speak to us of

I really wanted to post this shot yesterday but after driving for more than 5 hours, thinking of lying down just for 5 minutes, I went off to sleep and got up only today morning! Sincere apologies for a sleepy skip yesterday!

Yes, we finally went for "The Prophet". Many of the people who came did not really like the play as they found it to be very heavy. But, life isn't light always, is it? Naseeruddin Shah literally had the entire book in his memory bank! It was truly astonishing! But yes, the presentation could probably be better! But, it was a thorough treat to watch him perform in front of you! And what more can you as for when you have "The Prophet" being signed to you by "The Prophet" of the stage! I'd like to quote my favorite from "The Prophet" -

"...and then a poet said, "speak to us of beauty"...
Where shall you seek beauty, and how shall you find her unless she herself be your way and your guide?
Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror.
But you are eternity and you are the mirror."

For beauty...

the prophet

Sometimes when you gift something to your parents, their smiles say it all. I had always seen Dad take deep interest in the works of Kahlil Gibran and I can hardly remember when I first saw "The Prophet" in my house. I was too young then perhaps but over the years, I've realized that just like Dad, I too have become a big admirer of Gibran's works!

I got to know that Naseeruddin Shah would be enacting "The Prophet" after a really long time on the stage over this weekend at the NCPA Experimental Theatre. When I was around 16, I remember Dad telling me that he wanted to go for this play...I don't know why he didn't then. I made it a point to buy 2 tickets for Mom & Dad for today's performance. When they got back, their smiles said it all! Mom had never read "The Prophet" or any of Gibran's works, but now she too wants to read all of it! And of course, I'm giving her my inputs!

Watching Naseeruddin Shah is always a treat...and watching him enact "The Prophet" is a blessing! And yes, I very well have booked my tickets for tomorrow along with the office gang and a few others. Awaiting the 1hour 45minutes of sheer bliss.

For The Prophet...

image

Have you ever experienced the moment when you would just stare at the mirror and not see yourself but still continue to not move at all.

I took this shot as I was driving back today. Somehow, I feel that this city has the extremes in all kinds. We have the extremely rich people who hardly need to bother about anything...and then we have the poor, where childhood, youth, old age - all have no meaning! This girl is always at this traffic signal and goes to as many cars as possible begging for money. If somebody gives her food, she quickly hides it from the rest of her colleagues...probably so that she can have it alone! Sometimes, I guess, you do get to thinking when you look at the mirror and just don't seem to come out of the moment...this was one of such moments...

For the image of the moment...

hiding

We need it all the time but run away from it. It is light that we seek and the same darkness in which we hide. Look around, as when you need it, if you want it, light will always unveil the mask and show you things that you always wanted to see.

I took this shot when I was driving back home today. The sun in the clouds seemed to play a bit of the hiding game and was simply peeping off and on to catch a glimpse of the sights. It has been comparatively dry since the last few days but I guess the rains will start pouring in full swing pretty soon. Till then, enjoying the peeping of the sun!

For the peeping and hiding...

om

This is a shot that is very different from the previous ones. I've always been interested in mythology and it was a perfect treat for me. I went to this amazing exhibition at "the Culture Shop" where they were showcasing Indian mythology and spirituality. As you can very well see, it was a treat...and guess what, Mom bought these two artifacts!

The brown show-piece is a piece of art depicting the love between Radha & Lord Krishna. It is one of the most interesting stories that I've ever read. Lord Krishna never got married to Radha but yet it was and is one of the most immortal love stories ever in India. Behind the show-piece we have a wall-hanging which shows us the "Om" in the form of a tree with the sun behind it, as you can see. The "Om" is a sacred syllable in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It is normally uttered at the beginning or at the end of a veda or a mantra or a puja (prayer). Really, try chanting "Om" ten times by closing your eyes and sitting peacefully and you will realize how enlightening it is! If the beginning of anything that you start is as pure and as peaceful, there is no doubt that light will for all the while fall on you and protect you from darkness...just as the wall-hanging.

