Journey

That sweaty, sultry morning of April suddenly enlivened Shekhar's work routine. Time suspended, the moment donned rose-tinted glasses and he dived in it as he leafed through the pages of a black and white wedding photo album. A symphony echoed in his ears, and memories of his nuptial day danced to its tunes infront of his eyes. 'Pack quickly, the truck is on its way,' the owner of the house shouted from across the room. Coming out of his trans, Shekhar got back to packing the owner's belongings in neat boxes, ready to be moved to a different location. His beloved, too had once been on her way visiting a different location, when fate sent her resting below a tombstone. 

Heavy breathing,
supressed moans,
flexing muscles,
Cannot control
And it hits the right spot
She lets out a cry,
he pulls it out finally
Oh good lord! Sigh!
Relaxed expressions,
face all glee
The bee sting was out
And the doctor held it triumphantly

l'amour n'est pas facile

I'm standing on a threshold

But it feels like a maze

My head is spinning,

Why this rage?

A prayer to almighty

Please show me a way

There are colors all around

But why am I seeing gray?

Why is there a tear in my eye

When u are sound asleep on the other end?

I've turned greedy I guess,

And it's my penance.

I want more of you,

When all I can have is this much

Yes, just this much,

When my life is on a threshold

A threshold, which feels like a maze.

Love or something like that...

From classical Gone with the Wind to filmy Veer Zaara to unearthly Wall E to creepy Corpse Bride -LOVE is one common theme among these movies and numerous others that have raked in cash at cinema counters. Every thing is rose tinted during and at the end of two and half hr ON 70 mm screen but what about in real life? Do we understand love? How does it manifests itself? How long can it last or how quickly can it happen... these questions left me wondering some weeks backs.. and it all started with an email.

Now I don't want to write a diary here.. but just want to share a thought on this feeling called love or something which feels like that.

After a certain age we are cognizant about our emotional quotient and what we feel for people around us. We 'love' our friends, family and pets. Some people 'love' their gadgets, their designer shoes and clothes, some jewellery. Some 'love' to indulge in certain kinds of activities or sports and some people just 'love' certain kind of food/cuisine. Are we loosely using the term 'love' here or has it become a colloquial term for something we cherish in life or feel possessive about. Both notions sound equally convincing.

But why does this term changes nature when it comes to choosing a partner?? I've observed two categories of people in this. In the first case, love causes all rationality to go for a toss, love becomes selfish, adamant, dependent and insecure. And in another case, it brings perspective to a person's life, makes his/her goals clearer and bring stability to life. So why are there two bipolar sides of a singular emotion? Can we predict what category of love will we fall into when we meet our 'THE' guy/gal? I've come to my own conclusion on this.

Love is an emotion which comes naturally to all mammals, humans and primates included. (No, this is not the conclusion!) But human brain allows the circumstances and realities around itself to get filtered and we register only those which we want to retain. It is a matter of choice. The kind of choices we make depends a lot on our experience, mental state of well being and our upbringing. Our choices help us to make a decision.

The more number of positive thoughts and outlook towards another person will keep the mind sane and put you in the second category of amorous relationship. Over a period of mind, this will

breed mutual trust. However, if inspite of this things go awry, perhaps that would be your tryst with destiny..but atleast you wouldn't feel emotionally crippled at the end of it.

Personally, I believe in fantasies and 'love' to retain some element of them in my real life. So i'll reiterate what J.K Rowling said- 'It's not our abilities that make us the kind of person that we are. It's our choices!'

Hey you! Up there...knock knock

I've often wondered if god listens to our requests and wishes.

I think he might. We just have to hang on in there, doing whatever we can do, and just continuing believing in him and in ourselves.

I've experienced this and wish the same for you!

Right now i'm in one such situation, again, but if I can pursue my cause, I think i'll get it, although it's not that my life's course rests on it but nevertheless...

ciao!

