WAS IT OR WAS IT NOT!!.. first story I ever wrote..

• ( To- all my readers.......All the characters in this story are fictitious. If they bear resemblance with any person or event, it is a mere co-incidence)

  
  

  Quoting the definitions from the Oxford English dictionary-

  
  

  Attraction- being drawn to oneself; the power of getting attracted towards a thing , place or person

  
  

  Infatuation- inspire with intense fondness

  
  

  Crush- colloquial  Intense Infatuation

  
  

  Love- deep affection or fondness

  
  

  How and when do you say that you have one of these syndromes? I wish we had a grading system for these kinds of ‘ tachycardia causing’ emotions to, like we have for grading muscle strength-. In the lines of Manual Muscle Testing grades, it would have been called Emotional affection/ love Rating  Grades.  A chart of Manual Muscle Testing grades is being shown here for the non-medical/physio readers here-

  
  

  Grades of manual Muscle Testing

  
  

  Grade 0- No contraction of the muscle

  
  

  Grade1- Flicker contraction

  Grade2- Full range of movement  of the muscle in gravity minimised plane

  Grade 3- Full range of movement against gravity

  Grade 4- Full range of movement against gravity and minimal resistance

  Grade 5- Full range of movement against gravity and maximal resistance

  
  

  Similarly, the Emotional love/affection rating grades would have been something like this-

  
  

  Grade 0- No attraction

  
  

  Grade 1- -flicker/ mild feeling of attraction, characterized by an event of “struck your eyes on the person for a few seconds”.

  - Feelings appreciated by the victim only in the presence of the stimulus; absence of feelings when the stimulus is not around 

  
  

  Grade 2- Intense attraction or Infatuation which is present even after the stimulus is removed.

  - Characterised by neuronal signal changes which bring the thoughts of the person in the victim’s mind. Such thoughts persist for some days.

  -Bowel  & bladder functions , appetite and sleeping patterns remain unaffected.

  
  

  Grade3- Intense infatuation or crush.

  - Characterised by a strong urge to talk to the person or meet him/her.

  - Neuronal signals in the victims brain are more intense, resulting in Autonomic nervous system changes- palpitation, sweating, signs of “want to speak but become speechless when the stimulus comes in front of them” , Adrenaline surge

  - Bowel and bladder functions normal; sleep partially disturbed, appetite normal

  
  

  Grade 4- Love ( with query)

  -Characterized by cardiac and nervous system involvement which has impact on all the other systems

  -Thoughts, words, actions, activities of the stimuli cloud around the victim’s brain and mind – 25 hours a day( body clock starts doing overtime, that’s why 25 hours!!)

  - Bowel and bladder functions affected. Appetite severely  affected. Sleep-wake cycles altered. Circardian rythm gets disturbed

  
  

  Grade 5- Confirmed love.

  -Feelings are intense, persist defying all the truths of the world and inspite of full parental resistance

  -Presence of the stimuli makes the victim’s life colourful; absence makes it dull and black and white.

  - All the body systems are affected.

  -ADL ( Activities of Daily Living) affected.

  
  

  All these terms were prohibitions for Parvati until now. These were terms which were , in her opinion, anti-social and anti- cultural. She was a typical Papa’s and Mummy’s daughter.

  
  

  CUT TO ---------------13th September 2008.

  
  

  Fate brought Parvati to Bangalore. Admission to a reputed college compelled her to come to the Silicon Valley of India. This was a big jolt to her. She had to go away from her father, mother( her pillar) and her best buddy,her elder sister Laksmi.

  
  

  She arrived at the station with her father, Mr. Nagesh. They took shelter at Parvati’s mom’s friend’s house,  Nisha  Aunty. Parvati’s mom Mamta and Nisha Aunty knew each other since last 30 years. Nisha Aunty was the one who provided all the inputs about the colleges across the city to Parvati’s parents and helped Parvati through the admission procedure.

  
  

  Parvati and her father reached Nisha Aunty’s house. After the rituals of- hello, how was your journey, sorry for the trouble, etc- plan was chalked-to go to the college tomorrow and get Parvati admitted in the hostel. “HOSTEL”- had always fascinated Parvati. A regular follower of Hindi movies, Parvati was looking forward to a good stay and nice learning experience as a hostelite. But to her disappointment, no rooms in the hostel were vacant. The warden told her that she’ll be allotted a room after a month. Now the big Q was- Where will Parvati stay?? Nisha Aunty came to the rescue. She told Mr. Nagesh- Don’t worry. Parvati is like my daughter. Let her stay here till she gets a room in the hostel. Travelling will also be easy as her college is nearby from my house. Shankar Uncle, Nisha Aunty’s husband, also supported Nisha Aunty. Mamta, Parvati’s mom, thanked Nisha Aunty a million times for this favour.

