This too shall pass...

Some days,  deserve all the spotlight

To S (who has repeated and laughed and not taken cue) for the story
To A (who could not make it on 10th)  for pushing me and prolonged evaluations
To S (who showed immense patience from Kolkata on date nights) for the tune
To K Di (who was there even from her Pondicherry trip) for the chords
To A Aunty (who would read this and not feel a thing)  for the lesson long ago

Thank you!

Major public speaking,  check

Doing Fine

Sometime,
Anytime,
In real
On in dreams,
When you're back to pay your due;
Know it!
Know it with all my pride
I'm doing more than fine;
With or without you.

-Abhishikta

अजीब दास्तां है ये

किसी का प्यार लेके तुम
नया जहाँ बसाओगे
किसी का प्यार लेके तुम
नया जहाँ बसाओगे
ये शाम जब भी आएगी
तुम हमको याद आओगे

Not!  :) 

Goodbye Is Just Another Word

The week was a lot of Goodbyes and start overs.  Letting go-s and best wishes.
Minor thunder was Pavan's farewell from toastmasters and I specifically mention this to remind myself years later about the person who actually inspired me to join Toastmasters.  That,  and the fact that he looked a little like Nana. Him,  and the Australia bound Bhaskar Reddy.  How much I've seen Nana in both of them and how both,  somehow,  left.

Now,  the other two-s.

Normoda!  My friend, philosopher,  guide,  well wisher,  secret keeper, tears counter, praying bank and best friend from Accenture quit Accenture. That automatically means my association with Ecospace B7C finally,  truly ends.  I spent the last day sitting on the old familiar seat and prayer corner,  this time as a visitor on her last day.  This is when,  after 6months of actually leaving Accenture,  I felt that I'm actually truly gone.  The corner,  where I made several plans,  cried several tears (including post breakup breakdown as an ex employee),  just because N was here and I sneaked in.  This,  this week,  gone. Not N of course.  Touchwood :)

The last. Sagar,  my best friend from Wells,  my sheild,  my punching bag,  my shouting zone,  my fall back person. Goodbyes are always very tough,  especially when it is about someone you've been spending half of your days with. And singing all along,  everyday,  with terrible movie dialogues, IT lessons and selfies! I am just so chocked to even write about him. I feel a sense of abandonment today,  while the Marathalli sky cried red when he left for airport.  One of those Goodbyes which you always know is on the way and never too prepared.  Both personal and professional grounds are a little shaken.
Lesson last
"Peeney ki capacity,  dosto ka pyar aur naam ka kauf kabhi kamm nahi honi chahiye"

I'm so glad to have been at least associated with this lot,  and for the proper,  defined Goodbyes.
I've never believed and always quoted,
"Goodbye is just another word."

Everyone who is in pain,
Everyone who has lost.
Everyone whose efforts seem in vain,
Everyone who is paying a cost.
Remember this,
Remember,  you must;
"This too shall pass",
It always does!

-Abhishikta

तेरे अपने ही तुझको जलयंगे कुच्छ दिन रोएंगे फिर भुल जयंगे

Songs
How they've always been with us across all phases, and years later,  they remind you of that particular phase,  the smell and sound of it! The trip/trek to/at Parvati Valley had bowled me over with three such songs!

Zooming through Delhi lanes and by lanes to Bhuntar,  with a weird stranger by my side had made me very irritated.  I chose the single window seat to sit at,  to avoid long conversations and to really have small talks with interesting fellow travellers,  if at all.  I have gone into a serious no new friends midnset for now.  But to my luck,  some guy came, sat beside me,  who also happened to be a Bengali. Now this was a new thing that I experienced with Himachal tourism buses,  single girls could have fellow seat mate as single guys. This generally does  not happen anywhere in Karnataka,  across all travels.  If you're a girl,  you'll only get a girl beside you.  This situation could have brought me interesting friends but no,  my co-passsenger was nosy, irritating and over friendly with his Bengali connect.  3 hours into my irritation,  A sacrificed her seat (partly because she found this guy cute)  and we swapped seats.
This is where we crossed the HUGE Gurgaon toll, with golden sunset, after over 40 hours of no sleep (consider US timing office and straight airport cab and early morning flight and Delhi shopping and bus now),  the bus driver played 'Channa Mereya' (another new thing about Himachal tourism where bus drivers play songs the entire night non-stop to keep themselves awake),  B and I slept off with the ever so famous and repeated and learnt and felt and relatable old song,  which was the last thing we wanted to hear but well, here it was, while the Golden Gurgaon waved bye bye...
महफ़िल में तेरी
हम न रहें जो
ग़म तो नहीं है
ग़म तो नहीं है

