On a Vacation

To Begin with I would like to correct a friend of mine, who had described the current Mumbai Weather as England Weather. Probably the Correct term would be ‘London Weather’, whatever, as far as she was successful in expressing her feelings … But I do agree with her, I have been very lazy lately to walk down till the cyber café and updating my blog, as I have already repaired my Computer at home. Soon I will have an internet connection to let me do all the required updating at home, as its more comfortable when you are at home, your thoughts flow easily here as there are no time constraints. Also I make may plan, going to Sidhivinayak temple, going to Vashi to enroll in one of the corresponding courses, but then when I look out of the window I end up doing nothing but watch television. But it is a nice way to spend my holidays, unlike a few years back when this gloomy weather used to drive me crazy to make plans for a picnic at Lonavala and spending a lot in Booze and eating at big restaurants and increasing the Credit card bills.
So like on every holidays, getting up late these days is become a habit, having good delicious food cooked by my Mom, and then having an afternoon nap, getting up and getting ready , Catching an auto for this newly opened Shopping Mall and Theater Gallery at Palm Beach , reaching there one hour before the show begins, buying the tickets and spending about 45 minutes in my favorite store “Odyssey” Its meant for Book lovers, Toy lovers and also manage to find some leather accessories and a music library. The best part of the store it is built up in a fairly big area leaving enough room for the customers to roam around looking for books, they have amazing collections right starting from , Classics to Non-Fiction, Philosophy , Fiction and Books on Cookeries. You Name it. Love spending time surfing there; manage to read some reviews written about every book at the back side of the Book Cover page. And also buying if I like something, I have recently bought “Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri and Short Stories by O’ Henry. He is the one whom I have read a lot in my School days. Especially the story “After Twenty Years” is my favorite of all his stories.
I have been on a Vacation since last four days, and though I had planned to read Kane and Able, which is pending since years now, is yet again left undone, it does not upset me as such. Because I know one day I will read it, as I have read Alchemist, and Namesake. Namesake is the most recent Novel I have read, it talks about ABCD, ‘An American Born Confused Desi’ , the Novel, though could have been a little better with more focus Asthma’s life as well and her reactions to the large cultural transformation seen in her Son, the impact and his inability to Adapt either of the cultures accurately. The novel has definitely left an impact on me and has left me thinking about my future, how would I like to bring up my kids when I get them in future, Slowly Mumbai is following the American way and we are getting drawn towards the so called American Lifestyle of staying alone and loose control, Probably we Indians are tired and no more want to live a life that is controlled or constrained by our elders. The entire concept of Joint Family, in our Parent’s Time had undergone a revolution and the Joint Family Concept got reduced into a much smaller concept of a Nucleus family. I remember watching Chat shows, TV serials, Hot Discussions, Topic of group discussions those days on this. No more is that topic Hot, as our generation has brought in a new revolutionary concept of Individualism. It is important that every individual first respect himself, has a self respect and dignity, Is educated enough to support him/herself. Unfortunately this extremely thoughtful and pure concept has been magnified so much so that people have turned individual centric these days, I don’t see anywhere compromisation, soon this word will be only in the Corporate dictionary. The meaning of a family was giving each other a helping hand, complementing each other, and most importantly supporting each other leaving all the egos behind. I recently saw a woman in my company who had cesarean and joined back the company in a few weeks time, leaving her infant behind. How can a mother be so career centric, the concept of womanhood is completely lost? Some women show they are extremely traditional by not eating Non-vegetarian food, but they do have the habit of smoking and drinking, they feel that is cool and that grabs some attention. But truly that attracts a man for sometime, to find some easy way out for satisfying oneself sexual need. Are Women of today’s generation happy with only that much?? Where is all the dignity? And most important of all where is womanhood? Where is Abstinence? Has the entire concept of sharing, caring and fun in adjustment drained out?
So the Joint Family reduced to nucleus family then reduced down to an Individual resulting in several failed marriages and relationship breakings, hence causing mental depression and addictions, my question is what next??? What will my Kids or the next generation reduce themselves to? I want to give them best of education and craft their personality to such a strong one that they will not get distracted to something so degrading. Hope I am successful.