SMTWTFS

SMTWTFS just doesn't seem clear
It was x3 a few days back....now it is x?
A few more things that are unclear
But I guess hazy atleast sounds better than lazy :)

SMT'WTF'S

pages...

KALGUDI

I've just realised that the name rhymes with Malgudi. That is just a co-incidence. Subtle difference though. It's Kal (like the Hindi for tomorrow) Probably Malgudi days was on air at that point of time. I must have been in class 5 or 6, not too sure.But yeah Kalgudi was my first brush with a rustic, authentic village, where there was no electricity after 6 pm in the evening. North of Karnataka. Literally translated, it means Stone Settlement (human), but it wasn't even remotely close to that. A lot greener though.

It all started with a bumpy bus ride to the nearest town. The bus driver relentlessly worked on aimlessly honking the horn, and all I remember is sitting with my back facing the driver. The older state transport buses used to have that. Even as a kid I was irritated and failed to understand the reason behind his stupidity. We reached the first destination. Then on followed another bumpy and scary Jeep ride to the exact location. I don't remember what exactly happened after that but as twilight fell, everyone was busy preparing for the approaching darkness. I was fascinated by the tiny lamps being lit everywhere and the preparation for an enormous dinner. Another striking incident was the largest species of mosquitoes I have seen in my life. I had settled with the argument that I would probably never see anything bigger. I guess that was what my mind could think of at that time. They must have been really huge, or maybe their shadows on the wall against the yellow lamp light made them seem ghostly and huge to my tiny mind.

I found a lone harmonium sitting in a huge hall in one corner, and after making sure that no one was around, I unfastened the stoppers and began fanning and playing it. It wasn't much different from a keyboard afterall. Hearing that, a few distant cousins of mine gathered around me and looked at me in awe. I was embarrassed and immediately ceased to play the instrument. Night fell and the ghostly mosquito shadows became longer. I clinged to my father sleeping next to me and the next thing I realised was when I woke up to the chirping of birds and a faint mooing of cows in a distance. Done with the basic cleaning stuff, I discovered a forbidden fruit. An irrigation canal just behind our house.It was knee deep for a kid my age...so it was perfect. And lo, began our escapades and events. Shouts and calls for lunch from the elders were put on hold. An amazing buddy system was starting to develop among distant cousins who I didn't even know existed. Games were varied and innovative in nature, all drawing from the way the canal water was flowing. Then my eyes fell on a tree nearby. It had some 20-30 weird looking objects hanging from its branches. On closer inspection, I realised these were the same things from my text book. The baya weaver bird's nests.

I waited until early next morning . While everyone was asleep I sneaked out and climbed onto one of the trees even as the sun was sprinkling its rays on the muddy backyard of the neighbour's courtyard. The tree was in their half so I had to be careful of that too. It was our last day there and my only chance for an upclose inspection. With all my courage I managed to pull one. Then two. Little did I know what I was doing. On seeing it packed in a polythene along with my small bag of clothes, my parents were wondering where did I get it from and what would I do with it. I got to hear lot of advice on the Railway station about spoiling someone's hard work and breaking a house. I had thought of hanging them above my study table and that they would look really cool and it also seemed like some practical knowledge gained outside text books. All I have is a faint memory of them lying unattended in the same polythene bag which I discovered years later whilst cleaning up during the spring break at school. I was ashamed at my foolishness back then, but it did bring me back sparkling memories of this wonderful place, Kalgudi.





image source:wikipedia.org

kite runner

The truth was Yes, the lie, No, I chose something in between and said "I don't know" (or was it the other way round..I don't remember now :)

which way?

silver

Sitting face to face across each other on the side lower berth of a train.
Her eyes have that twinkle every time they meet his.
Her face glows when she looks earnestly at him seeking an answer.
Questioning, caring, making sure if he is Ok.
Their legs which were laid across side by side are now folded around themselves neatly.
He hardly speaks, but she understands.
She wears the shy smile of a bride behind the veil.
They both look either way now. She, through the window, he into the coach.
They have that dew drop freshness of a newly wed couple.
Journeys like these might not be a novelty.
She gestures elaborately to explain something like most girls. He, a few words and grunts.
Seems he said something funny within that and she covers her face to hide her smile.
Her eyes twinkle and glow. They talk now. A seeming conversation at last.
She is nodding, without looking at him though. Still looking out of the yellow tinted glass window. Her eyes lowered. She puts her hand below her delicate jaw.
She must have been beautiful around 40 years from now, backwards.
Hair a brilliant silver, about 10 bangles in each hand, a brilliant cream saree neatly worn, like for a special occasion. This is only a journey, but isn't life one too.
The wrinkles on her saree perfectly complement those on her face. She's beautiful.

The train halts briefly, she speculates on the name of the place. He disagrees. The name of a relative and an associated opinion is uttered and they both seem to visibly agree on this one.

**shooting star again**

This time around
I took a turnaround
And wished for a shooting star
Instead of on a shooting star
What joy when this one came true within minutes that were few
If only the wish that I made after, came true :)

somewhere :BLR-GA