A different day!!

What would one feel when a seemingly normal day would be brought to a abrupt halt mainly due to the likelihood of disturbance in the city. That is what happened yesterday. The only piece of positive news was that the roads were all empty and avoided the agony of traffic. There is hardly any progressive work going on in office due to the current market conditions, still one finds people sticking around in office doing something or the other. Hopefully they actually are!!

While surfing the TV, I happened to watch a debate on the very issue. There was no clear realization that what is happening should never be allowed howsoever justified may be the cause.

Separately, Today morning the maiden Indian mission to the moon took off and was excited to start the TV when I woke up. This was a different and a happy start to the day than any other in the recent memory. While there was a sense of accomplishment, the scientists were cautiously optimistic about the future and the success of the mission. I understood it took ten years to realize this and I felt proud of them as well as congratulated them on the marvelous achievement.

Some people are asking questions though whether India should prioritize such projects when the funds should be utilized towards economic upliftment of its people. If is a tough questions which begs to be thought through. Probably myself think about it in days to come- what do you think?

Disenchantment with surroundings

Disenchanted is the last thing that I could have thought to describe myself, but coming from financial sector and that too working with a bank, which once was most sought after, that should not be such a surprise.

The markets are as uncertain as they ever were. Pessimism is the order of the day and there is a fear of uncertainty. I am sure since this is a headline everywhere, we should not go into technicality. One thing which I do want to state is that it is not helped by those who claim to be experts on the markets and are seen so often on air that you wonder . These experts, many of them have been proved wrong that one cannot count keep coming on to you with views that are not rational but one has to listen since they are in front of you. They have self interests since they have competing and conflicting interests and some of them have been found guilty of market manipulations but shamelessly that still love themselves heard on air. I am not critical of all but most of them yes since most are at conflict.

Coming from the industry, people call me as well (sometimes) and I always end up saying that I do not know. That is true simply because it is too complex and is uncertain. I just advise on being vigilant.

Individual portfolio have taken a severe beating, job does not excite any more to most of us, once happy to be someone with very little time at most times, its frustrating to be restricted to the extent that the business has come to a grinding halt. Individual paper wealth has evaporated over the last month which took so many years to build but as it always happens, it went away and we kept on watching.

This is a recent phenomenon but why should one feel disenchanted otherwise?

For little or no reason, the violence is the city of Mumbai- once upon a time cosmopolitan city being held to ransom for reasons which are best understood by those who are doing it

The daily grind that we undergo on the roads and the state of the infrastructure in Mumbai which can be best described as a product which has already well passed its expiry date.

The sense of our apathy towards the system which was always there but with growing frustration with the system does not help one’s being.

Having getting remote and remote from one’s background also leads to this feeling. Having compelled to live away and make a career, these things get to you on occasions.

When I walked into the city, I had no idea what the town beholds for me and how the future would pan out. I was told that the city has space for all in all respect. I soon realized that probably it is true what I was told. As it turns out, I am eternally thankful to the way it has all panned out in the past few years. I did thought that the city needs to get a makeover and this being a city of enterprising people, it will happen. As it turns out, the city on this count is a big let down and there are no signs that there is even a realization today. Now the roads are worse, the vehicles have increased enormously but infrastructure has collapsed.

What has changed in the last year or so is the growing violence of a different kind which is least expected here if one knows the people of the city and state. In my interactions with the people of this state, I have always felt that they are almost too good and nice, sometimes even to their detriment. Coming from north of the country where people are abrasive, I almost felt humbled and to this day admit, it has changed and influenced me tremendously.

Then why this violence and almost bizarre incidents that have taken place almost too regularly. No body can deny that it is for political purposes and benefits, but blame must be shared by other parochial leaders who react and almost play to the gallery to their own constituency. Two negatives do not make a positive and such negatives almost destroy the social fabric.

As some one who is proud of this city and considers this city much its own as anyone, I urge all to be a bit more human.





Sources: Photograp http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/h/1/2/bush-on-financial-crisis.jpg