Middle-school Memoirs

One of the renowned poets of Urdu, Sudarshan Faakir has written:

"....मगर मुझको लौटा दो, बचपन का सावन,

वो कागज़ की कश्ती, वो बारिश का पानी..."

Who could understand these lines better than the old buddies from Patkar Guruji Vidyalaya who had gathered on the scorching, hot afternoon in summer just to relive those precious moments from young, innocent old school days!! the occasion was the completion of 25 years of the middle school days!!

Everyone was overjoyed and enthusiastic on the day, the arrangements were fabulous and big thanks to our female friends who exhibited their home-makers plus super-skilled professional nature and got everything fall at its place at the right time...bravo gals!!! :)

The major attraction for this event was the "beloved teachers" who witnessed our growth as students, trained us with all those rare virtues like hardwork, honesty and teamwork and took us to the external world with lots of efforts and care...just to make us realize what we had gained from them and what was the value of it!!

I was anxious too....like all others and was wondering whether the old classmates whom i was meeting after a gap of around 20-25 years would recognize me.....same with the teachers!!! but to my surprise, all of them not just recognized me but also shared a few hilarious and proud moments in past that we used to share!!

we all had gathered to relive the moments of those early school days, the fun that we used to share with class friends and we didn't have any disappointment at all....even before the start up of the event, we all were in high spirits and waiting for the moment chatting amongst us all....

and then we all stood up to offer the prayers to Gurus....like we used to do in our school days....followed by prayers to Goddess Saraswati....and the atmosphere became spellbound....

the teachers were excited too and probably were guessing our identity from our appearances, from our voices and so on....

"....एक ये दिन जब सारी सडकें रूठी रूठी लगती हैं,

एक वो दिन जब आओ खेलें सारी गलियाँ कहती थी...."

I was watching the road outside my school who appeared familiar....we both recognized each other....he's grown old now and has witnessed many generations of students and a few teachers pass by him....he greeted me and seemed concerned with my well being....he was truely a caretaker.....he took care of thousands of kids like me and seen many seasons.....unlike the roads that we ride now a days which lead to nowhere and make us run than to stroll....not all the roads are alike...at least this road in front of the school was very hospitable!!

As teachers were speaking and expressing their minds, my thoughts went to the past and I recollected the days when we used to chat without letting teachers know and used to share a lot of fun, the punishments that we used to have, the tears we used to shed and the smiles we used to carry the next day....all was awesome....just wonder where did all those magical days vanish?? can somebody tell me....????

The fun test that was given in the class was quite a brain teaser and we came up with some really funny and hilarious answers....and we call us educated and professionals????.....i think we all needed a crash course to 4th standard studies!!!

The most exciting gift was the "progress card" that we all received with signatures of our esteemed class teachers....it indeed is a link between my pleasant past and present.....you never know what can bring joy to you and in which form!!! simply great!!! full marks to our organizing party for their creativity.....

We had cake cutting ceremony followed by felicitation of teachers and alumni who reignited the lights of memories....of course, not to forget that the marvellous arrangements and calligraphic display by school staff who was also acclaimed and acknowledged....

my mind was remembering my friends who could not attend the event due to some other commitments or being abroad....they were all missed....

"....हाथ छूटे भी तो रिश्ते नहीं छोड़ा करते

वक़्त की शाख से लम्हे नहीं तोडा करते...."

Our lives have different aims, different goals and different paths...but we do have a common meeting place and a place of respect....our school and the worshippers of the knowledge and wisdom....our teachers....

the event was concluded on the musical note with a few songs that would linger in my mind and so also in everybody else's mind.....The "natya Sangeet" by Agashe Sir was awesome and we could all know why he is still a "maestro" in our school fraternity.....the ghazal that i recited will linger for a long long time in my thoughts which truely explains the fun and excitement that we used to have in our early childhood and schooling days....those days would never return but surely can be relived for a while like we did last weekend and they will stay everfresh and evergreen in my mind!!!

"कभी रेत के ऊँचे टीलों पे जाना 

घरौंदे बनाना बनाके मिटाना 

वो मासूम चाहत की तस्वीर अपनी

वो ख़्वाबों खिलौनों की ज़ागीर अपनी 

ना दुनिया का ग़म था  

ना रिश्तों के बन्धन 

बड़ी खूबसूरत थी वो ज़िन्दगानी..."

God Bless us all....

Approaching towards end of courtship period

It's been almost 8 months now that we know each other and been together.....8 long months....we shared lots of joys, some sad moments, anxity of meeting and being together and a few moments of separation....some secrets from the past and some hopes for future.....she's all around me and occpies my mind and thoughts....

