Pleased to meet you?

I wonder how Lucknow will introduce itself.

It has made every effort to shake off its lineage, the nawabi blood coursing through its veins blocked by the malls, flyovers and miscellaneous accessories of 21st century India. The legendary Pehle Aap drowned out in the honking cars, swearing car wallahs and abrasive bollywood influenced 20 somethings. Tunde ke kebab in easy -to- take -home, cold and barely satisfying joints everywhere you go. Not a single ghoongroo heard at Kathak Kendra, and innumerable footfalls at the afternoon show of Race. The dilapidated and seemingly mildewed Urdu Shiksha Kendra overshadowed by the glistening swanky Riverside, Wave and Fun malls...

Having Said that, Not that I am complaining!!!

The city is a calm getaway with all the amenities of big cities and one-fifth (give or take a decimal more) the hassle. Month of traversing the city and not a single traffic jam (Hallelujah!), movie tickets as and when you please, no 20 minute queues at restaurants on weekends, gyms where the equipment is free for long enough to break into a sweat, the lilt in hindi which feels like home..

Though savouring it all, a thought plagues me - Was there no way to resolve the dichotomy harmoniously? Having spent 3 months (admittedly not long enough) in Paris, I have experienced a city that has embraced this contradiction with easy grace. The malls and meccas of the millenium have not eroded the historic essence of Paris, and that stems from an inherent pride in its glorious past. With no pretensions to undertstand the pressures that policy makers work under... All it takes is a thought. A concerted thought and an orchestrated effort to save Lucknow.

PS: Are you modern, brash, conservative, pensive, poor, hedonistic, soft-spoken, grungy, rich, sophisticated.......Maybe my conversation with you could have been lively and stimulating, Ill never know till I get the introductions out of the way.

Opine or Otherwise

Opinions and intellectual conversations are over-rated. The fuss about seeking stimulating conversations is mostly a yearning for a platform and an audience to expound one's beliefs.There is barely any listening. The self loves to hear its jokes , the conviction in its voice and think of itself as particularly clever.

"I think, therefore I am and I dont really care about the other persons etre as long as my raison de etre has a voice" -That seems to be the flavour of the season.

Its infinite and dull, yet people are enraptured, here is a person who thinks, what defines thinking though is elusive- Is it rattling off facts from the morning read of a newspaper? Is it forming an opinion in ignorance? Is it rigid and unyielding?

Under influence of certain books (everyone claims to be a book lover nowadays), in the influence of witty sitcoms and even wittier newspaper columns, Are sensibilities stuck in limbo?The word pseudo comes to mind.

Random....Bored...Thoughts Thought.

Kabhi kisi ko mukammal jahan nahin milta ,Kahin zameen to kahin aasman nahin milta

Always, Always loved this quote. To some, it might seem cynical, but weird as it might seem it makes me feel better. Thats life, most of us would do better to accept it but ofcourse, as with most things, some people take complacency too far and end up having neither.

Its an instant pick-me-up.It can make me smile, no matter how low the low or high the high in my life. Its the perfect companion- effervescent (for lack of a better word), diverse ( everything but monotonous), chirpy without being intrusive, full of surprises (the odd twists and turns), can make me dance to its tune like nothing and noone else and always just a click away (the ipod kind ;) )....

Music is my elixir ..and how I wish I had learnt to create music.

Heres to all the musicians in the European streets, metros, crossings and monuments. To the times when hearing a familiar english song has made me feel at ease in any pub/ monument/ party/moment. To musicians...who are making the world a happier place for people like me. To the ipod... well better not get mysef started on my love for it. To that escape that I shall always have...

PS: If any one's wondering why the long spell of silence is broken by incomprehensibly related sentences pretentiously put together as a blog, Well!! I dont know and thats the pleasure.. to be random without really knowing.