The Old Self. Blog Marathon #12

The wind was blowing hot, though the sky had turned a threatening gray nimbus. The train was moving fast against the wind, and as I was seated in the window seat, which I usually prefer, I was both enjoying and despising the climate.

But no amount of rain or wind was going to spoil my mood for that day.
It was a very special day for me.
It had been an year since I have entered this land. An year! How fast the time flies away!

I never expected it to be that long.
But finally, I was there.
And I was going to see her.
The train was nearing my station and I squirmed in my seat in happiness mixed with anxiety. Every passing minute felt like an year. The train slowly screeched to a halt and I was the first to get down.

The clouds had turned an even more menacing gray, and I wanted to reach home before the perennial showers start.
But I had no such luck, and even before I had booked an auto, the heavens blessed us with rain.

It started as a drizzle and soon it started raining cats and dogs. I tried moving away from the window and hoped with all might that the sheets covering the windows will stay at their place.

Fortunately, before soaking myself I got under the shelter of my apartment complex. Not wanting to wait for the elevator, I raced up the steps to the second floor, where my humble abode stood.

My finger slowly pressed the calling bell and I could hear the familiar tune being played. Immediately the door opened and there, standing there with her face full of happiness, was my wife. I gave my bag to her and entered.

My eyes were searching for her.
There she was. My sweet little daughter. My life had been a little hellish without her. And now finally i could be with her. With her little feet moving forward, she slowly came near me. I scooped her out from the floor and planted a large kiss on her left cheek.

She rubbed the spot with her fist and looked at me. I was standing there with a huge smile plastered over my face and she was there looking solemnly at me. Her huge eyes showed no hint of the affection she had previously. She was blinking at me.

My 5 year old daughter was not able to recognize me. Boy, was I disappointed!

I went to my room. Removing my watch and placing it on the dressing table, I looked at myself in the mirror. Age had not still set in. I could still see the youth lurking there.

But i was not looking the same.
I slowly rubbed my fingers over the beard I had grown over the past few weeks.
It looked like a thick bush and my wife had told me as plainly as she could, that she wanted it removed, as soon as I entered.

I looked at our family photo that was hanging there on the wall nearby. I had been one handsome hunk then. Not long ago, actually.

Suddenly a thought occurred to me. My darling wife was calling me for lunch. Though her cooking is not chef class, I will gladly have her food than the restaurant foods I have been having for the past year. I told her I will be back in a few minutes and went to the bathroom.

Though not for my wife, i will do it for my daughter. I decided to shave and make myself presentable. I placed a dollop of Gillette shaving gel on the shaving brush and applied the gel over. Then I picked up my Gillette razor and slowly started the shaving process.

Soon, I was pristine clean and I bathed and got into fresh clothes.I went into the dining room and there the delicious aroma of Biriyani was inviting me.

My daughter was sitting there with a plate in front of her. She was doodling on the plate which had small portions of food for her.

As I sat opposite to her, she looked up from her plate. She stared at me again. But this time, it broke into a smile slowly which eventually widened.
She raced towards me and hugged my legs with her short arms. I took her in my arms and smiled at her.
'Papa! Papa!'

I patted her head and we both sat down to our meal, before my wife could come and blow our heads off for not eating the food.
P.S That aromatic Biriyani tasted like tamarind rice and don't say this to my wife.