PS- small post but very important thought

FEELING BLUE

And so it came to be

The confusion, the pain

I look towards myself

To find when it all began

Why o why o tell me why

I strive to find the way

This never-ending urge

To steer everything away

The confused state of mind

Has been a friend I fear

Cherry dipped in wine

Or lemon in corona beer

Life o life where areth thou

Lay me a bed of roses

Cry me a river when I foul

But not without offering choices

Lay me a bed of roses,

I can fight thorns at times

But never fuck me up like this

Coz this isn’t my destiny or a will divine

White Tiger

Up and up, round and round the hill we went, in the dark night, clouds kissing us, as we made our way back to our camp in the quiet village of Telbaila. A rickety bus honked from a distance and the driver, with his eyes popping out, shouted “There is a white tiger growling uphill. I saw the eyes and the strips. Run back if you want to live!”

We were a team of twenty friends visiting Telbaila for a spiritual retreat, but the news had already driven the calming effects of yoga and meditation out of our system. All the torch lights were put on and we started screaming (more out of shock) to keep the wild beast at bay.

It had started to rain by the time we reached our camp. Some distance away from my shack, I froze. Amidst the bushes, I saw something moving and making a queer sound. My heart thumped against my ribs. I wanted to run but curiosity got the better of me.

I parted the bushes much to my friends’ disapproval. A big wild cat, albino, was giving birth to its litter. Three out, one half-way through. As the new life was coming out, we breathed in life. I declared to my friends that I’ll name this kitten ‘Tiger’.

A for Armani, B for Burberry.....

Forbes Magazine has come out with a list of ‘Hollywood’s Hottest Kids’, ranking them according to the designer clothes they wear. Tomkat’s 3 year old daughter Suri Cruise tops the list, followed by Brangelina kids. Forbes coming out with such a list is unnerving. Rating little children on their ‘hot’ness quotient and fashion statement is vanity in its crudest form. Creating such lists will only lead to kids being treated as ‘objects’ of beautification and create complex among children from average income groups. Parents will make fashionistas out of their children before they even learn to say ABC.

A for Armani, B for Burberry, C for Cavalli, D for Dior.. .that’ll follow next!

The hollywood tots who made it in the list are-

Sam Alexis Woods, daughter of Tiger Woods and his wife,

Cruz Beckham, son of David and Victoria Beckham;

Matilda Rose Ledger, daughter of Michelle Williams and the late Heath Ledger;

David Banda, son of Madonna and Guy Ritchie;

Sean Preston Federline, son of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline;

Sam Sheen, daughter of Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen

SEX SELLS!

Juno, Shinchan, F.R.I.E.N.D.S, south park,Sex in the city, video games like- resident evil,God of War ....and many more to be named
Do kids these day have a choice to select what they want to see or what not?

Few weeks back I was forced to ponder.

Sex Sells!

Browsing through books in our college library I stumbled upon this title 'Sex Sells' by Rodger Streitmatter, and boy! I got to know that almost everyone in our class had read it! I picked it up, partly to be in the league with my classmates, and partly curious to validate Ms. Neha Dhupia's thoughtless yet true quote --Sex and SRK sells.

This book is an interesting insight into the dubious nature of media when it comes to the tabooed topic of Sex. Though written with reference to the American media's dealing with this topic from early 1940s to the millennium, the scenario fits pretty well in the Indian arena too.

How it all began?

Queer, but true. It began with the invention of oral contraceptive pill! This gave women the freedom to plan their family life and be more focussed toward their career. This was a major step towards female empowerment and decision making.

The era of rebellious sixties had Hugh Hefner’s Playboy magazine blurring the boundary between obscenity and aesthetics while rockstar Jim Morrison pushed the limits of ethos and morality by scripting seductive lyrics and performing them even more erotically on stage. Gradually, American motion picture brought Bond girls to life thus triggering an era where skin show would be as normal as having dinner with family.

What followed..

