The little man-boy

I took this picture a few days back. The sun was out and it was warm with a nice breeze. So i went to Tsim Tsa Tui from where one can see the the skyscrapers dotting the HK harbour. A lovely view...the sea, ships, boats, HK harbour...one can spend hours just sitting, watching and observing. And i did precisely that!

As i was walking along the Millenium Walk...i saw this little boy walking behind his mother. He had just lost his balloon, and he threw the stick on which the balloon was perched in disdain, put his hands in his pocket and continued walking.

There was something about his gait, which made me take this picture...I was extremely amused to watch this little boy walk like a man. There was this 'I am a man of the world' attitude in this little boy who perhaps measured a little higher than my knee...

I am a non-believer! And thats great!

I do not believe in religion.

I do not believe in the conventional notions about 'god'.

I do not like the 'my religion is better than yours so let's convert you' attitude.

I believe religion has nothing to do with any kind of 'god'! Religion is simply a set of rules that conform to what is perceived by any particular society as the good and moral way of living. Unfortunately these rules and ideals have brought about much grief and intolerance in this world.

The concept of religion is peculiar to only humans because we can form ideas and are empowered with the gift of imagination unlike any other species on this planet.

Religion at best is something that gives one strength and hope because humans are essentially weak...they need assurance of protection from pain, from the unknown, from unhappiness. At its worst religion brings out the nastiest in us, disregards anything logical, compassionate and humane.

I do not believe in segregations set-up by the society. Black-white-yellow-brown-casts-religion. Underneath, we all are the same. Almost always. Attention seeking-fake-real-unhappy-happy-dissatisfied-amorous-saints-sinners-searching-groping-greedy-giving-puzzled-arrogant-craving for love...that's a few of the things we all are...inside. The rest is all superficial, pigeon-holes...and immaterial.

I believe in greys, not black and whites. Some dark greys, some lighter shades. But all greys.

I believe in evolution.

I believe in nature. Patterns of nature. The cosmos, the planets, the moon, the tides... perhaps even destiny.I do not believe that 'god' is a 'he'. Its perhaps a power, a pattern, an energy, god is an 'it', not a 'he'.


In a few billion years from now, the sun on its death bed will engulf this planet and our existence on it. Something that we take for granted. Our 'gods' who we pray to won't come to our rescue in all probability...space science will! :-)

What kind of a dancer are you? - Girls only!!

Okay this is hillarious!! Good timepass...try out! :) Quite a girly thing indeed!

What kind of dancers are you? (Girls only)

You are a Belly Dancer. You are charming inside
out, your life follows an interesting rhythem,
beautiful and smooth, you know how to be the
center of attention when you want to, you love
your friends and you can trust them on your
life. Your ideal man is the one with a sweet
witty character who understands how much
freedom is important to you.

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Song for the day

Foot tapping...mast...hummable...refreshing...

Yunhi chala, chal raahi
Yunhi chala, chal raahi
Kitni haseen hai ye duniya
Phool saare jamele, dekh phoolon ke mele
Badi rangeen hai duniya
Rum tum taana na nak tum tum taana na
Rum tum taana na nak tum tum taana na
Rum tum taana na nak tum tum taana na... bhaiya

Movie: Swades (which i havent watched yet!)
Music Director: A.R.Rahman (one of my all time favorites!)

Listen to this song here:
http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/17/s/movie_name.7522/year.75/

I am humbled

Wading my way through the cyber world, i came across the website for 'Born into Brothels', the documentary that has won this years Academy Awards. And i must say that i am amazed...absolutely amazed and totally humbled!

It's so true that creativity exists everywhere and in the most unlikely of places! On second thoughts i should take back what i just said...there is no unlikely place for creativity!

I am ashamed that i wallow in my small mundane sorrows when there are such fine examples of the human spirit!

Do visit the site and go through the section showcasing the pictures taken by the kids...it's not worth giving a miss! And do write a few words of encouragement for the kids (email), i did...

http://kids-with-cameras.org/kidsgallery/

Daydreaming - simple pleasures of life

I want to live like one of those characters in TV soaps who don't have to work for their living. So that I can indulge in small pleasures of life.

I want to own a small cottage somewhere on a beach. It will be a small cottage, with a kitchen garden where I'll grow tomatoes, lemons, potatoes, spinach, chilies - well anything I want to basically. There'll be a nice big garden with fresh green grass and an assortment of flowers - chrysanthemums, lilies, roses, shiuli. There will be coconut trees, a mango tree perhaps...

