THE MEANING IN THE RUINS... AND THE HOPE IN THE STORMS







Pic.: Malabika Ganguly



“From where do you get such profound themes for your daily Blog?”  Some time back, a dear friend of mine had asked me.

“From where do you get such amazing pictures for your random clicks?” I had replied without even blinking.

My friend was taken aback and admitted to me: “I am amazed to see that there is so much there in the ‘thin air’ for each one of us – the writers, photographers, painters, poets, singers, music-composers and chefs… the dancers, choreographers, DJ’s, RJs and VJs… the designers, architects, scientists, thinkers, teachers, preachers and trainers… the consultants and counselors the inventors, sportsmen and businessmen, all… We just need to have eyes that ‘see’ and a heart that ‘feels’.”

“And a mind that believes,” I added.


As so many of my friends share their random clicks on FB and WhatsApp, I share my random notes on my Blog and root it through FB. I love the beauty my friends’ wayside- clicks bear and I ask them if I could use them to enhance the beauty of my own daily notes….

Nobody has said ‘No’ to me, so far… “It is an honor,” some exclaim, “It is a privilege,” some claim. “I am blessed to be a part of your blog, sir,” many, many do tell me this… Yes, sincerely.

Why do my friends capture those images as they go about their daily life? What do they see in them? Can it be all over – exhausted, empty – one day, for them?

Why do I capture these imageries, in my notes, as I go about my life? What do I see in them? Can it all be all over - exhausted, empty - one day, for me?

“The picture is so symbolic,” Malabika, my friend, had commented on my blog today. “Suddenly the whole meaning of this ancient pillar changed!”

Malabika had recently shared some captivating pictures of an ancient temple which was in ruins… And, just yesterday, I had used one of the images where just a temple-pillar was depicted…


“ Hi Mala, so kind of u to say that,” I replied to my friend, “Probably, that's what most of are trying to do: Find a new meaning in the old, the broken, the damned and even the glorified... I think, Life is a continuous search for meaning. Thanks for those amazing pics which speak a hundred-fold more than my words do. Love.”


I had barely sent my reply and I saw this comment from Malabika about her another image which I had used a day earlier…

“Dear Sir, a small note about this pic. I was walking on the roads of Rudra Prayag or Dev Prayag - don’t remember exactly. Behind us were the hills of Joshimath. On one side of Joshimath is Badrinath and the other side is Auli. There was a big-bad-ugly storm brewing up from the Auli side. I was looking at the dark- grey clouds at the distant horizon across the Garwal Mountains. And, suddenly, when I looked up over my head, I saw this bright blue sky with a pinch of white cloud! Without thinking much, I raised my first Nokia colored-display mobile and clicked the iconic scene. This, I keep reminding myself: however bad life seems, above you will, always, be a bright spot of light and color!”

“I am speechless, Mala,” I wrote back, “Writing something on it… Please read a little later 
, today. Thanks. Love.”

The silent pillar of the ancient temple, despite the ruins surrounding it, speaks to us… offers us meaning…

The big-bad-ugly-and-violent storm, too, is there not without a reason, not without a hope… Yes, as Malabika says – and as we all know but forget – that, no matter how bad life seems, above us will, always, be a bright spot of light and color…

Therefore, let’s look up and rejoice… ‘CLICK’!!!


GERALD D’CUNHA


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