#peppylookmatters

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

One day. Blog Marathon #11

It was a very humid morning. The sun was blasting at its best. Then what can you expect from a very summery may morning?
Nothing. Just sweat and sun.
It was that day.
He was waiting.
He was waiting near the gate.
He was waiting near the gate of RTO office.
RTO inspector has not yet arrived.
His hunger pangs were killing him. He can't leave now, can he? No.
Then the crowd will have become more. So he could miss the idli for a day. He will see to it in lunch that he has the days worth!
Even when he was taking Learner's license, there was not much queue.
Many people might be wanting license these days. He mused to himself.
And finally when he could no longer bear the blasting sun, the Road traffic inspector walked in.
A huge bench was set and all the people who were in dire need of a license crowded around.
He was pushing against a person taller than him, to reach before him. The inspector was sitting on a chair placed for him with all the king's respects.
The first person must have gone forward as the crowd moved a little. He tried to look at what is happening. But the crowd blocking his view.
Now the second person. This time he got a clear view. The person who was standing near the inspector was standing a little away. Was it due to respect? Was it due to fear? Or something else?
He couldn't guess.
And finally his turn came.
He went forward and boldly placed his application form on the table.
The inspector was viewing the first page of the form. He was standing there with his hands folded. Having completed the first page, the inspector looked up at him. He looked back at inspector. Why was the inspector looking into his face like he was a ghost?
And suddenly a rough prod came from his back. Turn the pages for Sir.
He turned the page reflexively. It continued till the inspector viewed everything and roughly pushed his form towards him.
That is it?
Another prod and he cleared the way for the next person .

Now what did happen here?
Nothing. This would be a normal reply.
But I dare to think differently.
The Inspector's job was to check their forms and sign it. It was his job. He is getting paid for it from the money people pay as taxes.
But the same people should stand in front of him like his servants.
If it is his job to check the forms, shouldn't he be doing it properly and with clear conscience?
What is really happening?
License is given to drive. Not to kill.
Let us face the reality?
How many loopholes? You could hardly count it.
Why do accidents occur?
Why is a person driving according to rules should be affected because of an other person who didn't follow the rules?
Is this even fair?

Imagine a place where everyone are following the rules after having learned them.
Those who doesn't are punished.
The people in charge prefer discipline over bribes? Life over money?
Won't there be peace? Won't there be justice prevail everywhere?
Is such a place imaginary for ever?
Is there no possibility to make it?

#impact

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

The Proposal - Blog Marathon #9

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. All her blackheads lifted their heads and said a huge 'Hi' to her. She tried her best to shut their mouths with the loose powder. She gave one final  touch and tried not to hear the cries of all the blackheads trying to come out free. They will be out in an hour or so anyway.

She had started dressing well, and had even started taking care of her skin and hair, which she rarely did.

She draped the beige dupatta and it looked pretty good on her dusky complexion.

He was the reason behind her change, though he doesn't know it.
                       -------------------
The eye contact made her go breathless. The moment slowed for her and she could see only his face. His words echoed multiple times and her eyes never blinked for the time he spoke to her.  Even after he had left, she was able to breathe his fresh perfume, which always made her dizzy.

She looked at his retreating figure and her mind had already started plotting a plan to talk to him again. When it came to him, her mind worked overtime and she was amazed at herself. May be because of overworking or some other reason which she could not decipher, her mind could never come up with a worthy plan that will make her meeting with him a little longer. The talking she had with him usually lasted a minute or at the most 5 and she longed to talk longer.
                     -----------------

He drank water hastily from his bottle. He could still feel his heart palpitating fast and a single drop of sweat trickled down his forehead.
Why did she always make him like that?
                     -------------------

Her reflection stared back at her. She was good looking. But not drop dead gorgeous or did she have a clear white skin, which was considered beautiful in this country. Her hair barely reached her shoulders and her ponytail was the usual plain one.
She had a conversation with her friend last evening. Her friend had told her that a fair groom will always prefer a fairer bride and she went on and on about her ideas and marriages.
Since then she had been feeling a little bit down. She must be beautiful if she wanted her crush to turn into love. And she decided that her one sided love will never happen.
                         -----------------

It was her birthday and she had never felt so depressed.
For the past few days, she didn't even have the opportunity to talk to him. He failed to say back even a hi.
She had many thoughts coursing through her and however much she wanted to be free from all his thoughts, she couldn't.
Wherever she went, she thought about him. Whenever she saw a shop with his name, she felt sad.
She felt as if he was controlling all her thoughts and she felt haunted.

