Once upon a time, not very long ago, I happened to come across an interview of Vikram Seth. In that interview, he said something that struck a chord in me unlike any other.
He said and I quote, “Increasingly of late and particularly when I drink, I find my thoughts drawn into the past rather than impelled into the future. I recall drinking sherry in California and dreaming of my earlier student days in England, where I ate dalmoth and dreamed of Delhi. What is the purpose, I wonder, of all this restlessness? I sometimes seem to myself to wander around the world merely accumulating material for future nostalgias.”
How beautifully do these lines sum up memories! Being an avid traveller, the emotions in these lines reverberate on planes within me. I quoted the above lines because off late there have been a few instances when I have been overwhelmed. Let me tell you about them.
As a child I always cherished a dream of owning a swanky office in a high-rise. Statesman House in Delhi had me enthralled with its magnificence forever. And, then there was the time when on my way to Cape Town I had a stop-over in Dubai and was left captivated by its sheer opulence. Each time I passed Dubai, the high-rises there would remain with me even long after I had left the place. Burj Khalifa held prominence above all other buildings around the globe for me. I sat day-dreaming about it. The dream is running towards fulfillment now.
I am very happy and proud to announce that Prints India has acquired one of leading publishers in the UAE region. I’ll reveal the name of the firm at a later date as still certain technicalities remain to be completed. This will help me bring to completion the dream that always lived within me. This also goes on to reaffirm my belief in hard-work and persistence- the tools at the disposal of all humans- that bring to life all dreams.
Also, at the expense of sounding a tad emotional I recall my mother at this moment. Her last trip with me was to Dubai before she departed for her heavenly abode. Each time I return to Dubai, my heart propels me towards the mall that we frequented. I watch the fountains there trying to replicate the shine in my mother’s eyes whenever she beheld the spectacle. I indulge my nostalgic mind and grieving heart by sitting on the same bench that she did.
Memories! How beautifully Vikram Seth puts it. All our wanderings are the mere collections of memories for future nostalgias. I wander on.
