| | | | | of stars such as galaxies. |
| My wife told me one evening that her friend | | | | It dawned on me that if you are dealing with the |
| Sarah was to visit India and would be spending a | | | | structure and evolution of stars and dynamics of |
| day with her. There was nothing in it that alarmed | | | | galaxies, you are exploring and trying to |
| me as my wife, who is a painter, has friends all | | | | understand a very long time span ranging for |
| over the World and somebody or the other is | | | | billions of years. When you study the subject |
| always visiting her. But when she told me that | | | | intensely, you go deep into it and it occupies your |
| Sarah was an astrophysicist, my ears perked up. | | | | mind. No doubt the mind of a devoted |
| She had missed me during her visit last year as I | | | | astrophysicist is possessed with stars, comets |
| was out of town. | | | | and galaxies. Their minds are stretched to infinity. |
| Sarah arrived wearing a gorgeous sari | | | | They pervade the whole Universe. These astros |
| looking like a senior accomplished stately woman. | | | | dream into space, of black holes and super novas. |
| Indians like me are now used to a white woman | | | | Why are they dwelling on such remote objects? |
| in a sari with years of watching Sonia Gandhi on | | | | Are they agents of Providence to prepare Man |
| the TV. With Sarah was her friend Needra, a | | | | for his scheme of things? |
| young tall dark beautiful Sri Lankan woman who | | | | Then I realized that there are only a few persons |
| too was an astrophysicist! She said she was | | | | in the whole World who are into this discipline. |
| wearing a sari for the first time at the insistence | | | | Their knowledge is of no practical use to any |
| of Sarah. When I asked her about it, Sarah went | | | | human requirement now or in anyone’s |
| on a detailed narrative how she was initiated into | | | | lifetime. As their knowledge does not touch the |
| wearing a sari by the wife of the Director of the | | | | life of the common man, they keep it within |
| Institute and had thereafter adopted the sari as | | | | themselves taking care not to mention it in public. |
| her preferred dress. I noted her crystal clear | | | | I thought that if they talked about a twin star |
| memory as the event had taken place at least | | | | system in a distant galaxy 1000 light years away |
| thirty years back! | | | | and the rotation of their moons, they might find |
| Sarah started talking to me about my book which | | | | the eyes of the lay listeners questioning their |
| I had written in 1978 and a copy of which my | | | | sanity. But within their community there are |
| wife had given her on her last visit. The book was | | | | open and frank and have nothing to hide about |
| about National Planning and many of the ideas | | | | the sky and what it beholds! They band together |
| written in it had since then materialized. But I had | | | | as a very closely knit family. Everyone knows |
| forgotten about it! I brushed it aside and told | | | | everyone in the field and they exchange the |
| them about my new books on science fiction. | | | | smallest detail about the lives of one another. But |
| One of them, titled Alby was about a computer | | | | this intensive interest in life spills over to their |
| entity who ventured out into deep space. But I | | | | friends who are not into astrophysics. My wife |
| wanted them to read it first so I gave them a | | | | and I are fortunate to experience such |
| copy and didn’t tell them what it was all | | | | extraordinary friendship. |
| about. I also gave them a copy of my book | | | | Sarah and Needra went travelling to South India |
| eMaya on how to stop Global warming, to see if | | | | where they met more of their kind. And when |
| they are interested about our planet. | | | | they returned, we had them over for dinner. |
| I offered them Single Malt whiskey to get them | | | | Much to my disappointment, they had not read |
| talking, but as they sipped they did not bring up | | | | my science fiction book Alby. They were more |
| any topics of Universe or Space. Neither of them | | | | interested in participating in their friends’ |
| mentioned any galaxies, black holes, not even the | | | | earthly lives. I was a bit disappointed as I looked |
| solar system! Sarah talked about the scientists | | | | forward to an interesting discussion on my |
| and the lives of their families, and many small | | | | science fiction. I mentioned to them parts of the |
| memorable events that took place when she | | | | story and that the spaceship engine in the book |
| worked with them in India. Needra was to give a | | | | accelerates the ship to 80% of the speed of light |
| lecture on a subject of astrophysics in Pune to a | | | | without ejecting out any mass! It is a practical |
| group of scientists there. She did not disclose any | | | | answer to travel to nearby stars of the Milky |
| snippets from her forthcoming speech. She never | | | | Way. It was then the two sat up. Sarah |
| even mentioned the subject of her lecture. | | | | immediately discarded my idea. But I goaded |
| But the amazing quality which seeped through | | | | them to read the book and check the results of |
| their beings vibed something immortal. They | | | | the prototype engine on Google. |
| watched everything with tremendous zeal and | | | | But they had perused through my other book |
| intensity and absorbed their communication with | | | | eMaya on Global warming. Sarah had seen the |
| whomever they met with rapt attention of all | | | | reviews on Amazon. She got talking on it. She |
| their senses. Looking back about my encounter | | | | said she was impressed with the way I had |
| with them I felt that they were like visitors from | | | | handled a difficult and a dry subject and brought |
| deep space; from an unknown destination | | | | the concerns about emissions, ice melting, nuclear |
| wandering about from galaxy to galaxy imbibing | | | | power and population in simple and lucid terms. |
| everything what they sensed to take it back with | | | | Needra remarked that it had a lot of information |
| them. They appeared timeless creatures | | | | on all subjects concerning climate control of Earth |
| wandering about in appreciation of the Universe. | | | | and much more. They both really enjoyed reading |
| Why do they radiate such immortality? Why do | | | | it. I was amused to see that these astrophysicists |
| they appear so close yet so distant? Why do | | | | were concerned about few degrees rise in |
| they take such deep interest in their fellow | | | | temperature of our planet. Normally they |
| colleagues and their families? These were the | | | | wouldn’t bat an eyelid to see the |
| question marks which popped up in my mind. I | | | | temperature of a star shoot up by a million |
| tried to find answers and in the process | | | | degrees, explode and become Super Nova! But |
| discovered the truth. They were into astrophysics | | | | Sarah had liked the book and agreed with the |
| which is the science of the Universe. A dictionary | | | | conclusions of eMaya on climate control. |
| search as to its meaning yielded the following: | | | | We parted with hugs, handshakes, and |
| Astrophysics: The branch of astronomy that | | | | pleasantries. I got a feeling that these starry |
| deals with the physical and chemical processes | | | | women knew more than any mortal like me. I |
| that occur in stars, galaxies, and interstellar space. | | | | wondered what their mission would be in their |
| Astrophysics deals with the structure and | | | | next lives. I wished I could offer them a galactic |
| evolution of stars, the properties of interstellar | | | | penny for their thoughts! But I consoled my mind |
| space and its interactions with systems of stars, | | | | by saying that wait, they will be back! And now I |
| and with the structure and dynamics of clusters | | | | am patiently waiting for the next encounter. |