Tale of a Smith

Tears in their eyes they parted ways

Recalling all their times together, all the glorious days

For love had been a sweet bitter wine

When the two souls felt together, intertwined

The journey began a long time back

She stayed in a castle and he slept on the sack

They met in the market on a beautiful day

She came in a carriage as a princess may

Her gown was flowing as she waltzed past the crowd

He watched her agape, dazed dazzled and wowed

Glanced at the red hot metal with a hammer in hand

He carved a ring like only a blacksmith can

The sun reflected dully off the black metal ring

His heart made a promise to make her his queen

Everyday he waited outside her castle for a glance of her face

As she braided her hair with elegance and grace

Then one night as he stared at the window of the tower 

The moon's rays kissed her skin like a meteoric shower

She appeared in white like the goddess of light

The sky lit up as her beauty shunned the night

But there was a sadness in those pretty lil eyes

Her life was a sham, a bed of lies

All he could see was that sweet lovely face 

And then he heard the sound of a falling vase

Curious he moved closer to the gate

It was adrenaline that now sealed his fate

Never a warrior but a blacksmith by day

He knew he had to protect her and he swung the hammer all the way

The intruders were few as the mission was simple

"Kill my stepdaughter so my daughter shall become the princess"

As the last one lay down battered bruised or dead

She stood behind this low-life and hid her head

The tears wouldn't stop as her brain was in a  nightmare

When he held her hand and did solemnly swear

My queen of hearts I am your ace of Spades

And I will protect you from any danger come what may

She knew men are deceitful, schemers and liars

But those eyes were ablaze with truth and fire

Take me away from this horrible land

Where my mother will kill and bury me in the sand

I wish not to be a princess or a royalty any more

I just want to live this life; travel, wander and explore

Together they broke the shackles of the past

And ran away to a land where only love shall last

To him she was always her queen 

He worked he slogged to fulfil her simple dreams

Days turned to months and months to years

The ring shone dully but it's love was hers

As the memories felt bleak and she came back to the present

Only to feel the warm blood of her poor brave pheasant

The mission was incomplete and for years they searched 

Villages were raided and men were torched

The task was to kill her and bring back the corpse.

But they knew not the braveheart who swore her protection

The hammer broke the skulls and spirit of the assailants 

As the sun shone down on the blood and gore

The blacksmith rose and let out a roar

He saw his princess running to him in tears

Her grief pained him more than the bloody spear

That had pierced his heart right through his chest

He needed to lie down, he needed to rest

As she held his head on her lap and wept

Her piercing wail awakened the children who slept

She had given up on life that fateful night

Standing on the tower waiting for her plight

He gave her a reason to live and a heart to fall in love

With arms wrapped around him she saw him smiling above

Up in the sky he was at peace

His face calmed her down and brought some ease

She rested her head and closed those teary eyes

As her soul left her body to the land of the wise

Their union was marked till death do them apart

The bodies were dead but love was in their heart

As they walk the garden of paradise together

Hand in hand their love lives forever

Love and war

Once upon a time not so long ago
There once lived a prince who had a mighty sword
His enemies were a plenty both powerful and strong
They all envied the sword which to him belonged

For this dagger of his was no ordinary sword
Carved from adamantium and plated with gold
What made it the envy of the rich and powerful, strong and weak
Was that it had a mind and brain, and Tuss could speak

Flawless beauty shimmering in the sun Tuss and the prince had many battles won
They were meant for each other but the biggest tension between them unspoken
Was that he was a mortal who'd die and she was a blade who could be broken

The valiant prince never feared his death
He enjoyed the present to have no regret
But Tuss was scared of the future and she said
'A sword once broken can never be repaired'

She wanted to have a present being friends with other swords
So that if the future wasn't bright it wouldn't be the end of the road
But the prince knew he couldn't part with her at any cost
Without her he was handicapped, without her he was lost

They loved each other more than words could say
They spent hours together night and day
She knew she was sharp and he could be hurt
But he was a warrior who would protect her till death do them apart

The final battle of the worlds had finally begun
For days it carried on till the setting of the sun
Tuss was scared of him being hurt and she being broken
But he promised to protect her from the foes wanting her as a token

After days of fighting these foes and demons within
He was hurt he was sore with no sight of a win
His cavalry was dead but chivalry unwavered
But all he feared was losing what he savored

