Seeing Things

Simplified definitions of Karma include 'what goes around comes around' and 'jaisi karni, waisi bharni' (meaning: as you sow, so you reap) We love stories that illustrate Karma. Such as stories about someone who cheats his brother to gain sole ownership of a huge business empire only to eventually end up a leper in some incognito alley or a story about the helpless old father who is abandoned by his kids but after a few years of suffering, suddenly chances upon fame and success and thereupon gets the opportunity to ignore his kids in return OR better still be the magnanimous forgiver. This idea of there being a system in place, of cosmic justice seems to makes sense but does it also reflect on fact? Often, when we encounter news of terrible tragedy befalling individuals, families or countries, I hear people exclaim "why them?!! they don't deserve this." I also notice that this does not lead to them questioning the concept of Karma. They are content ...

Mumbai. You can live a 100 years in this city but it will still not cease to surprise you. Have those of you, who are from Mumbai ever been to N.M Joshi Marg in Lower Parel? If you have, you too like every one else would have grumbled at having landed on that crammed little lane and probably made a mental note to avoid this lane in future. But, if you looked closely, you would have seen that this was not just another crowded Mumbai lane. Had you stopped to smell the flowers, or in this case the fish and the country liquor, you would have noticed that there is something special about N.M Joshi Marg. I visit N.M Joshi Marg everyday. The entrance to my office compound is on this road. I am fortunate to have noticed something about this road. This stretch of about 1KM distance has everything. Really. EVERYTHING. There are little saree shops, shoe shops, a tailor, medical clinics, pharmacies, groceries, a flour mill, a kabbadi vyayamshala(exercise place for Kabbadi players), residential co...

I find the reaction of people around me rather interesting. Amusing even. Yesterday, when we were all worried about possible riots/violence on the streets, this one guy in my office went on saying to me "i am manase..so i am safe" (It took me a few moments to figure out ma-na-se is hindi/marathi for MNS - Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) His remarks made me realize that many people have ceased to (or never did) think about the right or wrong of things. They are only concerned about their own well-being basically. Understandable - it's the basic animal instinct in all of us. I find others who are comparatively more human - those that prefer anything to avoid riots. If placating those that had assumed a ready-to-pounce position is the way to avoid violence and destruction, then so be it. Again they care little about the concept of justice and things. Lastly, there are the thinking humans who fully understand the right and wrong of things. They feel miserable. Helplessly wishing...

People have always pointed out to me that I smile all the time. Two days ago a trainee in my office declared that he had come with a name for me – smiley queen. I had heard that before. There are others who call me smiley. My earliest memories of being told that I have a smiling face was when I was around 7 - I don’t remember. I’ve been trying to analyze this. Why do I keep smiling? I think it’s more of an involuntary action. Most of the time, I don’t realize that I’m smilinCome to think of it, perhaps various experiences during the course of my life reinstated this obviously pleasing habit. Another episode was when I went abroad for the first time in 2001. We landed in JFK airport and one of the first things I noticed at the airport besides all the white skin, blond hair and blue eyes was that everyone smiled at one another. One could argue that these smiles are superficial but they made me happy nonetheless. Once I read this ‘chicken soup for the soul’ type of story about how once a ...