THE STAR OF DAVID

 

(the scenic view on NH48 - this picture is from the ride towards Dahanu - you can see Mahalaxmi Peak in the centre right of this shot)  

Having driven more than a quarter of a million kilometres in my lifetime, there is one thing I have understood. 

Its always good to prepare for your long drives, but its equally important to be ready for the unexpected. While unexpected traffic jams & flat tyres can be tackled with good music & extra tyres...what does one do with a raging bull?

“Expect the unexpected” couldn’t have factored for a raging bull coming charging at you on an expressway!

Well that is what happened that day, as we were driving back from Dahanu to Mumbai on a cloudy afternoon.

NH48 is a very scenic route from Charoti crossing right through Vasai, before entering into the crowded northern suburbs of Mumbai.

The road meanders thru beautiful, lush green countryside, and a couple of uncomplicated mountainous ghat sections. Mostly an easy drive, it gives you time to catchup with your favourite music and audiobooks. Keep a steady cruising speed, look out for passing traffic, let the people in hurry pass ahead ( remind yourself its not an F1 track)…and you will be gliding into Mumbai city.

And that’s what we were doing that afternoon, when suddenly an orange bull came charging across the express way from my 11-o-clock position. 

Its hard to recall exactly where he came from but I had to take quick evasive action. 

Two choices.

One, push the brakes and let him pass, risking getting back-ended by the cars coming from behind

OR

Two, accelerate hard and hope that his trajectory takes him behind you and you are clear.

I chose the latter as it seemed to be the lesser of the risks, knowing there was traffic right behind us. Pushing an automatic transmission suddenly is often a big risk, but I was willing to take it, knowing my car’s dynamic response. 

And we almost made it clear of the bull’s trajectory. 

I heard a blunt-scratch on my rear portside as we passed the bull without deviating from our drive path.

“Wow, that was close“ I must have uttered, trying to take in a deep breath.

The driver in the car behind me had more time to steer clear and was soon accelerating past me, honking, waving a thumbs up sign at me.

“Wow, that MUST HAVE BEEN CLOSE” I said.

Since we wanted to make into town before dark, and the car felt good, I didn’t stop to inspect the car.

Rest of the drive was uneventful.

On reaching our destination, having unloaded the luggage, and as a shutting down routine I inspected the car. There was a blunt scratch on the portside within inches of the fuelling lid that’s all…

…well almost!

Right above the bull’s mark was a STAR of DAVID scratched by what seemed like a child’s hand.

I recalled the conversation on our Pune apartment owner’s chat group, from two weeks ago.

“ Some kid is going about scratching peoples cars with art work”

“ here's the sunflower scratched on my brand new car…” ..” ..parents please note, if I catch your kid doing this…#$@ ..”

 

I wanted to scroll back to that part of the chat from two weeks ago, and type

“ Oh yes, mine has a STAR of DAVID, could the parents come over for a coffee, and do tell me what’s your artist’s favourite cake?”

(the bull-horn's blunt scratch near the fuel lid - and the STAR of DAVID)

This article is not aimed at promoting blind irrational beliefs. The author would rather have the reader take a deep breath and a pause, before scolding children about their innocent acts.

As for parents wanting to promote the art in their young artist, here is a recommendation:

https://www.khula-aasmaan.org/    👈🏾register your artist here

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References From Web resources:

The Star of David: Symbolism and Significance Across History and Today Origins and Religious Symbolism:

The Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Magen David (literally “Shield of David”), is a six-pointed star formed by two overlapping triangles. It is one of the most recognizable symbols of Judaism today, but it was not always an exclusively Jewish emblem. In antiquity and the Middle Ages, the hexagram (six-point star) appeared in many cultures and faiths as a decorative or mystical sign – long before its adoption into Jewish tradition . For example, hexagrams have been found in ancient Hindu and Buddhist contexts (in Hinduism it symbolizes the goddess Lakshmi, and in Buddhism it represents harmony) . Alchemists in medieval Europe also used the six-pointed star as a symbol of the unity of opposing elements (fire and water), and in early Christian churches the shape appears purely as ornamentation. Even in Islamic lands, the same shape was known as the “Seal of Solomon” and used in art and architecture (it adorned many mosques and even the old flag of Morocco until the mid-20th century) . These examples show that the geometric hexagram carried various meanings of balance, wisdom, or cosmic order in different traditions, rather than belonging to any one faith at first.

 (Perhaps most heart warming are stories where the Star of David serves as a bridge between people. In 2025, at the global Tomorrowland music festival in Belgium, an Israeli attendee had an emotional encounter with a woman from Iran – a country often seen as Israel’s adversary. Upon noticing the 4 38 Israeli, the Iranian woman approached and asked if she could paint a Star of David on her, even proclaiming, “We love you and Israel!” . The two then took photos together, each holding their national flags (one with the Israeli flag bearing the star, the other with Iran’s flag) and smiling shoulder to shoulder . 

This spontaneous moment of unity – an Iranian drawing a Jewish star as a gesture of friendship captures the almost magical significance this symbol can carry. What was once a medieval mystic’s protective charm had, in that moment, become a modern emblem of peace and mutual understanding across cultures.)