Knowing it was time for his final good bye
But without him she would be broken, even she would die
So late in the night when the enemies rejoiced their kill
He slid in the dark and reached the secret well

Where lay many swords forged from real steel
Nothing as beautiful as Tuss could ever be revealed

He kissed her a final time and to the sleeping beauty he said
"I have loved you all my life and you're all that ever matters
But to keep you safe from the world, it's wild sons and crazy daughters
I must leave you with your friends who will protect you from harm
They aren't jealous of your beauty, they don't envy your charm
So protect her till the next life when I'll be reborn
I'll come back to take her and this I've sworn"

With nerves of steel but tears in his eye
He turned back to the battle field knowing he would die
Without his Tuss he was just a naked man
But the bards sing praises how he fought with his bare hands

When Tuss finally woke up from her deep slumber

She was amongst friends but they all seemed strangers
From a small gap where the rays entered the well
She saw a bloodied face lying very still

It rained it poured the heavens wept her loss
But she was the toughest metal who just lay there in shock
Those dead eyes looked into hers to express his love
But the silence was exploding as it thundered above

To this day she waits for her prince to return
He had promised he would come back and never ever run
Her friends are a plenty and the world is not enough
But the one person who matters is somewhere high above....

Teri Yaad...

Baarish ki woh pehli boondein
Jab dharti ko sparsh kar gayi
Aisa laga jaise ki maano
Tu yahin kahin se guzar gayi

Woh khushboo thi geele zameen ki
Ya tha tere badan ka ehsaas
Bahar khade unn boondon ko dekh
Laga jaise tu yahin kahin hai aas paas

Dhundli si khidhki pe tha kiska chehra
Tha aankhon ka vehem ya yaadon ka pehra
Main jaanta hoon tum ho yahaan se meelon dur
Par yeh pagal mann mera jhoome hai yaad karke tere hi suroor

Geeli zulfein teri jab tu sehlayegi
Har saans ki kasam mujhe tu hi tu yaad aayegi
Dil chahta hai ki tujhe bana loon apna hamesha n forever
Par azad panchi ko quaid kar paana is possible never

Tujhse judaa hoke reh lenge hum
Teri yaadon mein gharonda basa lenge hum
Pyaar se zyada khushi koi de payee tujhe jo
Uss khushi ke liye judaai ka dard bhi seh lenge hum

Feminism or Hypocrisy: Take your Pick

What exactly is Sexism? According to Wiki 'Sexism or gender discrimination is prejudice or discrimination based on a person's sex or gender. Sexist attitudes may stem from traditional stereotypes of gender roles,^[2][3] and may include the belief that a person of one sex is intrinsically superior to a person of the other.'

Recently I have come across articles and speeches demanding empowering of women. Where the women want to stand on the same pedestal as men. But lets just take a time-out. Did we men ever try to create any social awareness when we created our own platform while the ladies were probably busy elsewhere. We have never demanded anything of this society although many a times this society as demanded a lot out of us. A man is supposed to be independent and free to make his own decisions and not hang on to his mother's saree like a sissy. At the same time, not listening to his parents make him a rash and arrogant boy. 

Right from a young age the idea has been infused in our minds that boys don't cry no matter how badly hurt you are. Well girls and boys are all the same flesh and blood and yet we have to control our emotions from that age. I wonder why no woman teaches her daughter to be like us. A girl or a lady uses her tears as her best weapon to conquer the world while we guys have to earn everything.

When I was home this time my mother was describing an extremely ambitious girl she knows of. According to her, the driving force of this female is that she wants to be at par with any guy and achieve everything a guy can. How absurd is that. Have we boys ever wanted to be like you or compete with you? Why do you consider yourself inferior to us and look up to us? We have never shied away from sharing the pedestal with you. We know what we want and the only competition is with ourselves. So why not just try to get a bit of self motivation and drive youself to your goals.

A blog I read stated a line 'At some basal level men will be men'. I agree whole-heartedly. We love our cricket our football our tennis. We love playing computer games and nothing gives us an ecstasy like a gaming console. But most of us refrain from playing with a girl's heart. We know what you are and we respect you for that. We love our pals like they mean the world to us. Most guys will agree that we are ready to take a blow or two for the sake of them. Nothing can be more joyous than a guys reunion and a night-out spent getting sloshed out and recollecting old memories. Girls - Tell me honestly; can you say with a clean heart you have never envied your best friend for her designer clothes, her make-up, her good looks or her drop dead gorgeous boyfriend. Two girls can never bond the way two guys can and that's where lies your problem. If your own gender is not your friend then how do you expect to conquer the world all by yourself. 

An Fb update I recall stated something to the tune of 'Can a man and woman be looked upon at the same pedestal or is it all a magical bluff.' It probably is a bluff that was created in your own heads. A male and a female are two completely different creations of the Almighty. Both have a separate purpose in life. Both have their own equal powers at birth. It's what you do after maturity that defines a human being. Just crying out foul all over the internet doesn't solve any problems. In the words of the great M.K.Gandhi ' Be the change you want to see in this world'. So don't fight to be the same as men. Leave that to us. Be your identity and one day every one will applaud you for who you are.

We guys have never asked or been given a Men's Day to celebrate manhood. We don't need such things to prove our existence to the world. We know our place and we are proud of it. No matter what the situation, a guy is always considered to be the bread-winner at home. We never had an option like you, my dear ladies, to be a home-maker instead. He is the one who takes loans from banks and repays them all his life to get a good education, then build a good home, buy a new car and also satisfy the whims of his wife, his children, his parents leaving little or none for himself. When was the last time you heard a guy crying over all this. The answer is never. We have our own share of problems but we know how best to handle them. The social media is not the answer to them.

 If you really want to change the thinking of the society and show your standing in this world, start by eliminating the women's quota in schools colleges and work places. Why do you need reserved seats on buses and metroes or a completely reserved compartment for ladies on trains? Why don't you take a stand against these facilities that the society provided you with. If you really believe you are as strong as us, then why be afraid to share the platform? I agree that there are many mischief-mongers and anti social elements present in the society who disgrace us as men. Ministers and politicians alike who have little or no respect for women; who treat rape as a mistake by young boys. On behalf of the entire men's fraternity, I apologize for these scums of our society. But the modern day man is way more receptive to your thoughts and feelings. He would love to father a beautiful angel rather than killing her in the mother's womb. He is open to your every needs and he will do anything to earn that smile on your face. All he yearns for is your whole hearted love as a mother, a wife, a sister and a daughter. 

P.S. - I think every guy who reads this article will validate my arguments. But there will be some who will blast at me for arrogance and hypocrisy and for probably being a male chauvinist. These are the sissy's of our society who try to earn browny points from girls by being in their good books. Beware of such individuals. Maybe I'm wrong in some parts so feel free to correct me with proper justifications. This is not a personal attack against anyone but just the ramblings of a mind pained and tired of seeing the same articles over the internet. 

    

Dreams, Sacrifices, Life and Love

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani!!! That's what is the name of the movie. It literally translates to 'This youth is crazy' and crazy it was. But wait... for those who think this is a movie review, please look some place else. This is about how it helped me rewind my own life within two and a half hours and look back at all those crazy things I did, those dreams, those aspirations, those loved ones and then how it all took a wild turn.

I am more of a dreamer than an achiever. My dreams are like a view through a kaleidoscope-plenty of
colourful pieces with barely any link with the other piece and yet a beautiful view.
I too wanna travel the world like the protagonist of the movie. I too share a passion for photography but,unlike him, I don't pursue it as a career option. Maybe I'm not too good for it to be paid or maybe I'm just too afraid to drift from the proven path of monetary inflow. Other than that, I too wanna kiss in the sunset, dance with her in the rains, climb the mountains holding her hands and live a simple uncomplicated life.

But life is never a bed of roses. The colourful pieces can never be fully achieved. To achieve one dream, you might have to sacrifice a dearer one. Life is all about compromises. But above all, life is all about living in the moment.

Look back at your life right now. Do you miss your ex-gf/bf, do you miss partying with your old friends, do you regret not having smoked a joint in college, do you regret not having a night out with your friends just to defy the rules, do you miss your parents, your family and regret having wasted that opportunity to bring a smile to their faces. Do you regret having that ugly fight with your mom and not talking to her for days. You were sure you dont need her in your life anymore coz you now lead a life of your own with your friends and she shouldn't bother either. But only when the haze of wilderness is cleared, do you realize what family really means in life. Only when you believe you have moved on, but those memories just flash in your head, do you realize that you made a mistake.