  
  

  Parvati was sharing room with Nisha Aunty’s daughter Anushka.

  
  

  And then came----the moment of separation. Mr. Nagesh’s train was  running late by half an hour. Parvati was sitting on one of the platform benches, her head resting on her daddy’s lap. She stared at the seconds hand of her wrist watch, which told her that she has one more second’s time  less with her dad. She was the apple of her dad’s eyes. As the cold wind touched her cheek, she tried her best to control her lacrimal gland. She knew that if she cried, her dad will cry harder. The train arrived. Mr. Nagesh’s luggage was settled under his seat. And the most difficult moment was here---. As the train started to move, Parvati, stil trying to control her tears, waved bye-bye to her dad.     Bollywood has songs for every occasion and situation.

  
  

  Kabhi Alvida Na kehna, Kabhi Alvida Na kehna....

  
  

  As Parvati’s heart kept singing this song in silence, her dad’s waving hand disappeared. First drop of tear rolled down her cheek, followed by buckets.  Shankar Uncle tried hard to console Parvati on their way back home. Parvati, with a heavy heart, could not eat anything that day. She straight away went to bed, sobbing under the blanket. Her family- her support system- was not there with her.

  It took Parvati 2 days to get used to her college routine. As she got involved into her studies and college activities, the pain of separation from the family took a backseat. Phone calls from Mummy, daddy and her sister Lakshmi were a ritual- like the doctor’s prescription- take it thrice daily; an additional dose can be added when the symptoms of homesickness appear.

  
  

  Everything was fine till that day------the day when Parvati went to that dinner party.

  
  

  Nisha Aunty’s sister-in-law’s son Praveen had got married last month. Praveen was flying back to Netherland next week. Praveen’s wife Priya was studying in Bangalore. So, the love birds were going to be separated in a week...:-( Priya’s family had organised a get together/dinner party for close family members.   Nisha Aunty’s family was also invited.  Nisha Aunty asked Parvati also to join. Initially Parvati was hesitant, thinking- I will feel out of place. But Nisha aunty and Anushka convinced her to come with them. They were received by Priya’s parents at the venue. Nisha Aunty introduced them to Parvati and a formal exchange of smiles and hellos followed. ‘Hi Shyam’- said Nisha Aunty, as everyone else turned back. Shyam was  Priya’s brother. 6 feet, slim, wheatish complexion with a pleasant smile and a moustache. Parvati  forgot to blink for a few seconds.

  
  

  Grade 1- -flicker/ mild feeling of attraction, characterized by an event of “struck your eyes on the person for a few seconds”.

  - Feelings appreciated by the victim only in the presence of the stimulus; absence of feelings when the stimulus is not around 

  
  

  While the rest of the people were busy talking and exchanging hellos, Parvati was waiting for Nisha Aunty to turn and introduce her to the new entry. ‘Shyam, this is Parvati, my friend’s daughter, from Bhopal .  She has come here to study  Journalism.’  Shyam extended his palm to shake hands with Parvati.  Parvati experienced a sudden increase in her heartbeats. The rest of the evening went in introducing Parvati to all the family members , them questioning Parvati about her family , giggling, cracking jokes on each other. One thing which struck everone’s minds was Parvati’s fluent Hindi. Thanks to her dad’s transferrable job, Parvati, basically a Kannadiga, had never stayed in Karnataka for a long time. So, she lacked the MTI( Mother Tongue Influence) which people here have.         Parvati was sitting right in front of Shyam. Parvati preferred to talk to him in Hindi. Thankfully, he knew Hindi as he has a good set of Hindi speaking friends from his college and office. Shyam is a techie, the most common profession in Bangalore.   

  
  

  Everone enjoyed the dinner. After congratulating the newly-weds, and wishing Praveen a happy and safe journey, Nisha Aunty’s family prepared to leave. Priya’s dad offered them to drop in his car and someone else was also happy. Shyam sat next to his dad, who was driving the car. As the car reached Nisha Aunty’s house, everyone got down and started bidding byes. Parvati said good night to Priya’s parents, Shyam turned to her and said- ‘It was nice meeting you Parvati. Keep in touch.’

  
  

  Grade 2- Intense attraction or Infatuation which is present even after the stimulus is removed.

  - Characterised by neuronal signal changes which bring the thoughts of the person in the victim’s mind. Such thoughts persist for some days.

  -Bowel  & bladder functions , appetite and sleeping patterns remain unaffected.