Somehow "Om" always reminds me of Hermann Hesse's "Siddhartha". The word "Om" has never really had such a deep impact on me before I read this in the book - then the great song of a thousand voices consisted of one word : Om - perfection. For all of you who haven't read the book, I highly recommend the book to you...as I shall go fetch the book again and read it once more now...

For Om...

figures

...and people say they don't like Carter Rd! This is one of my favorite places in the city. I love sitting here for hours and sipping my cappuccino coffee from the Cafe Coffee Day that resides at the corner of the street.

The best part of this place is the color in the evening that the skies and the entire scene takes to itself. And, when you are standing at the point where I was, trust me, it seems as though life was just meant to be the way it was at that moment. You could hardly recognize what is in front of you by faces...all that is visible is outlined figures like you can see here.

Life is beautiful...let it be so...

For beauty...

height order

As I was driving today I observed these buildings arranged neatly in a height-order just as we do in a marriage snap or in a school annual photograph. This is one of the nice locations on the central line of the city. It is called Powai/Hiranandani.

What really amazes me is the way we are all going from small to big. You see those small buildings at a distance...these buildings used to hardly mean much to the real estate gurus at one point but as soon as the taller ones started coming and standing behind them slowly, one after the other, the same gurus have been standing outside the makers' offices.

People want big things in life today. People enjoy bigger plants and hardly have time to wait and see the growth. Is it a hurry and if so why not, in such a crowd?

For this height order...

fast pace

Life moves at a pretty fast pace in this city. And, maybe this aspect of the city was posted a bit late...but just wanted to wait for the right moment! After a lovely weekend at the Urban Ashram, I'm back in our city. As I entered the city, I saw the local train of the city travel along with me. At such roads and times, you literally feel that you are racing with the train and in return with yourself.

These are the local trains of the city. About half the population of the city (or maybe more) travel by the trains every day! During peak hours, people actually hang out of the trains, sit on the roofs. There is hardly any space to keep a foot finger intact at these hours. It becomes very dangerous but when everybody is in a hurry to get back home, you know you have to face the traffic!

I, personally, haven't traveled by them since about 4 years now. People keep asking me why...and I simply tell them, that I don't like crowded places. I want my free space...my space to walk in peace. But, I do know, that while walking, crowds are important and thus, I admire them, as of now, from a distance, as I see this fast pace move ahead not having a single second to stop and look around.

For this fast pace....

dream

I've seen dreams and I smile. I've seen people who see dreams and I smile. And when I see someone really close to me see a dream, I smile and I see the dream becoming equally special to me just as it always is for him/her.

A few months ago, I saw my dearest brother/friend, Sheetal, see a dream of making an ashram which will provide a space for creative people and artistes of all forms to just simply come, express themselves, share ideas, share vision, share stories and in the process enlighten a simple journey called life. I smiled when I heard Sheetal's dream a few months ago. And this weekend, when all the words said to me earlier chose to remain silent and smilingly showed me the path to reality, I was wondering what emotion I was experiencing...probably, I still don't know...and I love that!

This is a shot taken by Vishal which simply explains "the Urban Ashram" the best. Yes, that is what Sheetal's new formed ashram/dream/baby is called. It is a space which is going to have various activities out of which Yoga & Meditation have already started in full swing. This is where I spent my weekend and this is where I truly once again realized my shelter for peace.

When something so pure, so divine, so sincere, and so truthful from someone so close to you stands in front of you, tell me honestly, is happiness enough an emotion to express? Sheetal, this is wishing you/us all the luck for this dream and baby to grow into something spectacular...and I know it will! Loads of love and love and love to this shelter...

For Sheetal's dream...

a long journey

I don't know why but I have been missing out on one day in each month...and I always feel terrible about it! But, I will not complain this time...as I can grant a pass to it, although I don't like that much! I'm really sorry for no shot being posted yesterday.

I spent the day yesterday on the roads! And, I did not have any access to the email! I was driving to my dear friend/brother, Sheetal's place in Pune! And, yes, I am writing this to you from Pune! This shot was taken at the Bombay-Pune expressway! It is supposed to be one of the best roads for driving and one of the best National Highways of the country...and since I completely love driving, I thoroughly enjoy driving on it!

