Citadel Of Power Poem by Daniel Trevelyn Joseph

It is called Mantralaya in Mumbai,
Nothing less than the hill-forts of Shivaji
In its importance, and devious approaches
And escape routes, with 'mantri' meaning Minister
And 'alaya' meaning temple, holy place:
It affects society in the State,
And individuals ambitious for business,
For getting land or licence or contract,
It is necessary to lay network with it,
From top to bottom, not just at one gate.

The earlier Secretariat is heritage building now,
Unlike the present match-box type;
That one was in line with Rajabai Tower
Of the University and the High Court building
All imposing and grand in Venetian-Gothic
Or whatever they call the style of architecture.
As a layman, I walk along Queen’s Road
Opposite, and turn across Oval maidan twice
To drink in the beauty of old Secretariat
Against the rays of setting sun even today
But not without cursing the dwarfs who made
The ugly structures squatting in front.

The sixth floor in Mantralaya is where King sits,
Holding durbar when not on tour, or kowtowing
In Delhi; though diluted, if its multi-party coalition,
And hence more manipulative inside,
Less decisive outside, and the public,
Remaining an abstraction, is not interested
Except to advance own or obstruct others' interest:
Leaving policies for NGOs, Courts, Media,
In fact, anyone other than Government.

From upper floors, one can look on one side
To the Backbay of the shimmering Arabian Sea,
And across to Raj Bhavan where
The titular head of Maharashtra State,
Lies, washed by waves all around
On three sides, end of Malbar Hill area,
So named after the pirates from Malbar
Whose visitation struck terror centuries ago,
And beyond Walkeshwar (walu ka ishwar) meaning
“God made of Sand”, and myths and stories
Embedded around a holy and ancient Tank
Figuring in Lord Rama’s travel
From Ayodhya and jungles to Rameswaram
To retrieve his wife from Srilanka and shame.

Mantralaya does obeisance to Raj Bhavan,
Like people do mindless worship of Rama,
Goes there or nearby to Sahyadri for swearing in,
And then forgets all about it till the next.

Balance of power shifting all around,
It calls for leadership and integrity to change
But people and their votes are rather blind
Resulting in short-sighted vision and action
Issuing out of the citadel of power,
Never mind, most of the people swearing at it!