On tears

Cry if you need to,it's good to cry out all your tears,because only then you will be able to smile again...”
― Paulo Coelho, in his book of essays - Like the Flowing River.
Source of the photograph

Good capitalism v/s bad capitalism

What is capitalism? I would define is as the freedom of though and the freedom of innovation and freedom to make profits. Is this good? Yes, it keeps the wheels of the economy churning and ensures that we do have enjoy certain liberties, most particularly the freedom of expression, which isn't the case in most communist societies. We need money to survive in this day and age, where barter system is not the norm.
But when the freedom to make profits, crosses a certain invisible ethical line and manifests itself into ruthless greed, it can only lead to downfall of humankind.
Yesterday at the Anuradha Gandhy Memorial lecture, Arundhati Roy spoke on: The Ghost of Capitalism. I was fortunate to be able to attend it. I am not a communist and can never be one, either I don't understand it, or understand correctly that it too has its evil side.
That said, Arundhati Roy's speech, as always, was an eye-opener.
It is true that the divide between the rich and poor is ever increasing. Now, if everyone could just donate a percentage of their take home pay to an NGO of their choice-- which really does good work at the grass root level, perhaps that would bring about some improvement in our society.
Here are the links to some media coverage of the event. Her blog post of yesterday's speech is on GoodReads and the link to the same is also below.
Mumbai Mirror
The Economic Times
Arundhati Roy's blog on GoodReads
Source of the photograph

Makar Sankranti - not fair for the birds

Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival, is celebrated by flying kites. In Mumbai, people throng Chowpatty beach for this purpose. The sad part, there is a pigeon feeding arena in one corner of the beach. People even thronged here to fly kites. The kite strings are laced with glass and this could injure the birds very very badly.
I visit this beach as often as I can for my walks. I hadn't realised that it was Makar Sankranti and frankly I was quite dismayed at this lack of empathy towards our feathered friends. I was carrying my camera and here is the photograph of the pigeon feeding arena and the pigeons fluttering in fright as the kites swooped above them. In another photograph you have a view of the entire pigeon feeding area and in the right hand corner you will see the kite flying team dressed in green marching down towards the area to fly their kites.
Why couldn't this portion of the beach, at least, be cordoned off?
News items carried reports of painted storks getting injured or even killed during the kite flying festival in Gujarat state.
I hope that people will understand that it is the birds who have the right to fly, not kites flying at the end of a dangerous noose. Some people do try and help, but sadly not all birds can be saved.

Beauty

The sun slowly dipped
In the Arabia Sea...
The sky was painted in myriad red tinges
The sea below, dappled in gold
Couples walking hand in hand
Stood still to soak in the beauty together
The beggar leaned on his staff
As golden waves lapped around his toes
The kids waved at the sinking sun
Their faces shining with joy
The busy hawkers took a moment off
As serenity wrapped up the day
Mumbai stood still
All watched with baited breath
Till twilight descended
Softening the harsh edges of the city

(Photographs will follow as I use a non-digital camera)

Wishing you a joyous 2012

Dear Readers,

January 1, is perhaps just another date. But we do keep track of days with a calender. So here is wishing all my readers and their loved ones a joyous 2012.

Meanwhile, it is worthwhile to remember Janice Markowitz quote: Today is tomorrow's yesterday... make the best of it...for it will never come again.

So use each day wisely, use it to scatter joy.

Warm regards,
Lubna

Photograph taken by Shomita during our recent Ooty trip

A wild flower (Ooty)

William Blake in the opening stanza of his poem Auguries of Innocence has penned:

To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour...

I cannot meet William Blake's standards, but here are my few lines
The Wild Flower
A rose, nods its sleepy head
Tended to, in a warm glasshouse
A wildflower, it sways in the breeze
Gazing at the sun, welcoming every hour
A wildflower, I rather be
Providing a burst of unexpected joy
To the true nature lover
-- Lubna Kably

Photograph taken by my friend Shomita Mukherjee in Ooty.

A green carpet

My tired urban eyes loved the spread of the lush green moss all around in Ooty. There were waterfalls everywhere (perhaps it had rained recently, it does rain in Nov-Dec in these parts) and the moss was soft and thick.

"S" took several pictures --- I had not taken my camera, as we would be using hers and I love this macro shot. Why, the serenity of it all, even prompted me to pen a few lines.

Softly caressing jagged rocks
The harsh edges it smoothens out;
A spread of soft green, is on view
For the tired soul to construe;
A feeling of peace
Of being at ease;
Ah, the softness of the moss....