Satraps, the political lords and masters of the megapolis, call the shots. Soumya tells us about a park and the loss of greenery. An exclusive for Different Truths.

Central Park urf Banabitan has decided to repopulate the woods, inspired by Baburam Sapure.

“Chokh nei, sing nei, nokh nei,
Kore na ko fos fas, mare na ko dhus dhas
Chote na ki hante na, kauke se kate na”

Sans horns claws teeth or fangs
Doesn't bite butt growl or hiss
Doesn't move at all…

So, the plaster of Paris beasts now lurks in the undergrowth.

Decades ago, a satrap who ruled this land with an iron grip on behalf of the dispossessed and the downtrodden, lived close by, and the howling of the jackals disturbed his sleep.

So, his minions had silenced the jackals for good, taking a cue from English History… “who shall rid me of this turbulent priest?”

Much water has flown in the Hooghly since, and another satrap rules the land with an even more vice like grip on behalf of the grassroot people, and guests from neighborhood countries have settled on the land of this little lung in the heart of the city, devouring all the edible fauna, and now there’s construction going on to convert the green oasis into an amusement park.

The last surviving residents, the snakes and the birds may soon be memories like the jackals, turtles, monitor lizards and fish, and the recorded birdcalls and plastic models will have to satisfy those seeking nature in a city.

Photos by the author and visuals by Different Truths

Soumya Mukherjee

Soumya Mukherjee is an alumnus of St Stephens College and Delhi School of Economics. He earns his daily bread by working for a PSU Insurance company, and lectures for peanuts. His other passions, family, friends, films, travel, food, trekking, wildlife, music, theater, and occasionally, writing. He has been published in many national newspapers of repute. He has published his first novel, Memories, a novella, hopefully, the first of his many books. He blogs as well.

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