A dream

One day you and I
Were walking thro' the wood
Everything was great
As fresh as they could.

Infinite as the skies,
Smooth as the cream,
White as the snow,
Just like a dream.

Suddenly the sky shrunk
And the snow was gone
It was a wind of faces
Leaving no time to run.

Everyone was rushing
No one would halt
It left me wonder
If it was my fault.

I was holding you
With no room to see
The next thing I knew
You were not with me.

'Was standing alone
Knowing not what to do
With all my senses
Straining to find you.

With maelstrom inside
I closed my eyes
And entrusting His ways
Prayed to the skies.

I saw countless faces
And then I saw You
Shining like an Angel
As fresh as dew.

The Making of VanBhoj-IV

A: Who’s he?

Av: Bhoot.

As: May be just a passer-by.

A: He is carrying something in his hand.... dekh to.... its looking like a knife !!!

An: I think he is the owner of this land.... and someone must have told him about the simultaneous existence of us and his land at the same point of time and space.

J: About what ????????

S: Oye…. He’s my Dad !!!

J: What’s he doing here??? Come on Uncle…… we can manage. Why can’t these dads leave us alone??

Uncle: Is everything alright?

All: Absolutely fine.

Uncle: Did you start cooking??

S: Rice is on….meat is queued.

Uncle: Where’s the oil ?

S: (after an intensive search in all the bags) ummm……. Errrr…… we had put it in the….in the….. abe kahan rakha tha ???

Uncle: Here it is. You left it at home. I knew you’ll forget something.

S: Papa.... err..... did we leave nething else???

Uncle: I did not see anything else. Chalo….enjoy.

All: Thank you Uncle :D

1 P.M.

Av: Abe kya @%@%#^ hai ye !! (the F-word hadn’t entered their dictionaries yet) Where’s this wind coming from…. And more importantly…. WHY???

A: It would take forever to cook if this wind continues.

J: Abe…. Look at the chulha…..the heat’s going down!!!!

As: Abe do something. Everyone get dry leaves from wherever and put them in here. That’s the only way to maintain the heat. HURRY!!!!!!!!

After 15 minutes of pandemonium, the wind calmed, the chulha held its fort, the field was sans dry leaves and the ‘men’ were victorious.

2 hours later, they were having their lunch. The rice was overcooked. The meat was almost cooked. The gravy was thicker than water. Salt was slightly on the negative side, duely compensated by chilly on the positive side. The remains of dry leaves garnished the rice and salad. But the spirit, the fun, the innocence, the adventure, the pride, the sheer feeling of ‘Yes, we have done it’…. all confluenced to make that lunch the tastiest lunch they had ever had and the day….memorable forever.

As: What to do with the left rice??

An: Give it to Vanbudhi (the Goddess of fields and forests)

As: All of them!!!

S: Naah re…. give a little bit. I’ll take the rest home. Why waste it.

As: You’ll carry it all the way to your home!!!

S: Err…….. I think so. Anybody here to help me?? (everybody was walking)

They returned by 6 pm…. After living a day on their own terms…. The first such day in their lives .

One year later.

S: Abe…. Picnic karega??

--------X---------

The Making of VanBhoj-III

The D-DAY…. 7:30 A.M.

S: Everybody present??? Where’s A ??

A: (entering) Here I am. Everybody present???

Av: Who’s he???

Earlier……..

Maa: Take R with you naa…. He’ll like it.

A: Maa, we haven’t planned for him. Besides, he’ll feel like a stranger.

Maa: Arre….. he’ll make friends with everyone.

A: ummmm…..err……. What about the 10 Rs???

Maa: I’ll make bread rolls for everyone….that’ll take care of the 10Rs. Get ready R… you are going with Bhaiya.

…………..

A: He’s my cousin. Came yesterday night.

S: Come on…..we’re getting late.

After 20 minutes of something equivalent to trekking, thanks to all the stuff they were carrying, albeit on plane fields with thin, serpentine pathways, they reached the spot.

Av: Is this the water stream that you were talking about??? Where does it come from??

S: Doesn’t matter. The top layer of flowing water is safe. Don’t worry.

Av: Are you sure??

S: Abe saale….. I am very sure. Besides… we have brought drinking water….idiot. You’ll not die. Now keep quiet.

Av: I’ll appreciate if and only if I reach home…alive.

As: Chalo chalo… let’s get to work. I am setting up the chulha. S…..come over here. Rest…place the bed sheets etc.

10 A.M.

J: Why hasn’t the chulha all fired up till now.

As: Dunno

An: Hurry yaar….I am getting hungry and restless.

Av: Let’s have everything else and will have the tea when this damn thing gets ready.

After another 30 minutes, the breakfast was over. The rampant mice in each stomach was calmed down but not for long.

Av: How many days before the water boils…. he he

S: Shut up. Days nahin….. minutes…..30 minutes.

Av: And another 30 minutes for cooking. Then another 1.5 hours for the meat. I hope we get to eat before night….. he he

A: Abe….. what if someone comes and drives us away or snatches our belongings??

An: (hoping things won't go THAT bad) We’ll thrash him.

S: Bhak….. No-one will come here.

J: I don't quite agree with you....... look there….. Someone’s coming !!!.

All eyes and heads turned.

............... to be concluded.........pakka se..... :D

The Making of VanBhoj-II

The Planning Committee meets………..

A: What all will we have?

S: Bread-butter, tea, eggs, mixture, biscuits for breakfast and…………

A: Oye….. are we going to hotel or what ??? Such an extended breakfast will take all the time. When will we cook the lunch?

An: Shut up…. Only tea has to be made.

A: Err………. Okay. But remove bread-butter. Where would we toast them? The Chulha(stove) will take time to get ready and it would be too late for breakfast then.

