Potpourri of Restless Souls

In the thick of things, we tend to pass over certain extraordinary phenomenon taking place right under our noses. It's this phase of your life where you unilaterally zero in on one thing which has undeniably gone on to become sole objective of one's soul - minting moolah, thus blinding you from moments that otherwise would have gone on to make a profound impact on your psyche.

As I sit on the third floor of my RBI's building, (near perfect view for an overseer-cum-regulator), the sight of the world going by as seen through the colossal window both engages and enthralls me to the core.

The sight as captured by the realms of my vision from a cylindrical viewpoint (pardon my CAT prep hangover) comprises the entrance of a college, the busiest traffic intersection of the city, a gas station and a grand hotel.

Commuters plying on the roads, monolithic buses overshadowing everything coming in their way, college brats engaged in spats, traffic policeman (Actually it's women these days - no sector will be spared) trying to organize what appears to be a born-to-be-chaotic traffic flow is a common commotion that one witnesses virtually everyday . Amidst all this, some peculiar incidents capture my attention and deserve a mention.

It was a day just like every other day when the coffee vending machine didn't have enough coffee beans, when path from parking slot to the entrance was interspersed with water pools, when the aroma of freshly cooked samosas billowed out of the canteen. As I rushed through the staircase to show up on time, a member of the feline family apparently lurking in the dimly lit corridor intercepted my course (considered as ill-omen) and halted my ascent briefly, forcing me to double up on my pace of steps. The day begins on an energetic loud note with pleasantries being exchanged incessantly and ceremoniously. As I stood motionlessly in front of the the behemoth glass pane, my gaze transfixed on an altercation that had broken out between what looked like a guy in his early twenties and an adult office going male in his late thirties. From where I stood, I couldn't figure out the bone of contention between the two, but through gestures and expressions it felt like neither of the two intended to relent anytime soon. In a matter of seconds, the crowd swelled up and what started as a spat between two became a congregation of some sort. It wasn't an uncommon sight but what really got me thinking was the way the worlds of individuals overlap and throw up interesting insights into the human nature. This wasn't an isolated incident.
As paths of people from diverse social, academic, economic and professional background converge, the encounter usually turns out to be nothing short of a spectacle. We co-habit in an interconnected world, no matter how alienated we wish to become to seek separation from the worldly affairs, the trail of connections, associations doesn't seem to de-link itself from the rigmarole of our daily lives.
The Potpourri of Restless Souls, as I like to call it, is an interesting motley of individuals with bewildering dispositions meant to confound and complicate a situation or a piece of work with great fervour and animation. We Indians. as the west opines, make a fine mess of things.
Notwithstanding the dwindling treasure trove, our extravagance surpasses all. We are given to cut coat exceeding our cloth and we have no qualms about doing so.
Talking, as it occurs to me, has gone on to become our national pastime. We are undoubtedly the loudest nation on the planet and there appears to be no sign of us quieting down in the foreseeable future. The adage, If Speech is Silver, then Silence is Golden" is definitely not for us.