Seeing quite a few high rises coming up in the vicinity of where we stay… and incidentally also listening to this soulful song…

यहाँ महक वफाओं की… मुहब्बतों का रंग है…

ये घर तुम्हारा ख्वाब है… ये घर मेरी उमंग है…

ना आरजू पे क़ैद है… ना हौसले पे ज़ंग है…

हमारे हौसलों का घर… हमारी हिम्मतों का घर…

ये तेरा घर ये मेरा घर...................

Over the last many months, many tall building structures are being constructed expeditiously… slabs over slabs being built… and with it, homes taking shape…. homes of different contours and sizes… homes which are dreams and celebrations for some… homes which are monetary hoardings (and hence barren!!) for some… homes which are outcome of struggle and determination for some…

These houses are results of sweat and hard work of many a people… of labourers, contractors, engineers, architects etc on one hand who toil on the site… assembling every brick and tile and creating marvels out of nothing… and buyers on the other hand who strive in their individual lives and put their hard earned money into buying these houses (lets for the time being forget people with undisclosed income sources!!)… making these houses invaluable…

So how can ones hard work be rewarded or paid for, by the other… what is the value of ones dreams... what is the price of a basic necessity (shelter!)… and what is the worth of strength and determination… the actual property valuation does not take into cognizance any of the abstract things like hard work, dream, necessity, strength etc… it rather is a factor of the most uncanny things like economic order, inflation, demand-supply statistics, politics and reforms, disposable incomes, social strata and lobbying, location prejudices, plush addresses and the likes… how complex can life get… that our aspirations of owing a home are subjected to such strange phenomenon on which we do not have control on… and a value is thrown back on our face as price for our abode… take it or leave it…

Over a period of time, have realized that our desires are being negotiated ardently… our needs are more a function of our affordability… and we probably settle down for something we afford, which is a level or multiple levels below our aspirations… and with this compromise, we restart our journey towards achieving our unfulfilled dream yet again… dream which only gets superior over time…

And so is our life spent… chasing incessant and ever-growing dreams… giving a meaning and direction to our existence…