Was She Playing? - Part III

Continued from Part II - Was She Playing  

Tapan closes his eyes trying to relax as the soulful music from movie खिलौना (Khilona) - "खिलौना जान कर तुम तो मेरा दिल तोड़ जाते हो........." The songs keep changing from one to other and Tapan drifts to sleep on the sofa comforter itself while the Song from movie दिल चाहता है (Dil Chahta hai) - starts on the music and the song plays on - 

तन्हाई, तन्हाई (Tanhaai, tanhaai)

दिल के रास्ते में किसी ठोकर मैंने खाई, (Dil ke raaste mein kaisi thokar maine khaayi)

टूटे ख्वाब सारे एक मायूसी है छाई (Toote khwaab saare, ek maayusi hai chhaayi)

हर खुशी सो गई, जिंदगी खो गई (Har khushi so gayi, zindagi kho gayi)

तुमको जो प्यार किया मैंने तो सज़ा मैंने पायी (Tumko jo pyaar kiya maine to sazaa main paayi)

तन्हाई. तन्हाई, मीलों है फ़ैली हुई तन्हाई (Tanhaai, tanhaai, milo hai phaili hui tanhaai)

..................................

It's Saturday morning and Tapan wakes up to the sound of call bell.  He gets up from the sofa comforter and opens the main door to find his house maid at the door.  The house maid looks at Tapan and says "क्या साहेब, फिर से इधर सोफा पे सोये थे, मेरेको लगता है कि माँ जी को फोन करना पड़ेगा| ऐसा क्या हुआ कि आप ऐसे कहीं भी सो जाते?" (So, sir, you again slept on the Sofa itself?  I guess I would have to call your mom to tell her your case.  Tell me what's wrong with you that you just sleep anywhere in the house?).  Tapan just shrugs off her question as she is an elderly female, who is trusted a lot by his family.  He just walks back to his room and gets to the wash room to freshen up.  The house maid gives a look at Tapan's back as if she is disgusted with his disturbed routine and gets on with her work.  She knows that she would have to clean the house first and then prepare Tapan's breakfast.  Her routine was set from years and so she knew that by the time Tapan would be back from Shower and will be ready for his breakfast, she will be done with her routine work.

As the house maid arranges Tapan's breakfast on the table, Tapan walks to the Dining area, picks up the newspaper and settles to have his breakfast.  As he was having his breakfast, he calls for his maid and tells her that the dinner is not to be prepared for he has an invite for the party.  She listens to him, nodes and then asks him about his lunch.  Tapan tells her to cook anything she wishes.  Main again gives him look as if she is really disgusted with him and walk back to kitchen.  Tapan finishes his Breakfast and heads back to his room and settles on his study table dwindling between "whether to open his personal laptop or to open his official one?" He throws his head back and straightens up to open his official laptop and gets on to his work. Tapan breaks in between to have his lunch and then again gets on with his work.

As Tapan was engrossed in his work, his maid knocks at the door of his room and asks him if he would keep working of better get ready for the party that he is to go, else she would need to know what she needs to cook.  Tapan looks at her and thanks her for the reminder. He then tell her to get him a strong tea while he would get ready and have tea before leaving for the party. 

The expression of pain and distress again surface on Tapans' face as he forcefully pulls himself out from his seat and heads to washroom.  He then gets ready and while having tea tells his maid to leave for the day.  His maid leaves but not before telling him to sleep properly in his bedroom. Tapan gives her a sly smile and just nodes. Once the maid had left Tapan again sits on the sofa comforter while having tea and his facial expressions change reflecting the thoughts of pain and distress in him.  He finishes his tea and leaves for Shivangi's party at Shangrila.  

While driving also, Tapan had mixed emotions and he escaped two near collisions.  He somehow reaches Shangrila and pulls his car over for the Valet parking, getting down there and handing over the keys to the Valet.

As he walks in, he hears soft music playing and couples dancing to the soft tune.  His eyes search for Shivangi and get fixed on a Silhouette at the other end of the hall.  Yes it was Shivangi dancing with a male partner. her hands were on his shoulders and his hands were on her waist.  they were dancing slowly as per the soft music that was being played.  Tapan feels dejected and looks around for finding himself a corner to settle down.  He finds his table, walks up there and keeps the bouquet on the table before making himself comfortable on the chair.  All the while his eyes were fixed on Shivangi dancing with her male partner.

To be Continued........................

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Ok, now there I know you were expecting me to conclude this story here only, but I guess the flow of my thoughts has made me write this stuff up a bit more nicely.  I am still not sure where would this go and I am actually thinking on three different set of climaxes.  I am not able to decide between a happy ending or a sad ending or may be just let it go for few more parts.  If I would end it in the next part itself, I would have to choose between Happy or Sad ending.  However, there could be another treatment to this fiction where it goes around for another few parts and then ends up in another fashion.....please tell me what would be your choice??

Mayank

नखराली

चहकती महकती सी आई वो
हलचल कर गयी जीवन में
चंचल मधुर स्वर में
मद्धम गीत गुनगुना गई

नखराली वो, मेरे  ह्रदय में
अपनी छवि छोड़ गई
अपनी चूडियों की खनक से
कानों में मधुरम संगीत छोड़ गई

ना समझ सके कब वो
अंतर्मन में समा गई
ना समझ सके कब वो
जीवन संगिनी बन गई

उसके बिना हम जी ना सकेंगे
कि अब बस यही अभिलाषा है
जीवन  के अन्धकार में
उसके गेसूओं में सो जाना है

Was She Playing? - Part II

Continued from Part I - Was She Playing

Though it had been Tapan's routine to come back from the office and still working on the Official Laptop, he thought of changing the routine and try to get out of his grim mood.  He thought to check the messages that might have overloaded his mails and the chats as he had not checked them for almost a month. Hoping that he would also hear from Shivangi, he heads to his study table and switches on his personal laptop and heads to make a coffee for himself. He was swamped with loads of feelings on what would be the case and what would be the situation with Shivangi in case he does not get a mail or message from her.  

He heads back to his study table and opens his mailbox to find almost 5 to 6 hundred mails and around 50 of them from Shivangi.  He starts starts his chat client and as he logs into it, he finds numerous messages from Shivangi almost on a daily basis.  He started wondering, as to if this girl can send mails and chat messages almost on a daily basis, why can't she call or send text messages on phone?  While thinking, he starts reading the messages on chat client and finds almost same set of Messages - "Hope you doing good!!" or "Where are you??"  He then switches to the mails and starts from the oldest mail to the newest.  As he reads on, his facial expressions change from puzzled to anger and as he reaches the last mail, his eyes almost start shedding tears.  

As he reads the lines - "I had been trying to get in touch with you to tell you that I have found someone whom I think I love and I wanted you to be the first person to know before even I propose to that guy. I thought of calling you the day I think I felt to be in love, but the destiny had some other idea and my phone got stolen from the grocery shop.  I tried getting in touch with you so many times through mails and chats, hoping that you would get back to me.  I am not sure why your calls dried all of sudden?  The calls from you were really part of my routine and they comforted me more than you can even think.  Please please please call me or at least send me a message or mail, but please let me know about your well being.  If your call have dried up for you have met someone special in your life, please share it to me.  I would be more than happy for you.  Also, if you remember this Saturday, that is day after is my birthday, so if you would make it to Shangrila, I would me delighted to be the host.  My friends and colleagues demanded this party and without you the party would be just incomplete."