2 days into the trip (which I will write about later someday)  it was time for us to leave Tosh for Bhuntar again. We had to make it to Bhuntar before 5pm to be able to river raft. We obviously were late since our over adventurous hotel to Tosh-stop trek was impossible on back to back days (again, a tale for later).  When we finally arrived we had two options,  a direct cab to Bhuntar (like we did when we came), or a cab to Barshaini and then, local Himachal tourism bus to Bhuntar.  We of course chose the latter because
A.  We were almost broke by the end of the trip
B.  We really wanted to experience the local pahari bus
The problem being, all three of us were dead tired,  slightly pukish and our river rafting timeline was at stake! We somehow made it to the local bus, fully crowded.  The conductor confirmed that half of the crowd would get down at Manikaran/Kasol. We agreed, but to stand on the spiral roads in a moving bus which had nothing close to luxury, was difficult.  Slowly the bus started to take sharp turns and the afternoon sun did was not kind.  However,  someone from the last seat had a speaker that played Yellow and Let Her Go back to back.  That day,  a bus full of high Israeli-s,  young Indians and localites started to sing Let Her Go.  It was unreal to look at the Delhi girl sitting on the seat whose support you're taking to stand, sing in chorus with the half eyelid closed and stoned videshi.  It was such an overwhelming feeling to sing with a bunchful of strangers,  over the Himachal twists and glittering sun. We of course made it in time for the rafting...
Staring at the bottom of your glass
Hoping one day you'll make a dream last
But dreams come slow and they go so fast

Our rafting manager (Anuj bhaiya) was an over enthusiastic person who kept calling us ever since we contacted him.  This of course made us,  Bangali-s, a little skeptical.  When we got down at his office he gave this HUGE introduction,  and photos and what not about Kullu and his service. Occasional 'smoke karte ho kya',  'Kasol mein kya kya kiya ghumne k alava',  'Kullu aaye toh hum Kullu ki speciality offer karenge hi Madam' followed. His agenda included,  taking us to rafting point,  guide us through the rafting,  rafting the entire 15km,  drive us from the point where rafting ends to a changing point,  take us to a hotel for dinner,  take us through/to the local market and then drop us to the night bus.  All of this for a pretty cheap rate and again,  we were skeptic.  We were so skeptic that mid rafting when he told us to jump into the river,  I thought he is actually plotting to kill us!  We of course jumped and had an amazing rafting experience (more on that later). After rafting and changing,  we had no energy left to shop,  it was close to 6:30 and our bus (which initially was at 9:30,  got cancelled, and now new bus was at 7:30) was in an hour.  We told Anuj bhaiya to take to a dinner place,  to this he said 'hum apne favorite jagah le k jayenge'.  He had called our travel agency, got the number of the driver and declared the bus will not come before 8:30. In the open jeep there were we three,  Anuj bhaiya and three more of his 'bhai-s'. The jeep started.  Parvati river on one side and mountains on the other,  slowly the night arrived.  The dim lit houses on the hills looked surreal, but in a while,  Anuj bhaiya took a route which had zero lights and zero houses,  we got scared. Thank you airport security,  our pepper spray was also gone. When we panicked,  he stopped us to a shady dhaba,  started rolling joints outside and told us to order whatever we want.  It was close to 8. A gave me a good scolding when I tried consoling them, saying I have crossed all limits of being irresponsible with life. I obeyed them into not eating there and taking parcel.  Anuj bhaiya and his bhai-s were in their own world.  B insisted that we leave and he started the jeep again, stoned. The winding roads again,  no light,  this time there was a sky full of stars,  there was Parvati river gurgling beside, there was chilly wind and us in an open jeep.  This is when Anuj bhaiya played a song which took me to a different world.  I did not care about what would happen to us next and I'm not exaggerating (Maa,  everything here is purely fictional,  trust me).  What actually happened and how is a tale for another day but since all three of us are peacefully lazying over Friday night at this time,  this song, which will forever take me back,  to the moon,  and stars,  and parvati river,  and chilly breeze,  and mountains,  and open jeeps,  and FREEDOM!...
Yeh jeevan tera moh k dhaage
Gaath lage tut jana
Mudke phir nahi aana

