22nd June 2009,
Mumbai
Farewell to Asiana...
After two years finally I bid adieu to Asiana.... Asiana was never my home... at least I never treated it like one. Lately I have been wondering what a home is.... one that you take care of or the one where you feel taken care of. I always treated E-11 with a sense of loving detachment..... it was mine but I never tried to make it my own...I never bought any furnishings...... and led almost a hostel type life. Yet when I closed the doors of E-11... it felt I was leaving behind a part of my self there. Every inanimate thing that never bore any significance to my conscious self... seemed to tear at my heart. I guess once again the meaning of home changes for me.... Asiana was a home to me.... the two room apartment where my life was enclosed in one single room.... is special to me. It is difficult to explain attachment for all things that make Asiana.... the ducks...the long passage from gate to E block..... the mess.... my room... the cupboard.. everything is etched in memory...
I spend two tumultuous years in E-11.... life seemed to come a full circle..... there was excitement.... despair... hope.... friendship..... fatigue... relentless cribbing.... days of sickness..... jolts of laughter...... unending teleserials.... everything and more....
Asiana represents friendship to me.... friendship that started as a chore... friendship that was just another part of colony life.... but went on to become some of the most cherished moments. Asiana represents.. courage to me ... as million of tears later.... I could always muster strength to wake up at 6:00 and wear those safety shoes... Asiana would always be much more.... my tryst with gym..... the evening juices.... dinner at 8:30.... the Sunday pav bhajji..... the unending sojourns to mochas.... the lawn parties..... the ‘desi girl’ dances.... the bhajans during collective pujas.... the red canter parked in front.... the clatter of the kids... the expressionless nampally sitting with his lone bidi... the continual longing for a real weekend.. and many more
Asiana is a collective imagery of sights, sounds, smells.....and feelings. The relationship some forlorn... some close.... all were a big support system and source of strength to my self.
My mind is again is at cross roads when I am moving from one home in a search of another.. and again as they say kahaani abhi baki hain mere dost....
