Complement

On the pedestal

India’s exit from WC T20 has been heart breaking for millions. I know that staying awake till midnight on Sunday to watch India lose cannot be a pleasant feeling. I am unhappy of the outcome as well. But what are Indian fans angry about? Why are they blaming Dhoni?

For a long time I have been hearing the wonderful songs of Dhoni. His captaincy was praised for the most unconventional approach and experimental strategies. Moving batsmen and bowlers is a strategy that he has used from the very first time he captained. Why do we not talk about the final over that Joginder Sharma bowled? If Misbah would have held his cool, then we would have blamed Dhoni even last year. But it worked for him last year. I fail to understand why the fans cannot take failure.

They burnt an effigy of Dhoni in Ranchi. The same city showered him with fame and money till date. Dhoni is the captain of Indian cricket team and wrong decisions from him ruin your sleep, your mood and your heart as a fan. If you want to react, then react to decisions that ruin your home, your job and your security. Burn the effigy of criminal and corrupt politicians who have time and again failed in all departments. We are putting the wrong thing on the pedestal.

This does not mean that I don’t feel sad about India’s exit. It is very disheartening and I will surely hope that they come all guns blazing in the next tournament. For now, all that I can say is, “Haan thoda dard hua, par chalta hai!!”

Haapoos Aambaa

A divine feeling!! Limitless happiness!! It is very hard to express the feeling when I had the first true Haapoos Amba in last 8 years. The 4 big fodie (pieces), 2 small fodie (pieces) and a juicy paarambi (mango seed)..yummieee!!!!!

The mango came directly from India; thanks to my friend. I have had few mangoes over the past few years (probably the ones that are cultivated in Mexico). However, nothing can beat the taste of the true Haapoos amba (usually known as Alphonso Mango) from Konkan.

Time travel.. Mango is linked to summer and summer is linked to summer vacation. I remember the crates of mangoes in my house and the innumerable number of shirts, pants that were spoiled from the stains of yellow mango juice. Mangoes take me to my native place where there was a continuous flow of mangoes. Our house that was surrounded by mango trees; particularly the big mango tree in front that bore the sweetest mangoes I have ever had. Mangoes even remind me of the vendor who used to sell mangoes shouting “paaaiiriiiii haaaaaapoooooosssss!!!!” And of course I remember the dishes made from mango; from aamras to raayta.

I feel nostalgic as the taste still lingers. It is hypnotic.

Endless Spinning Reel

Like a circle in a spiral

Like a wheel within a wheel

Never ending or beginning

On an ever-spinning reel

As the images unwind

Like the circles that you find

In the windmills of your mind

- by Legrand, Bergman, and Bergman

These are the last few lines of one of my favorite poems and compositions. This song written by Legrand, Bergman and sung by Noel Harrison tells a lot about human mind and its continuous journey till eternity.

Thoughts and ideas fuel the mind that is constantly working. The poet compares it with spinning wheel, circle in a spiral and even earth spinning around its axis. The mind travels to deepest thoughts and explores concepts that have never been explored. The people we meet and moments that we share are constantly flickering in our memories. All these thoughts breeze through our mind and keeps the mind running like a windmill and hence the windmills of our mind.

This windmill is concealed by us with the composure we hold in the outside world. I may seem calm and composed from outside. But deep within, there are zillion of thoughts that keep my mind moving. The calmness outside can be a deception to the fast and vigorous turmoil that is going on in the head. I can truly relate to the muppet in the video below.