Only a simple man with barely any dreams or wants from the world, can say he has achieved whatever he ever wanted in life. Coz the more the dreams, the more the sacrifices, the more the pain. If only I could travel around the globe and capture it all with my cam, if only I could rewind my life and tell my younger immature self that betrayal hurts more than those years of love, that love maybe blind for you but not for the one you loved. That true love came in a beautiful package but you were too busy wrapping yourself up from the past that you let go of the present. That the if's and but's will only keep accumulating with every passing day. The only way out is living your life this very moment. Living your dreams like there is no tomorrow. And then at the sunset of life, you will have a much lighter baggage to carry, along with a helping hand to share it with. And the regrets of unfulfilled dreams will just faint into the darkness as you move into oblivion, but the memories live for eternity in the minds of those who had a chance to experience life with you.

Over and Out

                 We're Over... We are so Over... Just get out of my life you psycho b*^%*... 

Inner Peace... Does it always have to be so dramatic?? Why cant we see things with a calmer insight?? Because we tend to trigger the panic button too quickly. We act in the heat of the moment and not think about the repercussions it will have on the future. At the end of the day, we are just left crying over spilled milk.


  Closure... That is such a relative word. For some closure is just about meeting the next cute guy or hot chick round the corner. For some its about tearing and burning up all evidences of the past, slowly deleting all memories from the mind and eventually moving on. While for a few,well, they just cling on... That song in your playlist, those scenes from your pet movies, those infinite letters and mails and chats and gifts. They just need a hint to make them delve deep into the abyss and then make themselves feel miserable. They treasure every moment spent and recollect those lost moments when its over. The reason for a break-up could be many but the hurt they feel is known only to them.

  Who is Happy... In today's world where everything is temporary,momentary and materialistic, do you think true love does exist? People fall in love but soon enough fall out of it too. The cyber age has shown its evil face to the world.Mobiles,chatting,internet,FB,watsapp; these were supposed to connect us to the world and make it a smaller place. Make our virtual presence felt.  But it has only disconnected us from what really matters in life. It has made our real life existence pretty virtual. Today, even a toddler knows about love and a teenager has had sex. Thank you technology for enlightening our kids.

 

So friends, I believe its time we re-enter the real world. Its time we analysed our lives again. Its time we relived our dreams again. Its time we spend more time with the people that really matter.Its time we learnt to forgive. Its time we learnt to love again.  Only this time, lets make it forever. Only this time, let there be no Over and Out.

Separations, Partings and Losses in love

   When was the last time you had that strange obnoxious feeling that you were losing someone in your life! What if you were to lose someone special this very moment! But what if you had never ever imagined losing that someone special only to wake up alone one morning!!! When you are woken up by the noise of the irritating alarm and not the sweet tender voice of your beloved. When you manage to snuggle some free time in your over-hectic schedule and then realize there is no one waiting for your call anymore! The battery of your cell phone nowadays refuses to drain out, the nights find you waiting for the darkness to take over your senses rather than wait till the wee hours of the morning for the conversations to stop. When days become months and months become year but after that point, a day becomes a year.

   Love comes in each ones life in different packages and intensities. As a kid you are attached to your parents and your siblings. Despite all the sibling rivalry, you realize you cant live without each other. You protect your youngers and seek loads of gifts from your elder bro/sis. It is a bond deeper than any other bond in life. A bond written in blood, signed by the years of togetherness. A mother sacrifices a lot in bringing up a child - from his diaper days to his XL days - and does so out of sheer love for the most prized possession in her life. Hence it is the duty of the kid to reciprocate the love when he has the means to do so. You need not shower her with gifts - keep them for your girlfriends - just a loving gesture or seeking her approval before making big decisions is more than enough to melt her heart.

   But the strangest form of love comes much later in life - when you have almost lived out 20 odd years of your life - and then turns your life upside down. You start dressing up properly to seek her approval. You no longer need to be told to eat or sleep properly because you have already lost these two elements in your life. The long everlasting fights, the kiss-and-makeup, the long phone bills, the secret letters and gifts, sneeking out to meet her, feeling elated at the simplest of praises, sitting by the shore holding hands, watching movies together, promises of never ever leaving each other and then BANG!!!!! There comes the strange part.

   All these years you were leading a happy single life. All that mattered was just YOU. Two years of being in someone's arms and then you just cant get over it. Why is it that these two years leave an indelible scar for life? Why cant any other form of love ever ever compensate for those times? Why does it make you feel so hollow inside that you start questioning your being???

