writing for fun but serious.

THE BEGINNING

2010-12-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

I was looking out through the window. An old man was sitting under the street light pole. He was eating something and enjoying his food. Here I am sitting in an AC cabin with executive class food served on the table but still not able to enjoy it.

The Old Man was poor and I am rich. I have a good house to live and chauffer driven car for traveling. The Old Man is not having anything. With torn clothes and long yellow beard that danced in the wind. I don’t know what made him so happy.

I decided to go down and talk to him.

When I went down, the Old Man had finished his sumptuous feast, which appeared to be some waste foods taken from garbage bin. I was hesitant to shake hands with him, as he was dirty and stinky. I decided to start the talk:

“Hello”

The Oldman didn’t respond. He was searching for something in his bag.

I again said “ Hello uncle”

This time he looked at me. He appeared to be not happy with my approach.

“ How are you?”

“I am what I am. No need to enquire about me.” The Old Man retorted angrily.

Now I understood. I am not dressed to the occasion. May be he doesn’t like rich people.

I removed my blazer and gifted it to the Old man.

He was happy with the gift and readily accepted it.

He was looking at me with suspicion. Who is this person ? What does he want?

Though I was really hesitant to touch that man, now since he is covered with my blazer, I gently touched him and asked him to be comfortable.

I asked the Old Man, “ Uncle, can you tell me about yourself. I want to know about you and how you are feeling happy, though you don’t have any place to live and no good food to eat”.

The Old Man didn’t like my question. “ Hey, don’t disturb me. I have nothing to say to you. You are interrupting my work. I have to reach the railway station before the next train comes. I have to earn something for the day. Clear off”.

Gratitude was not in his dictionary, I thought. I had given him my costly blazer and the next moment he is clearing me off. This was not expected. However I decided to watch the Old Man for the day and what he is going to do.

I tracked him silently without his knowledge to the railway station. A busy place where you will find lot of beggars, street vendors, amongst passengers. The Old Man went and sat beside the gate. He took some cloth from his bag and spread it in front of him. Then he took out one instrument from his bag. It appeared to be a musical instrument with some strings attached over a hexagonal box. The box appeared to be hollow. He started playing the instrument. It sounded more like a guitar. The music that flowed from the instrument started catching the attention of the passengers. People started throwing coins to him.

After sometime, the Old Man started counting his earning. It seemed he has made a good collection. He was really happy with his effort. He started packing his bag and started walking. I started following him. He was walking towards the west point of the city. I was wondering what he is going to do with his earning that too in west point where only elite people of the city go for shopping. He was walking very fast. It seems he wants to reach his goal very fast.

He reached the City School Campus. There was an orphanage run by a charity organization in the school campus. He went inside the orphanage and donated all his earnings in the charity box kept in the office room.

I was really stunned by his action. How he can donate his whole day earning by foregoing his needs… It’s really astonishing.

I am earning lakhs in a month and not even ready to a pay a single penny to anyone. I was really ashamed. The Old man was happy and he was enjoying life after sacrificing what ever he is earning. I am sad even after saving whatever I am earning and also after accumulating and investing and what not. I was running behind money and I was dying behind money. Money gave me luxury, which I was not able to enjoy. Money took away my peaceful life, my sound sleep and my happy life. I understood onething. While making money, you have to forego peace of mind.

I am afraid of money. The act of the Old Man spoke loud about the reason why he was happy. I didn’t need any more explanation from him. From today onwards I will start a new life. A new life of giving. A new life of sacrifice. A new life of contentment.

I decided to start an orphanage with the name “ My Peaceful life”.

This is not the end but the beginning.

===============

FEEL THE POWER OF GOD

2009-09-21T08:26:00.001-07:00

I feel God through the wind that blows in

I feel God through the warmth in the fire.

I feel God through the tides that splash in

I feel God through the beating of my heart.

I often think of the power that’s with in me

I often think of the powers that’s outside me

The power that never stops, the power that never sleeps

The world is driven by the power that’s eternal

When I move out in scorching heat of summer

The heat of the sun makes me feel that power

When I move out in chilling cold of winter

The coldness makes me feel that power

The gentle breeze that flutters the leaves

The powerful storm that destroys the world

The powerful earthquake that shatters buildings

All that makes me felt that power

The earth is moving around the sun

The sun is rotating on its own

The stars are shining in the sky

Eternal power makes it happen

We think of God through our Mind

We think of God during our worship

But God is present wherever we go

We don’t have to search for him

With the small movement of finger

With the smell of flowers and smell of dirt

With the sight of ants moving in row

The power of God is felt everywhere.

