That every city has a character is like stating every walking being on Earth has a life. Sometimes the character is hidden. Many other times, there are several aspects of the city that stands out that nuances and shades of what a city possesses go unnoticed.
Say ‘Mumbai’ to a non-Mumbai chap and check out what comes to their mind, for instance. It usually is ‘trains’, ‘commercial capital’, ‘busy city’ and the like with a tinge of ‘how-do-you-manage-top-live-there’ expression. A small tinge. Occasionally that tinge is also laced with envy!
Of course, asking a Mumbaikar would get very different answers. But somehow such views and opinions grow on to create an impression of a reality.
In a place where ‘utility’ outruns ‘aesthetics’ by many pot hole ridden kilometers, well represented by ugly high rises that zoom into polluted air with nonchalance and flyovers that seem to come up with such and distasteful ease, causing every sane person walking to wonder what on Earth were Mumbai’s urban planners chewing on. They could well chewing on ‘data’ on the burgeoning population and the exacting firmness of land available. They could well have a point there.
But all of that is besides the point http://premier-pharmacy.com/product-category/cholesterol-lowering/ for today’s post. The story is this. The other day, we were having a filter coffee in Matunga when a friend nudged my attention to the closed door of a mattress store. It was a Sunday. And the store was yet to open.
The colour pattern on the door was arresting. The colour contrasted rectangles within rectangles and the paddled locks on the door redeemed the apology of a filter coffee that was served by the chap next door.
We clicked a few pictures and moved on.
Many days later as I scanned all the images clicked that morning, this snap remained a personal favourite of sorts.
The fact that the existence of the doorway had to be pointed out to me while I was sitting right there, was not lost on me. The fact that this was a simple mattress store and that this the store would soon open concealing the yellow & blue rectangles came alive as well was not either.
To not have a keen eye is a different story. But to have had it and suddenly discover that its been missing for a while now, brings to bear the question: “where the hell did it go?”
http://www.streetartutopia.com/?p=10554
I salute the quiet individuals who add colour and character to our otherwise monotonous urban landscape.
The eye, like the brain, can do one thing at one time. After years of training our eyes to read balance sheets is it any wonder that our eyes don’t recognize interesting images?
kavi
its all about getting the child in you to come out. open your eyes, there are a million things to see and yet we end up seeing the same thing over and over again
I really thought the post is on peeking through the holes… he he… Truly the door worth beholds! Interesting story on city.
It’s a lovely click and I love the philosophy that you conveyed as well!!
interesting post!
@Deb : What would we ever do without them! And btw, thank you for sharing the link! Awesome indeed!
@Vikram: Ah! the balance. Balance is about change. Oh wait..!
@Subra : I cant have said it any better! Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
@Jeevan : Trust all is well with you. Its been a long while!
@Roshni : Ah! thank you! 🙂
@Ashok : hmm ! Thanks ! 🙂