Amitabh Bachchan's Official Blog

DAY 1714

Jalsa , Mumbai Dec 25/26, 2012 Tue/Wed 2:40 AM

The anger and the pain for the desire of justice by the young on the streets of Delhi, persists, albeit in lesser numbers. The system and the establishment have risen, albeit late, to address the situation with assurances.

I visit a dear friend in Hospital who has been admitted suddenly. While there I visit my Manager and Secretary Sheetal Jain, who has worked with me with incredible honesty and devotion for the 36 years, in the ICU, whose care and facilities I undertake personally … he looks to be gaining in his condition after a most trying time, when all hope was taken away.

Pran, colleague senior and one of the finest gentlemen of this beautiful fraternity, lies in ICU, and I visit him too … prayers for him for his speedy recovery .. I speak to him, masked for purposes of infection riddance, and he sees but does not recognise .. he has a tracheostomy done, so cannot speak .. he was in hospital a few days back and I had visited him .. he seemed perfectly all right … but he has had a relapse and I wish him well ..

ICU’s are depressing places … dark and desolate, with a quietude that disturbs .. all one hears are the sound of machines that work on the various conditions of patients, most of them critical .. I go past my room, and the room where I lost my Mother .. they are familiar sights and sounds for me, having been in these premises often …

And finally after leaving with heavy heart … reminisce all those days of pain and struggle that I have encountered through the many years …

The SIES, South Indian Educational Society honors me with an award. I am humbled by it. There is a cash prize of Rs 250,000 that comes along with it and I donate it to the family of the police constable that succumbed to his injuries day before at the sight of the protest against the gang rape in Delhi. He was the sole earning member of his family, large by some standards …

I have pictures of the moment, but something in me resists its posting on the Blog and other sites .. I cannot say why … but it does …

It is Christmas today … and a day of peace and contemplation to all that gives us the assurance of happiness, on the birth of Christ his teachings and his faith live and remain with us …

Many are amazed how Hindu’s follow Christianity .. and I think I have spoken on it enough yesterday … but from a very young age, the atmosphere of its celebration, in school in towns, among friends, has been another important day in our lives .. I may not follow it, but why would I stop myself from acquainting myself in its beliefs and teachings. I have spent a major portion of my School years in Christian Missionary schools, been to chapel services, heard the Bible, and respected those that follow it … respect in another belief’s and the divinity of their religion, does not spell any wrong for us … contrarily we seek its blessings. The Church at Mount Mary in Bandra here in Mumbai and at Mahim, have played an important role in most of our prayers in times of trial … the ‘novena’ at the Mahim church on Wednesday has had a special significance in the lives of most Mumbaikers , as has the Muslim dargah, just opposite it..

India is unique ! There are in this world Christian States, Islamic states, Catholic states … we have a secular state !! And we can have no other !! It is in our revered Constitution ..

I said I would keep away from pictures … but ..