistic nation. This is the basic principle of any power. The ways of achieving the stated motives may change but the basic principle remains the same:

1 Expansion of Empire

2 Stability & Expansion of power

3 Exploitation of conquered nations

These objectives are achieved through various means. War is a direct way of entry. Sometimes the entry is made taking the excuse of trade and business, some other times the excuse is for ‘imparting culture to the barbaric nations.’

An imperialistic power frames more ideologies in the light of the basic ideologies for making the accomplishment of its basic ideologies possible, thus ideology is created for achievement of (basic) ideology.

Thus framed ideologies are used for the fulfillment of core ideologies.

History and study show that the imperialistic powers usually use three framed ideologies in order to achieve their basic ideologies.

1 Framed Jargons

2 Ethical Reasoning

3 Enemy of imperialism

Framed Jargons:

The imperialistic powers of every time invent jargons in order to achieve its ulterior motives. These jargons are combined with meaning and philosophy and are presented as if these jargons are the divine solutions. Other nations are taught that these philosophies are the only solution for the humanity. Behind these jargons, imperialism continues its functions.

There are many jargons used in this modern era as well. A complete list of these jargons can be made. “Human Rights” is one of these jargons behind which is hidden the excruciating history of human exploitation. Similar is the jargon “New World Order,” whose world order is this? And for what?

Similar is the jargon “Failed or Rogue Nations.”

In the same way the jargon “Balance of Power” is used whose (apparent) objective is to create a ‘balance’ in the imperialistic power’s territory and to conquer the territory and to use it for their benefit.

The modern imperialistic are ruling the underdeveloped nations by fetching these nations into this jungle of jargons which have been created by them.

Ethical Reasoning:

The second framed ideology is based on ‘Morals’ or ‘ethics’. The imperialistic powers use them in order to show the world that it is their moral responsibility to concentrate on improving the current situation. Under this moral screen they execute army attacks, search for a political reason and strengthen basic ideologies.

This moral reasoning has been used by imperialistic powers of all times in their way.

Europeans imperialistic powers came to conquer Asia and Africa on the grounds of “teaching culture” and on these very grounds they have ruled those nations.

Somervell explains this truth as, “Imperialism was a sentiment rather than a policy; its foundations were moral rather than intellectual.”

Few years ago when US attacked Iraq, its main reason was stated as, it’s the moral duty of US to free the people of Iraq from the cruelty of Saddam Hussain.

Hence, the imperialistic powers use moral reasons like these, under the ideological framework in order to advance their imperialism.

Disguise as Enemy of Imperialism:

This third ideological reason is the most dangerous of all. In this the imperialism camouflages itself as the enemy of imperialism. It apparently comes to rescue the people from evil force. This face of imperialism is very famous even today. Therefore, after the Second World War America and other powers got imperialistic reason from this ideology. In the name of freeing nations from fascism they have accomplished their military, political and imperialistic plans.

Besides presenting the moral reasons, George Bush has even taken the support of this ‘enemy of imperialism’ ideology for the invasion of Iraq stating that Saddam’s imperialistic aspirations and operations have affected many sections of the society, like Kurd’s got enough of their rights etc. This type ideology of seems to be most effective in the history of American Imperialism.

So this is clear that under the screen of political imperialism many ideologies are working away and to achieve these ideologies these ideologies are created so as to provide reasons. Now we would discuss the psychologies of imperialism.