Coming soon..

Jaipur.. here I come!
More on this very soon

Mumbai blasts

What a night of close shaves!
Thank you everyone for your messages of concern.

Every evening, I take the fast train- a Borivali local or Virar fast from Platform number 3 or 4 in Churchgate as Im too impatient to take a slow train. Yesterday, I took a slow train back home from work as I wanted to accompany a colleague travelling by the first class general compartment to the doctors.

I took the train at 6:10 to Andheri and it travelled normally to Dadar station where it halted. After a call from a journalist cousin to say that the first blasts had happened in Mira Road and Bhayendar- the phonelines were jammed.
My colleague and I got off Dadar station and tried to get a cab in the pouring rain for around 45 minutes. Finally- after a little extra bribing- we got a cab.
There were diversions everywhere and the news channels in action in the middle of the crouds.
Slowly the networks cleared- and calls and messages started coming in- 4 blasts, no 5..no 7, or was it 8- there was misinformation everywhere.

When we reached Mahim church at around 2245h hours, our tyres were punctured so we decided to walk. Finally, at Lucky restaurant in Bandra, we stopped for a meal. After that, we were hailed a rickshaw by some good samaritians.
What was really overwhelming was the outpouring of public compassion- there were little kids on the street, women, old men offering water, glucose biscuits, and food to the people stuck in the traffic jam on the streets.

While passing a fishing village in Mahim, the fishermen from the villages offered us dinner that they had made in large quanities for passengers stuck on the roads.

While my condolences go out to all those unfortunate people who were affected by this cowardly act,it really made me think,good and evil can coexist everywhere in such close proximity. Whoever orchestrated these blasts- Hindu, Muslim, Jew, Christian, terrorist- you can destroy property, life- but you cant destroy compassion and goodness- as much as you try.

What a week it has been for us in the city- last week there were the flooding rains, on Sunday- the stupid riots, and now this.But its not enough to break the spirit of the city.

For latest news on this situation, this is an up- to- date link:
http://www.ndtv.com/breakingnews/default.asp?refno=712200610911PM

Vienna

Slow down you crazy child
You're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart tell me why
Are you still so afraid?
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You better cool it off before you burn it out
You got so much to do and only
So many hours in a day

But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you

Slow down you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be
Before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight (tonight)
Too bad but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself
That you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong
You know you can't always see when you're right(you're right)

You got your passion you got your pride
But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize
Vienna waits for you

Slow down you crazy child
Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
It's alright you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize...
Vienna waits for you.

And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through
Why don't you realize...Vienna waits for you
When will you realize...Vienna waits for you..

- Billy Joel

Rejuvenation

Bullets from sky shower my body as I walk briskly down to work,
And I walk drenched by the fury of the heavens..

Arriving at work,I am distracted by the trees outside my window swaying against their will to an invisible force
As helpless as they are, they seem to submit with a suppressed happiness- their colour reveals their rejuvenation..

My mind wanders, past and present combine,
My imagination is my weakness, not allowing me to control my mind...
Sorting through the cluttered files in the inbox of my mind,
I seem to have forgotten where I have placed the attachments and can't find links..
In the weariness of body and the dullness of mind,
I ask for just for a few minutes more to think..

Rushing down the flight of stairs, I run to find the ocean,
I match its fury with my gaze standing at the edge of my city.
It mocks me with its thunderous laugh and lashes drenching me.

Unfazed, I regain my composure and say to the ocean-
"Try your best."

The skies growl and are illuminated by a magnificient sparkle
The bullets from the sky have abated to pinpricks against my skin,
A sense of calm follows and the clouds clear for a little sun..

The sea sends its messenger the wind to cool my being
It wraps me in its tingling coolness..
I submit and my knees give way.

I am embraced by a gush of overwhelming calm
And I allow my body to succumb.
There is peace in submission and calm in the truth.

My mind is the master again.