Juhu SunsetGlow Story

A Blog begun years ago as a stroll on the Funny Side of Serious Street, highlighting India's problems. Revived by adding memories of old Bombay, including excerpts from Dreams of One Country.

A Juhu SunsetGlow Story

(Excerpt 6 - from  A Three-day Lifetime, another chapter in Dreams of One Country - Amazon Books. There are many scenes of old Bombay in the novel, a story of young dreams and fresh ideas inspiring the people to unite, to build an India dedicated to humane and progressive ideas - indeed, to join the most developed countries of the world, like Denmark and the U.S.)

Priya placed an LP on a portable player she had brought. Begum Akhtar’s dreamy ghazals bridged their silences. She lay on him, snuggling in his arms.

After sunset they walked barefoot in the tide’s wash. A red gash showed where the sun had gone. He asked her the meaning of a ghazal’s refrain rewinding in his mind - Meyrey humnufus, meyrey humnawah, mujhey dosth bankey dagah na dey. A kiss cut off her explanation. Tidewater curled around their feet.

They found a seaside restaurant with a garden and ordered dinner. Coconut fronds dipped below the eaves like a giant bird’s pintails. In the distance shore lights danced on the waves. ‘Norman? I feel we’ve always been together,’ she said. 

‘Man and wife in the universal reality. So said Jack Kerouac.’

‘Who? Oh, the beat writer.’

A waiter gave them the evening paper. In a speech Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had again claimed great achievements.

‘I used to admire her,’ said Priya. ‘When the Grand Alliance threatened to defeat her, Papa and I were worried. After coming to Bombay we had to re-register to vote. A helpful local Congress leader took our forms. On election day we found our names missing. We learnt that the leader had charged poor illiterates to fill forms, but hadn’t submitted any. He pocketed campaign funds too. At his victory meeting Mrs Gandhi praised his patriotism. He’s now President of the Slum Dwellers’ Union. His goondah enforcers collect rent from slums. He and a builder opened a new hospital. Just a matriculate, but he is the hospital’s head. We heard rumours of nurses getting pregnant. A lady doctor resigned accusing him of molesting her. Nothing happens to him. I lost faith in Indira. If she supported such parasites, what hope have our poor?’

‘Their hope…as a great man said in another context…is as weak as soup…’

‘Made from the shadow of a pigeon that died of starvation.’

‘Right!’ he exclaimed, delighted she had quoted Lincoln back at him.

***

Tail Lights
1. India Cinemascopic
My novel Dreams of One Country - for download on I-phone, pad or computer from Amazon.com - is a moving panorama of young dreams and ideas inspiring India's people to come together as Ek Desh (One Country) and build a truly modern nation.
2. Face Values Can Deceive: Whether it's people or events try not to jump to conclusions by Face Values. Look beyond sur-faces.In case of people what you initially see may be their cosmetic faces. In case of events look beyond the surface ripples. The deeper undercurrents are those which move events in different directions and determine their outcome.