My Republic Day Weekend

And Basanti did not get painted...

It is in human nature to do everything first and take pride in it. Same emotions motivated me to get the tickets for Rang De Basanti. I also wanted to see the movie the first day itself and to describe it later on to the people who are lethargic in taking actions. But sometimes you have to pay for it when you try to churn out things faster than the normal pace.
I wanted to make my Republic day different by starting my guitar classes and to make Rang De Basanti (RDB) possible. I was going to attend my first guitar class with Anoop and Sarvesh. On our way to the class around 10:30 am when we reached near Huma we decided to buy the tickets. Sarvesh and I rushed towards the counter. It was crowded with people desperate to get the tickets before they sold off. I found myself on cloud nine when I got the tickets in my hand.
At 11 pm everybody got assembled at the theatre. We walked to the gate wearing the arrogance of the first day movie watcher. The guard stopped us and gave us a shock of our life when he told us that there was no show at all at 11:30. I ran towards Sarvesh and tried to get the glimpse of the tickets that were visible through the small opening of the black blanket created by the anxious heads. Timing was same except the AM and PM indication, which was overlooked by our excited eyes in the morning. Eyes see what our mind wants to see. We did not get to see the Basanti but we got the experience to live for our lifetime.

Leave me alone!!!

Saturday I came to office as usual to charge my mobile but found Neha’s name in the muster. I as a good friend decided to go back home without disturbing her from her work. I asked the guard to get the charger for me. I did not go inside to disturb her. It is a bad habit to intrude and I never do that. I wanted to meet her and bid hello but refrained myself from it. Day before yesterday she had decided to be left alone on her own and not to be disturbed by anybody. I do not mind her finicky decisions, whimsical nature, impulsive attitude, and wavering temperament between cycles of bad, good, depressing, and happy moods. I know her state of mind. She is going through the hardest times of her life and finds it difficult to decide between good and bad. She needs a friend right now who can be just there with her, to listen her, to speak to her, to laugh with her, to cry with her, to consoler her, and to make her smile and happy. I try to do that whenever I go with her. I try to not to let our conversation dry, try hard to let it go, try to throw jokes and doing stupid things, try hard to not to leave her alone by having dinners and movies her. I wanted to do all this on Saturday also but I left her alone in the gloomy office working alone without even leaving a note of my presence. Did I do a right thing by taking her “leave me alone” advice seriously? Only time will tell…I have known her only for five years. Very short time to know somebody.

The Power of "No"

It was another causal evening walk with Neha when I asked her about “Rang De Basanti” for the weekend. Sometime back she only gave me the idea to watch this movie together. She gave me a firm “No” leaving me perplexed and baffled. Girls go by instincts rather than intellect. Though I could not see the rational in her reply but she justified it with philosophical words like, “stop pushing, leave alone, need time, don’t make it hard for me”. Sometimes I think whether she did psychology or architecture. God what did I do? Just asked for a movie, which was already planned. Since I asked for it, I invariably had given her the power of saying “No”. I realized the power of “No”. Infact she made me to realize that power. Not all “No’s” can become powerful. A “No” from an acquaintance is never powerful because you invariably prepare yourself to listen it. A “No” from a friend” is more powerful than an acquaintance. It gets powerful and more powerful as we hear it from a good friend, a very good friend, lover, fiancée, and ultimately our spouse. It becomes powerful, as the relationship with the person gets stronger. Strong relationship means more trust and dependence.
Powers if not used carefully and cautiously can be destructive and fatal. It goes with the power of saying “No” also. If there is only “No” in a relationship then it signals its end. It should be balanced with “Yes” to counter the power of “No”.
I realized from the experiences of my life that there is no power in saying “No”. You need to be powerful to say, “Yes” not a “No”. “No” is a quick escape route from a situation while “Yes” require you to fight and deal with the situation. “Yes” brings in love, respect, and trust while a “No” brings you hatred, shame and distrust. In your conscience also you feel good after making somebody happy and you feel bad after making him or her sad. You need not to be powerful to say a “No” but for a “Yes” you have to have the powers to control the situations that arise after that. Only a coward will say a “No” and runaway from the situation. A fighter will always accept the challenge.I knew that she needed some time for herself after looking into her eyes. I decided to give up. The good thing that I took out from the discourse that we had was the analysis of “Yes and No” - Two extremes but so close. She is a very sweet girl with a kind heart. She never hurt somebody knowingly. She will become the same person good person soon whom I knew once. It is just a matter of time.