During 1980s and 90s, cable tv came into picture, internet was then a luxury and media was getting sex obsessed. Whilst nudity in movies became common in 1980s, the next decade targeted gays and showcased Afro-American sexuality.Media began to challenge the obsolete social norms. Issues of homosexuality, crime of incest, education about STDs and abortion were taken up. Newspapers slapped Bill Clinton’s sexual escapades on the front page and the words like semen and oral sex came to be accepted in mainsteam print media.

Media was backed by socio-cultural factors during this seismic shift. Just to think of it, in 1940s, even mentioning the word "pregnant" was banned onscreen!

How much of it is too much?

This brings me back to my initial question which the book forced me to ponder. Have media gone too far regarding sexual content? The answer could be given as affirmative. Media over the period of time has increasingly trivialized sex. Infidelity, polygamy and live-in relationships are depicted as a modern way of living. Sitcoms like FRIENDS, Sex and the city, Will and Grace, and films like Juno, American Pie have influenced the generation Y into believing in these newfound norms.

I'm not saying that these notions are entirely wrong, but they are being watched by children as young as 12 years old. Media is not giving an option for the children to choose. It is just feeding them content- sexed up content. Be it then sitcoms or cartoons!
Give childhood a break!

Save Water Mumbai!

This is my 3rd attempt with camera. This ad was made as an attempt to sensitize people towards the water-shortage problem that Mumbai is facing. Hope all of you guys would take something from this and contribute in controlling the problem!





Many thanks to Rosh who ran for like 100 times to give me the best shot and Kirti,to you too, for taking care of my stuff while I was running with Rosh (:P) and stepping in at the right time to play the part! Hugs n kisses

The scattered pages on the table,
Last glass of wine,
Those pages tell a fable,
My suicide night I design.

Red is the colour in my eyes
Black is my soul
Cheerful colors ain’t for me
dejected is my soul.

Scattered, battered, ripped apart
Is it an ending or a new start..
Glass of wine catches my eye
the creature in it fights for life
Hapless, tiredly aiming the rim
Its in pain, tough luck
Wine swallows it again

Pain is good, I tell myself
The noose hangs behind
Pain kills pain, I tell myself
Pain is divine

My suicide night has come, as I planned
Time to let world go..
Hatred, betrayal, humiliation
Time to let that go.

It’s dark, just before dawn
perfect time to be dethroned
gloomy, ghostly, grim, gray
Oh it feels like home.

The time has come, my suicide night
from my desk I rise
for the noose that awaits me
in my room, dingy and quiet.

On the stool, I alight myself
forward my neck and put it around
closing the eyes, I breath deeply
and let go off the ground.

Yes, this is it, the time has come
I'll be happy in my rebirth
Everything blacks out..
Every bit was worth.

THUD! Oh the pain, the eternal pain
No, not in my heart now
but hell yes I'm slain
I think I broke my hipbone, as I crash to ground
Stupid noose, I damn
can't embrace me around!

As I try to get up , cast a look about
sunshine fights its way through blinds,
At bay, a rooster screams aloud.

It had dawned a new day
I glance at the noose that broke
Another glance ,this time sways
to the wine glass lying ignored.
I'm surprised, as I lay aghast
that creature in it had made its way
Up to the rim...at last!

A new life

Its feels very queer...unlike me..sitting in my pg(in balcony :P) in the dead of the night,in mumbai,the cool breeze brushing through my poker straight hair and the sea roaring some distance away. I'm thousand miles away from home in Delhi. A month ago i was going nuts thinking how my future is gonna unfold,brooding over entrance exams and results. But as fate would have it and i had never imagined that i would end up doing my postgrad in mumbai,away from family and friends in one of the top colleges of India.

And exactly a month ago i met my BFF for the second last time.It hurt me to acknowledge we wouldnt be able to meet now for over a year perhaps,have our random chats,share moments of fun,wisdom,laughter or even silence together. The following weeks were passed meeting more close friends and relatives, exchanging goodbyes and good wishes.Leaving mom and dad at the station was the hardest moment of all. I felt weak in knees,my heart crying...i had never been away from home ever before.

