Marriage!! Love or Arranged

This is my story of a dramatic marriage. To be frank I am compelled to accept only love marriages. This is because; I am surrounded by people who were successfully married coz of their deep love towards each other before they got married. So, the count goes like this:-

Paternal side, Love Birds: - Dad and his siblings which brings the total to 5.

Maternal side, Love Birds: - Mom and her siblings which brings the total to 9.

Now you know why I am compelled to accept only love marriages!!

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On a serious note, without any obligation to be accepted, my personal choice was love marriage. We all are searching for that “missing someone” in our lives and so was I. I always wanted to fall in love and get that love of my life as my special someone. And that miracle soon came into my life.

It was a usual morning for me. I met lot of my co-joggers in the park; many kids smiled at me. And in the corner, I saw a man tying his shoelace. That’s it!! I Fell. I fell in the well of love, lust and more with this guy.

There comes a debate in my mind and as I was a friendly girl, I thought of asking my mates about this. Research about my love commenced soon as I could not wait any longer. I got many answers and some of them go like this: -

1:- My sexiest neighbour: - Hey, you saw the man in the park and fell for him and you think this is love? Not at all this is complete lust. TRUST ME on that.

2:- My busy friend: - So…. You are in love. Great, people have time for all these? Please, lend me some time of yours if you have plenty of them.

3:- My Sister: - Yes!! That’s it. You are on the right track babe... Go ahead!!

Asking people was just a formality I wanted to do. Coz, I dint want any loop holes in my research. As I got one vote which was on my favour, I started spying on this handsome jogger whom I feel for. This guy was so damn handsome. He was a perfect example for a man who was “Tall, Dark and Handsome” material. I fall short of words to expound how splendid he was. I was no less. People admired me as well. But, I admired this mysterious man in the jogger’s park.

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At the park, the next day: - My eyes were searching for him and there he comes. I started an opposite side jog which is generally not treated as a joggers etiquette. But, as we all know, “All’s fair in love and war”. I had to hit only him on my way and as every relationship starts with a smile which leads to friendship, ours started with a sorry and a casual smile from my side as I was on the wrong lane and YES!! My idea clicked and I dint let go the chance. I picked up a conversation immediately.

Hey, I am really sorry. I had a challenge with that kid over there. You know, I don’t want to break his heart for a simple opposite side run challenge. So…, as I dragged, he was smiling and I saw a mixture of all handsome heroes on earth in him. This led to a formal intro from both the sides. This made me more comfortable to talk to him daily and for this lie of mine I had to bribe the kid.

Days flew and we met daily at the park without fail. My irregular jogging became more regular because of this guy. His humour coupled with sensible talks kept me attracted towards him. But, somewhere I was still in a confusion of love or lust. More meetings and more talking’s bought us together and he called me to his home for a high tea the next day.

From morning I was waiting for evening. I saw many changes in me the same day which confirmed that I was terribly in love. I wrote a romantic poetry, I watched movies based on love and finally I saw some practical stuff… (No, don’t think otherwise people!!) These were those beautiful letters which my sister shared with me when she was in my situation and I felt and had the same feelings as she had. After a long day, finally comes my most awaited evening.

With the best in my wardrobe, I dressed very well to meet love of my life which was still undisclosed to him. After many changes in me, I thought of proposing this guy today as I knew that he lived alone and I need not be worried about people at home. I was prepared well. Preparation means?? It means, the guy whom I fell for was of a different religion and I had permission from my family for this, as it is very much important for all Indian weddings. As ours is a democratic family which believed in Sovereign, Socialistic, Republic format, I had full acceptance from them which made me feel stronger.

John was waiting for me in his car at the park. He looked stunning. All the ladies were staring at him as if they were going to eat him up. Ignoring all these I boarded his car. He kissed on my cheeks and said I looked beautiful. Devil in me popped up to say “I Love You John”. But, Angel in me stopped and told me to be patient till I reached his place. 

