Yes it is late ! Yes I should not be writing at this time ! And yes I need to look after my health !

But the joy of connecting with my EF is beyond late hours and health conditions. I am late because we have just concluded a trial of ‘Aladin’ at YRF, for family and friends and elated by the response have not been able to contain myself in penning down a few lines before hitting the sack and sacking the hit in a few hours. Yes ! In 3 hours I shall be leaving for Lonavala and BB 3, and so a very sleep deprived pop philosopher shall be conducting affairs at the break of dawn.

Actually the morning was early too. Off at 5 am to Haji Ali dargah, to the Devi temple at the corner of Marine Drive, at a small dargah on Worli sea face and finally at Siddhivinayak. A day of fast too for the pooja later in the house - Satyanarayan Pooja, which in the absence of my Mother and Father I now conduct personally. It is not the same; it never is without them. But I do what ever has remained with me of the time they performed it for us and follow. My cousin sister from my Mother’s side, her elder sister’s daughter, has sent me a GuruNanak Dev ji pendant and I wear it around my neck and thank the portraits of all the Sikh Guru’s that bless the wall of my little temple in the house. An air of religiosity pervades every corner of our existence. Inexplainable acts and deeds that the entire universe is subjected to, we believe, do belong to some supreme power, an unknown force around us. We have titled it and revered it and worshipped it. Given it a place in our hearts and minds. Given it belief and the strength of our convictions. Many have given it form and voice. Many converse with it without getting any response; many say they do.

It is the strength of our belief and the power it exudes that keeps us servile in its midst. How wonderful that mankind found someone to be servile to. Most of the time our arrogance and ego do not subject us to servility even in the most extreme circumstances. But here it is the supreme power, one that beckons without calling, dictates without telling, listens without letting us know that it hears. When you look at the edicts that they prepared for us - the Ramayan, the Geeta, the Bible, the Quran, the Granth Saheb Ji, you wonder at these feats of godliness. How did they put down in writing thought and word all that these respected and revered religious books contain. It is the marvel of their existence, it is the marvel of their thought and belief that subjects us into awe and reverence. And so may it remain. The human would have been bereft of belief if it had not existed. Was this the way of the gods to instill belief in us ? Would we have been a different race if there was no belief in our existence ?

Interesting do you not think ? The matter of belief !!

My love and more,

Amitabh Bachchan