Idle thoughts without motive are a deterrent to society. Idleness by itself is at times reassuring. There is a calmness in thought, if at all thought can find its way in. Allowing thought to percolate the invisible boundaries that we apparently build, is another motive, worthy of thought ! Playing with words is not just the domain of the fourth estate, its usage comes from the desired accumen of some brilliant and bright minds. Minds that find space in this troubled format can both be sensational, or absolutely brilliant. They can never be dull and inexpressive.

I find that most of the comments that adorn my post pages are from minds that reverberate on the side of brilliance. No one specifies a purpose or pattern. No one clammers for attention or demands response or begs attention. Yet they are all attractive, committed and compassionate. In a world that builds hatred, confrontation and despicable behavior, we at the post come out looking sparkling white. Unblemished, understanding and the ultimate ! This is the quality of my extended family - its immediate resolve to connect, convey and communicate !

You have no idea how reassuring and comforting this is for me as a person yes, but also for me as a subject of your interest. For, it conveys to me that mark of indelible ink, that resolve to attach yourself in ‘fevicolish’ intensity.

Gratitude and awe … always !

The clouds went dark again at the appointed hour. The winds picked up, the clap of the lightening and thunder crashed through the rush hour of the city, rendering home going office and work place commuters stagnant, rudderless and exasperated. The road in front of Jalsa filled up, the level on the lawn rose drastically, standing us by with all preparations of evacuating the ground. And then, just as it looked ominous and dark, the rain stopped as if on direction from above, the water cleared, the roads dried up and life retained its impetus. The desire to consume the heated and spicy grew as did the hot drink. After a while ‘alphonsoish’ delight appeared in close proximity to the hands and the ‘fruit of the season’ the ‘king’ was sucked away with relish - finger bowl on hand ! The charm of eating this royal fruit is with the bare hands or none at all. Unless you can feel the skin and the ‘meat’ of its body under lascivious tongue, it is and has been said, you have not eaten a mango !

During the early years in Allahabad, when the means were scarce and the availability for the fruit was limited to the cheaper versions, the ‘chusni’, or the one that could be sucked - small, rounded and within the palm of the hand in size - occupied our attention. As the rain poured its heart out in front of our verandah, we sat on its steps, bucket full of ‘chusni’ at hand and devoured its contents right down to the ‘guthali’ in a few short but intense bursts of action. The remnants of this minor adventure were then placed in front of us as a ready reckoner of our act and the consumption as it progressed kept piling up before us, until it reached our chin. That then was officially declared as ‘having eaten mango’ ! A warm and wipped up glass of milk followed and that was it ! Ready for dinner, after.

Mango - that only fruit that contains all the possible vitamins, that weight gainer, that washed down with milk consumer, still invades the summer months of the country. The varieties and its names, the locations where it is found, the different colors and shapes that it is found in, all then becomes the topic of deep discussion on the dining table and each section on each part of the country - UP, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Mangalore - have their little tales of association with it through their lives !

How wonderfully the world revolves around our tastes and desires in the avatar of the weather, for the consumption of our foods. With the monsoons comes the pakoda and pau bhaji and bhutta. The summer months of mango and lassi and shikanjvi and thandaee and ganne ka ras. Winter ushers in the hot seik kabas and chat and garam gulab jamun and by the fireside the rewadi, chilgoza, gajak and momphali …

I cannot believe that something that started off as a somewhat philosophical post, ended up with mango and momphali …. ?? !!!!

Good night …. before I get started again … ha ha !!

Love you ..

Amitabh Bachchan