May the first, labor day, a day for the workers, a day for Maharashtra and Gujarat

May the first, labor day, a day for the workers, a day for Maharashtra and Gujarat

Jalsa , Mumbai         May 1, 2011          Sun 11: 30 Pm

May the first, labor day, a day for the workers, a day for Maharashtra and Gujarat, a day when work is not allowed. And so a holiday in many respects. But the mind and the body shall and does become restless for it. It is now at a stage of our life, when nothingness is the greatest ailment. To be up in the morning and have nothing to do, but idle. Idleness can kill and does on many spheres. So the ‘mantra’ subscribed is that we should be occupied. Occupied in any thing. But occupied.

My Vog, Bachchan Bol now expands its extent. It incorporates many more facilities than it did earlier. There are now some features that shall give an opportunity to those that wish to speak to me to speak to me. It shall give time for me to listen in to your questions and perhaps have opportunity to answer them personally and directly. Soon and I hope its sooner, there shall be facility to video converse, or at least for me to send out to you the messages or ideas or conversations that we have with each other. Hopefully this shall grow stronger from time to time and give us reason to believe that we connected with the others at our will.

There is to be an expansion in other countries as well. Next month it is Great Britain, UK and then hopefully even more countries. In time I would like to believe this blog shall become redundant. It would have gone way passed its scientific early inventions. I do not know how good that would be, but with invention you never know.

There are some Ef members who face the struggle of loved ones being separated, ill and in conditions that do not promise better times. We must think of them in our prayers. Hardship and illness do take away from us the freedom of the way life needs to be lived - with laughter and a smile. And that can only be countered by how we would want to accept it and react to it.

There are rumblings of discontent among all of us on how the blog should be treated. That there should be a code of conduct within, where the will and the wisdom of the conduct should be put to test, judgement passed and a uniformity introduced. I hear those that express this. I will not shun those that wish to express their mind, but shall commensurate with what they wish to lay down.

This space was made form fresh air, free expression and freedom. Any attempt by me or any other to lay down distinct regulation, shall be defeatist in attitude. I am not the conductor of this philharmonic. Its a symphony that plays on its own, and plays it well. If I had the capacity and the will to destroy the conductors stick, that little inconsequential element guiding an entire mass of very professional and efficient musicians, then there would be something wrong with my will. No ! I shall and will not interfere with the basics of this platform - a basics that has brought us all together. Giving it space and time and adjudication through rigid principlies and rules would break the very essence of this platform. It would wrench me dry.

I did not come here to make a family. I came here because it brought me closer to you. Wanting to redesign this utility was and shall never be on the cards, even for a gentle consideration. When you gave me reason to believe that you were no less than family, I invented the suggestion. I would have been equally happy if the Ef had not been formed, for, I was never looking upon it as some kind of a attempt to militarise the situation. Militarise ? Yes .. to bring in certain operatives, rules, discipline. No ! That was never my intention and it shall never be one either.

It was indeed your desire to be accepted as one that has made this platform so strong and successful. And that is how I wish it to remain. When there is great love, there is equal envy and suspicion. I do not think that to be bad. It merely throws up the discussion on to a different topic and plain. You shall envy because somewhere you have given the acceptance that the one you envy is superior. Else why would it be of any interest. Grudges and envy, jealousy and the penchant for one up man ship, destroy your metabolism. Save it ! Why must it be wasted and damaged. Its preservation is what shall stand you in good stead, in good time !

Its been a moment of great pride for me today. Apart from some interesting meetings, the crowds on Sunday and subsequent contemplative efforts, there has been the joy of constructive contribution. Constructive not in the sense it may have been used, but in constructive in a passive sense, by being a part of a moment of creativity, and feeling honorable about it. Could be a strain of music, a passage of well written verse, a visual … or just perhaps a film !

Whatever it has been, shall soon I hope be in demonstration. And then perhaps it would be time for another charged discussion. But till then we wait patiently. Knowing its capacity and strength, but not allowing it to be wasted.

Good Night dearest ones .. may all of you have pleasant dreams … not quite like the ones that the now Duchess of Cambridge had before her wedding ..

Amitabh Bachchan