Magical Airwaves

:) Beqarar karke humein yoon na jaiye...Aapko humari kasam laut aaiye...

It all started with kick starting my mornings with some good music & a super sexi voice at 6am & the one n only pit stop then called 107.1 FM...that is where n when the romance started...me n my radio...my chota sa philips.

Then came a passed down Sony walkman & a few Radio stations, with only the good old rainbow playing english classics, the rest all Bollywood, but none the less, cherished every bit of tuning the dial...listening to the airwaves tuning from nothing to a noise to music...wow!

n then came cell phones with radios ! life cdnt get better! a confession il make- i chose to not hold a BB simply coz it didnt have radio ! to hell with the BB msngr ! ;p 

n the Airwaves was all about travelling n music on the go ! cursing it when in a train coz of the disturbance!

... but even then the love story didnt have the old time romance...the quiet one...with simply smiles...peppered... 

now...it does...

:)

a group of best friends...post dinner...each one in his/her room, snuggled in bed...with a book, work, thoughts, nythng et al...n d airwaves...its a connect. Thousands of people tuned into an airwave...listening to the same song...going through a myriad of thoughts n emotions...it touches you...txtn frnds d frequency of d common fav song...smiling when ur heart broken n d airwaves play, " ajeeb daastan hai yeh.." :)

Rekha's " saalame ishqe" plays thru n u kno there are peals of laughter in 3 rooms somewhere in this city coz 3 gurls remembered something from their college group study days when lights were dimmed n the "mahol" was created! 

When Lionel Richie serenades you with "Hello...is it me you are looking for..." u know there are 2 more gurls smiling & remembering your crush...

When Rehman soothes you with "Khamosh raat..." n you wonder where did that guy disappear who penned this song for you...

When Asha Bhosle cheers you with "bhavra bada naadaan hai...bagiyan ki shaan hai.." n u smile remembering your parents smiling when they hear this one...

at Times like these...words take a back seat...thrs something else that is saying it all...the airwaves...guess they do carry with them the emotions...which one experiences... ? .... the airwaves does it all...its sheer beauty...when you know you aint smiling alone...therz someone whoz smiling with you...

somewhere, in ur heart you know u aint alone...coz ur frnds are with you tuned into the same frequency...its enough to go thru the shit in life...its enough to smile after a long day...its comforting to know u aint alone... :)

Life...simply beautiful...

Driving into 70mm

I honestly dont know how many of us really even recall the "Drive In Theatre" at the Kalanagar-Bandra junction. Just when you turn into the latest Office District - bandra Kurla Complex, where now stands Maker Maxity, stood the Drive In. I remember it from the 90s, some very faint memories, some distinct. Now when i recall, its like  a by-gone era. When i pass by the spot now, not a single memory to tell me, it stood there. Out of curosity, i googled it, to discover its owners, a few details and histroy, well nothing at all. Sorta disappointing coz nothing at all. 

I remember it as a lil kid in the back seat of teh car, driving past it. And invariably i remember "Maine Pyar Kiya" - Yes, the classic Romace between Prem & Suman playing on it. The screen lit up in the sky amidst the stars & the moon, it was a delight! Would always get dad to pull over at the side & wait for a few minutes to watch it. It was a wonderful! The delight of watching a movie in the middle of teh road, open for all to see, no walls nothing at all.

Source: Google | Representative only

Iv been told by some old time regulars (in this case, my folks & their friends), that couples, families would pack up dabbas, drive in to teh theatre, park at some place nice. Speakers were then placed in each car ann dthe family would enjoy the movie. Though i dont quite remember being there, yet the thought itself warms me up. Imagining the excitement of going to a Drive-In is definitely a wow!

I remember, after numerous 5-10 mins pull overs on the road to watch the movie, i pestered dad into taking me inside the drive in. I remember dad having this wry smile, guess he knew what was in store for me. Anyways, we drove in, and yes, teh guy at the ticket counter had a surprised smile to see someone actually drive in, guess people had lost interest. Yes, he also informed us that the Drive In was empty. We went in, parked, nopes, this time no speakers were placed in the car, instead it was more of a public address system that was audible all over the place. and when the screen rolled in, it was magic ! :) the actors seemed stars ! the movie on the screen felt like  areally large medium of something totally wonderful but dude ! the huge mosquitoes were a pain ! and you could not roll up teh windows coz then there would be no audio. and yes, we left within 15 oodd minutes. But teh memory stayed... the idea of a drive in... pure joy, happy times.

I wish we could have a drive in now in Mumbai. May be create a entertainment property around teh drive in to ensure its commercial viability. But the idea of being plonked on teh car bonnet, sipping chai, and watching a lovely movie...priceless... :)

Brew Called Life

Sleepy eyes, sleepy head, immobile limbs, for once a quiet brain sans any thoughts buzzing around, with just a wish, 5 more minutes. sigh! only if the damn alarm would relent! 3 alarms all with the snooze option used excessively, n finally you give up & give in to the sunlight streaming through the window, a slight chill in the air , n the oh so warm bed calling you back again, but...nopes, cant. The warm sunlight makes you smile, just a lil bit, stretch like a queen cat, smile again n finally throw away the covers to find your feet on the floor and the one goal that you have in mind ...mmmm.."chai".

now here comes in the case of "haves" & "haves not". Some of us have to fend for ourselves, find our way to the kitchen to get ourselves that brew of life. And then there are some of us, who simply walk to the living room couch, plonk ourselves still in slumber & simply utter the magic word.."maa...chai..".ofcourse you could replace the maa with biwi...miya...or ramu !  n viola the perfect way to start your day is there for you.Lifez just so nice to some of us! its called being the priveledged few.

and how the brew kick starts our day- Start your day with a brew not done to your liking n whats your reaction? Arrg! you gulp it just to get done with it. hmn...do we make the effort to just dunk it into the sink n prepare a fresh one as our liking? naa...its done its done. lets get moving, iv got an entire day ahead of me.