Gods within us, Gods outside us

What makes us see all these,

What makes us feel all these

Its nothing but the power of God

The worship of God is nothing but a reminder

Not to forget the power that’s driving us through

The power of God keeps us alive

Without which nothing is possible

The power in a person who does the good deeds

The power in a person that destroys the world

The power in a saint and the power in a criminal

It’s the same power that we identify with God

It’s god that creates the evil and the ugly

It’s god that creates the dirt and the worst

But the same God creates the beautiful people

And the same God creates the beautiful flowers

It’s still a mystery as to why the world is created

It’s still a mystery as to why the world is moving

But when we search of God and worship God

Please remember that we can feel God.

INSANE WORLD

2008-12-09T00:28:00.001-08:00

INSANE WORLD

The world is there

Laughing at me

What have I done?

I don’t know

When I went to the shop downstairs;

The Shopkeeper was laughing at me.

When I was traveling in the town bus;

The man sitting next to me was laughing at me.

I don’t know what made them laugh.

I don’t know what they have seen funny.

But one thing was for sure;

They were all laughing at me.

I was thinking what’s wrong with me,

I asked my friends what’s wrong with me,

I asked my colleagues what’s wrong with me,

Without saying anything they laughed at me.

Things were getting tougher.

I was getting stressed.

I wanted to know the reason.

I was really helpless.

When I was sitting on the park bench,

I saw a person crying desperately.

I went and asked him what the reason is.

He told he doesn’t know the reason.

I found out there is nothing wrong with me.

I found out there is something wrong with the world.

Here everyone laughs without reason

And everyone cries without reason.

The world here is insane

The People are insane

Am I the only sane person?

It’s Perception that rules this World.

WINTER HAS COME

2008-11-23T05:39:00.001-08:00

Winter has come

Waving its cold wings

Spreading cold air

Over my house and my neighbourhood.

I was waiting winter for so long

To enjoy the mist in the morning

When flowers bloom reluctantly from their sleep

By the nonstop chirping of the birds

The atmosphere is ready to catch the mood

To welcome the winter that is nearing by

Winter will make us cozy and cool

When we take our morning stroll.

Winter symbolises the stage of life

Where there exists hope and desire

Without winter there won’t be spring

Like without hope there won’t be life.

Air will be opaque with mist all over

Dew drops make grass tilt its head over

Winter makes our minds cool

The days ahead are really suave

Though our minds are filled with joy

There exists a hint of fear

When winter touches its peak of strength

The Life becomes really tough.

Same stage we may face in life

When things gets tough and hard to pass

We will have no options, but

To face the things as it comes

Enjoy winter when it passes by

After it touches its utmost peak

Flowers show sign of blooming by

And the greenery starts showing by

Phases keep changing in our life

Happy phase will follow sad ones

Patience and courage we should have

To face the challenge and win the race

Winter will pave way for spring

Showing us the world is good to live in

But what makes spring really loving -

Is the winter that has passed by

From far away my home is calling

2008-11-16T07:09:00.000-08:00

From far away my home is calling

I feel the pain, it's so deep

I hear the sound from inside

My heart is weeping loudly

I want to go home, but my home is far away

I live here to work and work here to live

The smell of that land, the warmth in the air

I miss the feel day by day

Life is monotonous

Nothing is Charming

I am living on expectations

To visit my home one day

Gone are those days

When I roamed in my home town

Passing time in parks and

Eating out with friends

Now though there are friends

They are far away

And though there are parks

They are lifeless for me

I have to go home

To see what has changed

If nothing has changed

Then why had I changed

I was watching full moon

Spreading its light inside my room

Through the windows wide open

Though my mind was wandering in my home town

Suddenly it came

Flashing in my mind

It is this moon

Whom I watched from my home

Memories mellowed out

I was still feeling the touch

The window is still open

And the moon is still there.

Hope gives us light

Light is still coming

I enjoyed watching moon

He is smiling at me.

DREAM YOUR LIFE

2008-11-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

I searched for my dreams

To find the true pleasure

But nothing was found

Still I craved for it

Sleep showed me no dreams…

I begged for it..

But nothing was visible…

It was dark and thick ….

I expected some light

Though it didn’t come

I thought dreams will open my mind.

I was searching for my dreams.

Dreams will show me what my mind beckons…

Dreams will show me what I want to become..

Dreams will add light to my expectations…

It was dreams that I was waiting for…

Alas! one fine day I saw one dream …

I dreamt about the world within me…

It is the world within me showing the world outside.

I dreamt that the real world lies within me…

Now when I dream in this world

I know about the world inside

And when I know about the world inside

I live with the eternity.

Breeze

2008-10-29T07:50:00.000-07:00

I was playing with the boys

Who were playing beneath the trees

I fell the ripe mangoes from the trees

To help them fill their stomach at least. 4

I was floating here and there

To spread the fragrance in the air

I was there to help the bees

To get some honey from lilies. 8

I touched the small streams that made them cuddle,

They made sounds that filled the air

The branches of trees rocked in joy

By fluttering their leaves in the air. 12

Sometimes when I take rest atop the hills,

Silence spreads out in my world.

No birds will cry and no flowers will bloom

The world will slumber when I am not there. 16

It is my duty to keep my world awake.

I feel joy to keep the world moving

It is on me that the birds glide

And teach their young ones how to fly. 20

Solace is what I give a tired person

Happiness is what I give the little children

I live in this world and keep it alive.

I am happy when others enjoy. 24

I am the cool little breeze that flow past you

You will find me when you think of me

When I touch you, you enjoy this world

For you are my friend as the whole world thinks. 28

Time???

2008-10-12T00:13:00.000-07:00

What is this life?

Just a collection of hours between our birth and death.

So time is life or is it more than that.

Things happen with the ticking of time.

If time doesn’t tick then nothing will happen?

Can we say time is the power behind everything.

If time is not ticking .....

whether the sun will rise.

Whether the wind will blow

Whether the water will flow.

Whether the volcano will erupt.

Whether we will breathe

Whether our blood will flow.

Concept of time is totally confusing.

It never stops....

What will happen to our thoughts and mind

We are thinking because of flow of time?

People often complain, they dont have enough time

To do all the work they are entrusted with

But time is always there and still they fail to find it.

You have limited time between your birth and death

Its how you make use of them that will prove your mettle

The more you waste time the more you waste your life

Proper use of time makes your life worthy

Time gives money and time gives peace

Every second is precious, lets not waste it

Those who find time knows the power inside us

And those who feels time will reach the eternal bliss.

Time and tide waits for no man...

But without time there will not be any tide.

The heart beats as per time..

Our existence is based on time.

Value time and value your life

Because life is nothing but a collection of time.

------------------

Who am I ?????

2008-09-28T02:09:00.000-07:00

‘ I ’, a mystery that lurks me day and night,

Life is a set of questions unanswered.

Still we live and die in this world

With out knowing who I am.

Why I live in this world?

Who are these people around us?

Neither I know the answer

Nor the people around me knows.

Why I love some one?

Why some one should love me?

Why I hate and why some one hates me?

Its still unresolved as to the motive and the role.

Often I sleep and

seldom am awake

But still I dont know

Whether the world is real or fake

What belongs to me?

My Body or My Soul.

Who made this Body?

Who spirits this soul?

I Pretend to live my life

As if I am eternal

Still I dont like to remember

That I also have to die.

I will be sad and I will be happy

I will be possessive and I will be egoistic

I will plead for privacy

But we dont know why we require to be

Who is this mother and Who is this father

Who is this wife and who are these friends

Who is this God whom I often prays

They are virtual or are they real

I doubt my existence

I doubt my life

I doubt my world

I doubt my people

I dont want anyone,

I want to become what I am

I want to get out of this simulation

And free myself to the Ultimate

Release me from this cage of flesh

Release me from these personal bondages

Release is due, today or tomorrow

I have to wait for the due date till it comes.

I am living without knowing who I am

I am living assuming myself to be some one else

But I still live and will die in this world

With out knowing ‘Who I am”?

=================

THOUGHTS OF AN EXPECTING FATHER

2008-02-02T10:38:00.000-08:00

The news that you are going to become a father makes you happy because you know that some body from your own soul and chromosome is on the way. You want to feed your wife and thereby you want to feed your child. You will feel it all like a dream and still you dont know what to do? Suddenly duration of months increases. An attachment developes with somebody whom you have not seen but whose existence you know.

I always admires the power of almighty whom I believe is in the form of a Mother. It is from her womb that a new creation starts. From the day I heard that indication of life is there in my wife’s womb, I was thinking about how the transition occurs from zygote to embryo to a child. The mitosis, meiosis, cell division happening. Who makes it happen? It makes you still perplexed that you are part of the reason for the said creation though the timing and other factors are entirely under the master control.

During this stage, advices starts pouring from all quarters, be it relatives, neighbours or friends. In the meantime, you will make your own preparations. You will consult the doctor, take advice regarding the medicines, vitamins, health drinks etc. Spend lots of money on healthy protein rich foods, vitamins and fruits and after all this effort, the expecting mother will start her 3 month job, of nausea & vomiting . In the end, the expecting father will have to feed on all the vitamins, and other health foods, gaining weight and strength and courage to do all the kitchen work since your wife cannot even sustain the smell of boiling water. As a result the expecting father will put on weight and he will put on a tummy similar to expecting mother. There are still some excuses for putting on weight.

The expecting father is always very particular about the care of the mother and child. You will learn cooking and will do all other house hold works. These sacrifices, which you have not done for your wife till now, you will start doing for your child. (Exception proves the rule). The thoughts which came to my mind were .. i was a bachelor, two years ago, now am a husband and going to become a father... you are getting promoted... your role is changing.... the poem of Shaekspear came to my mind. All the world’s a stage and all men and women are players ...

The pains that a women suffers during the pregnancy period, gets converted to love and affection to the child. I think that gives the strength to the bondage between mother and child. What gives strength to the relation between father and child ? An explanation to this is that the ‘to be father’ gives a part of his life as energy to the ‘to be mother’ where there will be union of energy causing the happening of a new life. So in that way the ‘ to be father’ also expects to see how his energy has evolved to become a new life. In fact the mother feels the movement of the child in her womb and father feels the same through his mind.

When the Doctor is examining the expecting mother, the expecting father also feels anxiety, expectations and hope. Being a father is a special status which makes him more responsible resulting in elevated ego. His family evolves. He will feel that somebody is coming who will take care of him and who will act as a support to him. The long cherished dream is nearing giving the expecting father a new ray of hope, expectations and new meaning to life.

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE

2008-02-02T10:35:00.000-08:00

For long 28 years I had never gone outside Kerala and never lived outside Trivandrum. Now am in Ahmedabad, a place 3 days far from my native place. Now I have started measuring distance in days and hours rather than in Kms or miles. My friend for whom i was waiting for came along with his uncle in a bike. He belongs to Uttar Pradesh. We went to the flat where he is staying.

I reached Ahmedabad on Sunday. I had not taken any breakfast that day and was craving for some food. On entering the flat I realised that I will not get any food from there as the kitchen showed hardly any signs of cooking . I should not have expected that since both the inmates were bachelors. Oh! Sorry I forgot to introduce the other person who is staying there. He hails from Bihar. A very good friend, who I know right from my tenure in Bangalore. Actually the flat was taken on lease by him and he had gone to his native to bring his family. He was expected to return in a week which sounded an alarm in me. When he comes back with his family, we have to find out another place to stay. Oh ! not again.

Changing place of stay was troubling me since my days in Delhi. There I had to change my place of stay for around 2 to 3 times. When I was in Delhi, i got accommodation with another delhi born Keralite in Mayur Vihar Phase I in his own house. He was an employee of LIC and knows the in and out of Delhi since he was born and brought up there. He was staying alone in a 3 bedroom flat and one of my colleagues in Delhi Office, arranged my stay with him. We used to cook food and I got a good friend with whom I can have my spiritual talks (obviously he was interested),(which my wife cannot bear at all). He was such a kind hearted and wonderful character whom you will rarely find in this century. I stayed there for around 1 month but his family came from kerala during vacation and I decided to find another place to stay. I didnt take any flat on rent as my posting in Delhi was only for training and I was expecting a transfer to Bangalore where my wife was working.