  
  

  Parvati was feeling uneasy. Something was wrong with her. Parvati had never experienced these emotions. She could not stop thinking about Shyam. It was the first time that she was thinking about a guy. Why is this happening? Is this due to the hormones, or is this the effect of Bangalore?? She was puzzled, and at the same time, feeling good...:-)

  
  

  Life continued as usual, with addition of a new person in her friends list.

  
  

  One day, Anushka, Nisha  Aunty’s daughter was trying to call Shyam’s parents  using her mom’s phone. Thanks to the zero balance on her phone (thanks to Nisha Aunty’s  long duration talks with her friends) , she asked Parvati for her phone to make the call. Anushka dialled the no. and said-‘Hey Shyam, my mom was asking about the Dussehhra function and Bombe habba.’ She paused for a few seconds and gave the phone to her mom who continued speaking and finally said-‘Ok. We will reach there by 5 pm.’Before disconnecting, Anushka snatched the phone from her mom and wished to talk to Shyam. She told him that this was Parvati’s no.

  
  

  Plan for the evening was fixed- Visit to Shyam’s house, and Parvati, as expected, was also going. She was meeting Shyam after 6 weeks.

  
  

  Nisha Aunty’s family got a warm welcome at Priya’s house. They had decorated the dolls on the eve of dussehhra. ( Bombe habba is a part of Dussehhra celebrations in Karnataka in which various dolls are decorated and displayed for a couple of days). Shyam came out to greet everyone. Parvati and Shyam exchanged smiles. After that, the womenfolk became busy with their usual talks. Anushka, Priya, Shyam and Parvati headed towards Shyam’s room. Parvati was hiding something from everyone. She was happy. Very happy , to meet Shyam.

  
  

  Shyam asked Parvati about her college and classes. He was showing Priya’s wedding pictures to everyone and explaining who is who. Parvati could not pay heed to any other voice except one. Trays of snacks came in. Soon, the clock ticked 7.30 pm. Nisha Aunty realised that it was time for them to leave. After bidding bye to everyone, they left. While travelling back home, Parvati’s phone ringed. It was the message tone. She took out her phone and checked.’ You’ve put on weight..:-)’. It was Shyam’s message. Parvati’s joy knew no bounds. For a second, she forgot that someone has criticised her. (For a girl, the worst abuse is- a comment by someone, especially a guy that she has become fat) Parvati instantly replied- J J A guy should never comment like that. It is bad manners.. Prompt came the reply from the other end- Its ok between friends..:-).

  
  

  Grade3- Intense infatuation or crush.

  - Characterised by a strong urge to talk to the person or meet him/her.

  - Neuronal signals in the victims brain are more intense, resulting in Autonomic nervous system changes- palpitation, sweating, signs of “want to speak but become speechless when the stimulus comes in front of them” , Adrenaline surge

  - Bowel and bladder functions normal; sleep partially disturbed, appetite normal

  
  

  As a part of the SMS culture, Parvati started sending forward messages to Shyam, like she used to send all other friends. But the frequency of messages from the other end was less. The ratio was 15:1. But that one message was also enough to make Parvati happy for the rest of the day.

  One day, in the afternoon, Parvati got a call from a landline no. ‘Hello ji, pehchana?’ How can Parvati forget this voice!! It was Shyam, calling from his office, trying to prevent himself from falling asleep after a heavy lunch.  After fifteen minutes of casual talks, Shyam said bye and disconnected. Parvati’s head was spinning. What did she talk in the past fifteen minutes- she could not recollect! All she remembered was what he spoke. The very thought of Shyam increased her heart beats. Parvati did not even realize that she has progressed to grade 3. BUT, was this actually infatuation??....Or was it just like any other friendship and Parvati was mistaking it for something else. Parvati had not made many guy friends in her school life. This was the first time she was venturing into it. May be that was why she was having these kinds of feelings.......or was all that she was experiencing true???..

  
  

  It was a Saturday. Parvati had come from college. She had finished her lunch and was trying to plan what should she clean today.( Saturdays were usually the cleanliness drive days for Parvati). Her phone started to ring. It was Shyam’s call.

  
  

  'Hey Parvati, what are you doing? If you are free , can we meet?’

  ‘Sure Shyam.Where?’

  ‘Near your campus. I’ll be there in half an hour. Will call you when i reach. Cya.’

  “ok.”....

  
  

  :-) :-):-):-):-) this was what Parvati’s heart was saying and feeling. Another appropriate song from the bollywood- My dil goes hmmm..hmmm..hmmm. :-) 

  
  

  They met at the bus stand near Parvati’s college. Shyam had not eaten anything since morning. So, the next  place they headed to was the nearby south Indian restaurant. After filling stomachs, they came out.

  
  

  ‘Now what’, asked Parvati.

  ‘Lets go out somewhere.’