Everytime I drive on the expressway, I feel content! I feel like a traveler just enjoying all his moments of life...reliving them by thinking about them...smiling...feeling disappointed at a few past scenes...but at the end, before reaching, just feeling a sense of satisfaction! I don't know what magic this road has but whenever I drive here, I feel like the creator!

For the long journey of life...

PS - Tomorrow is going to be a short special post!

technology

I've really been wanting to take a shot of this since a long time. Finally, I did so today when I was entering home. This is the new lift system that is being adapted here in the city by many of the latest constructions. It is a high-technology lift that is being used. The best part about it is the calling system. You do not need to enter the floor number you need to go to inside the lift but need to simply feed it in here which is placed outside the lift. The best part that I liked about it is the last button which is for handicapped people. When the lift detects that at some floor this button has been pressed, the lift forgets all other calls and directly goes to this floor first where it has been called for.

Phew...does that sound like an engineering algorithm or what! Well, this might be a very ordinary shot, but why I really liked the system is because I saw how easy it has made the reaching of an old man from the ground floor to his house, when he presses this button, after which "h" is displayed as seen. If technology keeps developing this way by making difficult lives simpler, what more can one ask for.

For the brains from which arise these technologies...

goodbye

...and yes, it is over!
I have finally completed my college! Yes, I guess I will surely miss these days later in life...but for now, what I am truly excited about is the long journey on which I shall begin my walk!

At times, you feel as if life runs and at times you feel as though its been a long pause. All through the days that I was in this college, I used to feel as though the days need to walk faster. But today, as I walked out of the last paper, I realized that this is an important day...I finally realized that I am growing! I still remember I was in school when Mom was worried about my Hindi as I was really weak in it. I used to literally flunk in the language as it was extremely poor...a few years later, when I was in junior college, my Mom was pleasantly shocked, which she still is, that her son is turning out to be an Urdu Poet! My Dad wished that his son becomes an Engineer as he was a Gold-Medalist from a top university in Engineering...I didn't like his wish at all...but I know that along with me, today, he has the best smile too!

This is my college - K.J.Somaiya College of Engineering. Well, I didn't have the best of years within this college...but yes, these years have been my best so far...and maybe somehow, it is related to the institution and the course. As they say - it is important that you don't enjoy something in life so that you can enjoy the rest all the more.

For my college...

clear skies

...and after such a long time, the climate was a bit different today!
I took this shot today evening and was amazed to see the sky so clear today...it just made me smile!

This shot was taken at Vikhroli. Very few know that the railway station at this place was built just before the Indian Independence to fulfill the needs of the Godrej Industries located in this area. This is one of the very famous locations on the central line of this city. I've posted this shot today, although it doesn't really show the "real" Vikhroli because very soon, we would be having shots taken on many other faces of this city...starting from this area! Thus, hang on for that...

For today's clear skies...

beginning

Ever wondered over those famous trivia questions - is the glass half empty or half filled? Is the person in the middle of the cliff half way up or half way down? I always feel so whenever I look at this spot of the city.

This is the city's last point...the end point of the city, as they call it! The property rates at this area is at its peak always! Well, the reason being very simple - they get the view of the unending ocean in front of them. Is this a sea filled with opportunities, dreams, aspirations? Or, is it simply a sea lying still in front of these eyes? Ultimately, its your choice!

When I stand here, as I hear people calling it the end point, I wonder who decides it? Who makes the rules? Why call it the end point rather than just another starting point? For me, it is this point from where the city starts. It is this point from where after traveling through an ocean full of dreams and aspirations, one enters this city of hope, opportunity, and a thousand faces to start turning his attempts to reality! Well, to give you a glimpse, you can have a look at the works, the reality of the people who took this point as a starting point...simply, look deeper into the picture and hopefully you will know what I am talking about!

