Page 228 - Demo

228 THE CLARENCIAN 2024-2025In the blink of an eye, her knowledge swellsIn the blink of an eye, she found true loveIn the blink of an eye, she has a child and a dogIn the blink of an eye, her kids grow upIn the blink of an eye, she rests from her jobIn the blink of an eye, her kids pave their wayIn the blink of an eye, they find their good daysIn the blink of an eye, she enjoys the breezeIn the blink of an eye, her kids have families In the blink of an eye, her time is worn In the blink of an eye, a child is born%u2026Felisha SamClass 9BRecollecting the Komagata Maru IncidentIt was May of 1914%u2013summer in India, a season that is many things, but cold isn't one of them. The scorching heat plagued the villages of Malwa, accompanying the season%u2019s relentless dust storms. The banks of the River Sutlej were lined with grazing cattle, their legs in the water to seek refuge from the sweltering heat. This was the last time that the farmers would see this scene.The sound of 376 feet hit the decks of a large steamship named the Komagata Maru, which had been tasked with taking them to Canada. This was an ambitious journey%u2014a shared dream of hundreds of farmers seeking the chance to build a new life after hearing the news that North America offered higher wages, which could help them provide for their loved ones.Over two months passed before the ship finally reached the coast of British Columbia, a Canadian province. India and Canada were both part of the British Empire; surely the passengers would be let in, right? Yet days%u2013no, weeks%u2013passed and not a single person was allowed to disembark. Authorities stated that their voyage didn%u2019t meet the immigration requirements, even though the passengers carried all required documents.After what felt like an eternity being trapped aboard the suffocating ship, the Canadian government ordered them to set sail back to India, dismissing them like unwanted cargo. But they wouldn't leave without a fight, a fight for justice. They fought as dreamers, risk-takers who came in search of a better life.On arriving at Budge Budge harbour, the ship was met with open fire. The passengers were shot at and arrested, seen as dangerous and violent revolutionaries threatening British rule. 110 years later, this story has left a mark on history, a testament to the courage of the Indian spirit and its perseverance in the face of injustice. Today, Indians are free to travel to every corner of the globe and this has only been possible because of instances like this, which have, unfortunately, been forgotten in modern times. And, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., %u201cOur lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.%u201dPoorvika Nina CarmelClass 9B