SHAKEN!!!

Still trying to digest the fact that last evening could have been FATAL.
It was like any other day... absolutely no indication of what was to come... Probably, that's how these things happen.ALL OF A SUDDEN. WITHOUT EVEN A WARNING.

I was getting back home (from where, what, etc are inconsequential), as usual mulling over every little issue under the sun. The road we (auto driver and me) were traversing was so familiar to me that even with closed eyes I could easily tell where we had reached.

The familiarity of the oft-frequented area, of the confines of the auto, of the destination I was headed to... probably all added up to making it absolutely unexpected.

What happened was that the front wheel of the auto in anticipation of tackling an unnoticed speed-breaker leapt, almost three feet, in the air and came down with a such a jolt that it stunned my senses for god-knows-how-long... an eternity. Neither the driver nor me could say what had just occurred. It lasted for not more than two minutes but we were shaken.

After what seemed like the passing of an eon, I realised that we were still alive with all bones in place.
"You were lucky"- that's what one horribly amazed on-looker told me.

A brush with the unknown... jolted out of my little world of reverie... my long-awaited rendezvous with "fate".

For now, am unable to come to terms. Life. Death. What do they hold for me?

Can't Let Go

How these things work,
I've never known,
Must be some magic or other,
else how would i have met you.

I remember the day vividly,
a bright sun shone and the sky clear blue.
One could have never guessed
what surprise awaited.

It didn't happen until much later,
at sundown...
when fate played its game
and our paths crossed.

No, I don't claim
sparks to have gone off...
but you can't deny
the connection of two souls.

Floating in the river
called 'life'...
we sought each other
and found that peace of heart...
the calm... no one else could give.

The time we shared,
(no matter how less)
were most beautiful...
much more than I'd ever asked for.

Pushed, thus, we continued to live
our separate lives,
seeking our own dreams...
THE HOLY GRAIL!

Life's funny, we all say,
for the way it unfolds.
I agree... with all my heart
but please don't make it worse.

Don't you ask me
to break all ties with just one blow,
coz let me tell you, i can't do it so easily.
I can't let go.

Amchi Mumbai to Namma Bengaluru

October 27, 2006
Mumbai.

Boarded Udayan Express without much event. Godmom packed me off with loads of good tidings.

Back in the compartment - my abode for the day - I was alone except for Mr. Roshogulla (pardon me for the cliché.) Sitting across him, I could sense him sizing me up. His eyes lingering on my face for a couple of seconds. I was just bracing myself for some chit-chat when enter Mr. Hands & Legs. Well, that’s all there was to him. Boy, was he tall!!

A flurry of activity ensued – shifting of luggage, moving of human form, the ring of a cellphone, me sifting through stuff in my backpack.

Meanwhile, the phone that rang was Roshogulla’s. He gave some short and curt directions to a woman (probably, his wife). I could hear the woman defying all laws of distance and communication – her voice screaming out of the phone. Could almost distinguish the words she uttered. But I wasn’t interested.

And then it happened – that what I call ‘Divine Intervention’. It was almost as if the Gods had joined forces to humour me with a few moments of happiness and cheer.

It was just pure entertainment!!! Tom & Jerry, Shrek, Looney Toons – all put together. Total blockbuster!!!

At first, when my Bundle of Joy (BoJ, is what m going to call her) got in, I could hear only shrill repetitive cries of "Shreyas! Shreyas!" Then it became more urgent, started getting more worried by the minute. These were the cries of a harried mother who couldn’t find her five-year-old son. She was probably thinking she had lost him in the madness called 'Dadar station'.

Appear big-blue-strolley, followed by 20-something, salwar-kameez clad, mother of two. She had a pleasant face, one which sports a smile comfortably and quite often. Strands of her hair were sticking out in different directions as if electrocuted. And why not? Boarding a train with as much luggage fit for a month and with more important baggage called “kids” is no mean feat.

I didn’t take their arrival very well because it meant me having to forgo the coveted window-seat. But who was I to complain, it wasn’t even my seat. I shifted, made space for the little party (Shreyas had been found, much to the mother’s relief.)

BoJ placed all her luggage on the seat. Shreyas and Baby (unfortunately, was unable to find the lil un's name) were made to sit. Then she started pulling my poor bags from their resting place under the seat. I started; retorted at her to let them be. A tad rude I was. I could have continued to be that way, but I guess the kids melted my heart. And almost spontaneously, things took a comic turn.