Her birthday dawned gloomily and she was in no mood of celebration. As if to reflect her gloomy mood, the rain started pouring.
It started as a drizzle and then slowly went on to a thunderstorm. She couldn't even go to work that day.
                         ------------------
He looked at her desk every other second. It was unoccupied as were many others. Even he would have not reached if he hadn't started a little earlier than his usual time.
He didn't want that day to be like that. It was supposed to be special and he didn't expect the heavens to interrupt his day and he prayed for them to rewrite his fate on that day. But no, they were not going to!
                          ----------------

The rains had not stopped for the next two days. Schools and colleges had holidays. But the office goers were not privileged to be enjoying on a rainy day. But because of heavy rain, only some turned up and he looked at the empty desk hopefully every other second, expecting her to magically appear. But she was not coming.

                        ------------------

The weekend passed in a flash and the sun shined bright. On monday morning among the hustle and the bustle, which is usually more evident on that day, she reached the office.
Work occupied her mind for hours and before she could realise it was nearly three in the afternoon.
She received three parcels addressed to her and the delivery boy told her that the parcels were delayed because of the rains.
                   -----------------
She opened her parcels one by one.
The first one was an online purchase she had made  and it was supposed to arrove before her birthday. Second was a birthday card from her school friend. The last parcel looked light and it felt like a book.
She opened it and it was a book. She was surprised to find that  the sender's name was not mentioned anywhere.

She opened the front cover and on seeing the first page, her heart skipped a beat.

                    ------------------
He was wandering in his room. He saw her getting the parcels and one was surely the one he had sent. Would she accept the proposal he had written on the front page? Has she seen his writing? Will she like him?
                  ----------------
She was still looking at the front page, when her phone rang.
It was him.
Even though it was only his name she saw, she blushed and answered with a soft 'hello'
He didn't know what to talk and finally managed,
'How is the climate there?'
'It is the same as your place, I guess' she replied, smiling to herself.
'Yes. But, you know...' He trailed off.
'But you should know that I love you too' she said in one breath.
He couldn't believe what he had heard.
'I am sorry. I couldn't hear you properly. It must be the bad signal'
'I said that you should know that I love you too' she said slowly.
'I heard the first time too. I wanted to hear it again'
'I know. I wanted to say it again too and I want to keep saying it forever'
'I want to hear it forever' he replied.
And it was one happy ending!

And one fantastic proposal!

#Fantastic

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

The Peppy proposal - Blog Marathon #8

Her hair looked sheen and gorgeous. It was lustrous black held up in a lovely ponytail and it reached her slim hips. Her hair was a natural straight and she must have taken pains to maintain such a heavenly gift.

He was admiring her hair and her hair was the only thing he could see for the next one hour, because he was in the last row and his lovable crush was a few rows before.

She tucked her hair behind her ears with one hand, while her other hair was busy taking notes. He hadn't listened to one word that came out of the professor's mouth. His eyes saw only her and his ears turned deaf to all the other sounds.
He had become like that after seeing her. It was love at first sight for him. Time slowed when he saw her. He lost his sleep and as an unrecoverable insomniac, he became anorexic and was suffering from love disease.

She was a beautiful goddess. She wore crisp, brightly coloured tops mostly over blue jeans matched with equally bright and attractive shoes.

He was not bad looking either. But he never wore nothing other than plain looking shirts paired with black or beige trousers. He was not that much into fashion nor did he intend to in the future.
He had tried several times to gain her attention. But, each and every time failed and it had been 6 months since he started to have an one sided crush on her.
Each professor dragged on with their lecture that day. But, he felt the time to be passing very quickly and when the class ended, she would fly away and he had to wait for another two days before he could see her.

But all good things had to end too and the final bell rang like a cold knife piercing through his heart.

Before he could get out of the classroom, she had disappeared.

His disappointment was etched clearly on his face and his friend tried consoling him. He was advised to tell her her feelings.

He decided to do so.

That weekend he spent his time on plans about how to come out of his ordeal.
It was such a pain to bear all the feelings without any reciprocation. He dealt with all the negative emotions that emerged along with his ideas.

He finally decided to change himself a bit.
Instead of the usual formal attire, he deviated a little bit.

On that day, his boring wardrobe looked appallingly at him, and that was better than the look he got from his mother, when he got out with a red shirt and blue jeans paired with a red shoe and coolers.
His friend gave him a huge hug and voiced 'Way to go dude!'