   This is the time for self-introspection. Was not those twenty years reason enough for living just to see your parents smile? Was not the love your sister more important than the female who never understood your love.  
No matter how hard you try, ties of blood can never be equaled by any other form of love. And no love is worth dying for if it wasnt worth living a lifetime. Love was never meant for the weak-hearted - its a challenge even for the lion-hearted. And only when you manage to rise and shine despite these losses in life will you become a true warrior. So all those who have loved and lost - once or more - never give up. Coz if those twenty years of love was not reason enough for you to live, then you had no purpose being brought to this world by them. Live for them, to bring a smile to their faces, to feel joy at their pleasures and only then will you truly understand the meaning of LOVE. And who knows - maybe your next true love is just waiting round the corner, waiting for you to find her, lift her in your arms, and walk into the golden horizon of life...

Emotions : Anger

   Consider a plush and serene relaxation and rejuvenation centre with a steam bath facility. This particular facility is used by many people daily and today is also just another day. What the operator did not realize when he closed the centre for lunch was that he had accidentally left the steam on. As time passes by the build-up of steam is huge and it has no vent to release itself. When the operator returns to face the alarming situation at hand, he first turns off the steam. But what happens when he opens the door for an outlet to the hot air inside. It gushes out and leaves the person 'scarred for life'

   Let the room represent a human body and the door - his mouth. Where does that mammoth anger get its vent? To the person who cares for it to open the door and the mouth leaves him scarred for life. We often hear about people being asked to channelize their anger. Constructive ways to let out your anger like playing a game a squash. But in practical life do we get that much time to rush over to a court and start people after having turned a blind eye to every known face in the crowd you meet on the way to stop your emotions from flowing out? Self-healing is a much better process and it is somewhat closer to channelizing it. Some ask you to breathe deeply and concentrate on your breathing so that you slowly forget the events of the past hour or so. Some listen to music and sing along or rather scream along to let it out of their systems.

   Whatever you do to vent the internal unrest is upto the individual. There is no rule as to the line of action to be adopted. But one primary rule that every man should adopt in life is - never let your 'steam' burn your loved ones. One bitter word can create a life-long crack in a relationship or even cause it to end.Because there is only so much that your friend, your partner, your wife, your relatives will take beyond which the boundaries cease to exist and the inevitable awaits.

   Life is too short. The first 18 years passes away analyzing the world and the people dwelling in it. Dont waste the next 40-odd years repenting your decisions which were made in a rough state of mind or those words uttered in a fit of a rage. The arrows which once leave the bow, never come back. The strike is fatal and the damage - irreparable. So guys-  enjoy life as it comes and learn to get a grip of yourself and your emotions even when you are facing the worst crisis of your life. It is just a test of your strength and character and you need to emerge a winner coz thats the face your loved ones live to see....The smile on your face brings the sunshine in their lives. 

Clipping the wings

   The heart is a small bird which resides inside the cage of our bodies.There are a lot of aspirations and expectations this bird has.Also it has a lot of desires.The biggest desire is to fly...fly fly fly into the blue sky...So why is it that it just happily stays in its little cage when it has the entire world waiting to welcome it with open arms.It sleeps, it eats, it chirps away merrily but deep down somewhere the desire to spread out its wings and soar above everything else is always there.But what we dont realize is that everyday in captivity, this passion of the heart slowly loses its zeal.Every passing day makes the wings go weaker and the acceptance to the present scenario - unavoidable.

   But what was it in the first place that put it in its cage? No one is born in captivity - so what put the bird in its caged.Why did this creature of the sky get chained down behind bars of steel? Will the doors to the world ever open up for her? Will the heart ever be able to fly again? Will it ever be able to accept the world as it is or move on in life believing that the cage is her only comfort zone, her quantum of solace.

   What it doesn't realize is that the world has never forgotten about her.The sky still misses seeing its favourite birdie glide.The Lord is saddened to see its beautiful creation lead a sad dejected life with all purpose forgotten.The do you know who misses you the most? The silent bird-watcher. Coz every day he waits for you to set your self free.Every day he wakes up with a prayer to see his bird heal its pain, forget its past sufferings and shake off the shackles and soar away.Coz that is where it belongs.He wants to see her open up her beautiful wings and let the rays of the sun bounce off her silky texture and make every day as bright as ever.As the bird flies away to other zones, other territories, other continents and countries- it will eventually find a new and better admirer.Someone who will take very good care of this precious bird and keep her happy with him for the rest of his life. Maybe that is why the bird refuses to open up coz its afraid that his original lover will get used to seeing it fly and when eventually has to fly away, it will just hurt him.

