This blog is dedicated to all those builders who claim to build perfect homes.

Disclaimer: I do not intend to mock builders, neither do I intend to mock the people who buy these homes. I just intend to sympathize with the poor BILLBOARDS who carry the blame of shattering people's dreams.

I was inspired by the considerate billboards put up by these saviors of life(builders) right from Hinjewadi to Aundh, luring the potential buyers from their office to existing houses, ensuring them of everything a man can dream of.The cacophonies emerging from these billboards either boast of "Whistling Balms", "Birla Shagun", or "Ganjawala Icon" and you wonder...am i in Manchester ??

I have noticed them for quite a long time now, almost an year. I recently decided to buy a house on those dream lands of billboards. So here I ll discuss the series of highly disturbing events of hurt and betrayal that followed.

I chose the one called 'wonderland Residency' which pictured a child watching his daddy coming home from office, crossing huge green lawns and lots of flowers. I was flattered and almost finalized the purchase with the billboard. I imagined myself coming back from work through that greenery, breathing in fresh air, my imaginary kids playing in the Field.....
"why do you want to die?", a calm peaceful voice broke the charm. I turned to face an elderly lady with white hair and wrinkles covering her face. "your boyfriend left you? are you heart broken? but suicide is a deadly thing?" she was speaking, but I was too shocked to react.I was standing in the middle of the road, blocking all traffic. "I am sorry" I said and left. Next day I went to the site of 'wonderland Residency'. It was nothing I had imagined it to be, It was in the interiors of a very shabby land and no wonderland. The construction had just started and even the total area of the site wasn't equal to the grounds of my dreams. I enquired if that was it. Yes that was it. Still hopeful I enquired about the green lawns of billboard. "Ah Yes!!" builder said, taking me to a different direction. "This is the place where we ll plant the trees and grass and flowers" he added casually. It was a miserable site, enough space for one flower bed or may be two but surely not worth crossing very happily. also it was on the other end of the society. Feeling betrayed by the high rising ad and exhausted by potholed road and stinking surroundings I came back for another promise on the road of dreams ( aundh to hinjewadi ).

There was another claim, a beautiful building rising beside a stream and the bill board that read "Rising to the astounding peaks of beauty". The name was 'Riverside Homes'. I felt fatigue leaving me and dreams filling up my mind once again as I drove towards the promised paradise...the peak of beauty. The site was actually 'riverside' but so close to the river that it looked as if the building would emerge from the riverbed itself. "What about Monsoons when the water will rise?", I enquired with the bearded person showing me around. "That is the beauty of the place, madam. You can feel Nature at your doorstep. besides this is a small river and it doesn't rain much these days.", he explained in his marathi sprinkled English. Just as I was toying with the idea of watching river flow just below my balcony I spotted a group of ladies washing clothes on the opposite bank. So whatever bill board said wasn't true again, it was not riverside but was in the river itself with 'nature at my doorstep', it wasn't astounding peak of beauty but astounding peak of gloom with stream covered of algae and dogs straying around for food. "It wont be like this. we would clean the area and will plant some trees around." he tried to assure me scratching his beard. By now I began to understand the myth behind those huge pictures displayed with sugar coated claims.

I returned once again but now I noticed them with a different attitude all together. I wasn't dreaming anymore of green lawns or fruit laden trees or clean premises. I did not let my mind wander into expectations of swimming pool and club house. I was looking at them with the possible range of disappointments they were trying to hide. cheerful faces, winning lines and beautiful landscape pictures all mocking in my face. Some said pollution free homes... were they planning to import air and water? Some compared the homes with famous paintings of Leonardo DA Vinci and some claims were exerted with celebrities. But all my eyes could see was bad roads and shabby neighbourhoods. beautiful buildings towering over each other...rising in filth. My trust was badly shattered and I felt frustrated to the point of suicide but just then, face of an elderly lady appeared before my eyes...same elderly lady with white head and wrinkled face. "What if you can not find a nice place to live in? what if there is no fresh air or pure water? Don't feel bad about broken roads.", she was saying is a peaceful tone. I felt relaxed, washed my face and drank some water.

"You are mortal. You will perish one day" she was speaking again. "And all the factors are just working towards the same. broken roads...broken limbs. pollution...poison. filth...illness. So why speed up the process?" she completed and disappeared with the same serene smile.