For the beginning...

cutting-chai

So that is the another trademark of the city! Cutting-Chai!
Chai means Tea. It is a very common stress-buster for the people. You will find people sipping hot Chai almost everyday in the evenings or during the breaks!

I took this shot in my college canteen where five of us, who were always together throughout this semester, used to have Chai as a wrap-up drink to our lunches. We're done with college now. People keep asking me if you will be missing college. Without even thinking for a second, I have my answer coming out saying no! Maybe, that is because I never enjoyed these four years of graduation as the course was something that I didn't want to do at all! But, maybe deep within I do know that this is the life that I might miss a lot a few years from now. This is the life where you are completely free...where you are in the process of developing yourself...where you are in the stage of defining who you are...where you make tons of friends, who finally decide on walking on different paths of this world! Who knows if we will ever meet again? Who knows if I will ever have another 4 such glasses with mine on the table? Who knows what is placed ahead in store for me? Let me just live this moment for now...for, tomorrow, I know I'll meet new faces and life will introduce new chapters with new meanings...

For the Cutting-Chai of these days...

starting point

So this is where we need to stop while entering or leaving the city. This is the toll center where we pay Rs. 25 (normally) while entering and leaving the city.

I took this shot at the Mumbai-Thane toll plaza. Its interesting that the government had long ago said that we would be having the swipe card system at the tolls but even now, we can't see them. Some clever drivers speed their vehicles and move ahead without paying the toll...but I really wonder why! On another note, you cannot really blame them with the increase in expenditure and the way things are getting more and more expensive by the day!

But, for now, its just my words and my Rs. 25/-

For one of the starting points of the city...

ahead

Let me keep it very short today -

we are 50 shots old today!!

For much more that waits ahead...

a 90 seconds pause

"...and once, I had dreamed of such flowers all around,
and once, I had seen such colors so profound;
and time passes just as the river flows,
and I've seen the silence, and I've heard its sound"

I took this shot today at the signal. The cars had lined up haphazardly, as usual! As soon as the cars, stop at the color red, these young kids run towards the windows and begin their marketing. What amazed me was that this kid was too engrossed in her flowers and doing something that I couldn't figure out in those ninety seconds! The signal turned green, but this young girl didn't realize at all that the signal turned its colors from red to green...she was still in her flowers! Somehow, I loved it that way...I loved the way she lived her 90 seconds in her thoughts, in her world...however beautiful or ugly it might be, it was surely HER world! I wish the red color stilled for a bit more...

For the 90 seconds pause...

him

I have just two things to say about this lovely picture taken by Meghna as she was leaving the city in the train.

Firstly, this is NOT any animated photograph! These sun rays are actually coming out of the clouds just as they appear in this photograph! It makes it look magical to me...and somehow very divine! It makes me feel as though, someone who is sitting up there who is the creator of this space is wanting to talk to the characters on this stage...wants to probably just have a brief chat with the performers!

In continuation with thinking about the creator through this picture, I can just remember Vikram Bhai's song, which is an all-time favorite of mine -

Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram,
Rama narayam Janakivallabham

(praising the Lord Krishna, with different names of Vishnu)

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan aate nahi
Bhakta Meera ke jaise bulate nahi,

(Who says God does not come?
You don’t call Him with the devotion of Meera)

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan khaate nahi,
Ber Shabri ke jaise khilate nahi...

(Who says God does not eat?
You don’t feed him like how Shabari fed him)

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan Sote nahi,
Maa Yashoda ke jaise sulate nahin...

(Who says God does not sleep?
You don’t make him sleep like how Mother Yashoda did)

Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan naachte nahi,
Tum Gopi ke jaise nachaate nahin...

(Who says God does not dance?
You don’t make him dance like how Gopis did)

Naam Japate chalo kaam karte chalo,
Har samay Krishna ka dhyaan karte chalo...
Yaad aayegi unko kabhi na kabhi
Krishan darshan to denge kabhi na kabhi...
Achyutam...