Mrs. Pocha and Why

Believe it to be Pocha to convince me to write on a topic that I would never want to discusss
Believe it to be Pocha to completely ignore the guest from the groom's list and shout out Obhishiktaaaa loudly from the stage
Believe it to be Pocha to sit across the fire with shupuris on both cheek and still talk,  read demand,  to be included in selfies
Believe it to be Pocha to call 'boxers' to hold her during shubho-drishti and complete all seven rounds
Believe it to be Pocha to go all commando on the most important day and night of her life
Believe it to be Pocha to leave her royal chair and sit with us,  almost sacrificing all the gifts, to bitch
Believe it to be Pocha to make us laugh like that

Meet My Kids

The Art, of Loving

It was during one of the darkest periods of my life (atleast that's what I thought that time)  that I was introduced to the Art of Living.  My mother never quite approved the authenticity of the organization,  the belief,  but the Orthopaedic Oil from AOL worked wonders for her so she did not complain much (not that she has EVER complained about my life decisions beyond a point till last week) when I first enrolled for the 'Happiness Program'.  The person who introduced me to it chose to part ways with me later, but I will forever be grateful for this one thing.
The same person and the same Happiness Program broke a very important news to me the next year and gave me the much needed closure. That evening, in between the Kriya,  when even though I was broken and could not breathe to SO-HAM,  I first believed in the energy of Gurudev to guide/push/force you in the direction which you have to walk anyway,  for better or worse,  I'm yet to conclude.

That was that and there have been visits to the Bangalore ashram very happily.  The roommates have made fun of the 'pahar hai baju mein'. The place has never disappointed anyone and I was very pleased when Being Social chose ahram for their Valentine's Day celebration with the orphanage and old age home folks.
What started with a very early Sunday morning and ended on a Monday morning high and cry had a beautiful day in between with the detailed ashram tour being the highlight.
The bright eyes with which the kids had the ashram food while we made a face,  the sloppy prolonged kisses from the kids galore because I was in charge of the sandwich dept., the shake of leg by the Granny at a known Kannada song, the genuine attempt of a kid to stop the tears of other,  the sleepy but sincere bye bye when we parted,  the takeaways,  the real takeaways! The art of loving which I thought I had mastered,  first time ever,  returned back in manyfolds from the kids.

As the good old school anthem said,
To be loved,  as to love with all my soul!
Here,  at least here.

Ouch

It's funny how many many lives have been colored by the song,  for worse always, for worse.
Someday I was planning to write on the song and never had the strength.  Someone did,  I could have said it better but ouch!
So glad the roommate is off the song finally. 
Guess it's just me and the song now.
So be it.
So long Kolkata. 
Not returning anytime soon,  for the shame and sham and the song.

We Shall Overcome

We have forever heard and loved the song all over!  I remember my dad singing the English,  Bengali and Hindi version of it, sipping his tea on Saturdays and Sundays in the old red house, and Nana joining in.  It was way later when I truly understood the power of the song.

Today,  we went to teach 33 kids from the orphanage nearby. Sunday being Sunday and kids being kids, we had to give off the last one hour to cricket.  Being horrible at batting and getting scolded by the baby captain, being slightly better at bowling, taking a wicket and getting victory clap from baby captain,  being taught on how to juggle with a football without shoes,  in red sand and epic sun by the 3 year old being the highlights of the day, the childhood song came back to me and how.

These babies,  stood in 3 lines,  of 11 each and sang "We Shall Overkaaaaaaaaam" to welcome us.  One with nose flowing,  one with milk teeth missing,  most with no chappals and dirty clothes,  the sincerity with which the kids looked into our eyes for their "welcome song" made me numb.
I had never been 'welcomed' so warm.
And to think of it,  while we complain about every thing possible,  these 33 kids with one bat, two footballs and a Government school hostel to call their home still have so much hope left.

Here's hoping that they really do overcome and have the best ever, forver. 

Oh, Happy Fake Birthday To Me!

27 on 27

A cake uncut by
A photograph pointing at
A soul dreaming of
A heart tired with
A ticket not shown to
A life dedicated for

Hello you!

Happy?
Happy now?
Last time I checked you said you weren't, with me.
Last time I checked you said couldn't breathe.
Happy now? 
Happy?
Now that there would be no messages tomorrow  morning,  afternoon,  evening,  night wishing the same.
Now that your Goodnights messages are followed by a different name.
Happy?

Well
Happy B Eve and Everyday then.
Just the way you want.

-Abhishikta

Sometimes

Sometimes all you need is a terrace half moon peeping behind the high rise
Sometimes all you need is a sky full of stars without highs
Lend a ear
Rent a ear
Sometimes all you need is a ring of smoke on Spring-Summer night
Sometimes all you need is a pointer to the never acknowledged lies

-Abhishikta

A Full Moon Night, Acting Batman Inside

There are multiple times in a day when you curse the Gods,  there are multiple times in a day when you drown yourself in self pity,  there are multiple times in a day when you question the purpose of still being alive.

However,  there are these rare Spring nights smelling of final exams,  with one arm full of washed clothes from the weekend, which you forgot to pick from the terrace until now and another hand somehow adjusting the dinner parcel that
the delivery person chose to deliver at the same time. Juggling between the two, with the peace of no social media banter and the occasional task of convincing the mother on your sanity and safety,  you open the door of your empty flat after a long day, being fully aware of the half finished JIRA cards that should be closed by the night.

These are the nights when you realize that probably,  probably you can make through life all alone.
Of course you have no choice.
Of course you had never imagined doing this. 
But you can,  and you would.
So this time, for real,
To life...  AMEN

Writer's Block

I want to write
I want to write till my hand bleeds
I want to write till my heart stops bleeding
Tell me how
Tell me now

Kotilingeshwar

Hit the highways
Hit the highways
Hit the highways in anxiety and pain

There is a definite peace at 100km/hr and not a compulsion to talk
When the wind hits your face (the left eye bleeds of course)  and your hair sways (add on to the spa expense).

Bangalore has always been THE place for trips and I regret not documenting any for the last 1.5years years.  Here I start again.
Destination decided:  Kotilingeshwar
Persnal interest:  Kolar mines
Group interest:  Sher-e-punjab

The thing with wanting to start in the morning is that,  it never happens.  I could also add on about the woes of winter but well,  we all know how perfect Bangalore weather always is!
So somehow we started off on time, of course after continuous instructions from N about taking bath and wake up calls. All the bikers and travel lovers of Bangalore must already be aware of the infamous all night ccd there,  not that we don't have it marathalli, but then,  the romantic kinds take the effort.  Being into one sided unromantic relationships,  I've always tried avooding this ccd but as fate had it,  it was RIGHT on the way and of course a landmark.
The thing with Kotilingeshwar,  you have to be on the Bangalore-Tirupathi highway for sometime. There is a general tendency of the food to be a little on the non-Kannada style,  bear! You'll hit the Kolar mines (right after the tortorous CCD) within an hour if you take KRPuram route,  or you can drive extra and try connecting from Mahadevpura just for the heck of it. Sher-e-Punjab would fall to your left along with a LOT of fancy dhabas,  stop over or just continue to make it on time. You have to be careful with your map. Soon you'll hit pretty village side and forest on loop.  Stop over for home grown cheap water melon!!!

