Today, as I went to another venue near Yamuna, upper Yamuna which was cleaner and stench free, rich with picturesque surroundings, you know, the ones that are supposed to be there! There were these huge cranes, or flamingos or what ever they might be, seemed to me just out of the Alice in the wonderland book, I couldn't help but think about miracles. I had exclaimed to my friend " Are they real?", Their stillness were unnerving and they really seemed either ceramic from the distance or as though they were meditating. My friend's response was " Yeah, I got up early in the morning, swam across to the island and placed them there!!". Funny as it was and there was a possibility of truth in his words (its a TV show, we assume anything is possible...), I know it was not true because, for one he cant swim, and second, these things did move after some time and as local youth dived into water with lithe agility, these birds who seemed to me as tall as me from where I stand, took off majestically, without a backward glance, in eloquent "v" formation. Miracles! I was not looking at them in a Zoo, there was no tag which classified their phylum and I'd probably never know what they were unless I open Salim Ali's Book (which I would not...) Actually, I just googled images and looks like they are "Flamingos".. Anyways, I just saw them where they are supposed to be... And thank god it was not Zoo...

It was strange, I remember once having asked a Christian friend, Christ could walk on water, do you think he could have swum on land? The same thought occurred to me again and also her response.. There is no need to swim on land... You can walk, was all she could say. The place was not just full of Flamingos, but also pristine white cranes, domesticated buffaloes and cows, crows and dogs, and their relationship with each other nothing but sheer magic....


Crows had dared to venture just with in my hands reach, who would just swoosh down on an unsuspecting fish, I could help notice they had individual differences too, one was infarct brown, grey and some jet black.. The cows and buffaloes floated on water with crows and cranes perched on them; A lovable stray dog was doing his best to steal the fishes crows had caught..the water was muddy clean (because of the recent rains) and the aroma of water, clean and fresh filled up my lungs far far away from the madding city crowds..We were told, we were standing on what used to be river bed once...Right on the Heart of River...

Yesterday I was not keeping well and seriously, living alone in big city can render you more lonely then ever. I could have stayed there forever! However, as I stood there today morning, I couldn't help but feel like an intruder, I know I didn't belong there, neither did that electricity tower I could see in the distance nor the chairs and table we had bought with us for the show nor could we ever give back all that we have already taken away. But the local youth, the local peasants and all (perfect swimmers )did seem like they belonged there..

Being in the heart of madness does make me wonder what are the solutions as of now and I foresee none, there is growing talks of green politics and stuff really, as much as I hate to say this.."I don't Know"...