I believe in God and often in troubled times, I could see the magic hand of God helping me. I was roaming around with my friend in search of some PG accommodations. We decided to have lunch from Kerala House, where we can taste our traditional boiled rice and other kerala dishes. There we happened to meet one of our students who was working in Kerala House. I had a short stint as a guest faculty in my law college and was teaching in evening batch of LL B where most of the students were employed persons. My student was a high ranking official in Kerala House and was having quarters facility. Understanding my situation, he readily offered to stay with him. I was having the luxury of kerala food which tasted so nice like i have not taken it earlier. I stayed there till I got my transfer order to Ahmedabad, which was infact very shocking not only to me but also to my wife. Now she has to take a transfer to Ahmedabad otherwise, we will have to stay in two states for the next term of 4 years.

Now here in Ahmedabad, the scorching heat made me so tired that my hunger doubled. I wanted to go out and have something. When I came back after taking bath, I saw my friend sleeping. I remember him telling earlier that he didnt sleep last night since he attended one birthday party of his nephew. I didnt want to disturb him. I thought of taking a light sleep and then go for lunch. When I woke up after 2 hours I found my friend still sleeping. I was hesitant to go out because, of the intensity of heat. Since I was not sure of where the hotel was I had to search for it and it was not advisable to do that at a temperature where the mercury is touching 44 degree celsius. I thought i will go out in the evening. My biscuit stock also extinguished and I had to survive with water. I had no other option but to wait for my friend to wake up from the sleep. Aroung 5 pm, my friend woke up and he complained me of not calling him. Both of us went out. The heat slowly came down, though you could see sunlight even at around 8 o clock in the evening.

We had some daba food. It was oily with raw onions which I dont like. Hygiene was yet to find a place in that restaurant. Cudos to my friend to find such a place. Even in Delhi, i went to a daba in Paharganj where the food was so delicious. From there I derived a theory that taste of food is inversely proportional to hygiene. It was disproved here. I think that rule belongs to Delhi and in Ahmedabad hygiene and taste are directly proportional.

In the meanwhile my friend started his search for an apartment. I accompanied him. As I was also in need of a house, I thought I will also get an idea about the rent and other conditions in this area. We went around the entire area where we were staying and the effort went in vain. Both of us searched houses, with the help of real estate agents/ brokers. Sometimes there was problem with the location, sometimes with the rent etc,. I was searching for a house in a good location, which is near to the office. The due date for vacating the house was nearing and we were unsuccessful in finding a house. So we found another temporary abode in the house of two other bachelors who were also bank employees. My friend hired an auto rickshaw, I had 5 bags and his luggage comprised of cloths wrapped in blankets, plastic covers, and I dont know, the entire rickshaw was packed with luggage. I managed to squeeze my body inside the rickshaw with my legs hanging out. My friend shared the seat with the driver. We reached the destination at around 11.o’clock in the night.

From our new place, my office was hardly 5 minutes walk. I had good time there. There were small showers of rain in between summer which acted as a temporary solace. In the meanwhile I fixed my bank quarters which was around 6 kilometres away from my office, an area known as Vastrapur, a good residential area in Ahmedabad. I had planned to take my leave for shifting the family at the end of month. I thought I will shift all my luggages and household articles which was dumped in my friend’s house in Bangalore. I decided to catch a flight to bangalore, where my wife was working, spent there 2 days, visit kerala for 3 days and return to bangalore. The Packers & Movers with whom I have already made arrangements, did the packing and my luggage started its journey to Ahmedabad. In the meantime, something surprising happened. My wife got a transfer during that time. We were not expecting that the transfer will happen so early. The news made us very happy, as we were preparing to bear the pain of separation again for some more time. I immediately booked one more seat in the same flight and off we were to Ahmedabad.

