उसकी मुस्कुराहट

Saher morning light morning breeze

She has big round cheeks with a dimple that appears as the cheek moves in a smile. She rides a scooter and covers her face when she drives. She studies, arts, but is no good at studies, she tells me. Not like her aunt, or grandaunt, or various other women in the family who are known as educated, smart women. She wants to pose for the camera. for cameras. She shows me her studio portrait, she is standing with her family, but you can see from this young one's expression that she is trying to talk to the camera.

Usha Saher. my first mirror in this city.. as much over the lake as inside it. Usha though only contains light, Saher is the real dawn then, light and breeze, the hour when life is most bearable, lovely even. Safe from the heat of the day, and a flower blooms on the lawn.

A botanical garden with a dawn over it. Like a Sanskrit lesson, a painted backdrop, a Parsee play. The city s best seen when the eyes are opening and are most - eyes.. their corneas soft and moist as the dawn itself, with a little pink in them. the dawn in the eyes and the lid that comes over, wishing to keep them from the harsh light of day. (bleek!!)