Pressing a Button and making things go Beep.

This was the first time I ever voted.

Yeah, I know...I was never at home whenever we had elections.

Voting was held in SDM Law College, five minutes from our home.As I was parking my scooter, an aunty smiled at me.I couldn't recognise her.So my smile was hesitant and half-formed by the time she moved ahead.

Once inside, I found out that the entire college had a placid atmosphere. Only a handful voters had turned up at twelve in the noon.The rest were smiling and courteous electoral officers and other officials.The sight of Government officials smiling and courteous and helpful was inapposite but certainly welcome.

I gave them my entry chit and stood in the line with about ten people in it.They checked my card, announced my number (816) and another official ticked me off on her list.I went further up the line, where I had to show my Voter ID card and sign an attendance register.Further ahead a gentleman asked me to extend my hand.I extended my right hand, to which he asked my left .He marked my index finger with indelible ink that was produced in Mysore.The ink left and ugly dark line on my finger that would not wash off for months.The gentleman next to him reset the EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) so that I could vote.The EVM itself was a few feet awayon a wooden desk, and covered by a cardboard enclosure.

Voting itself was an easy task.

The EVM is a simple white plastic box which displays the list of candidates and their symbols(for the illiterate)There was a  red light and a blue button. I had  to press the blue button against the candidate of the choice and a red light  appeared on the pressing of blue button and there was a sound like whistle  which indicated that the ballot was cast.

That was it.This was what voting was , for those who cared to vote.

'Pressing a Button and making things go Beep'

This was supposed to be exercising my right.This was my part in deciding the future of my country.This was my role in bringing about a change in things that I don't like about now.'Pressing a button, and making things go Beep'

Felt like what I did was trivial,insignificant.It felt ridiculous.

Most of all, It felt like I should do more.

More than just 'Pressing a button and making things go Beep'