The Missing Key

Today morning while driving, when I did my customary obeisance to HIM, I felt a strange sense of foreboding. Some unnamed fear seemed to follow me, to beckon at me.  For generations we have worshipped a wooden God with His round all seeing eyes. On large wall calendars, recent desktop calendars, pocket calendars, key rings, wall hangings, dashboards, book covers, He is everywhere. And when He is not present in any seeing form, He makes His presence felt somewhere deep in our minds and hearts. He seems to be just Present.

Kids exams, problems at home, fight with family, husband,  problems at job, ill health, anything,  any small problem or non-problem, I run to him, seek solace and find it. Today He was there sitting on my car’s dashboard, when I started my car, closed my eyes for a second… when I felt this strange thing.

Now, why?

Is it because of something personal? Some deep seated fear or insecurity? But ups and downs are part of life and I accept it. I prefer to think it is because of something more encompassing, less personal.

Is it because we are so far gone as a world, so bent on destruction, that he stirred, and hence sent those waves of uneasiness through his followers? Is it just the case of a lost key to his wealth, to the inner recesses of the Ratna Ghar? Is it because His personal sanctuary has been invaded? Being as sought after as He is, wandering from house to house, heart to heart, He does need a place to call his own. So when the key to His inner abode got lost, was He that woebegone?

We are talking of the same Form who was hidden deep in a cave for centuries by His devout followers, to be saved from alien marauders, and came back to rule our small universe.  Is He feeling as unsettled now as he did those aeons ago? He probably needs to hide again, to stop this constant violation of His quiet life by the descendants of those same devotees who saved him once. High court rulings, bureaucratic dictates, political upmanship, missing “brahma”, missing keys, hidden treasures, it is enough to jolt insensitive man.

He is but a sensitive, soulful wanderer, seeking a place to rest. Let us please give Him that.

(In response to the furore caused by the missing key to the Ratna Ghar)

6000 Kms... St. Petersburg to Bandar Abbas - Done

The end of an iconic journey

Bhutan Trip - on the way back

At Paro International airport on the way back to India after an eventful trip. Checked in, security cleared, now waiting for the flight, which is almost 2 hours away, with a fresh brew of the Himalayan Java. Nothing moves without a Java.

Quite like this airport. Nice to see an airport that still retains its old world charm. Otherwise all airports look the same these days ... sterile and uniform. The roof has what I call the Bhutanese motto. The checked tiles.

The take off was breathtaking. In a fairy tale kind of way. The land of Dragons and the Yeti seen from the sky. Would love to come here in different climates. And explore the ancient country more.

Airport Toilets.. the Paro toilet was squeaky clean. Now coming to India. Why can't we have Indian type toilets? Western toilets are being used by most urban householders and they are the target customers for airlines. But can't we have simple India style toilets that many ladies are still comfortable using? Every time I see a suburban lady in saree struggling to use the loo at airports, I wonder why they have to face such inconvenience in their own country! The Indian toilets are hyiegenic too by many standards. One good thing I saw this time were the sanitary napkins vending machines. Even though it has taken us so many years to put them there, at least it is one small step to make travel more comfortable for women. Do we have to thank Akshay Kumar and "Padman" for that? 

Was travelling with some of our co - rally-ers. Two of them won the coveted first prize. A simple conversation revealed they are real pros. High up there in the TSD league in India. Felt mightily privileged to have participated with them. They were obviously of a different league from us.