And then there are times, when its the perfect one. just the way you like it. puurfect..the first sip spreads its warmth into you...the taste awakens & lingers on your sleepy taste buds awakening you, your eyes open with the joy of energy flowing through you n you smile, yes this is a really great day!

Its quiet interesting the way we like our chais to be n the way we have it.

n there is the one that we during our college days had. the first one was always rushe dthrough just so that we could get going & have the puurfect chai in the cutting glass at the tapri opposite college with the gang! yes, thts the purfect cutting be it rains or sun shine, could never do sans the cutting glass n the adrak chai at the tapri. n then there were the equally importaant cuttings at sunset at the tapri, where you abused the arese of the college, candidly tell your friends what a good job you did in teh student counsel, or simply queitly discuss the gurl / guy whom u really kike ..ekdum dil se or devise ways to ask out the hot chick of the campus. and all theses cuttings were inter spiced with the choicest of abuses...with justthe correct proununciation n emphasis just to tell your friend you love him. :)

anyways coming back to the chai...isnt the way we have our chai also reflect on the way we live our lives? mebbe am thinking too much, mebe not. just a thought.

There are some who simply have it hot straight from the stove into the cup into the mouth, without giving it much a thought, chai is a chai is a chai. Thus is Life, just live it, why all the extra divination thoughts? whoz got the time?

n then there are some who sip it hot sip by sip with that awesome ssllll...ssllrruuu...ssllluurrr....sound that we all make. cherishing it bit by bit but not really stopping by to ponder, just living it each moment, there is lots accomplish.

n then there are some who linger over it...savouring each sip...its almost like the very act of bringing thechai to your lips is an act of contentment n heighting the experience by allowing the sip to linger, taking in every flavor it has to offer- the mild sweetness, the  softness of the brew, the spice of the ginger or masala, the coolness of the mint...hmn...wow..life sure is beautiful. n with the brew...thoughts linger.

:) n then there are the chais that we have late at night at the tapri or the cycle wala chai at the sea face, chai had in huge mugs cozily held in our hands when we sit with our friends after dinner. For some reason a chai shared is alwayz special n yes chai had in quiet times alone too. Chais...bring in memories of conversations, moments, stories read, work done, ideas brain stormed, promises made to one self et al.

so..the nexttime you sip on your cuppa, spare a moment to disover your puurfect brew..

Bhai Jaan

We Indians take pride in saying "WE". Do we really mean it? Most of us do. Many don't. Thats Democracy.I aint arguing. 

Its the Holy month of Ramzaan...& for some reason i can feel it within me. Nopes, i dont bow my head in the direction of the Mecca. I dont say my namaaz five times a day. i can never fast definitely not Roze. I dont shop all night at Mohammad Ali Street or Bhendi Bazaar or for that matter Kurla. I dont break a roza with a Date i.e. Khajur.i just dont. Then why?

All religions preach Unity, Brotherhood & all that Jazz. But have you ever seen a Gujarati being supported by 10 gujaratis in a street fight even if he is on the wrong side of the mess? or Have you ever seen one marwari bail out another in case of a business crisis? you may say yes ! he lends his money...thst d point...even then the marwari is doing business, he aint standing by his "Brother". I wouldnt talk about sardarjis, coz iv seen them standing by their brothers until death do them apart. am not being racist. nor do i mean to demean any religion. But do we feel it inside us? That feeling of being one? honestly, i dont.. & i know many who dont.

But when each evening as i walk through Kurla, a pre-dominantly Muslim locality i see a sight which brings a smile in my heart, coz am being re-assured that the brethren feeling is still going strong. On the Foot over Bridge, Flex sheets are laid out in the entire stretch of teh bridge, huge platters of Dates, Fruits, Snacks are placed with the food & sherbets & faloodas flowing freely. Its open to all. You wont be asked your name. not your locality. not if you contributed to the fund. its enough that ur one of them & its the Holy month of Ramzaan. i couldnt help being curious & i asked an elderly "Chacha"  why was the food shared so unconditionally, irrespective of the social status, beggars, businessman, trader, passing traveler, unknown people sitting together, smiling n having a meal? he smiled gently, his white beard shimmering in the yellow light of the bulb atop his head in his tapri, he said, its the Holy month... we wish to rid ourselves  of our sins,do some good. we share our meal, coz we have been taught to help the needy...help those who cant help themselves. That is what we stand for...we are brothers...n we could never eat a morsel with our brothers starving.

"we could never eat a morsel with our brother starving" -- This...did it. 

i smiled. said my khuda haafiz...n walked away from that moment...knowing why WE aint WE & THEY are WE...