With hot tea in the pot, handsome guy in the front what else do I need? Suddenly, I saw a picture which made me deviate a little from all these. It was a picture of a lady in the gown at a Christian wedding. As John never mentioned about this lady I was curious. Being optimistic I said “Ho, God you have a sister? She is gorgeous”. John was devastated. I could see a change of expression on his face.

John sadly said - “She is my wife”. A beautiful dream of mine which I stored for years was shattered. I felt guilty to love John without even knowing about his married life and this made me apologise for loving him from bottom of my heart. Here I get to know that sad tone of John was because his love was dead a year back when she gave birth. John had lost two most wanted people in his life. I saw John’s pure love which he still held towards his wife.

I was shamefaced and proud at the same time. I know it is contradictory but this man showed me what love was. As I was embarrassed I left the place and said a good bye to John. I never wanted to meet and trouble him again.

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To wash away my feelings towards John, I had to change my routine. I left my jog, I left watching all the romantic movies, dint write any new poetry. After I did all these, still I felt John all around me. This was Love and what else could it be?

Meanwhile John struggled to contact me. My ignorance had caused lot of hurt to him. I never responded. And a strange day which I never expected came in my life. I was in a crowded bus that day. Guess what? Even John’s there. We both were in opposite extremes of the bus. I hear a yell and that was:-

John- Hey, I found out something from the kid you had bribed. And I fell in love with you the same day.

Me- John, are you crazy? I cheated on you.

John- Cheating was because you really like and loved me. “All’s fair in love and war honey”.

Me- This was what I thought, John. I love you a lot. I missed you so much.

We proposed in a crowded bus and people in it witnessed and acknowledged this unusual proposal.

I was now surrounded by a 360 degree of love marriages. Coz, as I explained before my family was full of love marriages and I was getting married to a widower who initially had a love marriage. Thus ends my saga of love marriage. So, we are family supporting love marriage.

We all are in search of that “missing someone”. I found mine in a love marriage. How will you find? Will you arrange the love as I did? Or love the arrange?

                                                                                                                              

Ranju…

A sincere complaint

Late evening around 8 or so, in Rangashankara (aka RS) one of the worshiping places for art and theatre fans and also for people who are real foodies (include me).... My mouth was watering and tongue was literally ticking out when I saw those vadapav and hot tea served on my table.  RS will always be an icing on the cake to me coz, whenever I drop in here, I get treat to my eyes as well as my tongue. 

The irresistible vadapav and the fragrance of the tea made me float in a different world ignoring rest of the people around me. Bite, Bite, Bite I finished it!! Now I was back in my senses again.  It was a casual nonsense talk with my friend and I was forcefully concentrating on him between Vadapav and hot tea. There were actually 3 and a half people in my table that is: - My friend, Me (Partially), 2^nd Vadapav and a cup of hot tea( considered as living people in my imaginative eyes).

After the delicious treat, the nonsense talks continuous… Arguments, Arguments and I win obviously!! Coz I am the only one arguing amongst me and my friend. In between my non-stop argument, I hear a sweet voice beside me. This says “My mom never allows me to eat Pasta”. That’s all I heard. God! Such a sugary sweet voice it was!!

There comes Poorvi and puts up a sincere complaint on her mom.  The environment suddenly changed, I felt as if I was a Lawyer on behalf of Poorvi and I could see my friend taking Judges Seat and Poorvi as my client and her mom as an accused to the case. The case of Pasta begins.

Case of Pasta :-

Background (Loud Voice):-Session number 3 and half, case between Poorvi and her Mom.

The Honourable judge takes his seat. I start the case.

Me:- My lord, I appear from my client’s side that is Poorvi and the case is regarding the Pasta.

Judge: - Can you elaborate this?

Me:- Certainly your honour. My client will now talk about her complaint. Ok. Miss. Poorvi is heard now on.

The hall is silent. Me, my friend and Poorvi’s mom we all are silent. Only Poorvi speaks.

Poorvi: My only question to you is… why doesn’t my mom allow me to eat Pasta? I love Pasta and I can have Pasta as my meal three times a day. See… I am so plump and healthy. Still my mom does not allow me to eat pasta. I really don’t understand what’s wrong with her. Without Pasta my life has become so boring.  You tell my mom to let me eat pasta know… please, please, tell her know….

