BLISS

Looking out of the window,I can see various shades of green. Lovely trees of different variety each having foliage of a different hue of green, then there is green of the grass, and also the golf green. I can see the beautiful blue of a very clear sky with floating white clouds. Life seems to have come to a standstill infront of this canvas outside my window.

I have forgotten all those potholes on the road, the miserable traffic jams, the endless wait at traffic signals. I dont think about all the woes of real life. I am in a state of total bliss, oblivious of all that keeps happening elsewhere.

Life can be so peaceful, if one wants it to be.

It is for a while I know, I have to get back to reality. But then I have earned this place, at least for now, where I can just sit back and enjoy the lovely colours of nature. Anurag's house is away from noise. Its a place where you dont see people coming and going. Its on a golf course, so the only passers by are people on golf carts, who come to play their game. Again, so leasurely, at a slow pace. They come, wait patiently for their turn, take a shot and hop back on their cart and off they go.

I have done my bit of facing life. That drudgery, those long working hours, that noise, pollution, dirty places. I have been through it all. Its behind me.

I am so glad that I have this opportunity to live peacefully and admire things.

The scene outside my window reminds me of Jane Austen novels and the young girls who went for walks, in the meadows. Those thoughts of tranquility, peace and beauty, come to my mind, and I feel transported to that world, devoid of traffic, carbon footprint and what have you!!!

I used to wish to have a place in Mussoorie where I could sit and watch the world go by, where I could spend my time reading and writing- it couldnt be Mussoorie, but this place is simply wonderful and enchanting. I am sure I will be able to read and write here.

This is sheer BLISS.

CARBON FOOTPRINT & OTHER THOUGHTS

The issue of one's carbon footprint and its impact on the ecology of the universe, as well as how adversely it affects our environment, does not seem to affect us at all. During my recent sojourn in London, I noticed that almost every day there was something or the other written about this issue in the news paper, here in Delhi this has not made even an appearance anywhere. In the London press one often came across letters to the editor written by people asking what they could do to reduce their carbon footprint. Even advertisements were often centred around carbon footprint and the impact of the product advertised, on the environment.

Our apathy for this rather important issue perhaps is because we are so engrossed in earning our daily bread that we do not have the time to bother about other issues, which do not affect us TODAY. Living from one day to another is itself a drudgery for our vast multitudes who have to worry about their next meal. Poverty is as rampant as is corruption.Where then is the time to think about how we are impacting our own world and helping it to move faster towards destruction. The green house effect that we help to create does not even cross our mind. Unless all of us become aware of our impact and try to reduce the burden on our environment, things are going to go out of hand fast.

When I was a child whenever we went to watch a movie there was always a Films Division documentary, touching on various aspects of development in the country, on issues of social relevance and similar topics which affected our lives. Those documentaries were very educative and informative. They were really interesting. Now, no such thing is ever seen on screen. All that we get to see now are advertisements, out and out commercial. The world today is governed by money. Nothing is more important than money. It seems to have become the be all and end all of everyone's existence. All that we want is money!!! The more we have the better it is. All those lofty ideals, those values, that maxim of simple living, high thinking-where has that era gone? Has it really vanished? Has it become extinct like the Dodo, the dinasaur?

On the 15th August, on our 61st Independence Day, I remember all those who lay down their lives for our freedom. They were people with such a lot of passion, conviction, determination. They were so devoted to the cause of freedom. Their desire was to see a free India. The amount they suffered, their struggle, their pain, misery, sacrifice. It is for us the beneficiaries of Independent India to take forward the dreams of those who died for this cause. Lets try to do our bit to make this place better. I have to leave it better than the condition in which I found it. That is my duty. I need to leave a footprint "on the sands of time", but not a carbon footprint.

A VERY HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY