With Painted Words

A blabber

by Muralidharan Parthasarathy

Thanks to an unknown researcher

who withstood all the dust and stink of volumes of history and anthropology

for his doctorate or theory or passion

I gathered all that was needed for my presentation from his blog

before an august house of historians, anthropologists and ministers of government

burning midnight oil on the previous night

 

My presentation was an immense success

Most of them appreciated my simulation graphics

comparing the town planning of Maharajas / Sultans era

with the contemporary urban planning

and my theory was their pioneer model prevails even today

 

That night I threw an exclusive party to my mentor

He went on lamenting I must not have derived something selectively from the heritage sites

only those matched my theory

He advised I must have laboured to find what the agenda of an urban planner was then and now

As if possessed he drank Champaign too many rounds to remain stable

When we bade goodnight in a blurred voice he said “The architects from time immemorial

part of a conspiracy to obviate inclusiveness”

Thus he deflated all my enthusiasm and sense of achievement over a dinner

I updated my girlfriend that night about all he said

She consoled me not to bother about a drunkard’s blabber