(Keep praising the Lord, continue working ...
Remember Him all the time.
Krishna will appear one day or the other)

For him...

black umbrella

So here we are with the rains that just don't feel like stopping! Maybe they just like the city too much! It has been raining since non-stop since the last 3 days...and the whether is just lovely! I took this shot in the night as I was getting back home.

The black umbrellas have always fascinated me, I don't know why. I first saw an umbrella during my childhood when I used to use it as the roof of the small house that I used to make with my toys. A few years later, it fascinated me during Aamir Khan's rain song (one of my favorites, as this happens to be the first film that I ever saw in a theatre) -
Tip Tip Tip Tip. A few more years later, when I got all the more interested in films and started watching more of these stories on the screen, I saw Raj Kapoor romancing Nargis in one of the most evergreen and everlasting love duets - Pyaar Hua (we're in love). And, finally one of my all time favorite rain songs once again had the black umbrella -
Hum Tum (You and I).

So, the moral of the story is that the black umbrella has always fascinated me, I still don't know why! I feel it looks smart and cool, always! Maybe, that's the reason I had the lead female actor enter the scene with a black umbrella in my first stage play!!

Today's post is solely for this small little roof from the rain, which helps us enjoy the showers all the more!

For the black umbrella...

strange figures

So, all the engineering students of the city are pretty fed up now giving the exams continuously. And, if the students belong to the last semester like me, you can pretty much sense the anticipation within us to reach the finish line!

I couldn't move out of the house today due to an exam that I have tomorrow for which I was/am preparing...and its been pouring continuously since the past 2 days! The whether seems to be perfect for pakodas!! That reminds me that I shall ask my Mom to make some soon!

So, tomorrow I am going to give my second last paper after which I have a paper on the 17th and then I'm a free bird flying in the world of my dreams and making it reach reality! I took this shot today as I was studying. Trust me, all the students of the city who have taken up the engineering are waiting for tomorrow as majority will be getting done with the course. I have an extra paper to give, thus the wait...

For the books and the figures in it that I try to understand...

living

So, I was driving back in the traffic and here is what I see - not everybody is hating the traffic as this young girl is selling the monsoon accessory. Guys, make sure you have your accessories every time you move out of your house as the rains seem to be pretty unpredictable...and that is nice!

These umbrellas are much cheaper than the ones you get in normal stores but would surely last for a monsoon! Its funny how these sellers keep changing their themes of commodities every season. I've seen this girl selling books, magazines, flowers, and now these umbrellas! I've realized though that now a days these sellers have become pretty tight on the bargains!

We keep cribbing, even while sitting in air conditioned cars, about the traffic, the heat...think about this young girl and her colleagues who are out in the heat...living! I guess thats where sight and thoughts differ...

For this young girl...

highs & lows

I happened to go to the beach today. And, guess what I realized...that there was a high tide today! The rains and the tides together just made it a perfect ambiance to walk on the sand!

Its weird how every time I walk on the beach and leave my footprints on the sand, I enter my world of thoughts and just simply smile. I don't realize how far I have walked ahead...until, I'm asked to return when I come out of the thought-land and then realize how much I need to walk back, which I don't really like to in other cases!

The rains have begun almost in full-swing. I'm liking it! Obviously, except the huge amount of traffic jams that it is creating on the roads...now, that is a pain!

Well, took this shot at the beach today and I loved the way the waves were coming and going back and mixing with the waters, at the point where it started to appear to the eyes...which, I guess, I don't really know! The clouds were dark throughout today and faces were smiling welcoming the monsoons! Going back to the childhood phrases, I'd just like to say to the smiling faces - "statue"!!

For these highs & lows of the waters...

arrival

YES! The rains have finally started knocking at the city's doors! So, I'm pretty sure from now on, there'll be a few shots having these showers as the theme! I took this shot today as the first of this theme!

Actually, the drizzles had begun since yesterday but the showers powered in today in full swing for a bit. And, what a lovely sight it was! Some people were ready and had their umbrellas accompanying them while the others were just glad at the arrival of the monsoons and were more than happy to welcome them by walking on the streets, getting wet, dancing, and splashing the water all over!

