The horrible visuals of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan are just unbearable to watch ! The fury of the devastation and the helplessness of those that suffer is petrifying. In this hour of grief our heads bow down in prayer and hope, for those that face this trauma and wish that we can through our thoughts give them solace and comfort.

Nature at its worst ! And all of us feel so dwarfed in its mighty and unpredictable presence. Just the other day we had talked and discussed about it, little knowing that it shall confirm to us within this short period of time, its incredible power and strength.

But … here is nature at its best ! the ‘amaltas’ the ‘taesu’ and the bougainvillea in all its glory, lining the roads and streets of this city. And I put them up not just for the diverse nature of nature’s beauty, but in obeisance, to calm the belligerence that we are witnessing upon another region of our beautiful universe.

The ‘taesu’ in its original orange form on tree. As the festival of ‘Holi’ draws near, these flowers shall be immersed overnight in large drums of water. And in the morning the festival of drenching each other in the bounty of the orange that it shall acquire, shall be almost spiritual.

Nature at its beautiful best ! Full of life and color and expression. Full of hope and beauty and the upliftment of spirit. Blossoming and blooming without aid or any external assistance. That last jar of orange and yellow - a decoration in one corner of my room, the gentle and small petals redecorated every day in their freshness ! Such a feast for the eyes. And on the television the horror of the other side of nature. What a world we live in !!

I may have defaulted in my desire to fill the extended family’s life with yellow bands of response and attention. But am here today is an abundance of yellow. Treat each flowering bud as your own little ‘amaltas’, your golden response, for it is sent to all of you with my sincerity and love ….

In the wake of the horror in Japan, I am restricting this to its very minimum. It almost feels impudent to be expressing anything more, when we witness this unfortunate tragedy before us.

With a prayer …

Amitabh Bachchan