Spreading smiles

Last evening, I was trying to get some rest, after whirling dervish throughout the week for Diwali celebration. The white, bulgy clouds floated in the sky and there was gentle rustle as the autumn breeze passing through the trees, flirted briefly with the leaves. I was transfixed, misty eyed with sheer abundance and slow calming of the season while the year begins to wind down. For me, autumn signifies new beginnings, renewal of intentions and the drive for change. I was contemplating on different aspects of my life and wondering if any change was needed. (I often slip in to that mode when I am alone and at peace) There was one observation that I had made during Diwali and I wish I could do something about it.


I have been to a few Diwali parties last week and one thing that got me thinking was conspicuous consumption and complete lack of moral repugnance towards waste of food, money and few other things. Each place I went to had huge spread of different courses. Half the food remained untouched and some also got wasted. When I learnt the details of the wastage, I cringed. I fail to understand that in a nation like ours where we have deaths due to starvation, how can we allow such criminal wastage? There is nothing wrong in being indulgent and hosting lavish parties but wasting food is absolutely unpardonable. There are so many places where one can give away food, why throw it? 


During Diwali and festival times, people receive so many gifts that sometimes they don't know what to do with them. One of my friends told me how difficult it was to accommodate all the gifts in her two bedroom house. When I suggested her to consider giving some of the gifts to less privileged people, she seemed little shocked. "They are gifts and so many emotions are attached to them" was the logic given to me. Agreed, but one can at least give away some old stuff to find space for the new. Why are we so greedy about holding on to things? 


I understand how painful it is to part with so many beautiful things and if they are carefully chosen for us it becomes emotionally difficult. But, instead of stashing them away for "future use" or "special occasions" why not donate them to some orphanage or old age homes? Over the years, I have conveyed my family and friends not to spend mindlessly on gifts for me. I had to meet fervent opposition initially but they soon realized that I would be happier if they spent their money on someone in need instead of blowing it on buying me some exotic stuff that matches my taste. 


Festivals are not always about buying things. They are about being thankful for one's blessings and sharing them. It is only from people who are much blessed, more is expected. There is absolutely nothing wrong in enjoying one's blessings and being indulgent to the core. But, at no point, one can forget that while we fret over our "problems" like; which interesting cuisines to include or which exotic wines to serve while inviting over people for parties, there are millions of people who haven't had a meal even during the festival days. 


Happiness, they say, is doubled when shared and there is no joy like bringing smile on someone's face. I believe in it completely! 

Happy Diwali!!!

It is Diwali time and in few hours, my house will be filled with family and friends. Within moments of their arrival, there will be huge doses of laughter triggered by nothing really particular. Once we are done with flaunting our new garments, jewelry and other stuff, it will be the time for mad conversations that range from ragging each other to serious, in your face conversations on varied topics and our funny bones would be in overdrive mode, as usual. The beauty is, all this happens in such organic manner that it feels like some magic act that keeps everyone enthralled!

Frankly, I am not in mood to write much today as I am so excited to look forward to this gathering. Such interludes always nurture energies that sometimes translate into spaces of contemplation and realization; my greatest reward for spending so many hours in kitchen and making elaborate meals! And like it happens every time, the complete foodies would indulge in their devotional act of gluttony while the rest of us would enjoy watching them struggle between finding pleasures of renunciations and nirvana in a sheer circle of plate! There would be fervent proclamations about "light bite" and after indulging mindlessly, some of them would vouch for complete detox post Diwali. 

There is so much fun in store that I just cant wait!!! At the risk of sounding abrupt, let me sign off now, amid the crazy sounds of fire crackers all around. I wish all my readers, friends and family a very happy Diwali. Wishing you all the happiness, life has to offer this Diwali and always. God bless!!!

A creepy invasion!

It was one of those days when sometimes, for no apparent reason anything goes right. The maids remained absent without any prior notice and while I was struggling precariously with manic morning demands, the neighbour came wearing sad expression of helplessness and pleaded me to baby-sit her two years old boy for half an hour. Her highness, conveniently returned at lunch time smiling hideously (I secretly wished at that very moment that a few murders were legally allowed!) When I went out, I didn't get a single green signal at any traffic point and none of my work got done. I soon realized, it was just not my day and rushed back home.

There I was; angry, upset, extremely tired, irritable and desperately in need to crash in my favorite chair and listen to some good music. When I entered my room, something bizarre happened that freaked me completely. There was a weirdo on my bed; scattering its legs around the pillows and cushions!! The distance between me and the cold blooded intruder was barely few feet. I became numb with panic while the creepy creature was basking on my bed; unaffected with my presence, bobbing its head, inflating its dewlap, puffing its body and its protruding scary eyes warning me, "Don’t mess with me, babe". It was evident, the Chameleon, had taken over my room and was in no mood to give up its new found fortress. 

When it changed its colour and made a surprisingly swift movement towards my dressing table, I shuddered incessantly and with clenched fist and smeared face I yelled (it was not even close to whisper actually)," Simi, run"! But I was too horrified, as if transfixed under some spell. It took me a while to get back to my "Zaansi ki raani" avatar. 

I wondered how the Chameleon got in my room and noticed an open window that is closer to the garden. The garden, with huge tress like Asoka, Mango, Badam (Terminalia catappa) Parijat, Frangipani serves as perfect tavern for many a tenements and is a melting pot for many alien creepy crawly empires. I have witnessed so many ongoing scuffles for survival from my bedroom window. Some creatures manage to scamper away before any bird or Chameleon reaches them. 

I gathered courage and after a few unsuccessful trials, managed to drive away the Chameleon. I laughed at myself for acting silly and giving myself that harrowing time when I could have easily kept calm and shooed away the creep at the very sight of it. Blame it on a childhood memory of experiencing the horror of watching a lizard tail on the floor, wriggling frantically despite being detached from its body, at a friend's house. Ever since, I go bonkers at the sight of any creepy crawly. 

I made myself a nice cup of coffee and went to my favourite spot- the window. The scary creature was on the Badam tree trunk, in a joyous mood as if playing hide and seek with me and saying,"gotcha"! I grabbed my camera and thought of capturing that naughty intruder. When I looked at it, I noticed what a colourful, beautiful creation God had made! I smiled and was happy for the first time during entire day.  

Durga Puja, Mishti Doi and some flavours of life!

I am fortunate to have had a childhood that was rich with exposure to different religions. When religious, geographical and cultural boundaries transcend and festivals are celebrated by different communities with gaiety and devotion, there is a beautiful, infectious energy in air! I just love to be soaked in that lovely energy, completely!  

Maa Durga, embodiment of Shakti, (strength) with Ganesha, Saraswati and Laxmi

Festivals provide amazing interludes from the daily grind and grant us joy of finding hope; which is becoming increasingly rare, in our urban, metropolitan existence that sometimes appears to be nothing but a cruel joke! These interludes are marvelous respite and often introduce me to new spaces of thinking; a delightful wandering that I truly revel. 

Symbol of victory of good over evil  

One of my favourite festivals is Durga puja. Despite the commercial aspect in festival celebrations; at Durga Puja, the major attraction for me is, witnessing remnants of tradition in form of "Dhunuchi naach" and watching dhakis (drummers) perform their art with great devotion. One more attraction is, of course, indulging in Mishti Doi and other Bengali sweets WITHOUT any iota of guilt! 

Traditional Dunuchi dancer performing his naach and the Dhakis

This year though, I could not go pandal hopping and had to be content with only one visit to Durga Puja. Albeit, I was immensely rewarded by the sheer confluence of varied images of life! I just let my senses fill congruent assortment of interesting hues of life, throbbing at the Puja pandal. There was ethereal beauty to all the chaos that was transpired every moment. So much was happening around that it was like moment to moment horizons reverberating with peaks, interspersed with incantation, creating fascinating splendour!  

Performers playing different traditional, musical  instruments 

The newly weds, young couples with newly born babies, middle aged people with children and extended family and friends and even old people, all connected in their earnest prayers and requests, in some divine way, rejoicing in worship. It was a treat watching women flaunting their traditional family heirlooms!

A Dhaki, in his traditional, vibrant  attire

I had to struggle to take photographs as there was so much crowd that many times I even got pushed but considering all the fun I had at the Puja and the mishti, it was worth it. When I returned, there was flood of positive feelings. All the chaos I had witnessed at the Puja had somehow transformed into euphonic whole and I was at complete peace with myself.

Dhaki, playing with religious fervour

Angels of lesser God

I was driving for a meeting, listening to music and planning things for the day in my mind and suddenly saw a child frantically running towards me amid the maddening traffic. He was waving at me, asking me to stop. I realized it was Ajay, one of the children whom I have befriended near D.N. Nagar traffic signal, Andheri. Despite the angry honking, I managed to stop the car by the road side. Within seconds, Ajay darted towards me gasping for breath. I sensed something different about him. The usual naughty smile and the chirpy demeanour, were missing and he looked sullen.

I asked him what was the matter but he was quiet, as if struggling to find words. When I put my hand across his shoulder, he held my hand, looked in my eyes and said, "didi, kaal ratri maza baap mela"(my father passed away last night). It was futile trying to pierce through cold horizons of his eyes. After a few moments of silence, with his fingers firmly entwined into mine, he narrated his experience of watching his father die before his eyes. I became numb with a lump in my throat and my foggy eyes were threatening to start avalanche of tears. How does one console a grief stricken child, barely ten, in such a condition?  

While Ajay was narrating his experience, I realized, for him his father- a drug peddler, was almost a non existent figure even while he was alive! It was barely a month when Ajay had lost his thick buddy, Ganesh and had shared that shocking news with me in similar manner. Ganesh, was like any other nine year old child; full of mischief, laughter and eyes brimming with hope. His ambition was to start business when he grew - have a "thela" (a road side shop) and be master of his own destiny. Sadly, he fell ill and within days, succumbed to the illness.

Most of the children, whom I have befriended, are victims of dysfunctional families, parental neglect, physical and/or sexual abuse, family substance abuse, violence and are settled with pavement community (living on sidewalks, in parks or empty plots) and are always at risk of catching disease, starvation and abuse. They struggle for survival alone despite having their families. Many are lost in this chaotic urban sprawl, a terrifying place for them to live.

In 2000, the government passed the Juvenile Justice Act, which outlines the rights of children and mandates the government to work with NGOs to address the problems of homeless children. There are many people working in this field and doing truly commendable work. But looking at the number of street children I wonder is it enough? 

I spent some time with Ajay, met his grieving mother and family at the roadside pavement and left for my meeting with heavy heart.  I felt terrible thinking about if I had done enough for Ganesh. Wasn't I guilty of feeling that I had done my job once I paid for his medicines? It is not practically possible to help every single child like Ganesh, in need. But had I been little more involved, perhaps I could have saved a life! And that thought is haunting me as I can't forget Ganesh's innocent face, the naked truth of vicious poverty. My heart is screaming silently. All I need is someone to hug me tight! Would God ever forgive me?