  
  

  They kept walking and talking about many varied topics. Shyam  spoke about his love for chocolates and teddy bears!!! ( for the first time in her life, Parvati had seen a guy liking teddy bears).  Talks never ended and in notime they reached.

  
  

  ‘This place is called Sankey Tank.’

  ‘Wow! It is beautiful. Especially this lake in between. Lets take a walk here Shyam’

  They kept walking and talking, and finally sat on a bench.  Shyam told her about his college life, academics, how he would manage to just cross the passing line, his popularity as the silent and the decent guy, his huge crowd of friends-most of them girls, about his sister’s wedding and how much he misses her etc.  Parvati spoke about her love for journalism, music, swimming and how is it being away from the family.

  
  

  ‘Tell me one thing Shyam. How did you grow so tall? Your parents are of average heights.’

  ‘That’s because I eats lots of chapatis!!’ Shyam answered with a smile

  ‘ He he he...:-) If that is the reason, I should also grow tall as I survive only and only on chapaties.         I am not much of a rice lover.’

  ‘My chachaji is very tall. I have inherited most of my traits and habits, including height, from him. I also have one particular habit which he has’.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘Not replying messages and a bad record of sending forwards to others. None of my friends rely on messages to communicate with me as they know I never reply. If at all I send one, it becomes a news in the entire friend circle that Shyam replied a message’

  
  

  Now Parvati got to know why her  in numerous  messages were unanswered. 

  The rest of the evening was spent discussing about life in Bangalore vs life in Bhopal. Dinner was at a mess which was popular among the inmates of Parvati’s hostel, followed by a walk along the footpath inside Parvati’s campus.

  
  

  And now , time to say goodbye. Samay kaise beet gaya pata hi nahi chala.

  ‘It was nice spending time with you Shyam.’

  ‘Same here Parvati. Good night.’

  
  

  Parvati started moving towards her hostel, with thousand questions in her mind. What does he think or feel about me? Why am I feeling  the way I am feeling right now? Shyam is a friend-just a friend. Nothing  else. Or is he something beyond that? If so, what is it?????

  
  

  Irrespective of Parvati’s morals , apprehensions and beliefs;  Parvati had her first official DATE today. Now I leave it to the readers to decide- whether it should be called a date or just another casual meeting with a friend!!

  
  

  Parvati slided into her blanket , trying her best to sleep, but- Neend hi nahi aa rahi thi. A certain someone’s smiling face was coming again and again in front of her eyes and that certain someone’s  and soft voice was ringing in her ears. Parvati’s blood –endorphin (feel good hormones) levels were at a all time high. She was happy, happy and very happy. She stopped analyzing the whys, whats and hows of this feeling and just enjoyed each and every part of it.

  
  

  Was this the first stage of the four letter word? Is this how people fall in love?

  
  

  Parvati had no answers. But she knew one person who can help her. The very next day Parvati called up her sister’s no. And spoke-‘Didi, I wanted to tell you something. I have a new friend................’  And then continued the entire narration. Each and everything in detail.

  ‘Didi, I don’t want to label it as a relationship, He is a very good friend  friend and I don’t wan to ruin this friendship because  of some immature interpretation. What is your opinion Didi?’

  Lakshmi said, ‘See Parvati, making guy friends and spending time with them is not wrong. Go ahead. But don’t go around with them. Keep in mind what have you come to hostel for.’

  ‘Ok Didi. Good night. Say my pranaam to mummy and daddy.’

  
  

  Parvati was totally confused.. How can she control the emotional surge that she was experiencing!! And to increase the complication- her sister’s message- DON’T GO AROUND WITH THEM.        Parvati’s questions were still  unanswered. She packed her mental conflicts in a bag and kept  it aside. She had to concentrate on her studies. Her internal exams were a month away.

  
  

  Life moved on. With occasional CASUAL phone calls from Shyam, and rare exchange of messages, Parvati was juggling between Grades 2 and 3.

  
  

  They say- Waqt chutki bajate beet jata hai. Toh ye lo....baji chutki....

  
  

  Cut to--

  
  

  Parvati’s first year results were out. Inspite of being in the tech-savy city, she relied on her Didi to check her result. She considered her Didi to be her lucky charm

  
  

  ‘Congratulations chutki!!  You have has cleared a with distinction. We are proud of you’, came a chorus from Parvati’s house. Parvati was happy. Hard work paid off well!!. She called up Nisha Aunty and told her the result. She also congratulated her. And now, messaging time. Parvati took out her phone and typed – Hey Shyam, got my results. Scored 75.2%. Shyam repled- Wow!! Congratulations Parvati!!! Tum to padhaku nikali!! I have never crossed 60!! BTW, where is the treat?.:-)’

  ‘Thank you for the wishes Shyam. Treat- when and where you want’

  Great!!..Will call you soon

  
  

   Ice cream parlour- Venue for the treat

  
  

  ‘Have you ever tried ice creams here Parvati?’

