As I rode my bike in thick traffic I coughed with an irritation in my throat and pungent odour nastily getting into my nostrils. Everyday the pollution level rose in the city as our economy grew and people became capable of affording two and four wheelers. The only missing thing was that we had neither anticipated such a growth nor were we prepared for it or we just didn’t care. I longed to live in uncivilised woods. I wondered how creatures of this earth survived so many adversities with their superb body systems perfectly constructed over a time by nature. Our skin is water proof. Almost everything can be washed away. With time and quitting, a smoker’s lungs can get back to near normalcy. I was reading a book on the terrace one day. My feet touched dry leaves on the ground. I bent down staring at it in the sunlight. One leaf came to life and slowly crawled over. Such is camouflage. The stripes on the tiger, spots on the deer, the browns and blacks of a sparrow, the shining weave of a snake…there is no end to this beauty of life. The chameleon is just one of the creations that is in the game of changing colours.
It was the early 90s. Life was just taking a turn as was India. One day it was the magic of Eddie Murphy, Tyra Banks and Michael Jackson. Magic Johnson hits the big drum and declares in a booming voice. It was a time to remember alright.. On a Sunday it was suddenly Eric Clapton who brought 'Tears in Heaven'. Was it Tears for Fears who said 'Everybody wants to rule the world?'. DesRee and Terence Trent Darby with the silken 'Delicate', 24 by 7 taking to you a fast paced 'Take me away", Bon Jovi keeping the faith, Guns N' Roses welcoming you to the jungle with Axl Rose's sexy hairdo in 'Yesterday'. It was then the beginning of the end for Kurt Cobain. Just as I was getting so hooked to the Seattle band he put a bullet through his head. Quick. I wrote an ode to the man. So did a few more million fans. India had stepped into liberalisation. Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh had 'freed' India from License Raj Economy. The youth were ...
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