Tapan reads the mail again and again and the expressions of hurt and anguish surface on his face.  He feels dejected.  He reads the last statements once again and finds that the mail was written just few hours before.  He clicks the reply link and writes "I will be there and I would ensure that I meet your Special Someone. I would not be able to call as I lost your contact information.  I had not checked my personal mails and chat messages for last month of so.  I would definitely be there to see you and wish you on your birthday."

Tapan completes his mail, sends it and simply closes his laptop.  Feeling depressed, dejected and aggrieved, he switches on his music system and just throws himself on the sofa comforter.

To Be Continued..........

______________________________

So what do you guess would happen next and do you think the mails from Shivangi still indicate that she was playing.  Do you think Shivangi is still playing with Tapan's feeling?  What do you think is going in Shivangi's mind???

Was She Playing?

Often most of us feel we are being loved and we are being cared for, same was the feeling that developed with Tapan when he met Shivangi.  His world changed and he was lost in the mesmerizing feeling of being loved.  He couldn't think of a single day or moment when Shivangi was not in his mind, his thoughts or his feelings.  Shivangi also loved the company of Tapan and used to enjoy the moments spent with him.  Though she was not sure what's it that makes her love Tapan's company, is it the "Suave" and "Gentle" behavior, or is it the knowledge or is it the respect that he otherwise commands at work.  But, yes Shivangi indeed loved to be in Tapan's company and loved to spend time with him.

Though Tapan was warned by his friends on not getting carried away for Shivangi's behavior in no way was confirming that she is in love with him, Tapan shrugged off those warnings and was just floating in his own world of love.  Something that he believed is meant for him.  He neither cared nor was he worried of the outcome, he just wanted to live his life in the moments. 

It was a ritual with Tapan to talk to Shivangi at their start of the day, post lunch, evening while heading home and then when it used to be the time to hit the sacks.  He had been ardently following this routine and Shivangi used to respond to all his calls and they used to spend quality time on the calls.  But, today was a bit different and Tapan was a lot restless from the time he woke up.  Shivangi's phone was unavailable and Tapan didn't know what to do.  His mind was racing in all the directions and he was just out of ideas on how to reach Shivangi.

Shivangi, on her side was unaware of her phone switching off due to low battery and just carried on with her daily chorus, she was least affected for not getting a call from Tapan this morning.  She finished of her morning chorus, got ready, picked her phone and other stuff and headed to work.  She still was unaware that her phone is switched off.

Tapan, now had lost his patience as being away from Shivangi and not able to talk to her had put him out of his wits.  He had already sent tens of messages and couple of emails to Shivangi, but there had been no response from Shivangi. 

Shivangi, in the meantime, reaches her office and sits down to check her office emails and messages. It is then she takes out her phone to make a call and realizes that its switched of due to low battery.  She plugs it to the charger and gets going with her work at office.  As the phone comes back to life, though all the messages from Tapan show up on her phone, she sort of gives them a slip due to her busy schedule. 

By the end of the day Shivangi was too tired to even realize that she has not spoken to Tapan for the entire day and she has not even bothered herself to check on him about his well being.  Tapan on his side lost out on the hope to be able to speak to Shivangi.  He just leaves his shoulders to drop as the feeling of resignation hits hims hard and he recalls all the suggestions and friendly advices from his friends.  

Shivangi on her way back home checks messages from Tapan and smiles at the contents and feelings embedded in the messages that made her feel wanted and cared for.  She thinks of calling Tapan, but then resigns the thought as she was dead tired and could not have faced the way Tapan would have spoken for the lost time et al. She reaches her home and gets busy with her house chorus, dinner and then catch up a good sleep to face another of her hectic schedule the next day.

Tapan gets irked and feels insulted by Shivangi's behavior and the proceedings of the day hit his ego hard.  All the advices and the suggestions made him feel like an idiot and insane, who just got played along.  His ego makes him decide and delete all the contact information of Shivangi, though he loved her to the core of his existence.  His ego ran through his sanity for him to act in a fashion that can be called totally irrational for the person who is in love, but ego is ego and can ruin the mightiest in the world.

Tapan, thus breaks his ritual and routine of daily conversation with Shivangi. On Shivangi's part, she had too hectic a schedule to follow and in that he didn't miss talking to Tapan, she was totally occupied with work to think of anything else.

It's been more than a month when Tapan though missed Shivangi, didn't have any of her contact information to be able to contact her. He felt miserable day by day and had totally submerged himself in his work.  He had not even logged in to check his personal emails and chat account for any message from Shivangi, as he thought when he deleted her from contacts, he might not receive messages from her. 

To Be Continued...........

______________________

If you get any thought on the way this fiction may proceed, please do let me know through our comments.  Though I already have the next line of thoughts as they would proceed, I would certainly take your inputs to shape up may be a different line :)

Cheers 

Mayank

______________________

Choice V/S Decision

Wisdom is to evaluate the choices and the take a wise decision. Being selective is good while being fussy is something that might impact our lives negatively.

Moreover when it comes to gadgets, being futuristic when making decision is advisable than just being a spurt buyer. Decision to buy a gadget needs to be driven by comparative study of products in the market than just going by the jazzy name or big brand.

Its always good to think twice before making a buy decision or being run down by own chaotic choices.

Mayank

Replies and Answers

Most of the times when we express ourselves, people around retaliate. They hit back as they didn't expect us to express us in that particular manner. But are they right in doing so?? Yes they are, because our words act as The Catalyst for their reaction.

So what is the expected way to deal with such cases??? I would say there is none as I seriously believe in action to reaction theory. However is is wise to Not counter react, Not to get in explanation mode, Not to get in an arguments and no step that is going to inflat the situation. The best way to deal with such situation as per my opinion is to just apologize. If you guessed that I would say its to keep mum, then you were totally wrong. Keeping mum would just infuriate the person.

Apologizing may make you feel that your feeling that you expressed has not been valued, but that is not the real case. They are surely going to be valued if the person on the other side would understand them. Apologizing helps prevent an altercation and helps you prevent an ugly outcome to the situation.

If you think you have to explain the point to the person anyways, wait for the moment when the other person touches back on the point.

आलम-ऐ-मोहब्बत

आँखों के नशेमन से से जाम पिलाना चाहते हो
होठों से अपने जो पैगाम देना चाहते हो
दुनिया से बचाकर जो जुल्फों में घेरना चाहते हो
आज हिज्र के आलम में ये रुख किये जाते हो

बेसब्र क्यूँ हो इतना तन्हाई के डर से
क्यूँ थम जाते हैं कदम तुम्हारे खुदा के दर पे
क्या है जो यूँ इल्तेजा बेहिसाब किये जाते हो
ना चाहते हुए भी उनको रुसवा किये जाते हो
क्या दिल में कोई दर्द बसर करता है
क्या लफ्जों को हया का पर्दा कसता है
क्यों बयां नहीं करते हाल-ऐ-दिल का
ये दिल तो उन्ही से मोहब्बत करता है

Love - The Feeling without Compulsion

Love often comes to us as a feeling and it creeps in for unknown reasons.  I have never been able to understand that the feeling of love could be for some compulsion or for reason or for that matter even compromise.  I do not agree that there has to be a specific reason to love someone, as love is something for me with no boundary and no restrictions.  I am not sure how can someone find a reason to love?

For me, the various reason's people quote for being in love with someone are meaningless and the reasons and opinion are - 

1. Loving someone for the any physical attribute like beauty, one poses is not Love. It is a materialistic feeling and I put it as infatuation or say something closer to Lust.
2. Loving someone for the reason related to a personality trait is something that is more of a temporary nature and binds the other person to behave like that in most of the circumstances.
3. Loving someone for specific skills a person has is another boundary that is created around that person and the person in consideration can't move out of that boundary. Thus again limiting the way person can behave or exhibit skills.
4. Loving someone because the person Loves you is a Compromise and it surely goes on to backfire in the later stages.
5. Loving someone for the riches that person has is like another Compromise and is surely going to change if that person doesn't own those riches or when there is another person who walks in with more money to shower on. Its more like loving the Fortune of the person than the person

I mean I can list down many more reasons that can be attributed to the Feeling of Love by the people, some attribute it to eyes, some to the figure / physique, some to the other features.  But, I have not found a single person who could give me a good reason to be in love.

Being in Love is a Divine Feeling and is a Feeling that comes straight from the God within you.  It is a feeling that comes with NO Boundary, NO Reason, NO Compromise, NO Demand, NO Compulsion or none of the other similar stuff.  It comes when one is unable to find any logic to not express it as the person one is in love is a humble and honest person.

Just recalled Few lines from my Old Poem - "So What if I Love You" that I edited to suite the tone of this post -

Please don't love cause someone loves you
Please don't love someone for money spent on you
Please don't love someone for attention showered on you
Please don't love someone for anything material but
The Honesty and the truthfulness
Everything else in the world is void to guess

Few AD Jingles I would Love to See - Part IV

Nike - Just put it on
Power - The Joggers need one
Puma - Doesn't eat you
Adidas - Makes you feel like Grass
Reebok - When you wear it you Rock
Aerosoles - Fells as if u have a gliding Soul
Skechers - Sketch your feet while you walk
Calvin Klein - Walk in Terrain or on Plain
Clarks - Won't hear a sound in the Park
Bata - Tell your worries to take a Walk

एक रिश्ता - पिता और बेटे का

अपने घर और परिवार से दूर आज निखिल अपने अतीत के बारे में सोच रहा था| सोच रहा था अपने बचपन के बारे में, जब उसकी हर इच्छा उसके पिता उसके कहते ही पूरी करते थे| सोच रहा था उन दिनों के बारे में जब उसके पिता उसके लिए हर समय कुछ न कुछ करने के लिए तत्पर रहते थे| हालाँकि निखिल जानता है कि आज भी उसके पिता उसके लिए कुछ भी कर जाएंगे| किन्तु निखिल आज भी अपने पिता से डरता है, डरता है कि न जाने कब और कि बात पर वो नाराज़ हो जाएँ|

निखिल का किस्सा तो मात्र एक किस्सा है| जहाँ तक मेरा अपना मानना है, इस विश्व में अधिकतर बाप-बेटे का रिश्ता निखिल और उसके पिता जैसा ही है|  पिता हालाँकि अपने बेटे को सबसे ज्यादा चाहता है, किन्तु उसके पैर गलत दिशा में न बढे ये सोच कर अपनी भावनाओं को व्यक्त नहीं करता| बेटा भी हालाँकि जानता है कि पिता उसे माँ से ज्यादा लाड करते हैं, लेकिन अव्यक्त भावनाओं को देखते हुए वो हर समय डरा और सहमा रहता है| ये नहीं जानता कि किस बात पे पिता नाराज़ हो जाएंगे, और किस समय उनके बीच बातों का तांता थम जाएगा|

ये बात आज तक मैं खुद नहीं समझ सका कि बाप और बेटे का रिश्ता इतनी कच्ची डोर से क्यों बंधा होता है? क्यों बाप अपने बेटे के लिए अपने प्यार को अपने गुस्से से प्रकट करता है और क्यों एक बेटा अपने पिता के लए अपनी भावनाओं को अपने डर में छिपाए रखता है|  मेरा सोचना है कि एक उम्र के बाद पिता और बेटा अच्छे मित्र बन सकते हैं, किन्तु ऐसा होते हुए मैंने बहुत कम देखा है|  बेटे अधिकतर अपनी माँ से ज्यादा आसानी से बात कर लेते हैं, किन्तु कुछ भावनाएं वो उन्हें भी व्यक्त नहीं कर सकते|  कुछ भावनाएं ऐसी होती हैं जो एक बेटा अपने पिता कि गोद में सर रखकर या उनके सामने बैठ कर ही कह सकता है| लेकिन पिता कि गोद से बेटा एक बार बचपन का झूला झूलकर जो उतरता है, तो जीवन में उसे वो गोद दुबारा नहीं मिलती|  ऐसा क्यों है?

ऐसा क्यों है कि पिता के प्यार में बेटे तो उनका गुस्सा ही दिखाई देता है? ऐसा क्यूँ है कि बेटा अपने पिता से अपनी भावनाएं व्यक्त नहीं कर सकता? ऐसा क्यूँ है कि पिता सीक बेटा हमेशा डरा और सहमा रहता है?

Pa

When I recall the days bygone
When I look at the era bygone
It all reminds me of the time
When there was no rhyme
 I used to be scared always
My feelings found no ways
Though felt loved & protected
Still the feelings were dissected

I had no ways to tell you
I love and respect you
I still feel the your anger
I still feel that dagger

Though I want to hear you
Though I want to tell you
But there is no way to say
What I wanted to say till day

Why is your behavior scattered
Why it make one feel shattered
Why can't you take me in arms
Why can't you get me the calms

With you showing your anger
I always sense some danger
I want to say I love you
My Pa the I respect you

I want you to be my support
I want to build that rapport
I want you to hold me hand
I want you to lead me on sea & land

Say No - When you have to

Often in our life we get stuck in situations where we want to say NO, but we can't.  I get across so many people who just keep doing something they are told, which certainly is someone else's job, but they are doing it .  because they couldn't say no. I always tell such people to go ahead and deny, say No. But they can't.  They can't because they feel it would be rude / harsh / ill manners to say No!!!

Saying No is very important in life and saying it when you need to is all the more important.  Take for instance, a girl needs to say No, when she is asked out by someone and she must say a direct No to discourage the person from asking again.  If that girl simply smiles or says - we'll see or says - I don't 

have time, the person asking her out would still be hopeful that she would say yes.  But if the girl doesn't want to go out, she must tell No in a polite and sober manner.

Take for another instance that your boss in office gives you something urgent to deal with and you are already in the middle of something that needs to go then and there, you need to tell your boss to find an alternate person to do the urgent job. You need to tell your boss that you are already occupied with another "urgent and priority work" and you wouldn't be able to do justice to the additional urgent work.  But if you fail to say so, well you would be gone and just to earn some extra brownie points, you would end up creating a situation where you are sure to get good peace of mind in place of a pat on back or appreciation.

But, saying No when you need to also needs one to develop the skill to say No.  That is, when you learn to say No, you must also learn How to Say No and How not to Say it.  I guess, I am getting you confused, right??  But I mean what I wrote here.

Just take the two instances where one needs to say No, and in both the cases, the No that comes out should sound different.  In the first case, the No should be a permanent No and it should kill the question for once and for all.  However, in the second case, your boss needs to be politely conveyed as he had come to you considering you as the Dependable and Reliable team member. In the second case, your No should strengthen your case of being dependable and reliable. It should not make your boss feel that you are trying to shy away with a responsibility meant to be dispensed by you.

So, now that you have read the entire write-up, do ensure that you would resolve to Learn to Say No and you would learn to say No, the way it is to be said.

Responsibility and Maturity

I had often been intrigued by the discussions between maturity and responsibility.  I was always told that one needs to behave mature and understand the responsibilities as they come.  However, I always believed that responsibility precedes maturity. Maturity comes with age, that too not always.  Responsibility comes by at any age and that is always.  

I strongly believe that if a person understands and disseminates the service that comes with responsibility, maturity would automatically reflect in thoughts, behavior and actions.  One can just not fake maturity by taking seriously or by talking about being mature.  One needs to be responsible to be able to show that there is maturity.

Many times I have been in arguments / debates on Responsibility v/s Maturity where I always felt that Maturity follows Responsibility and its not that Responsibility follows Maturity.  

Just take the case of being responsible to oneself when in a boarding school or college and living out in either a hostel or a PG or independent house either rented or own.  At that age we do not have the maturity to deal with many situations, but yes we are responsible to deal with those situations and learn from the way we handle them. We are responsible to take care of ourselves and our health, we are responsible for time management and juggle with our activities to take time our for anything additional that needs to fit in our routine.  Certainly some of us behave more mature than age in such situations as they realize the responsibilities better and learn faster, others take time. 

There are cases where people are more mature than their age and on the contrary there are people who behave much immature at similar age.  But, again that can well be rendered to the learning one got by dispensing the responsibilities entrusted.  There are cases where supposedly mature person behave immature in a totally contrasting situation as the person doesn't know how to deal with such situation and how to act / behave in that situation.  In such cases, if the person takes on the responsibility to ensure that the situation is dealt with care and resolution be achieved, maturity is sure to reflect!!!

नज़र

नज़र ना झुका कि इनमें मेरा अक्स नज़र आता है
कि नज़र ना चुरा इनमें मेरा इश्क नज़र आता है
यूँ बेदर्द ना बन कि तेरी जुदाई मार ना डाले
कि जुदाई के दर्द में सिरहन उभर आती है

फैसले

फैसलों के वक्त सोच ज्यादा गहरी हो जाए तो फैसले कमज़ोर हो जाते हैं| फैसला कभी सही या ग़लत नहीं होता, उसे सिर्फ़ हालात ही सही या ग़लत बनाते हैं| जो फैसला जिन हालात में लिया जाता है, उन हालात के लिए वही फैसला सही है|

अश्रुधारा

जब ह्रदय में हो पीड़ा
जब मन में हो घृणा
दिखे  हर और जब अंधियारा
बहती है नैनों से अश्रुधारा

नहीं हो काबू जब क्रोध पर
कठिन लगे जब राह हर
कठोर हो अपने जैसे है धरा
बहती है नैनो से अश्रुधारा

विचारों हो जब अतिक्रमण
करे जब मष्तिष्क अत्यधिक भ्रमण
ना दिखे जीवन में जोई और चारा
बहती है नैनो से अश्रुधारा

बहती बहुत है नैनो से अश्रुधारा
कि ना लगे जग न्यारा
ना लगे जीवन फिर प्यारा
ना रहे कोई दुलारा

अश्रुधारा को तुम रोक सकोगे
जीवन  को भी भोग सकोगे
अगर त्याग कर सको आशाएं
अगर दूर कर सको ये बाधाएं

Retaliation

Sitting on his desk while waiting for his boss to get free, Nikhil was just getting frustrated with the day-to-day humiliation he has been going throuigh for 3 years now. He had joined the organization for the organization is a leading player in the FMCG sector and is one of the reputer brand players. But just one week in the job and his boss started humiliating him. Though as the head of Deparment, he was supposed to have a team as well as resources to work with, it was quite interesting that he was given 3 assistants / trainees and a senior guy. More interesting thing was he was a dummy reporting manager for the only senior team member. That team member was more utilized by Nikhil's boss than Nikhil himself. 

Every time he had been contacting his manager, Nikhil had to hear - "we neither have resources nor budget to recruit senior team members. Either you get the work in place with the current set of people in your team, or tell me you don't even need them. I would be happy to relocate them to another team / department."

Nikhil was now at the peak of his frustration with movement of his trained team members to other projects and he had another set of trainees to start afresh.  Strange for him that he was again at ground zero and again need to struggle to train the new team members to get up to the speed and start delivering.  The story was repeated for the third consecutive year and he was totally fed up with this.

As Nikhil was sitting and evaluating his options, he was called in by his manager with the plan for training the new bunch.  Nikhil hung up the phone and decided "Now or Never".  He walked to the meeting room empty handed and settled down there.  He had decided, either he is going to get the required resources or do hell with the job and the organization.

Nikhil's reporting manager too walks in the meeting room and on seeing him sitting there without his laptop or even his notebook, he asks him - "Nikhil, I thought we were to discus the training plan for the new joinees.  What the hell are you doing here without the plan? Are you here for a picnic?"

Nikhil snaps back - "Sir, with due regards, I have come here to talk about the plan for the department that I am heading.  The department is supposed to be the department to study the Market Dynamics in the rapidly changing economic conditions and is supposed to come up with a sales forecast in various regions to help sales team to target specific region.  But what had we been doing from last three years, the department has rather been turned to a Training Department or a Coaching class,  I put my best foot forward to train them and get them up to the speed and what the the end result? Back to Ground Zero!!! With due respect Sir, either the things have to change or I am not going to waste my time for yet another year in training / coaching the new joinees to once again see them allocated to another team / department."

Nikhil's reporting manager shouts out alound at the top of his voice - "What the hell do you think you are saying?"  Nikhil shoots back - "Sir, what I simply mean is either you get my team members back and yeah let Sid work with me rather than you or find someone else to run your coaching institute. Do Hell with your job and do hell with your strategy.  Right now right here either you gonna get things straighten out or this is the last of me to address you as Sir.  This is what I am saying and this is what it is.  Also, I am going to be plainly blunt and will clearly indicate the reason of my resignation as Your Humiliating acts as well as the Non-Supportive attitude towards my department.  Mind it, I have the statistics to support my claim.  I hope you understand and I hope you would take a decision by the end of the day, Today."

Nikhil completes his statement and walks out of the meeting room leaving his reporting manager stunned!!!!

The Voicemail - Part III - Final Part

Continued from Part II

The Girl walks in and Palash greets her - "Hey Apoorva, I wish you would have been a while earlier, we could have had breakfast together."  Apoorva replies - "Not a problem Palash, I had a nice breakfast at home and thought I can give you a visit, as its been some time that we met."  As she completes her words, she settles in the sofa. Palash and her get on with their routine talks while Hari brings in coffee for both.  While sipping the coffee Palash tells Apoorva - "Hey, there had been a girl calling me time and again since last night and when I heard her first, I thought it were Vidya with some prank. But she clarified in the last call that I apparently answered that she is not Vidya.  I am just surprised as to who is this girl who apparently has my landline number?" Apoorva smiles as Palash finishes his words and tells him if he deleted the voice messages or they are still there in his voicemail device?  Palash answers - " Oh Yeah they are very much there and I have not deleted them."

Palash moves over next to the voicemail device and replays the voice messages and just then his mobile rings, he looks at the unknown number and waves at Apoorva indicating that it is the same girl. As he answers the call, there was a silence followed from the other side, as he says - "Hello, excuse me, I told you.......", he hears his own voice coming from other part of the room where Apoorva was sitting.  He looks in that direction and sees a devilish smile on Apoorva's face. He looks at her in amazement with a question written all over his face.  Hari on the other side was all smiles while clearing the coffee mugs from the table. Palash also bursts out in laughter as he sees a mobile next to Apoorva and disconnects the call.  

Apoorva walks over to Palash hugs him and says - "I love you, how do I tell you that I always wanted to confess my love to you, but never had an idea as to how do I tell my stupid childhood friend that I have loved him from the time I can recall."

