volcano

There was a sound that was more like the natural vent being used by Albin. We were standing by the train we were travelling in. It had halted at a station. I asked Albin from the sound came from. He very cooly replied, 'From the train'!!

Huge buildings are constructed almost everyday in the City of Mumbai. Cheap labour but exotic and costly buildings. Well let's accept the cheap labour but what about labour safety. Seen in this photograph are labours setting up a scaffolding without any harness or safety devices (They are constructing the12th floor)

This is Alan my nephew. He is the life of the Family now. Everyone loves him. He loves everyone . The first is with his father. This second snap is Alan trying to stand for the first time. The third is the Alan cutting the Christmas Cake. The fourth one is with his Nanny. Enjoy folks!

He told me he wanted to develop his personality . I told him he could. He wanted to pour out. A burdened soul - one among the so many who carry around a baggage which they don't know how to offload. I told him he could come to the guest house. And you know what he did. Well to be precise here was a man - in the words of the Bible - who had known many 'men'. He was girlish, stinking, with unkempt hair but with a smile on his face. Well you know what I have begun to realize you need to tread on thorns to really smile . He had wanted love. His parents could not give him that. He was alone. He had longed so much for it that when one did come, he had no issues The only thing he didn't know was that he had a seen a mirage - yes a mirage ! He chased it. He chased it hard with long hours on the net and an exciting appointment schedule. He wanted to so much to take revenge when he sought his mirage. He was pouring out and I knew grace had finally caught him. The hound of heaven ...

A heart which is true compels you to the truth.

I was returning after visiting my recently discovered long-lost relatives. They had treated me to a Parish festival meal - duck's meat, pork, fish and what have you. I hadn't done the usual routine in the morning as sometimes my bowels give up on me, especially when I am travelling. I left the place by bus and was to take another bus from this place to Trivandrum. Well this time my tummy started demanding release. Well you can't anything else but obey. I got down from the bus, searched for a place to offload, however, none was available but one run by the Kerala state tourism department - the only western toilet in that place - and that too without a toilet cover! Now I took cover and took off searching for a good hotel. In the meanwhile my stomach was sounding a constant SOS . I walked to the receptionist and asked for the toilet - a western one. To tell you honestly, I was prepared to pay anything for a good ride. I asked for a room. I said I would pay for use. You know w...

I was sitting at the airport. My flight had been delayed. I saw a man in a wheel chair, middle aged; with a slight hunch. I could see from his behaviour that he was in his fifties. A lady stood beside him, who spoke to him sometimes, her hands folded. Bespectacled, she stood with a look which said, 'couldn't have known this man better'. He was arguing with the airlines staff and could tell from the gestures that he was dissatisfied about something. A pretty looking staff of the airlines had bent down to in what could be seen as a pacifying gesture. Then another young man belonging to the airline joined in the efforts to pacify this man. Every body could makeout that this man was visibly unhappy even after all the efforts to make him happy. Poor man, what a state he is in. Such a helpless state. This could be anyone's primary reaction. To me it looked like his sickness was a status symbol for him. A crutch that made him feel important. Made him feel wanted. Made him feel...

Ever tried carrying a flower for someone you love and that too in a crowded train? Save it for someone special. The stale air of the crowed train and tender whif of the fragrance of the flower. The inconsiderateness of the crowd and the thoughtfulness of the flower. The sad, tired faces in the train and freshness of the flower. You need to save from the push and the squeeze, the tear and the pull, the stamp and the scratch. Yes save the flower. Save the feelings. Ooze it in the compartment, at the door when they climb in. ON the seats where they sit. Save the flower. Keep it fresh. We travel everyday. Save the flower everyday.

I was having a disturbed sleep for quite sometime now. In the past weeks, they went past the church, in an auto rickshaw, asking us to exercise caution as there could be flooding in the area. It did create a flutter of emotions and initiated some serious talk about the threat; however, it always stopped at ‘Ah! Last year the waters came only up to the gutters. And the sun rose and set on a very usual busy day for businessmen, servicemen, postmen, watchmen and other men and women. Since last two days it has been raining quite heavily. It has made me quite worried. Then this evening the auto rickshaw was here again. But the oft repeated response was heard again. I know the entire conversation by heart even now. It is Monday today. It has been pouring since morning. There has been a flurry of activity in town. The police were here. There were shouts and whistles everywhere. The municipality men were tying ropes across the road – a sign not to move about in the area. Suddenly, the area sta...