Mumbai!

Mumbai Fables

Life can take you anywhere, and most times it tends to change course, when it is least expected. And past one month have had similar kind of experience, changing base to Mumbai. However, once something changes in your life, you should be ready to see some beliefs turn into myths, and get dispelled. 

Bombay is the financial capital of India, everyone here talks about money, get into a local and you will find people discussing monetary transactions. And thats a fact, people here would know everything about money. However; on first day, I missed 2 locals trains, for the shear number of people getting in and out of them in mere seconds overwhelmed me, at peak hours. So I chose to take taxi.

I get into a Sardarji's taxi, after all they are said to be most honest, he takes me to my destination ( Dadar to Worli ) and charges INR 130, I complete my work, take another taxi to get back to Dadar and this time it is not a Sardarji, and he charges me INR 90, same route. Next day I drop the idea of using local train and end up on taxi again. This time it is another Sardarji, much older one though, we use same route and he charges INR 60. I cant make this stuff up! I was totally taken, for a ride, that is.

From next day I was able to catch those locals trains, without fail.

Next day I went sight seeing, BSE, Fort, RBI buildings, Fountain and all. After all I am a Finance guy, and then I visit a friend in Andheri, take an auto to his place, on way to airport, fare is normal, INR 10, so I take out a 10 Rupee coin and give it to him, and this is what I get a reply as:

"Sahab, ye rang berangi sikke yahan nahi chalte, ye India hai Amrica ya Europe nahi!" 

"Sir, this is India, such colorful coins are not legal tender here, this is not Europe or USA!" 

I have no other option, but to get my hundred rupee note changed! So Mumbai has not warmed up to new 10  Rupee coin as yet. And I had just admired RBI building!

I was looking for a place to live and I get many offers, some as low as 2,500 Rupees a month but what puts them under not affordable category, was the deposit they asked, anywhere between INR 1 Lakh to 3 Lakh! 

And then it was time to start working and hence a schedule began for me, I started taking same local, same times, and started seeing same people, most times. And soon realized how we Indians start trusting people, only because we see them again and again, and are so intrusive! One week and fellow commuters started asking me name, where I work, who is there in my family, and before that telling me things about themselves.

And some how, having me in there, with them made them nostalgic, like for how many years they have been commuting between these stations and how long they have known each other and how was there 1st job, 1st day. Man! I never felt so young, since being a baby! And this one is not even my 1st job! 

And then it struck me, seating at CST looking at a police Labrador retriever, keeping a silent watch, as if he is not surrounded by hordes of people; these must have been the guys who had witnessed Kasab, who must have lost someone or must have experienced, or must have seen a bomb go off on one off these local train. And still none of them, seemed to be afraid, remembering all the happy times, talking about 20-25 years since they have been catching the same local, not a mention of any sad history, just happy moments. So there really is a Spirit of Mumbai!

I had no idea Mumbai was so hot, literally, no I am not speaking of glamor, well I would say, I got to see more mini-skirts in Pune than in Mumbai, but amount of money I spend on buying liquids to drink-lassi, chass, cold drinks, sugar cane juice! And what not; easily amounted to 3 or 4 times the amount I spent in travelling! Humid, it was always, but hot! 

Then it happened to be the week of world cup, company allowing commentary on AIR, on floor, and we were upto minute of what was happening in the match, dint miss a ball, till we were working. also walking from station to work, I started seeing aliens, more an more of them, most Australians, speaking of being optimistic, bad case, is it not! Well, they atleast got to suck in Indian culture, local trains were a huge attraction, and so was old British buildings, and  Taxi rides! Well they were taking pictures with Taxi.

All in all, I had a good time.

Megacity Diaries: Mumbai
Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries) (Aamir Khan Productions - New Hindi Film / Bollywood Movie / Indian Cinema DVD)

Over

Few drops

perched on window pane

The sky

dressed in grey gloom

at it's best

slow rain

kissing Earth

on it's own grave

As if

Death was 

the way of day

Today

life was never

bluer

than today

Streaks of light

flashing brilliantly

Evil Arches

the thunder

Dissolving

the last bits of

courage

The fall

was eminent

the fall came

and was over

Swept away

belongings

feelings

things

that mattered

not mattered

Tears

had no value

People

had no value

swept away

before a life

Life 

could make 

a choice

It was over

Over in moments

Nature does not give chances when it wants to show case it's strength, with in moments  it can change the whole scenario. Japan has had it's share of calamities, and one more in list, but still it remains helpless, people are helpless, let alone other creatures, in front of Nature, it is not matter of fighting back but living on.

101 Great American Poems (Dover Thrift Editions)

The Giant Book of Poetry

The Random House Book of Poetry for Children

The Concussion.

It was still raining outside, he had lost considerable amount of time already. He remembered the days when he considered rainy days as happy days, god showering his love over earth, not any more, not today, it was like what most poets thought, "Sky is Crying with him." Siting there, alone he looked up to the desk, and memory of his own office desk flashed through his mind, it is similar, mine is cleaner but lot bigger. He so much wished this day had not started at all, and wanted to be in his office in Air-Conditioned bliss, which he would have dreaded any other day.

A file reached the desk, Sanjeev looked up from his sitting position, Inspector gave him a glance. It must be his file, thought Sanjeev. And a sharp pain went up his spine through his head, why! What had happened? Thinking was not what he should be doing now. Another image: His wife, so beautiful, no she is not his wife, not yet, and yes they are getting engaged, getting married, his promise to be with her, always. Not today, he should have been with her now, can not remember why but he should have been with her.

Inspector flips the first page of Sanjeev's file. Yes! She was pregnant, with their first child, there was another  child. A van? What trick is my head playing with me? Why am I not in office? Was I on a trip? What's going on?

He asked it loud: "What is going on?" A momentary pause with deadening silence & "Where am I?"

Inspector finally broke the silence

Inspector: "You don't know what's going on!" Getting angry, and as he holds Sanjeev by his shirt, realizes that Sanjeev is drenched in his own blood, and not the rain. 

Sanjeev: "Blood? Why am I bleeding?" And he faints.

Inspector can't believe his eyes, calls for an Ambulance.

Opens eyes, he is in Ambulance, no I was following one, or was he, it looks as if I am in Ambulance, 

Sanjeev: "Why? How come?"

Nurse: "You had an accident, we are taking you to Hospital. Stay still, you need to relax."

Yes! He was driving fast, behind an Ambulance, but why? 

Nurse pierced Sanjeev's hand. Sanjeev sees blood running into his arm, yes he was bleeding before. No Neera was. She was in hospital, she gave birth to a beautiful daughter, yes his daughter, their daughter. He was so happy! 

Sanjeev: "Where is my daughter?"

Nurse has no answer, so she makes him sleep again.

Neera was going to be fine, she was supposed to come out any moment, his beautiful wife Neera, and something went wrong, Doctor was frantic, moving in and out of the operating room. Something had gone wrong, it had started to rain outside. it is still raining outside, he can see out of the window, he is in Hospital bed now, but he does not recognize the skyline. Where is he? 

Sanjeev: "Where am I? Which part of City?" He see's a nurse, vaguely remembers her giving him an injection, half expects her to do the same. Flinches!

Nurse: "You are in Mumbai!"

Mumbai, city of dreams, yes! I was following an Ambulance, Neera's Ambulance, there were complications, a normal delivery and then something about 'vein got cut' and it was being difficult for the Doctor to stop the bleeding. Neera's life was in danger, he had talked with her parents, just few minutes back about both being well, baby and Neera and now he was calling again! Telling them frantically to start for Mumbai instead, she was critical, but why? What had changed?

Sanjeev: "Where is my wife? Is she here?"

Nurse: "Relax! Sleep!" As she changed the bottles for blood drip, flowing into his hand. 

Blood, lots of blood on the floor in operating room, Neera was bleeding, he had fainted, outside Doctor had said: "We need to take her to Mumbai!" And he had agreed, and he had followed the Ambulance at high speed, never letting it out of site, in rain, downpour that it was. He did not drive fast, but that day he did not check his speed, he followed Ambulance at whatever speed it was going at. Until!

Where had he woken up? He remembered a uniform, an Inspector, where had Ambulance gone? Inspector? Or was it Nurse, who spoke something about accident. Inspector, he seems to be here! Is he?

Inspector: "How are you feeling now?"

Sanjeev: "What has happened? Why am I here? Where is my daughter? Where is my wife?"

Inspector: "You had an accident! Your bike skid!"

Yes! They had reached Mumbai, and he was following the ambulance, when at a signal, after ambulance had passed a kid had run in, he had seen the kid, and braked, braked hard and skid. then he went blank. Kid was hurt, he saw the bike skid towards the kid, he had fallen off, what happened next? He had woken up in front of Inspector, he did not feel like he was hurt, he did not seemed to be hurt at all. But now he was in Hospital and his head hurt, hurt like hell!

Sanjeev: Holding his head. "How is the kid, is he okay?"

Inspector: "He is out of danger now, but bike had knocked him cold then. We rushed him first and then you to hospital. But we should have rushed you first."

Sanjeev: "That's good! Can you please tell me where my wife is, I was following Ambulance, she needs me, we are from Pune, hope nothing happened to kid at all, and my daughter, she gave birth to her yesterday, she was critical." And he slipped into sleep, due to exhaustion.

Inspector took in all the information, to process it, Sanjeev was not what can be termed conscious, but it was a start. Sanjeev's wallet was missing, but he had found an i-d, but no one was picking up phone at his house, and now he knew why, and company was closed for the weekend, but tomorrow he will be able to make contact, or today if he gets more information about that Ambulance, but something else had to be searched too.

Sanjeev's memory had returned completely, except he still did not remember where his daughter was, now he was not dazed, but he still did not have an answer for where his wife was? How was she?

Inspector walked in, and a calm smile on his face gave Sanjeev some solace. 

Inspector: "Your wife is here, in this very hospital, and doing fine, the blood you received was in fact given by your mother in-law." Who just walked in behind the Inspector. "And more good news for you, the kid is absolutely fine, and actually you did not cause the accident, you were pushed from behind by a Van, and we have caught the real culprit."

Sanjeev: "Really! How did you come to know?"

Inspector: "A witness came in yesterday and explained it all, he had taken down the number and gave it to us. He was on his way to give interview in your company, so he delayed the reporting. He also explained how you were the hero who tried to stop bike from going on to hit the boy, but failed in vain."

Sanjeev: The last question. "Where is my daughter?"

Sanjeev was able to walk and so he went to see his wife and there besides his wife slept their daughter. He felt like getting back everything from the brink of having lost everything.

A good deed, even an effort to do good, never goes unpaid for, the witness though did not get job in Sanjeev's company, he did get a strong recommendation in his next interview and made it.

And all lived happily ever after.

Manchali ki kahani

Yeh bhi ek kahani hain

chand taro ne bhi suni hain

waise yeh barso purani hain

raja ki kai raniya hain

par ek badi manchali hain

uski baat hi kuch nirali hain

aankhon main ek sachchai hain

bato main sadhgi hain

wo kahan koi rajumari thi

uski duniya badi aam thi

jangaloan main pali badhi thi

use wahan na koi kami khali thi

mahelon main wo raja bina akeli thi

raja ne use dil se jita tha

uske liye toh wo khansama tha

kai aam mainse ek tha

apni roji-roti kamata tha

use raja ke dhan se na koi vasta tha

bus thode pyar ki icha thi

woh bhi puri ho jaati thi

kissa yeh toh purana hai

raja ki kai raniya hai

par ek rani badi jalti thi

woh thodi purani thi

manchali ki batoon pe bighdti thi

apne kuvar ke haq ke liye darti thi

apne bete ke liye rajniti karti thi

manchali bholi kuchna samjh ti thi

raja ko ab intezar tha

ek nayi rajkumari ya rajkumar aane ko tha

jalkudi ne bus pheri nai chal

sikha diye bete ko bol

manchali ke pet main hain

tere sukh ka chor

suun manchali hui behaal

socha usne

tatola usne

manchali thi gumsum

khoi khoi

janme do rajkuar

khushi loti thodi uske muskan par

par na meeti un shabdo ki awaz

usne nischit kiya

wo tolegi raja ka mann

pehen ke aai wo aadivasi vesh

aakhir kaisi sharm apne desh

bhare darbar

raja sharmaya

bola

rani badlo vesh

ab aap ho maharani

manchali ne pucha

kon hain uttaradhikari

kya mera putr banega raja

raja hichkichaya par mana

manchali ne pher diye paase

boli

main na maharani

na mere putr hain rajkuvar

main jungloan ki

mere putr jangl ke vasi

na wo chor

na koi shor

hame toh pyari hamari aazadi hain

hame swikar nahi yeh chaar diwari

waise toh raja ke kai raniya thi

par wo uske dil ki rani thi

par uska dil toh khansamene jeeta tha

na ki kisi rajane

raja bhula hakikat

gavaya pyar

woh phir na loti

raja phir na hasa

yeh toh ek kahani hain

badi purani hain

chand taro ne bhi suni hain

Strange Encounter!

Morning was not such a welcome time of the day for him, still he was quite early riser for a person who never worked days and never would have. And had one interesting habit, every morning he would search for the nearest wall, where ever he had fallen asleep last night, to release the pressure and read what was written on the wall. And those words some how made some sense to him, in a twisted way.

Today it was: "Yahan thukna mana hai!" (Do not spit.) he read it out loud.

A voice from behind: "Oye! Yeh kya kar raha hai! Yahan ye sabh mana hai!" (What are you doing, this is not allowed here.) 

He: "Yahan thukna mana hai, mutna thodi na!" (It says not to spit, not not to pee.) 

That was a cop, and hence our Mr street smartypants is a jail bird for the day.

No! This was not a setback but rather an opportunity, if he could tick the cops some more, his dinner would also be ensured. Since 25 years of existence he had never paid for a grain of food, being orphan meant not taking care of anyone and hence from the start of the day to end of it, all the living meant was to get some food. 

No! He is no beggar, would not even dream of being one, half a thief, stole only clothes and hearts for a day, lavish clothes, resulted in lavish food and lavish company, or just food. None could forget him, he was such a charmer, but he never made promises, so never have had to keep a date with any. Every day was not rosy, someday's lavish food came from the garbage of a restaurant of repute. A care free man or just an intelligent scum dog.

He was well aware of happenings in country and what so called elites joked about. If he wanted, he could put on a hell of a show.

He:" Gand main dum nahi saalo ke, isliye raste pe mutne walon ko pakd late hai, aur desh pe mutne waloon ke juthe saaf karte hain! Hijde!" (Don't have strength to take corrupt politicians, whose shoes you clean, and to showcase a filled file, arrest poor's peeing on streets.) To the cop at desk.

Cop: "Arey isko aaj raat yahin rakhna, bohot charbi chadhi hain, utarni padegi."(Keep him for the night, he needs to lose some fat.) and he got what he wanted.

The next moment was interesting, it had not come as yet but arrived on time. A honest cop walk's in dragging the current well connected don, with barely identifiable features and hairstyle that hide most of identifiable face. He is put in same cell as our smartypants-Johny.

Johny: "Kya kia, konse gali main dhaar mari?" (What did you do? Where were you peeing?) to Don.

Don just looked at him with disdain thinking this punk might not know, with whom he is trying to be friendly and just kept on looking, astonished. And starts touching Johny's face, nose, eyes, ears....

Johny: "Hey! Hat be, cross hai kya? Tu seedha nahi lagta." (Stop touching, you don't seem to be straight.)

Don: "Shhhhh" With angry look.

Johny decides to keep his distance, for safety.

The honest cop leaves and the scrubbed Don turns into a VIP, awesome lunch is ordered, clean warm water is given for cleaning up, and Johny is made to sit next to him for Don says so.

