LOVE ON THE WHEELS

The beginning of the end:
Journeys can be really overwhelming if u feel their essence , their subtle nature n vivid episodes may turn them into a life long affair . a guy was advancing towards his destiny (by train) n was totally engrossed in his own self fostered world , living short lives at each rendezvous .there were still a few encounters left, yet he was waiting with bated breath to reach his final destination. When the train halted for a nap , he went out n brushed himself with the soothing cool breeze flowing with a touch of vivacity. When he went back, he saw someone waiting for him in his compartment, she saw him n he saw her, no words , couple of quick glances n then they settled. There was an air of uncertainty around , although she was with her friend , his eyes lost their ability to focus anywhere else. He knew it was different , as never in the past it hit so hard , pounding heart n fidgety eyeballs were revealing a lot more than what should have been revealed . he exhorted them to show some restrain but they had turned petulant , not listening to the prudent. He knew it’s a futile thought as there is a little probability of their path ever crossing again in future ,but then we r just pawns in this grand arrangement. Her freezing smile was raising the temp. inside , her short sharp silent glances were like an audible allegory in itself .finally the ice broke n she asked him about his probable destination ,he took some time to process this n answered , n asked her back , then for some moments nothing , both analyzing each other , rational thinking told him that it’s his turn now , he was still mustering up courage when she inquired again , this time something related to his bio n he joked if she is a spy or something ,it was spontaneous , he knew the moment he said , he had committed a gaffe n started swearing under his breath but then she laughed , making his face ease its momentary wrinkles , eventually leading to the beginning of the end…….

MY LOOKALIKE GRANDMOTHER

I heard somewhere if u lose someone close to u , u find god.
Yesterday when the heavens opened its gate and  was pouring its blessings , I was left stranded at the entrance of my rented house . fortunately there was a octogenarian lady in whose company I found solace . Age has certainly taken a toll on her , sitting near the entrance ,I noticed her at times muttering to herself n at times animatedly saying something to me, which most of the times was incomprehensible . As much as I wanted to be a part of the convo , I couldn’t . her face riddled with loose skin n limping hands one over another displayed her vulnerability . evident from her demeanour was that she needs company along with constant care, but to her chagrin none of her family members were there . the family tree which c forms the stem now has been left to rot , whose fruits are now flourishing in lush green fields . as I was talking to her, I saw in the abyss of her eyes , her love fo her children but there must also be a corner where c is miffed with them , I couldn’t see that. Her invisibility inside the house is conspicuous , sporadically calling her grandchildren n in turn breaking the deafening silence . Seeing me c stared spewing emotions that must have been dormant for weeks. Her broken smile , salt-pepper hair, insipid face, bland expression were revealing a lifetime of experience which I m gonna face in due time. In between the convo ,I lost trail and drifted towards avenues yet to evolve , circumscribing myself with questions such as how will I be able to cope up with such banishment , will I undergo the same trauma , will my end days also be sombre like her , will…. ???
she reminded me of my grandmother who would be in similar condition n suddenly I noticed something trickling down my cheeks , somehow expressing my deep empathy to her ..……

COUNTERING A POTENTIAL EPIDEMIC :

Charlie hebdo's  caricatures once again  brought to life amid mourning . it’s  been a shocking state of affairs for a country  which  believes in freedom of expression and has  glorified its essence.  decades have passed since such a grave incident happened in France  . Charlie hebdo’s cartoons  mirrored free expression albeit a twisted one . although his cartoons lampooning prophet mohammad may not find enough takers  ( rather some incensed souls)  but they still came under the ‘blurry’ ambit of free expression. The barbaric response of these so called mercenaries of islam  is beyond condemnable, how can one rationalise such callous killings in response to mere spoofing? However, in the heat of the moment , proclaiming a final war on terror is insanity which would eventually isolate people on religious lines and  that  is exactly what those bigots intended. Usage of surgical strikes to take out heads of these groups cannot serve as a response either .  a prolonged calibrated action aimed at bringing back people from the gorges of religious extremism to the asylum of moderation is the need of the hour . without an iota of doubt it involves perennial indulgence in the pursuit of promulgating a modern renaissance , where sticking to the cause in the longer run would be the key , countering those fanatics and zealots along the way ….