He had a letter in his hand, in which he had poured out all his feelings.
But he couldn't find the courage to approach her in front of all their classmates and when lunch break happened, he was sweating and his tongue was thirsty like a dry parched land.

He went to the college Canteen and got himself a lime soda. He took his drink with him and sat on one of the cement benches.

He took a sip from the glass and his throat seemed to be wanting more. He heaved out a huge sigh and leaned back on the pillar, when he heard someone utter his name.

It was her.

'What happened to him? Why should he change himself on the exact day when I had planned to tell him about my feelings? Is he in love with someone else and had done all the stupid transformation to please the other girl? What will I do?'

He kept the glass on the bench and got up slowly and walked near to her table.
His eyes made contact with hers.
There were tears ready to come flooding down threatening to ruin even the smudfe free kajal, which had beautifully brightened her eyes.

'Yes. I love a girl and it is you'

A single drop of tear came falling down and her mouth had the widest smile it could possibly have!

And his peppy proposal had been a success!

#peppy

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Books and only books. Blog Marathon #4

Books.
Books.
Books.
Three words. Same meaning.
But each time I utter it, I think about a different book, a different genre, a different character.
Sometimes it is the lovely Miss.Emma and sometimes it is the brave little Potter.

Who wouldn't love books?

Am I a bookworm?
Yes, I am! And I am proud to be one!

Am I guilty of hoarding?
No! (Yes, I am!)

Even if u ask a million questions related to books, my answer would be just yes. A plain yes. You don't have to expect an exaggerated version which will finally lead to a simple affirmative response. I will just answer in a single word, because a simple answer holds the plentiful meaning and a real bookworm who would lovingly appreciate the simple response, will have lots and lots to imagine, and as a true believer in the goodness of all books, I will leave it to their imagination. (And I will always pray to God for rich imagination and heavenly portrayals)

So, having clearly (I hope so!) explained the goodness of the black and white letters printed on a subdued white paper, I will explain further and will try to bring you, the reader, into the world of unrealistic expectations that will surely be fulfilled!

What do you think when you see a book?

Imagine a scenario.

You are walking along a pavement, trying to cover yourself from the heavenly pour that decided to come down at the exact time you leave your office. You decide to stop at a small store and you look sadly at the sky, which looks like as if it is glowering down at you. You can't help but feel threatened by the dark grey clouds. You look back at the store. It is a small second hand book store.
Let me pass at this second. You come back from your imagination! (though it may be tough, because of my superb hypnotic powers)

Now, I can't help but tell a few words or rather push towards you a few sentences about second hand book shops, even though it is highly inappropriate! Second hand book shops are histories that are waiting to be explored and read.

Just take a book. It has been already owned by a person or two or more persons. It could have been a first gift to a shy bride from her groom. She could have cherished it, until her grandson decided to sell it to make space for his new home theatre stereo speakers. 

Or it could have been a proposal gift by an unrequited lover trying to propose by gifting the book. How wonderful it would be to open a book and find a lovely proposal written in a page corner, still waiting for that response. You could feel the emotions coursing through you. Each page has a different story to tell apart from the one the author has intended for the readers.

So, going back to the imagination, you look at the bookstore. You are tempted to go in and get into a new world. You go inside, and your wet trail follows you. You explore different racks and finally select a book, which you have been wanting to read for ages. 

You buy it and finally when you reach home, you recline back and start reading. When you have completed it, you feel something has been lit up in your mind. Something that has been wanting to escape from a cage and finally it has.
And that feeling is 'fantastic'.
#fantastico

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Outing! Blog Marathon #3

Life can be real hard sometimes. That too, life of an intern is something beyond ordinary.

There are days when you don't feel like eating and just go to sleep. There are days when you don't have time to brush your teeth. And also sometimes, there are days when you have to go sleepless for days together. Not to mention the mental strain that sucks out the remaining little bit of energy.

But these are also the days, when you get to learn, if u really want to learn.
Now, leaving the serious part aside, I am going to talk about a wonderful and fantastic outing trip I had.

When you are an intern, it is tough finding time to go out, especially if your friends are in different batches.

