Monday, May 23, 2011

Flights of Fantasy

Monday, May 23, 2011    34 comments


It was 22nd May 2011, the world just survived the doom’s day, when I was driving from Gurgaon to Delhi. Sheila’s Delhi was hotter than ‘Sheila ki jawani’ a couple of days earlier. The rainfall, though not as deadly as the great flood 7000years ago, was enough to cool down the sizzling capital. It meant that all the Delhites were out of their house after a long time to enjoy the pleasant weather. If this is how doomsday looks, I want it every Saturday!


As I was driving towards Delhi on NH-8 I was surprised to see a small crowd gathered on the side of the road near the airport. They suddenly started cheering with the elders pointing at something in the air, and the kids jumping with joy. It’s a bird, its superman…no it is an aeroplane!!! Yes, the flying plane was the source of joy for that over-enthusiastic crowd. At that very moment I was transferred back to my childhood. The memories of the bygone days echoed through my mind. I used to run out of the house at the sound of the magnificent ships flying over. Just watching the flight pass by was sheer pleasure. Sometimes I used to run with it, trying to outrun it, till I lost my breath. I am sure some of you used to do that as well.

Would the kids of Afghanistan feel the same enthusiasm at the sound of an aeroplane? The answer is probably no. Children who have grown up in war ravaged countries would probably be afraid of the sound of aeroplanes that are generally followed by sounds of explosion. The very fact that we enjoy the sound and sight of aeroplanes means that we are lucky to be born in a country that is well protected by our jawans.

I wonder what is so amazing about a flying aeroplane. Why do I still feel happy to see them flyby. Why doesn’t a flying eagle attract the same attention? Is it because the flying ship is made and flied by human beings? Is it a tribute to our intelligence? Does it represent freedom? Is it a flight of fantasy for the innocent child that gives him/her wings for few moments. It probably unshackle us from the chains of routine life and gives us the hope that we can fly too.

34 comments:

  1. NishaJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    What a beautiful thought, Sub. Whatever happens to this world, children get suffered most by those decisions. 

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  2. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    :-)...you are welcome....

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  3. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    interesting thought Dhruva :-)

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  4. Dhruva MathurJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    I think that a flying aeroplane represents two things. It represents human intelligence. How we can make this and turn the impossible possible while at the same time it represents human limit that is it means it represents the fact that there is a limit to what we can do. We can never fly like a king like the eagle. It is life.

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  5. shazia masoodJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    yeah even i remember running out of the house to see the aeroplane fly above!!

    thanks for reminding!

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  6. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    yea...it is :-)

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  7. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    yea.....thats true...but, though the sight is pretty fimiliar to me i still like it...probably ppl who live close to the airpost and are irritated by its noise would not like it that much :-) 

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  8. Jyoti mishraJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Exactly..... filthy politics

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  9. JeanJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    I suppose it is the rarity of the sight (of the aeroplane) that fills one with awe. My nephew whose house was very close to the Santa Cruz runway, used to stare at us whenever we pointed out airplanes to him and would say, "I *have* seen aeroplanes." :-)

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  10. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Yes I am...:-)

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  11. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Yes...it was amazing, wasn't it :-)? it is getting hotter though :-(

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  12. kiransawhneyJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Hey are you following my blog?

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  13. kiransawhneyJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Oh! I can relate to every word in this post.
    The weather few days back, after the rain was just so beautiful.
    Seeing a flying airplane, from that point near the airport gives me a great high still. I don't know what it is, but it is beautiful.

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  14. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    glad you liked it :-)

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  15. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    I feel so sad to hear that...it is difficult...thanks for your comments

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  16. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    yea...all we can do is feel sorry for them having such huge reserves of oil...it is the smell of this oil that attracted all the negitive energies...

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  17. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Yes, struggle, we did indeed...sadly most of the time we forget it...good that you mentioned.... :-)

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  18. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    thanks Vijay :-)....

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  19. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Thanks Anshul...some song would do real good :-)....

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  20. Anshul ThakurJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky're like shooting stars, I could really use a wish right now.

    ~Some song.

    Yes, we are lucky to not be intimidated by the sounds of an incoming plane, or the siren of an invasion. We truly are.
    Nice post.

    Cheers,
    Blasphemous Aesthete

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  21. Vijay MenonJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    beautiful thought! 

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  22. Inquisitives09June 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Nice Thought. It reminded me of my childhood and it was fun too especially near the IGI area. About the freedom we have in our country as compared to Afghanistan...then yes we must respect it but I guess we too have got it after a great struggle and it's our duty to respect that struggle our forefathers had done.

    Keep Writing... :)

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  23. Jyoti MishraJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Children of Afghanistan and any other war ravaged country are living in dire and pathetic conditions. They are far far away from innocence and childhood fantasies. I am afraid what mentality is shaping up in their delicate minds.

    And yeah I too feel like go out and look for airplanes, till they r lost in void. Its an non-describable feeling which comes out of nowhere. Your explanation is truly justifiable.

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  24. sushJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    very right. the flight of  ecstacy for some may symbolise terror for kids og afghanistan or karachi too. I had met a Karachi student who shared her life there with me. They are mentally prepared for "death" anytime. Was it so easily saif. It it such an difficult fact to grasp adn tell. Would it not?

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  25. Tulika VermaJune 21, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    What a beautiful, beautiful thought! What you said about the children in Afghanistan is so true! Loved the post! You might like to read http://deliration.blogspot.com/2011/04/she-is-child-after-all.html

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  26. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    thanks a lot :-)

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  27. PhoenixJune 21, 2011 at 6:37 PM

     the ethos of this blog resonate with my soul and so does the writing.. beautiful writing there! :)

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  28. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    yea...it is the same side that is using both...

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  29. Prateek BagriJune 21, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    Machines can be fascinating and mass destruction tool. This is the difference between America and Afghanistan.

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  30. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    thanks bro... :-)

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  31. Amar JajooJune 21, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    A noble thought very well put and said bro! Loved your post!

    Take care :)


    http://themagicinwords.blogspot.com/

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  32. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    Thanks a lot @3fca9d1eb98d999e689773e9cb550245 ....:-)

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  33. Alpana JaiswalJune 21, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    Great place..and a big thank you.

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  34. SUBJune 21, 2011 at 6:37 PM

    u r right...they suffer the most....thanks for your comments @00da397666ecad798f5f210630aa0996 ....

    ReplyDelete

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