I am a bit sad today so you won’t find me in cheerful mood.

I am a bit sad today so you won’t find me in cheerful mood.

First, the heavy rain in Karachi made me really sad. When people like us were enjoying the rain sitting at home eating pakoras, listening to music, drinking scotch, tea or coffee or going to beach or having a romantic drive, holding hands of their partners, lips kissing, I was feeling heartbroken for all the people who at that time were awake with aching bodies due to day’s labor, scooping water out of their homes in pitch darkness with babies crying, children scared and insecure, ceilings dripping, insects crawling, perhaps many with their houses collapsing, thousands watching their houses and cattle floating in flood in the country, watching fear dancing before their eyes of starting all over again just like last year and the year before… Ah… the pain.

Why so much contrast in the same society? Why rich are richer and poor are poorer? Why the nature’s bounty is pleasure to some but torture to many?

Why I am so helpless?

Then now I am sitting in my terrace at 8.30 pm listening to the goats bleating louder and louder for water, food or may be to get free from the ropes they are tied unaware that this is their last night in the world. Tomorrow, millions of animals will be brutally slaughtered in the name of sacrifice by people believing this will bring prosperity to them, just like people thousands of years ago with no education believed flowing blood of live animals and humans would save them from natural disasters, famine, hunger and ailments. The poor animals would never understand why when they were pampered for two years with best treatment and food suddenly deserve to die. Ah…the pain.

These four days are always the worst days of the year for me. I crumble in pain even during slumber. The food fails to slide down my throat. Water fails to hydrate my cells. My ears fail to unhear the screams…

Why I am so helpless? And when will this madness end?

Here’s a film I made for you. If you care to watch.