   Truth is - You never love to keep your love restrained.Love is unconditional and selfless...It knows no bounds, no barriers. Sometimes one look is all it takes.Sometimes even a lifetime is not enough.Love is giving your all and setting the bird free and expecting nothing in return. Just the thought of seeing you happy all your life is all he ever wanted, all he ever wished for, all he ever cared for. So set your wings in motion and fear not what will happen if you fall.Always remember that your silent admirer - your bird watcher- is always waiting to catch you if you fall in your flight.All you need to do is FLY...Fly fly fly into the blue sky, dont ask how dont ask why.Coz all I wanna see is you soaring high !!!

When I becomes WE, but I meets E

 Happiness.What is your definition of this word.For some it means money,for some it means peace of mind and again for some it means a simple monotonous but love-propelled family life.But what helps bring about that sense of happiness in your life?Can sharing your joys increase your joys and sharing your sorrows reduce them?Well this also provides the distinction between two groups of ppl- introverts and extroverts.  
   An extrovert like me just cant contain his joys and is always waitin to tell the outside world of his achievemwnts or share his sorrows.And when he finds his Miss.Right, he cant stop telling everything about his day.He feels it a moral duty to keep his partner informed about his feelings and emotions and may be his past.But thats where trouble erupts... 
   Coz when he pours his heart out to his beloved, he expects the same in return.But what do you do when the hubby is an introvert and is reluctant to open up to him?Initially when love is young, things remain fine but with the passage of time, his expectations of an outspoken girl still lies unfulfilled.Its not that he can stop sharing his life as a vengence coz he is used to being heard and sympathized or appreciated as the situation may demand.But even though he accepts her emotional silence, there will be times when it can get irritating for both.And either one can take an adverse step in a fit of rage and scar both of them as well as the beauty of the relationship.Both feel they are right in their own personal ways and this slowly eats its way into the apple of love like a worm.   I guess the only way to make it work is by accepting each other as they are.This is easier said than done as love has two different meanings for them.The test of time as usual plays its role and only the survivors can live happily ever after.I guess you have to make your love age like rare wine, and not like milk which just turns sour and bitter with every passing day...Life is too short to be wasted fighting over triflings.Go out and live it like a champ, quit cribbing and show your unconditional love in a way even your princess didnt expect...Only then will you get the essence of the word HAPPINESS...

First Love

   There are things which you never forget in life - your first car, your first home theatre but above all, your first Love!!!

   I guess I was in class 5 when I saw her for the first time and I knew she was the one.She had the eyes of a naughty kid and the smile...god what do I say...she had the prettiest smile in the world with that small dimple which i just loved to watch.I could spend all day just gazing at her.A few of my friend came to know about it and they started teasing me but who cared.I was in love.

   Ours was a different kind of a love story.We never talked or even met each other.She probably didnt even know about my existence and still I had given away my heart to this princess .I had also written a poem about her which I have no clue as to which corner of my room it lies in today.Her name was Preity Zinta !!!

   She ruled my heart for years to come and I made sure I never missed any of her movies even if they were not commercially successful.With every passing day my love and devotion just grew towards her as I collected every picture and article in the newspapers and every wallpaper available on the internet.I treated my friends on her birthday - 31st of Jan.

   As i entered my college life, her movie ' Salaam Namaste' was released which contained quite a few sleazy scenes and had a bold theme.But she was my favourite for playing out those unconventional roles.I just loved the movie although most of my friends didnt find it worth a second watch.