The Golden Mango - Story of Life

Piyush jumps off the bed. His face is all wet as a result of profuse perspiration. He is still perplexed and gasping. The dream was reality or the reality was dream? He is trying hard to get his answer. He pinches himself on his wrist and bellows in pain. “So, it was a dream.” He smiles as he thinks about it.

“Wake up my son. I have come here to give you a boon. Can you see this sapling in my hands?” says God.
“Yes, God” says Piyush after seeing a small sapling of a mango tree. It has three small leaves that look tender and small.
“Take this sapling and it will give you a golden mango when it becomes a tree, only if you planted it in the magical land.”
“But God, where is that magical land? And, and… how do I find it?” asks Piyush faltering in curiosity.
“Go north. Meet new people. Make new friends. One day you will certainly find your destination.” says God calmly with his eyes closed. “The owner of the magic land and you will be the most powerful and happy person on the earth. The person will provide you the magical land and you will provide the sapling. Together you will gain from it. But remember, the sapling will be ineffective at any other place until you find the right one. ” Continues God cautioning him from the perils of disobedience.
“Thank you God.” Piyush closes his eyes.
God’s aura starts growing. Getting more and more stronger and intense every second. God is no more visible and becomes a silhouette in the foreground of divine white blinding aura. The aura increases so much that the place becomes warm. He sees himself standing in the core of that hot and blazing aura. He starts perspiring heavily. It is getting hotter and hotter for him. He wants to run away from the place. He wants to open his eyes. His breaths have become faster and faster. He opens his eyes...

Piyush causally gets up to start his new day but his body becomes stoned as he sees something weird and uncanny. “Am I still seeing the dream?” he asks himself unable to believe his eyes. The wall opposite to the bed has a small temple. Today the temple has a new gift in it.
Afraid of touching it, he moves his finger gently to touch and feel the tender leaves to make sure that they are real.

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“ Megha, Megha, Megha…” She can feel her body trembling as she listens to her name. She opens her eyes lazily to find Meera’s face. Her younger sister is trying to wake her up by screaming aloud and shaking her vigorously at the same time. Megha gets angry with Meera. “You have spoiled my dream. I was conversing with God and I was in the middle of the conversation when you interrupted. Why did you want me to wake up?” asks Meera with a furious look. Meera tries to reason it out by saying that probably God wanted you to tell only half of the dream.
“What was the dream about?” asks Meera with an innocent look of a thirteen years old girl in her eyes.
“God told me about a place in our back yard just adjacent to the stable. He said that it has magical powers. He told me that I could plant a mango sapling on the magical land. The tree will bear the fruit only once. The fruit of the tree would be a golden mango. The golden mango would make me the most powerful and happy girl in this world. The God was completing his golden words but you woke me up. You are such a knotty girl,” says Megha teasingly. “Ok let’s go and see the magical land.” She finishes the sentence while running towards the stable.

Megha buys a mango sapling and plants it early in the morning only. She puts some water and manure to make sure that she gets the golden mango as a fruit. Megha religiously waters it, takes care of it, and makes sure that it is safe from cattle. Within three days the sapling gets it roots. She sees the leaves turning to golden green from green. Megha sits for hours there seeing the plant and leaves as they grow. Her eyes keep switching between reality and the dreams that she weaves sitting near the sapling. She thinks about her good future, happy life. She feels powerful and her heart fills in with conceit for a moment as she brisks away the momentary feeling of vanity away from herself. Taking care of the sapling and dreaming about her future with the golden mango becomes her daily routine. And the days go on…

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Piyush heads towards North. He keeps walking in unexplored places, meeting new people, and making new friends. The exile makes him self-dependent, mature, and an experienced person. He has known thousands of people; hundreds of people are his friends. He boasts hundreds of languages as he has seen half of the earth.
One fine day he sits in a garden to take a small break just to realize the fact that how fast he has spent his three years. He doubts himself, thinking whether he is going the right way by following the dream. A span of three years is quite a long time to test the endurance. The clouds of uncertainty surround him. He feels discomfort, dubiety, and fear about himself. Holding the sapling and looking at it he thinks about his conversation. Perhaps the God has listened him.
Sound of footsteps over the thin cover of autumn leaves across the path brings Piyush back to his senses. He sees a beautiful girl walking carelessly to her home. Her beauty mesmerizes him. The glow and color of her skin is as fresh and radiant as a newly blossomed rose. He runs after her and pats on her shoulder as he reaches behind her. Megha looks back at the Piyush and observe the mango sapling in his hand.
“Hello! My name is Piyush and I am new to this place. I am looking for an inn. Can you guide me lady?” he utters his words while panting.
“It is right there down the road. Go straight and ask for dharamshala. If you do not mind young man, who are you? What is this mango sapling for?” Megha asks interrogatively in a single breath. “By the way my name is Megha.” She completes her sentence.
“I am a traveler. I have been traveling for last three years. I am heading for an unknown destination. The sapling that I am holding is a special sapling. It will fructify and will give me a golden mango. I am looking for a magical land. God has asked me to find the magical land to plant it. Since then I have become a nomad and wandering in unknowns of my life.” explains Piyush.
“Good to know that. Is it fine if I meet you tomorrow in the evening? Your sapling story sounds interesting. I will like to hear more about it.” Says Megha as she becomes numb and petrified after hearing this. She gets insecure of her magical land.
“Sure, you are welcome any time.” says Piyush smiling and thinking about his newly discovered friend.

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As usual Megha walks to the backyard and sits there looking at the full-grown tree. She has been taking care of it daily without fail. The leaves are golden now and shine brightly in the sunlight. Megha is waiting for the spring after two years to come to see the first flower that will lead to the golden mango. Megha sits in front of the tree and adores it. All these three years she has been talking everything about herself and her life to the tree. They are like friends who sit together, share their laughter and pains and continue living life.
Today when Megha is sitting there she is insecure and afraid of the traveler. The traveler is looking for her magical land. She thinks that the traveler would take away the golden mango away from her. She decides to talk to the traveler the next day. She goes again in the utopian world of dreams of the golden mango.

Next day Piyush sees Megha walking towards him as she appears like a goddess of gold in the light of golden dusk.
“Hello! It is so nice to see you again, Megha.”
“Nice to see you. I have some questions for you. Will you answer those questions?” Asks Megha as she looks at Piyush in doubt.
“Sure. I will. The good news is that I have decided to stay in your village for sometime. What do you want to ask?” questions Piyush.
“I want to ask you about the sapling.” Megha makes herself clear.
”What about that? I have already told you the story of the sapling and my motive of being here. There is nothing beyond this.” Piyush shrugs his shoulder.
“Piyush if I would tell you that I have the magic land and I already have a tree which is going to be fructify soon, what will you say?” Megha finally reveals the secret.
“Oh my god! I have found my destiny finally. Let me thank god, the universe, and all the holy souls to make this possible.” Says Piyush in the deluge of excitement that overwhelms his senses and he starts crying. “Let us plant this sapling and get the golden mango to become the most powerful and happy duo. Take me to your house and show me the magical land.” asks Piyush looking into her eyes.
“Don’t get excited Piyush. I already have a full-grown tree in my house. It has golden leaves and within two years it will fructify to give me the golden mango. I do not want to share my golden mango with anybody. I don’t know who told you about the magical land but I am sure that you are trying to get a share in my golden mango. I have worked hard for three years and will wait for two more years. I am not going to share it with anyone. It is mine and only mine.” Says Megha possessively.
“No, Megha you are wrong. Only the sapling that I have and the magical land that you have can result in the golden mango. Cut the tree and plant the new sapling.” Piyush tries to reason it out.
“You want to kill me? I have put in my heart and soul for three years. It is not a tree for me. We lived together and we died together. It is my soul and you are asking me to part myself from it. If it is not a golden mango tree then why the leaves are golden? You are a beguiler. You are trying to make me fool. I am not going to listen to you. You have come here with wrong intentions and I am not going to believe you. Do not interfere in my life. Stay away and let me live waiting here for the golden mango. I have faith in God and I know that I will get what I want.” Speaks Megha crying and sobbing.
“Ok Megha, if you want you can wait. I respect your faith in God and hard work. I cannot justify the golden colors of the leaves. Perhaps your hard work and trust have made them golden. But I am sure that it will not give you the golden mango. I will still keep the sapling. Perhaps there may be more people with the magical land. I need to find them now.” Adds Piyush.

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He comes back to his new abode that is not far from Megha’s house. From the terrace he could see the stable and the golden mango tree adjacent to it shining white in full moon light. He cries and doubts the Almighty. He has wandered for three years and when today he was so close to the end he was parted by the destiny from his goal.
He goes to bed late in the night. He is thinking about Megha, her golden tree, his sapling, and the golden mango of power and happiness.

