Here in Kerala we don’t know whether it is the naughty Summer showers which make a statement and then leave, or whether it the mighty monsoon making an early appearance; It is raining crazy with all the props- storm, lightning and thunder. But still there is a great reassuring calm about the sky! That makes me ask you something silly; How often do you look at the sky? No, not to judge the weather or scold the sun or scare the rain off; but just to gaze at the sky; to watch and wonder.
One of my earliest memories of the sky was when every night my mom would carry me and walk in the courtyard showing me the moon; ‘The mom and baby cuddled in there’ just like us! Then the stars, many stories of them too... Maybe it was a smart way to feed me those small bland rice-balls, since nobody can look at the sky without opening their mouths a bit naturally or in sheer wonder. I realised this when I became a mother and would walk in our courtyard telling my daughters the same stories of ‘the mom and baby cuddled on the moon’ every night. Looking back, the babies have all grown and flown away, the courtyards are scarce and shrunk away, time itself is not there anymore priorities eating it away. So also has gone that sense of wonder to ponder on that ‘baby and mom on the moon’; the stars lighting the sky to guard us; showing the way in the darkest of hours... What is your story?
Sitting at Ahmedabad last week with almost a thousand people under a magnificent night sky it was a deep realization on how much more we need to connect via the sky, the moon, the stars, and the million billion tales of moms and babies which maketh us all into beautiful people capable of wonder and doing wonders. I was woken up from my musings; ‘What would you attribute as that one quality which defines Doshi’s Design? We were celebrating Doshi! The answers were all so beautiful, but then can anybody sum up Doshi or his Designs? I gazed at the sky and felt so happy; it seemed definitely brighter! Out there in the Virgo Constellation IIID has launched our own twinkling star; Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi; to inspire us till time infinite with his light and wisdom! It is our tribute to not just Doshi but to everybody – Architects, Designers, students, and every human being to be inspired by the great soul and creator he is! It was my privilege to hand over the ‘Star Deed in his name on the 26th of March on behalf of all of you and to see that surprise and smile (captured below) as he accepted it. 2 years back in conversation with me as IIID Ambassador of “ Vision – Where is North?”, he had said, ‘The North Star is a great idea! One star which never moves, Dhruv – the devotee, who believes in something eternal. That legend is very important for us as a goal in life, to pursue whatever we do till the end.’
Today we have him with the North star to guide us and give us our bearings and never ever get lost; Better still reach our Destinations!
Let us remember to look at the sky;
Look for our own twinkling Star- Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi!
