CAN OUR 'STRUCTURES' WITHSTAND A QUAKE?






















Pic.: Sudha Ahuja


“80% Delhi’s buildings wont’ stand a quake. http://toi.in/iHvisZ. We should do a structural study of ours to study if it can withstand an earthquake.”

This was the first message on my cell-phone, today. It was 6.30 in the morning. NIlesh*, a young and highly-qualified member of our housing society had sent this message to me – the honorary chairman of our society…

I smiled began to nod my head… “Who should I forward it to – God?” I wondered.

“Good morning Nilesh,” I replied immediately, “have a nice day!”

Nilesh had not even bothered to greet me, ‘Good morning’ in his message… He was bothered about the stability of our buildings… whether they can withstand an earthquake!

Alright, let’s suppose we conduct a structural audit right away, tomorrow, and are advised to do something about our buildings… You think, we will be able to protect ourselves against the catastrophe?

When Malaysian Airlines Flight-370 had disappeared and there was no trace of it for months on, late one night, my nephew, Erol, had posted on this timeline his concern: “It is three months now, no trace of the missing Malayian plane.”

Yes, it was past midnight. My nephew was sleepless over the missing Malaysian Airlines!

His college friend had a quick advice: “Vogeth nidhe saibha!”

Translated from our mother tongue, Konkani, it meant: “Boss, (now go and) quietly sleep!”

Today, my friend, Nilesh, had sent his ‘worry message’ early in the morning. Probably, he hadn’t slept the whole night! So, it was my turn to calm him down:

“Good morning Nilesh. Have a nice day!”


*Name changed


GERALD D’CUNHA




Comments

Meena Kumar said…
Profound message, well-conveyed.
April 28, 2015 at 5:52 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MUTHU KODI KAWARI HADA

Image
Pic.; Ashwin Mohta M y Hindi was always bad. It still is. One reason for this was, that they introduced Hindi for us only in 6 th standard. Or, was it in 8 th ? I don’t remember… I only remember struggling to write and read… leave alone speak! But, I loved Hindi movies, and, strangely, I could understand the dialogues and the lyrics of the songs… I used to sing those songs (of course when no one was around me!) as if I was the lyricist… One of the songs was a very funny one. ‘Muthu Kodi Kawari Hada’. It was from Mehmood’s super-hit comedy – ‘Do Phool’. I was a 15-year-old high-school boy when I had heard that song (not watched the movie). I could grasp the meaning of two words – ‘Muthu Kodi’… which meant ‘Give kiss’… But, what ‘Kawari Hada’ meant, I have no clue till date! It was just like ‘Why this kolaveri di’... Yes, why ask? Simply enjoy the beats… And, the beats are great… The rest... Who cares? Really! So, whatever bit of Hi
Read more

"HAPPILY EVER AFTER IS NOT A FAIRY-TALE... IT IS A CHOICE"

Image
“Love doesn’t just sit there, like a stone… It has to be made, like bread; remade all the time, made new.” – Ursula K. Le Guin,  The Lathe of Heaven T welve years ago, when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie got married, the world began to hail the couple as ‘Brangelina’. It became a fashion for couples around us to call themselves so… Norbert and Teresa renamed them as ‘Noresa’…  Amol and Vishaka baptized their relationship as ‘Amoshka’… and, Salman and Nargis became ‘Salgis’! I and my wife, too, got tempted to re-christian our matrimonial relationship as ‘Germa’... That is, Gerald and Anima, to be precise! B efore I proceed any further, let me make it very clear, here… that, I have no business to judge on the break-up of Brad Pitt and Angelina’ Jolie’s marriage. I have no inclination to go into why, how, what when etc behind it… The couple ‘chose’ to split. And, it’s their choice… Only they know how good or bad… how joyful or painful that
Read more

SELLING MIRRORS IN THE CITY OF THE BLIND

Image
“I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty. I laugh when I hear that people go on pilgrimage to find God.” - Kabir T here is a universal human weakness – and it dates back to the days of fallen civilizations – and it is: to place people on pedestal and trying to be smothered by them, feel loved and protected in their company… worship them as mentors, heroes,  gurus, Mahagurus and Satgurus… Make these mortals larger-than-life cut-outs, worship them as flawless, pure and give one’s all… And, then, ‘take’ everything from them blindly as divine… Give everything to them blindly… Eventually, what happens is:  one more dangerous bondage… What was supposed to free you now becomes a new prison… It’s sad to see this happen! T his room, where I am writing this Post, has no image of any deity. I have no image of any Guru or Master around me… My question is: “Am I not able to feel close to Almighty God?  How does it matter
Read more
THE WILD, WAYSIDE FLOWERS
There is, always, something extra-ordinary in the wild, wayside flowers...