So, it was very difficult organizing the schedule and after many promises of double the time work, some cajoling, we were ready to take our well planned trip.
Well planned always doesn't mean well executed. It was true for us too and we ended up starting an hour late than the planned one.

We reached the nearby city where our outing was supposed to take place. At first, we all decided to go for our breakfast.

I still could not decide whether I enjoyed our food or not. But I what I am so sure about is that I enjoyed the events that followed our food.

It is the era of selfies. And if you are a bog gang, taking selfie takes some time, since all people should fit in and look good too! But in each selfie, there is one person who will look a little serious than others and it will be the one taking it!
We had planned shopping from a well known shopping street until lunch.

But we ended up posing and pouting for hours together and finally when we looked at our watches, it was time for lunch.

With all the adrenaline pumping in out bodies, we rushed to the shopping place.
Being a weekend, the place was packed. We were new to it and we could hardly move together. So, we decided to split ways and we explored a lot of cloth shops, shoe shops.

When I entered the place, a few book shops fell on my eyes and for the life of me, I could not concentrate on the shoes that the shopkeeper were showing. My mind was fully on the racks of books.
So, I called my mini gang to the book shop. Since no one were interested, I decided to go on my own.

Before that, I have never ever shopped alone in my life. May be, except for online. But that is entirely different. You don't have an old man with a long beard and a Gandhi spectacles trying to sell you his wares.

I went to a book shop and got some second hand books for dirt cheap prices.
I went to other shops too and finally when I left the building with my friends, my shopping bags had only books. But, the most important thing was, I was happy having made the purchase.

It was nearly evening and we decided to skip our other plans and go to the beach.

It took almost an hour for us to reach the destination.

The sky was turning red. The sun was ready to sink itself into the ocean.
We played with the waves; bought food to eat, and finally, we sat together and enjoyed watching the sun set.

We had gone out together after nearly an year and though the upcoming end of this life was on everybody's mind, we decided not to think about it and concentrated on the scene before us and the friends beside us.

It was fantastic.

#Fantastico

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Mapping our way! Blog Marathon #2

The air was chill enough to give you the chills. The sky was still dark.
May be the sun was lazy too.
But, it felt good to be travelling so early in the morning. There is not much traffic on the road and before the earth gets busy, you can be cozily away from them.
It was a trip of some 6-7 hours.
Finally we reached the place around 12 in the noon. It took some for us to arrange our things after unpacking and after our lunch, we all took a few precious moments of sleep.

In the evening, we were ready to explore. We all vowed to reach all parts of the city, known and unknown to the natives.
But when you are accompanied by people, who are older and wiser than you, you tend to follow their path. And we all agreed to visit nearby temples for our first outing in the city.

When you are new to a place, it is wiser to travel through public transport for nearbywindow, as we , as navigation would be difficult if you don't know your way. But, wisdom comes through experience and our experience was yet to happen.

We visited a lot of temples and time flew by very fast. We were getting hungrier with every passing moment and soon came a time, when we couldn't tolerate it any longer.

We stopped at a hotel and soon we were able to attain satiety. We refreshed ourselves and the elders decided to visit one more temple before going back to the hotel. It was not a very wise decision according to us, the less wiser groups. But we couldn't say that!

We were happily singing to a song and enjoying the travel, keeping in mind that just one more place to go and then we could all take a well deserved sleep.

On our way to the temple, we couldn't find the correct way. We stopped and asked for direction from passers by. But, when the path got narrower and muddier, few people could be seen on the road and at one point we were the lonely travellers.
We got stuck on our way again, and we never knew navigating would be so difficult.We couldn't decide whether we should take a left or a right.

That is when, the trendy and flashy phone got out of my bag and thanks to the modem and the power bank, which i carry everywhere, i was on to google maps within a few seconds.
I found out the way and told my uncle who was at the wheel.

Everyone looked at me as if i was dictating a death sentence. But my wise uncle decided to follow the map. He had great respect for Google as soon as they appointed an Indian as its CEO.(Now, Google will go to great heights!)
But, the other co-passengers were in constant fear and kept looking at the map and the real path that was seen through the window, as we were navigating through those unknown horizons, with no people around to guide us.

