Week 8- The Greatest Lie
#1
Right from childhood we have been taught to discern truth from lies.
We have been continuously fed with the stories about the power and elegance of truth. God is watching, they said. Even I naively believed this until I knew better. From black to white lies, from small lies like telling I fell from my bicycle to hide the scars of a brawl to convincing my parents that the money spent was really on books, every other lie felt like it was the greatest until I came to the next one. We lie, so everything keeps spinning.
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Ironically the greatest lie was staring me in the face, embedded in my very core for all the time, FAITH. It is beyond doubt that it is the most meticulous and self sustaining lie. We have lived with it for so long that we have integrated it with our life. This lie commission’s hope, so everyone believes it. The funny thing is we all know this blot we will never admit it. More people have been killed in the name of religion than disease, hunger or natural calamities. Yet we still yield ourselves unconditionally to faith. The biggest catch of this ultimate lie is that maybe because of it the world is less dangerous than it could be. We romanticize love, dream of immortality; convince ourselves that we are but one step from nirvana. The so glorified leap of faith is in reality a stumble decorated with a web of lies so intricate that we misconstrue it to be our sole saviour The truth is that the need of faith is too momentary to let it control us. Some people may call me cynical others, practical. But after all this is what this lie is about, making the ephemeral, eternal.
-Swanand Bhave (Writer of the Week)
Right from childhood we have been taught to discern truth from lies.
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Ironically the greatest lie was staring me in the face, embedded in my very core for all the time, FAITH. It is beyond doubt that it is the most meticulous and self sustaining lie. We have lived with it for so long that we have integrated it with our life. This lie commission’s hope, so everyone believes it. The funny thing is we all know this blot we will never admit it. More people have been killed in the name of religion than disease, hunger or natural calamities. Yet we still yield ourselves unconditionally to faith. The biggest catch of this ultimate lie is that maybe because of it the world is less dangerous than it could be. We romanticize love, dream of immortality; convince ourselves that we are but one step from nirvana. The so glorified leap of faith is in reality a stumble decorated with a web of lies so intricate that we misconstrue it to be our sole saviour The truth is that the need of faith is too momentary to let it control us. Some people may call me cynical others, practical. But after all this is what this lie is about, making the ephemeral, eternal.
FE, SIES Graduate School of Technology
#2
India is at peace. There is absence of war and it should antonymically correct to say that India is at peace. Of course there are border disputes with Pakistan and China. There are diplomatic concerns with Italy and Iran. Then again there are Maoist attacks on civilians and only when a person of power is killed it becomes a more serious concern than when a few civilians were decapitated. The Indian Army is on the wrong side of para military forces. There is no healthy competition between political parties as the general elections are approaching. Rather than promising the masses of what they would do if elected to power, the rallies are occasions to shift the burden and defile the opponents. That is the new agenda of political parties.
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Parents and grandparents are killed by their own for want of money, to fulfill desires that are a show of extravaganza. A jilted lover either kills or gets killed. Women are forbidden to walk alone on the street just because it is dark. As I finish another sentence a kid is groaning for the lack of food and water at home. A mother is numbed because her child is born silent and that too at the cost of a quack. The results have come out and amongst us there is another Larry Page, a Amartya Sen but to what purpose when one of his colleagues commits suicide because failure is not acceptable. Cut-throat competition. It is justified to use the phrase. A young child is a victim of incest but he's afraid to complain because no one is going to believe it. The youth explodes at the drop of a pin. Filled with anger, misdirected passion and frustration of a so called life time. Still each one of us goes on living life, sympathize with everything and empathize with nothing. That's the motto, each man for himself. Let the world burn because I am wearing protective clothes. Or instead of feeling the guilt let’s just go on assuming that nothing is wrong and everyone is happy. No one should have complains. India is a free country. Free from all the ills of the society. We are at peace. There are simmering issues almost settled. Of course we can't have a perfect world. Nevertheless we can strive towards it or in our minds we have already achieved it. We are at peace. It isn't a lie or is it the greatest one?
#2
India is at peace. There is absence of war and it should antonymically correct to say that India is at peace. Of course there are border disputes with Pakistan and China. There are diplomatic concerns with Italy and Iran. Then again there are Maoist attacks on civilians and only when a person of power is killed it becomes a more serious concern than when a few civilians were decapitated. The Indian Army is on the wrong side of para military forces. There is no healthy competition between political parties as the general elections are approaching. Rather than promising the masses of what they would do if elected to power, the rallies are occasions to shift the burden and defile the opponents. That is the new agenda of political parties.
