It’s a different day today! So different! I feel that in my pulse, and I feel that in the absence of the activity around me. As far as I see, there is a blue expanse of sky but that appears dull. The air around me seems still. I see few souls, scattered, few and far between. Some probably venturing out only because the task they have set out to do cannot be postponed.
The stillness and ceasing can sometime signify liberation. But is this a feeling of liberation for me? My usual life is characterised by the constant hum of activity all around me. My psyche is deeply etched with seeing the constancy of action and motion, pivoted on me and around me. During all the sun lit hours, and most of the hours dark. Day after day, each day.
Today I am suddenly emptied of all the movement and sound, which defines my ambient silhouette. The void has descended on me all around. The high pitch action that goes around me un-stoppably has suddenly vanished. I have been stripped of the chaos, my arteries and veins emptied of the vitality. The inactivity around is deafening.
I am not used to seeing the fires of the industry in me ever put out or its intensity ever lowered, not for the highest and not for the mightiest, not for time and not for tide.
But today is a different day. I am shrouded in the silence of the mourning of my beloved for whom I was beloved. Let me mourn, and let me reminisce. I am not in hurry to go back to the routine. I wish to be still. Go through this catharsis. Heal my bruised spirit. But I know this is the transient me. For tomorrow, I have to stand back on my feet again. And I will. I can stop for a while, but I cannot sleep. For I have to carry the hopes, dreams and enterprise of my citizenry. Of the Alive and the Living. The motor of business will be re-kindled soon. For that is my nature. For that is just me – Mumbai.
Today I am suddenly emptied of all the movement and sound, which defines my ambient silhouette. The void has descended on me all around. The high pitch action that goes around me un-stoppably has suddenly vanished. I have been stripped of the chaos, my arteries and veins emptied of the vitality. The inactivity around is deafening.
I am not used to seeing the fires of the industry in me ever put out or its intensity ever lowered, not for the highest and not for the mightiest, not for time and not for tide.
But today is a different day. I am shrouded in the silence of the mourning of my beloved for whom I was beloved. Let me mourn, and let me reminisce. I am not in hurry to go back to the routine. I wish to be still. Go through this catharsis. Heal my bruised spirit. But I know this is the transient me. For tomorrow, I have to stand back on my feet again. And I will. I can stop for a while, but I cannot sleep. For I have to carry the hopes, dreams and enterprise of my citizenry. Of the Alive and the Living. The motor of business will be re-kindled soon. For that is my nature. For that is just me – Mumbai.
[This article was written when Mumbai went silent, following death of Mr Balasaheb Thakeray.]
mg
PS: All views are personal.
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