The Alchemist

"No matter what he does,every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it."- 'The Alchemist'.
Paulo Coelho's 'The Alchemist' is a revelation of a new world, a world of truths, which we tend to ignore or sometimes are even unaware of. For me it is a book of self discovery. Or may be a discovery of something good in each one of us, a novel introduction to the self. The protagonist in our life is not 'us' but something else that's' destiny'. May be that's why we run after it unaware of what is there in store for us. And in this pursuit we tend to distinguish ourselves in ways that can even surprise us , as the writer puts it,"No matter what...know it." We are so involved in finding out the treasure of our destiny that sometimes we also forget to live the truth,our limitations. But that craze,that sense of want,that excitement avails us with some unknown help, not of anyone else but the nature itself . Our surrounding conjures to make things simpler for us,so that our task becomes much easier. Coelho in pointing out this very nature of men has also pointed out the effectiveness of knowing the right time or to say grasping the opportunity when one feels is the right time.
"The beginner's luck"- a term used by Coelho to express the essence of knowing and understanding time and its instructions. Yes,time does gives instructions, which is hard to believe but easy to understand when one understands the style of one's fate. By style I mean the way one's luck favors one. That is, in the language of the writer, knowing the omens. Though I don't believe in omens I do believe in signs. Sometimes we do get the signs of intuitions as if our intuition is making us understand something. And the one who understands that is sure to succeed. It sounds really profound but its happening around us, with people we know, with people we do not know, or may be with us. I fear there is no language to make it clear even to ourselves. In that case I prefer going to some successful people who are really happy in life. May be then we can get the meaning!

what a woman can do and what she can't...

Recently watched Nagesh Kukunoor's "Dor". Excellent story-telling. A simple story weaved with the thread of optimism. Sometimes some story touches you, and this is the one which has really touched my heart. Two women , different cultures , different communities , different outlook yet sharing the same dream ... of realising their dream,their wants,their freedom. Both have seen life in different ways but both wants to see it in the same way. One is strong enough to vocalise her needs , the other's silence speaks for her. But their destinies r designed in such a way that they are brought before contradictions which they might have never imagined. The bolder one had to submit to silence, having no other way and the meeker one had to run out of her confinements(inner and outer) to realise and feel what she wants. She runs through the desert of hope and gives a climax to her and the other's story. This is what anyone would have wanted for a story to end... but I wanted more and yes i was very satisfied when Meera gets on the train with Zeenat to her world where freedom awaits its new member!! cheers to both the contented souls. And here i should not forget to mention the character of 'Dadi' and the funny'Behrupia' who lended their support and help when the women needed it the most. I guess thats what good writing is...!