A Picture Worth One Rupee

I've decided to pen down some of my thoughts, something I've been putting off for quite sometime now. In these modern times, when social networking sites have redefined ways in which people interact with each other, we feel quite comfortable, and cheerful, by updating "what's on our mind". And these updates can be as frequent as the tick of a clock, or as rare as words we hear from our beloved Prime Minister. Incessant tweets make me wonder whether one should bother more about sparrows in real life which are now on the verge of extinction, rather than telling his/her "followers" what he/she is doing, which, in my opinion, is infinitely less important!

This write-up is inspired by a simple yet profound day-to-day incident. I was sitting on my sofa on a Saturday evening when I heard a voice calling me out from the main gate. I went outside and found three small boys, around the age of ten, asking me to come and see what they had to offer. To my surprise, they were selling pictures of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu printed on very ordinary quality paper on the occasion of "Naag Panchmi" - a festival most of us hardly know or care to know about. Their innocent faces were brighter than any salesman I've come across, and their method of selling was sincere and honest. I stood in awe at the sight of three naive boys selling divinity for a rupee! They had pictures worth one rupee to five rupees. I couldn't help but buy a photograph of Lord Vishnu, with a multi-headed serpent coiled at his back. It instantly reminded me of how, as a kid, I believed the earth rests upon Lord Vishnu's serpent! After all, to believe is so much easier for a child than for an adult whose mind is filled with suggestions. As I thanked them for their offering, the look on their faces was priceless!


Simple, small things give us memories to cherish for a long time. We are too busy with our daily chores, making it impossible for small, insignificant yet significant, events to find us. It's strange how small acts can strike a chord within our inner being and make us smile.

The Other Side

Of all the worlds I live in
And in those where my dreams are
A bioscope frozen inside of me
Where my memories are as real as
your idea of yourself
as real as
the existence of waves on a shore

I dive
into the ocean
of chaos and immeasurable depth
wide-eyed and hopeful as I am
Waiting patiently to stumble upon
the silvery pearls
of eternal shine and beauty

The music
that flows all around us
craves to be heard
from beyond
the veil of maya shrouding our heads
where's the time to appreciate
the fading sounds of tubular bells?
the stillness of a Hummingbird?

Contemplating as the mind rests
on a plane
of zero turbulence
Words vaporize while I attempt
to reassemble
these fragile thoughts
thoughts exuding peace of the arctic
thoughts of the sleeping polar bear

Like an ant trapped in
the botanical dimensions
of its limited consciousness
glides downward
on a detached leaf from
the tree of life
I postulate my version
that helps me to be.

What is it like
to live inside
an everlasting epiphany?
To wake up from reality
To live within a dream.

BBC's Sherlock review

In today's world of modernization, there is not a single domain in our society which has not been touched, either directly or indirectly, by technology. Still the last thing you would think of is a modern rendition of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works. The thought alone requires a lot of courage. Yes, you're right! BBC decided to make an updated version of the famous fictional character, Sherlock Holmes, set in the backdrop of the 21st century. Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, co-writers of the show, took Sherlock out from the Victorian era and made him solve cases in the 21st century. And the result? Well, it drove people crazy and apparently improved their observational skills for the genius of Sherlock Holmes portrayed on screen is downright brilliant, impressive, and infectious! And once you've seen the episodes, you would't be surprised by the tremendous support and popularity the show has garnered. Season 2 has topped the success of Season 1 and the expectations from Season 3 are considerably high!

To start with, BBC Sherlock's success cannot be attributed to a single person. It has been a collective effort, be it script writing, the background score, direction, or acting. Our Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch, has redefined the charisma people usually associate with the genius of Sherlock Holmes. Dialogues like "Once you have ruled out the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be true" ,"Perfectly sound analysis but I was hoping that you would go deeper" and many more sound impressive. The baritone of Benedict Cumberbatch is a perfect fit for a "consulting detective". Sherlock's rapidity of thinking and his frequent use of the phrase "Don't be boring" sets him apart from "ordinary" people. No wonder he has no friends. The only friend he has is Dr.John Watson which is played brilliantly by Martin Freeman. John Watson is seen maintaining a personal blog instead of a diary(one of the many changes writers have done while setting the show in modern times). He is the moral compass of Sherlock Holmes and blogs about his cases - both solved and unsolved ones. Throughout the series, Dr.Watson is seen astounded by the intellectual prowess of his friend which is his "natural self" and his "normal" modus operandi. The usual expression of cluelessness on the face of Martin Freeman is amusing. The friendship between Holmes and Watson is captivating and refreshing, kudos to the talent of both actors.

Another central figure in the series is James(Jim) Moriarty, played by Andrew Scott. He is Sherlock's arch adversary. Despite being the antagonist, he's no less impressive than Sherlock Holmes for he is the "consulting criminal"( Sherlock's a "consulting detective"). Andrew Scott has done full justice to his role of a genius criminal. His range of facial expressions is amazing! He complements Sherlock Holmes and keeps him engaged with his criminality. The only difference between them, according to Moriarty, is that Sherlock is on the "side of the angels". Moriarty, out of his boredom, keeps coming up with new criminal ideas and his only agenda is the defeat and fall of Sherlock Holmes which he addresses in "The Final Problem". There is not an iota of a doubt that without Andrew Scott's brilliant portrayal of a criminal mastermind, it would have been impossible to fully appreciate the roles of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

Sherlock's elder brother, Mycroft Holmes, is played by Mark Gatiss(the writer himself!). He's a multifaceted man. Other characters such as those of Mrs.Hudson, Molly Hooper, Inspector Lestrade, Anderson et al are all well played and have their importance in the show. All in all, BBC's Sherlock is a must watch for all Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fans because rarely a rendition is made which is almost as good as the original and does full justice to its creator.

"Life is infintely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent." - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle