Strange Relationships

In KFC, They sat at a table facing the whole crowd, so that he could check out the girls and she could check out the boys.They were really good friends, ex's actually, but due to some problems somewhere, things couldn't be worked out and they had accepted the fact after initial hesitation and decided to move on as good friends. It wasn't too long back since their break up, but they did meet up once in a while, things were cooling down, it seemed.

"Check that one in your right." he turned the whole way to his right,almost looking backwards to see the girl.
"Not so much right stupid......At around 2o'clock." She specified the position and he caught sight of the girl.
"What about her?" He asked.
"You don't find her good?",she was surprised.
"She is okay..."
"Why? Just because she is in a salwaar? Only a girl in skimpy clothes can look hot according to you or what?", He wondered why Shalini couldn't let go at times, why she had to know the reason behind each and every opinion.
"I did not say she's hot, nor did I say she is bad......I just said she is okay! I mean she is attractive, rest I don't know yet."
Shalini looked at Kunal with a surprised look,"You don't have to know the rest Mr. This fun shun is meant only for the pleasure of your eyes, nothing more.", She sounded a bit possessive.

The girl in question sat alone at the table. looked like she was nervous and waiting for someone.

"I'm so sure she is not here with her boy friend." Shalini was back talking about the same girl.
"Why so?"
"Look at the expression on her face. Girls who come here with their boy friends usually carry an attitude, or that they smile at themselves because they are so much in their own world. But look at her, she seems kind of bored! "

Kunal shot her another look," She isn't bored. She's anxious."

"Really? About what?"

Just then a fat woman came with a tray filled with coke and other food stuff and laid it before the girl and sat down next to her.
" Anxious about how to finish off all that food eh?" Shalini joked sipping on her coke.

"That's her mother. And she is here to meet her prospective son in law.", Kunal said confidently. Shalini decided to play along.
"In KFC? Is this a place for such occasions?"
"This is a place for all occasions my friend. I would be really comfortable meeting a prospective wife to be in KFC rather than some posh restaurant where it's really quiet and tidy and formal and all that."
Shalini thought for a while," Yeah. You are right. This informal environment helps to calm down.Yet she's so nervous. Imagine how nervous she would be in a formal setting!"

"Oh come on. This is her 1st time, plus she's really young. Just 21." Kunal's eyes were glowing with confidence now.
"What's making you so happy?As if you are their prospective..?" She nudged him.
"As a matter of fact ....", He got up from his seat, tidied his shirt a bit, "I am. Excuse me for a while, will you?"
"Yeah right." Shalini smiled and got back to her burger. But from the corner of her eyes she saw Kunal walking up to the table. She kept watching him, not knowing what to do. She was frozen in her seat, with that burger in her hands as she saw Kunal walking up to the 2 ladies and striking a conversation and then taking a seat on that table.

As minutes passed by, the reality dawned on her.
Kunal had actually come here to meet his prospective wife to be. He knew all along, everything about the very girl Shalini chose as her target for her comments. Shalini felt betrayed, foolish and sad all at the same time. Yes they were 'Just Friends' now, but it was hardly 2 months back that they had broken up. And just a week since they had started speaking again. She wanted to give their relationship another shot, she wanted to try and make it work. Because those 2 months after they broke up, had really given her the time to evaluate the situation. She was 27. It wasn't too early for marriage. Why had she declined his proposal? Ambition, dreams....they could be fulfilled all along. But the right man? Would he come along again? Kunal was everything she ever wanted, almost everything. And she was sure she would never come that close to her specifications again. She wanted to get married in her 30's...she wanted Kunal to wait. But he had said the pressure at his home was too much and that he wouldn't be able to argue with his old parents about it. Does that mean you say a yes to the 1st girl your parents choose for you?

Shalini looked at the girl. She looked good, simple and well dressed. The girl was smiling at Kunal's jokes now and Shalini could tell this meeting would be successful if it's let to proceed without any interruptions. This was the moment of truth, this was the time to decide. Shalini realized this was her last chance at winning the boy she was in love with. She got up from her seat and started walking towards the table, not knowing what her strategy to deal with the situation would be. She reached the table and stood there.

Kunal, the girl and the mother looked up at her. The mother was the 1st to talk, "Yes? What do you want?"
Shalini took a deep breath. She did not look at Kunal.
"I want him." She pointed at him.
Kunal jerked off his seat and got up, "Shardaji, this is my friend, Shalini. You were a bit late in coming here so I joined her at her table and we were chatting for a while."

Kunal signalled Shalini with his eyes to get lost. But Shalini seemed fixed in her place as if someone had applied Fevicol to her shoes.
"I am not just a friend. I'm his girl friend. And I don't know why he's doing this to me?" She broke down and started crying. Within seconds, everybody in KFC was quiet and looking at her. Kunal had never seen Shalini cry before, not even when they broke up had she cried. He had thought she's not human at all at some points. She wasn't like the other women he had known.

" How can you be so insensitive Kunal? Why do I have to say everything in words for you to understand? Don't you see it in my eyes? Don't you understand it by my behaviour? Have you ever seen me cooking for anybody? Didn't I cook for you? Didn't I wait for you ? I did your shopping and I cleaned up your cupboards. If this isn't my love for you then what is? All I asked was your time Kunal. And all it took for you to say a no to me was one argument. No trying, No struggling.......A No from my side and it's all over? I want you . I want you for my life and I'll fight to get you, come what may. I don't care if these people feel I'm so foolish and shameless. Yes I'm shamelessly making a scene here and begging you to not leave me Kunal. I'm not so strong as I show myself to be. I won't be able to carry on without you. I'll survive but I won't live my life. Please don't do this to me Kunal. Please."

She turned and walked out of KFC as fast as she could. She caught the 1st Auto she saw and was gone within seconds. The focus of the people at KFC now turned to Kunal. It was as if the crowd waited for his explanation or answer or something from him.

Kunal cleared his throat,"Vidya is my 2nd cousin who is in love with a man 15 years elder to her and who made the stupid decision of dropping out of college in her final sem to get married to him. I'm trying to fix the situation."

"Did you have to spoil my name in public to save your ass Kunal bhaiyya?" Vidya stood up, furious!

"So you do realize that what you've done is wrong." Kunal looked straight at Vidya, she sat down, " But I don't know what to do now? I'm so screwed up!"

"I'll deal with you later, first I've to go and talk to my lady love. It took her 5 years to realize that she is in love with me. Bye Shardachachi, will call you later." He rushed out of KFC.

"Thanks a lot Kunal....bless you both." Shardachachi turned to see her daughter, " Here's you who did not take a second to fall in love with the wrong man and there's Shalini who couldn't realize she was with the right man until she almost lost him....strange generation yours is!"

When you're gone...

Rakesh calls me today..., "Hey J, just wanted to tell you...I'm going to Dubai in 2 weeks time."
"Hey...That's nice...When will you be back?"
"Hmm....I don't know J......I don't think I'll be back!"

And then I listen to the reasons he had for leaving, and I'm lost in thoughts.

I remember Joseph calling me some weeks back, "Hey Janaki, when can we meet this week?"
"Hmm.. I dunno Joseph...Got a couple of tests this week."
"Hmm...too bad! I'm leaving for Kerala!"
"Okay.. so we'll meet when you get back!"
"Naah...This is my final goodbye to this city! So wanted to meet you before I leave."

I remember the SMS I got a week back from Anoop,"Got a  job in UK, leaving B'lore...Leavin India! Too bad couldn't say a goodbye by meeting you, too busy! You take care!"

And Ashwini," Hey my Husband's going on-site for a year...and guess what? I'm going with him!"

And Danish is going on-site in 2 weeks,
And N,
My closest,dearest friend Navdeep too is going back home...forever!

Every single friend I made last year....Is going away......Is Gone!
Never to return back,
never to share a joke,
never to take that quick tea break around the corner,
never to argue and fight,
never to brain-storm.....

You know, it's just been a year since I've known these people..not too long, is it?
But these were the 1st few friends I made in Bengaluru...they are the people who made living in a city worth the effort!
Rakesh, the only film-buddy in the city I know,
Ashwini, the girl who aspires to be a CS just like me,
Anoop, the co-blogger,
Joseph, the legal friend,
Danish, the neighbour,
And Navdeep.....can't fit him in 1 role ever!

I feel like I'm starting all over again in the city...I'm feeling empty as these were some wonderful friends I made!
This, in a way , is what I'd hoped for when I left Goa....I hoped to meet new people and make new friends, move to a new place every year and explore- the world around and inside of me!
But it's so hard to let go of the ties I made....it's as if , with each one of them, I leave a part of me.
I'm not used to letting go of people so soon.
But maybe it's for the best.
Whatever little time I spent with these people, was wonderful and memorable!

Maybe it's time once again to start a new journey, same city, but unknown world!

Janaki "Confused" Sincro!

She enters the salon and stands there, trying to remember why she entered it in the 1st place. Her mind is still on some of the eye liners she had seen in the earlier shop.

The Salon ladies are busy on their clients applying the face pack, threading, massaging the hair...

She looks back once again, and realizes she cannot go out before she finishes her work here. Some of the Salon ladies look up now, expecting her to say something. So she looks around for some help and finds what she needed...The L'Oreal Shampoo.

"I need this shampoo." She points out to a cream color bottle.

"Just the shampoo or also the conditioner?" One of the salon lady asks her.

"Wait a min." She dials the number of her friend who had asked her to get the shampoo,

" I told you I just need the shampoo, I already have the conditioner!" The friend says.

But at that very time she is looking at the different colors of the bottles in front of her, she is wondering , if she had a bit more money, which bottle she would have bought. She carelessly says a 'okay' to her friend and asks for the shampoo again, "How much is the shampoo for?"

"It's 475 ma'am, it is to be used with the conditioner for best results. Shall I give the conditioner as well?"

She is confused again. She knows very well that her friend had given her specific instructions before starting from home, then once again after she called to confirm, just seconds ago....but what were the instructions? She cannot remember.

"Wait a sec." She calls her friend again, who's busy working on some important issue at work, " What?", The friend demands.

How do I ask her the same question again?  She wonders for a moment before asking, " Did you say just the shampoo or just the conditioner? or both?"

The friend wonders what's wrong with this girl? So she says, " If it's too difficult for you to remember then just come home. Don't get anything. I'll look for it myself."

"No just this last time. What do you want?"

"Get me the fucking SHAMPOO!", The friend replies, irritated and frustrated and slams down the phone. This isn't the 1st time she has behaved this way, she always seems lost somewhere.

So she pays for the fucking SHAMPOO and comes out of the salon. On her way back she remembers the Cadbury Five star Ad with the tag line "Jo khaaye, kho jaaye!" and the two friends calling out to each other again and again after every bite- "Ramesh n Suresh".

So she smiles to herself on her absent mindedness and just then the phone rings again and its her friend calling and she thinks, "Oh fuck! She had asked me to buy some shampoo!" And she turns around swiftly, making a run to the salon and picks up the call on the way, panting, "I'm just on my way to get your shampoo, wait!" and cuts the call.

And the friend on the line thinks," WTF?"

 

(That's Di n me-in one of my mischievous moods)

I'm a child in your arms

Yesterday morning when I went for my tuition class, my teacher's son was getting ready for school. He's just 4 years old. He's usually playful around the house, greeting me whenever I enter the house, giving me a mischievous smile or simply shying and running away inside.

But the usually playful boy looked worried today. His eyes were set on the road and he stood fixed to the window, waiting. The moment his school van arrived, his eyes saddened. He turned to his mom and asked her, "Will I be back home from school maa? Will I see you again?", and his mom, my teacher, lovingly picked him up in her arms and kissed him on his cheek and assured him that he will be back home soon, that his friends are waiting for him in the van , that he will have a great time playing with them and then get back home to play with his maa.

That expression of worry in his eyes and his innocent questions made me realize that the girl watching him, 21 years elder to him, felt the same fear in her heart when she said a simple 'bye' to the one she cares. It's the same question her heart asks, "Won't you come back to me? Won't I see you again?"

Maybe some kid in the little boy's school played a prank on him and told him once he goes to school, he will never return home again.
Whereas my fear is not based on some hearsay, its based on experience....that people turn around too quickly, that nothing lasts forever.

Love feels so good because it takes one back to one's childhood.
One can be innocent and naive,
one can cry and laugh like an idiot,

one can sing the way one likes and move one's body like a mad man and call it a dance move.

And In this whole wide world,there is just one person with whom I can be the child I am. And I'm so scared to lose that child in me, I'm so scared to lose that comfort, those loving hugs that tell me every thing's alright, that kiss that tells me I'm still loved, I'm still wanted and that we will be together, like the promise of a mother....I would so like to believe this dream was true, that there can be someone other than a mother who cares as much...

My heart is torn between reality and the dream.
My heart is stuck between promises and hollow words.
But this undying hope, that things will turn around, refuses to die.
The child in me waits for my hand to be held and to be guided.

Maybe it's just a bad day at school, over stretched into days, months and years and that van which took me there will get me back home, and there will be someone who will be waiting for me, worrying for me and someone who will say, "Where were you all this time? I have been waiting!"

All images from Google Image Search.

Bonus Day!

What do you call a day that is super charged?
A day that fills you up with energy and excitement and hope and happiness!
And it's not that I won a prize or anything,
It's not my birthday nor did I gain anything....

It's just simple pleasure in seeing people who matter to me be happy!

My dance teacher, Ms.Lalan Dessai had a super show presented in Goa, and the people absolutely loved it, they gave her a standing ovation! I felt bad that I missed the show due to prior commitments, but I'm so damn happy for her...I feel so happy when someone who deserves credit, appreciation and fame gets it. Because in our world, its so rare to see someone really deserving getting a chance to prove oneself!

I feel truly blessed.I do not know what is the reason for so much happiness throughout the day, but I love it when life looks absolutely fantastic and full of opportunities!

It's not that life's problems have ceased to trouble me, they are there, they will always be there. But it's like I got a sneak peek into a world beyond those stresses...and I realized I spend so much time worrying that I forget to look a bit further and enjoy life, to feel blessed and happy as I feel today.

I wanted to share this happiness with everyone, I wanted this "Happiness Disease" to engulf the whole world, just for a day! Maybe it's not god sitting up there and managing the world matters today, maybe it's "Bruce" who granted all of us our wishes just because he was too bored to go through each one of them personally.
Because all I wanted was to feel happy!
All Lalan wanted was for her show and her hard work to be appreciated!
All that Sim wanted, was to relax and take a chill pill about what lies ahead!
Many of us here in Blore wanted the city to cool down a bit so that we can enjoy a good night's sleep, and it rained and it's nice and cold outside!

Who said there's no god?
Who said prayers are not answered?
Just dare to wish dear, and your wish will be granted!

Happy Belated Birthday Dear Blog!

Dearest Sincro Station,

Your mommy is too busy to care, sorry, I forgot your birthday!
On 7th April you became 2 years old!

I still remember that day when you were born. I don't think I ever shared that story with you. I was young and restless, trapped and in pain. I wanted to express, I wanted to scream and shout and run and hide and never ever let anybody catch me, never ever let anybody hurt me.....but it was too difficult at that time to just be myself and come out in the open and tell the world, "Look... this is me! You like it or not, I don't give a shit about what you think!"

At that time my words were  limited to my diary, and they were a tearful story of the caging of my soul!  It was Sharvani, my best friend who introduced me to the world of blogging. She had her own blog, my sister too has her own blog, but somehow I was too scared to start one, too doubtful about what I should write?

"Write anything you want!"
Sharvani showed me what she wrote, what di wrote, what some other random unknown people wrote....

I thought and thought that whole night.
The next morning at 8 am, I had my Bharatnatyam class and that's where I found my 1st blog post "Guru".

Thanks to the solid support of friends and faithful readers,I got a good response and I kept writing, experimenting, being myself and opening up to the world.

Sometimes I didn't know what to do with you...I was confused, I was lost. But most of the times, you have been the reason for making many of my days, you have been the reason for boosting my confidence and my imagination and the reason for me to keep my faith in my dreams!

Today, after 2 years, you have become such an important part of my life, that even after cutting every other connection to the virtual world , I couldn't stop caring for you, you are mine, and there's no-one better than me who can nurture you.

I hope you grow up, slowly and steadily and I hope we will make a wonderful team who can entertain ourselves and the world!

Wish you a very Happy Birthday SS!

Thanks to the almighty: i.e Blogger, for giving me this wonderful experience!

Love you always,
Muuaahh!

Mommy J

P.S: As a Birthday Present , I will gift you a new look, and I hope you will like it!

A Note For the Readers

Dear Readers,

If you can help me out with a new look, new template , an exciting new widget maybe, i would really be thankful because I'm really bad with these sort of technical things.

I'm waiting for your suggestions and comments, so that I can gift my baby the look as soon as possible :-)

Love

J

It's just a little crush!

I woke up in the morning with a start and thought about my dream last night. "How foolish of me , I'm 25 and get these kinda childish dreams......really, I need to grow up!"

I don't like watching or playing cricket, have never been fond of that game or the people who play it. I do not know who makes the cricket team presently except for a few unignorable facts such as who's the Captain, that Sachin still plays and plays well, there are a few new boys like Kohli ( This I know because of the Fastrack Ad), and other gossip news such as Sreesanth had once cried because Bhajji slapped him , and other controversies that Bhajji gets himself into.

I happened to watch some of the matches in this World Cup, not because I wanted to, but because I just love to be around an excited group of people, and yes I love to scream!

In the last 2 matches, I watched this Indian batsman, and I did not know his name then, I cannot comment on how he plays because I don't understand the game. All I know is that he put up a rather impressive show at the finals and the next night I see him in my dreams!

The Dream:

We both are sitting in a Merry Go Round, in some sort of a fair and he is talking to me continuously about how exciting it was to win the world cup and be a part of the team and all this time we are going round and round, and that ride doesn't seem to come to an end nor does his cricket talk!

"Can you talk something other than Cricket?" I finally ask him.
"Why?"
"Don't you see I'm bored?"
"Are you an Indian?" he asks.
"What do you mean?"
"How can you not like cricket?"
"That way I also don't like fish but I'm a Goan!",I argue back.
"What else you want to talk about?", He asks me.
"Something that won't bore me!"
"You are not being clear. Tell me what you want to talk about..."

Guess what's my answer to this! Sheesh!

"You and me!"

The next ,I just saw his blank expression and then I woke up!

I wondered why I dreamt of him, of all the people, why Gambhir?

When was the last time I dreamt of a celebrity? Oh I had a huge crush on Leonardo Di Caprio when I had watched Titanic, and then it was Siddharth from Rang De Basanti( But he never really came in my dreams).
But that was way back in school, and now I'm no more a small girl, I'm a woman and I cannot believe I could fantasize a celebrity. After that dream, every time I do see this man on the TV , I find myself paying all the attention and a little smile lightens up my face!

I asked my sister the other day, " Guess who's my new crush? It's someone you know!"
She took a few names I might be interested in and I said, " Naah! He's not a regular guy....", With a kind of royal stint to the dialogue.
"And where did you meet this irregular guy?"

"It's Gautam Gambhir!", I ended the question round!
She lost the interest in the conversation knowing its useless to talk of such crushes, she laughed, "Best of Luck then!"

I feel foolish at times, but at other times, I feel its so much safer to have a crush on a celebrity....at least for a while. You know you don't get him, you know your heart won't be broken! It's a no risk situation! Something like parking the heart in a well locked garage!

I don't want to read about him on Wiki. Rather I ask about him to my friends, and some of them speak about him as if they know this guy personally. It's kind of funny, our own little joke, but for now it's working! Till I give my final exams this year end and I add that extra qualification to my name, I want to keep my heart safe and sound with Mr. Gautam Gambhir......., but hey, It's just a little crush ;-)

The Village Witch ( The concluding part)

It was true that they had got their daughter back, but in their hearts they knew something was wrong!

Anjali was distant, she was too mature for her age, she wasn't the happy chirpy girl everyone knew anymore. Her eyes scanned everyone, and made them feel naked, as if she knew their darkest secrets, she knew behind those fake smiles lied discontent, hatred and pain.

After she was all well to face the public, the village gathered to see her, ask her what the witch had tried to do to her, and decide as to what is to be done with the dead witch's body. It was Anjali's suggestion that was finally taken, that Meghna's body be cremated in the usual Hindu tradition of burning the body on a funeral pyre. "She deserves the last rites!", Anjali had said.

Anjali personally looked after the last rites of Meghna.

With her physical form gone up in smoke, and being present in her new body , the only resemblance or the sign of who she really was , were her curly long hair. Her mother had asked her father the moment Anjali was brought into the house in an unconscious state..," What happened to my Anji's beautiful silky straight hair?"
Shankar had not replied to that...he had thought a long time about it and then made peace with the reason that the face off that happened between both the girls must be the cause of sudden change.

Early morning the next day, Anjali was all ready with her bags packed and her air tickets in hands.
"I have to fly tomorrow. I have already wasted enough time here."
"Don't you think you should relax for a while Anji? Your father already spoke to your HR about your condition."
"I called them early morning today. I told them everything is fine now, and that I want to join as soon as possible. They said they had an urgent requirement in Washington DC right now, they want me to assist their correspondent who's covering the news of the White House."

"I thought you hated broadcasting. I thought you wanted to shift  to entertainment  Anji." Shankar had heard everything that was being spoken.
" Yes. Who said I am getting back to broadcasting? It's just that its a good opportunity for a new comer to work under a good correspondent , that too around the power house of the world!"

Shankar looked at his daughter for a long time, he could see it, why she was going to DC. She stared back flatly. Then picked up her bags and called out to the driver.
"Wait...are you leaving right now? We are coming with you."
"It's okay maa. I'm a big girl." She left the house hitting her heels hard against the wooden flooring. Not stopping to take blessings from her parents, not even stopping to turn and look back.
Her mother wanted to say something, Shankar held her hand,"Let her go."
"What?"
"I said let her go! Are you dumb or what? Don't you get it? She's not our daughter!" He stormed up to his room in desperation.
Her mother was left to fend for herself...what should she believe? What she sees and what her heart and her husband says? Or just blindly believe the face of her daughter?

In the car, Anjali dialled a number, " Hello,  Adv. Kapoor's office? Hi..I have a matter that I want to discuss with him, what time can I see him? My name is Meg...sorry, Anjali. Is it possible sometime tomorrow morning because I have a flight to catch later tomorrow and the matter is urgent. Alright. Thank you so much. This is regarding name change and making a Power of Attorney. Thanks a lot. I'll be there at 10."

"Washington D.C!" She thought, "White House".
She laughed at the thought, she laughed so hard ,her driver wondered what was wrong with her!

******************************************************************

Acknowledgements:

Beloved Witch - Ipsita Roy Chakraverti
Wikipedia
Google Image search for all the images.


This video inspired me to write this story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtLNBLc7yaY&feature=related

Random Letter to someone Part 6 ( Falling in and out of love)

Dear Someone,

I still remember the 1st time he SMS'd and the 1st time he called, I was least interested in his SMS's and the calls....I hardly spoke, many times did not bother replying to messages....but he pursued till he got my full attention, he pursued till I was convinced that he was genuine, and just when I relaxed.....he dropped the chase!

Now when I call or SMS, I get the same treatment I gave him once. Just the reasons are different. The reason I once ignored him is because I did not want to be his toy, whom he uses to his heart's desire and throws away. The reason he drops the chase is because he doesn't find things working out for us any more.

This and so many heartless, senseless reasons boys give girls every single day and break their hearts! I know of girls who play with boys hearts too, I wouldn't say I disapprove, but oh I hate it when it happens to me. I hate it when someone plays with my heart, I hate it when he makes it sound like its no big deal!

Damn! It is a big deal!

Why can't people be consistent in their words for once? Why do people promise when they don't have the courage to make things happen? Why do people take the liberty to change someone's life and then leave without saying a goodbye? Why do people make others dependent on themselves, only to snatch back that soothing hand some day?

I have seen a few couples who have made things work out for them in spite of all the odds. I've seen them cry away nights, it was easier for them at that point to drop the relationship and start out again, but they hung on, they made it work!

Every relationship has its trials and its errors. Nothing's ever perfect! Who wants perfection? Perfection is boring...a little bit of spice is always required to make life interesting! But so many people run away from the slightest trouble and pain, the slightest challenge and they shudder and they declare their defeat!

It's okay if you are wrong, as long as you do it with conviction and courage! How is it possible to take the right step always? But running away?? Why do people run away from a situation? Why do they back off?

There are a few tricks in politics, maybe this is one of those. When you are against a situation you aren't very sure of, you rather fight a little and then disappear into the darkness than keep on fighting till the end, till your complete defeat. Its called the Guerrilla warfare.

While the picture is all rosy and nice in the beginning, towards the end of it, all that remains is pure warfare. And then on, its all fair......running away, hiding, pursuit , public displays....whatever you choose....Its fair!~

Love

J

The Village Witch ( Part 8)

It had been 2 days since Anjali was missing. The police hadn’t come up with any information. Shankar decided he had to take matters in his own hands before he lost his daughter forever. He realized that the only people who could guide and help him would be the sadhus, the tantriks and the aghoris of the village, who usually meditated in unknown and quiet places, away from the city.


With the help of some old and knowledgeable village folks , Shankar was able to get together a team of individuals who would help him in his quest. A sadhu who owned an ashram on a hill, a tantrik famous in the nearby village for his 6th sense and an aghori meditating in the village crematorium grounds, some village folks who wandered in the country side and knew the hills and the plains well, the inspector and his assistant. Upon discussing the issue and checking out the map of the area, leaving out the places which were already searched by the police, Shankar zeroed down his search to 3 places, all in 3 opposite corners of the village, some far, some close by.

1 was a thick forest, a national park , the core area of which was hardly ever touched.

The second area was the mountain behind the Ashram of the Sadhu. The sadhu said that area was perfect for hiding, meditation and other private activities. Smuggling and poaching went on freely in those areas.

The 3rd was an underwater cave formed near the river. The cave was accessible only during low tides, at other times the river water blocked the entrance. The possibilities of anybody staying or hiding there for more than a day were negligible. But nobody could say for sure how deep the cave was, and whether there was an opening from the other side.



The Sadhu and some of his students volunteered to head into the mountains. Since they were closer to the area and had a better idea.

The inspector headed to the national park.

Shankar with his brothers and the Aghori headed to the cave.

Time was of utmost importance; whatever they thought, decided and acted upon had to be done at lightning speed.



Anjali felt her heart being pressed by some force.....her entire body was being controlled by some powerful energy...so much so that she couldn’t even breath on her own, her breath was controlled by someone else.

She couldn’t open her eyes, couldn’t move her legs and hands, she couldn’t speak but her mind was alert.

Suddenly she felt the force over her eyes loosen a bit and so she opened her eyes.

The 1st thing she saw were Meghna’s bright brown eyes that looked at her with a piercing gaze.

After having committed the mistake of approaching Meghna at night alone , this was her 2nd biggest mistake...to look into a witch’s eyes!

This was what Meghna was working at all the time. Everything was absolutely working as per the plan. If Anjali had looked anywhere else, getting her focus would have been difficult. Meghna would have to repeat the whole process of putting her under a spell and keeping her stable in that condition.

Anjali realized that Meghna was naked, she sat straight in front of her while Anjali, also naked was lying on some sort of a platform. Meghna breathed heavily, forcefully and Anjali realized that she too was breathing at the same rhythm...her breath was no more hers....it was Meghna’s.



Outside the cave, Shankar and the team prepared to dive into the water to enter the cave.



In her breathing and her meditations, Meghna realized that she had very little time to attain what she wanted...she had senses as sharp as a snake that picked up on heat and ground vibrations. Her sight was as piercing as that of an eagle, and her movements were as swift and graceful like a wild cat.



Anjali had only three strengths with which she could save herself-

1. Her eyesight,

2. 2nd: Her thought process or her brain and

3. her ears, she could hear everything that went on.



Her eyes were halfway under Meghna’s spell , and they were giving her away very quickly.....The eyes are the doors to one’s soul and that’s what Meghna was pushing in for....her soul! Anjali thought, with all her heart, with all the kindness that she had, she tried to plead with Meghna to spare her life. Meghna retorted back, “Be thankful that I’m not wishing you the same fate as mine....”

Anjali tried hard to free herself in every way.... but it was too difficult....Meghna’s breath and eyes had locked her down completely. After Anjali’s eyes were stable, Meghna got up from her seat and came close to Anjali. She calmly closed Anjali’s eyelids, as another of her senses closed down ,.....Anjali’s soul screamed for help, Anjali screamed for mercy.....At this point Anjali’s mind raced through every bit of her memory, every bit of emotion.

She remembered her father sitting with the wise man and the wise man had said Anjali will always be attracted towards the dark arts, she has the making of a powerful witch, but there is someone more sharper than her lurking besides her who is capable of taking away Anjali’s future, for better or worse!

She remembered some of Meghna’s last mails, she had cried for help, she pleaded Anjali to somehow come back and take her out of this hell, that her life and dreams were falling apart, that she is losing herself too soon...and her only hope was Anjali........ “This is the reason I am being punished? But I was only a child, I’m able to deal with it now, and I came back for you....I’m sorry I was late....please Meghna, I am innocent, I always wanted to help you.”



Meghna took a deep breath and touched Anjali’s feet.....Anjali felt a sensation , quite unknown to her......her legs were going numb and cold....as if dead! Then Meghna took another deep breath and moved both her hands upwards towards Anjali’s knees...everything Meghna touched was going numb and cold......Anjali realized this was the final assault...she was dying.....and she couldn’t do anything to stop the witch! Meghna took a third deeper breath and moved her hands over Anjali’s legs till they were dead!