  ‘No Shyam. I am not much of an ice cream fan.’

  ‘Oh is it!! Surprising. Most of the people like icecreams. I suggest you should try Corner House.’

  They reached the venue. Corner House is a chain of ice cream parlours here, with a branch near Shyam’s office. Symam was a regular visitor there.

  ‘If you like chocolates, I would suggest you to go for DBC.’

  ‘DBC- What’s that?’, Parvati asked.

  ‘Death By Chocolate- Scoops of vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate sauce on top and nutty garnishing.’

  ‘Ok.’

  
  

  She ordered two DBCs. Ice creams were served and Shyam got lost in it-enjoying each and every bit of it. For Parvati, it was an overdose of sugar. Though she was fond of chocolates, DBC was toooo sweet. Well, that was expected. Kannadigas have sweet jaw.

  
  

  Iceream party was over. Next?? Without a doubt- walk to Sankey Tank!! Both agreed and started walking silently. Silence speaks a thousand words....  Setting sun and rising moon, still water of Sankey Tank lake, acting as mirror to the sky , ducklings swimming in the lake......... Silent mode is the best mode to listen what the nature is trying to tell you.

  
  

  As she crossed a bench, Parvati’s eyes saw something that made her stop for a while go closer........... Dark sky with the shining bright moon, captured in between two branches of a tree. Parvati went close to the tree to relish the nature’s beauty at its best. A cold breeze came and touched her face as she looked down and saw the moon’s reflection on the water surface

  WOW!!!! What a view it was! Awesome..! Nature was indeed at her best...

  
  

  Bollywood has songs for every occasion. Parvati started singing softly as she and Shyam came out of the Sankey Tank gate----

  
  

  Pehla nasha, pehla khumaar, Naya pyaar hai, naya intezaar...Kar lun main kya apna haal, aye diley beqaraar, mere diley beqaraar, tu hi bataa...

  
  

  ‘You sing?’ Shyam asked. Parvati replied with a smile, ‘Yes. I love to sing, but I’ve not taken any professional training.’

  ‘Great! Then the next time we meet, we shall have singing sessions. You’l l sing and I’ll listen..:-)’

  ‘That’s not fair Shyam. You will also have to sing.’

  ‘I am not a good singer Parvati. My musical talent is confined only to the bathroom. But, I’ll make an attempt.’

  ‘Ok. I am looking forward to our Sangeet sammelan. It is high time for me to go back Shyam. The hostel gate  will close in sometime.’

  ‘OK. I’ll accompany you till there. As Parvati started moving towards her hostel gate, Shyam said, ‘Thanks for the treat Parvati. Congratulations again.’

  “Thank you Shyam. Good night.’

  
  

  Parvati was puzzled, as usual. She really liked being in Shyam’s company. She would forget everything else. His voice was charming. The way he said’hello’ over phone seemed mesmerising to Parvati. His simple and down to earth kind of behaviour, his soft voice, his height, his smile............. In  short- Parvat was falling for him.....   But       wait  !!

  Isin’t it wrong to arrive at conclusion without knowing the other person’s point of view? What about Parvati’s studies, her focus, her sister’s advice, her father’s aspirations, her career, her life!!!!             

  
  

  PHEW!!!! It was too much for a 20 year old to handle. Parvati’s brain had fatigued. She was not being able to judge what is wrong and what is right. All of a sudden, a cloud of grief and remorse surrounded her. She started feeling very low. She felt that she had committed a crime by letting these thoughts come in her mind. Love etc was not for her. She should focus on her career and work towards becoming a good journalist. She should not deviate from her path. She felt that she was cheating her self and her family.

  
  

  The emotional outburst came out in the form of tears. Parvati cried and cried and cried.---alone in her room in the hostel. No one to console her. She had never felt so lonely.

  
  

  Bollywood has songs for every occasions. And the theme of love, pain and sorrow has endless no. Of classics.

  -Dil to hai dil, dil ka aitbaar, kya kije....Aa gaya jo, kisi pe pyaar, kya kije..........

  - Aashiqui mein har aashiq, ho jaata hai majboor....Isme dil ka..mere dil ka....isme dil ka kya kasoor....

  
  

  
  

   Life moves on......Time took another leap.........