Piyush perspires again as he sees the aura coming down in his room. The God is back to console and to give him a new direction in the moments when he feels completely lost and unfocussed.
“I know what happened with you. Piyush you still keep the sapling, as tomorrow is uncertain. Take these keys. Seven seas and seven mountains away there is a country. The keys will help you in opening the palace in the country capital. People are waiting for their king to return with the keys. You will get power but I am not certain about happiness.” God says calmly.
“Uncertain? How can God be uncertain?” questions Piyush.
“Son, there exists numerous relationship between people. Every relationship is unique. Golden mango and keys are just a way to find these relationships. Since the ways of finding these relationships are different, they are going to be different. You were destined to get golden mango because the stars and the universe had set it for you. Keys to the palace are not your destiny but just an alternative to the golden mango. So you cannot expect everything from the keys. I hope you understand?” asks God.
“Yes I think so.” The God disappears as Piyush thanks him.

Piyush keeps the sapling aside in the morning and looks at the key. He dreams with the keys the same way Megha does with the tree. He dreams himself sitting in the palace ruling the world with treasures and diamonds.
He changes his way to his house to avoid any interaction with Megha. Megha also forgets Piyush soon and gets back into her life. She is getting impatient to see the golden mango. Two years have passed like a gust of wind.
Megha is excited today about the tomorrow, when the tree will fructify. She tries to sleep hard suppressing the exuberant feelings pumping her heart frantically. Her dream is going to fulfill soon.
Early morning she gets up and runs in the direction of tree. She yells at the top of her voice as the mango is missing. The tree was left with the small stem holding the mango. She searches the ground crying at the top of her voice but does not see the mango. The dreams shatter, the hard work and faith turn to mistrust. The five years of rewarding wait suddenly looks like a precious time flown away. Megha breaks down. She sits on the ground, as she feels too weak and powerless to stand. She loses her faith in this world. She keeps herself aloof and cries everyday for the golden mango.

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Mehga strongly believes that she has lost the golden mango. Though Piyush believes that it cannot be a golden mango because he has the original sapling. Since nobody has seen it nobody knows whether it was the golden mango or just another mango. Nobody knows the truth.
Megha tries to sleep as the tears are not stopping. The room becomes silent and she can hear her own breaths. She sees the aura descending in her room. The God is back.
“Why did you do this to me? I had put my golden years and I get back this. The mango is stolen. What will I do now? My heart says that it was the golden mango but Piyush denies it and says that it must be an ordinary mango. What do you say? God, please tell me the truth.” Cries Megha.
“Don’t cry Megha. The mango is gone. You have not seen it but you worked hard for it. You had put your self and soul in it and if you think that it was the golden mango then you must be right. I don’t know because sometimes God also misses few things. Piyush believes in his sapling that is why he thinks that the mango was normal. Since the mango is gone it does not matter whether it was golden or normal. You still have the magical land; there is a sapling within hundred kilometers that will give you the golden mango. If you can find it you will be powerful and happy again. But let me tell you that the person with the sapling will also become powerful and happy like you. You have to share it with that person.” And the God disappears.

Piyush and Megha start talking after this. Megha wants somebody who can understand the concept of the golden mango. Only Piyush understands it. They talk for hours and she finds solace as she slowly tries to recover from the debacle. They make a good company and they talk everything.
After a few days Piyush hesitatingly asks, “What would you do with the magical land?” He is really careful not to offer the sapling to her. He feels that he has already offered the sapling to her so this is her turn to ask for it. She has to feel the need for it from inside. Though somewhere in his heart he wants to offer his sapling. The mind defeats the heart as it reminds him of the keys to the kingdom and more magical lands. Piyush knows that the keys cannot bring him happiness. He is also unsure of finding more such lands. His soul is wavering between his mind and heart.
Megha knows that she still has the magical land and she just needs to find the sapling within hundred kilometers. Her heart wants to try the sapling that Piyush has but the mind reminds her that he is a cheat and above all asking for the sapling will label her as immature in making right decisions. Her mind thinks, “Why to go for a withered sapling when she can get a fresh new one.” Again the mind defeats the heart.

