A Hawk's Flight...

Hawk, one of the most magnificient birds, to adorn this planet. The other day, when I was at Haji Ali, I was watching a hawk fly/glide effortlessly. I also got to see this bird in action when I was at BandStand.

So simple, so effortless - a hawk makes flying look very simple. One strong flap of the wings is enough for it to gain height and continue gliding around without a care or worry. It flies as if it has all the time in the world and there is nothing else bothering it. The smooth glide along with the wind, the gentle twist of its tail to help it turn around, the straight majestic body - its simply beautiful. I tried capturing it on my camera, but managed to get it only in one corner of the frame, as it was about to leave the frame. I need to practice more if I have to get this majestic bird on camer. Looking at a hawk fly brings a sense of calm to me. In the skies, with so many birds, a hawk can easily keep gaining height till it ensures that it is away from the normal crowd, where the sky is its own. I wish I could adapt this in my life and rise above the trivial issues that sometimes tend to bother me like anything.

Do take some time out from your busy schedules and watch the hawk in action...

Cellularly challenged!!!

Whenever I meet someone or talk to someone, there is one common question that I come across - "What is your cell number?" And I really don't know how to reply. For the simple reason that I am "cellularly challenged". In other words, I do not have a cell phone. It seems that a cell phone has become one of the basic necessities of life, along with 'Roti', 'Kapda' and 'Makaan'. It has been a conscious decision to remain cellularly challenged, for 'n' reasons which are best not made public. :-) Besides, the moment I hear the word 'cell phone', there is only 1 image that crosses my mind - a (unshaven, untidy) man talking on a phone (landline) in his (prison) cell.

It doesn't matter who I am talking to... Be it Miss M or Mr. A or Miss R or Mr. S - they are all surprised to know that I am surviving without a cell phone. I am getting a feeling that a cell phone is more important than oxygen... Or is it just a figment of my imagination? Though this is not the first time that my friends have been asking me to buy a cell phone. But it is after a long long time that these questions have been thrown at me. And this time, I don't have any answer. Some of the questions are as follows-

Mr. S - Tera cell number kya hai? Oh, haan, main jaanta hoon tu cell nahi use karta, lekin iske peeche kya funda hai yeh mujhe samajh nahi aata.

Miss M - How am I supposed to contact you Sumi?

Mr. A's fiance - How do we reach you if you are not at home and you don't have a cell phone either?

Miss R - What if we want to disturb you? How can we disturb you if you don't have a cell phone?


I understand the concerns that these questions convey. But I do have a landline number, which I share with my friends. So if anyone needs to contact me, they can call me up at my landline number. And if I am not at home, they can leave a message for me. But this doesn't seem to suit everyone. And if I keep getting queries regarding my cell number at this rate, I don't think I will remain cellularly challenged for long. I will be forced to get a cellular subscription and change my status from 'Cellularly challenged' to 'Cellularly connected'. Lets see how soon does this transformation take place.

Paichaan Kon!!!!

After staying away from home for nearly 2 years, I haven't changed much. Rather, I haven't changed at all. This is what my friends have been telling me since the time I have come back to Mumbai. But it seems the residents of my building do no recognize me. That's possible, considering the fact that I have hardly interacted with them during my stay of just over a year at my new home... And then I was missing in action from the building for nearly 2 years... So it is very much possible that people don't know me...

Yesterday, a similar scenario took place, when I went to buy milk. I was wearing my ghar ka T-shirt and track pants, and was carrying a pair of sunglasses in 1 hand and a plastic bag in another. When I entered the lift, to go to the ground floor, it was already occupied by a middle aged gentleman and a middle aged lady, henceforth called an uncle and an aunty. I do not recollect seeing them ever before, but for that matter, neither do I recollect seeing quite a few other residents too. Both were standing on the opposite walls of the lift. When I entered, I had no option, but to stand at the place where I put my first step, becuase neither the uncle nor the aunty were willing to give me space. What happened in the next few seconds was too much for me to handle. Just imagine how much time will it take for the lift to travel from fourth floor to the ground floor. As I stood with my arms folded, from the corner of my eye, I could see the uncle happily staring at me. To be precise, he was staring at my face. Then his gaze shifted to my sunglasses, which I was carrying in my hand. After satisfying himself that these are normal sunglasses and not some wierd scientific invention, his gaze shifted to my feet. I was wearing floaters, which were pretty normal and nothing extraordinary. Now I started feeling a bit uneasy. And I was waiting for the lift to reach the ground floor. But alas. The lift halted on second floor. Abhi tak second floor pe hi pahunche hain!!!! Oh God. Here I was trying to escape the stare of this uncle, and the lift had to halt now... After what seemed an eternity, the lift began its descent again. By this time, uncle's gaze had shifted back to my face. I couldn't understand how or why? All I knew was that I hadn't shaved since the last 3 days. Phir bhi, I don't think that not shaving for 3 days makes someone unrecognizable. After staring at my face for a few seconds, I don't know what happened, and uncle then shifted his gaze to my T-Shirt. And to top it all, he was not contect in the side-view. He wanted to know what was printed on my T-shirt. So he actually bent forward to take a look at my T-Shirt to get a good front view. Oh my god!!! I am not sure if he could make out anything, because he was standing to my righ and my T-shirt had the logo of my employer printed on the left chest. All of a sudden, some thought came to his mind and he quietly moved to the corner behind him. Thank God, I don't have eyes at the back of my head. Nahi to pata chalta uncle peeche se bhi stare kiye ja rahe hain... As soon as the lift stopped, I just ran out, not even waiting to hold the door for uncle and aunty. I know this is bad on my part, but I just couldn't stand being stared at. I was totally shaken and frustrated - itne kam time mein itna sab kuch ho gaya.

By the time I reached back home I had made up my mind. I informed my mother that 'In the best interests of you'll and me, and also in the best interests of the residents of this building, it will be good if I stay away from home and this building for most part of the day. And if by chance I do happen to be at home, then it will be good if I stay indoors and not venture out.'
I don't think that after staying for nearly 2 years in a different country, my looks have changed to warrant stares from people. Neither do I look like an animal, nor do I look like an alien from another planet. I still look like a human being and still am a human being, just like you all. Hope everybody understands this and does not make me feel like a NRI (Not Required Indian)!!!

Bakar bot - Your online bakar partner

There are times when you feel frustrated and need to talk to someone. And you sure do have your best friend or partner to talk to, to share your feelings, to vent your frustration, to take opinions, etc... But there are times when your friends or loved ones are busy or caught up with something and they cannot lend you their ears. Relax... help is here in the form of 'bakar-bot'. Created by yours truly, customized to give some wierd responses to some questions...

Here is the URL for the bot. http://tinyurl.com/fc6xb Try it out and let me know your opinion.

Feels good to be back in Mumbai...

Its been nearly 2 weeks since I came back to Mumbai, after a long stint in the US of A. Sab kuch badla badla sa lag raha hai, lekin phir bhi apna-apna sa lag raha hai. It feels good to be back home with family and friends. Good to be back in the city where I was born and brought up. Good to be back in the city which taught me a lot of important lessons of life, which no college in the world can teach. When I travelled by train, a few days back, and first time after returning, I thought I would find it difficult, considering that I was 'out-of-touch' of the habit of local train travel. But to my surprise, I made it quite easily. The oh-so-familiar local trains, the interiors with all the stickers and banners, the crowd, the non-working fans, the smell of sweat, the constant chatter of junta, travelling on the foot-board... it was worth every minute...

wahi stations, wahi bheed-bhaad
wahi ticket ki queue, wahi bhagam-bhaag...

The roads too had a familiar sight... The traffic, as usual; the pedestrians; the road-side vendors; the honking of cars - does it feel great to be back home???? It indeed does. I was missing all this while I was in Atlanta. Traffic used be there sometimes, but honking was very very rare. Pedestrians were hardly to be seen. The local train was very different from our trains... Choti, kaafi empty, no travelling on foot-boards, band-darwaaze, band-khidkiyan, etc, etc...

But it feels good to be back home. Sab kitna apna apna sa lagta hai...

Kudos to Mumbai and the citizens of Mumbai...

p.s. - I had written 'Bombay', but my friend couldn't digest it and forced me to change it to 'Mumbai'. so much for 'Freedom of Speech and Expression' in this democratic country.