On a rainy day and the "pain" of city folks

It was a good day yesterday. After two dry months, the rain gods finally showered us with their blessings and brought a ray of hope in the gloomy hearts of thousands of farmers and crores of people worried about an impending drought.

On one side, there were happy sighs from my family and a lot of my friends. And on the other, were the smart alecs on Facebook posting disgruntled comments about how just a day of rains spoiled their clothes and caused them so much pain.

Its painful to see city folks being so ignorant, so blissfully unaware of what’s happening to their countrymen outside the comfort of their air conditioned homes and offices. We take the water flowing from our taps, the foodgrain and vegetables in the shops and market for granted, little knowing that it has taken a lot of pain and effort in producing them and the sons of the soil who feed us, go through hell just making ends meet and lead a meaningful life.

I pray for 2 things today, firstly for more rains and a good monsoon and secondly for my friends in the city to become more sensitive and aware about our country and our fellow countrymen.

On the beauty of a moonlit landscape

I wonder how many of my city born and brought up friends have had the good fortune of watching a moonlit landscape on a full moon night. I'll tell you, it's absolutely beautiful!!!
One of the advantages of an otherwise tiring sales job is the travel. My job has taken me to or through many remote villages and some really beautiful terrain through the majestic Sahyadris.
Travelling once from one such place in the rickety State Transport bus, I saw a dry mountain valley with a few small huts and a small serene lake lit by nothing but the soft moonlight.
The soft, gentle light wrapping everything in its cool glow, the whole scene, so perfectly lit, not too bright and yet bright enough to let you walk without requiring a torch. So enchanted was I, looking at it, that the headlights of vehicles passing by seemed an ugly intrusion into the peaceful picture.
I felt like getting down the bus and walk to the top of the mountain and sit and just watch till the first ray of dawn ushers in a new day.
Although I couldn't do it then, I'll recommend it to everyone who ever gets the chance.

On the limits of technology

Whatever happens, technology can never replace human touch, voice and emotion. 

I'm not against it (how else could I write this blog and reach out to so many people without spending a rupee ;-) ), but here's what happened. Was chatting with a friend online and both of us used a lot of those smileys (J) and every time I felt, how different it would be to talk to him over the phone, hearing his voice, his laughter, anger, every emotion so vivid, so clear.

Technology really falls short here.

And then ofcourse, nothing beats the pleasure of sitting with your friends, over a hot cup of chaay or coffee, swearing at each other, joking, pulling each other’s leg and giving high fives!!

Lets not forget “the human touch”…

A pompous introduction

I was told by a friend that to start a blog, one has to write one's own introduction... and i thought, well... how pompous!!! And I'm still struggling trying to think of an apt introduction for myself.
Anyway... considering the need for people to understand and connect with the vain stuff I write about, I guess I'll have to go through the motions... so, here's how i would (humbly) describe myself.
I think... I think a lot... and that seems to be my problem... I waste so much time thinking, I feel (and my mom will whole-heartedly agree) that I have hardly spent any time doing anything of any notice... anyway... what the hell... what did  Socrates and all other "great thinkers" do? Who knows, I may as well find a place among them... (and I'm really counting on this blog to establish myself as one of them... no kidding...)
So, getting back to the topic of my introduction, I have spent a great deal of time wandering thoughtfully and very often aimlessly about things people have probably forgotten about or moved on from. And I intend to continue doing it... so read ahead at your own risk.
Enough said about myself, this blog will more or less capture in very short "posts", what I think about a lot of things... and which I hope will make my (rare) reader pause for a moment and think too. I may seem outdated in my views, but that's how I am.
Wanderer and ponderer... Go ahead, read and tell me what you feel.
Warning: I am bad at taking criticism... not that I mean any harm. Just saying... hehe...
And yes... the name's Hemant btw...