Tears rolled down Anjali’s face..... “stop it please...please ...noooo.....God....please...help me, please!”

Meghna threw back her head and took a deeper breath and moved her hands over Anjali’s pelvis.



With the help of diving equipment , Shankar, 1 diver and the aghori made their way into the dark, untouched cave! After around 15 minutes of swimming, they reached a large rock that looked like the end of the cave. The diver went around the area to see if there was any opening anywhere, but there was none.



Meghna was breathing so heavy, Anjali could hear her breath, as Meghna started her journey towards Anjali’s heart and lungs....Anjali realized that her time was almost up and there was no point in praying. She thought about all the beautiful times she had with her parents and at college, but more than anybody else she thought about her father the most and realized that all this time, he had tried to protect her and save her from this day...and now all his efforts were in vein! She felt sorry for her parents....



Shankar saw a small iron rod fallen at the floor of the cave. He pointed it out to the diver. When the diver tried to pick it up, he realized that it was stuck and heavy. It wasn’t just any rod....



Meghna realized she was almost done when she felt Anjali’s last breath settling down. Meghna felt like a python, gulping its prey slowly and choking down the victim till the last breath...Her hands moved upwards towards Anjali’s neck and her face to complete the act!

Anjali..though had breathed her last, was still alive. She heard foot steps, she heard her father’s voice calling out to her...That was the last she heard, a few moments later she felt silence! Pure silence!



When Shankar ran into the cave, he saw Meghna lying on a platform and another woman bent on her, holding Meghna’s forehead.

When he approached the other woman, she looked up “Papa...” she said faintly and collapsed in his arms. Shankar covered his daughter with a shawl which was lying around....he was so happy and glad that he had found his daughter!

The Village Witch The Concluding part

The Village Witch (Part 7)

When Anjali opened her eyes, the first thing she saw were candles, lots of candles, all around her! Anjali got up and realized she was in a comfortable bed. The room or the place where the bed was, looked like a lion’s den. It had rocky walls and a rocky roof and a mud floor. There was an antique table and a chair at one side of the room and a shelf with lots of big old ancient books in the other. The room was cool and calm.


Anjali wondered how she got there. The last thing she remembered was the old temple tree and Meghna talking to her about something, what? She couldn’t tell. When she moved towards the right side of the bed to get down , a big black furry cat jumped on the right side of the bed ,stopping Anjali from getting down.

“Hey Kitty...” Anjali picked up the cat in her lap and gently moved her hands on her soft velvety coat, the cat enjoyed the touch and asked for more of it. While patting the cat, Anjali found the collar in the cat’s neck had a very peculiar looking stone, when she tried to reach for it to take a closer look, the cat scratched Anjali on her face and ran away.

“Ouch! Bad Kitty!”

“Oh she’s very temperamental! Did she hurt you?” Meghna had entered the room. Anjali looked up and was shocked to see a beautiful woman with long curly hair, her skin glowed in the soft candle lights and her eyes looked bright and fresh. She wore a long flowing golden skirt that looked very bright  and a white shawl covered her upper body. Meghna handed Anjali a glass of flavoured milk. “Drink it. It’s good for you. You haven’t eaten anything for 2 days!”

“Two days? What put me to sleep for two days?”

“You couldn’t cope up with some of the magic I used for the disappearing act. It’s a whole lot of energy to bear...you have to be very strong for that.”

“Is this really you Meghna? I cannot recognise you, you looked so different at the tree...”

“Do you think you are the most beautiful Anjali?”

Anjali could not understand why Meghna taunted everytime, why was she so mean?

“Do you have to speak so crooked every time? Why are you mad at me?”

“Oh thank god! You finally do understand that I’m mad at you.”

“Why? Because I’m so late in helping you out?”

“Lady...you seriously need some reality check! You are mistaken if you believe that YOU are here to help ME! I can help myself, seriously.”

“It didn’t look like that when you screamed at the temple tree!”

“I was staging an act.....Don’t you get it by now? How else would you walk on your own in my arms?”

“What?”, Anjali’s head was throbbing , she couldn’t think much, couldn’t move much. Meghna took the glass of milk to her mouth and Anjali drank the liquid.

“What is this thing?” Anjali asked, but it was too late. She fell back again on the bed.

Meghna gave a sigh of relief, and turned back to her apparatus. Just a few more days and her life’s biggest goal was within arm’s length!

The Village Witch Part 8

The Village Witch (Part 6)

The night was eerie and dark. The street dogs howled loudly and it felt like they were a pack of wolves.Anjali wrapped a black shawl around herself and walked towards the temple. She was carrying a faint torch that showed her a faint way. She knew she did not have much time until maa informed her father and everyone started searching for her. On reaching the tree, she found Meghna still tied, her head was dropped to her chest and one couldn't tell if she was alive or dead, her long hair covered her face...it made her look very scary. When Anjali took a few steps towards her, a strong voice emerged from somewhere around the tree, "Who is it?", It said.




