Fall, flow or undulate?

Water! It falls, it flows, it undulates!

Aksha sat looking out of the window. The pouring rains and their pitter-patter on the roof. The drops bouncing off the floor and sprinkling droplets on his glasses. The occasional roar of the thunder. He liked the monsoon. He liked sipping coffee as he wrote. Somehow the monsoons inspired him. Always.

He heard the door bell and got up to open it. His silly friends were here. Complaining how wet clothes were pain in the ass. And how getting an auto in the rains was a task better left to the man from the land of Uz, Job, known for his patience! Sohni entered with her dripping umbrella and placed it on the window grills. Urjit had a beaming face perhaps because Sohni was irritated. Aksha never tried to understand their relation. They were the best friends. He would not speak much, Sohni would never stop talking, and Urjit would make sure that she never stopped. Yet, they were the best lot there could be. They didn't have a lot in common but that is what was different!

Aksha could not keep hearing the complaints Sohni had about the rains. He smiled at her and she knew he did not agree with her. Aksha’s mom got them chai and Sohni sipped it intermittently as she spoke.
“Come on Aksha, I know you like rains, I do too but not when I am in the city. I hate them here. I’d rather just go away from here and sit in the greenery out there. But our work won’t allow us right? Isn't that everyone’s story?”

Aksha replied, “I don’t know. I like it everywhere. It’s the same water. Same way of coming down. Here or away from here.”

Urjit interjected the rather few words that Aksha was anyways going to say. “I like the sea.”

Sohni looked at him with confusion. “Where is that coming from? I mean what has the sea got to do with the rains?” After a very brief pause during which Urjit could only move his jaw once, she said, “If you are going to say ‘water cycle’ and talk about evaporation and precipitation, I’d say keep the crap to yourself!”

With a wry grin, Urjit replied, “I meant the sea is good. Vast, never ending, and lets my imagination go wherever it wants.”

Sohni wouldn't let him talk more. “Ah! In that sense, I like rivers. Not the big, slow ones, but the rapid ones, the ones that provide rhythm to my flute. I just love to play flute by the banks of the Beas. I can never get over the Beas. It’s hands down the best thing I have ever seen or heard. It can be scary and it can be welcoming too. Its water can be chilly, but it is tempting to walk into it, wet your feet and take an occasional dip! Whatever you say I will always like it!”

Urjit liked her reply. But he hadn't finished making his point earlier. “It’s such a blissful feeling to be sitting on a beach with a nice book; I can paint the canvas with any colors I want! Staring into emptiness, taking me beyond my vision, beyond the horizon!”

Aksh loved to see them fight! But he never interfered. A smile was all he could wear!

Sohni had a point to make. “Oh, but sea does not support life! Okay, I mean in the conventional sense. It’s salty. You can’t open your eyes when you take a dip in it.”

“Aasu bhi to namkeen hote hai! (So are tears.) Somehow the salty water in my eyes gives me all those feelings. I don’t know. It’s not that I don’t like rivers, but I just can’t think of the anything else that can beat the magnificence of the ocean.”

Sohni replied, “Ha ha! A sailor went to sea, to see what he could see. And all that he could see, was sea, sea, sea! Can’t you get bored of it? A river is so much like our lives. Each bend is different. With each twist it changes course. All the places it flows through just bloom! It’s different!”

Aksha looked out the window. The downpour was reduced to a drizzle now. The healthy bickering of his buddies died out as he heard the chirping of the sparrow beating its wings to dry itself off. The sun peeked from the dark clouds. The writer in him needed no more inspiration…

Khidki par girti in berang boondon ko dekhke sochta hu, kitni berang hai zindagi,
Fir suraj ki kirano ki tarah badalon ke peeche se tumhari muskaan nazar aati hai.
Zindagi ke aasmaan par satrangi indra-dhanush nikhar aata hai…

Roughly translated:
(As I look at the colorless droplets on the window, I cannot help but compare it to my bland life.
Then, out of the dark clouds, the sun shines, just like your smile!
And on the canvas of life, appears a prismatic rainbow!)

Dole monn akarono horshe!

“Get up fast, fast!” Nobonita said as she pulled Shriya out of her chair.

Shriya reluctantly got up. “Girly, you are crazy. It is still some time for the bell to ring. The sky won’t fall if you enter the class 5 minutes late.”