But, we reached our destination soon and the wiser generation could not stop praising the wise decision!

We had a good visit there and on our way back, one of my young cousins felt like vomiting.(Only if he had eaten two or three less bondas)

We stopped at the exact place where we halted on our journey forward. I too got down from the vehicle to stretch my muscles and also to escape from the constant appreciative look being put upon me by my companions.(For God's sake! I didn't save a country).

I just walked a few paces and there was something on the ground.
I went near and it was a signboard. It was an old one, with the black paint on the white stone fading.
It had the name of the place we went to with an arrow pointing to the left. 

I felt like an archaeologist who had unearthed a previous stone and deciphered it's meaning.

Only if someone had got down at the same place that time or only if my cousin's Gastrointestinal system had rejected his food choices little earlier.

Only then, we would have done our navigation the easy way, with little fear.

Life is a little playful sometimes.
And it makes you learn a lesson in its own way!

Though we could find people to help us anywhere, we should also be prepared to fight our own wars!

Almost all of us own a smartphone with internet packs. So, it is wiser to use it when you are in need and navigate your way!
#Navigate

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Rags and Riches. Blog Marathon #7

Travelling is always wonderful. By travelling a lot, you get to know a lot of people, a lot of cultures, a lot of cuisines.
Also, you get to know a lot about yourself and that too in most mysterious ways possible in humanity.
We tend to travel through many ways and in that, public transport is one.
Public transportation is totally a lot different from the other types. It is more economical and we also tend to do a hidden service to the society and the atmosphere, by not taking our own vehicles and adding more monoxides.
But, you can never rely on it to appear for a 10AM interview on time, if you are going to wait for your bus at 9.50AM. It is wiser to make plans accordingly.
I was a person who had never travelled in local buses, a lot, for many years. But, as change comes constantly to each and every part of our human mind and body, I too faced a duration of time, when I had to travel a lot through bus.
Initially, I was stressing out, sitting at the seat corner, trying to judge the distance for my destination and my current station. After having familiarized with the common routes, I usually sat peacefully and enjoyed the routine happenings that my window could show.
It acted as a frame for the events.
And the frame usually held different portrayals each time. Sometimes, it showed something really spectacular and out of the ordinary that it would make a great impact on you and will make you think. Not that we don't think, but it would be great if something or the other reminds us of the responsibilities we have on earth once in a while.
Buses stop once in a while, for a short while, and if situations demand, for a long time.
As a passenger in a bus which has stopped because of traffic and if the traffic looks like as if it is going to last for a hour, it is a tough task to pass time. If you are on for an urgent work, heavens bless you! But, if you have hoped on the bus just because you are going to a far off place to kill your boredom, you have nothing to worry other than the annoying co-passenger, who has foregone his lonesome earthly worries and gone to sleep and indicating that to the world with his heavy snoring!
And my bus happened to stop near a metro station.
The station looked clean and serene. Passengers with clean shoes and well pressed clothes were going to and fro. It felt good to see the shiny walls reflecting the sunlight. For a city to have a metro station, it is good.
While I was admiring the station, the fate decided to curb it short, and the bus moved forward a bit. I tried to pry further at the station by turning my neck. But I was only  able to look at a middle aged lady with a big bindi and a stern look looking at me as if I had lost my mind. So, trying not to get more attention from the sweet lady, I looked at my window and vowed myself to be content with what is available.
But the scene which flowed through the window was the least expected. It was totally the opposite of the sight I was admiring a few minutes back.
The area was a slum area and there was a pile of garbage just adjacent to the wall of the great metro station.
It was like an oxymoron!
If there was money to clean the area and build a great station, which was useful to very few, then why not clean the nearby area and provide a good garbage disposal method.
But, only great things come to our mind at the time of casting our vote and the government does only those things which will be in our mind.
It had a great impact on me and the things that came to my mind afterward made me realise many others.
#impact

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Blasting Music. Blog Marathon #6

The sky was a clear one. No one would have expected a downpour from such a serene looking cloudless sky. But, only from such unexpected circumstances, we get many surprising events.

