An afternoon with Viswajeet Ambat over many chai's. He told me about the mysterious Japanese deaf-mute girl who comes to Balu's shop and drinks lots of coffee, two glasses, one in each hand. Of how she fell in love with local Indian boy. An indo-japanese lovestory. Of how he died and she got stuck in Benaras. Lost in the gulleys, whizzing past everyone. Viswajeet wanted to talk to her, he exchanged notes with her. Great concept for a film.
We went to Harishchandra ghat and sat there for an hour or so, talking, being silent. Viswajeet told me of the boatmen trying to get customers by saying "Achcha scenery hai, lots of dead bodies burning". Moni baba lands up with the classic statement, "Yeh zindagi bhi kiraya ka ghar jaisa hai, ek din jo jaana padega". Then we went back to Balu's chai shop, had some more chai and then we went to his guesthouse - Kishan house. Hung out with his neighbours Zeina and Tatiana, had more chai. Zeina spoke about how she gave up cigarettes after her Vipaasana course after being a heavy smoker for 15 years. I left in a bit, walked the gulleys again. Thinking of my life. What would be my choices in life? How am I to live it? For myself or for others? Where am I going with this life? Am I making any difference? Am I making the most out of my life? So many questions. When will I find the answers and drift into nothingness. Should I become like Viswajeet and "do nothing" or be of service to humanity?
We went to Harishchandra ghat and sat there for an hour or so, talking, being silent. Viswajeet told me of the boatmen trying to get customers by saying "Achcha scenery hai, lots of dead bodies burning". Moni baba lands up with the classic statement, "Yeh zindagi bhi kiraya ka ghar jaisa hai, ek din jo jaana padega". Then we went back to Balu's chai shop, had some more chai and then we went to his guesthouse - Kishan house. Hung out with his neighbours Zeina and Tatiana, had more chai. Zeina spoke about how she gave up cigarettes after her Vipaasana course after being a heavy smoker for 15 years. I left in a bit, walked the gulleys again. Thinking of my life. What would be my choices in life? How am I to live it? For myself or for others? Where am I going with this life? Am I making any difference? Am I making the most out of my life? So many questions. When will I find the answers and drift into nothingness. Should I become like Viswajeet and "do nothing" or be of service to humanity?
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