Kotilingeshwar has 9lakh Shiv Lingas and they are aiming at 1crore,  as the name suggests.  More on the religious side of it from Google, I've stopped believing in Gods big time. However,  to step and dance over the HOT floor amidst SO MANY lingas is an experience! What could really irritate you is the conviction with which the priests ask you to donate
e for a baby and/or marriage.  Good if you are on my group and have no hopes of either,  A of course had and he almost got into a tiff! H on the other hand had some family issue where he was not supposed to visit temples for that week.  That of course,  got us  few eye rolls.
We didn't stay for long.  The destination was definitely not better than the journey.

The journey back of course,  had a brilliant sunset of quiet reflections and friends who take away your quite moment with pjs, a long wait beside serene raiway track. The sher-e-punjab was the BEST dhaba experience I've had in the last few years.  It's owned by Punjabis,  has a huge space and brilliant food + we were starving.
There is however a strict rule here of no drinking.  We actually saw the transition between lunch and dinner here (we're vella like that).

Riding back to the city,  winds on our face and a hopelessness that no temple can fix was good for A,  for the eventual date!  I hope it worked out that way for all.
Anyway,  on reflectionas,  some other day.
An abrubt,  bye.

Happy (?) Valentine's Day

Cry another night
Live another day
Cry another night
Live another day
Cry another night
Live another day
Cry another night
Live another day
Cry another night
Live another day
Cry another night
Live another day
Cry another night
Live another day
Cry another night
Live another day

Which came first?
Chicken or the egg?

-Abhishikta

Ah

Tufaan Toofaaaaaaan

Living alone in a flat (for a while for now)
Check

Refuge from social media and society (for a while for now)
Check

This
Check

Photographs

Let me start with a photograph straight out of an epic feminist movie cover.  The roommate can do wonders when she wants, really.

No wonder why I love this photograph. 

Photographs. 

Normal photographs that you've clicked last year,  last month,  few years ago ,  few months ago, yesterday,  today.

Basic, candid or ugly ones.

What happens when you categorise your photographs and have only two categories on mind.

1. Still looks hopeful with life
2. Does not

Or

1. Still smiling genuinely
2. Is not

Photographs.
You realise the power,  the magic that they are.
They damage that they can do.
Like people.

Beef Anyone?

Just the other day
When everyone on the table were in high brows when I ordered beef,
Just the other day;
Just everyday;
Just everyday!
I miss.

-Abhishikta

Breathe

Hard life lesson ;

The following weeks of denial
The following months of crying
The following years of shut down.

Cycled
Recycled
Seasoned
Served

Harder life lessons ;

Thought life cannot hurt more,
Wish, was right that time

Think life will hurt more,

Wish, am wrong this time.

In the mean time,
Breathe.

- Abhishikta

Fret Not

Fret Not.
Fret not my heart.
For there always is
A forever, after glitch.
A light, that guides.
A solvable closure, to departs.

Haven’t they always taught you right?
How the storms always lead to calm.
How the sun makes a Golden start.
Everytime!
Everyday!
But maybe, not today.
For the clouds laugh, from miles apart.
But, keep chanting.
Over and over again.

Fret Not!
Fret Not,
Oh Dear, Abandoned Heart.

-Abhishikta

Mandate. The Year of Tears, 2018. 2019, I'm too Tired To Even Beg for Good

1. What did you do in 2018 that you’ve never done before?
Travelled alone across continent
Bought my own diamond
Begged before a certain someone
Had brilliant champagne for free with random Polish politicians
Set up home out of nothing
Cried without feeling ashamed

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions and will you make more for next year?
Nothing made last year.
This year I would want to be fit, mentally.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No

4. Did anyone close to you die?
In my heart, 

5. What countries did you visit?
Ah, after all these years, yay!
Poland
Netherlands
Finland
In India, Pune, Kolkata, Bilaspur, Raipur, Dongargarh,  Kolkata,  Delhi,  Jammu and Kashmir,  Hyderabad,  Kolkata,  Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chikmagalure,  Mumbai, Matheran,  Kolkata,  Pune, Satara, Hyderabad
Mad travel year?  I know!
Bankrupt. 

