India's encounter with Terror

Nothing can be said about the Bombay terror attack that would be enough to explain or describe the gruesome incident. The sheer audacity of the terrorists to lay out such a well thought out plan in action in the financial capital of the country is more agitating than anything else.Sadly one realises that in the past half year, the number of such incidents and the speed of their moving closer to one's doorstep has been on a continuous rise, and unfortunately has kind of made us (and I do not want to look at the government /politicians as a separate body here) - "complacent" towards them.
That 60 odd hours of horror,blood,fight and counter-fight on the streets of a democratic nation,has to be witnessed,that a constant coverage by the media ( whether true to the spirit of media or sensationalist cannot be commented in this sensitive time), that a fleeing of the visiting England team (when a day before it was our Indian cricketers refusing to tour Pakistan for the same reason), that a 'demonsatrtion by the Bombay-ites protesting against the government' and several such blog posts,citizen comments and media bytes would RESULT in anything, still needs to be seen.And it is here that the agitation and restlessness within every individual may not get a positive, collective, solution- oriented vent if not channelised properly.
Two nights of sleepless helplessness,shock and grief has left me so disturbed that it is difficult to imagine how the people caught in the midst of it all would have handled it. And what infuriated me further, was the way the Media and guests invited to join their discussions kept mentioning the "Spirit of Bombay"- Is there truly any "Spirit" that is being glorified here, does any Bombay-ite - socialite, hawker or service personnel have any other option??? Do the citizens of the country, be it a Delhi witnessing blasts or a Jaipur temple being targeted, or a series of blasts haunting Assam, have an option but to resume their daily life- either as a submission to the 'practical requirements of life' or 'the inevitability of it all with no solution ever coming since time immemorial'?! To make it a feel good
factor by calling it the SPIRIT of Bombay,is using the people's tenacity or helplessness as an easy veil
to hide behind..and not something I as a citizen would want to allow.
I still wish I knew what is to be done- not just the resignation of a Union Minister, not just a strategic "Crisis Management Cell" or a "RAW & Counter Terrorism Cell" but a committed, collective STRONG indication to nip this ruthless terrorising in the bud, and find a Solution to the misplaced mindset of these people( Even as a person belonging to a similar age group as the perpetrators of this crime, I was just not able to understand what would or could make them internalise terror to the extent of brutally spattering it around)
As my brain refuses to stop thinking about it, and my heart feels immensely grief-stricken, I hope that as I battle all of this with my day-to-day demand of job and life (to sell biscuits even on a Sunday because of the corporate target pressure), and as each of us would be forced to, this time around a solution be found, and personal prioirities do not push the complacency back to the forefront.

Ye kaisa rang hai?

And I cannot help but wonder why anyone would 'color' me "Mercury"..........................

Moment of Cricket for India...and me

This post comes two days late, but that is what my Data Card, that refused to work for these two days,decided...

Monday the 10th was a very moving "cricket" moment for me,after quite a long time,after we won the T20 World Cup I would say.As Harbhajan pulled out the wicket,displaying the passionate acknowledgement of winning a series that not only was pronounced as the "Battle of Life between Titans" but had created a frenzy, even bigger than an India-Pakistan series (as even MSD stated),it was a feeling of deep pride and satisfaction sinking in.And what a way to bring back the Border-Gavaskar Cup after 5 long years...what a sweeping off of the series with 2-0 and a good 172 runs win in the second test. But the moment that brought tears to my eyes, was when MSD motioned Kumble to join him in holding the Cup-befittingly so- and few moments later, Bhajji and Ishaan lifted Dada from the field into the dressing room. The fact that two legends had announced their signing off from the game, the reality that never would I be able to see my favorite bowler in his controlled passion take a wicket and humbly smile, or the skipper I rate as THE Indian to introduce aggression into the players of cricket (before which the spectators definitely beat them to it!) swerve the ball past surprised fielders to the boundary, hit me hard.
I was reminded of how these legends in a way defined that stage of my life, during my schooling years, when I was a cricket crazed fan, and in a way their moving away made that tense reality come closer home: of my growing old :)

Jane woh kaise log the

Jane woh kaise log the jinke pyaar ko pyaar mila
Humne toh jab kaliyan mangi, kanton ka haar mila

Bichhad gaya har saathi de kar pal do pal ka saath
Kisko fursat hai jo thame deewano ka haath
Hum ko apna saya tak,aksar bezaar mila
Humne toh jab kaliyan mangi, katon ka haar mila
Jane woh kaise log the jinke pyaar ko pyaar mila

Isko hi jeena kehte hain toh,yun hi jee lenge
Uff na karenge,lab see lenge,ansoo pi lenge
Ghum se ab ghabrana kaisa...Ghum sau baar mila

Humne toh jab kaliyan mangi, katon ka haar mila
Jane woh kaise log the jinke pyaar ko pyaar mila

Centre Stage

Saw the movie "Centre stage" today - about Ballet Dance
Till date a movie about dance has never failed to stand a place in my good opinion. The sheer ecstasy,that just watching a dance -even on celluloid packed in a Laptop screen- can bring is unparalleled.The grace of the moves, the poise, the harmony and the almost ethereal delight which the dancers (Actors) displayed was so moving.
And somehow, I was reminded of my first childhood dream- of becoming a dancer/choreographer...may be I still keep it tucked away in that corner of my heart,which has managed to remain unsoiled by the burden of prosaicness and worldliness..and which my "heart-over-head yet middle class" persona would hopefully someday transform into something meaningful: may be opening a dance school - even if not in a teacher's capacity.
I must admit, after watching that movie I could not stop myself from shaking a leg or two...if only this one thing that gives me so much joy could become everything for me..if only I could dance my way through life..if only I could Dance till I die..
and dance alone could become the "Centre Stage" of my life..........