Anat Magen’s distress still haunts all of us and her pain is something that all of us share as she goes through her life bravely. I am so moved by the courage and hope and prayer extended by all in the FmXt and like to express my gratitude to them for being in spirit and heart with a member of our extended family. Thank you all, I would never have expected any less.

The rain came down so heavily as I stepped out at 6 am for the gym, that I thought I may need a boat to get back home. But it ebbed and I knew that it would. I am not certain if this observation is indeed correct or not, but I have noticed that even if it is raining as though there will be no tomorrow an indication that it is about to stop comes from the birds. They suddenly start chirping, the crows get activated and where I stay, a neighbor has pet peacocks, which break into their very distinctive vocals. Sure enough within a short while the rain ebbs and stops. Is there a science here or am I just hallucinating !

They say before an earthquake gets effective it is the birds and the winged that indicate through their movements and behavior that it is imminent. Any explanation here ? Wonder how all this works. Shanouk will sense movement in a remote corner of the house and even in deep slumber shall be up on his fours in a flash and bark. And he will not settle till he sees reason behind the movement or it stops. The protective sensors of the animal are always at their heightened best in such circumstances I guess. Their ethics and codes of conduct are well documented and researched. They follow certain given rules and efficiently follow them. Humans are different. They move court ! Ha ha !

On the occasion of the Jagganath Rath Yatra in Orissa, my greetings and wishes to all today for this auspicious day. May there be peace and harmony and prayer and fulfillment within all of us and may His blessings be upon us all.

The day was relaxed and quiet. Abhishek had a cancellation, because his director is down with malaria and shall be out for a while. Its his childhood friend and school mate Rohan Sippy, son of Ramesh Sippy maker of Sholay. Wishing him a speedy recovery. So it was time to catch up on films and films and films. Mostly French .. mostly beautiful .. the sound of the lashing rain on the roof .. the cool of the monsoon air, hot snacks and a snug and large dog by your feet !!

There is something about not following routine. Once it sets into the mind it remains there. You remain in your night dress and gown, you want your meal by your desk if you are on it, you do not want to take any calls, you do not want to give instructions, you doze off in the chair where you are, you read, you write whatever you may wish to and have nothing at all to look forward to. Day and time shall pass at whatever pace you set yourself into. Glorious !

So the Polish Ambassador came over and presented me with a Ganesh made of a special salt found in Poland. The salt is greenish in color and the image of Ganesh even though it is not too large is heavy. I am surprised that the Ambassador speaks fluent Hindi in as pure a form as could be and informs me that he is a student of Indology from a University in Krakow. I was to visit Krakow if you remember earlier but the sudden death of their President and the volcanic ash had prevented me from going there. Hopefully there shall be another opportunity to visit Poland soon. But the Ganesh in salt was unique. Anil Dharker, friend and senior and respected columnist for the Times of India quickly sent me a message on learning of this presentation to me. I believe during one of his own personal visits to the country he had also purchased some lamps made of salt, but was warning me that soon I should be expecting little bubbles of water to appear at the base of the image, for thus is what was happening to their objects. I believe, and so the Ambassador told me, that, if the image is kept at room temperature nothing should happen to it. So there .. we are now in the process of maintaining a certain temperature where it is kept so it does not develop any deformation ..

The Ambassador spoke at length about India and its culture and films. His recent favorite being .. ‘RANN’ .. I conveyed this  immediately to Ram Gopal Varma. He must have greeted it with a smile.

And a smile it is that appears on my face as well as I decide to turn in early. Tomorrow is another day. Its Bastille Day in France and the Consulate is celebrating it at an evening in a down town Hotel. They want both Jaya and me there. We shall be going. I am after all a French decorated Legion de Honor.

More later and more love to all -

Amitabh Bachchan