Those PLEASE, PLEASE bought me back to my control and I came back from all those filmy sets in the background. 

I could not stop hugging Poorvi for her innocence. I saw her mom struggling to pull her back not to disturb us. But, Poorvi never stopped.  She invited me to her home to eat Pasta. She also told that     “Oh! So you are coming to my home tomorrow right? My god! I have so much work. I have to go shop for Pasta, I have to cook and we all have to eat.” Fine then, See you tomorrow. Please, come home ok”.

It’s now time to know about Poorvi. Poorvi was just 3 years old and this little girl was ready to prepare Pasta for a total stranger.

Somewhere I still have a sense of guilt for not going to her place and for the breach I did.

Innocence is a god gift; we get to enjoy this in all stages of our life.

Stay Happy, Stay innocent!!

PS: - This post is dedicated to all innocent people out there including Poorvi. And a special thanks to Abhishek (My friend, whom I referred above) for taking me to RS without which I would have missed this cute little incident.

Introducing Poorvi. A talking doll.

Ladders and Snakes

As we all know, as the above picture says it is “Snakes and Ladders” but, in my life it is always “Ladders and Snakes”. Wondering why it is Ladders and then Snakes for me? Let me take you guys through my life’s journey so far on how this worked on me.

As a Kid:-

Ladder: - Met a friend, who after sometime became a best friend, thought he was the best friend for life.

Snake: - His dad had a transferable job; he went to some place, undiscovered till now, coz we were in Standard 1 when we last saw him and then, we dint have any social networking sites or cell phones to track him and he is undiscovered till now as we remember only his baby looks.

As a teen:-

Ladder: - Saw a heavenly handsome guy in my class 9, had a great lasting crush, got a chance to act as a heroine with him in my school drama competition, became friends, thought he was the one in my life.

Snake: - He expressed what I wanted to hear, Yes!! It was those magical words…. But it was magical for my best friend who played a vamp in my school drama.

As an adult: -

Ladder: - Fresh faces, new beginnings, new life… aha!! It was college days, indeed it was colourful days!! Good looking girls are often admired and I was very proud as I was on the guy’s hit list, thought I was the most wanted.

Snake: - None of them came and told anything to me. They didn’t even talk to me though other girls got many proposals. This was because; my dad was a prof in the same college. Probably this was the most disappointing of all.

As a dream chaser:-

Ladder: - I act, therefore I am. Acting is one thing which drives me crazy. Got a chance to act for a renowned theatre group, rehearsals were on day in and out, worked hard on expressions, we had a very good show at the end in which I held two roles. Thought this would be my first show to die for.

Snake: - An epic ride which left my collar bone into pieces. This was a day before my first show. I was just a spectator in my first show.

These were few incidents of Ladders and Snakes in my life. I can go on and on.

Life is a roller coaster ride is what I have learnt.

Ranju…

DI v/s MI

DISCLAIMAR: - All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

You must be wondering about the “Disclaimer”. Hmmmm, that’s very important for this piece. Let me hit the nail now. DI and MI sounds weird isn’t it? “DI = Daughter In Law and MI= Mother In Law”. In real life even the characters are little weird. For those who got offended please go back to the “Disclaimer”.

I know!! I was lazy these many days not to write something and just relax. But that was not the reason. I was watching a nice flick between DI’s and MI’s and was lost by looking these bunch of talented people who are capable of bull fighting with a laughing face. These are few incidents which I came across recently and I was provoked to write about this.