More…
Parents and grandparents are killed by their own for want of money, to fulfill desires that are a show of extravaganza. A jilted lover either kills or gets killed. Women are forbidden to walk alone on the street just because it is dark. As I finish another sentence a kid is groaning for the lack of food and water at home. A mother is numbed because her child is born silent and that too at the cost of a quack. The results have come out and amongst us there is another Larry Page, a Amartya Sen but to what purpose when one of his colleagues commits suicide because failure is not acceptable. Cut-throat competition. It is justified to use the phrase. A young child is a victim of incest but he's afraid to complain because no one is going to believe it. The youth explodes at the drop of a pin. Filled with anger, misdirected passion and frustration of a so called life time. Still each one of us goes on living life, sympathize with everything and empathize with nothing. That's the motto, each man for himself. Let the world burn because I am wearing protective clothes. Or instead of feeling the guilt let’s just go on assuming that nothing is wrong and everyone is happy. No one should have complains. India is a free country. Free from all the ills of the society. We are at peace. There are simmering issues almost settled. Of course we can't have a perfect world. Nevertheless we can strive towards it or in our minds we have already achieved it. We are at peace. It isn't a lie or is it the greatest one?
-Rhythm Buaria
FY, B.L.S/L.L.B, Pravin Gandhi College of Law
#3
Little drops of water splashed from the heavens,
Thumped my window in might,
My mind went on a quest,
A quest to find a lie,
The greatest of them all,
Which mankind has ever managed to haul.
Is that when a poor man is denied justice,
By a lie from the dark powerful influence of money,
The greatest lie of all?
Is that when he cries in helplessness,
Due to a society ruled by sinister falsehood,
The greatest lie of all?
Is that when a patient is told a lie,
By the doctor who knows the truth,
In order to uplift his fallen morale and poise,
Before venturing into a deadly surgery,
The greatest lie of all?
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Is that when a poor little son is pained by starvation,
Due to the hands without money of his mother,
Who asks him to eat food mixed with poison,
When tears flow down her cheek,
Without ever telling him the painful truth,
The greatest lie of all?
Is that when a clown laughs in ecstasy,
Trying to hide is painful inside,
So that his audience can experience joy,
The greatest lie of all?
The tarnished world of mistrust and suspicion,
Will only become equivalent to heavens,
When what is wrong be right,
When what is black be white,
When what is darkness be light,
When what is dim be bright,
When what is weakness be might.
Rain continued to drop from the heavens,
In rhythmic uniformity, rain upheld its promise,
To return each year, at the same time,
Then, my mind went on a quest,
A quest to find a lie,
The greatest of them all,
Which mankind has ever managed to haul.
More…
Is that when a poor little son is pained by starvation,
Due to the hands without money of his mother,
Who asks him to eat food mixed with poison,
When tears flow down her cheek,
Without ever telling him the painful truth,
The greatest lie of all?
Is that when a clown laughs in ecstasy,
Trying to hide is painful inside,
So that his audience can experience joy,
The greatest lie of all?
The tarnished world of mistrust and suspicion,
Will only become equivalent to heavens,
When what is wrong be right,
When what is black be white,
When what is darkness be light,
When what is dim be bright,
When what is weakness be might.
Rain continued to drop from the heavens,
In rhythmic uniformity, rain upheld its promise,
To return each year, at the same time,
Then, my mind went on a quest,
A quest to find a lie,
The greatest of them all,
Which mankind has ever managed to haul.
-Vishnu Chandrasenan
FE, SIES Graduate School of Technology
-Haripriya Iyer
#4
We sometimes tend to hide every little truth out there but that one fine day when you wake up, you realize, your entire world is build on lies.
Morning. A beautiful one at that. The sun’s magnificent rays refracting through the huge glass window pane. Warmth and light entering and spreading throughout the vast room, winds blowing away the king size bed’s linen mattresses, sweet sounds of the birds chirping, the huge grandfather clock ringing at the stroke of 7. The soft touch of a women’s skin, a motherly voice calls in, attempting to wake up. The silk robe over the skin makes it all the more sleepy and comfortable.
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Eyes slowly waking up, yearning desperately to see the sight of the lovely morning. The most perfect warmth. Eyes finally opened wide, rains, everywhere. Pouring in, falling like cats and dogs. I lie stranded in a small alcove like room, a room with withered walls, floors scathed, barely enough for one person to live in. the rain would seep into the room through the cracked, broken windows. I would wither and shiver with a single piece of blanket over me. The noise of trains passing by was deafening and fellow wayfarers try to steal whatever I had on my frail little body. Rags for clothes on my body only had but one valuable possession, a little shiny pocket watch which my mother handed over, while I still remember her soft touch while giving it so, and my eyes finally opened to the harsh truth, she isn't any more.
Every night I most convincingly lie to me, saying “It’s okay. Everything will fall into place. Sleep on it. Things would get better.”
Every day my eyes show me the greatest lies. Every day I wake up to the harsh cold reality. Every day for me anticipates the greatest of lies.
The lies woven by us are the greatest lies ever.
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Eyes slowly waking up, yearning desperately to see the sight of the lovely morning. The most perfect warmth. Eyes finally opened wide, rains, everywhere. Pouring in, falling like cats and dogs. I lie stranded in a small alcove like room, a room with withered walls, floors scathed, barely enough for one person to live in. the rain would seep into the room through the cracked, broken windows. I would wither and shiver with a single piece of blanket over me. The noise of trains passing by was deafening and fellow wayfarers try to steal whatever I had on my frail little body. Rags for clothes on my body only had but one valuable possession, a little shiny pocket watch which my mother handed over, while I still remember her soft touch while giving it so, and my eyes finally opened to the harsh truth, she isn't any more.
Every night I most convincingly lie to me, saying “It’s okay. Everything will fall into place. Sleep on it. Things would get better.”
Every day my eyes show me the greatest lies. Every day I wake up to the harsh cold reality. Every day for me anticipates the greatest of lies.
The lies woven by us are the greatest lies ever.
Editor-in-chief, Scintilla
FE, SIES Graduate School of Technology
#5
"Whel did grhandpa go?", she asked her mother for the fifth time in three days. When not replied to, she said again,"He promised to take me to see the animahs ." "You mean animals at the zoo?", her mother corrected her five year old daughter. Disliking her mother's disinterested tone, she started crying.
Her 'grhandpa' died two days ago. As she didn't get the desired attention, she cried louder.
Finally, her father came to rescue. "He went to a beautiful place which only has angels", explained her dad. "Can I go there?", she asked. "No, only people who haven't offended anyone can go."
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For years, she lived and believed that lie. She lived in the world made by her parents. The peaceful, happily ever after world. They did it to protect her but she became more of a coward.
One day, she got a message from her friend who had failed in an exam. She rushed to her place, but was late. Her friend had already attempted suicide. The neighbours questioned her about her friend but she avoided them. Recalling her mother's advice of not falling into trouble, she ran from that place. Her friend passed away because nobody was there for her.
Had her parents should have told her the truth about the real world, the truth about death being a part of life and the truth that how much one’s life isn't important but how one lived his life or lives his life matters, she would have lived. But she didn’t receive this truth either from her relatives or teachers. Everyone knew but they still chose to keep quiet.
If she had known, she would have been brave. She could have saved her friend. She could have made her own decisions by weighing all opportunities rather than following the herd! She could have made her life worthy and purposeful instead of being useless for the greater good.
She could have 'lived' and then died instead of living in the constant fear of rejection and death and die painfully!
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For years, she lived and believed that lie. She lived in the world made by her parents. The peaceful, happily ever after world. They did it to protect her but she became more of a coward.
One day, she got a message from her friend who had failed in an exam. She rushed to her place, but was late. Her friend had already attempted suicide. The neighbours questioned her about her friend but she avoided them. Recalling her mother's advice of not falling into trouble, she ran from that place. Her friend passed away because nobody was there for her.
Had her parents should have told her the truth about the real world, the truth about death being a part of life and the truth that how much one’s life isn't important but how one lived his life or lives his life matters, she would have lived. But she didn’t receive this truth either from her relatives or teachers. Everyone knew but they still chose to keep quiet.
If she had known, she would have been brave. She could have saved her friend. She could have made her own decisions by weighing all opportunities rather than following the herd! She could have made her life worthy and purposeful instead of being useless for the greater good.
She could have 'lived' and then died instead of living in the constant fear of rejection and death and die painfully!
-Dharini Dutia
FE, SIES Graduate School of Technology
#6
Often disguised with a wide, brilliant smile, a
lie can effortlessly take cover. A lie, as acknowledged by many, buds in
the soil of treachery and infidelity.
But not always, for me it is meant to
hide… to hide the soreness in my heart, the exasperation of my soul. Am I
always happy? Really happy? There is always a little thing that bothers me.
It’s not that I seek perfection but my mind rovers for simplicity and my
heart sails in the waters of love and compassion. So I seldom encounter
the ones who love to appreciate things. I feel I am hungry for love or to be
loved. Be it my parent, my relatives, my friends or anyone I am acquainted with.
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As a child, I always craved for my father to pick me up from school and later buy me my favourite ice cream. I wanted him to carry me on his back. I wanted him to always be with me. It didn't happen though. Never. I am not happy but I still drape a long smile. I wanted my mother to be my best friend, but I could hardly speak to her. When she asks me, ‘Is everything okay? Are you facing any problem ?’. I just smile and answer ‘Yes mother. There is nothing to worry about’. And a smile hides it all. I hesitate to say even if there is something bothering me. But if someone asks me if I am happy with the way my life has been moulded? I would say yes. But deep inside the folds of my heart, somewhere in a niche, it screams NO and that tells me that I have lied and that I have missed a perfect childhood and my mother isn't my best friend. That is the greatest lie.
