THE RAAVANA

"I am a fighter," he declared with tremendous amount of pride. I could feel the arrogance, the self-righteousness. "I like to fight with the system, and I don't give up."

The 'system'. What is that?

The Establishment, the Government, the Administration, the Family hierarchy... Our man likes to fight with all of them... and doesn't like to give up.

I said, "That's great. Some people are born to fight... You are one of them."

"The system is corrupt; there is no transparency... no accountability," he argued. "If you do not raise your voice, 'they' can and will do anything."

"True," I agreed. "Somebody has to stand up; and you do."

"I don't leave anybody... whoever it may be," he thundered. "I fight ... and I like it."

"All the best," I wished him.

Let him fight all his life; he likes it. It is his mission, his religion... He gets a 'high' form it. So, let him carry on.

What about me? Am I not a 'fighter'? Don't I hold the fort when I am challenged?

I do. I, too, am a fighter... and I like it. But, then, I know this reality: the system includes me... I cannot ignore me when I fight. I must fight the 'system within me'...

I find it funny when we remain busy destroying Raavana's ten heads... while our one head is so capable of causing such a colossal havoc.

Yes, I like to fight... I like to burn the 'Raavana within'. The system!


GERALD D'CUNHA

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