Palash hugs her back and says - "I love you too, but never knew about your feelings and always kept my feelings subdued"

The Voicemail - Part II

Continued from Part I

As Palash was switching between the Channels, he received a call on his Landline again. palash Looks over at the caller ID and finding unknown number, he lets it play on the Voicemail.  He was least interested in tending a call from the unknown caller at 10 in the night.  As the Call shifts to Voicemail, the caller's voice is heard.  Palash was little surprised to note the same female's voice again.  Its just been 2 hrs from the previous call and there is yet another call.  As Palash thinks, the female voice is heard saying - "Hey Palash, I know you there avoiding my call, bu no worries, I would call you till you either answer my call or return the call. I know you like me, and let me tell you that I like you too.  I know that you have something hidden in you that's stopping you from coming forward and that's keeping me away from you."  Palash gets stunned at the audacity of the caller, though caller continues - "I am not going to leave my name in your Voicemail, you have to find out my name and you need to relate it to my number. I guess by now you would have well noted my voice and accent and would have been tracing through your mind about me. Trace on honey"

Palash just shrugs away the thoughts as the caller disconnects the call and he just get busy with his favorite TV show.  Palash sleeps over in his living room while watching the TV keeps on playing and a bit later, Hari comes to switch it off and the lights. As Hari looks over at Palash sleeping like baby, he just gets the blanket from Palash's bedroom and cover him.  Palash snuggles in the blanket.

Next day Palash gets up from sleep with the Sun rays waking him up and was amused that he slept in his Living room itself.  He gets up folds his blanket and moves to get fresh. He takes a long time to take a leisure shower, then performs the regular prayers and comes out of his room to be greeted by Hari with Breakfast ready for him.  As Palash settles to have the breakfast, his phone rings again and he gets up from the seat to answer the call.  He sees the same unknown number and is amazed at the perseverance of the caller, he presses the speaker phone button and answers the call -

Palash - "Hello"

Female Voice - "Hey Handsome"

Palash - "Hi, I see this is your third call from last night.  I was a lot tired last night and heard your voice messages this morning"

Female Voice - "Well, sweetheart, I would believe you for the way you devote your time at your work.  I have been hearing the praise from your team members quite often.  Though we have not met, but I like you."

Palash thinks, yeah so she is someone else and not Vidya. He replies - "Well, but you left a message stating I like you and I was not sure if we ever spoke.  Though your voice is familiar, but if you are saying we haven't met, I am puzzled as to who are you?"

Female Voice - "Now that's for you to find out.  I know you thought it was Vidya, but I am not Vidya.  Incidentally I and Vidya have similar voices and that was enough to confuse you."

Palash - "I am sorry Lady, if I don't know who you are, I don't think I have any business to talk to you.  This is the limit of indecency and even if it sounds rude, Take Care and don't bother yourself to call me." Palash disconnects the phone and adds the number to Barred numbers list.

Palash then sits down to have his breakfast.  His eyes simply reflecting the anger within him as he thinks that the female crossed all her limits to play a sort of prank on him.  He finishes his breakfast and shifts to play his favorite game on his Sony Playstation to vent out his anger.  As he plays the game, his expression of anger seems to be turning to a nice smile.  He was deeply engrossed in his game when the doorbell rings and Hari opens the Door to a Gorgeous Girl standing at the Doorway.....................

To be Continued

The Voicemail

It was the Friday evening, the start of weekend when Palash returned home tired after a long and hard day at work. He just put his laptop bag on the center table in his living room and threw himself on the sofa. His house help came with water and Coffee for him as he lay there lazily closing his eyes and relaxing. He opened his eyes as he hear the voice of his house help - "Coffee Baba" and he thanked the chap saying - "Thanks Hari". Hari stood there as Palash drank water and handed over the glass waving at him to carry on the work. Hari left and as Palash picked up the coffee mug, his mobile rang and he answered the call - "Palash here", he was then heard saying "No man not possible, its been a tiring day for me and am all exhausted to think of stepping out of the house. You guys carry on." He hangs up the phone, finishes his coffee and moves to his room to take a nap.

He was later woken up by Hari to have dinner and as he gets up, he sees his voicemail device blinking to which he asks Hari if he had gone out as there is a voicemail. Hari replies - "I had gone out for some grocery shopping to the nearby shop and may be the call might have come during that period." Palash just thinks "wow the ring didn't disturb him and that means he slept deep. He gets up and decides to listen to the voicemail after dinner. He moves to freshen up telling Hari to arrange the dinner.

After dinner Palash comes back to check the voicemail and as he retrives the number he was a bit surprised to note an unknown number. He with a curiosity presses the button to retrieve the message as he settles in the bean bag kept there. The voice in the voice message turns out to be of a female and Palash gets shocked but recovers to hear the message - "Hey handsome, I was thinkig to catch you on the phone as you didn't go out tonight. I thought you would at least be available to chat on the phone, but it so seems that you been seriously tired to even answer the call. I thought you would remember my voice and so I thought to leave the message without my name. I also guess that you know how much do I like you? Hope you would return my call."

Palash was a little too surprised at the message and plays the message again to identify the voice. From the expressions on his face it is clear that he is trying to fish through his memory to identify the owner of th voice. One could sense his dilemma and that he is bothered. He once again replays the message and is seen a bit relaxed with a sarcastic smile on his face and he murmurs "Seems to be Vindya, Apoorva's friend." He switches off the playback and switches on the TV with expressions clearly telling that his mind is racing and he is thinking something..........

To be continued

Few AD Jingles I would Love to See - Part III

1. Amul Butter - Needs No Cutter, Spread it, Lick it and Eat it
2. Tata Safari Dicor - Compacte Power of 407
3. Toyota - I Love when you Buy me from Dealer
4. Mitsubishi - Its Technically Possible Except Sales
5. Philips - Let's Make it Look Brighter
6. Citibank - Because Citi Never wants you to Sleep
7. Kentucky Fried Chicken - Lick it Before You Eat it
8. BMW - The Ultimate Expensive Machine
9. ONGC - Making Tomorrow Costlier and Dearer
10. Honda - The Power in the Cream

