just another day

Another chance for politicians to make statements, one more instance for actors to condemn, just another opportunity for directors to make a movie on... one more topic for the social media to buzz about... another media circus created... another vulnerability exposed, yet another attack on our land. Who is accountable; who is to be held responsible?

After 4 days and a total of 19 reported deaths & 134 injuries, while the National Investigation Agency still seems to be scampering around for any leads, the forensic experts still don't seem to have a clue about the nature of the explosives. While the NIS have their prime suspect mysteriously dyeing and another one still being grilled, the forensics report that the bomb planting was a rather hasty job, and should it have been carried out any differently, it might have resulted in more casualties. Is this supposed to give us relief?

After 4 days since 13/7 became yet another date to remember like the ones in the previous few years, the media frenzy has died down, the headlines have shifted to latter sections in the daily periodicals and life is back to as it was before.

After 4 days, which have been more than the number needed for the resilient people of this city to get over, the only closure received from the authorities is about the apparent failed attempt at harming more of us. I can't help but think if this was a deliberate move, intended to make us believe other wise... to test our defences, to probe into our disguised weaknesses and to validate their strength through what might have been a trailer before the movie; I sure hope I am wrong.

Mumbai never fails to amaze me; and now I add its people to the list. People moved on before many of us could fathom what had happened. Hoax messages and rumours about more bomb threats & jokes about Kasab's birthday celebrations faded even before the day had turned.

On one hand when it felt good to see how valiantly the city and its people woke up the next morning, it left a fear that reactions are being misunderstood. Resilience seems to have been mistaken for a permanent cure. The valour and will power shown by the people around is being falsely understood as acceptance; another annual instance that countrymen have to be used to. In under no circumstances, should the people of a country be expected to do that. Top notch mitigation efforts might fetch a constitution brownie points, but the fact remains that mitigation is a travesty and only a fail safe for prevention. Prevention still and will always be a better cure. This is where responsibility needs to be touched... its getting difficult to remember all the dates.

While taking a bow to the spirit of the people here, I really hope, wish and pray that authorities pull up their socks and ensure that such black days do not end up becoming just another day and date for its people.

it all ends, 15.7.11

"So it all comes down to this, doesn't it? Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does... I am the true master of the Elder Wand... Expelliarmus"

Harry Potter
The Deathly Hallows
Sent from my Superphone

365 days of weaning

Disgruntled auto drivers, even more resentful pedestrians, never ending traffic jams, sweaty stinky annoyed men on the train, reaching work drenched in sweat whilst walking through muck, the same routine to and fro till you reach home and you're too exhausted to think...what is it about this place? They say that this place grows on you; I always wondered why would anyone even let that happen.

Mumbai was always the quintessential Pandora's Box for me, forever hated it, always dissed it and never intended to step foot in the city for more than a couple of days (a few hours if I could). But then faith threw a curve ball and I swung. What I initially thought of as a strike out, wasn't so after all.

Its been a year that I have been living in Mumbai now. As cliched as it may sound, these 12 months have gone by very quickly. Now, on the other side of 365 days here, I like to think that I have changed... I like to think that my weaning has finally been done... I want to believe that I have come along from being the guy who shifted cities (without thinking one and a half times) hoping to keep affinity alive midst an already fading relationship... I want to consider that I have eventually realized that even though there is slight semblance between being practical and being emotional, biased decisions seldom pay dividends. More than anything, I want to prove to me more than anyone else, that the white crayon within ceased existing once I moved.

I also like to make myself believe that the few kilos gained over the last one year have nothing to do with the much often intake of lagers and draughts, but then I gave up on fooling myself awhile back.

The last time I wrote about the city was when I finished 6 months here (read). I had paced myself by then. The initial adjustment troubles were dealt with and the city was being 'accepted' for what it is. Now, after adding another 6 months, I finally discovered that part of the city which infused a 3D effect to the rudimentary 2D existence. Albeit more exhaustive in all means physically and monetarily, 3D meant everything from a new best friend to a new social circle to nights I still can't recall and something even some for the helpless amorous boy within.

In this "its complicated" relationship with the city, step 1 was tolerance, step 2 was acceptance... and now step 3 is liking her for the same things one tends to hate it for. I dare say that it is easy to do so, cause I know its not... but something tells me that faith didn't really pull a Pandora on me. Along with its arsenal of necessary evils, there was, still is and always will be hope at the bottom of the box and unlike what happened in Greek scriptures here, hope did come out and eventually made its mark and has been asserting itself more and more with every passing day, week and month.

Happy one year Mumbai... never thought we would make it so far... booyeah!!!