  
  

  Parvati was preparing for her final year external exams. She had maintained a good academic record al throughout. Feather in the cap was the summer internship at The Hindu Newspaper office where her work was appreciated by everyone. She was looking forward to her exams. On personal front, Parvati had moved on. It had been almost a year since the last time Parvati met Shyam. Occasional phone calls and rare replies to messages was the only communication they had had in the past one year. Parvati had overcome her emotions towards Shyam. She was now somewhere between grade 0 and 1...Parvati had moved on...

  
  

  One fine day, Parvati logged into her orkut account. As she was scrolling down the notifications, one of them caught her attention—

  
  

  Your friend Shyam updated his relationship status and added 2 new photos to the album Close to my heart.

  
  

  She clicked on Shyam Profile and read-

  
  

  Relationship status- Committed.

  
  

  The next click was on the Album- Close to my heart.

  The album had 5 photos. First one was Praveen and Priya’s wedding pic, followed Shyam’s Chachaji’s pic with a caption- My mentor and guru. Third one was his Parent’s. Two photos had been added. First one said- My first car!!! Ford Icon...The josh machine....go fida... 

  Second One- was a girl’s pic with a caption- Savita...My.......My.....  :-):-):-):-)..!!!!

  
  

  Parvati remained silent for a while. She didn’t know how to react. She clicked on Shyam’s  scrapbook and wrote- Hey Shyam, congratulations for the car!..:-) Finally bought it haan!!!   And , congratulations for your, your....:-):-):-):-)..She is very pretty. Kab milwa rahe ho!!?

  
  

  Savita was indeed very pretty. Simple and down to earth kind of looks, the girl next door types with a charming smile, tall, slim, fair---perfect match for Shyam.

  
  

  Parvati did not speak much. She preferred to stay back in her room and study for the exams. She had a goal. She was about to accomplish the first mission of her life. And she knew what is she going to do after that.

  
  

  Carrer, goal, aspirations are ok,....but what about the little pumping organ in her thoracic cavity , the secretions from the endocrine glands and their effect on the nervous system and the cardiovascular system?? Her feelings, emotions??

  
  

  Veteran Raj Kapoor has wisely said---The show must go on....And the show continued.

  Parvati scored a distinction again. Congratulations poured in from all the directions. She was happy. 1st  Mission accomplished :-).

  
  

  Now 2nd  mission- Admission to the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi for PG Diploma in Journalism.

  
  

  Parvati called up Nisha aunty and thanked her for her help and support. Nisha Aunty and Shankar Uncle congratulated her for her success. Before disconnecting the call, Anushka came over the phone and said, ‘Hey Parvati, you know what, Shyam got married last week.  Love marriage. The girl Savita, is a techie too, working in his office. The girl is a Malyali Brahmin. It was a very lavish wedding.’

  ‘Oh wow!! That’s nice. Do congratulate him on my behalf when you meet him the next time. I am leaving for Delhi next week. I’ll come to your house day after tomorrow. Bye.’

  Parvati bid bye to Bangalore. Her parents had come to accompany her from Bangalore to Delhi. Parvati was happy for the way her career was taking shape  but somewhere deep inside, there were many mysteries unsolved.

  
  

  Time is the best healer.

  
  

  Parvati got engrossed in her new college life. Classmates in PG courses fromUG. People become very professional and career oriented. Parvati also joined the herd. No room for emotions. First and last priority was her career.

  
  

  On the emotional front, Parvati had moved on. Even if she had grade 1 feelings for anyone, she brought them back to grade 0. She was afraid of getting hurt again.

  But somewhere deep inside, the questions remained unanswered------

  
  

  -Was it the beginning of love or was it not?

  -Was it just a one sided infatuation or were there sparks from the other side too?

  - Is this how love stories start?

  
  

  Questions were many, but answers none...

  
  

  Bollywood has songs for every occasion—

  
  

  Jaane kya chahe man baawara, Akhiyan mere saawan chala , akiyan mere, saawan chala

  
  

  Time took another leap....Three year leap...

  
  

  Parvati was working as journalist in The Hindu. Over the last one year of her professional life, she had many achievements to her name. The most important one was- Nomination for journalism award. Though she did not win the award, getting a nomination being a new kid on the block was commendable. Her work got critical acclaims.

  
  

  Parvati was the new  shining star in the field of journalism.

  
  

  After two months, parvati got married to Santosh Kumar, a techie working in Bangalore. After the marriage, Parvati took transfer to Bangalore. The first place she took Santosh to, after coming back to Bangalore was- The Great Sankey Tank. She re-kindled the same emotions and endorphin surge. She stared at the rising moon as she walked walked with Santosh in silence- resting her head over his shoulder. She was happy. She no more wanted her questions to be answered.  She had left her past behind. She was in grade 5++++ for Santosh. She was happy... :-):-)

  And they lived happily ever after.....