This long courtship period meant a lot for me....actually, for both of us! I learnt how to think about other person before you do for yourself...loving someone is not all....standing by your commitments is also necessary for keeping your relationship alive....i learnt to keep awake so that she can rest peacefully and i stay alert so that she could afford to relax without fear.....

She made me change without even forcing anything on me....for me relationship is now not about how long i stay close...it's about how intensely i stay close....being committed is much more than mere having fb sharings and a few outings together...it's all about promising her a permanant companionship and full honesty in relationship....

Mutual trust came into picture at the right time and i think it will play an important role going forward....she trusts me a lot and that increases my responsibility multifolds....i think I need to always strive hard to withstand and justify that trust and never ever let it shake in life!!

we are approaching almost to the end of our beautiful courtship period which was really a fascinating time of our life....we had great moments together and most of them have been captured in pictorial memory!! still a lot was unsaid, unheard and when we think about it....we only have one feeling in mind...."some things are good unsaid...even better unexplained and the best if understood without expressing....." i think our love is the same..

hope we have great time ahead together....share our duties and responsibilities....stay close together and be there with each other at every moment in life...may God bless us with lots of happiness, love and faith which will be the driving force for both of us in many more years to come!!

Me and Her!!!

April First Week-2011:

I saw her first time at her aunt's place. She was sitting right in front of me and also kept looking at me intermittently. I saw her for a few moments and actually couldn't guess what was so appealing in her?? Did she look too beautiful?? or were her eyes saying something? couldn't really guess....I asked a few casual questions and she answered them....we were surrounded by quite a few no. of relatives...both her and mine who were hoping that we select each other as our life partners and move on....were things that simple??? ...i didn't know!!!

April Second Week- 2011:

I met her at a coffee shop in Mumbai on a Saturday evening...she was carrying her charismatic smile and two cute little dimples on her rosy cheek....we met first time without any interference and mediation of family members.... someone had to open up...so i took the lead and broke the ice...started a conversation with formal questions and then moved on to some more specific questions....an hour passed....still the question unanswered...is she the right one for me???

April Last Week- 2011:

I was still unsure and I think she was also feeling the same. We again met and I almost threw a series of questions at her....she kept answering and I started realizing that my questions were all not enough to know her better....all I could sense throughout this time was her calmness, smile and clarity of mind which was appealing though she looked puzzled sometimes....I started thinking,"am I looking for a girl who's got most promising future and career or am I looking for one with most promising attitude and approach towards life?"...I got my answer from my truthful mind...which said...."she's the one....go on!!"

May Second Week- 2011:

We are talking to each other sometimes on phone...sometimes send emails....but still a formal chat....I asked her for a date one evening and she said Yes!!!.....how do I impress her?? wear expensive attire?? do some make over??...wait a minute....do I need to do all this or just let me be what I am??....afterall, that's the one she liked and said "Yes" to; was without all this camouflage....I met her and took her to the movie....we had a dinner and then dropped her at her place....end of day!!!

May Last Week- 2011:

I had a plan to go for the tour outside Mumbai for 8-10 days...obviously couldn't take her along with me (would love to do that; but who will allow me before getting married???.....damn!!)

She had retuned back from her vacations when I left the city....and my goodness.....I started missing her like anything.....first few days were very heavy as I was atleast 2,000 KM away from her (and also a few thousands feet higher on altitude!!!).....was missing her day and night....and that time realized...actually I had started loving her!!!!....is this true?? I didn't know...all I knew was that I was feeling lonely and incomplete without meeting her or finding her around me....does this happen to all??

June Second Week- 2011:

Finally we met after a long break of around 3 weeks....the reunion was fabulous....both of us were excited and exchanged the gifts that we had brought for each other....she was happy to see me again and first time realized that her happiness is actually linked to mine and it grows multifolds with her!!!....wow!!!

There were so many things to share...some from our trips and some others....I was talking and she was listening...I was staring at her beautiful cute dimples on her cheek all the time and she blushed finally....God!!!

June Third Week- 2011:

It's her b'day and I had planned for it since long time...she being fiancee this time....so was too very special....at the stroke of midnight I called her and played a "birthday tune" on guitar...she was overjoyed!!!...me too felt romantic...calling your beloved midnight and playing guitar for her....hmmmm....thank God the neighbours had no objection!!!...an exchange of a few love messages and then all became quiet....!!!!

We met for her b'day celebration....she was so excited to see me around and also wished if I could be with her on all her forthcoming b'days in life....quite optimistic thought....I liked it....more than the gifts, her face was lit with the smile as I was present around her!!....promised her to be with her forever and also wished her many more beautiful b'days ahead in life....they say God exists somewhere up above in heavens...must be true...I have an angel in my life to gift me love and blessings!!