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018?
Love

7. What date from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory?
15.04.2018

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Bearing the last one month
Switching to a different domain

9. What was your biggest failure?
Relationship

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Consistent left eye issues

Level 2 depression

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Diamond for me!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Smita, Narmada, Aritri

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Oh good lord, don't even.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Love.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Onsite
Relationship
Pujo

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2018?
Dil Beparvah

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. Happier or sadder? Sadder, a million times sadder
2. Thinner or fatter? Same
3. Richer or poorer? Richer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Judging

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Loving

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Woke up to the oldest of friends, had very good food and brilliant conversation with a bunch of babies, who still have a lot of hope left.
Also decorated the new house and had immense amount of chocolates beside the Christmas tree, all by myself, and, read the Bible.

21. Who did you spend most of the time on the phone with?
Maa and someone I trusted a lot.

22. Did you fall in love in 2018?
Yes.

23. How many one night stands in this last year?
:/

24. What was your favorite Tv programme?
Series count these days okay?
Yeh meri family
Little things
Mirzapur

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
YES
2 + myself

26. What was the best book(s) you read?
No book read

L

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Baarishein

28. What did you want and get?
Switch

29. What did you want and did not get?
Commitment that stays.

30. What were your favorite films?
I cannot remember a single movie I watched right now

31. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
Got very worked up on the age.

And went home of course!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
People not abandoning.

33. What would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
House clothes over other clothes

34. What kept you sane?
What kept me sane has pushed me to a terrible insanity. So, does not count really.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Ranveeeeeeeeeeeeeer Singh!

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Assam on the Bangladesh refugee count

37. Who did you miss?
Dida

38. Who was the best new person you met?
NO ONE

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018?
Money cannot buy us happiness

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
वो जो कहते थे बिछड़ेंगे ना हम कभी
अलविदा हो गए देखते देखतेl

Coldest of Nights

Accepting.
Not everyone deserves happiness.
Not everyone gets happiness.
Accepting.

Bluetooth Speaker Speaks of Life

Bluetooth Speaker!

We happen to have a cute little Bluetooth speaker. It's wooden and nice. Made our hearts very happy the day it was gifted, since we had recently moved into a new flat and lost our old speaker. The same speaker, gave me a life lesson today, a lesson that I'll probably forget by night, or probably remember, and start 2019 and life.

So the process being:
1. Bluetooth Speaker once ready to be paired, becomes the receiver.
2. Every phone in the room can connect to it, but the one that is ready to play the song, does.
3. Once paired, the time becomes colorful with the songs of happiness, peace and Bliss.
4. After a while, once the songs become monotonous, continuous, and realistic, the songs stop playing from the phone voluntarily.
5. The bluetooth speaker waits, pauses and waits. Some more. And eventually, our speaker unpairs itself.
To new phones and new songs then?

Also,
Merry Christmas from Hasvitha :)

Winter Lessons

As kids all of us (read most of us) love(d) chocolates. Some of us over-loved (read ate) chocolate so much that our teeth started decaying or getting cavities.
So did we stop loving or having (read wanting) chocolate any less? No! Of course not.
The doctors stopped us, the mother scolded us, the world laughed at us with better teeth to show. But us? We still loved chocolates. With painful teeth, we just could not let go of our dearest!
But eventually the doctors, the mothers, the logic won and off went the chocolates from our lives (at least for the time being).
We hated everyone, made a hoopla, cried our hearts out, everytime there was a chocolate shop, everytime our friend could happily munch theirs. But then, you had to give it up after all.

Well in life, during days like today, I hope we realise if we're the chocolate or the child.
That's all!

The song, because I love it. No context.

HEAL

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