The clock showed 3 am. After an exhausting day, I had turned in early last night. Here I was, wide awake at an unearthly hour. I looked out of the bay window. It was a beautiful moonlit night. Instead of tossing and turning in the bed, I got up and made some coffee.
With a cup of coffee in hand, I eased into a deck chair in the balcony. The Gulmohar trees covering the Christian cemetery right next to my condo were in full bloom. The flowers wore a dull shade of orange. The white tombstones glowed in the moonlight, giving a nice contrast to the orange. The Arabian Sea at a distance had a silvery hue. The city was quiet, yet the lights spattered across miles, gave it a festive look.
“It’s a lovely night, isn’t it?” I was startled to hear a voice and turned in that direction. I saw a girl standing in the balcony of a flat in next building, few meters away from mine. She wore shorts and a white top. I couldn’t see her face clearly, but her long straight hair was quite lovely.
I said, “Yes, it’s beautiful, such clear nights are rare in Mumbai.”
I had never seen anyone in that flat before. I couldn’t hold my curiosity and asked, “Have you moved in recently? I haven’t seen you before?”
She didn’t answer my question, instead she said, “You live so close to the cemetery, aren’t you scared?”
“Well, Mumbai is such a crowded city, why would someone linger here even after death? Wouldn’t they go away for some peace?”
She gave a hearty laugh and persisted, “Seriously, aren’t you scared?”
I said, “Well, I haven’t ever seen a ghost. I don’t believe in what I can’t see”.
“You are seeing one now!”
The balcony was empty, she had simply disappeared!
At the outset, I would like to thank you for stopping by my Blog.
I believe that there is nothing right or wrong in this world. What’s right in this moment and context may be wrong in another moment and context. This belief has inspired me to name my blog ‘Perspectives’.
Perspectives is a platform for me to share my experiences, thoughts and perspectives on various subjects. You may have a different point of view. I look forward to hearing them, these are the triggers for rich and deep conversations.
On personal front, I live in Mumbai, India. I love to read; Somerset Maugham and Nevil Shute are my favorite authors. My favorite books are The Razor’s Edge, Mrs. Craddock, Chequer Board and Gone with the Wind. I am thankful to my father who inculcated the habit of reading in me early on.
I am also passionate about traveling, I have been to most parts of India and to several countries across the globe.
On professional front, I work in Human Resources function. Over two and half decades, I have worked across multiple industries and cultures. I focus on Leadership Development, Talent Management, Visioning and Culture, Large-scale change, Employee Listening & Engagement, Employee Well-being, Inclusive work culture, HR effectiveness, Behavior and Mind-set shifts through sustained interventions
I currently lead Organization Effectiveness Function for Aditya Birla Group, a $44.3 billion conglomerate with 120000 employees across 35 countries.
I sincerely hope that you will enjoy reading my blog. I look forward to your thoughts and suggestions.
Thank you!
View all posts by Padma Rajeswari Nandi