RIFLE RANGE BOY: harmony

Miniature boats on Karthika Purnima to commemorate
the rich maritime glory of ancient Odisha. It marks the
change of monsoon tides. Sail is set for Java from Odisha.

We like to convince ourselves that a particular ritual will help us in our life ahead. Perhaps paying tithe or giving alms will ease our path to salvation. They say that a cleansing bath in a specific lake on a particular day will symbolically wash away one's previous sins, even of previous births.

With the conviction that we had of our past lives and have more future births to sail through to attain Moksha, the breakaway from the curse of repeated birth and attainment of eternal bliss, we religiously indulge in this activity and that.

Kartik Purnima ritual bath in the sacred waters

Karthik Bath in Odisha

The recurrent thought that has been going on throughout my life is this. Am I so lucky to have been told these secrets of life by virtue of my birth as a Hindu? My other good friends who, through no fault of theirs, had not been exposed to these intriguing shortcuts of attaining Satchiananda (existence consciousness bliss). But then, they too had their own pathways to the same. Sometimes our paths contradict each other, yet each is convinced of his own.

When we were young, my sisters and I were repeatedly reminded to respect our school books and school bags. We were told the books were representations of Goddess Saraswathi, the goddess of knowledge. We could not be seen sitting on our bags or kicking or disrespecting another person's book. Our parents told us that we would eternally be cursed to be daft by invoking divine wrath! And there was he was, the top boy of the class, who would be resting his feet on his school bag whilst waiting for his mother's car but nothing terrible happened to him, academic wise!

What is good for the goose must surely be so for the gander, so I thought. When number 8 is auspicious for some, it is 9.

They both cannot be correct. One, or even both, could be wrong. There can either be a rebirth model or 'heaven and hell'. We cannot have both. Or, conversely, neither, after this life, is just void. Game over. White noise. Zzz...

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In the heat of the midday sun and

the congestion of late morning

midtown Lucknow traffic, two

bosom buddies apparently of

different faiths as evidenced by

their choices of garments, tread

the cracks between vehicles to

reach their destination on the

back of a motorcycle.

The thing about Lucknow that fascinates me is how the Lucknowites keeps alive their past history despite the pressures from external forces, namely the political leaders, who are hellbent on re-writing the nation's history to fit into their political agenda. With the heightened inclusiveness and fear of domination around the world, it is indeed enlightening to learn that people here relish upon their past. They must be thinking that to go forward in life, one should not forget where one has come from. Our future is determined by our history. If we do not remember where we came from, how are we going to know where are we heading to? History teaches us to avoid mistakes that Man had made as history has that bad habit of repeating itself.

When we look around, Lucknowites accept the differences in people. They appreciate the fact that their not so distant past had been different than today, somewhat unfathomable by the government of the day. Just like in many regions in the world, given a chance, the leaders would jump at the idea of re-writing history as deemed fit to fit into their narration.

The general public is least bothered of which is the correct path to salvation. All that they really really want is peace of mind, to survive, to care for their ones and to meet their biological needs. True, we are social animals, but animals are also known to respect each other's boundaries and have learnt to live with mutual acknowledgement of the other. Have we transgressed? Zigazig-ah?

The Launch of the book '2017 Best Asian Short Stories' in Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University, Lucknow @ 8.4.2018

Some scenes around Lucknow...

Asfi Mosque in the sunset

Yet another view of Asfi Mosque.

Asfi Mosque Dome

And another, too fabulous to resist!

Frontal view of Bara Imambara complex

A soldier's birdseye view from the top storey of Bara Imambara building of its perimeter. The white-hued monument is Chota Imambara. The relics of the Nawabs sorely lack funding for upkeep. Structurally, it is claimed to be more intricate than the Taj Mahal. Unfortunately, this UP structure requires the political voice to garner funds from local or international concerns.

These passageways bear witness to the many turmoils and shenanigans created by Man in the name of nationalism, race, power, wealth, greed and wanting to dominate. Its secrets are lost in the annals of time. Who says the truth will slowly but surely prevail. Time and tide wait for no Man. We just hoodwink ourselves of the wheel of justice will correct injustices. Perhaps the spokes of its wheel are too large. Changes may occur only after a lifetime.

The interior of the Nawab

Castle which also became a

dargah, a Shia shrine to

commemorate a Saint.

The curved ceiling is made

of clay honey, moong dhal,

chickpeas and other

mucilaginous emulsifiers.

The Stairway to the harem.

In its heydays, there used to

be a bathing pond for the beauties.

Upon the water also reflected the image of the castle.

The mixture of light or dark background of the Bara Imambara Complex brings out the mysticism of the Muslim Nawabs and their Shia sect. They wanted to outshine the Mughal architecture. The main building is a work of accidental architecture. It boasts of many confusing labyrinths (bhulbhulaya) and a secret tunnel to the Gomti River. The bhulbhulayas are unintended features of the building which were constructed to support the ceiling. It ended as a maze to confuse enemies and an escape route to the occupants.

It is said to be an engineering and architectural marvel superior to Taj Mahal, but like a stepchild gets none of the deserved attention.

The Rumi Darwaza. An imposing gateway modelled after a similiar structure in Turkey.

It is the night that our senses are heightened. Lurking shadows, however, conceal ugliness and alter judgement.

The road to Perdition is paved with unsavoury events, ruins, destruction and death. The Residency remains a reminder of India's first War of Independence in the form of 1857 Sepoy Mutiny. Annexation of Awadh, abdication of the Nawab to Calcutta, the controversies surrounding usage of pork and beef oils to grease Enfield bullets as well as the uprising in Meerut, spearheaded resistance in Lucknow. The building is still in a disused state with cannonball pock-marks still present on its wall.

The iconic female figure in the Indian Independence, Jhansi Rani, came to fore during the time of the Indian Rebellion. The British try to take over her region after the demise of her husband and the British's non-approval of her adopted son's ascent to the throne. Jhansi Rani rose to the occasion only to succumb to her injuries fighting.

Memorial in Residency

The Compound

Jhansi Rani

The Ruins, building not spirit!

What is Culture without Food? Food to the soul is not possible on a hungry stomach! Mental stimulation begins with gustatory stimulation!

Vegetarian Lucknow Cuisine

Chicken Tandoori (Mughal)

Thunde Kebab Mutton, Romali

Roti, Chicken Afghani.

Chikan is a traditional fine embroidery that is specific to Lucknow. It is said to have been inspired by Nur Jahan, the wife of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir.