Eid Mubarak

My darling dost Raisa Husain always sends me the best sheer korma in the world on Eid. Being a Bohri, the food arrived yesterday, and was there on the dinner table when I got back from Delhi. I blessed Raisa and her family ( including her father, the illustrious artist M.F. Husain), before tucking in.She had also sent that delcious but hard to cook preparation, Nalli nihaara, which was devoured instantly, with crisp Bohri rotis. We phoned several friends to wish them Eid Mubarak. The mood was somewhat sombre. Understandably so. Driving back from the airport, I was enchanted by the sight of so many Devis making their way to city pandals for their brief sojourn on earth before leaving for their heavenly abodes on Bijoya Dashmi.As the noisy processionists danced and sang on the busy highway, I thought how simple it really is to co-exist harmoniously, if only politicians would let us. Raisa will be celebrating Dusshera with us, as always.So will several other friends representing all faiths. That is the way it has been .... should be.It is one thing for a Kripashanker to invite SRK to a well publicised sehri function and derive a photo op from it. Quite another to free your heart from narrow biases that are divisive and destructive.Right at the junction of Mahim Church, leading up to the ancient mosque close by and the historic Siddhivinayak temple down the road, three of the world's most important religions have found equal representation through the years. That's Mumbai. Please note: present tense . Not past. Give peace a chance, the Beatles once urged the world. They were ignored... rather, their message was.We cannot afford to ignore it this time. I'm predicting a war. The third World War. The world will get nuked. Whenever America faces an economic crisis, the war machine is activated to get the country back on the road. Why should it be any different this time?? Dire foretelling of doom and devastation? Well.... don't worry... we'll all go together. Cockroaches shall inherit the earth.