I guess it wasn’t just the thought of standing in a line for a very long time that drove me to start early. I just wanted to be there and do it when the first opportunity presented itself. I was the kind of guy that would laugh at people wasting their energy on a “useless” process that yielded either one worthless government or another that was no less inept. But I felt this morning that India is changing. If you did not pay close attention, you’d probably miss it. The change is excruciatingly slow and the biggest change that needs to come by – in the people – is not going as well as it should. But there is change.
This was affirmed when I went to the polling station and found people quietly and solemnly queued up. There was a tangible sense in the morning air of people feeling proud of their own ability and alacrity at fulfilling their duty. I felt the same. For a techie who prides himself at finding solutions to convoluted problems, I was fumbling like an idiot once my turn came up – I had no idea what to do. But the officers at the polling station guided me through and in less than a minute, I had already had my name looked up, presented credentials, got my finger inked and pressed a couple of buttons registering my vote. DONE!
I have no idea whether my candidate will win or what difference my vote will make. But this much is certain – I have escaped the impotence of not doing anything. And it feels good.
