“Friendship
is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I
thought I was the only one.’”
-
C.
S. Lewis
Hi, Everyone! I had
been posting on Gandhi and the Freedom Movement for so many weeks. Researching
the horrendous deceit, power-plays, the pain, and the suffering was a burden on
my soul.
It felt as if I was
floundering around choking in the murky depths of a swampland. The need to come
up for a breath of fresh air—recharge my soul, so to say—was paramount.
Which is why I have
been writing on anything that comes to mind last few days; letting my spirit
run free . . .
Today my
spirit is alighting on facebook.
I frequented facebook
purely because it is recommended to use social media sites to promote one’s
novel—but I have found it to be a learning and enriching experience.
Through the dark days
of researching and writing my Gandhi posts, every morning I woke up to some
wonderful photographs posted on facebook by the same person everyday. So many photos were his own. He was certainly talented! There were photographs of flowers and
birds, fascinating architechture, wonderful paintings, most unusual nature
photos—really a wide, wide variety. The ones that really stole my heart were
the cat ones. I love cats.
So for me a window
opened to a whole new world that existed beyond the confines of my life. Truly
they gave me great joy. They gave me a sense of peace and beauty that there is
in the world if one wants to find it. I did so very much need that. I needed
that to wash away the darkness that researching on Gandhi enveloped me with.
Out of the all the
posts on my facebook Wall, the name Abhijit Rajadhyaksha—the one who was
posting these photos—now sprang to my attention. I don’t remember how or when
we became facebook “friends.” For a while I just silently enjoyed his photos.
Then one day, I couldn’t resist commenting on the cutest photo ever. It always, always brings a smile to my face.
After that we had we
had a couple of interactions on facebook, one about my book and the other about Gandhi. I noticed
that he was open to reading about something that did not necessarily line up
with his thinking.
It was most refreshing
I can tell you!!
Especially when it
comes to Gandhi, I have found so many just don’t want to know. I think it was
the next day that I discovered an interesting site in my blog stats, one on Indian
history. Clicking on it, I was taken to this wonderful website.
Under “My articles” there
was a long, long list of the most fascinating subjects. I followed it all the
way to the end and to my utmost surprise, bumped into Abhijit’s photo!!
It was his site and he
has another one. I was so very excited to see that, too. It gives such details
(especially on the historical weapons and forts) and so well presented!!
Abhijit was an author and researcher too and one interested in history!! I don’t know why he
didn’t tell me of this, and I had to find out quite by accident. I am just so glad I did find it.
Anyway, I have a
shortlist of favored people and Abhijit is most certainly on it.
And as I discovered
today, we grew up in the same area and many of his friends and cousins were in
my school (St. Columba High School, Mumbai) and even in my grade.
It’s a small world!
Anurupa
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