But 2 week hence now that i'm writing this post, i feel i've got used to this hostel life. Doing my own laundry,cooking,grocery shopping,pretty much everything doesnt feel awkward,tough or nerve wrecking anymore.I'm glad to have chilled out roommates who patiently stand by my side to see if i'm putting correct amount of salt in a meal or surf in water for that matter!

The faculty at college can easily be described as tigers on loose. They want to rip us apart, are hungry for our flesh and leave no stone unturned to put our asses on fire. Assignments,attendance,deadlines,discipline and workshops make sure we have no time to while away. I'm not complaining but it does gets on your nerves when u have to submit two mountain sized assignments in one day on a short notice. Too much of pressure and constraints. They think we future journalists have our feet made of clay which can be stretched up to the crotch. Huh!

Amongst all this hype and hoopla there are somethings which are never forgotten. when i retire for the day and go to bed, flashes of home come to my mind. I miss being pampered by family and friends.I miss the food( mom's paranthas submerged in butter esp.)I miss my friends terribly esp u guys meghna,meetu,krittika. But my compensation would be Arunima who might be coming to bombay soon... Yeah i've made new friends but everytime i go to marine drive or kolaba or fashion st or McD with them,old memories rush past me,making me feel queasy...

But then,this is my new life. Life knows how to barter well. It gives you something but takes away something other. You just have to come to terms with it and learn from every moment.As of now i'm just hoping that my stint in this city would do me good and by the time i'm ready to return, i've made those people proud who are important to me....my new life adds a fresh chapter to my life,one of self responsibility and discipline. I wait in awe of how it unfolds! fingers crossed ;)

India's verdict

Jai ho! To democracy!

After 2 long decades, India has finally seen a stable government. Citizens have thrown a shoe at the left, right, third & fourth front. People gave their clear verdict and got UPA led Congress back to the centre. I was personally elated that our country which was fighting the marr of religious, regional and coalition politics was showing some healing. Agatha Sangma, state minister from Meghalaya took oath in Hindi. It was something for a person coming from a non-Hindi state.

SO FAR SO GOOD. But...
The selection of cabinet ministers is really disappointing. All the oldies which are not that goldy have been given the top notch honors of the ministry (exceptions being P. Chidambram who will handle home ministry, well deserved). The youngest or least eldest to be precise of all the cabinet is the trouble maker Ms.Mamta Banerjee (54yrs.old) who gave Bhuddhadev Bhattachararya a run for seats in the recent polls. M.Karunanidhi might be ailing in hospital at 84 but he sure wants no stone unturned to secure seats for his party members in the govt.

What is most depressing is the fact that VilasRao Deshmukh has been given a cabinet seat even after failing as chief minister of Maharashtra. Deshmukh was forced to resign after the Mumbai attacks of 26/11. Wow! What a luck it must be.. to resign as the CM and get entry into the cabinet ministry of the center govt! Cool!! Meera Kumar is holding the post of the Speaker of the house. The lady has a mouse voice which even humans find inaudible, let alone the hooligans in Lok Sabha! I’m really looking forward to a fun session in parliamentl for some guilty pleasure. :P

Performance?? huh..Nepotism is back in town folks!

Gripped in nostalgia

Who sees it all?
Varuna has but a thousand eyes
Indra a hundred
And I, only two
Gripped in nostalgia
I don’t know what to do….

College life is coming to an end. Last few days left. There is a sinking feeling; perhaps a sweet sorrow. Sweet because of the opportunities that lie beyond and sorrow because of all the goodbyes one has to say and leaving sweet memories behind.
I’m generally not open about my feelings..but I think it’s the right time to thank a few people who came by these 3 precious years to make them happy and memorable.

For me, the college life started on a low-key note. I had taken a year’s hiatus during which I preferred to remain in the confines of the 4 walls of my room. Meanwhile my best friends had engaged themselves in good professional courses out of town. So, when my college life started, I found myself lagging behind my peers in terms of confidence, trends, attitude and ‘coolness’ factor. Those were some forgetful months. But the spring of 2007 would change it all…for good…for the rest of the coming years.

A long lost friend came in touch; I became a member of students’ union in college [cultural secretary-a sexy post to handle ;)], my average academic performance shot-up, top scholarships fell in my lap, took part in many co-curricular activities, won prizes, did stuff for creative satisfaction, and worked actively for college.

Throughout, this journey, I’ve few people to thank who made my college days an experience which I’ll cherish all my life. In chronological order they are -:

1. Namrata Dang-for cheering me up throughout the low phase of 1st yr. and believing in me. Couldn’t have cleared that depressing phase without you. Namrata though you are rude, blunt and way too ‘up-town’ish but I love you for the clear heart you possess! :)

2. Malvika Wahi- for making my term in Students’ Union full of fun, masti, laughter and learning. Going for sponsorship hunts even after dark, staying back in college till 7 during fests and events, running after the teachers throughout the campus to get work done, small escapades in Mc D’s and slogging our ass off...ufff..but all this didn’t seem a tough job with you by the side. This gave me the strength to continue my stint in the union in the 3rd yr. as well. You rock Malvika! :)

3. Meghna Nijhawan- sometimes I still wonder how and why I became friends with her in the first place, considering the fact that- firstly, I thought of her as an obnoxious, loud and fake girl throughout the 1st yr. and secondly, the fact that I’m very cautious at making friends. It began online and soon the durations of our chats increased. Still, when in college we used to hangout with our separate group of friends and seldom talked with each other. Very slowly, as destiny would have it, we made our way into each other’s territory. I found a trusted friend and soul sister in her. She made up for the void created by the absence of my best friends with me. Now we share even the microscopically minutest information, crack the lamest possible jokes and laugh on them too! I love the time spent with her. I can easily label her as one of my best friends, though I’m lingering in doubt if she reciprocates the same feeling..

Meg you are weird and ‘totally’ ajeeb. But I love you for who you are, your caring and restrained self which only a few people know. :) Thank you gtalk for giving me this friend!

4. Priyanka Sharma- for the small period of time when we were buddies.. I shared some of the best laughters with you. Even though we talk less now or some trivial issues that cropped up (I’m happy they’ve subsided now) you are an amazing person and a nice human being whom I’ll always respect. Not to forget, you’ll always remain my first Assistant Director ;)

5. Abhilasha and Nisha you are the best egs. of how true friendships can be maintained even with minimal contact. You personify the statement ‘friend in need is a friend indeed!’ Love both of you for your simplicity and endeavors :)

6. Anisa Akbary and Sakshi from union- will miss both of you gals! Himangi will also be remembered for her cleverness, double talk and back-stabbing :P

7. Arunima Mazumdar- the final person in chronology. Since internship with a media house is an integral part of my course, I can count this as my college life only. The dull environment of DD News’ website deptt. was pretty vibrant and frolic with Miss Mazumdar occupying the pc next to mine ;) . Had endless talks over coffee and chai about guys (including Hindul :P), career and other things all and sundry. In mere 10 days we knew about each others’ lives. I had an amazing time during my entire internship. Arunima you are the best multi-tasker I’ve ever come across. I love you for your straight talks and wisdom tht comes out of your cluttered mind every now and then!

And there are many more.... will thank them personally...thank you all guys..love you all!!

eyebrow raising lesson :P

This is just a glimpse of our 'vellapanti' at DD.

