Lost in memory and in a place where the ‘shradh’ is done for the Mother .. the rites for the peace of the soul. I was there, but how wonderful to be able to start today’s blog with such memory and thought. Nothing is sacred, nor obligatory on the content of these pictures, but in prayer does one need to be conscious of all this. We pray for our near and dear ones, for happiness and prosperity, for the well being of others. A few minutes spent with our beliefs is not a great amount of time in a 24 hr day. But the satisfaction and courage it provides, is immeasurable. I feel strongly of a superior power, unknown unseen and of immense value – a unknown force that guides us and our destiny. I shall not challenge it, but neither shall make exhibition of it in the public domain, nor make effort to preach its values to others in the hope of them succumbing to my feelings. My feelings may remain my own, and this I will endorse. But to preach and make effort to gather more, is something that I shall find myself not doing. It is not that I do not pray, I do. But rather than make a spectacle of it, sharing it, brings in a soft satisfaction …

Satisfaction !!! one of the biggest challenges of life. Each of us say that we are satisfied, but the hunger for more, or the effort to do and then not live up to it, is a massive defeat ..

I would not defeat myself .. rather I would anguish if I had to, for, the results of such exercise would not suit my inner sentiment. This shall not remove belief. Belief has its own manifestations – good once, bad another. Challenged all the time but kept alive with the unexplained in not just our lives, but of those that came before us and those that shall pass by.

There can be no harm in prayer and belief. Perhaps it takes an eternity to understand it. A sense of well being shall most certainly prevail, and that according to me, would be the main reason for it to be misunderstood.

Better then not to involve or show greater discomfort in the process. At times, time itself shall be the solution, what we want, and who we want it from …

A plaque, an honor bestowed, a great many minds that involve themselves to the furtherance of good social work, an evening of platitudes and attention and finally departure. No one asks me from the media electronic what work done in the eradication of polio from the nation, has meant. They want to get some juice, most certainly not in consonance with the award. Travel, retirement, next steps …!!

They are the guiderattazi. They shall tell us what we should do with our selves. Our conduct our reactions, all to make news in prime time, but never to adhere to reality. For them perhaps reality has something to do with what most of their kin indulge in as broadcasts.

Something disagreeable needs good attention. Should we raise our voices to regain our identity and dignity. Or simply allow ourselves to let it pass. For pass it will, and with no encumbrances or side plots. Just a very short memory, and a value of nothingness.

Better then to be in the company of the above – innocence, wide eyed simplicity and a symbol of great ethical mythical and religious value … the beautiful lotus grows in the dirtiest of surroundings, holding it brings within a gentle meaning of peace. The expression says it all ..

The borderless extent of the ‘whites’, the kite flying experiences of our youth, the snugness of the attire and the expression of genuine interest at the Rann of Kutch. Do you really think flying a kite is ordinary ? There is much character and learning in it. The launch of it against the wind, almost as a learner lesson of our life when we are on the threshold of giving it all up in defeat. Keeping it afloat and flying, a craft not very well explained or taught. The twists and turns in the air, which happen in delayed time lines – pull the string here on the ground, and it takes a while to register it on the object of our flight. May sound insidious to some, but does not our life reflect in it ? The competition of the rivals and those that threaten to ‘cut’ us off, the need to be wary of such, to manipulate our thin paper object of desire, one that can ‘break’ and sail away never to be recovered. And finally the guile of the strings that we pull. The construct of the ‘saddi’ and the ‘maanjha’ – our defense weapons. If they be not sharp and strong, they shall betray you and your object of flight, despite the protective hand gear that one wears to not allow it to cut the very hands that launched it. And the the ‘lataayi’, the cylindrical drum that holds the excess strings – easy to roll out in the immediate need, or to quickly roll back that which has been left behind after a loss of object …

The kite ..

They often dismiss us with ‘go fly a kite’ …

Ever imagined what it means when you insinuate thus   ??!!

Amitabh Bachchan