To spend a lifetime with you was the plan But since that will never be; Keep me within the pages of your book. Write me with the colours of your words, Give me the name of your sweetest desire, And weave me into your love story.
The evening was hot and humid. The only respite was the south breeze coming in gentle gusts from over the Hoogly. She’d gone to the only operative phone repair centre open, on the other end of the city. It was a boring task, but with him, it turned out to more fun than she’d expected.
“Ugh, God… How much further? We’ve been walking for 20 minutes”, she groaned.
“We’re almost there. I can see the tower top through the trees. Why did you wear heels anyway? You knew we had to walk”, he said with his eyes scanning the tree tops in the distance.
“I didn’t know we had to walk this
Morning activities in Landour, starts late. The only ones up and scampering about at 6:30 or 7 am are the rhesus macaques. Morning mist still lies upon the mountains, bathed by the sunlight. It’s a pretty sight. Half an hour passes and school children can now be seen passing down the lane, moving through the steep cuts of the road, winding their way down to school. There are no school buses here. There are water tanks on the terrace of the house in front of us. The tank had overflowed for quite some time and water has pooled on the terrace. If this goes on, they would soon be faced with damp walls and paint peeling off the ceiling below. For now, the monkeys drink from it and pigeons come to wet their feathers and cool their throats. We take a walk up to char dukaan. On the way, I stop by Ruskin Bond’s window and look up at his quarters. I wonder if he is up. The arched windows with their asbestos sunroof, looks humble and charming. He sure does get a fantastic view of the hills
'Oh God... why is he so cute.'
She stood at one corner of the rehearsal floor, biting her lower lip, lost in thought.
It had been like this for the past one year that she had been working as production coordinator for the dance company. She was smitten since the very first day she saw him leaving the studio.
'This is great. Just stand here, biting your lip and going over how cute he is in your head. He'll soon be taken at this rate. You are lucky your heart didn't go through the mangle sooner.'
That was her inner voice successfully delivering a mood kill which made her furrow her brows in distaste. It had been a year and she still could n
Baby, you make my morals loose,
looking at you, the way the move,
Baby, you make me wanna lose myself,
tangled together, messy, dishevelled;
Baby, I wanna take you home,
get dirty in the shower, in every room,
Baby, you make me weak in my knees,
Butterflies in my stomach, head over heels;
Baby, leave your taste in my lips,
savour it, till the next time we feast.
~
Sit and close your eyes.
The hills are alive with sounds and smells. As I listen quietly, these sounds and smells make themselves known to my senses.
The scent of wood smoke rises from someone's chimney. Deep, rich, earthy and somewhat suffocating if one is caught in the middle of it.
I hear the sound of a woodpecker, hidden from my sight but diligently pecking away at the bark of a nearby tree, probably looking for a nice juicy grub.
The sound of a noisy pickup van, snaking its way down the mountain road, out to get supplies for the week from the big city market below.
There is also the restful sound of the wind moving through the bambo
The last strains of the evening azan floats on the monsoon breeze. A small flock of herons are flying home overhead, cleaving the ragged skyline.
The small Kali temple nearby, begins its activity with the priest ringing the bells, accompanied by the clanging of cymbals and chanting of evening aarti verses. Soon the sound of conches rise up from a few scattered houses. Few households have or keep conches these days, let alone blow them.
Calcutta is sleepy, tired and retiring at the end of the day now. I look down from the terrace, at what used to be my grandmother's balcony. That flat is empty now. It belongs to someone else. Patiently await
I stand wide eyed and startled, watching the world go by;
before me is the open sky, but will I be able to fly?
--
Today, I'm soaring high; I have a dream in my heart.
The sun rays show me the way, and I make a hasty start!
--
Now my dream is fulfilled, no more miles to go;
I'm tired, old and aching, and my wings are bruised and sore.
--
Life is not a goal to seek,
you have a long journey to make.
There's joy, there's love and plenty to put at stake.
So go forth and fly above, the angry, stormy sea;
and earn your place as a star, in the sky of eternity.