Bombay Musings

This picture made me nostalgic for the city that was my home for over 27 years(good luck to guessing my age).Moving to a second tier city has me thinking quite often on the pros and cons of living in a megapolis(by Indian standards).
Blame it on the fact that "you can take a person out of Bombay but not Bombay out of the person", but the pros far outweigh the cons (at least for me).

The Pros obviously being:

• An absolutely cosmopolitan city (mini India, if you will) respecting traditions but with a heavy western influence.The exposure to different ethnic group practises and cultures really opens your mind to the diverse yet similar nature of us - homo sapiens.
• The freedom to follow your dreams big and small(yes even illegal, immoral ones), the immense opportunity available, for starters.
• Where one's individuality and personal space is valued(the fact that time is money may have a lot to do with it).
• The varied avenues of entertainment for all ages(and before you protest), countless beaches, A national park, mini parks all over.
• Relatively safer place for women and collaborator in their empowerment.
• Good and intelligent use of science and technology tempered with Eco friendly ways.
• Where your religion, caste, race doesn't matter(98% of the time) in any sphere of life.
• Festivals and celebrations give community a whole new meaning.

I could have gone on all day and still not be finished...

Now for the Cons:

• Pollution and Blatant commercialisation
• You may have neighbours you may never interact for years with.
• Stark division between the wealthy and the not so, disregard for rules(especially teenagers).
• Increasing intolerance and xenophobic tendencies.
• Burgeoning population and inadequate infrastructure.
• Loneliness(elderly and the singletons) and lifestyle diseases, stressful lives.

As you can see, given a chance, I would catch the first available flight to Bombay, take everything the city throws my way..."Good, Bad And The Ugly" and never leave.

Well, as the Saying goes,"if wishes were horses,beggars would be kings". ;D 

No one moves to these beats like me, definitely not you two legged creatures!!
Bring It On Baby!!!

# 5 Random Musings For The Day

When he/she says "was looking for someone like you", is one allowed to wonder, "heaven knows, how long and how many have they been looking at"???

# 4 Random Musings For The Day

It takes two to tango but just one for freestyle dancing.

# 3 Random Musings For The Day

Wonder why it is that when we begin to enjoy something, someone comes along to point out the frivolity of such pursuits.

Goosebumps

Goosebumps, 

on your first day at school

Goosebumps,

as you walk up to make your first friend

Goosebumps,

as you near the exam hall

Goosebumps,

when you get your first call

Goosebumps,

As you sing your song on stage

Goosebumps,

when your secret crush walks by

Goosebumps,

when you make it to the football team

Goosebumps,

over every lie you tell your mom

Goosebumps,

the day you graduate,

Goosebumps,

as you face your job interview

Goosebumps,

on your first bonus slip

Goosebumps,

on your very own assignment

Goosebumps, 

as your wedding draws near,

Goosebumps,

on seeing your child cry

Goosebumps,

when you face your loved one's death

Goosebumps,

as you pass by the homeless and the orphaned child,

Goosebumps,

over a haunting melody

Goosebumps,

hearing a touching story

Goosebumps,

that makes us seem human

Goosebumps,

for every step on life's journey

( Inspired by my follower Neeha's frequent use of that word. ;) )

She Was My Friend

    


  Tears roll down her cheeks as she checks the obituaries...sure enough that smiling face she can never forget staring back at her, sadly accusing,"you never visited". Proof in her hand of the grim reaper and his sadistic taste for young lives...


    The breakfast turns cold, untouched as was dinner the previous night. Her mind taking her to a nostalgic journey more than a decade old. She had just graduated when they met for the first time as interns at their auditing firm.


    She liked her on sight...Nita as she softly remembered.. Nita was different : ambitious, intelligent with no qualms in flaunting it, a dreamer, eccentric even. Maybe that was the reason for the contempt that the other girls held for her. It was part jealousy and part groupism - the odd ones always ignored or mocked.


   Nita spoke of her family, her work, her dreams, her fears...she was just a sweet girl trying to make a mark on the world but when have narrow minds seen a person for what they truly are?


   Audits with her were never boring, intelligent conversation, work, fun, sharing filled the days. Nita was a reflection for all that she stood for and may be that's why they got along so well. When others in the office would ask how she could bear to be seen as friendly with the "weirdo", she simply smiled and replied "Birds of a feather flock together".


   As time went by, as it has for aeons, she moved to other projects, other jobs...they still kept in touch, met occasionally but not as before. Life went on, job, marriage, problems, responsibilities but she still thought of her . They met a few times more, at her marriage as Nita's parents was friends with her in-laws (small world, she had thought back then) and a couple of family functions....and then for quite some years they lost touch completely...


   She looked at the damp paper, thinking of the bear hug and the huge infectious grin with which Nita greeted her(the surprise element at her wedding) and between guilt ridden sobs wished she had reached out to her when Nita had been on dialysis (she had never known, the secret kept till her last days), when Nita had got her promotions and had few genuine friends to celebrate it with, when a speeding car knocked her dead as she crossed the highway to her office a week after her 31St birthday.


  .......Its been five years since Nita moved on to a painless, hopefully better place but the sadness and the ache of regret still lingers as fresh as ever...you see, this story is close to my heart, for Nita was my "weirdo" friend and a small part of me wishes that I had, had a chance to say my goodbyes.....




wc 467



(Real names changed to protect those left behind and respect the ones who have moved on.)

# 1 Random Musings For The Day

When life drops you a lemon, Make lemonade, and that's not quite your style Try a lemon soufflé...

# 2 Random Musings For The Day

If clothes define a person, why don't the good ones come in the right sizes ???

Mirage/Illusion Or Reality

Near Churchgate, Mumbai 

Came into my life, 

Like a whiff of fresh air.

A fragrance so intoxicating,

That had me lost to the world.

A glorious smile that light  up my sky,

Made me see stars under the brightest sun.

Eyes as deep as the oceans,

Drowning me in melting pools.

An embrace to warm the coldest of nights,

A soothing voice to vanquish the darkest nightmares.

A beautiful face that reflected the purity within,

A joie de vivre that oozed from every fibre.

An impish grin that sent my heart racing,

A tender glance that  had me doing somersaults.

A comfortable silence that needed no speech to mar,

An enduring love that needed no special moments.

Closed my eyes for a moment,

To see clearer still through the soul.

  Longed to catch a glimpse

Once more of you.

Multitudes of faces passed me by,

But not the one sort after.

For you had disappeared without a trace ,

Like you had never ever been there.

Were you a mirage, 

An Illusion,

A hallucination,

A figment

Of an over active imagination?

Or someone else's reality,

Before I could make it mine....

Years gone by,

The question still lingers,

Were you ever truly present,

Were you just another dream,

Or memories of another life long gone !!