INCIDENTS:-

1.     In a house party: - There was this collection of paintings put up in one of my friend’s place and this friend of mine is a DI. She had a bunch of awesome paintings by many great artists like Raja Ravi Varma, Jamini Roy, Picasso, Titian etc. The crowd was keen to see these wonderful paintings. There arrives my friend’s MI. Dressed modest, sparkling high heels; her perfume fragrance was spread across the room. My friend invites her MI with a grinning face. But, I could see the cold war between them pouring out of their kindness towards each other. Here starts the real story. “MI to her fellow MI- The paintings are up to the mark. My daughter paints so well you know… She got first place in her college talents day this time. That doesn’t mean that my DI is not great. But, she could have taken some guidance from my daughter before she painted these canvases. Anyway next time she does the same, I am going to suggest her.” This is how MI in this incident ended her criticism on the paintings. Do you think I have to end this incident by giving a conclusion?  I will leave it on you folks. I had a comic blast that evening. And the award for the best criticism on paintings goes to my friend’s foolish… sorry, sorry “STYLISH MI”.

2.    Out in the bright: - A lousy bright morning, holding my hot cup of coffee I went out, as I heard strong voices. It was a usual fight between a DI and MI. I really enjoy watching these fights. It feels like I am wearing 3D glasses with nachos in my hand and witnessing the last scene of Karate Kid. Pushing my witty thoughts aside, I was enjoying the show. I loved MI’s cleverness in this scene. You know why? Wait for this incident to end. Even you will fall in love. Fight starts with DI shouting to the loudest of her voice. She made common people see god’s that day, as her voice was reaching those heights.(Even they, I mean god’s must be enjoying the show and would have thought why disturb them and kept quiet putting their 3D glasses and nachos back, as I did. ) DI in this case was a short female and opposite was her very tall MI. As I noticed and up to my limited knowledge DI had finished all most all the fantastic words in her dictionary. Fight was a very short one according to me. Because it’s called a proper fight only when both the opponents do justice to their roles. In this case only DI was doing her bit and MI says only one sentence after her DI is done and that is… “MI looks horizontally and says I think some dog is barking out my dear DI, I can’t see it. Can you please go out and throw a stone at him?” DI was creeped out. MI was a real sarcastic female as she pretended as if she can’t see her short DI who sounded like a dog. Though I enjoyed the show for a short while, I had a treat seeing this clever MI. Hope you guys fell in love with this lady’s cleverness aswell. And the award for the best background score goes to my neighbour’s harsh voiced… sorry, sorry “SWEET VOICED DI”.

3.    The Wedding Saga: - Generally, attending weddings is not at all my cup of tea, coffee or anything HOT for that matter. But, poor me was forced to attend some weddings because of 101 reasons of daily life which even you folks would have come across by now. Enjoy what you do is simultaneously equal to Enjoy what you see in my case. First thing I do in weddings is standing in queue to wish the couple so that my next target of eating the humongous spread hits accordingly. As the family of the couple were famous in the city the hall was crowded and I had to wait for some time to get on stage. Meanwhile, I started noticing this     DI and MI who were up next to wish the couple. Both were very well dressed and seemed like they were more interested in photographs than wishing the newly wed. Both had a still camera each in their hands and went up on stage. My concentration deviated as I met an old friend and we both were in conversation for at least 20 minutes. I was happy as the crowed moved and was also depressed as I missed this self-obsessed DI and MI’s scene. Guess what? Couple were out of the scene, I panicked.  I thought couple were done with the wishers and went back to rest. But, scene there was different. The so called self-obsessed DI and MI were busy striking poses and clicking their own pictures. Bride and Groom were out of my sight down stage fed-up of this DI and MI couple. I somehow started liking attending weddings from then on as I had an evening filled with funny scene around me. Hope even you guys would explore something like this. So, please attend weddings or family functions. And the award for the best pose goes to…. God, I am so confused and yet to decide as the poses of both

DI and MI were spectacular and I feel the award should be shared between them.

The STAGE is all yours, pose please….

I really thank each DI and MI who gave me an opportunity to write this piece and kept me entertained these many days. “Thanks again”.

Think of a life, with a “View Mode”

The name says it all….. Yes! You guessed it right. “This is an absolute answer for all of your question marks?”  We all can have a greedy wish for this. But, never expect this.

CUT TO-----Intro

Intro-

Easily explainable things are most complicated to achieve. I have this attitude of explaining things in an easy way. Understand the rest of my expressions!!! I love leaving “the end” to the audience conclusion, let me start, by saying conclude the intro yourselves for this situation- “I started a game in my cell phone and noticed an interesting option “VIEW NEXT LEVEL”. Hope you guys completed guessing what I wanted to conclude. Let’s go Scene wise.

CUT TO-----Scene 1 “Please get ready, please don’t come”

It’s a lazy day. You get up late. There is a strong voice downstairs which says, “For god sake get ready and come soon. Don’t you remember? We have to attend Meenakshi’s wedding”. You are pissed you go crazy and shout back “Please do the honours yourselves. I am not at all interested”. By then, you get a creepy idea of switching on your view mode. View mode is activated and you see Handsome Hunks or Hot chicks in Meenakshi’s wedding and you get ready in no time. By then your parents would themselves say “Please don’t come”. Even Parents can get creepy ideas. Hope you guys completed guessing what I wanted to conclude. Let’s go to the next scene.

CUT TO-----Scene 2 “I have got it!!!”

Skinny jeans, cool tees and sunglasses, you look shiny. You start your Dad’s bike with a big smile to meet your special someone. Dad with a concerned voice says, wear the helmet. Ah! Dad, my hairstyle, think about it! Don’t you think it’s more important? I don’t wana wear…. You hear your dad’s curse “That’s fine, my money will be paid to the Government in the offence of not wearing the helmet, how can I stop you!!!” You get creepy and switch on your View mode. View mode is activated, you see a cop stopping you. You rush in, wear the helmet and start. You are very happy of what you did. Cop stops you and you say “I have got it”. Cop with a sarcastic voice says, you look young, show me your licence… You realise that in a hurry to meet your special someone, you forgot to see your view mode properly. Hope you guys completed guessing what cop would have done. Let’s go to the next scene.

CUT TO-----Scene 3 “I am not at home today.”

Hot coffee, beautiful wife what else does someone expect other than this on a holiday….?  You plan a day out with your loved one. Sketch a beautiful day for her. You plan to surprise her with your fantastic day out plan. Phone rings, with a strong voice, you answer the call. Your voice soothes after a while, Boss online, “you have to come to office today an urgent meeting with the client”. Your day is crashed. You suddenly make a plan and say, Sir, as it was a long weekend; I am not at home today. Boss says, I am in front of your home I am able to see you. Don’t fool me. Boss was creepy this time. Hope you guys completed guessing what boss would have done. Let’s go to the next scene.

CUT TO-----Scene 4 “I conclude”

What would have really happened with “view mode”? On a serious note. Many lives would have saved, many things could have changed and many disasters could have stopped.  But, what is life, if you get to know things in advance? What is life without thrill? So, let’s take life as it comes. There is a reason for everything in this world. Cheers to this puzzled life.

Ranju….

You, Me and the beautiful night.

You started it! You always do it! You never listen to me! You irritate me! GO AWAY….. This was how he started his monologue. Loneliness was his only companion. He blew his heart, to throw out the loneliness which was a part of him. Never could he be successful.

“She was beside me, where is she now? Though I can’t see her, I can feel her around me forever”- I sat beside him when he just finished saying this. I held his hand which was tender, the hand which was in hers a while ago. Consoling him with many untrue words was the only approach I knew. But, he was not one among them who heeded what I said.

He went back to that night where they had one of the lovely conversations of their lives.

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Why do I feel like kissing and caressing you all the time? Those enigmatic eyes of yours, drives me into some unknown world. Why didn’t I become that good god who created you? Why was his touch the first one on you? Am I unlucky to have you so late in my world? Oh! My darling doll, I am still fortunate to have been gifted you as my love. Her elegant eyes opened up as he mumbled these words.

She heard all these exaggeration of him. Opening her eyes gently with those dimpled smile on her curvy lips and told “Stop being poetic on me my lord, you embarrass me” with her soothing voice, which was in competition with all the nightingales. I know you love me and I do not need any decorative statements to understand your pure love towards me. She knew that I was the only person who could feel her always.

