Estd. 2008

In the late 1980s’, during one of my several talks about my native place Ajmer surrounded by the now Aravali hill range; I was told that they used to be huge mountains, huger than the now existing Himalayas. And over billions of years they are what they are now. My immediate and hence not so well turned-out thoughts had me surprised because I believed people live, they die and there is this still picture of natural surroundings that was meant for them all. But thanks to geography!! :)

Over a period of few years, it occurred to me when I was overlooking that same hill range from my terrace the fact that there was a time in past when all someone would have seen from my present location would be just these “huge” hills and would have imagined them to have a striking beyond. And here I am looking at the beyond. My these thoughts were given another steer when I watched “The Man from earth”. A man living for 14000 years with as many names of his own as I might not even have on my list till date, must have met people probably more than the hours I have lived, made families and had to leave them and am so possessive of the one I have, had happy moments which made him sad because he might have to let go the reasons for them. May be he was Jesus himself…A question that arises is will you like yourself to meet Jesus and then look at people praying to Jesus for generations. Will you consider yourself to be blesses or cursed? And since mountains erode, water paves new ways, land depressed itself or rose high in pride…you cannot tell the place of your birth because it might be a nothing then and a hill range today or it may be huge mountains depressing by any passing minute and you have lived millions of them.

It had come to my realization quite early that the nature has seen many faces, relationships, smiles, laugh, tears, civilizations, development, urbanization and been a good listener to all that lived through them…but the unforeseen idea of a human being existing there through a substantial part of these is now a mystery.

And of course nature happened, then man happened and then happened man-made monuments. Amongst these few survived and many dint. Historic buildings I have never been able to associate with well enough. When I go to a palace or fort I feel a completely different air to them saying old. But with restaurants, universities and brands I have known off having a “Estd. xxxx” or “Since xxxx” attached to them, I have always wondered about their long existence. Best examples to them would be the café’s around in Europe and few in Mumbai: Even better of course is sited by one of my friends..
‘Since 1871, Leopold Café’

There is zeal in me to visit those places and leave my mark there, “I was here!!” I somehow figure that these places are going to exist when I am not going to. Generations will still wonder like me in few of silent moments at that place…hear the laughs still echoing, talks will exist between those walls. A friend of mine made me realize that such a thing gets more prominent in an old book store. Imagine you are in a place where again generations have come and read about all the above mentioned. The place still has the books with the stories about certain old restaurants, people graduated from the universities that have been there since…. And established themselves ever since!

In true senses, I can see time flying away there and that my present is going to be past for me soon enough but history somewhere down the way soon…

Long Live the world…

Just one last thought…Photography has really seen a revolution. Best was when cameras got the option of dates getting printed on the photo... “Taken…20/05/2006” And I cant help but wonder…! :)

Thoughtful…
Since 1986

Music: Tujhse Naaraz nahin Zindagi...