“Hi mom, all of us are meeting up in CP for a farewell treat for Raghav. You remember the topper in my class in the Bio stream pursuing medicine from Manipal?” asked my son adding, “well he is moving to New York, to the Lee Strasberg theatre and film institute to pursue a career in theatre. After his first year in medicine he realised that he was’nt cut out to be a doctor. Dramatics was his real passion. His dad and mom have also been very supportive. So he is off and it’s time to say goodbye.”

Delhi is as foggy and as smoggy as yesterday. My Switzerland-returned neighbour has once again let his darling pooch, Princy loose to inspect and fertilise my garden.

“Helloji, Pammi Bha-bhiji, we really found your daughter — Babli puttar utterly charming. As you know my son Balvinder will be coming from Cannnada, only on Baisakhi.

The Commonwealth extravaganza followed by the festivities of the Navratras, Diwali, Id and Kali Puja saw an exuberant mood with spirits (literally and figuratively) running high.

A new world recognises the need for a new archetype and the need for new rules of existence and survival. Wisdom takes on a new garb and speaks a new-fangled language.

As I was walking down a street I encountered a hawker selling fruit juice to a young woman (she seemed to be a construction worker) with a young boy hoisted on her hip. She bought some juice worth ` 10, and asked the vendor Je paani mein daal de (put it in this plastic bag). Ironically the board behind admonished, ‘Say no to plastic bags’.

“…the soul is immortal and will return in a new garb, with a new mask and a new persona.” This is the essence of one’s belief in immortality, a belief that the form can be destroyed but not the soul.

Monday evening 8.45 p.m. I drearily brave the thundering and copious rain to trudge up to my parents’ house, to pick up my daughter who stays with them post school.

When one admires the Taj Mahal, the great Pyramids of Giza (man-made wonders) or even the Bugatti Veyron (one of the most expensive cars in the world) one is awestruck at the sheer opulence.

Do you remember those lovely black and white days, where characters were squeaky clean like Archie and Betty or diabolically wicked like Veronica and Reggie?