My cottage will have huge windows that will not try to hide anything from the outside world...I'll casually drape old colourful silk saris, soft dhakai saris on my windows moving away from the restriction and structure of tailored curtains.

Cushions in bright colours and various sizes will be strewn around on white marble floor. Comfortable wicker sofas you could sink-in for those who shy away from the floor. I will perhaps throw in a charpai somewhere in the house to indulge my eccentricity! There will be my didgeridoo and emu-caller standing tall in a corner giving company to each other, keeping an eye on the goings-on around them.

Spaces and rooms will flow into each other like rivers. Fluidity, interspersed with brief obstructions and structurality will mimic the imperfections and beauty of life itself.

The walls will be adorned by my paintings. Huge canvases on which colours will make love, play with each other, unabashedly...

A studio of my own housing an old rickety easel, canvases lying here and there, a colour palette clothed in dry crusty paint, textured by scraggy bristles of my brushes. A potter's-wheel lying in one corner of the room; a mound of wet mud waiting to be brought to life with the caress of my fingers. A shelf full of books to satiate my craving for words. A piano and a guitar and a stack of papers with musical notes will complete my creative sanctuary.

The bedroom will be simple, beautiful and sensual...soft muslins, cottons, scented sheets, scented candles, an assortment of wind-chimes to put me to sleep with their light tinkling music on cool breezy nights, a wooden four-poster bed in dark maghony, draped in fine white muslin...large windows...cool floor...soft feathered pillows...bamboo lampshades and some more candles...

Somewhere in the house will be this very old gramophone with its rotating handle, which my grandfather owned. An easy-chair my grandfather used to sit on till his last days.

My kitchen will be earthy, somewhat old fashioned. No state-of-the-art electric chimney for me, I want to relish the aromas wafting through air when I cook...it will remind me of my mother and her cooking… A collection of fine wine and home-grown herbs in small pots will make it so much more charming and warm.

My family and friends and their presence will give it warmth and make my cottage a home…my dream home. The simple pleasures of life...

Roz Roz aankhon tale - Memories revisited

For some reason i felt like listening to old hindi music today - the bollywood variety...and i don't know why but this song by R.D.Burman - 'Roz Roz aankhon tale' kept buzzing in my mind. But i had no clue which movie it was from...so i did what i always do when in need of information - i google - solution to all my queries, the inquisitives of the world will vouch for it! ...so i googled and voila! - Roz Roz aankhon tale - music director R.D.Burman, movie: Jeeva (Jeeva!! whatever is that!! never heard of it!).

Logged onto musicindiaonline and started listening to Roz Roz... and all these memories and emotions came rushing in...memories of a distant past when everything seemed rosy, bubbly and beautiful.

The first time i heard this song was when i had just started my first job - at NIIT. I was young. Talented(or so i thought!). Had just fallen-in-love resulting in a state of being inexplicable in words! And like most youngsters was into music and singing BIG-TIME!! Amongst my friends was this guy much senior to me but shared my taste in bollywood music - was a RD.Burman fan to be precise. And it was he who first introduced me to this song. I was surprised that i hadn't heard of it since i was a big RD fan...but i loved it from the moment i heard.

Perhaps because of the state of 'love' that i was in at that point or for the lyrics especially the first few lines...
Roz Roz aankhon tale, Ek hi sapna chale, raat bhar kaajal jale, aankh mein jis tarah khwaab ka dia jale...
this song touched me like nothing else.

And when i heard these words again they brought back memories of long endless nights of long endless conversations on the phone, sleepless nights dreaming with your eyes open (raat bhar kaajal jale...), a longing which is so pure and yet so incomprehensible. What is it about love that makes people do seemingly stupid things with so much sincerety and passion...

This song also brought back memories of days when we would record audio cassettes for each other with our favourite songs...i remember telling him about this song that i had heard and the next thing i get from him is this collection of beautiful songs that he cared to remember were my favourites in a cassette...written in his lovely handwriting on the cover was 'A's Favourites'. I still have that cassette with me. I don't play it anymore. I don't have a cassette player anymore...everything is in CDs and DVDs. But i will always keep it, as a souvenir of the days when i was young...and in-love.

If only one could capture these chunks and moments of life in a cassette for eternity and replay them once in a while...to feel alive.

For anyone who listens to songs online, check this site out. It has an awesome collection of indian music you can listen to. http://www.musicindiaonline.com/