Shriya continued talking, “Have you got the assignments completed? That old Gupta will be pissed off if you go without it in his class. Last week he kicked that Suman guy out remember na? ...”

But Nobonita was not listening. Her mind wandered somewhere else. She seemed confused, looking for something around. Something very important.

“Now will you walk faster? You got my lazy bum off the canteen chair and now you can’t even lift your leg?” Shriya complained.

Nobonita smiled but still walked at the same slow pace. She had nothing to say, but was deep in thoughts. She checked her watch. It was just moments for the bell to ring. She slowed down even more.

The bell rang. Anush picked up his bag and ran out to meet his friends. He rushed past the group gathered around the professor out the door.

He didn’t see her coming, bumped into Nobonita. In the process, she dropped her bag. Already in a hurry, he looked into those eyes, and the world slowed down. But his mind was flooding with thoughts. He had to rush, he was late, but he was lost. He gathered his stuff, looked back at the sparkly, Kohl eyes. Damn Bong girls!

“Sorry!” He said and ran again.

Nobonita’s world still ran in slowmo. She would love to rewind and relive it!

When snapped out of her state of trance, Shriya teased her, “Mission Successful?”

“Huh? What mission? What are you talking about?”

“Oh come on girl, I know you feel the butterflies! I know why you run everyday to make it on time! I am not that dumb a girl!”

Nobonita still wore a smile! Her mind was intoxicated. She remembered the lines her granny would sing, Rabindra Sangeet, Mor bhabonare ki haway matalo, dole monn dole akarono horshe!!!

(My thoughts are confused by which intoxicating winds? My mind sways for no reason, with a delight!!!)

Goodbyes are not forever!

She was sitting in her room when she heard a squeaking sound of the brakes of a car. She went back to the pondering state.

Minutes later, she heard the doorbell ring and her mother opened it. She heard his voice. “Hi ma’am, I just wanted to meet her once. I hope you don’t mind. Is she home?”

“Yes. She is in her room.”

He walked to her room with heavy steps. As he stood there, his heart raced as it always did when she was around. For her, she did not know what she felt. On one hand she felt reluctant to open the door, on the other hand, she prayed that he would bring the door down if she didn't open it. Her hand trembled as she held the doorknob. She could hear her breathing, and also his on the other side. With some efforts, she opened the door and saw him staring into her eyes.

He stood there, mere feet away from those beautiful, unblinking eyes. He took a step closer to them. And said, “Uh… This is a bit awkward but you know I am leaving. I just wanted to hug you before I did.” She opened her arms to receive him. After what seemed like eternity, they separated. She would not say a word. He took the hint and said, “I’ll take your leave now. Stay blessed!” She walked to him to the door. Her mom said, “You are leaving? Wait for lunch at least.”

He replied, “Actually, I am in a hurry. I have double parked too. Maybe some other time.” He knew there was no other time. He looked at her for one last time and walked away.

She saw him walk away. She said to him, “I know that!” He looked back and smiled. And went on.

As she closed the door, she sat on the couch staring into emptiness. Her mother broke the silence. “I had warned you. I had told you this would happen. This path would not take you far. It wasn't long before you realized it.” She replied, “You know it very clearly Amma. I could hear only what I wanted to.” Her mom argued, “Yes. And I always said that your paths intersected but they were never parallel.”

“Can we not talk about this? You are patronizing me.”

“As you say. You take some rest. I will call you when lunch is ready.”

He sat in his car and looked back at the window where she would stand. The time he saw her felt like a Sunday afternoon. He could cherish it only over the rest of the day & perhaps sleep over it. But he'd have to get up early the next Monday morning. As if shaken to wake up after a good dream.

He looked ahead of him and started to go farther. He looked in the mirror. Some things in life were best for you when seen in the rear-view mirror.

Forever

“My lord, we need to abandon the citadel. We are outnumbered.”

“No! I must stand. Leave if you all wish to. Gather more men and come back. Come back to help me save this place.”

“But my lord it is not an intelligent option. We cannot fight without a king. We need you.”

“No Gallus. I cannot leave the love of my father when it needs me. I promised my father that I will protect her forever, I cannot see it fall.”

Gallus knew the Emperor was blinded by the darkness of fear. He had stood alongside the Emperor since the day he was enthroned. Never had he seen those eyes so dark.