ANOTHER VERSION OF TAGGED-- 8 Random/Weird things about me

Meghna tagged me a grip ago! I have to respond according to the blog etiquette rules. So in reply to said tag here are 8 weird/random things about me --

UN: I talk to myself. I’d rather refer to it as thinking out loud. : P sometimes in order to process my thoughts I have to say them out loud. This means a lot of self-reflective conversations. Some of my close friends have even caught me in the act! Lol

DEUX: I am a little bit obsessive compulsive about lines and symmetry. I will therefore, go about adjusting people's clothing, pictures and public signs until they are perfectly aligned.

TROIS: Back in childhood days, I used to fantasize myself as one of the main characters of the Jules Verne science fiction novels and used to enact alike when alone or interpret situation in daily walk of life. Ditto for the Sherlock Holmes series. Here I was the pretty girl in distress; P

QUATRE: I have a fantastic memory for odd things. I can recite Kirchoff’s Law, Quadratic formula. chemical formulas on command and I remember events that happened when I was as small as 3yrs old. But I can never remember where I put my mobile.

CINQ: Sometime back, I was addicted to and expert at sudoku, brick game and Zuma.Used to spend hrs. on internet to beat the scores of other competitors at Zuma.

SIX: I love to smell washed clothes, my mom’s hair, puja flowers, chocolates, hot soup, petrol and chalk ;p …cant help it…

SEPT: In class I’m unusually serious about my studies and get very annoyed when other people talk, gossip or don’t listen to the teacher. I feel like slapping them hard.

HUIT: recently I’ve become very particular about accessorizing my outfits right. Earlier it was hardly a concern.

Whoever reads this post may consider himself, herself tagged! There you go!

TAGGED... its amazingly fun... :D

Okay …replying to Meghna’s tag..

3 names I go by apart from Anshu:
-Aashi
-Dolu master
-Ashura

3 things that scare me:
-Letting down my loved ones
-Lizards
-My mom when angry

3 people who make me laugh:
Before I go on this I have to tell that I’ve a cheerful face and a rather sensitive funny bone. I’m accused of laughing even in serious times… its not my fault. Its very easy to make me laugh.. also, I tend to laugh more when in trouble than otherwise… ok,, now my pick

-Shin chan and Joey
-My dad with his quick sense of humor
-J K Rowling with her timings in HP- supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Apart from these, friends from daily walk of life.. Can’t help but take 2 names in particular- Krittika and Meghna ..their timings are great.

3 things I love: Only... 3..?? Let’s make it 5.... at least !!
- My family
- Books – I’m a voracious reader..no scrap can escape me
- Adventure sports
- The sound of pouring rain
- Spirituality

3 things I hate:
-Flies on my food
-Unsolicited calls by Vodafone who call to tell about those asinine tariff plans
-The night before my exam

3 things I don't understand:-
-The concept of time being the fourth dimension in the relativity theory
- Why do girls bitch about each other
- Why do I think so much

3 things on my desk:
-My PC
-Files,folders,books
-Bunch of CDs

3 things I'm doing right now:
-Feeling irritated with the pimple that showed up this evening
-Cursing Meetu for making me spend 100 bucks on afghani tikka… a crow would have tasted better!! huh
-Worrying about the upcoming entrance exam

3 things I want to do before I die: Its an endless list.. But i'll write 5...
- Write an award-winning fiction (if possible, direct it too)
- Buy a house in Florence
- Adopt/sponsor a child
- Cruise on ‘Freedoms Of The Seas’ with family
- Discover a mummy in Egypt by accident

3 things I can't do:
- Reach class on time
- Take a neat shot of tequila
- Be rude to people

3 things I think you should listen to:
-Your parents….they’ll always want the best for you .
-Lectures in class (saves an awful amount of time. So, when at home or with friends one can easily enjoy and not worry about studies! Besides its so difficult to sleep in lectures with teacher speaking continuously for 45 min.)
-NEWS (respecting the importance of 46 chromosomes given by God, we as the most intelligent beings should be aware of our surroundings)

3 shows I watched as a kid: i was a huge TV buff back then
-Small wonder
-Dekh bhai dekh on DD.
-Duck tales and lots of other cartoons