   Time passed by and I got introduced to the first real girl in life for whom I felt something special.There were bells ringing inside me everyday which Preity could never bring about.This girl was special- too special for me and thats when I realized myself drifting away from celluloid to real-time love.With her I have spent the most precious and best years of my college life and the memories still linger on coz like all good things this too came to an end.But not before I thought I was totally over Preity and had probably moved on to the latest hotties like kareena and kats.Yet as I was watching Koi Mil Gaya today, I realized that I still adored her beauty, her smile, her dimple...I may not be the kid, all head over heels in love with this eternal goddess, but I respected her for the lady she was.The feelings had probably matured.That is what happens with true first love - no matter how much you move away, no matter how much you move on- you can never forget her.She has and will always be the special one in your life.Her position of being the numero uno is irreplaceable.And sometimes you feel the damage caused by her loss in your life is irrepairable.But I guess it is the voice of the universe which cant bare to see this wounded bird, and hence urges it to just move on...

The Parents' Diary

   There are certain moments in life which are worth preserving in life.Like how I wish I had someone with a handy cam filming the moment when I was born.As I was passed on from my mom to dad to grandparents-maternal and paternal.How I wish I could get a look at those joy-filled faces as they got a look at their prized possession in that small over-crowded hospital room.From that day on, life has never been the same for my parents.

   Till that day, they were content living a slow and quiet life in a small peaceful yet beautiful city and being content with whatever they had.But now with friends and relatives pouring in from all parts of the country and abroad, they had to make room for everyone and look after every individual's comfort in that small 2-bedroom company provided house they called Home.In short, life has been a breeze for them.Sometimes it took the form of a tornado which left a lot of destruction as it passed over us but they were too strong individuals to be shaken up by a mere wind.And thus we lived on to see so many happy and memorable moments in our lives.

   My parents were more than content tending to one kid in the house but I needed a sibling and I can be really pushy when I want to.My sister was born six years after my birth on a very auspicious day - the 25th of December- and I can safely conclude that 'She is the best thing that's ever been mine.' Fair as an angel with the looks of a princess, she taught me the pleasures in sharing and caring, the joy of gifting with the last penny you save and the magic of love even when you are at your wrestling best.Of course my parents had one hell of a time taking care of two nut-cases in a house of sane individuals, also sighted by them as the main reason why we could not keep a pet dog- they already had two Great Danes to take care of .

   These 24 odd years of my life on this planet has been an amazing experience thanks to my wonderful family.My sister has always been there to watch my back when I was in a spot of trouble.I was always there to take care of her minimal needs that she ever has had (compared to my needs in life, her's is a trifling).We never knew or realized that time was passing by so fast and now I have a job which forces me to stay away from home most times of the year.but every time I left home and saw my mom's stifled tears all ready to burst out on the railway station, I just couldn't  bring myself to look at it.I am a strong boy and I dont have so many emotions boiling inside me.But the truth was that I knew once she got home, my forever bubbly sister would be there to cheer her up.But now she too has gone to college and as I was leaving the station today and I looked at those tear laden eyes, I knew they had no place to go back to.No quantum of solace...Just a lonely house with memories of her two kids who have grown up so fast and now live in different cities far far away from the love and care of a mother's paradise.

The stumbling blocks

   Life is a constant learning process - an unending educational hub.The more you learn from it, the better you are placed in this big bad world.But like most other things in life, learning too comes at a cost.you learn from your mistakes.As one of my senior colleagues in office once told me 'If any of your bosses ever tells you he has never made a mistake in his life then there can be only two conclusions :

        1.He has never ever worked in life

        2.He is a great liar

there cannot be a third conclusion.Period!!! '

   Every mistake you commit in life, you feel sad, dejected, depressed and embarrassed for making a fool out of yourself.But it is not until you actually repeat the same mistake that people can term you as fools.It is almost our birthright to commit mistakes and learn from them for a better tomorrow.

   Enough with mistakes and errors.I have always wondered why we fall sick in life.What does that experience teach us? Not to eat that ice-cream in the sun or not gorge on excessive fast food? But I got the answer only a couple of weeks back.As I lay helplessly in my bed at my workplace with no one to take care of me,no one to nurse me back to health, I realized the true value of our parents.I could have given a lifetime to be at home at that hour of sickness.Of course I had to hold on for five days before I could go home but when I did, I couldn't have been happier.  Coz  no matter how many friends you have, how many servants you have, it is only the love and care of your mother that can nurse you back to health.No wonder they say that a mother is His angel sent down upon this earth to take care of us at all times in our lives.take a moment out of your busy lives people and appreciate the wonderful gift you have got in life.Dear Mom, 'I love You' !!!!

