The city of Joy!

When I started preparing for the journey home this time, I had a sense of trepidation. Three years is a long time by any count. And all the reports of India shining, developing faster than ever, had me convinced that I would have difficulty in recognizing the face of my home city!

On my way from the airport to home, I did notice some more concrete than what I remembered; a couple of more over-bridges... but, that was about it. The roads, the people, the cars, buses, autos, the canal... everything seemed exactly the same. Infact, the traffic seemed more unruly than ever! I told myself that maybe I'm looking at the wrong part of the city. Maybe much more has changed elsewhere. But, after several trips into the city, I'm yet to see any far-reaching change. I guess I had hoped for too much; three years is too short a time span for that!

I did realize something else while trying to discover the change around me. I noticed to my surprise that the change I'm searching for wasn't so much around me, as much as within me. A foul-smelling open dumpster, by the side of a major road. Crows, rats, cats, dogs and god knows what other creature feasting on it. Such a sight was never uncommon in the city. But the extreme reaction it elicited in me was surprising! Buses, taxis, autos have ever been unruly, aggressively inserting themselves in the tiniest of spaces. A taxi charged directly towards a cyclist, and at the last moment, the cyclist miraculously missed the vehicle by a few millimeters. And the driver was completely unfazed! It wasn't a mistake, it was just how things were.

Recently I had read in a regional newspaper that people in the city had become more aggressive and insensitive as a result of the fast paced growth. From whatever I could see in these few days, it seemed to be true. The leisurely pace of the city had been taken over by this giant machinery. As things have speeded up, so has the pace of life. No one wants to be left behind. People are quite sure that they are going. Going fast. I'm not sure if they know where!

After attending two weddings and receptions, there is a brief interlude before I go to Durgapur. Thereafter, I'll embark on a ten day journey to the three corners of the country. In hope of understanding more about my country. In an effort to reconnect to my roots. And evaluate everything around me, as well as within myself.