Snapshot 2007

For a long time, I have believed that the beginning of new year is nothing but an innocuous increment of single digit.. And it was now long past new year night, while I got my spirits high over drinking spree with a young legend, listening to retro music from Beatles, Elvis, Jim Morrison, mesmerized with husky voice of Arooj Aftab and drifting to the gray shades, I realized that it is not as simple. Life never is. And as I tried to see through this prism, the incremental shift of one digit seemed like cruising 365 long days and long nights with scattered flashes of memorable moments in varied colors splattered over the wall. Some would fade and some would last for a long time to come. I guess, as I look back over the year, that the shades which I witnessed around me are one that are going to go a long way in my life.

So with the passing of the year 07, one might ask what was special over the year. Well, if I am to sight remarkable achievements to quantify and qualify the time I lived through, then I have none. Apart from the much needed possession of portable music stored onto the revered iPod, I did not gather any thing that’s worth boasting off. Of course I bought books I could brag about but then they merely are honoring the book-shelve much to the discontent of my conscious. And with that I have this confusion, where does the hard-hard earned money go. As for now, I should stop bothering myself much over it, for it’s a perennial question that haunts our survival forever.

I have not grown professionally to garner for my self certificates of achievements and likes of it.

With that I guess, if I would permit someone to look objectively there is nothing to be found of significance in 2007 in my life. Money, Success, Woman, Home, nothing. That just chills my spine.

But putting that aside ,if I were to justify what I have been doing all through the year, I can only give weird experiences and accounts of events I enjoyed. That’s what life’s supposed to be actually, but off-course…. dreams. And looking back I can tell that all the while I have been a spectator to this world around me, ..this peculiar and spectacular world around me.

I remember today about the last new year for 2006. Straight out of the flight on my way to home from Ahmedabad, I got down near the wine shop and grabbed beer can and waited on road side grasping the city preparing for the night. Since that day through this year I have been outdoors just observing. And I observed this while I was stoned Yes may be that’s what I have been doing without forming any judgments. And I cherished watching moments of joy, tribulations and triumphs in lives around me. So if it was from having been generously gifted with the presence of a Roger Water concert for me or watching the Scorpions Humanity tour in the company of people who shared the respect for moments enormity in which wishes come true, I have no complaints. And I remember the nights stolen from clutches of parental concerns, lying over the wet rocks behind Sea-Rock overlooking the sea on dark night, with guitar jamming with rocking waves whence for once I felt a free man. And I remember those evening nights when sitting over the wall near the bandra creek- over looking Worli sky line and its streets glowing under the neon street light …standing over its own reflection. For me, I had my own share of stupid silly adventures. I remember my first blind date wooed over internet and ended up at the Hawaian Shack, over drinks and a India Pakistan 20/20 finals. I wish she would call back so I thank her for a memorable evening and may be make up for hurting honest sentiments. And I remember someone telling me about a punter who driven for passion for a night, ended up getting caught by the disguised lady police. And we laughed over the misadventures. We always laughed at misadventures, that is a joy of youth. Fortunately he bought his freedom. Money buys free will.

And over this year, I saw changes happening around me. I began to keenly observe the smooth transition from carefree youth slowly gearing up to a responsible adult. I recollect the cute friend dressed as a bride. I remember my friend calling up and telling his encounters of his soon to be fiancé. I remember a friend calling from outside beauty saloon while he waited for his wife. Over his year many wickets went down, it felt like standing in a huge big marriage ceremony and I could listen to matured parlance I was till now unaware about. I saw a long suffering friend finding a ray of light at the end of the tunnel and still suffering with the trauma that comes to a pondering traveler at cross roads of life. Many questions and quest still remain to be conquered in the time to come, but this year, Life’s roller coaster ride came with full throttle and I for one see it unfold in its mesmerizing vagaries. But, I must confess, it blossomed this year to find a matured sweetness as in the writings of Twain, Chekov and the likes, all of which I rediscovered this year and these implored me to keep going and keep sifting my sight from one image to another.

All I can tell by the end, is that , I guess over this year I was high all the time and I mean literally. And I cruised over the roads, into the streets, the dungeons, pubs and discos, I flew into the skies and surfed over the waves rising high over Bandra rocks. And it was like a dam of emotions, which broke over me, and the thundering glory of youth fell viciously thrilling the senses. And may be it will take me some time to come back to my senses and welcome 2008. So over 2007 I felt so much, so many mesmerizing images and by the end I felt nothing. And may be in 2008 standing in the midst of white snow capped mountains and cedar trees, with the chilling wind blowing over my face that I would again feel thrilled with my interpretation of success which has started increasing thriving on coming in close proximity of fearless and liberated soul.

All this was I guess was possible it was all in this city, Bombay, aptly called Meri Jaan. For the best of my days after college have been spent here and in this year, where in people came and people passed by and in this year I cannot resist to express my affection which has no boundaries for this city which offered so much to me. So, Whether this city transforms to Shanghai or not, for it progresses or not…I do not care much. I have now got what’s termed as un-conditional love for the city . I love this city for what it was, for what is and for one time I can confidently say for what it will be..coz..it accepted me the way I and showered the best of what it had to offer my fortunate soul. Whenever I have plunged into the city, from the expressway or a touch down of flight, it always took me unto its arms, putting all the restlessness at ease with familiarity of home. And its been a truly magnificent experience as I saw the whole world in Bombay and from Bombay, which redefined meaning to the word love.

So I realized over this year, and tonight, that, wherever I might remain in this world or where our destines land each other, this is one city for which I’ll retain an affection unfound in words. Even if its for the universal necessity to cling on to something, then I’ll choose to cling on to something that for me was a true joy ride and shimmering reflection of life in all quarters comprised of the best of all you wonderful people.