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The sky is shrinking...


I am at my bedroom window, enjoying cup of coffee and gazing at the evening sky. It is tranquil and there is some magical pull about this sky that I am drifted to always. I look forward to experience these few moments of bliss. It is like being in trance ! For those few moments, everything around me stops to exist. Whether it is the mad traffic on the road and its loud honking, the noise children make while playing at the garden below or the adjacent cacophonous construction site, nothing can obliterate sheer serenity of silence. And these moments of stillness within me are packed with loads of positive energy and reflection that I enjoy immensely.

In city like Mumbai, it is a great privilege to have a beautiful view of the sky from home or work place. Gleaming skyscrapers, the symbol of pursuit of dreams, stand proudly in this land of opportunities. The ever increasing height of the buildings seems to be solution for the metropolis where land is sparse. The suburban sprawl reflects the essence of the city. Over the period of past few years, many skyscrapers have started block my view of the sky to some extent. The sky that I see is fragmented amid the maze of tall buildings. I know, congestion is a very common urban phenomenon. I feel sad when I miss out opportunity to witness the eternally changing treasure trove of beauty of the sky - the changing colours, forms, textures, like a freshly painted canvas that I used to observe, has started missing some of its pieces due to this vertical growth of the city.

All I wish is, on a routinely frazzled day, when I'm swamped by work, interruptions, hassled by my kid, phone calls, errands and chores, I get to pause and breath and marvel at the vastness of the sky for few moments. At night, when I wake up suddenly, I wish to be  able to strike a silent conversation with the flawless, subdued sky and get spellbound by its dazzling beauty ! The sky has been a great companion always. It always embraces me with arms wide open, without any judgement and for those few moments, I am absolutely calm. It is a spiritual experience that I don't wish to let go. I know, my share of the sky is shrinking subtly and wonder how long would I be able to hold on to it? 

Raghurajpur, an emblem of heritage arts and crafts of Odisha!!!

About fifteen km from the revered city of Lord Jagannath, Puri, there is a tiny little hamlet Raghurajpur, nestled on the southern bank of r...