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  EPILOGUE

  
  

  The light outside the labour room had turned red. Santosh was very nervous, sitting with his parents and Lakshmi. Parvati’s parents were chanting mantras . Suddenly, the sound of mantras was replaced by the cries of baby. Nurse peeped out of the OT door and said- Congratulations!! Its a boy. The nervousness on everone’s face changed to smiles and happiness. Santosh was on cloud nine.         Parvati regained her senses and found herself in the hospital ward, surrounded by her near and dear ones. Santosh was sitting beside her, with their bundle of joy in his arms. He went close to Parvati and said-‘Thank you so much  wifey!! :-):-) Its a boy’.  With a  big smile on her face, Parvati leaned forwards and kissed on the baby’s forehead.

  ‘Santosh, I have a request.’

  ‘Yes Parvati? Anything for you!!’

  ‘Can we name our son Shyam???’

Numb...

Expressionless and emotionless had humans been,

Not a needle prick of words causing pain...

No fights, no quarrels, no anguish, no hurt,

Guilt, remorse, vengeance, sorrow- being thing of the past.

People would talk with irrelevant emotions,

Words spoken as arrows would never cause harm,

With pain being a non- existing alarm.

Being insane would have become a fashion statement,

Cruelty; a basic temperament.

No mother would have got excited about her progeny,

No father would have cried with joy, seeing the son walking,

No wife would have waited for the soldier to return from the war,

No sister would have expected security from the brother as the thread tying would have been useless.

No joy, no care, no happiness, no love,

No pain, no hurt, no sorrows no wet eyes and throat with a lump,

Wish the whole of the mankind was numb.........

फिर........

फिर बरसेगा सावन अधनी शाम को ......

फिर करेंगी बूँदें, शरारत नटखट सी ........

फिर होंगी सांसें तेज़, पास आएगा वो जब .....

फिर नाचेगा मन, लगाकर पंख .....

फिर गायेगा सन्नाटा राग सुरीले...

फिर लिपटेगी बांवली हवा बांहों में....

फिर होंगी तन्हाई तनहा.... जो होगा वो करीब.....

फिर धड्केगा दिल, लगा सुर ताल ....

फिर गूंजेगी  फिज़ा, बज उठेंगे तान.....

फिर लगेगी हर सुबह ताज़ी.......

फिर होगी चेहरे पर 'बिन मौसम मुस्कान'...

फिर हो जायेगी भूक-प्यास बेवफा......

फिर ताकेगी नज़रें घडी की टिक-टिक को.......

फिर खिल उठेगा मन, आएगा वो जब ......

फिर चुप रहेंगे होठ, सब बोल जायेंगी आँखें.....

फिर जागेगी तमन्नाएं .....

और ...फिर से होगा प्यार .........!!       

   

What to write?????

Recently when a regular reader of my blogs asked me- What are you writing these days??? 

I went clueless for a moment!! That was the time I realized that my pen is garnished with dust and my profile on Facebook has more updates on some stupid TRUTH GAME that my friends have randomly answered, than my blog notifications..!!!


High time I should blow the dust off  my pen, oil my jammed  brain, tickle my gray cells again and scribble something!!!

But...........The BIG 'Q' is- what to write?? 

Should I write about the unusual unity that I saw among people from different households as I heard them chanting- Ganapati Bappa Moraya near Sankey Tank??

Should I write about the smiling red flower which makes me happy, irrespective of whether I give it or receive it???

Should I write about promise of  “Exercises from tomorrow” that I give myself every day before going to bed only to find myself having just sufficient time to have a quick bath and rush to hospital, every morning..?? :-) :-) ( I am sure I am not the only one making such promises..)

Should I write about the Facebook page opened on another tab, which is making me take a lifetime to think and decide what to write!!! (Facebook is addictive!!! I can see my readers nodding their heads on this!! :-) :-) I had to close the page to finish the blog)

Should I write about the handful of potato chips, which made their best effort to satisfy the hungry beast inside my stomach yesterday evening??

Should I write about the priest who  almost convinced me that to have a good understanding, spouses should have an age gap of a minimum of 5 years, only to reveal in the end that the secret of his successful married life is the understanding between him and his wife who is only 3 years younger to him..:-) :-)

Should I write about the Chola Bhatura which I saw in my neighbour’s plate and began drooling and ended up ordering it in the restaurant yesrerday evening, after gobbling up a Masala Dosa ???

Should I write about the Chocolate which shared with my mummy yesterday night at 12 o clock, after chatting non- stop for three hours, in my hostel room?

Should I write about the breeze which is a regular visitor to my terrace room, giving me a reason to be happy..:-) ? ?