The sands of time

   With each step we take in life, we make giant strides towards achieving our ultimate goals in life - reaching our destiny.For some becoming a doctor or an engineer is their destiny,for some going abroad to study or work while for some others,death is their destiny.These last category people are the one's who adopt a life of solitude and selfless service and devotion of their lives to the Almighty.Leading the lives of monks and nuns.But do you think god gave you this life to just wait for a quiet peaceful shadow of death to come over and take your soul one day to Him? Is that what you think is the Destiny planned by the Almighty for you.I would fail to agree

   God gave us this life to go out and see the world,to admire his creations, to add to the existing miracles in the world, to make an indelible mark for yourself in this world.The footsteps maybe small but the impression should be deep enough for your future generations to admire and adore.A few wrinkles on your hand, formed as a part of your creation in the womb of an angel, cannot determine your destiny in life.You are the greatest creation of the greatest architect of the universe and you need to prove His belief in creating you correct.It is only when you aim for the stars that you at least land on the moon (moon supports life which the stars dont).

   It is never too late to make a fresh start, never have your feet grown too big or too old to leave that print in the sand of life.You just need to make a move and have your faith in Him.Coz its never that He has abandoned you in your times of need and desperation.His prints cannot be seen beside yours because He is carrying you...

The Journey of Life: The Callings in Life

The Journey of Life: The Callings in Life: " As a kid, we are made to do many things-some against our wishes.One of them being forced to study.That is where the actual journey begins..."

The Callings in Life

   As a kid, we are made to do many things-some against our wishes.One of them being forced to study.That is where the actual journey begins.The journey of life.We are too small to realize how important a Nursery interview can be.For us its just an occasion to memorize and vomit.But its a moment of great achievement for our parents who look at us with such proud eyes as we come out of that room.They probably expected us to be wailing or having had wet our pants.But we emerge unfazed and unscathed from the battlefield to be greeted by nervous moms and dads.We are asked about the sequence of events that took place in the torture chamber.As we unravel the proceedings of the battle like true bravehearts,we notice our parents swell up in pride to have given birth to such fine creations of the Almighty.And that is the moment we realize why we had to take all the pain to memorize, not cry inside, answer each question carefully and without hesitation- it is for that one moment of pride on our parents face.

   As we grow older and start maturing from mere kids into more responsible children, we do realize that whatever we do in life, its our parent's reputation which is at stake and we need to uphold it at all costs.At times it gets tedious to not commit that naughty little prank on your teacher or not land a blow on the face of that kid who has been constantly trying to bully you.But you know its for a cause...for a good cause.And just like that, you are a kid no more...From that day on, you are a mature guy who is ready to bear the responsibilities of life on his tiny shoulders.

Whats your Rashee

   With your birth you also get another free gift - Your SUN SIGN or rashee as its called in Hindi. I am an October guy and fall under the sun sign Libra...My friends believe I am a true libran in most senses.I am a womanizer, I am pretty lost out and daydreaming at times, I am compassionate but I am a total extrovert.

   But what I fail to understand is that does your birth date really manage to determine so much about what you are gonna be for the rest of your life?How can the position of the stars and god knows what not help determine your personality!!! I dont believe in fortune telling and all that shit too much but recently my female companion went to an astrologer to relieve my worries regarding my immediate professional future and I was surprised by the amount of details presented by him regarding my past - personal and professional.That day I really started wondering - 'Maybe there is some other guy born at the same time,same day as I and probably having the same fate as I do'

   Do you think that could be a possibility?? Like my doppleganger except he may not look like me but still be having an identical same life as I do!!! Wow...Life can be creepy..

Whats in a NAME

    Lets just say I was born with a name.A name I would not want to tell anyone.A name which has stuck as far as my feeble memory can recall.Actually its only after your birth that people suggest names for you.We Hindus also have this naming ceremony for the child where officially he receives his name- a name which will stick to him for the rest of his life.As we grow older we realize the true meaning of our names and the circumstances that lead to it.Some were suggested by the elders of the family,some parents do a lot of headbanging and come up with the most promising names that they feel is unique and represents the qualitities their child must possess.(My name means 'someone who forgives his enemy' although I am quite the contrary).And then there are some parents who choose the easy way out by calling their children Rahul or Pooja-no offense.
      A great man once pointed out to a great falacy of world history. "Whats in a name" was the famous quote by the great playwright William Shakespeare but unlike its essence, Shakespeare did not forget to mention his name at the end.