“I have the magical land. I will ask my father or look myself for it again. I am sure that my father will get me my golden mango sapling. I don’t have the patience to choose, test and try the sapling again. Let me tell you one more thing Piyush, do not remain in dark that I would ask for your sapling because I don’t trust you and also the sapling that you have is withered and of no use.” Megha makes her plans clear to Piyush. She is still uncertain of the new sapling that she will plant after she or her father gets one for her.

Piyush and Megha exchange their smiles. Bid good-bye to each other to start their new lives.

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Two God-man are seeing all this from the heaven. One becomes uncomfortable after seeing all this. He says, “Why people are so myopic and short-sighted? Both Piyush and Megha have been brought together for some reason. God has given them so many clues. One has magical land and the other has the mango sapling. Their vibes match. They do not repel each other. God has made them to live close to each other so that they can understand each other. Still both of them have different feelings and plans.
Piyush thinks that he will find more magical lands. He is also relying on the keys that would not bring him any happiness. Megha on the other hand thinks that she would find another sapling though still unsure of the golden mango. Nobody is listening to the voice of heart. What do people want? Do they want God to come and give the golden mango in hands”?
The other god-man smiles, “You are unnecessarily worrying. That is the reason why they are human and not god-man like us. They do not understand that if they have complementary dreams then there is a meaning and reason behind it. The day human will start listening to their hearts and defeat their evil and wicked brains they will become God-man like us.”

Things to do before 30

My trip to home for 15 days justifies my absence from my blog. I came back and then became busy with trivia. I have got so many things to pen down after this absence.

Delhi & SPA Dinner (Jan 5, 2006)
To see Delhi after a long break was very pleasant and nostalgic. As I was taking the route from the airport to IIT I walked through my past. I saw myself strolling in the streets that I had left. I saw myself busy shopping for project in the market. I saw myself talking to Shakeel Bhai in Munirka, the welder guy who had helped me with my major project. I saw myself working out in the park opposite to IIT hostel gate. I saw myself having amazingly tasty hot paranthas with butter at small time makeshift shops adjacent to the IIT boundary. As auto entered IIT I saw myself walking carelessly hand in hand with my girl friend. I saw myself having late night chats with her on the library stairs in the cool gentle breeze and sipping coffee together. I saw myself working late night in studios and having beer with Blessen and Ashish in the junkyard using staff’s heater and utensils to boil eggs. I saw myself working on my computer and finishing assignments in the nick of time. I saw myself talking for hours on the hostel reception with my girl friend. And the list goes on. I lived the past again. The experience was so intense and overwhelming that the present became fuzzy and blurred. I hallucinated in the daylight.

In the evening I had my dinner plans with Alpi, Abhishek, and Nitika. I met them in Saket. I saw them after a year and a half. Nobody was changed except Abhishek who was sporting long hair with pony. Both Alpi and Nitika had put on woolen caps, jackets and sweater to keep them warm. The girls looked very cute in their woolen caps.I always liked and admired Nitika for some strange uncanny reasons. Probably she always looked guileless, craft less, and innocent to me. Earlier when I used to go to SPA I was involved emotionally with somebody else and could never saw her magic and charm. That day I looked her from a fresh eye as I was devoid of any relationship. She really looked beautiful to me. Her eyes were radiant and shiny and again looked sinless. Her face was glowing with the freshness that she disported all the time. She really made me to look at her again. I guess that she falls in the category of girls who would not come close to you but also would not go far, approachable yet maintaining distance.

We had dinner at a Chinese place - Buddha delight with steamed rice was really tasty. Out of an impulse Abhishek asked me my height because Nitika is taller than me. He then told me that I did not qualify for her because I was 5’ 7’’. I did not understand his motive to ask that. Was it to tease her or did he see the momentary likeliness that I had developed for her. Nitika was sitting next to me on the table. In fact Abhishek’s statement worked as a catalyst for the feeling that was lingering in my mind. I am somebody who is not worried of traditions. I am always ready to take liberties with age, height, caste, and creed. That moment I wished I should know her a little. In my heart I had answered the question to myself that it was not a matter of physical features but about understanding mental behaviors. Only if I knew her more than what I knew her that day. Only if I had realized that feeling sometime back when I was in Delhi, life could have been different. But life never gives you second chance. I knew that the moment was gone. I might never meet her again. But that day I felt weak and feeble. Why do we always take wrong decisions in life? Why do we run after people who show us attitudes and apathy? I need to look for an answer for these questions.

However, the momentary infatuation with Nitika ended the moment she left for her hostel. Alpi, Abhishek and I ended our dinner with a coffee at Barista.