The sky turned a deep blue, then grey, then demonish grey. The rain started as a slow drizzle, followed by a soft pour and heavy one. The rain poured as a sheet of water from heaven. It did not alter its course or hesitate to change its course.

All the windows started closing one by one. And the pedestrians who were till then walking leisurely, started going in search of places to take shelter and shield them away from the rain. Within a matter of few minutes, the whole placed looked anew. The picture could be included in a 'before' and 'after' comparison pic for afforestation. The place has completely changed.

The air-conditioning in the car felt a lot chiller. The rain was splashing against the window and the rain drops looked like a photo shopped portrait on the glass.

The wiper was beating against the splashing rain and the car was zooming past many vehicles which had become sloth like because of rain.

I was at the wheel, and my hands gripped the wheel tight.

I pressed my right foot on the accelerator after shifting to full gear. The car moved at a great speed and I eased through different types of two, three, four and six wheeled vehicles.

The music was blasting at full speed. The music that was playing was a soft melodic number.
The melody and rain are a couple that makes all other couples awe with jealousy. They are more compatible with each other than with anyone else.
And I was at a place enjoying the romance of the two. With my mouth trying to sing(yes, sing! and not read!) the lyrics in the same time, I drove forward. I have been driving for a long time.

Song after song played and the rain finally stopped. I switched off the air conditioner and opened the window and let the chill air circulate in. The wind rippled through my hair and it started a slow dance rhyming to the tune playing from the car stereo.

The wind slowed down and my hair stopped dancing. It needed a little more beat to make it shake its leg again. I changed genre along with gear, and the drums roared across the road.
I ignored the passersby, who looked at me as if I had no head.

I had no care in the world and with music playing, I swept past those people and when my favourite lyric came, the time slowed down and the music entered my heart little by little and made it the happiest eternally.

And at the sudden height of happiness, I woke up from my sleep, with music blasting in my ears..

#music

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

The Opportunity. Blog Marathon#5

"We do not get unlimited chances to have the things we want. Nothing is worse than missing an opportunity, that could have changed our life"

Opportunities never knock twice.
Even while knocking once, it doesn't knock hard. It knocks so feebly and if you are too distracted to listen to its soft calling, you are doomed. You are doomed in such a way that you will not even know that an opportunity had knocked at your door and tried to get your attention, even though it was not a well attempted one.

We have to look out for it with our eyes wide open. And when it shows its face, grab it with your hands, with all your might and put it in your safe locker and don't say the lock code to anyone!

So, as a normal mortal human being, I am here to talk about a fantastic opportunity that came my way.

"When opportunity knocks, don't let fear hold you back. Open the door and embrace the opportunity that has come forth"

College life is a wonderful one. But, it would have been better if the nearby place was a city!

So, when we were posted for two weeks in the biggest possible city, the opportunity knocked at my door.
It was very feeble, but consistent and the consistency made me turn my head and look into its eyes.

Book exhibition is always a great pleasure to be at. It comes only once a year or so. From my childhood, i had been eyeing big book fairs. My bookish soul was never able to attain satiety with the small book exhibitions, it had the opportunity to attend. It always dreamed of big ones, where it took you two days just to go through the shops and two more to purchase all your favourite ones and twenty hands to carry all the books bought!

Though the usual January book fair was postponed because of many reasons, one being the floods, there was another one with 200 stalls, to satisfy the burning desire of all the book lovers out there!

And what i am telling you all, when i originally intended to talk about opportunities!

You could be living next door to the place of the exhibit, and even then you could miss going it. That is where the opportunity part comes in.

The exhibit happened exactly at the time when I had the posting in the city!

And I was incredibly lucky to have it happen that way and I used the opportunity to the fullest!

I was glad to go to the exhibit which had over 200 stalls. Many shops sold second hand books too and I bought a lot!

Many books which I have been postponing because their fresh copies cost a lot! And finally they found way to the shelf of a book hoarder! The whole world will help you, if you wish it with all your heart! (To quote Paulo Coelho, but not word to word)

Now, that is making use of a fantastic opportunity that comes your way!

#fantastico

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.