I did not know this was our last conversation, a conversation which left me lonely. That night she was afraid, she was betrayed by something, her eyes were dusky, she didn’t want to sleep. Like a child who is not willing to sleep until her bed time story, she pestered me too much for the unfulfilled promises. Those promises which both of us knew that it was beyond our reach. She was poetic that night.

She started the talk with the most romantic speech, with her sweet voice. Those lines about me were the ones I always wanted to hear from her, from the beginning of our relationship. I was lost in her arms with her comforting sentences, which did not make me realise that this was my last chat with the person whom I always imagined a life with. 

“Hold my hands my lord; your lady will be no more with you after this night”. This night is her dream night, in which she is with her beloved person. Whom she always loved to be with, with whom she was most comfortable, with whom she fought utmost and with that person who she looked more than that almighty….

By closing her lips softly with a kiss, I said, you are being poetic my lady.  With a painful laugh she said. “I always loved the way you expressed yourself and your love my lord. I was hesitant of that love and thought of you every time.”  I was surprised to know that she was fearful for me. The answer came from her with those big tears rolling from her eyes.

“I miss you after this night. But, I go to the world where no one knows what happens and you are the one who will stay here and think of me every moment. We have prints of our love in nook and corner of this home. In this home, where I first stepped in with you, where I had my most romantic days with you. Where we both thought entire life together. How will you live my lord? I am scared to leave you like this.”

With all untruthful gestures, I grabbed her in my arms, which was the most hurting moment of all. I promised her to feel her around always and make her proud in the world she is in. Controlling my bundle of tears, I said, we know that we are not together after this night, my lady, but you are in me for whole of my life. Poetic love in me is expressed only to you my life…..

Saying this I made her sleep in my arms for the last time and told her, don’t be hesitant my lady there is no one around, it’s only “YOU ME and THE BEAUTIFUL NIGHT”….

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Coming back to present, with his hands off from mine, he wiped his wet eyes. He asked me for a promise, a promise to love someone till eternity. As a writer, I virtually saw this unconditional love between them and I attribute this write-up to this man, who shared his story and gave a wonderful title to his love….

Ranju…

I love you...

I have told I love you for many people, don’t mistake me, not in the way you are thinking. But, now genuinely I would like to say “I love you” to someone. Someone who has made my life better, splendid, spectacular… too less to expound about how miraculous my life has been because of this “someone”.

There is a famous saying in Sanskrit which says “Mounam saamathi lakshanam” means silence is the answer for acceptance. Like the saying goes, my acceptance was silence which made us go hand in hand. Same was the reaction from my “someone”.

Aren’t you folks little curious to know who this special “someone” of mine is? Okay, before I get beaten up black and blue, let me tell who this “someone” is. Oh, come on, not that person, not the other one too, not even him, or him. Actually that “Someone” is not a “He”!  Stop thinking weird about me please. This “Someone” is my cell phone’s “SILENT MODE”.

I know, I know… Silent mode can never become someone, it’s something. But this something became someone to me as this helped me too much in my life’s upcoming. This was my companion in my office meetings where I silently without anyone’s knowledge sneaked into my cell phone. It helped me to keep myself busy during boring weddings.

It took care of me when I was sleeping, by taking all my calls and messages silently. In cinema hall, in the classes I attended, in any situation I was in, my silent companion was with me to support me. To whom else will I say “I love you” other than this silent friend of mine?

I also learnt many things from this love of mine. He taught me to be silent to feel myself, to be silent when people are talking something which you have no idea about, to be silent when you are doing something very important. He taught me to be elegant enough.

Common question is, how will I be elegant, if I am silent? I was named ‘Elegant’ when I sat on a dinner table with so called high society people and had no clue about their conversation and picked up the wine glass with my hands sophisticatedly twisted exposing a fake smirk and silently muttered   “hmmmm…yes…exactly”…. People there esteemed my presence though I was silent.

Thanks to my latest love “Mr Silent mode” for his iconic presence in my life and making me blossom in midst of many, though I was Silent. As always... I love you -“Silent mode”.

Ranju….