Musing Reminisce

1977 -- Bombay. Deep in thought as he sipped his favourite whiskey lounging in his jacuzzi and Ghulam Ali’s ’Chupke Chupke Raat Din’ playing from the HMV’s gramophone player, Shamsher was back in the deep ravines of Chambal.  The smell from the wisp of smoke from the 555 cigarettes dropping from his lips indicated that the cigarette was loaded with something more than tobacco. The dim lighting built up the mood of the Italian marbled bathroom suite. He was the uncrowned King, as a Mafia Don, in this booming metropole, Bombay.  He was very similar to his grandfather and grandmother who were outlaws who committed robberies, kidnappings and murders in their time. They were dacoits.  He felt the bloodline ran deep in him. Blood was thicker than water. After all, he was the grandson of Shikha daku and Gulabi Bai. Today he too was a dacoit. Don of a Bombay Mafia gang, he was a sophisticated dacoit. They had ruled the roost in the deep ravines of Chambal and he ruled the roost i...

  Baba Piramal invoked the heavenly Gods. Dressed in saffron the long-bearded sadhu mumbled as his followers sat in awe in anticipation of the miracles of miracles. Faith had drawn them in hordes to his overcrowded tent. He was decked in currency note garlands and gold jewellery. Baba’s inner circle of about ten trusted disciples brought order and discipline to the congregation. Devotees jostled to get a glimpse of the Baba as his half-opened eyes were devoid of the pupil. Just the white eyeball was enough to press home the fact that Baba was deep in meditation and one with the Lord. His wildly gesticulating hands added to the fervour. All around the tent oil lamps with their burning wicks provided luminance and enhanced the ambience of the space. Rising Wisps of smoke from these lamps along with the incense sticks gave the effect of the devotee's wishes and requests bring transported in their white hazy stream straight to the heavens. On one side the burning ’yajna hawan kund’ ema...

”DRUMBEAT BEER BAR” The signage both in English and Devanagari script proclaimed the name of the establishment. Rama Shetty with folded arms, burdened shoulders and tears in his eyes stood at the entrance watching the board of his Udipi restaurant ’’RAMAKRISHNA UDIPI HOTEL’’ being replaced. He was getting sentimental but he knew he had to be practical. Above his head, a big board with coloured neon lights lit up the new signage A huge thoran (garland) of marigold and mango leaves adorned the entrance. His eyes moved towards a lemon, chilli and charcoal thread that hung on in the centre of the doorway. Traditionally the original purpose of hanging this outside the door was to keep away Alakshmi, or Jyestha who brings poverty and misery and is considered inauspicious. Alakshmi is the sister of Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of fortune and prosperity.  It is believed that Alakshmi likes sour, pungent and hot things. Therefore shopkeepers, merchants and people tie lemons and green ...

Tick, Tick, Tick.   Roaaar, Roaaar, Roaaar.  Vrooooom, Vrooooom, Vrooooom. The sound of the time bomb ticking under the hood of the car was masked by the roar of the noisy engine and the revving of the car. Unaware of this Inspector Dhiraj was in the midst of another drama. Holding tightly onto the sides, lying flat, face down on the hood he was being bobbed from side to side by the steering action of Somu Dada at the cars Bakelite steering wheel. Holding tightly both sides onto the sides of the curved warm metal he was using all his grip and grit to perform this feat. He was not religious but a silent prayer to the various heavenly Gods also helped in some small way. Unknown to him he was sitting --errrm -- sleeping on a time bomb. Tick, Tick, Tick.  Roaaar, Roaaar, Roaaar. Vrooooom, Vrooooom, Vrooooom. Somu Dada was banking on his evilness to pull out this thorn. Turning full right and immediately turning full left he swayed the moving vehicle on a zig-zag motion on the...