Johny thinks of his stars and how seriously wrong turn they were taking on him at a very wrong time. He was practically being packed up like that roasted Pig with a red Apple in it's mouth, that is me he said to himself. And then he remembered a wise saying, the other night, the woman in seductive black dress, having wine had said : "Har kutte ka din aata hain, par har din ka ek kutta bhi hota hain." (Every dog has his day, and then every day has it's dog.)

Johny thought it out loud: "Aaj ke din ka kutta main hu!"(I am the dog of the day.)

Don did not say a word, but urged Johny to finish his food, quickly and, quickly he did. After that Don decided to clean up his face and hair style. And to stylist he pointed out Johny's face: "I want that look." And that look is what he got. It was Johny's turn to stare and touch now, the resemblance was uncanny. One could have easily replaced the other. 

Johny: "Mujhe yaad nahi, ki main kisi kumbh ke mele main bhichad gaya tha, par kya tu apna bhai hai kya?"(I do not recollect having a brother, are you?)

Next thing Johny could not understand what was going on, he was forced into changing into Don's clothes and Don into his. And switchover was complete. Don walked out in Johny's clothes that evening, as the honest cop walked in.

The stress lines on cops face made it pretty evident that he was under lot of pressure because of the last arrest, the Don's arrest and their was only one right thing to do, "Encounter". Though it was wrong, he was not willing to let go a criminal with so many murders against his name.

He got up, opened the cell, dragged Johny thinking him as Don and took of with him in his Jeep. And just drove it with such speed, that Johny thought the cop is trying to be part of an accident. His pleas about who he really is had fallen on deaf ears and the others who knew, had become part of it.

Waking up at wrong place on a wrong day can take you on your most dreaded journey. The honest cop stopped the Jeep and got a newspaper out,

Cop:  "Yeh dekho, apni chati chodi karke chappwai thi yeh tasvir akhbar main, ki koi policewala tujhe chu bhi nahi sakhta, abey, sare policewale chudiya nahi pahente, aaj tere din pure honge, kutte.(Look at this, this is your face, you got this published to boost about your power, that none of the cops could lay a hand on you, but I am not one of those sissy's. I am going to end it here, you dog.)"

Johny: "Main woh nahi hu jo aap mujhe samajh rahe hain!"(I am not who you think I am.)

Those word did not matter, cop got his gun pointed at back of Johny and made him walk deep into the forest,  in outskirts of city. And then at the edge of cliff, a girl in red dress having wine in one hand and a gun in other is seen. Cop makes Johny sit down, and he too hides. Cop recognizes her as an aide of Don while Johny as the seductive girl from that party, but she is not alone, and with them; none other than the Don himself. 

Cop moved all the three in one corner, their was no other person there. He was totally confused, there were 2 Don's now, hence one was telling the truth and other was not. There were all the ingredients of a mix-up in place. 

Johny started wailing: "Hey bhagwan! iss bar naiya par laga diyo, abke se kisi bhi dewar par pesab nahi karunga. Arey mutne ki bhi kya itni badi saza hoti hain." (Oh god! please save me, I promise i will never pee on any wall, the punishment for peeing can not be so big.)  

And as Johny said this, Don made his move and shot at cop, and cop in reflex action shot him. Don died, on the spot, leaving the girl & Johny alive, Cop survived. 

They sat down in the car and drove away, on way to Don's place Johny said "Aaj ke din ka kutta woh tha, par mera naam bhi kareeb tha."(Today's dog was Don, but my name was on  list too.)

At that moment girl became sure she had the right guy with her. With the help of Cop, Johny rounded of the whole gang and became a pure businessman and she his wife, and he kept his promise to god, used bathroom. Cop became their chief security officer.

The Ripple Effect

Story 1.

The guy was having choclate chips ice cream, seating on a couch watching friends rerun, relaxed knowing he had done what needs to be done and news came in. He has just lost the job he was going to join tomorrow, a letter from company.

He just scampered to college, to principal's office and blurted out "Why has this happened with me?" lost that he was, letter had said: "As he does not meet the criteria for the placement in our company."

