GIVE ME BACK MY MUMBAI!

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.

A hut spinning on chicken's leg...

Dasvidaniya! ( i dunno the word for Welcome- hehehehe- so I'm opening with Bye-Bye!) :D

I was around 10-ish when I started thinking about all things Russian...
Russian Lok-kath- a Maroon cloth bound version which "Chachi Prachi" owned.
Folktales of the peoples of Russia- a white cloth bound version with green cover print that i think Dada-mama gifted me. I learnt that "Peoples" as a plural word is grammatically CORRECT... Ivan Ivanesevic, Vasilisa the Beautiful, Baba Yaga the witch who flies in a pestle-mortar ...

Misha that monthly kiddy magazine (it was often lost in post- rarely got it every month) book that Bhai-mama had subscribed in Prasad's name. I used to read it more than him. PRass also a book about "How Daddy.. something..."

Russian circuses... Russian gymnasts... Russian Ballet telecast on DD- How i wanted to learn it. How I adored those stockinged and tutu-ed dainty dancers (didn't know then, they were called Tutus). I forced my parents to by my first pair of full stockings. How envious I was when Maureen n Raynah got to do a pseudo-ballet for the Annual function. And how it was the first time I heard the word "Dasvidaniyaaaaa- Goodbyeeee"

And I "experienced" that word again now... after what? 20 years?! :) I liked the movie... serene... peaceful... death... something I can see for myself.

P.S.: I'm going to dig up up all those books the next time I go to Mom's plc.

My Best Friend for 3 minutes...

... was an almost grow-up black-n-white stray pup at the chai-ki-tapri, who came to me wagging his tail like he's missed me all these years! :)

Fed him some soya chips, which he gladly crunched up. And sat contentedly near my leg (almost with his head on my knee) for a couple of minutes... and then crawled under the nearest parked car for his siesta

...the small joys of life...

Photo blog of Rajasthan

Cousins at Diwali... 2008