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As a child, I always craved for my father to pick me up from school and later buy me my favourite ice cream. I wanted him to carry me on his back. I wanted him to always be with me. It didn't happen though. Never. I am not happy but I still drape a long smile. I wanted my mother to be my best friend, but I could hardly speak to her. When she asks me, ‘Is everything okay? Are you facing any problem ?’. I just smile and answer ‘Yes mother. There is nothing to worry about’. And a smile hides it all. I hesitate to say even if there is something bothering me. But if someone asks me if I am happy with the way my life has been moulded? I would say yes. But deep inside the folds of my heart, somewhere in a niche, it screams NO and that tells me that I have lied and that I have missed a perfect childhood and my mother isn't my best friend. That is the greatest lie.
-Priya Girijan
FE, SIES Graduate School of Technology
#7
Youngsters, falling into depression and taking the dreaded decision of finishing their unfinished life,
But people say “we are fine”,
That is a lie.
Girls being stripped of their dignity, by heinous crimes,
And the crowd says “we are fine”,
That is a lie.
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Innocent female fetuses being slayed before they enter the world,
And things are still fine for them,
That is a lie.
Sacred vows of marriage being forgotten while committing domestic violence,
And people are fine,
That is a lie.
How long are we going to lie?
How long do we say things are fine?
Is there no end to these injustices?
Has life simply turned into a world of lies?
Is a world devoid of lies only a Utopian world?
But keeping quiet even after witnessing injustice and saying “we will be fine”,
That will be the greatest lie.
#7
Youngsters, falling into depression and taking the dreaded decision of finishing their unfinished life,
But people say “we are fine”,
That is a lie.
Girls being stripped of their dignity, by heinous crimes,
And the crowd says “we are fine”,
That is a lie.
More…
Innocent female fetuses being slayed before they enter the world,
And things are still fine for them,
That is a lie.
Sacred vows of marriage being forgotten while committing domestic violence,
And people are fine,
That is a lie.
How long are we going to lie?
How long do we say things are fine?
Is there no end to these injustices?
Has life simply turned into a world of lies?
Is a world devoid of lies only a Utopian world?
But keeping quiet even after witnessing injustice and saying “we will be fine”,
That will be the greatest lie.
-Sayali Upasham
FE, SIES Graduate School of Technology
#8
Light years away
I walked a mile alone,
Walked in the shadow, on my own,
Crossed the hell and darkness,
Felt the wind so cold.
I breathe the stench of rotting love,
Swallowed the truth I uncovered,
Watched myself on the other side,
Locked in our memory.
Light years away from myself,
Gulp down this disgrace,
Know not why I drown in you,
Hush that noise in my head, with a smile on that face.
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Relive that spirit I lost, while I had to fall,
You crushed my heart, and played your part,
Do you hear my soul cry?
See d passion that died?
In this grave of mine,
Here the coffin of our times,
The lie I told myself was you,
I lied to dream, and you lied in it too.
Consumed in your love,
I let you go to her,
Falling on those thorns,
Away from where I belonged.
Oh we swore it was,
All forever.
Now to look, it’s empty,
As ever.
There that smile, there that lie, there my life, there that strife.
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Relive that spirit I lost, while I had to fall,
You crushed my heart, and played your part,
Do you hear my soul cry?
See d passion that died?
In this grave of mine,
Here the coffin of our times,
The lie I told myself was you,
I lied to dream, and you lied in it too.
Consumed in your love,
I let you go to her,
Falling on those thorns,
Away from where I belonged.
Oh we swore it was,
All forever.
Now to look, it’s empty,
As ever.
There that smile, there that lie, there my life, there that strife.
-Shweta Kannan
FE, Datta Meghe College of Engineering
FE, Datta Meghe College of Engineering
#9
Life is an epitome of broken promises.
There was a time when I was naive enough to believe it when someone told me "I'd never leave you". Building hopes, gaining comfort from the fact that I'd have some people around me on a rainy day, helping me build a shelter, help me up when I'm blown down to the ground by Life.
But eighteen years of experience has taught me enough. It has educated me enough to know what I ought to long ago.
People always leave. No matter what you do or say; no matter what circumstance, they always leave. I'd be surprised if people stayed just like they promised.
You enter this life all alone, you leave it all alone. Yes, you do meet people, but they're just meetings, they're not a constant throughout your journey.
People always leave.
“I’d never leave you.” That’s the greatest lie. These simple words have the power to give you strength in your darkest hour, and bliss on your happiest day; but also break you.
That’s right.
People always leave.
-Revathi Vyas
V.G.Vaze College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mumbai.
I pray that someday you will find peace. I took a leap of faith once to trust that my Creator does not lie, and cares for me enough to make up for all the ones who leave. He said it this way: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So far He has been true to this word.