He remembered the day the Emperor was standing beside his father on this death bed. He could still see the fire he saw in the dying man’s eyes. His last words were etched on the Emperor’s mind. “Son, your father has worked his life to build this city. Take good care of it. Promise me, that you will safeguard it with your life!”

The Emperor, looking at the burning pyre, took an oath. He would protect the city forever.

Gallus remembered this as if it was yesterday.

His Emperor would not budge. He was known in the land as a man of his words. And he would rather die keeping his oath. But his oath was to protect the city forever.

FOREVER. It might’ve seemed impossible for Gallus, men are mere mortals. But for the Emperor, there was still hope. His gaze travelled east, where he saw the golden banner of the rearing horse against the darkening sky.

His men were arriving, for his aid. To help him keep his promise. He would safeguard the citadel, forever!

Forever. Yes…

Ere the tree falls...

Thou wist thy heart beats hard,

Thou canst feel it race,

Thou canst feel it against thy chest.

All it doeth is take away thy sleep,

And the open, teary eyes showeth nightmares.

                         

It might've been thy truest part,

It might've been thy life.

It might be thy history.

But it is not thy destiny.

Ere the set of sun,

Ere all changeth to memories,

Where the place, whither we meet,

There nigh the tree that hath now been hewn!

Metrolympics!

The sports fever is becoming an epidemic with the London Olympics kicking off today. And as a warm up today's Express (Washington Post) (07/27/2012 Friday pg. 8) has an article titled:
Medal in Metro.

In a self-centric world, the journalist makes a statement about the audacious metro riders in Washington DC. Basic idea being that ‘riding on Metro must be an Olympics sport for all the efforts it takes!’
Bitch please! Wait till you see the Mumbai locals!
1.       When you say doors in the Metro close pretty fast; are not like elevator doors; and you need to get in before they shut on you, how about getting on a train with forever open doors and if you are late, you can still manage to catch it by running after it? (PS: though the doors are open, you could be up for a wall of human bodies).
2.       When you say you need to make your way through an entire school band that is clogging up the doorway, how about people pushing you to literally shove you inside?
3.       When you say maintaining balance while holding to anything requires core muscles of steel, how about the crowd so dense that scratching you own @$$ seems like an impossible feat? Or for that matters the BEST bus?
There are many more points which can be mentioned as to why the local trains are an adventurous yet mundane facet of Mumbai. And I am confining myself to making a very general statement.

And with all of the struggles for a 6”x6” square to stand on, you see that fourth person on a seat for three; you see couples standing against the side walls; you see the opening human wall with the sight of you running in after the train proving to be the magic words ‘Simsim’! You see the abuses and the calls asking people if they are blind, while the simple gesture to seek forgiveness if your feet touch them! And the festivities, and music, and the smell near the luggage car, it is quite difficult for someone observing it, but for someone inside, it is full of life! You may go away from it, but it can’t be taken away from a true citizen of the city!

As far as the Olympic game status goes, bring it on! It’d only bring some better hopes for Gold for India!!!

Sunshine!

Ever noticed the smile I get on my face when I look into your eyes?

Why do I smile?

Why do tears roll down my eyes?

Why does my heart beat ever so fast?

Because it is you who make me feel so special.

So blessed I am to be there for you.

So lucky I am to know that you will come to me.

That you will call out for me.

That you will run to me when the world is lonely.

That you will find refuge in my arms when it is dark everywhere.

That you can sleep peacefully with your head on my shoulders.

That when all roads are blocked, the one to my heart will always be open for you.

That when the world is against you, I would get to kiss your forehead and make your worries vanish.

That when you need someone to understand you, I’ll be summoned.

That when you feel like sharing a word, my ears will be blessed by your voice.

I feel proud when you say that I’m the only one to have accepted you for who you truly are.

But the reality is that you are the one who has actually understood me.

No one ever has touched me so deep, nor do I have any expectations from anyone else.

I’ll never find anyone like you.

You are like my guardian angel, looking over me at all times, happy or sad.

When you look at me, I see my world smiling at me.

When you give me that sweet smile, I see the stars shining down on me.

When you shine like the stars in glee, I feel I’ve been blessed.

When I feel blessed, I can’t hide the smile.

So every time I smile at you, just know that I love you.

And will always do.

Forever and ever.

I’m forever yours my Sunshine.

Keep shining on me.