Lament of a Road Roller

Sir,

I am a nameless, abandoned road roller. As the sun rises over Preeti Layout, near Happyman Circle and Lingambudhi Lake, I, the abandoned road roller, find myself in a silent lament.

My existence, once a symbol of progress and development, has now been reduced to a mere relic, left to rust by the roadside.

Oh, how I long to feel the hum of my engine once more, to roll down the streets and smoothen the rough patches that plague this neighbourhood! But alas, I have become a forgotten entity, overlooked and ignored.

I imagine my owner passing by, unaware of my plight. If only I could speak, I would implore them to remember the purpose for which I was brought here. Like an old  cow that no longer yields milk, I too am deemed useless and cast aside.

To the concerned officials and the contractor who once employed me, I beseech you: do not let me wither away in neglect. Revive me, breathe new life into my weary parts, and let me serve the community once more. For in my restoration lies the promise of smoother roads and safer  travels for all.

Yours sincerely,

The Road Roller of Preeti Layout

—An elegy to an abandoned road roller written by Vinayakrishna Bhat, Lingambudhipalya   30.3.2024