At Home
Being at home is a nice feeling. Surrounded with your parents and siblings gives a feeling of security and warmth of love. I was showered with mouth-watering luscious delicacies for lunches and dinners. I was eating so much during my stay that my time in the toilet doubled.
It refreshed myself and gave me time to introspect. I chalked my life again from my parent’s perspective just to found that leaving them alone in India was not a good idea. I thought about myself to found that I should become stable and settled. I made a note of all the people who were there in my life and figured out my compliance with them. My friend Marie told me once that if your best friend is unmarried when you are 35 then you should ask her for marriage. Fortunately Marie had no intentions to marry till she was 35 so I was kind of safe. I liked her idea to get married to a friend. But in India no girl would wait till she is 35. As I thought about stability I thought about potential females around me.
I cooked up so many stories and dumped them. I planned so many plans and erased them. Every morning brought me a new idea and every evening signaled the end of the idea. It just went on and on till I returned here in Mumbai.

Bee kidnapped? (Jan 20, 2006)
I was sitting late in the office for a call. Sarvesh was sitting with Sarit and Saurabh when they were jamming. After the jamming session when we were leaving for our home, Khusboo requested us to drop her. Being gentlemen we agreed and while we were walking to get the car she proposed for a long drive. We hesitatingly agreed to this proposal also. By the time we left it was already 1 am in the morning. We set for an unplanned destination thinking aloud to make sure that we were following known routes. Think aloud lead us to Bandra. We were talking lazily half slept when the Khusboo’s mobile rang. Neetika had called her, as she was scared of her absence late in the night. Though I could not hear Nitika but the expressions left by Khushboo while attending the call were enough to tell me that Nitika was really pissed off. She scolded her for not picking up the phone and not intimating her about her Bandra excursion. Khusboo made and unsuccessful attempt to justify her. They reached a consensus and disconnected. Two seconds later Patrick called. Again worried about her disappearance late in the night. She explained him the situation. Saurabh made the last call enquiring about her. I was so carried away after these calls that I also wanted to call Khsuboo though she was sitting right with us. Sarvesh and I realized that we had just missed an opportunity to kidnap her.

Sarvesh and Khusboo were hungry and wanted to eat at 2 am in Bandra. We found a bunch of young freaks like us and asked for an eating joint. The guy jokingly told us about a restaurant called Sigri near Tava. I thought if Sigri and Tava could be possible then why not Patila and Baatli also. We managed to find the place and extinguished the burning appetite with some good food.

We headed to Bandstand to see the lazy sea tired of working through the waves the whole day. But it was high tide and the breeze was enough cool to make you shiver. It carried late night mumbai’s fragrance. There was nobody except us. Lonely roads, deserted pavements. The sea and we three were trying to communicate as we were hearing the crashing waves. A cleaner came later, whom did the girl label as criminal and kidnapper. Girls are very fast at judging people and I know that most of the times they are wrong. The girl who suggested long drive realized that she asked wrong people, as we were not ready to leave the place. Finally we were subdued and forced to come back. 3:30 am we left the sea alone though it wanted to continue the discourse. We also stole the fragrance of sea; she had decided to come with us.

Things to do before 30 (Jan 21-22, 2006)
Strange thing happens whenever I go out for dinner with Neha. I was fortunate that nothing happened on Saturday. Sunday dinner again proved to be eerie when we met an accident while coming back.
We had planned for a movie and a dinner. Movie was “Things to do before 30”. Though the title looked promising but the movie only upset us. Neha was late as usual and I had a quick snack in the meantime. She had worn a skirt and a shirt like top and looked beautiful in that. I was dressed up shabbily and it gave me complex. She was looking like a true corporate woman. She had picked up a sandwich and I was helping her to open the sauce sachet. I tried hard to make a small hole in it. She tried to force out the sauce but she failed. I also tried with extra power and spoiled my already shabby looking clothes when the sauce splashed all over my trousers and shirt. I was lucky to get the stains only in places where they were not looking so loud and obtrusive. She laughed on my agony and made fun of me. Instead of worrying about my clothes she got worried about the drops that fell on her new Hidesign purse for which she had spent 1200. She asked me to clean it sounding materialistic to me. Here I was struggling to clean my clothes and this girl was worried about the purse.
I always enjoyed her company. She thinks aloud most of the time. I like her because she fills in the space when I do not speak.
After finishing the movie we rented an auto to come back. Near Saki Naka we heard a sharp shriek as the auto tilted to its left. For a moment we saw death but finally the rumble and tumble got over as the auto stopped. I came out to see the damage. The wheel had come out of the axle and the axle rubbed off the ground for almost 10 mts. It was a miraculous escape. If there were a vehicle behind us it would have collided with us. The auto could have toppled over. Nothing that sort happened. Perhaps one of us saved the other.The dinner mystery yet remained unsolved. This time we saw the extremes of life and perhaps knew the things that we should do before 30.
Finally we had our dinner at Subway and bid good-bye to each other.