Early July 2011:

She's become part of my life so much that I can't imagine a day without her....do I also have the same importance in her life???....well, I don't want to know...all I know is that I am in love with her...truely, deeply forever...how many times do you realize that someone comes in life and occupies it entirely within short span!!!..we share all our sorrows, worries, joys and excitements as well...feels like she's part of me...my very existance and reason for being there in this world...what else do I say??

July 3rd Week 2011:

First time in life, experienced a pain in mind when I was miles away from her in some different country...with different people and that feeling was quite painful....I couldn't see her and talk much with her although could message....she'd come to see me off before flight...but that's it...couldn't even kiss her bye!!!....it was a short meeting and many things remained in my mind....she had given a bar of chocolate as token of her love and care and my mind was full of emotions before leaving her hand....

God...please don't take her away from me for a moment...can't bear it...they say the world has come closer now...if so, why people appear far off when you cross boundries??

July Last Week 2011:

We met again after a gap of two weeks...had lots of things to share with her and as usual she was ready with her magical smile....took her hand in my hands and felt the warmth in her touch...why does love give you such experience that when you are apart you want to get closer and when you are close, you feel it's never enough close..expressed my deep emotions to her and she too reciprocated.....it's amazing how one person can change your life so much!! My friends say I am changing and changing for good reason...if so, certainly my angel's spell has caste its effect on me...am spellbound and don't want to get out of this magical euphoria...can someone tell her be with me, be for me and be mine forever in life??

We have come a long way ever since we met first time...it's fantastic to experience her presence, her soft emotions and warm touch that gives me all the comfort in life....what's true love???...well for me...she's true love..my love who taught me to commit, to express and to be honest with the emotions and the beloved one!!..

Thanks darling for being there with me and around me!!

Charolya

शांत स्तब्ध रात्र असते,
सोबती गार वार असतो
तुझ्या माझ्या गप्पांना,
साक्षी ध्रुव तारा असतो!!

काहीच बोलायला नसलं,
की तू खूप खूप रागावतेस
तुझी चूक तुलाच कळल्यावर,
हसून गोड लाजतेस!!

तुला पाहून क्षणभर वाटलं,
जणू आभाळ मनात दाटलं,
पहिल्या सरीत मी भिजलो,
अणि धुंदीत पुन्हा निजलो!!

मला नाही समजत तुझे
भेटायला इतक्या दूर येतेस,
आल्या आल्याच निघण्याची
तयारी करायला लागतेस!!!

सूर्य व्हायच्या ऐवजी मी,
दिवा होवून राहीन.....
कुठे तरी अंधाराला
जाळत विझून जाईन!!

Bye Bye 2009!!!!

Yet another year is about to end!!!! What's so big about it?? Every year it usually happens this way....year comes and year goes.....and it gives some sweet and some bitter memories.....
When I try to see what the passing year has given me I have a box of mixed emotions....some extacy, some anguish....some pain and some joy!!!
I came across and missed a few good chances to make my life more beautiful....a cute, lovable girl from Delhi....sweet and vivacious friend in Mumbai....a missed relationship...a broken heart...few bitter quarrels.... some tears and a few curves on face....all packed in one bunch as "combo offer"!!!!
I met God a few times in form of my 2 sweet friends who always care for me and like me the way I am....they are not just part of my life...but also a reason for me still being hopeful and believer in Love!!! Their existance and support always makes me feel better and firmly believe that I can be a better man!!....I just love them both....Thanks to God that they are there!!!
How can I miss my angel who keeps fighting with me for small reasons and also sometimes cries loud to me?? She makes me feel that I am not alone in this world with her existance and always keeps me happy with her giggles...she is sweet...she is charming...she is naughty and she is stubborn...but most of all...she is mine!!!
As someone said in past...not all relations that you carry can be fulfilled....had a few broken bonds as well and it hurt badly to both parties....can't help it...it was to go that way only!!!! soon I forget...better for me!!!
A cool breeze in hot summer is my sweet li'le niece who doesn't know how to say "uncle" or "mama" but makes me "mama" with her mischevous smile and tiny appearance...God bless her!!!
There were many moments of joy...my trip with my office group, trip to Delhi, trip to Murud-Janjira and a few outings with my friends....someone may not find big deal in them...but they are all special....coz none of them can be repeated again in life...no matter how many years pass....!!!
Missed all friends in Delhi on last day of my stay there and especially good time spent with them...they all took good care of me and I think those joyous moments cannot be braught back again....
There was a missed farewell and missed hug to say "goodbye" and I will have to take it as "carry forward" from past year to new year!!!
Overall it was bit pain....bit gain year...but every end comes with a hope to have better beginning as we approach to the farewell to old 2009 and welcome of 2010....let me make my slate blank yet another time to let the time write new scripts over it...."bye bye 2009....hum hain rahi pyaar ke...phir milenge chalte chalte...!!"