3 things I want in a relationship: actually 4...
- Unconditional love
- Respect
- Honesty and trust

3 things about the opposite sex that appeal to me:
- Intelligence
- Good manners
- Good looks and physique

3 of my favorite hobbies:
-Dancing…my best stress buster!
-Photography
-Day dreaming

3 beverages I drink regularly:
-Juice
-Coffee (black and strong)
-Tang
(Although nothing beats the ‘gol-gappe wala pani’..but yeah i know thats not a beverage and nor do I drink it regularly )

3 things I like about myself:
-I retain my calm even in the most demanding situations
-I prefer being a perfectionist
-Good listener

3 things I hate about myself:
-My slogging at work even when people around are irresponsible.
-Bathing on alternate days in winters…ok ppl out there I confess but I cant help it… the freeze just kills!
-Over analyzing everything

3 of my everyday essentials:-
-My ‘every season emergency kit’ which contains everything; ranging from a cold cream to a stapler.
- Water bottle
- Cell phone

3 things I am wearing right now:
-A cool T-shirt that I got from Big FM

-Baby blue PJs.
-I’m also wearing copious amount of oil in my hair, if u count that.

2 truths and a lie:
-I’ve never lied to grand ma
-Left the house saying that I’m going for tuitions when actually went to a friend’s place for party.
-A lie…ummm.. I’ve been to NASA.

3 people I want to tag:-
-Anuradha
-Meghna
-Dash

You're TAGGED!!There you go...:)

ONE LIFE TO...

LIFE...... its strange how casually and blasphemously we take it ....little do we understand its significance. Only those who have been on the thin line separating life from death can gauge its importance and know the miracle this four lettered word is...

Unfortunately or fortunately, I’m one of them.

It was 29th sep and the eve of my birthday. I was in anticipation of the next day as it was going to be special this time. One of my best friends had flown to Delhi especially for the occasion and I was going to meet her and others after a long time. We had vividly charted out the whole thing.

But this wasn't meant to be…

As the night progressed, I started feeling uneasy; by midnight I was shivering badly and in the wee hours was taken to a doctor. I was diagnosed with a fatal form of Dengue arboviral fever 2 days hence. Hospitalized immediately, the trauma thus began… from the emergency ward to special care to private ward…the journey was a hell. Nurses pried on me 24*7, injected needles in my body from every possible angle, ultrasounds, x-rays…doctors came at regular intervals and eyed suspiciously at my condition which was getting critical as the days were progressing...

In bed, half-conscious and helpless, it was then that I realized what life actually means- to me, to my parents, to my loved ones. Thoughts came and went out of my mind. I recalled what people had said….

Life is a responsibility, perform your duties- parents had said

Life is a mystery waiting to be unfold- grandma had said

Life is a party, enjoy hard- friends had said

Life is a goal, achieve it- teachers had said

One life to love- a friend in love said

But what relevance did all these sayings hold for me lying there on the mercy of drugs and oxygen mask??

I opened my eyes and looked around. The room was swarmed with visitors who had come to ask about my well-being. But I was looking for someone else. The door opened and my dad entered with the doctor. My grandma was sitting beside my bed, holding my hand. Mother was standing behind her, timid and teary eyed. As the doctor began his check-up, I looked towards my parents, into their eyes, which were filled with fear, love and reluctance. I couldnt help but smile at their attempts to look calm and composed. I got what I was looking for …. My answer .… life means YOU, said their eyes.

All my doubts concerning life were cleared. Life is one which a person lives for another human being, It aint any mystery or party or goal or anything.. Life isn’t lived for selfish purposes because then it wouldn’t be called life, it would be a mere existence! Cats, dogs, other animals...they simply exist….It’s in the innate nature of humans to ‘live’ for others but sadly we are forgetting this subtle thing because of our complex lifestyles. Life is a blessing and thus meant to be lived selflessly. Life would be a wonderful journey if people understood this.

