A short visit to a local friend who has been most helpful and generous with his time and effort towards the condition of my friend, was the only diversion today.

Perhaps a third generation Sikh married into a Singaporean and with three lovely children. The Sikh in me made easy identification and though he is more conversant now with the local culture and language, his distinct love for his roots are most apparent. It is his birthday today and Gill wishes that we just bless his home with a visit. We do.

Guru Nanak Dev ji and Guru Gobind Singh ji in most striking paintings greet you at the entrance. They are in black and white fine pencil like reproductions. Gill tells me he carries miniature pictures of the Guru’s with him and during a visit to Myanmar had observed an artist by the wayside with whom he got impressed. He queried whether the artist would be able to reproduce the pictures of the respected Guru’s in an enlarged form and the artist agreed, but for a substantial price. Gill agreed, gave him the due amount and on the promise that the paintings shall be home delivered in Singapore, left. He never expected, first, that the artist would be able to get the job done and second, that if done, it would never reach him. Many months passed and Gill had forgotten the incident, when one day the post and parcel service delivered the two paintings at his doorstep.

To Gill it was the unexpected surprise, to me and perhaps inwardly to him as well, it could well have been the deliverance of divinity !

When He wishes to come to you, distances and circumstances take a few steps back.

We spent a few moments within Gill’s home, neat and clean and well appropriated. He shows us about his abode with great pride – the one piece wooden Buddha from, yes, Myanmar, the framed robe of a Ming Dynasty emperor with the fine artistic gold thread workmanship, the view from the terrace and the designing of it by his wife. He draws my attention to the stitching on the robe again and the fine and minute manner in which the etchings had been done. There were several bunches of the dragon that had been woven in. The head of the dragon facing the onlooker and its claws showing menacingly within its large curled presence. This is a specialty he informed. Only the Emperor had the authority to wear a robe where the dragon heads faced you and looked straight ahead. Only on the Emperor’s robe would the dragon have 8 claws. For the rest, the dragon was placed head looking sideways and the number of claws reduced, in keeping with the hierarchy protocol.

How subtly mankind designed respect and servility to authority and governance. And how those traditions continued down history and through centuries to modern times. The uniform was for commonality of dress in war, an identifying look, unchanging and consistent, something unvarying. But with the coming of classification and seniority and rating, it decorated within it the concept of the distinct stars and stripes and medals. They appeared unobtrusively on lapels on collars and on pockets and when modern communication arrived, on the number plate of the motor vehicle carrying decorated authority. The vehicle with flag or standard, announced the status of the rider or occupant. The solitary red swiveling light denoted the politicians privilege, several swiveling lights in hues of orange and blue, now denote a ticket or a trip to the nearest police enclave. Places of paid residence soon acquired similar habits and star ratings enhanced the invoice at check outs. Even creativity wasn’t spared. They equated it to stars !! Pun unintended !! And stipulated that the optimum judged bench mark should not exceed 5 stars. No one has ever wondered why it stopped at 5. And no one ever wonders why 5, when no one ever reaches there. Hotels till recently remained within the boundaries. No one ever hesitated in declaring themselves a fiver. Until Dubai came about and the Burg-al-Arab, half way into the sea announced 7 stars for itself. So how is it that a Hotel has the liberty to address itself at the merit of 5 and Producers and Directors even after buying out critics never get there ! Must have something to do with the exchange rate !!

Out of Gill’s soft and homely high rise apartment 22 floors in the sky after duly cutting his birthday cake, a ride down in the elevator, with a few other floor occupants. Its strange how everyone that inhabits that little square box transporting us through the heights, always looks at just one object – the indicator on top of the door counting the floors gone by. There are exceptions of course at times. Today was one. Lady stranger from different floor turned around to look at white bearded 6’2” swine flu mask protected salwar kameez occupant and exclaimed – “Oh ! My god ! Amitabh Bachchan !!” Then turning to Gill, whom she knew as neighbor, exclaimed even louder – “He came to your place ??

Even in my entire career of 40 years I would never have the experience and talent to imitate the ladies expression as she looked at Gill with those words !!

Long after we had left the premises where Gill lived, I kept breaking into stifled chuckles, thinking of ‘lift lady’.

Meanwhile news from homeland states that little Agastya Nanda of grandson fame, has been beckoned by the coach to join the School Football Team. This is obviously the School Juniors, but the excitement is because they pick guys for the team from Class 4 onwards and Aggie boy is in Class 3 !! So yeaaaahhhh !!!

Spoke to him after his accomplishment, all bounced and cheered up, to get a very complacent, “Yaaa.. thanks Na..naaa”. That’s it ? I mean I would be like, kicking the furniture around ! Well not actually ! Just remembered similar moment in Boy’s High School, Allahabad when I was picked from the 7^th Standard to play the GoalKeep in the School Eleven !! I had ridden home on my cycle that evening in record time, the School colors riding in the basket hung from the handle bars and proudly announcing this to my Mother. Could not sleep the whole night with excitement. Next evening the most important Football game of the year – against our rivals, St Joseph’s. Let in 6 goals !! Got pulverized !! The most embarrassing moment of my life !! After the first one went in, my hands and legs suddenly changed chemical composition and became rubber !! Did not look up for an entire term in School !!!

Funny thing life ! Same School, same ground, athletic meet, 6 first prize cups, victory stand, on the podium at the numerical 1, proud happy, Mom taking photographs with old fashioned box camera – head still down, but from feeling shy !!

Head down on embarrassment ! Head down on achievement !

Both work !

Amitabh Bachchan