Good Bye 2005

Finally the time has come to bid good bye to 2005. Interesting year it was with lots of profound memories to be cherished forever. I just start putting down the information to get some idea about it.

Jan: I Went to Goa and had a nice time. Covered Goa to its length – from North to South. Will write some other time.

Feb – Jun: Routine work

July: Konkan trip with Sarvesh, Amol & Milind

Konakan Delight

The trip that will remain in my memories for eternity. Never in my life I had seen such lush green pastures with Arabian Sea at one side and Western Ghats at the other. Intermittently, on our way we were welcomed by hundreds of water-bodies and falls all around dispersed sporadically. The air had such thick and intense natural aroma that it tingled my soul and clung to my senses with every breath I took there . The trip could become possible because of our beloved Maruti – 800. We cruised Konkan through the innermost roads, thereby experienced untouched, flawless, and virgin beauty of the ghats, unlike frequently visited places in Konkan made dirty by the filth and grime thrown by casual visitors.

The trip started around 6 pm after office and was delayed because we had to enroute our journey to Mulund to buy a pair of hunter shoes for Amol. However, weird it may sound but he did not buy it till the trip started. Perhaps he did not want to put on his old slippers for the trip. Somehow we managed to leave the place in an hour and the car touched the highway around eight in the night. Highway brought us a sigh of relief when the first gust of fresh breeze kissed our faces in a kind of foreplay that foretold us about the climax to be arrived later.

The car was speeding at its best and we were sitting cozily inside in the warmth of our torrid excitement of the trip. Around ten in the night we reached Panvel and I was reminded by Amol to get booze for the trip. Bachelor trips without booze are like a sandy beach without sun, where one can feel the sand, smell the air, touch the water, but cannot experience the sun. We had to ask a few people to get us to the liquor shop. We asked for Peter Scot but had to keep ourselves satisfied with Antiquity. We also got some plastic glasses and two bottles of beer. Beer bottles were opened when we got back in the car over the trifle issues as usual. The bottles touched each other and made a piercing gentle sound when we proposed the toast to the trip. Only a person who cherishes alcohol can value the context in which it was consumed. Consumption depends on context and company and everything was perfect for us that day. Good friends around and an endless streak of dark highway leading to paradise, except the few vehicles that were slicing the infinite darkness for seconds with their high wattage bright white headlights.

Sarvesh kept driving peacefully and patiently till twelve in the night when hunger had started knocking our heads. Unanimously we decided for a dhaba and looked for it. When we found one it was drizzling and we had to use our umbrellas to make our way from the car to the dhaba. It was a low profile, small, basic, but inviting small time restaurant. However, the aroma of food and spice was unusually rich and enough stimulating to coax our mind and try the place. The order for butter chicken and tandoori rotis did not prove our decision wrong because we hogged till every little space of our stomach had tasted the delight. Facing the dhaba was a hotel that had become our abode for the night. We shared a room with four beds laid down neatly parallel to each other. There was one window in the room with attached toilet. Soon we found ourselves deep in sleep. When we slept an alarm was set for six in the morning but the sound of alarm traveled so slowly that it had taken eons to reach our tired ears and kept on echoing in our dreams again and again till someone from us switched it off.

At 9 am we were ready to leave after a quick breakfast for a place called Murud – Janjeera our first destination in our itinerary. The journey was a treat to the eyes. The landscape around was interestingly mesmerizing and divinely beautiful. The flora had hundreds of shades of green, the terra firma was boasting numerous shades of brown and grays, and the sky was anything from sunny azure to dusky red in the late evenings and bright orange in the mornings. Though most of the time the sky was girly shy to come out and kept hiding behind the thick blanket of monsoon clouds that formed vivid and dynamic patterns in gray and black.