Ok, agreed, one scoop of selfishness at times wouldn’t hurt as a bonus!

And from that point on I decided to live life for my parents, not to disappoint them in any way and make them proud. I tried to catch up with them on the lost time that I had given to other people who now hold little importance. It was a time to amend things, life-style and relations.
Of course, there is another close group of people too for whom I share the same feelings and some others towards whom the degree of selflessness varies per se…

My stay at hospital also gave me a reality check of the surroundings. I was humbled by seeing the kind of ailments the patients adjoining my room were suffering from and empathized with them. Besides, I conveniently demarcated my ‘supposedly good friends’ and ‘SMS’ friends from real friends. Priorities in life became clear.

Slowly my condition began to show improvement and when more friends, family and relatives used to pour in to see me, the environment would become a celebration of sorts. I enjoyed all the gup-shups and chit-chatting among them and used to feel disappointed when they left, thinking of the boring night that would follow.

By the time I was finally discharged, I had made friends with many nurses and doctors. I left the hospital feeling contended and happy… not just happy because I had thwarted Dengue out of my system but also because a new meaning of LIFE had dawned upon me which would make my life worth living… not just for myself, but also for others!

FACTS STRANGER THAN FICTION....we wince no more!

A princess with long golden hair...A wicked stepmother who sends poisoned apples...A witch being pushed into a baking oven by two tiny kids...A mermaid who is reduced to foam because she can't hurt her beloved....A mother who dies to save her son from a certain dark wizard, leaving him a realm of protection and a scar.Strange stories....my childhood passed as I escaped into these worlds.

A 6 year old girl is pushed into an oven because she, coming from a lower caste dared to cross a road 'owned' by someone from a higher caste. She shrieks and screams as her flesh peels away...nobody comes to her rescue. ..... A certain husband claims that his wife committed suicide, when the whole country knows better...the candles burned and melted..the placards were painted and washed away...'suicide' claimed the woman whom he loved. ..... A 25 year old youth was butchered by his girlfriend and her ex-boyfriend. The duo then burnt the peices,dumped it in a forest… and went out to dinner! .... A 15 year old schoolgirl killed by her father (maybe with consent of her mother too) Her throat was slit open and she was left to bleed to death in her own room....Stranger facts....inescapable reality.How long can we wince as we read these news and turn the page? How long can we close our eyes and pretend? How long can we not hear the shouts? Not answer the questions raised? How long can we just shrug....Fact is stranger than fiction?????

Earlier I used to find a horrified fascination in reading about the deeds of fellow humans and what they are capable of. But I soon realized that no matter what, demon exist in the form of people. And they will continue their outrageous acts. We want to have the power to stop these things but we can’t. Why is that?? I think because all this news over a period of several decades has rendered us incapable of feeling the pain, the loss because we hear the news everyday, see it on our TV screen everyday when there is nothing better to do. Momentarily we sympathize and the next instance change the channel to some saas-bahu saga. We don’t feel what’s happening around. All that is left to be cared about is the latest trend at levis, the gadget in fad or the latest music on our external drive. Yeah…facts are stranger than fiction.

All the chapters in our heart are closed just like the files in a police record... Yet we all wish for something which can be done-for us, for ourselves, for this society.
Do I have a conclusion? Nope.

THE MOST IMPORTANT BODY PART

My mother used to ask me what is the most important part of the body. Through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer. When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, "My ears, Mommy."
She said, "No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."
Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her, "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes."
She looked at me and told me, "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."
Stumped again, I continued my quest for knowledge and over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, "No. But you are getting smarter every year, my child."
Then last year, my grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. I remember that especially because it was only the second time I saw him cry. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final goodbye to Grandpa. She asked me, "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?"
I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. She saw the confusion on my face and told me, "This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in our life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson."
She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, "My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder."
I asked, "Is it because it holds up my head?"

She replied, "No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it."

Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish one . It is sympathetic to the pain of others. People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will NEVER forget how you made them feel.