We reached there by 8 . 30 pm. My wife for the first time is coming to Ahmedabad, was not aware of the extreme summer though I have narrated my experiences to her. Hot wind welcomed us in the Airport, though cold chilly wind said good bye to us from Bangalore. I was watching her face expressions changing. Our apartment key was with my office colleague who was staying near our new flat. We went to his house to collect the key. The person who arranged the house informed me over phone that white washing is over and house is ready for occupation. My colleague insisted us to stay with him for a few days as our furniture and other luggages were still in transit. We had no other option but to accept his offer. He hails from Delhi and we had the opportunity to enjoy delicious paranthas and varieties of Sabjis prepared in typical punjabi style. Our luggage travelled for 3 more days before reaching Ahmedabad. I got a call from the truck driver, when I was in my Office, informing that our luggages have arrived. It was stopped in the check post. The driver of the lorry told me to go there and pay the Octroi charges to release the goods. Here again a mallu came for my help. One Mr. Nair, who was a transporter in Ahmedabad sent his workers to pay the octroi to clear my luggage. The entire luggage was unloaded. Now the biggest task was in front of us. To unpack the luggage from the 16 cartons lying packed in front of us and to arrange it. More than that we were starting our life in Ahmedabad and we have to make our home. ‘Home sweet home’ where we have to spent our next few years.

Trip to change.

2007-10-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

It was morning around 8.30. The train is now moving through Gujarat, Several thoughts came and passed through this journey similar to the passing railway stations. I was thinking how unstable this human life is. Three months ago I was in Delhi and now going to Ahmedabad. Before six months I got married and within that six months we were together for only around 3 months. I had to move with the situation, take practical decisions and to compromise our needs based on priorities.

Everything has to be build afresh. To find new house, to find new friends and more importantly to find new hopes...... these thoughts were lurking my mind at that time. To have a pessimistic outlook of life will always make you tiring and weak. You will not be able to do anything with that mind set up. Unfortunately, i always had the pessimistic feeling first. Now i know how to change the same. I have started thinking optimistically. Isnt it a new avenue to know new people, their style of life, the new atmosphere etc. Otherwise being in one place for a long time it will make your life monotonous. It will create an inertia in your life making it static.

Actually changing a Bank looked so easy when i received the appointment order. We will see only the positive points of the change and we will be very optimistic at that time. I think a man will reach his superlative degree in being opimistic at that time. Then starts the problems, the tensions, the separations, the feelings and so on. Facing the situation makes you more composed and mature. Before coming to Ahmedabad, I was posted to Delhi for training, I travelled from Bangalore where i was working with my previous bank. Delhi was an entirely new world where i saw change in culture, behaviour of people, quality of life etc. I saw endurance level of people changing. I could see new perspectives of relationships from the good and bad side. Delhi was such busy place where history of India lies, and my three months there has created an attachment with Delhi. My best friend who was working for another Bank was posted in Delhi and hence i had good company also.

On leaving Delhi and moving to Ahmedabad, I had moved about 12 hours nearer to my native place. Native place where ever it is, will pull; that you will feel there is an elastic cord tied between your heart and the home town. I was given an impression by my friends who have earlier worked in Ahmedabad that minor earth quake tremors will be there. This has created a sort of paranoid feeling in me. I was supposed to stay with my friends in Ahmedabad. One of my friend was supposed to come to receive me in railway station also. Yesterday night I received the call. He was not coming to receive me. Being a stranger in a new railway station where i dont know the destination place, created a sort of tension on me. The tension was burdened by my 5 bags of luggage which got accumulated during my Delhi stay.

The train stopped at Ahmedabad Railway station. My co passenger who was from Gujarat, cautioned me that the Auto drivers may charge more if you appear to be a non gujarati and hence you have to be very careful. This added to my tension. I took the help of one railway porter to take the luggage. He landed me straight to an autorickshaw. The auto rickshaw driver demanded Rs. 30 extra for my luggage which seemed genuine for me. He started his race through the roads of Ahmedabad. For some time i was feeling I was sitting in a roller coaster in an amusement park. To add to the effect, he was playing hindi music from Radio Mirchi FM.

I have never moved out from kerala during my entire 28 years of age. Then I started my journey. I reached Bangalore which seemed far for me when i was working in Canara Bank. Now having gone to Delhi and now in Ahmedabad, i have compromised a lot and would love to get a posting in Bangalore. Auto rickshaw driver was helping me in finding my friends house address. It was near judges bungalow road. We found the flat. The driver of the Autorickshaw unloaded the luggage and left taking the amount paid to him. I praised his sense of music and he was very happy with the compliment. Now i was waiting for my friend to come. I dont know where he was and how he looks as i have only talked to him over phone but when i called him over phone, he told he is on the way. Hence i waited in the portico surrounded with my luggage. I was sweating profusely. I was not aware I had landed in Ahmedabad at a time when Sun was at its top form.