Ramsing's Blog

The Spices of Life – Launced at the Council Chamber, City of Port-Louis, On 15 July 2010, by the Lord Mayor of Port Louis. (Sent to all newspapers.)

Who is Bawansing Sunkur?

• Elected Councillor, Ward 3, City of Port-Louis, in 1977
• Chairman, (pi) finance Commission, City of Port, in the 1980s
• Founder of Mauritius Young Labour League in the 1980s
• Adviser of the Congress for writers and composers – Creativity – held at Teacher Training College and M.G.I in the 1980s

What impressed me most in the book:

“Is it true or false brown sugar is ruining the country?…
Is it true or false Mauritius has more than 25, 000 drug addicts?…
Is it true or false a dose of brown sugar costs more than two hundred rupees?…
Is it true or false if multiplied by 25, 000 it makes more or less Rs 5 million a day?…
Is it true or false it amounts to Rs 150 million a month?…
Is it true or false its consumption overlaps Rs 1 billion a year?…
Is it true or false there is a prosperous parallel drug economy in the Island?…
Is it true or false there is an enormous wastage of human and financial resources?…
Is it true or false those at the helm of power are forced to beg for foreign currency abroad?…
Is it true or false…?”

Or
“L’oeil de ton oeil c’est l’oeil de l’Oeil!

Le sourire de ton sourire c’est le sourire de Sourire!

La beauté de ta beauté c’est la beauté de Beauté!”

(English)

The eye of your eye is the eye of Eye!

The smile of your smile is the smile of Smile!

The beauty of your beauty is the beauty of Beauty!

Or
“NO SMOKING” or “Le Tabagisme Passif Est Nocif à la Santé” (French) – Passive Smoking Is Dangerous to Health.

Or
“Is woman fit only to “lav kasrol dité dan la kouzinn?”… etc
Madhvi Sunkur, student at the University of Mauritius

The commentaries of Reshma Sunkur on the Spices of Life at the launching ceremony on the 15th July 2010 at the Council Chamber, city of Port Louis. The launching was carried out by the Lord Mayor of Port Louis.

Going through the book we come across:

Karuna’s heart aches, aches and aches:

Where are those days which were the genesis of togetherness?…
Where are those days when she was geocentric of his universe?…
Where are those days when her kiss was a myrrh and bubbling champagne?…
Where are those days when her kajal was a miracle to give birth to poetry?…
Where are those days when the arabesque and geometric designs with mehendi on her hands were glamorous festoons
destined to celestial angels?…
Where are those days when the sound of her voice was an acoustic for exultation?…
Where are those days when as a fairy she was glorious sherbet to his lips – nay, green almond to his teeth?…
Where are those days when the mere touch of her body electrified him like a laughing chandelier?…
Where are those days when the irises of her eyes were iridescent opal, topaz, emerald, ruby, amethyst, lapis-lazuli, sapphire, turquoise, black spinelle, onyx of his paean?…
Ah! Ah! Ah!…
Where? Where? Where?

She is ripped asunder with sorrow. Sorrow for what has happened to her. Sorrow for what is happening. Who will tell her:

Every man or woman lives in a quizzical world…
As…
Every silver lining in the sky…
Has a cloud…
So…
Every joy in the heart of man…
Has…
A drop of tear in the eye…
A…
Pearl of tear to shed.

Where it seems to me poetry is at its height, depicted with a knowledgeable pen, on the one hand, while, on the other hand, patriotism is at its apogee with the national song in Creole:
Maurice mo lékèr

Diégo mo gâté

Tromelin mo chéri

Rodrigues mo lamour

Maurice mo lékèr

To biyen zoli – to biyen zoli – kouma enn bouké flèr

Bouké – bouké flèr

Kozé! Kozé! Kozé!

Éna zépis – péna zépis!

Éna! Éna! (chœur)

Maurice mo lékèr

To biyen zoli – to biyen zoli – kouma enn bouké flèr….”

Pillé! Pillé! Pillé!

Tappé lamein anba! Tappé lamein anba!

Tappé lamein là`o! Tappé lamein là`o!

Bouzé! Bouzé! Bouzé lérin!

Baré! Baré! Baré mo vini!

Dansé! Dansé! Dansé pou nou zoli Péi!

Going through the book again we meet: God created Mauritius and then created Paradise. Don’t ask me who says it!