Should I write about the glittering rays of the morning sun, reflecting over the lazy ripples of Sankey Tank water, which were shining more than 24 carat gold??

Should I write about the tiny eyes  of 6 hungry children which gave me a stare of hope and expectation as I stood near the man on a cycle selling guavas???

Should I write about the late evening breeze which touched my face and said hello :-) after peeping into the water of Sankey??

Should I write about the setting sun which welcomes Earth’s only natural satellite, Our Beloved Chaand..:-) everyday, inspiring movies since time immemorial…???

Should I write about the rain which makes me nostalgic, bringing back memories of some merry and some painful moments???

Should I write about the kid inside me which wants to talk, talk, talk and talk….say it out…..like a nursery kid, cause keeping a balance inside makes the heart heavy???

Should I write about  the Speaking Tree articles in The Times of India newspaper, which, surprisingly, are always related to the turmoil happening inside me, trying to give me an answer, but end up confusing me at times..????

Should I write about the happiness which I keep looking for in all my deeds, acts and activities, only to find myself left with a question in the end, almost every time…………

…Am I REALLY happy????

AUR BHI HAI......!!!

समझ न क्षितिज को मंजिल अपनी
..जहां और भी है...

न हो उदास कि इकरार बना इनकार
प्यार और भी है ....

सहम गया तू इतने से दर्द से बुजदिल!
दुःख और भी है...

माना तुने इसको सातवा आसमान ?
खुशियाँ और भी है .....

मांग उस खुदा से सितारों की उंचाईयां
महत्वकान्क्षायें  और भी है

न मान अपने अप को तनहा
हमराही और भी हैं...

समेट, संभाल अपने आप को
 चोटें और भी है

बस!!! न बहा नीर , गातें हुए चुभन भरे  राग..
गीत और भी हैं ....

उठा सर, खोल अपनी आँखें,
मुस्कुराहटें और भी है .....

फैला अपनी बाहें, दिल खोल के
अपने और भी हैं ....

छेड़ सुर नया सा कोई
धुनें और भी हैं ...

उड़, लगा के पंख इच्छाओं के..
ऊँचाइयाँ और भी हैं ....

जग रोज़ , पेहेन के मुस्कराहट
सवेरे और भी हैं ....

समेट खुशियाँ अपने लिए भी
मासूमियत और भी है ...
जब अपने लिए तू है,
तो फिर काहे का अकेलापन !!!

दे खुद को ख़ुशी पहले ..

तभी बाँट पायेगा औरों में ख़ुशी तू..

औरों के साथ कर खुद से भी प्यार ,

अपने लिए तू और भी है ......:-) 

I Came Back...!!!!

I felt the extremes of happiness ……and came back…

I experienced the extremes of bliss….and came back..

I touched the heights of love…and came back…

I poured out the extremes of care  and affection….and came back..

I saw myself believing the best of the promises….and came back..

I saw love shaping into possessiveness…..and came back…

I felt an insecure sense of belonging…and came back…

I saw hope and positivity….and came back….

I felt insecurity…..and came back…

I experienced solitariness……and came back…

I  experienced the fear of loosing…. and came back….

I saw eyes….wet in pain ….and came back…..

AND THEN……..

I felt independent….strong…and came back….

I realized my vision…..and came back….

I forgot the hurts …..and came back…

I realized my goal….and came back…

I came back…with a stronger heart….’hurt proof’..

I came back..with a mission…to spread smiles…:-)

I came back…..stronger…to ignore what the commoners say….!!!

I came back..most importantly…..for myself..:-)

JUST A PINCH.....

A pinch of desire is all it takes to paint the sky……

A pinch of love is all it takes to feel the bliss….

A pinch of truth is all it takes to have a clean heart…

A pinch of faith oh ‘Thee’ is all it takes to face the challenges….

A pinch of satiety is all it takes to become happy….

A pinch of grief is all it takes to turn the smile upside down…

A pinch of anger is all it takes to boil the blood…..

A pinch of over thought  is all it takes to realize- who is guilty??

A pinch of bias is all it takes to conclude- It is not my fault!!

A pinch of conscious is all it takes to accept the mistake….

A pinch of care is all it takes to not give pain to a soul….

A pinch of guilt is all it takes to repent a lifetime……

A pinch of confession is all it takes to enlighten the soul….

A pinch of ignorance is all it takes to have blind faith…..

A pinch of enlightenment is all it takes to realize- I belong to a place beyond 
horizon…

A pinch of misunderstanding is all it takes to create a crack in the wall…

A pinch of understanding is all it takes to hear what is unsaid…..

A pinch of faith is all it takes to move mountains…

A pinch of determination is all it takes to run for your dreams….