Mathematics of Life

Ram Milan Nishad is a 54 years old landless farmer of Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh(India). His four sons, Balram(10), Jitu(9), Balkaran(12) and Balveer(11) were dead in the stampede at the ashram of Baba Kripaluji Maharaj , when a part of the arched gate collapsed on a sea of villagers. His children were among the 10,000 people who had gathered outside the ashram’s main gate lured by the offer of free food. As per the media reports, even the battle hardened Police officials of Uttar Pradesh were moved by the sorrow of Ram Milan who was unable to have a last look at his sons, who were bruised and full of blood!

I never went to a school or college
so, never got the chance to learn Maths,
not that I need it much
maybe little additions or subtractions
some simple calculations
life taught me easily,
anyway the sum total is zero,
most of the time, or infinity at other times.
Today, while counting one to four,
I learnt all the geometries and algebras
that I can ever learn.
And, there is hardly anything more.

Nazrul Haque is a Guwahati based author and he can be contacted at nazrulhaque@gmail.com .