Fwd: Conversation between an IITian & rickshaw puller

I keep receiving a lot of forwards and I normally check the subject before even opening the email.   Though when I read the subject of this email, I was not too sure if it would be worth reading, but then opened the email.  I read on and as I read further, more interesting the conversation seemed to me.  So thought of posting this to the Blog rather than just circulating around in the chain mail.  Read On as the stuff is really interesting.
 ____________________________________________________________
There were two rickshaw-walas vying for our business when we wanted to go to Sankat-Mochan temple in Benaras. I agreed to go with the one who was about 20, seemed like a regular young rickshaw-wala, but I found something interesting about this fellow in his eyes. I was not proved wrong.
He wanted Rs 50, we said Rs 30. We settled for 40.
Here are the highlights of the conversation that ensued while he rode the rickshaw:
"aap kahan se aaye hain"
"Delhi"
"bijness ya kaam karte hain?"
"naukri karte hain"
"kismein"
"internet mein"
"humara bhi kuch wahin kaam lagwa do"
I just chuckled
"main try kar raha hoon engineering padhne kee. achchi naukri lag jaayegi tab"
"achcha?" I asked a little interested
"haan, delhi mein Guru Gobind Singh Indraprashta University mein engineering ke liye apply kara hai. achchi hai woh university"
"haan, achchi hai", I agreed.
"haan, kal hee maine JEE bhi diya"
"JEE matlab, IIT ka?"
"haan, Joint Entrance Examination" he pronounced it perfectly just to make it clear to me what JEE stood for. "mushkil hota hai exam"
"haan, 2 saal toh log padhte hee hain uske liye, asaan nahin hai" I carried on the conversation
"Delhi mein Akaash coaching institute hain na?"
"haan, hai"
"aapne kya padhai kari?"
"main engineer hoon, aur phir mba bhi kiya"
"kahan se engineer?"
"IIT delhi se"
He swung back, surprised, a little delighted, and smiled. "Ok, aapke liye Rs 30"
Swati and I laughed
Swati asked "padhai kab karte they IIT ke liye"
"bas, rickshaw chalaane ke baad raat mein". Then he added "kismein engineering kari aapne?"
"Chemical"
"toh aapki chemistry toh badi strong hogi"
"nahin, aisa nahin hai"
He continued "yeh bataiye....jab Mendeleev ne Periodic Table banaya tha tab kitne elements they usmein?"
Now it was my turn to get surprised. He was quizzing me. I said "shayad 70-80"
"no, 63" he said sharply. "kaunse element kee electronegativity highest hai?"
Swati was laughing, and I didnt try too hard and said "pata nahin"
"Flourine", he said confidently. Without a break he asked,"kaunse element kee electron affinity highest hoti hai?"
Now I was laughing too and said "nahin pata"
"Chlorine. toh aapka kaunsa subject strong tha?" clearly having proven that my chemistry wasnt a strong point
"Physics", I said
"achha, Newton's second law of motion kya hai"
I knew this one I thought, "F=ma" I said
"Physics is not about formula, it is understanding concept!"  he reprimanded me in near perfect english. "Tell me in statement"
I was shocked. Swati continued to laugh.
I said "ok, Newtons second law, er....was...."
" 'was' nahin, 'is'!Second law abhi bhi hai!" he snapped at my use of 'was'
Surely, my physics wasnt impressing him either. "yaad nahin, I said"
"Force on an object is directly proportional to the mass of the object and the acceleration of the object", he said it in near perfect english. "aapne mtech nahin kiya?"
"nahin, mba kiya"
"mba waale toh sirf paisa kamana chahte hain, kaam nahin karte"
"nahin, aisa nahin hai, paisa kamaane ke liye kaam karna padta hai"
He said "arrey, rehene do"  or some words to that effect. He didnt think too highly of me apparently anymore.
In a minute we reached our destination. We got off and I told him that he must and should definitely study more, and that I think he is sharp as hell. He took only Rs 30, smiled and began to leave. I got my camera out and said "Raju, ek photo leta hoon tumhari". He waved me off, dismissed the idea and rode off before I could say anything more....leaving me feeling high and dry like a spurned lover. Damn, what a ride that was! India is changing, and changing fast.

Fight Against Corruption: The Drama without a Ring Master

I had been following the movement by Shri Anna Hazare from the time he started his hunger strike in April this year to now when it is reported (TOI tweet: Ramdev not mature enough to lead movement: Anna Hazare http://toi.in/94f-EY) that he made a statement about baba Ramdev.

Seriously the whole movement has just reduced to a Drama or a Circus in which other than Shri Hazare, every other person seems to be clown. Shri Hazare is rather seems to have become a mute spectator to what the movement has turned out to be.  I am not sure how true the tweet mentioned above is, but I seriously think Shri Hazare made a very right statement as he made it.  

Baba Ramdev, am not sure what his interest is in the Political circle, though I had read somewhere earlier before the movement against corruption started that he wanted to start a political party.  Also, knowing about his Business Empire, I am not sure if he himself knows about the cases where his own employees engage in the acts of Corruption?  I seriously doubt the intents of baba Ramdev to have got himself into a situation of mess and raised the temperatures unnecessary to the extent that lathi charge and tear gas shells were used to disperse the crowd.  One of the Gurgaon resident, a female, is reported to be in serious condition and another who was hurt in lathi charge is reported to have been disabled for life.

And where is the Millionaire Baba?  In the comfort of a Hospital, being treated by the Doctors for having fasted in his fight against Corruption. Shouldn't he be responsible for getting his followers hurt and in the situation that they are?  Wasn't something that he did totally uncalled for? and isn't he now responsible to support those of his supporters who would have to live through their life may be in the trauma of their sufferings? Would the Millionaire Baba take a Step ahead to ensure that these followers will be supported financially for their life?  I seriously Guess NOT.

I am totally with Shri Hazare on his Fight against Corruption and would stand on his call, but the mockery of a serious movement MUST be stopped immediately and the Millionaire Baba MUST STOP creative unnecessary Fuss around Corruption and Black Money stuff.  We do understand that Black Money to the tune it is reported in a National Asset and it must be brought back, but not at the cost of Physical Assault on the Citizens due to someone saying something and then taking a U-turn.

And I was in fits of Laughter to see the pics of Baba in Woman Attire - Another Shameful Act by someone who is serious about him trying to flee in disguise

Irresponsible Step by Media - Ref: Times Campaign

TIMES CAMPAIGN: IT'S MY LIFE

Join campaign to RAISE YOUR VOICE against drinking age limit of 25

What a shameful act by a Media Organization. If the Maharashtra Government has raised the Bar for drinking / consuming Alcohol from 21 years to 25 years, it should be heralded as a good and responsible step by the Society. Media rather then condemning the ruling must come out in support. 

Times group is one of the leading Media houses and if they would get in such acts as promoting consumption of Alcohol, I wouldn't be surprised to see a degraded social stature pretty soon.  

What is the interest of Times Group to promote Drinking of Alcohol at a younger age say of 21 or even 18 as the tweet read "You can vote at 18 but the govt says you can’t drink till 25! RAISE YOUR VOICE." It gives me the idea that most of the models or those associated with Times group and below age of 25 would be left out from drinking in the Parties often thrown by Times Group.  Is that the reason?

People supporting the Campaign must evaluate the general age by which the average student completes studies and gets on a job.  Just take the simple calculation that at the age of 18 one completes +2, at 21 Graduation, at 22 BE, BTech, MBBS (depending on the stream), and 23 to 25 is the age when generally the PG is completed.  Even if we take the lower age, 23 is the time when the student completes PG and gets on the Job front, there the initial year or two are the struggling duration on the Job front, so certainly it is not before 25 that the person stabilizes on the job front too.

Now if one goes by the campaign by Times, it is just irresponsible to fight for letting someone below 25 drink.  If they think 18 should be the age to drink, as per the tweet mentioned above, then they need their calculations set correct.  At age of 18, 90% of the youth still lives on the support system of their parents and they DO NOT have any right to waste their parent's money on Liquor.  

I hail the decision of Maharashtra Government to raise the Age Bar to Drink.  Times Group and the People with Vested Interest behind the Campaign must "THANK THEIR STARS" that Government didn't declare Maharashtra as a DRY STATE, like Gujarat and Haryana.

More so, With raised Age Bar to consume Alcohol, I am sure there would be lesser cases of "Drunken Driving" among youths and there would be lesser cases of Irresponsible Driving resulting in deaths of innocents.  

Here I Stand AGAINST the Campaign by Times Group

The Rain

With the sound of thunder
It is the drop of water
Making the melodious music
By wetting the eartern mosaic

I woke up to the music this morning
Not expeting the heat so scorching
The rays of sun won't be burning
It would be comfortable than chilling

It such a nice and awesome feeling
To wake up to rain all smiling
It makes the face to glow
Expecting the day a bit slow

The thing for am now waiting
Is there going to be a meeting
With these tiny drop give way
To a shower heavy to say

I would love if it would drizzle
As it would drench each pebble
I love the slow and calm rain
As water seeps in earth not drain

God make it rain rain rain
I am willing to miss my train!!!!!!