He was not sure what criteria had he failed, what had changed since last month, how was he qualified then and not now? "What has changed?" he asked to his sir. And they all looked preplexed as to what to say and how to console this ace of a student.

As he sat outside principles office, wondering what's going on, his friend came in....

Friend: "Dude, you just failed in final exam in ""Fundamentals of Management""

Guy: "What! You must be kidding!"

Friend: "I wish I was, but I am not, and something is wrong with the result, for I copied from you and have passed, but you have not!"

And he sat down, stunned. His world the way he knew it, just collapsed.

Story 2.

She was having time of her life! Everything was going her way, whatever she touched brought her happiness & wealth. She had never enjoyed life as now. She had made it in the world, she is successful now, and she did not need anything more.

A dream house, 2 lovely kids, a loving husband and a good job and company of her loving parents. Only problem, she never seemed to have enough time on her hands to enjoy this life as much as she would have loved to, but then who has?

Then one day, while she was working, she got a call. And she ran, as fast as she could, she wanted to be with him, her father, but she could not make it, it was too late. She could have given up anything to be with him again. All of that success did not matter now, not at all.

But it was not to be, she lost her smile, she lost her enthusiasm and she lost happiness.


Story 3.

He was driving to office, and there was goin to be a very important meeting, it was going to be make or break deal day, but traffic was proving unrelanting. Something was telling him, it was going to be a frustrating day.

And then there was an opening, and he jammed on the accelarator, and zoomed pass the traffic, scaring the hell out of an elderly.

"Hope! The elderly does not get a heart attack."

After suffering the loss of that client to company, the days of the young manager took a turn for worst, and it seemed none of the clients wanted to deal with him, for one reason or the other all seemed to be tailing the big client's tail. In frustration, he moved to inner work of company for sometime and came to technical support department for recruitment.

Just frustrated with his life, another file comes in front of the young manager, he gives one look at the result of aspiring managers who would be joining, and just gives a quick answer, after all it's not a good day at all.

"Drop all those who do not fit the citeria."


Story 4.

He is ready to take this company further up the lader of success and all he needs is a software, has shortlisted 2 candidates, and both are suitable, it is just the matter of who is the right one for them. The deal has been discussed well with first candidate and seems to fit the bill, but as is the case, it is matter of life and death, so checking up second firm is in the interest of company.

The traffic has already delayed the meeting, and then a guy zooms past them scaring the hell out of one of the elderly, who sadly dies due to a heart attack!

He tries to help save elderly's life but in vain. However, he does not make it to meeting and just decides to go with the first candidate.


Story 5.

The new and upcoming firm is in need of manforce, to serve the great quantity of new business it has been getting lately, and so visits the college of ace for recruitment, and selects him, for imediate joining.

It was not what he would have got if he had not failed that paper, but it was not bad at all, but the company promised of promoting them earlier than others, and there was no hook of getting new clients, just serving the existing ones.

Six months down the line, on an afterthought, he would not have been as happy if he would have joined that company.


Story 6.

Once the shock of her fathers death subsided, the teacher felt she had not done justice to students answer, which she checked while still in mourning, and decided to recheck them.

Spoke to college authorities and they relented and she rechecked all the papers from where she had left, that unfaithful day, starting from the paper of ace student, just next to the pser of his friend. He passed with flying colors.

The way things move around in this world, it is such a maze of actions and reactions, it is difficult to decipher sometimes, whether the bad morning that you are having is really your own fault or just an effect of some unrelated significant insignificant or insignificant significant happening in the world, which you are not even aware of.

Just like Ripple Effect, complexcities of waves depend on how many stones have displaced the water in pond and which shore they decide to reach.

Blue!

Blue

And I have no clue

No clue

What's so ever

I am feeling blue

It's not a color

It's a feeling

and 

still it's blue

It's not royal

not in any way

not here

not in me

just pain

Still it's blue

It's not the sky

It's not the high's

People want to touch

just the depths

still blue

a color

&

Still not the same

as other's

Blue!