We reached Murud-Janjeera in the afternoon around 12 pm. I could see the eternal fort in the midst of the sea and listened its panegyric hum that was created by the sound of ceaselessly active but defeated waves. The never ending hum signified the victory of fort over the sea. The sea was rough and the waves were becoming worsen as the day was progressing. Later the boatman informed us that it was a high tide time.

Despite of the hostile conditions that God had created as a conspiracy against us, we wanted to win the fort and were charged with adamant exuberance to take over the fort that had defeated the sea. The sailboats looked small and humble in the soaring and roaring sea. Few other tourists came and succumbed their wills of visiting the fort to the unending fury. Challenge was thrown and the adrenaline in our blood made us to accept it. There was no going back from there. Finally we decided to go and rented the entire boat for three hundred. It was a test of perseverance between nature and us. It was a test of our limits and we stretched them till the very end. Beneath us was the rapacious Arabian Sea with its arm spreading far and wide waiting to engulf us in infinite darkness and above us were the gushing currents of air forcing their way through the sail. The boat surrendered to the strong air current and became inclined with the boatmen trying hard to keep the boat straight. The head boatman had already discussed the priority – Boat, Passenger, and then the boatman himself. Life is precious and loved by everybody, and all of us knew that such meaningless priorities could be rendered void anytime. And we knew that the priority in any case would be – I, myself, and only myself.

We reached the fort entrance and the boat kept thrown up and down by the waves as high as nine and ten feet. This made the task of entering the fort troublesome as the boat was not stable enough to fix our legs from the boat to stairs of the fort which were equally being beaten by the furious waves. When the waves jumped till their crests, we could see only top five steps and at other times when the waves dived till their troughs, we could see fifteen steps. The difference of ten steps was the difference between life or death to us. One wrong step we had taken and anyone from us could have sucked down in the brown darkness of the sea. The idea was to jump on the highest stair – fifth from the top when the was lifted by the crest of the wave. It was a situation that demanded highest perfection and precision in unfriendly condition, success was another life and even a slightest slip was fatal end. Finally we entered the fort and the battle was won. The sun peeped out behind the clould for a moment to acknowledge our achievement. The sea had become silent and accepted the defeat. The torrid wind had become humble and subsided to rename itself as gentle breeze.

We left Murud-Janjeera to Hariharehwar and Srivardhan. On our way I saw a huge and enormous tree. The tree trunk was so overwhelming that its enormity had made all the trees in the vicinity to look impoverished and deprived of nutrients. Seemed as if the tree had soaked all the nutrients from the earth to make it infertile for the rest of the clan. I could listen the mute mockery that every passerby made at the other trees after seeing the mammoth and I could see the trees shrinking more in shame and looking even smaller.

Around 5 pm in the evening the rain started pouring heavily and it became dark. The road was unknown and the cloudburst was flowing straight down from the sky. The wipers were making futile attempts to make way for our eyes to look through the windscreen on the road. Nothing was clearly visible and in those conditions of zero visibility Sarvesh kept driving by his instincts, gut feeling, and luck. It slowed us down and we reached Harihareshwar at 9 pm in the night. The rain rage had not stopped by then and forced us to take out our umbrellas to look out for our hotel. Nothing could protect us from getting drenched as umbrella proved out to be of psychological help only. That day after getting drenched nonstop for an hour I realized that dryness is also a feeling that some people long for. I felt great when we found a nice cozy, dry room with open but covered balcony. We made ourselves comfortable and had our first few sips of Antiquity over a mouth-watering chicken made in Konkani style. I could never forget that taste and it stills titillates my taste buds whenever it comes back to life in my vivid memories.

Next morning we made our way back home through Srivardhan. At Srivardhan the soiled and filthy beach disappointed us. Again the rains had ruined the beach and rendered it useless. Frustrated we started our journey to home but tried our luck at a small diversion from the highway. I knew that the prayers were answered when I saw a small waterfall cutting its way through the rocks to the bright green fields. We couldn’t resist the desire of our bodies, which were craving to feel the life in water.

In the sluggish drizzle, the four souls washed themselves tardily to cleanse all the tiredness and metal restlessness of city life. The ablution recuperated the body and infused vital energy to each and every pore and rejuvenated the soul of my body. I became live again - reincarnated. I opened my eyes in a new world.

We came back again in the dirt of city around 11 pm and ended our trip at Aakarshan in Vikhroli because Shera was too crowded to wait for.

Aug – Dec: Boring and nothing exciting