A Voter's diary: ELECTIONS 2009

It is election time and I just returned after casting my vote. :) This was the first time I voted and certainly isn't going to be my last. It was an amazing experience though, standing there in the queue and looking at all the faces, young and old...rich and poor. Just there to exercise their franchise... even after knowing that it may or may not make a difference... Yet they were all there.



And I was there too....Grinning away and waiting for my Mom to click, who was too scared to take a pic. She thought it wasn't allowed and kept looking around to see if anyone was watching her. It was a great feeling standing between people of two completely different backgrounds. A housewife was jovially talking to her house-maid, and asking her if she needs water, and if she is casting her vote for the "RIGHT CANDIDATE"...whoever that was.

I stay in a very "posh" colony, with beautiful houses and people with a lot of money. The area around it is completely opposite. It consists of this small belt called THE YAPRAL VILLAGE. That is where most of our household helpers and workers for petty jobs reside. Its like two sides of the same coin. This old man here in the picture below sat with his grandson, after casting his vote. He noticed I was clicking this pic, and he motioned his granchild to look towards the camera and smile. It was one of those overwhelming moments, to see this sight.

This lone policeman was trying his best to maintain order at the polling station. There was an occassional bunch of the so-called educated modern women who kept wanting to cut the line, get in and vote. They seemed to have come direct from the beauty parlour types...all shiny and prim and proper, who were too worried about standing in the sun and getting tanned :P :P ..This man, stood firm and didnt allow anyone except senior citizens and people who were sick. There was a young lady who had just got a C-section done few days ago and couldn't stand in line, she was let through to vote. I felt good about coming in to vote :)

This aunty too had come to vote, her grandchildren drove her right up till the room where she was to vote. At her age, she walked in the scorching mid-day heat and came to vote. So many youngsters, my age and older argued that it is worthless to vote. What does she get after voting?? But she still came. Would you call her a fool to vote?? WOULD YOU DARE??


These young kids were intently watching the proceedings, quitely sitting in one corner and waiting for their parents to cast their votes. The lines for males and females was separate, and no one seemed to grumble about the heat. I saw a lot of smiling faces. Maybe they hope for change and vote with the belief that their votes matter. These were some of the daily wage hourly paid labourers, who left their work for one day and came to stand in the queue and losing a few precious hours of earnings. Yet they came to vote. They looked at strangers and smiled all through...they were more than helpful in informing others about the procedures to vote and the rooms to go to.


This 11 year old was bringing water for her parents when they were standing in line, and also for complete strangers, who requested her. It was lovely to see her obliging and doing her bit in this election. She wasnt eligible to vote....but she played a part.

This is our colony's caretaker, Patel Uncle. Such a wonderful soul. He came to the polling station that was about 4 kms from our colony and ensured that all those who came to vote, from our colony that is, faced no problems at all. Just included his pic coz I felt like putting it here. Jai Shri Krishna Patel Uncle :)

This was the polling station. A Primary school. I wish I could go inside and take more pictures but I was getting a little restless too. I went on an empty stomach and was very very hungry(that is irrelevent now considering there were plenty such other people...I am spoilt :( ). I managed to see a few classrooms and I was pleased that underpriviledged kids do have some decent infrastructure in place. It wasnt as bad a government school building as I had imagined.

All in all, I felt great to have been able to exercise my right to vote. I am happy that I did. After seeing all the people who came to vote, I realised its not about expecting what the GOVERNMENT or the FOOLS WHO GET ELECTED will do for us. It may be flawed, it may be rigged, but it matters to me that I did what I was supposed to do.  I stood in line with people of various ages, speaking various languages, having various dreams... doing one single thing. Exercising their right.

Today is the first day of polling in India...so in various other states, where elections are due, I urge everyone to vote. You need to vote....you need to take that time out. You need to make it count. I think I did a good thing. If anyone thinks otherwise, they are free to think so. 

I stand my ground and I am proud to have voted.

PS: I like the mark of the indelible ink on my finger. I washed my hands after getting back home and even though I knew it wouldnt wash away soon, I was actually worried that it will go away. I feel good to see it there  :P

32 Observations:

  1. Unknown said...:

    I am proud of you too :) :)

  1. k.ø.c.h.ü said...:

    c'mon u really 'posed' @de pollin booth he he...!!! n hey Cheers!!! i cast my first vote too 2day...he he de funnny part is it ws my dad's first tooo

  1. Anonymous said...:

    :) nice picture story...way to go girl...tumhi to ho bhartiya nagrik ka ujjwal bhavishya :P

  1. Anil Sawan said...:

    yeyy, congratz for tht ink :P by the way, whom did ya vote for?? [grins] :P

  1. Anonymous said...:

    even i like the indelible ink! :)

    but ours is next thursday! :)

    good snaps!

    ps: plzzzz tell me u rmbr me! :)

  1. aqua gurl said...:

    very very nyce, felt good reading!