Few AD Jingles I would Love to See - Part II

1. Vodafone - Wherever you go, our Billing Follows
2. iPhone - Communicate using your Finger
3. Blackberry - The Tasteless Berry to Communicate
4. Airtel - We Ensure Communication Even if it is Cross-Connection
5. Reliance - Bhar lo Katori Muththi mein
6. Samsung -What is Next, Hang or Reboot?
7. Idea - If you get an Idea, Pass it on
8. BSNL - Key to Locate Your Identity
9. NDNC - New Disturbing Network Caller
10. Nokia - Latch on to get Support to use it

Twilight of Life

Why is life a puzzle unsolved
Why is life mysteriously unresolved
Why is life seriousness uncured
Why is life labyrinth uncrossed

Why is life so complicated
Why is life so precipitated
Why is life not as simple
Why is life not as noble

Why is there always a twilight
Why is there no correct sight
Why there is so much to fight
Why there is not always right

Life can be as simple for child
Life can be soothing and mild
Why one has to be a knight
To face the Twilight and Fight

The See-Saw Saga

Looking at Praveer, Nidhi got an impression that he is a bit too sad and is under too much a pressure.  She walked to him and called for him when she was near him. But, Praveer didn't react and she patted on his shoulder. Praveer didn't react to the patting also, which made Nidhi a bit uncomfortable as Praveer was her best buddy. She had found Praveer to be so honest and reliable that she trusted him to the core of her existence.  She was grateful to him to have helped her sort out her issues with her husband when she had caught her husband cheating on her. 

Today, the ever charming, ever smiling Praveer was sitting lost somewhere.  He was not responding to the people around, he was not responding to the music and the almost chaotic atmosphere of celebrations in the office.  Nidhi's mind was racing to trace the reason of the silence and deep thought Praveer seemed to be.  She could sense a sort of pain in Praveer's heart and she was getting sure that he is trying to accept something that he is not ready to accept.

Nidhi thought to leave him alone for a while, when Praveer's phone rang again for the nth time and the ringer was different one than the usual.  She sees Praveer reacting to the call and Praveer answers the call.  Nidhi approaches him once again as he disconnects the call and asks him as to what happened to him? where is he lost and what's up in his mind? Praveer tells her to leave him alone to which Nidhi says "No way Praveer.  You had been a helping hand to me in almost all my issues and today when you are in some sort of a problem, you want me to walk away and leave you on your own? This is not done, you have to share the problem with me and you have to share it now.  Come on, get up from here and lets go outside and discuss your issue."

Praveer gets up and they move out to the canteen of their office, which was relatively quiet. Nidhi probes Praveer again and Praveer replies - "Nidhi, I guess I am not destined to be in Love. My Destiny had been really rude and harsh with me and I never got anything that I loved or I wanted. My Destiny has always treated me like her Step Child.  I had to struggle and strive hard to get anything or everything in my life."  Praveer takes a pause and take a deep breath as Nidhi looks at him with puzzled looks. 

Praveer continues - "Nidhi, you don't know about my past, but well, I was in a relation for 6 yrs, but one fine day, the girl walks out of my life and gets married to someone else.  All this happened when I was not in the country for just 3 mths.  You would be surprised to note that we were engaged formally with acceptance from our family and when our marriage was fixed for the date a mth later to when she actually got married." 

Nidhi looks on his face trying to read his expressions as Praveer continues - "After that I had forgotten what love means and I just pushed myself to my work and showing around to the people that I am a Happy Go Lucky guy. Until recently when I happened to meet someone and felt the sting of love again.  When I discussed with my family about this the standard answer I got was that they would be happy to see me married and they would find a suitable match for me from the same caste.  I was devastated as I wanted to share my happiness with them and they dug a grave for the same happiness.  But I decided to give in to their views as from the point where they see, they see the last failed relationship that I had.  That time they had without any issues accepted my request and the things were all well set, but they didn't turn out the way they were supposed to be.  I am lost for the girl knows about my feelings and I am lost out on how to convey it to her or how to take things forward that my family agrees?"  Praveer completes his statement and looks at Nidhi.

Nidhi breaks her silence and says - "Praveer, I understand your point and I understand the point from where your family is coming from.  It is tough situation that you are in and I guess we will have to think around the problem. As you always tell me that every problem comes with a solution, so am sure there is a solution to this problem too."

Praveer retorts - "I dunno, but I guess, I am not supposed to be in love!!!"

The wait

Today I got up with a smile
I guess for I walked the mile
Now it only the wait
To have an open gate
The case seems to be resolved
My fate seems to be evolved
its now time to sort things out
As its time to get ready for life's bout

:-)

From Love - to Solitude

Prashant was sitting in his usual corner of the Coffee shop with his laptop and was working on his latest storyline while sipping his coffee.  The staff of the coffee shop was quite familiar with their daily customer who used to spend most of his afternoons in that corner.  The staff was also well versed with the choices of Prashant from the choice of his coffee for the day to the snacks he like to take a bite of. One can say he was one of the favorite customers there and was taken care of pretty well.  The staff knew it well that Prashant is never disturbed either on his phone nor in person by anyone.  But today it seemed to be bit different or rather it was.  The Door of the Coffee shop opens and a girl around 25 or so dressed in smart casuals walks towards Prashant's table.  On reaching Prashant's table, the girl without disturbing Prashant simply settles down in the chair opposite to him. However, Prashant senses the invasion in his personal space from someone not usual at that point and looks up at the girl with puzzled looks.  As he sees the girl, his expression of puzzle changes to a gentle smile and he say - "What brings you here Kanika?"

Kanika, the girl, replies - "Well I wanted to check out the cozy corner of my writer and wanted to share the space with him while he is working on the next novel of his. I thought, why can't I have a coffee with you here?"  

Prashant - "Well, well Ms. Kanika, you could have always called me up on my mobile if you were interested and I would have been at your service!!"

Kanika - "Prasant, sometimes, it gives one more pleasure to walk a bit and meet the person rather than calling him/her. Hence, I decided to walk down from my office upstairs to your work area.  It is indeed a refreshing change for me."

Prashant replies with a mischievous smile - "I surrender, else I suspect my next novel would never see the light of the day as we might end up discussing the modus operandi to have a coffee together and I would miss the deadline of my beautiful publisher."as Prashant completes his statement, he waves at the counter to serve two coffees.

As there was a bit silence, Kanika asks Prashant - "So would my handsome writer like to de-brief me about his novel, so that I do not get curious day by day and spend time having more coffee and thus delaying the completion of the Novel?"

Prashant replies - "Sure why not as my beautiful publisher has to anyways read the novel,. I may as well de-brief her and cut down the review period."  Kanika tells him to stop flirting as she was keen to know the story line.

Prashant starts off - "See this is the story of a guy who always felt that love is something which is the game of luck, chance and right timing.  He never believed that love is something that happens by chance and he had good amount of affairs to back his theory up.  But this time, he actually gets caught on the wrong foot as he himself proves his own theory wrong.  He finds himself deeply and madly in love with this girl who had recently shifted in the neighborhood."  Kanika listens with utmost curiosity while sipping the coffee served to them.  Prashant takes a sip from his coffee mug and continues - "The guy this time tries to resort to his old charms, but fails to lure the attention of the girl and his chance and timings go for a toss as the girl doesn't reciprocate.  He feels helpless in the way he feels he is being treated and loses all the hope in the world to succeed.  He just thinks to let go of the case and starts sulking. The girl on the other hand was smart enough to notice the change in the guys behavior and was smart enough to relate it to the treatment she dealt him."

Kanika remarks - "You are being Sadist this time." Prashant laughs at the comment and continues - "However, the guy stops bothering the girl and goes in his shell from where it becomes quite difficult to get him out. His entire focus and attention diverts to his passion for Wildlife Photography that apparently was the interest area for that girl too.  She discovers the life in the pictures that the guy took in the wilderness of the forests and starts developing feeling for him."

Kanika - "So do they get together to live happily ever after?"

Prashant - "Well, no for the guy had resigned to the fate of love and had decided to live with his solitude and his passion. And the girl regrets that she never understood that guys true love for her."

Kanika - "Sad, but I guess that's what is the tragic end to some unfateful love stories!!!!" Prashant nodes with a smile.....

Dear Diary - My Sincere Apologies

Dear Diary,

 

I want to apologize to you for tearing one page from you where I compile my thoughts and my feelings.  I want to confess to you that today when I sat at my desk, I was not sure what am I going to write and my fingers just started writing something,  I was not sure why were the words getting scattered with my shattered thoughts.  I tried to control my fingers, but then they went on to write a poem depicting the pain I was in.  I completed the poem and just left it on you on my desk.  Made myself a nice Cold Coffee and started reviewing the poem I had written in my semi-conscious state of mind.  I was shocked that what I had produced from my shattered thoughts.  It was no way that I was going to leave that something, which seemed to me as scattered thoughts, but turned out to be a poem with pain scattered through the blooded soul of me and right on your heart.

Well, I know what I did was something more insane and more shocking for you to bear.  I understand the pain that you went with when I tore of those pages of you to delete those lines I was suppose to leave as imprint on you, if I would not have reviewed it.  Strange so it seems, but it did happen today with me. I guess, it happened because I curbed my feelings that I should otherwise have expressed to the one I loved, rather love.  But, since I was not sure of where and how the relation would head to the destiny, I stopped short of proposing and decided to go on with the life.

I do agree with you, another act of insanity from my side.  But one thing is for sure, She would be in my thoughts and prayers for ever and I would want her happy in her life.  Even if we seize to talk and meet, I wouldn't mind as I have taken a step back from where I was headed.  Who says there is no back gear in life, it is there if you want to stop yourself from heading a particular path.  I did that today. 

Once again Dear Diary, I am extremely sorry for the heinous and barbaric act of tearing your page and Causing you the pain.  I assure you that I would never ever repeat the act in future.  I sincerely apologize once more and hope that you would forgive me.

Your Sad Writer

नासूर

आज वो गुज़ारा ज़माना याद आता है
हर एक बिता पल याद आता है
जिंदगी ने दिया जो ज़ख्म
वो नासूर बन उभर आता है
क्या खता थी मेरी ऐ खुदा
कि मने जिंदगी से ये सिला पाया है
ना कोई रंज न कोई गिला कर सकते हैं
कि दिल-ऐ-नासूर इतना गहरा पाया है

Nostalgia - Journey of Life

Sitting in his lawn chair, Shekhar was sipping his evening coffee while viewing the Album on his laptop.  The album that he got digitized for it contained his memories from the past and he wanted to preserve it.  As he clicked on a picture where he was celebrating the first ever win as the Captain of his School Hockey Team, expressions on his face changed and he seemed to recount the joy he had as a 14 yr old.  Its been a journey of almost 20 years from then to where he was today, Coach of the same School's Hockey Team as well as the District Team.  As he clicked on and making notes in the notes section of each picture, his expressions kept changing with the pictures until he stopped clicking when he arrived at a picture where he was being hugged by a beautiful girl.  "Mrinalini" as he murmured. His expressions changed to one that were a depicting the depth of pain and suffering he would have been through.

He clicked on the Notes and scribed down - "The first Girl who proposed me and my first love, incidentally neither the destiny nor God wanted us to be together.  We departed when our team lost its first ever match in 4 years after being crowned the state champions for the first time.  Though she left me, she did follow her dream of being a Doctor and is now living in Kalingpong with her Doctor Husband and their too kids.  God Bless her with every happiness of her life."

Shekhar again started clicking through the pictures and making notes.  The pictures of his School time and then on to his college and he kept making notes for each of the picture.  He again stopped at one picture taking a deep breath and uttered - "Shivalika" and then clicked on the notes where he scribed - "My first Crush in the College and apparently my buddy proposed her before I could.  The only thing that I could think of was to back out. Though it hurt, but I did earn a friend, well two friends for life.  Now they are happily married to each other and have happy with their kids."

While he was busy making notes, he arrived at a picture of a young kid.  His eyes seemed to be wet and one could see a tear rolling down his face and dips in the coffee that he was holding to take a sip.  He keeps the coffee mug aside and calls for his domestic help. His domestic help comes and he sees the state Shekhar is in.  The old man says - "Son, till when you would keep hurting yourself?  Why don't you go and tell her that she is your daughter and you are her father?" Shekhar replies - "Steven, do you remember when we met her when she was just 4 years, I guess I met her for the 3rd time.  Just if you remember that she called me......." "Shekhar Uncle", Steven completes the dying sentence.  Shekhar tells him to get a fresh coffee and clicks on the Notes to scribe the notes for the picture.

Shekhar writes - "My beloved daughter Shyla, whom I saw for the first time when she was 11 mths old.  She was so lovely then and she is the most beautiful daughter in the world.  I remember the time when she was crying in her mother's lap and not sleeping and I took her in my arms, made her lie on my chest and she was soon fast asleep.  She loved to sleep like that and I loved whenever she slept on me.  The 11 mths old made me feel like a complete human being."

Shekhar moved to the next picture and clicked on the Notes to scribe - "Shyla, when she was two years old.  Could barely meet her for 15 minutes, though I was in that city for a full day.  Her mother came to the airport with her only at the last moment when the Security Check was on.  I could barely hold her in my arms."

Shekhar moved to the next picture and clicked again to scribe - "Shyla, 4 years old I was in that city for 2 mths, met her 4 times and when met her for the first time that year, she referred me as 'Shekhar Uncle'.  During that period, she came to meet me on her B'day and she invited me to her b'day party.  I couldn't go as her mother didn't want me to and had categorically told me not to."

Shekhar moved to the next picture where his daughter was seen with another young boy.  He scribed - "Shyla with her cousin brother and my nephew Pragyan.  She was 5 yrs then and during this visit Pragyan told her that I am her father.  She had initially thought I was Pragyan's Father."

On the next picture Shekhar noted - "My first ever visit to Shyla's School.  She was happy and elated to see me there.  This was the first time she ran towards me screaming Papa.  It was also the first time she hugged me."

As Shekhar was making the notes on the pictures, Steven comes back with his coffee as well as phone and tells him, "Son, Shyla on the line."  Shekhar takes the phone and says, "hello Beta, how's you?"  from the other side Shyla says "Papa, I had been waiting for your call to wish me my B'day.  It's so bad of you that you didn't call me the entire day and its the time when I am going to cut the cake, but not without your wishes."  Shekhar's eyes once again can be seen wet and he composes himself to say - "Beta, my wishes are with you always and you know that.  You know that you are always in your papa's thoughts, just that papa couldn't call.  I am really sorry beta."

Shyla from the other side says - "Papa, it happens every year that I have to call you on my b'day and remind you.  All the year round, I keep getting your gifts but when I need the most, you don't either send me the b'day gift nor do you call me.  I hate you for that papa, I really hate you for that."

Shekhar replies - "Beta you know that papa loves you and he loves you the most.  I am sorry beta that I didn't call, but for that don't spoil your mood beta.  Blow the Candles out and Cut the cake as I sing the B'day song for you - Happy b'day to you...." As he utters the words, Shekhar hears a female voice "Enough Shyla, now give me the phone and cut the cake” and the phone is hung up from the other side.  

Shekhar utters – “Bitch” with a devilish look and picks up the coffee mug to sip his coffee and gets back to his picture album.