Wind and the Valley

oh you, to whom life bows in deference,
you, who is part of our every moment and existence,

mighty, fulfilling, absolute and faultless,
your colours and contours are timeless,

in you, i find comfort everlasting,
forgetful of time, age and all that is unwilling,

to you i was born, to you i shall return,
these moments apart are but a short sojourn.

Footnotes:

Image description - Taken from a look-out point at Matheran

A Sojourn in Paradise

Whoever remarked of paradise being only within the heart was not blessed enough to admire the expansive outbacks that lie strewn across all of India. Matheran is one such destination and it was sheer thoughtfulness that took me there.

V's text one Friday evening had me elated when he asked if i'd like to go along over the weekend. And, on a following Sunday morning when we set about, in the midst of nippy winter air, i had little clue of what was to come. Excitement turned into elation when we slipped out of the city and into unrestrained greenery, which to me is balm to the soul, or rather, its home.

Winding roads, thin clear air, rugged hills and rolling mountains later, Matheran presented itself and welcomed us like home would its inhabitants. I cannot justly describe the sights and sounds, for they are much more and beyond words. But walking about untroubled by time or intention and purely ecstatic at taking in all the marvel that was, i soon reached a point of not wanting to return; of the need to disappear into the consoling wilderness and remain lost forever!

Humbled, and in awe, i was once again reassured by the verity that meaning and purpose are nothing more than the synonyms of nature, the marvels of creation.

I cannot thank V and his friends enough for this splendid opportunity; the sojourn, feel, stillness, conversations. And V, and his family, particularly for some delightfully homemade Rajasthani fare of 'dal bati churma.'

I can at best sum up the day with one word, very distinctive of what it truly is - a 'blessing.'

And as i returned home and passed into time, another milestone, quite contrary of its just-relished predecessor stood in force to smother me - It was a Monday morning! 

Rendezvous with the Renaissance Man

Among the things that define him the least is to say that he is a blogger.

He is someone who is much more, and blogging therefore is among the many activities of his passion. Self taught, self made, supremely adaptable, admirably well-travelled and in a purposeful quest for meaning, reason and happiness, he holds the distinction of being someone out of the ordinary, committed to himself, to be away from the mundane rat race that defines the road to success in the context of the present day.

Sadho Ram, affectionately known as Sadho, is a man who holds life in high esteem and values relationships with importance. So when one Sunday morning, not long ago, i had the privilege of having breakfast with him, only hours before his departure from here, i was adequately reassured of his priorities in life.

But the story begins from many years ago, when a boy decided to break free from what was almost decidedly the natural course of his life - willed for him by his kin, themselves following in the path of their family before them. Aware that the path towards his destiny lay elsewhere, he broke glass and chose to embark upon a journey that saw him go places, pursue a course of study of choice, and transform his life  - a journey which saw him be himself.

Having travelled extensively across the breadth of the Indian union, he continues to be in awe of places and what they hold in store for the explorer in him, the explorer that is him. The more i spoke to him, the more i became aware of him as a person unperturbed by time.

His concerns are not centered around wealth, positions or material gains - those to him are mere dictates of a social order. Sadho is energetically and genuinely articulate about the concerns surrounding human life today - paramount among which is a prevalent lacking of the ability of the individual to unite and bond with the self and thus be aware and cognizant of the the world within and that which lies outside of it.

Close to ninety minutes, an easy south-Indian fare and a soulful conversation later, i decided to let go of him mindful of his impending journey later that day.

But, truly, it has taken only ninety minutes to earn a friend for life.

Footnotes:

On another note, Deepu, my brother, turns 30 day! Welcome to the club, boyo! :-)

Live On Forever Ry

My first memories of him are that of a warm smile, twinkling eyes of sincerity and a firm handshake which evidently were his trademark style of greeting, every one, every time, and at all times. These memories are not from a very distant past, but, from the backyard of the present.

At 21 you wouldn't expect anyone to be anything but a stirring teenager adept only with the ways a relative, contemporary world. But, at that, he proved all assumptions as they truly are - as assumptions. Extremely passionate about education, with the resolved belief that it was a liberating force, he was working on making his dream project come true - education for the under privileged. It was this yet unborn cause that brought us together, though we found ourselves often delving deep into the pleasures of music, movies, travel and literature.

One would think that a soul like this was destined to live his dream, to deliver the world from tribulation and be celebrated in timelessness - because that is precisely what the world needs, a man of resolve, commitment and belief that he will change the way people live, by hope, vision and effort.

Christmas was two days away and i was invited to have dinner with him - even during which occasion he passionately articulated his dream, his vision, his purpose. That evening, i went home comforted in dreams, his dreams, that strengthened a world of perfection deep within my mind.

But life isn't always the way we think of it! There is always that big fucking sick surprise that springs up unannounced, unbeknownst to us. I wouldn't know then that Ry wouldn't make it for Christmas. A little after mid-week last, of the past year, i was informed that Ry had met with death tragically, bringing two-decades of brilliance to an abrupt end.

Today, as i recall our last conversation, only hours before his departure - his words echo, inspire and encourage me, as if to say that we had met that last hour so that he could pass on the mantle of his dream to me, for it to live on. I gather, he was someone, unlike so many of us, who did not need any credit of achievement to attain his coign of vantage - for who he was, his existence alone did that for him. And that day isn't very far away when tributes, which will culminate into efforts, paid to his memory will show how much the influence of the departed will strengthen and inspire the deeds of the living.

For me, he continues to exist, always and all ways, in my memories and my actions. His simplicity, compassion and forthrightness and more prominently, his efforts to make the world a better place for the less fortunate make him truly what he is - the son of God!

Rest in peace, Ry, my friend, my brother! You fought a tough life and now you are united with your creator. Heaven is a place, now, better, but you have left us poor, forever!

Rest in peace, my friend, my brother. You will live on forever.

Opening Statements 2013

In each of us, there is a little of all of us.

So, while we belong to one another - we are also one and the same.

Footnotes:

Opening Statements 2012