  1. Anonymous said...:

    so the simple girl did complex job of voting and not only she did vote for, but also gave an interesting account of what happened on booth :)

    ur vote wud go away long way chori :) bada accha kam kiya smritz....

    she deserves 1000 santre ki goli (toffee) for this :)

    i vote 2 weeks later and i dont want a weak lame surd to be my PM....

    lets vote and make the difference. lets punish the perpators of 11/26 and those lax idiots who did nothing but just verbal duels!!

  1. Jiggy said...:

    Oye hoye....very detailed and interesting account.
    I remember once even I took my nana and nani to the voting centre in car as they are too old to have walked all the way. I am sure this time mom and dad will take them. :)

    @Sam -> I guess the purpose of this post was to motivate people to vote, and not to influence them which party to/which party not to vote for. Lets not start a congress vs bjp vs third front debate here.

  1. sid said...:

    so now i know atleast ONE of my frnds has actually VOTED.....good thing

  1. Raghu B said...:

    Dolly..Great post. Good to see all the pictures of Yapral village :) Can you start a blog of all prospective members of parliament whom you admire?

  1. Priya Joyce said...:

    this was a superb post.

    It really really was about our true India..u did pick up some beautiful moments there at the polling booth..and what u wrote about it ...specially about the old woman was really good. So I'd say..this post gives faith to those who have lost faith in voting or democracy.

  1. Priya Joyce said...:

    congozz for ur first vote...and yeh my first vite will also be at 21/22 :P

  1. --xh-- said...:

    feels proud, ryt? :) good. missed my voting this time, and trust me, i am not happy about it...

  1. Amal Bose said...:

    that was a detailed and interesting post.. felt like i was there with you..
    the fact that people take all this hardship to cast their vote shows their belief in our democracy in spite of what the elected FOOLS are doing

  1. wow such a positive post about election and I am trully blessed reading ur experience...

    Each photo and instance really impressed me a lot about ur thinking and the people getting there to vote...

    I am proud of u girl....nice to know u....

  1. Unknown said...:

    hi dolls,
    Feelings of a beautiful & unbiased mind.Felt good. Our 3 Generations also voted together for the first time.Captured & pasted the same on orkut with the appeal to all to vote for prosperous & harmonius India.Keep it up with true feelings only.Never add any make up on this.

  1. Renu said...:

    First time I saw your picture on the blog:)

    Good that you voted, and we must do what is right without thinking about anything else, I mean results or other's point of views.

  1. such things can be done by u only.. true indian.. way tio go girl :)

  1. way to go girl, you are true indian

  1. Unknown said...:

    great..bloggy!good work...waitin to see more from ya blogs...congrats on votin..

  1. Anonymous said...:

    You know, this post feels better even than the KJ advert featuring all stars. This post makes me want to spend 10000 bucks, fly to India and vote. This is how good it is. (But I'm a little kanjus, you see :P)

    Now only if we had better options.

    Neverthless, that will come too.

    Cheers Smriti!

  1. Anonymous said...:

    WOW!SUPERB! LOVED UR POST :)
    Indeed a detailed, interesting account..
    U seem to b a wonderful person at heart :)

    I am definitely going to VOTE...

  1. proud of u dolls..:)...congrats for the first vote..and each and every pic explains a lot :)..thanks for the awesome read :)..

    urs..hemu..

  1. Reflections said...:

    Great post Smrithi....great idea for a post actually.
    Saw everything thru ur eyes & loved it.
    Thank U!!!

  1. Yamini Meduri said...:

    nice read up dear...the picture added the feel good sense..!!!

    sorry for being late...a bit busy..and the sys was not working properly..!!!

  1. Over Rated said...:

    Wow!! The best post on our elections yet!! Gives me a glimmer of hope .... :P ....

  1. Anonymous said...:

    *stands up*
    *apllause*

    wellw ritten ..
    m sorry i was so late in reading this .. been too busy offlate u see :(

    keep up the good work :)

  1. V. Archana said...:

    heyy.. thats was very good update. u took the pic of the other ppl also who had come to vote. :)

    good u voted... i still go 2 register :(

    btw... u seem 2 be busy..no updates lately,in ur blog ? :)

  1. Diana Sahu said...:

    Thats a really interesting way to portray the biggest event in the Indian democracy Smriti....Well done.....if half of our country's youths are as enthusiatic for voting as u are...the word youth power would make complete sense.

    N A VERY HAPPY BDAY.

  1. Reflections said...:

    Helllooooo.....

    busy????
    Exams????
    Bloggers block????
    or having too much fun????

    ;-))

  1. Anonymous said...:

    where r u lost smriti

  1. RB~CTE said...:

    hey Dolly that was a really good post in so many ways......
    Your writing made the event so alive and vibrant ....so proud of your obvious talents.your post was full of the sights and the sounds.......so visual in words if one might say.
    your thought process was v lateral and extended into all nooks and corners of the picture.....so many mini pictures in one big one.
    your joy at doing something that everycitizen should do and do not or cannot.....in this area i am a defaulter too....... v inspiring.
    love and God Bless.sophia aunty

 
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