when mortals become gods

New Delhi, 02 April, 2011
some time before 12 in the night


Mortals have become Gods
We've won the Cricket World Cup 2011


i was down at the temple corner. they had put up a giant screen with a live DJ and hundreds of men, women, boys and girls gathered there, cheering each and every run team India made. it was electric. each shot, each run, each break celebrated with bhangra and madness. and we won, we won, we won!

the image of Sachin rushing on to the ground (later i read that he had not watched the winning runs as he was praying inside the dressing room!), his time-stopping hug of Yuvi, the victory lap with youngsters carrying him on their shoulders, Dhoni - the humble leader making the back of the procession, these images will stay with me forever. the brightest moments of my cricket viewing career ;)


but i also felt very lonely. there i was, surrounded by hundreds of strangers, desperately needing someone to hug, someone to share my tears of joy with. missed her so much that i can't even explain. joys or sorrows are worthwhile only when shared with someone you love.


later we did get to talk, and we couldn't. it was overwhelming. i must have went on and on about what this cup meant for India, for the team, for Sachin... but she had already converted over to the cult of the 'God!'


and for me, it was an affirmation, my belief in destiny doubled; that yes, there is somebody up there who writes such scripts, that yes, there is redemption, that patience pays, that i should never-ever lose faith, because hard work and sheer dedication always pays, that the universe is with Sachin and me and with all those who believe...

...it is only belief that converts mere mortals into all conquering Gods

this is a video of the last few runs of the match, each ball cheered, music and dance at every step, it was sheer madness to be a part of this crowd on the streets of New Delhi.

हमारी गिनती हो गयी है! we've been counted!

9 से 28 फरवरी 2011 तक, डी और उसके जैसे हजारों स्कूल शिक्षक एड़ी-छोटी का ज़ोर लगायेंगे, हमारे घर आएंगे, दुनिया के सबसे बड़े जनगणना कार्यक्रम में. हमारा फ़र्ज़ बनता है की हम इन मेहमानों का स्वागत करें और हर तरह से इनकी सहायता करें. और फिर गर्व से दुनिया को बताएं, हाँ हमारी गिनती हो गयी है! :)


from 9th till 28th of February, Dee and thousands of teachers like her will run from pillar to post in the biggest census exercise in the world. friends, let's welcome these guests to our homes, help them to the best of our abilities and tell the world with pride, yes we too have been counted :)

this time, there are 2.5 million enumerators this time with thousands of teachers amongst them.

i feel more concerned for the women teachers because they are the really hard-pressed ones. sending them after school, on holidays, to complete strangers' houses where they are not even welcome... and we know how thankless we all can be :(


that's why this little attempt to spread some awareness. hope it'll be of some help :)

A day in pacific rim

"The sounds of silence!" 


first i thought, i've seen all of this umpteen times on Discovery and NGC, why now. but then i realized one major difference, that there was no narration here, nobody telling me this and that and what is meant to be what!


it is a 12 year old film, so the quality is a bit jaded, but do watch it just for the silence it cocoons you in and then you'll realize how beautiful our world becomes when we let nature speak for herself.