Beyond The Point of No Return

'The Point of No Return' is a term used in Air Force which refers to a point in a mission after which a pilot cannot return without completing the mission. This point is usually plotted in the enemy territory. Once a pilot crosses this point, its a 'Do or Die' situation. He has to either kill the enemies and then return or NEVER return.

Today, Mother India and we, her children have crossed THE POINT OF NO RETURN, not by the virtue of choice but by the force of destiny. I guess RabindranathTagore had never imagined this twist of fate..when he wrote "India's Tryst with Destiny.." Yes India's Tryst with Destiny began long ago...we were proud to have broken free from the shackles of British regime without realizing that it was just the beginning of the test. I believe that we are in a worse situation than what we were in, half a decade ago. We have only ourselves to blame for this. We took our freedom for granted and we continue to do that. The Independence Day has shrunk into a mere holiday we look forward to after our tedious days of chasing money. It’s a shame that we, today, stand on that very soil where our freedom fighters hoisted the National Flag after paying a price with their blood and we shiver with the fear of a terrorist attack even as we hoist OUR flag on two significant days.

I always thought that those Sons of Satan were the cowards...but I was wrong...it is WE who are the cowards. They come...they go on rampage...and after their dastardly acts cease temporarily, we boil with anger...within a few days our attention gets diverted back to the Sensex, the CAT and what the IIMs are doing...the gruesome pictures on the front pages are replaced by figures of the packages the IITs and IIMs get or the graphs of Sensex or maybe the 'one and only' sport of India...cricket..in which we try to satisfy our needs for vengeance by defeating our neighbour. Then once again 'they' come and go scot-free and we watch them dumbfounded and after they are done, our blood boils once again till the next sensational news appears on the headlines.

What is the point of screaming that "we will not let them go..we will get out on the streets and tell them enough is enough!” These immature reactions look worse than a caricature. What are we going to do going on the streets when we don’t even know how to use a pistol to shoot down a light bulb?!! It is ridiculous to exhibit pseudo-bravery by trying to face those guys who have ace weapons. And getting them killed is no victory either because they come here prepared to die...in fact they take pride in it by calling it 'sacrifice'.

Once the damage is done..It’s done. It is not killing them but preventing them from doing what they do, that can be considered as an achievement. Let us accept this first and then think practically what can be done.

I have been pondering over this problem for a few days now and I think I have a lead..it’s not an absolute solution but a lead to start thinking on. We don’t need to sacrifice our life or join the army or give up the comfort of a family life to fight against this. Fighting terrorism does not necessarily mean going and standing in front of the terrorists. There is something each one of us can do even while following our own vocation. Engineers and technically trained people should try to involve themselves in R&D of new technology instead of running after investment banking! Not that it is unimportant..but doing what you are good at and trained for rather than focusing on monetary benefits can prove extremely helpful to our country. And yes..these men will definitely require the funds to conduct research...that is when our financial experts can come in. Instead of waiting for the government to generate funds, these activities should be undertaken privately...and I am sure that each one of us will have something to contribute no matter who you are or where you are from. We talk of sacrifice...if sacrifice is what you want to do then sacrifice your selfish desires and change your outlook towards our country!

I hope to see a day when we will hoist our National Flag fearlessly.

Jai Hind!!!

A Memoir

It was 5.30 am...a Sunday morning...one of the most eventful and memorable mornings of my life...OUR life. Mumbai was asleep...but we were awake. Two of my friends (the ones in the photograph) and myself were speeding down the express highway towards town. Destination Churchgate. We were out that early morning to shoot for Bachpan...our music video. I had planned to shoot at some of the locations in South Mumbai...my alma mater. We shot at Marine Drive, The Oval , Afghan Church and..........The TAJ and GATEWAY OF INDIA! This photograph has been taken from the scene that I shot at TAJ...and we did shoot some of the finest scenes there.

3 months later the very spot that you see in this picture became a graveyard of many innocent souls.

I have spent five years of my life in Churchgate. I still remember how I used to feel every morning when I got off at Churhgate station...that walk from the station to my college...that sea breeze... it was a liberating feeling.

I have spent hours at the marine drive staring at the sea. I have introspected as though there was a close friend right beside me.I have written pages and pages of thoughts and reflections sitting there...I have experienced some of the most peaceful moments of my life there...PEACEFUL...

That word seems so ironical today especially while talking about the marine drive...

When the Sons of Satan were fulfilling their purpose of life at these places...I could do nothing but watch helplessly. A part of me was being killed again and again. They say that Mumbai will bounce back in a few days...but there are a few like me who share a special bonding with that place...and we know that it will never be the same again.

Deja Vu...

This is a photograph of the Oberoi Trident Tower and the marine drive taken by me using my cell camera. This is one of my personal favourites. There is something very special about this pic. The angle that I have used to capture the frame and the colour scheme gives the pic a very different look. Whenever I look at the pic, there is something that I feel about it which I have shared with others who have seen this pic. It looks like we have come to the END of earth...beyond which there is nothing. I used to feel very proud of being able to capture it so aesthetically.

But that special feeling has turned into an eerie creepy feeling today. When I look at this pic today, I see the long winding stretch of concrete which seems like a path which leads to the tip of the earth where everything comes to an END...the arabian...dead calm as if it knows what is about to happen ... and the sky which will soon be covered with dark clouds blocking every ray of the sun...and every ray of hope...and finally those three towers helplessly awaiting their doom...

When I look at this pic today, I feel like a numb spectator...yes...numb is the word. Almost the enitre world is watching this tower and two others...numb... Is this a kind of deja vu?

I loved the entire look of the photograph when I clicked it. But today I saw that colour translating into reality. Somethings are better off in aesthetic works of art and should never turn into reality.

The Time Has Come...

I knew there was something incomplete about life. "What could it be?", I often wondered. Perhaps i knew what was it and did not want to admit it. I had become like a dam ready to burst. There was a huge reservoir of thoughts feelings and reflections that I wanted to express. Yes...that was it...I wanted to express. There was a time when I used to dedicate a part of me to writing, photographing, singing and even making films. Somewhere down the lane I had kept it aside excusing myself with the three letters of MBA. But how could I lose a part of me...or rather the very core of my being on the pretext of doing MBA? I knew I had to reclaim myself. I decided to take atleast a few minutes to close my eyes to the extremely mechanical world my MBA is preparing me for...thus opening my inner eyes to experience the beauty 'within and without'.

But there was something I was waiting for. There had to be something which would finally be instrumental in the 'bursting of the dam'. It was the morning of 27 November that finally triggered that much awaited explosion within me. It was high time. I could no longer give myself excuses. Parts of the world had been crumbling...and I could no longer be a mute witness to this.

The Time Has Come...i have my pen and paper...i know that many in this world have guns...but for me..."My Word is My Sword". This is the least I can do for my earth and my fellow beings.