Baby was bawling for mummy’s attention. And Shreyas decided he wanted his sandwiches now! now! Mummy dearest was trying to bring some order to the house.

One thing led to another. BoJ, in her effort to satiate her lil ones, dived into her bag… out came milk bottle and then the sandwiches. Just then she banged her head not once but twice on the tier above. BOING!!! BOING!!! a la Tom & Jerry style. Her lips hissed and she writhed with pain but her hands never stopped working. Her Jerry-like swift movements continued. Table was set.

Baby was merrily sucking his milk bottle, full with sound effects. Shreyas started munching and BoJ also managed to take a bite or two.

Just as things started to cool down and peace restored, Baby decided he wanted mummy right next to him and he conveyed it to her in his baby-ways, meaning tantrums. The bawling resumed – this time with hands shaking wildly in the air. Mommy had just gotten up to let sweet Baby have his way and take him in her arms when the teeny meeny little baby hands caught one end of the plastic bag on which rested the home-made cucumber sandwiches sprinkled with chat masala. One swipe and down tumbled the stack of sandwiches. Tom & Jerry Part II !!!

Mom didn’t know what to do, whether to be angry with the little angels or to curse her own luck. Luckily, she was able to recover some of the sandwiches before they touched the floor.

Yours truly was enjoying completely. Camaraderie already being established between them and me. Shreyas already had a name for me (Jyot"puzzle", coz' mine proved to tough for him) and even Baby, I reckon, had taken a liking towards me. Mom was as sweet as honey. Meself was only just preparing for a pleasant journey of gossip-exchange, baby talk, kiddy games when the TC decided to play devil.

On his customary ticket-checking round, he informed BoJ that her ticket had been upgraded, courtesy dear Lalu Prasad Yadavji and that she had to shift. So, we had to reluctantly bid each other farewell. I could do only so much to keep myself from screaming and asking them not to leave. Smiled through it.

It had ended too soon, as fast as it had started. But my new friends were to me what a gust of cool air is to a tired, lonesome traveller. :)

That's it for now,
Ciao.

(p.s. It turned out that ‘cellphone banshee’ wasn’t Roshogulla’s wife after all.)

I take a different path everyday...

Why?

coz' monotony just isn't good for my health. :)

This is for life...

I dont wanna weep...
i dnt wanna cry...
i dnt wanna forget tht i hv a life...

I dnt wanna weep
i dnt wnt to cry
i dnt to forget tht i hv a smile....

I dnt wanna weep
i dnt wanna cry
I dnt wanna forgt dt i cn LIVE my life.

(p.s. pls rembr m nt a poet ;))

Ganpati Bappa Morya

Early in the morning today, I was out for a walk. Just as I was heading the gate, i saw the tiny outline of a maruti 800 at a distance. As it neared, i started hearing a faint buzzing sound. At first i didnt know where it came from. I could feel my head bob up and down, then it went from right to left. My eyes roamed everywhere scanning my surrounding for some clue. Somewhere between this "neck bob exercise" and the "eye scan", i spied the lips of the people inside the car move. No, nothing wrong with that. But the lips were moving in rhythm... dubdub - dubdub --- dub dub or was it... buzbuz - buzbuz --- buz buz... :)

Words rolled in their mouths... a faint sound, almost musical, hit my eardrum... i nodded knowingly in my mind.
Why it was "Ganpati Bappa Morya!" Don't remember whether I was also humming with them as the car passed by me.

There sat 'Ganpati Bappa' himself on the lap of one of the men, staring serenely out of the windscreen of the car. The family was bringing The Lord home. The first day of "Ganpati" as it is referred to here in aamchi Mumbai marks the beginning of 10 days of celebration, prayers and modaks.

While I continued walking I was still thinking about what I saw. I don' think i liked what i saw... There was no enthusiasm... the chants were mild, almost conscious... the family was couped in the piece of metal... A celebration? Or a lack of it?

I would have liked a small procession. A few street urchins dancing to the beat of the dhol. Men, women and children turning their throats sore with notes of "Ganpati Ala"... sigh! That would have been a nice sight.

Money's ruined us all... We no longer know how to enjoy.

until the next time,
keep the faith.

josh