Writing last week, I wondered if my imagination had the escape velocity to leave behind the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. It turns out that the mind's ability to travel fast is pointless when your body is firmly planted in the middle of the rapidly unfolding drama.

Whilst I am thrilled by the mere thought of existing as a being of pure consciousness, I am a flesh-and-bone mortal who cannot escape the harsh realities of my immediate surroundings. Still, I would have resisted the temptation of succumbing to the inanities of a conflict if I could.

Conflicts do not bring out the best in people, as we shall soon see. I don't like them. And this is my happy place. A space where I vanish once every week to check my brain's vitals and assure myself that it is still alive. With me so far? Good.

Two impressive developments, however, took the matter out of my hands. No, not any let-up in personal ordeals. During the Bajwa era, a pattern emerged: whenever India got angry, something in the system doubled the torments on independent-minded Indian watchers. India was angrier than usual last week.

So, my trials also correspondingly quadrupled. Nothing personal. The first development was about the remarkable way in which everyone rallies behind the national cause. From self-deprecating but exceptionally charming memes to an absolutely unwavering collective narrative, it was a sight to behold.

The second baller move, on which I want to dedicate some part of this discussion, came from India's Narendra Modi, which has the potential to renegotiate the very fabric of Indian society and do away with the negativities we have witnessed in the past decade. If nothing else,........

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