All: Okay

S: Now to lunch. We’ll have rice, meat and salad. Simple.

A: Why salad?? I mean…. What’s the use??

All: Shut up !! Don’t you have salad???

A: No.

All: Whatever….salad will be there.

A: Maa said 200 gms of rice per head will be enough.

S: 7 of us….. that makes 1.4 kgs. Let’s take 2 kgs to be safe.

An: What !!! 2 kgs !!! Abe dukaan kholega kya ??? 1.5 kgs is more than enough.

J: What’s the need to buy rice? Let everyone bring in raw rice for himself. There won’t be any wastage either.

Av: Everyone of us don’t eat the same rice. The Biharis have Arwa…and the Bengalis…Usna.

S: So…which rice to buy…..Arwa or Usna???

All: Arwa…Usna…..Arwa….Arwa….Usna….Usna….Usna

A: Decide karo yaar….what is this?

The Bengalis: Abe have Usna naa….it’s matter of a day only!!!

Av: Same thing applies to you.

The Bengalis: Pleeeeaaaaasssssseeeeeeeee

Av: Okay… we’ll have Usna. Just tell us how much time will we be having after the dose of Usna…he he

A: 10 Rs. Per head. Lets market.

S: What about Utensils? Let’s distribute. Chulha…???

As: Me. Also the coal, kerosene, woods, etc.
………………..
……………….
S: Masala…. Me.

J: Should we boil the eggs there ??

A: No….. It’ll get late…I’ll bring them boiled.

Av: The BIG question??? Where are we going ??

An: Mahuda bridge.

A: Permission denied. I am not allowed to go out of 2 km radius.

J: The Project ground.

A: 50-50

S’s Mom: Do it in the fields up there.

All: Okay.

Next evening….the local market.

S: Tomorrow 7 am….. in my house. We’ll proceed from there.

They were unsure but raring to go.

........... to be continued..........

The Making of VanBhoj-I

Abe….picnic karega ??

I am sure this must have rung some bells. I suppose everyone has gone for picnics. As children, it was one of the primary reasons we waited for the New Year.

Picnic…. A day away from the constraints of home. A day away from the watchful eyes of Maa. A day meant for wild partying. A day when we had the right to go haphazard. A day when mistakes were fun. A day to show Maa that we can cook. A day to show Papa that we can cope up with anything and everything. A day to be……. Our very own selves. A day of complete freedom. Welcome New Year….. let’s party together!!!

When was the first time you went for a picnic?

Let’s go through such a debut………..

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

December 1995
Class VI (A)

S: Abe picnic karega ?

A: Picnic !!! bhak….. won’t get permission.

S: Abe I’ll get it for you.

A: Who else are there?

S: You, me, A,B,C,D, Pappu,Chunnu,Gajodhar, Sankat, Tanki, Sadiya, Teli, Billi, RamSingh, Poodi, Puna, Jaga......

A: Did you talk to them ???

After roaming around the class for some 15 minutes, having similar conversations, S comes up with the list.

S: See…You, me , Av, An, J, Su, As are ready. Some else may join. You ask your parents.

A: You ask uncle to convince Papa.

Next day………..

A: Abe….. got the permission !!!!

S: Sahi !!!!!!! so when should we go???

After lots of yes’ and nos….

S: 1^st ???

A: 1^st will be too crowded…. Won’t get permission.

S: 31^st??

Av: I am going with my colony friends.

S: 2^nd ??

J: Which day is it ??

An: Thursday

J: Not on Thursday…. It’s the day of Goddess Lakshmi !!! No non-veg !!!

S: Bhak.

A: 25^th December

All: 5 days before New year !!!

A: We won’t be able to go after new year…we have our classes from 3^rd. 25^th is a good day. Problem kya hai ??

All: (slowly)Theeeeekkkkk haaaaiiiiiii.

S: 25^th done. A, An, J….lets meet this evening at my home to plan things out.

All: Okay.

No one knew how to start. They all left with a silent question….. Can we pull it off ???

............. to be continued.........

The Arrival.

First School: TATA D.A.V. School, Sijua, Dhanbad, Jharkhand,INDIA
First prize: Consolation prize, Speech Competition,24th January,1992,Class II.
First Bicycle: Hero jet,ladies (it was bought for my sister),1995.
First Crush: Maa says she was the daughter of the principal of our school [:P], Class: U.K.G., 1989.
First Election: For the post of Dramatics Secretary, Patel Hall of Residence,IIT Kharagpur,August 2004, Lost.
First Street Play: For the theatre group BANJARA, 12th November,2004.
First Stage play: 14th January, 2005.
First time on camera: Self made short film--> 'Tedhi Baat', August,2006
First Industrial Experience: Research & Development,TATA STEEL, Jamshedpur, May-June,2006.
First Job: COVANSYS INDIA PVT. LTD., 15th January,2007, 7:45 pm IST (GMT +5:30)
----------------
Finally the good news arrived. I have got a Job and 'I am relieved' would be an understatement.
The New Year is now officially Happy.
And BTW did I tell you that since they were like 'No Formals Required'.... I gave my interview in a Light Pink and White checked Shirt over a Blue High-neck inner.... and light brown Trousers (I decided against going in wearing Floaters at the last moment).
The year has begun great.... lets see what more is in store.
Take care all you fabulous people...and Thanks for all your support and wishes. :)
c ya soon

Why?

There were questions,
And the answers.
There were destinations,
And the paths.

There were labyrinths,
And the escape.
There were waves,
And the calm.

There were many more,
For sure.
But all I remember is Love,
Simple and pure.

It was deep,
And infinite as the skies.
O dear,
Why couldn't you understand my eyes.

------------------------------------
Feel free to crticize..... I know it's a very bad consequence of poetic induction.
Nevermind.