I'll keep it simple today with this smile as I see these droplets...a big warm welcome to the showers...I love them!!

For the arrival...

creative cart

This cart is indeed damn creative! It has some of the important flavors of the city printed on it! It has the "Shree 420" which is undoubtedly one of the best films made by Raj Kapoor...then comes the Amul girl which became a phenomenon in the world of ads! I love such wacky creative ideas and more so when they are implemented!

Its not just this city that has such people...they are all around! But, I somehow do feel that this city has something special in it that it makes each person go a step ahead of the limit and cross the line and execute what he/she thought of as an idea, some day! A simple idea of creativity is right in front of you here! All of us have this cart within our brains which has a whole lot of creative ideas and thoughts on it...we just need to keep recognizing it and work towards it.

Continuing with the "dream" sentiments that I have been writing of late...I read this wonderful thing the other day and would like to share it with you. Some of us are scared of dreaming...as we don't really know if it'll reach reality or no. For all those people here is what I read -
"Look around...look at every small little thing that you own or see or want to possess some day...somebody someday dreamt of it...and today, its in front of you as you see it!"

Guys, thus I say, keep dreaming...

For this creative cart within us...

shelter

I had to post this some day! We couldn't take any shots inside
"Good Earth"...thus, at least the board outside the store!

This is my favorite store for furniture in this city. The most unique part about this store is its designs and the way they present it to you! As soon as you enter the store, you would just want to have such a house at some point in your life...hopefully, I will work hard enough to own one some day!

For all those who are in this city, do check out the store at Phoenix Mills and Juhu. For all those who would be coming down, do let me know so that one of the days, I can take you guys there!

People often say homes provide shelter to your body! But, what do you call the roof which provides you shelter for your soul? And, when do you truly find that shelter? When do you feel that the soul is content...is that possible? If it is, then when do you realize it?
Here is a quick help...answer this question first - are you happy? If not, why...if yes, why? Answer that and take your time to do so as it might sound easy but trust me, it isn't that very simple! If your answer is no, know your reason well and work towards making it a yes. The moment, you realize you are happy, I guess you are one step further towards providing shelter to your soul. Till then, just keep traveling and searching for the reasons for making the answer a yes!

For shelter...

journey

When you realize your dream truly and sincerely walk towards it, you'll slowly realize all the hurdles moving aside making way for you to reach your goal. And, I so truly believe in this!

I took this shot as I was driving. The sun seemed to be just at the right place and for some strange reason it appeared at the right moment! For some strange reason, it has always happened to me. Being a big optimist, its really rare to find me being pessimistic about any issue...but whenever I do, I somehow get some signal that I shouldn't stop...as things would happen my way...soon! Maybe its just within me thinking this way...or maybe they are just strange signals that are sent...

Today, I would just suggest to everybody to simply dream...and then go live it to the fullest! Keep walking...keep exploring...keep enjoying this journey that you want to travel...just be...just live...

For life...the greatest journey...

one of the faces

So here we have one of the most symbolic shots of the city!
Every time, one wants to show this city in films, either the CST station is shown or this shot of the Marine Lines! Some spots in a frame just stay with you forever and I guess its the best to let it remain that way!

This lovely shot was taken by Maithili. The building that you see at the left most is the Air India building. The Air India building, of course, is one of the most common buildings that we have in this strip of the city. It came into major limelight when it became one of the victims of the '93 serial bomb blasts that happened in the city. Next to it is the Hilton Tower! Undoubtedly, one of the best hotels we have in the city...but somehow I still like the Taj! And next to the Hilton Towers stands the NCPA apartments. At one time, the NCPA apartment was the most expensive building where a flat cost around Rs. 55,000 per sq. foot!! The last building, which isn't very clear from here is the NCPA (National Centre for Performing Arts) which is the last building in this strip, after which is the sea. It is one of my favorite hangouts during the weekends!

These buildings have remained here for years. And since ages, they have been portrayed as one of the faces of this city! Its lovely to know that some things just connect with you instantly and just remain with you for long! I love this strange connection that these things create within us...

For this sweet strangeness...