<Labour Day> From a distance these looked ominous, like a conference of the headstones in a graveyard. As if the interred bodies had moved closer to each other and decided to hold a congregation, a demonstration, or a protest. Ramavtar (with saafa on his head) and Mansoor were dazed when I stopped by to take a picture and talk to them. They stopped working and looked at me as if I had come to interrupt their work and deprive them of their day’s earnings. What are these I asked? They looked around before answering, “taar ke upar sadak pe lagenge saab”. I nodded, they smiled at my ignorance. Dihadi kitni milti hai, I continued avoiding their eyes. They looked at each other and hung their heads down. I didn’t wait for the answer which would have embarrassed them further. Brightly coloured, being painted in situ at the edge of a busy highway, these high-voltage cable marker stones are a shocker of a story of exploitation in amritkal. Will there ever be a period called Mazdoor Kaal or Kissan Kaal. 30 April 2023, Gurgaon. <Danger Before Excavation. I could hear the dirge that the stones sang>. 

Posted on 1 May 2023