Though a jewel in the Indian Ocean with Diego Garcia, Tromelin, St Brandon, Agalega and Rodrigues with nautical miles and miles of economic zones as decreed by United Nations’ Resolution…

Though our seabed is a cornucopia – is lined with multi-farious riches (PETROL? GASES? polymetallic nodules, pharmaceutical elements, crustaceans, fish, etc and etc)…

Though Mauritius is now in size as large as or bigger than Madagascar or France with the new maritime economic zones – Oh an ISLAND-CONTINENT with a population of only a little over one million!…

Going through the book once more, if we find the Author says, while talking about illness:

THE REMAINDER REPOSES IN FAITH…

FAITH IN YOUR ACTIONS…

FAITH IN YOU…

FAITH IN PRAYERS…

FAITH IN GOD.”

On the other hand, we start to wonder, when the Author says:

Every nano-second every second every minute every hour every day
every week every month and every year
things happen and are happening and will keep happening.
Thing is eating thing.
Man is eating man.
The food you eat and the water you drink
when you pass them out of your body and
leave them on the earth they become the food and drink of another.
The food and drink of the “another” become then the food and drink of yet another.
It is an endless cycle of eating and drinking.
There is perpetual waste and there is perpetual recreation.
This is the nature of the world (Universe) we live in.

Let me end with these from the Author:

“education is a permanent lottery in the hand of your offspring”.

Music is alchemy

Music abates tension in life

Music is balm to the heart

Music brings peace and felicity

Music causes trees to give sweeter fruits

Music makes animals – cows – give more milk.

ELEGY
(For Dr Hon J.B.David, Minister of Regional Affairs, Rodrigues and Outer Islands)

Oh ye sun! Oh ye moon! Oh ye stars bear witness to the elegy of Maurtius Young Labour league!

Oh my beloved country! Oh my beloved country! Oh my beloved country!
Weep at the untimely demise of an intellectual stalwart!
Oh weep! Weep! Weep!

Oh ye men and women young or old of the Tiger of the Indian Ocean are not thy wounded heart trickling tears of blood through thy eye at the unexpected passing away of a grumbling lion in our August National Assembly – an Orator unpaired in depth and conviction OF THE IDEAL OF THE LABOUR PARTY?

Oh ye members of the Labour Party must ye not be aggrieved at tintinnabulation of doom of an indefatigable mouthpiece of a true Labourite?

Oh ye wind! Oh ye rain! Oh ye rainbow – nay oh ye Universe when comes such another!

Bawansing Sunkur
Founder Mauritius Young Labour League

To Politician*

Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hail the politician

whose sole business

Is

To fill

The pocket of the poor and downtrodden!

Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hail the politician

whose sole business

Is

The economic growth

And

Development of the country!

Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hail the politician

whose sole business

Is

Aversion against laziness

Through dedication of office!

Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hail the politician

whose sole business

Is

To sleep and dream

Of

Projects beneficial

To the country!

Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hail the politician

whose sole business

Is

To swear

By Humanism

To work

By Love

To live

For the sake of Humanity!

Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hail the politician

whose sole business

Is

Not double-tongue-ism and hypocrisy!

Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hail the politician

whose sole business

Is

To avoid selling his country

For a steak

In foreign land!

Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hail the politician

whose sole business

Is

To avert arrogance

When at helm of power!

Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hail the politician

whose sole business

Is

Humility incarnate!

Hail! Hail! Hail!

Hail the politician

whose sole business

Is

To be an Icon for his countrymen

Why no

an Icon

for the whole World

As well!

Hail! Hail! Hail!…

From PETALS OF TROCHTIA

Big Mystery*

Ever since creation or big bang

the world is growing in stature

and is moving along with galaxies and planets towards the border of the Universe.

Is not it a big mystery?

Ever since creation or big bang

The sun is hanging in emptiness!

The moon is hanging in emptiness!

The stars are hanging in emptiness!

The planets are hanging in emptiness!

Is not it a big mystery?

Ever since creation or big bang

The blue globe is turning round and round on its axis!

The blue globe is simmering like burning cauldron spitting fire every now and then!

The blue globe is shouldering ocean – seventy-five percent of water – and earth – twenty-five percent – on its surface!

The blue globe is holding the five mobile continental tectonic shelves in the vast sea sometimes striking against each other harmfully!

Is not it a big mystery?

Ever since creation or big bang

Man has harnessed his

Intellectual powers through (nature and science)

his understanding potentialities!

Man has harnessed his

Spiritual powers (soul and God) through meditation!

Man has harnessed

His reasoning powers (syllogism) through logic

To

Fathom the in-depth working of Nature!

Is not …….?

Is not …….?

Is not it a big mystery?

Ever since creation or big bang

The search for the soul

and Super-Soul

Relationship with his eternal affinity with man has raised debates passionate

More than oft

Has provoked butchery and bloodshed

Through dogged and malignant conviction!

Is it not a big mystery?

Ever since creation or big bang

Man is an adventurous animal!

Man has adventured to the moon!

Man is adventuring to planet Mars!

Has man adventured to the bottom of the ocean yet?

Is not it a big mystery?

Ever since creation or big bang

Petrol is under the sea!

Water (fresh) is under the sea!

Polly metallic nodules are under the sea!

Ever new shapes are under the sea!

Is not it….?

Is not it….?

Is not it a big mystery?

From PTALS OF TROCHETIA

Emaciated child-beggar in rags*

Ah! Ah! Ah!

The emaciated child-beggar

in rags almost nude

extends a famished wrinkled hand

to any passers-by

with a creaking painful

inaudible faint voice:

No father

No food

Give me a penny

Sir\Madam

Is it due

to Godless religion?

Or

Is it due

to Godless socialism?

Or

Is it due

to Godless humanity?

Ah! Ah! Ah!

The emaciated child-beggar

in rags almost nude

extends a famished wrinkled hand

to any passers-by

with a creaking painful

inaudible faint voice:

No shelter

No clothes

No drink

Give me a penny

Sir\Madam

Is it due

to Godless religion?

Or

Is it due

to Godless socialism?

Or

Is it due

to Godless humanity?

Ah! Ah! Ah!

The emaciated child-beggar

in rags almost nude

extends a famished wrinkled hand

to any passers-by

with a creaking painful

inaudible faint voice:

Per humanity

Per the prophets

Per God

Give me a penny

Sir\Madam

Is it due

to Godless religion?

Or

Is it due

to Godless socialism?

Or

Is it due

to Godless humanity?

Ah! Ah! Ah!

The emaciated child-beggar

in rags almost nude

extends a famished wrinkled hand

to any passers-by

with a creaking painful

inaudible faint voice:

I am shrouded in cold

My feet cannot bear me

Pain is dwelling in my limbs

Give me a penny

Sir\Madam

Is it due

to Godless religion?

Or

Is it due

to Godless socialism?

Or

Is it due

to Godless humanity?

Ah! Ah! Ah!

The emaciated child-beggar

in rags almost nude

extends a famished wrinkled hand

to any passers-by

with a creaking painful

inaudible faint voice:

Grand speech I cannot

To persuade I cannot

To appeal I cannot

Give me a penny

Sir\Madam

Is it due

to Godless religion?

Or

Is it due

to Godless socialism?

Or

Is it due

to Godless humanity?

Ah! Ah! Ah!

The emaciated child-beggar

in rags almost nude

extends a famished wrinkled hand

to any passers-by

with a creaking painful

inaudible faint voice:

Treat me as would your own heart

Treat me as you would your own blood

Treat me as you would your own soul

Give me a penny

Sir\Madam

Is it due

to Godless religion?

Or

Is it due

to Godless socialism?

Or

Is it due

to Godless humanity?

Ah! Ah! Ah!

The emaciated child-beggar

in rags almost nude

extends a famished wrinkled hand

to any passers-by

with a creaking painful

inaudible faint voice:

Ponder tomorrow

Ill fate may befall anyone

Even your very self

Even your next of kin

Ponder tomorrow

Ill fate may befall

your very son

Ponder tomorrow

Ill fate may befall

your very daughter

Give me a penny

Sir\Madam

Is it due

to Godless religion?

Or

Is it due

to Godless socialism?

Or

Is it due

to Godless humanity?

Ah! Ah! Ah!

The emaciated child-beggar

in rags almost nude

extends a famished wrinkled hand

to any passers-by

with a creaking painful

inaudible faint voice:

Why

out of my father’s loins

did I ever come

to take such a toll upon me!

Why

out of my mother’s womb

did I ever come

To take such a toll upon me!

Why

upon God’s will

did I ever come

to take such toll upon me!

Is it due

to Godless religion?

Or

Is it due

to Godless socialism?

Or

Is it due

to Godless humanity?

From PTALS OF TROCHETIA