Anjali though under training in wicca for 2 and a half years was still an amateur and at this point she was genuinely scared. The time on her watch showed midnight.



There was no movement from Meghna.

But the voice repeated the order, harsher this time, " If you take a step closer I will slice you into 1000 pieces and eat all of it....tell me, who are you?", The voice was deep and adamant.



"Anjali"



The moment Anjali told her name, Meghna's head shot up.This sudden movement scared Anjali even more. Her right hand had already reached her pocket knife.



Suddenly Meghna's body language changed seeing Anjali. She stood erect facing Anjali.

After a few tense seconds, Anjali raised her torch to see Meghna's face from where she stood. The torch wasn't helping her , in fact Meghna looked like a witch in the faint torch light- long scattered hair, bluish black face, and strong dark eyes that reflected light as if she was an animal.



Anjali drew in a deep breath and walked closer to Meghna, carefully. When she was close enough to touch her, she reached her pocket and took out the knife and cut the ropes which were cutting through Meghna's hands. The moment the ropes went loose, Meghna lost her balance and fell to the ground. Anjali reached out to help her but the 1st touch to Meghna's body was so scary that she drew back her hands. Meghna's skin was coarse, cold and hard.

After a few seconds, Anjali got herself together, took out the water bottle from her bag and lifted Meghna's head to help her drink the water.



As Meghna drank the water, Anjali moved her soft manicured hands over Meghna’s coarse skin.

“We should leave now, before anybody finds out. You wait here till I go and get my car.” Anjali spoke for the first time.



Meghna stopped drinking the water and got up on her own and sat straight, Anjali was amazed at her strength.

“ I thought you were a witch.” Meghna’s tone had changed. It definitely wasn’t the same voice that had asked Anjali her name. This new tone was light, almost felt like a taunt, but Anjali was too occupied with other thoughts to catch the witty remark.

“so?”

“Why do you need a car? Don’t you have a broom?” Meghna let out a small chuckle.

Anjali took a good hard look at Meghna now, "I realize you are taunting me. I risked everything to come here to save you, you have been beaten like an animal today and now at night when I free your hands, and give you some water to drink, you show me attitude?” Anjali was getting angry.

Meghna drew a long heavy breath, drank some more water, smiled at Anjali and asked her, “ Are they still teaching you Abracadabra and those classic dark poetry as magic spells? Isn’t it like – Before the night is over, before the day is through, whatever you have done to others, will come right back at you......or how about this one- Darksome powers of the night, gather round my candle’s flame, send my enemy in shaded flight, send my enemy away in shame....”



“Are you making fun of Wicca?”



“I am only telling you a small part of the whole truth my darling. Wicca and dark arts are not a hobby, not a side business or some activity to kill your time. And it is not something that you can learn by devoting an hour everyday by hearting the so called spells. These spells work as much as any statement of hatred and ill wish. It’s all in the mind, if you wish bad to someone with all your heart, no matter with what words.....it’s bound to affect that person, only if he has really done wrong to you. Tell me Anji, have you felt the power increase in you after starting to learn Wicca?”



“I have the confidence that I can fight anything...that’s the reason I’m here tonight.”



“Oh Anji, I’m not talking about hiding behind the door while your mum runs to the window thinking you jumped off into the darkness...”



Anjali was now speechless..., “How do you....”



“There’s a difference between staging magic and the real magic, don’t you think? What you are being taught and what you do are tricks that will work in front of an uneducated illiterate illogical and slow thinking audience...yes! Not in front of me Anji!”



Far away, there were noises of some cars heading towards the temple that broke the girl's conversation,

“Oh god! I think they are coming for me....what do we do?” Anjali panicked.

Meghna calmly got up and looked at the tiny fast moving lights heading their way.



Shankarji, Devidasji ( Shankar’s elder brother), Yogesh (the driver) were heading straight to the temple. In the faint temple light, From far off they could see two figures standing near the tree.
One moment, they saw them,

The next- They were gone!

(To be continued.....) The Village Witch Part 7

The Village Witch ( Part 5)

“You have a flight to catch day after tomorrow and you are joining work from Monday...you don’t have much time left.”

“ I know papa, but I’m not feeling well,how can you send me back in such a condition? Maa..., what should I do?”

Anji looked at her mother with very kind , innocent and sympathetic eyes. Papa knew why Anji wanted to stay longer . So before Maa would start her emotional drama, Papa declared,

“Fine. You are staying! But not here. There’s too much dust here, besides there’s no Air conditioning. You should probably stay at our flat which is 2 hours drive from here. You can definitely travel for 2 hours Anji!”


“I’m staying here papa.” She declared in a firm, unemotional tone with a straight look at her father. Her tone was so stoic and dry, that it shocked everyone present in the room as to how a girl looking as sweet as Anji talk in a voice like that. The voice did not sound as if it belonged to her, it came from somewhere else.

“What did you say?” Papa thought he was mistaken about what he just heard.

“I said I’m staying. I’m staying in my house and my village till I want to. Nobody can force me out of here.”

The father and the daughter kept looking at each other for several moments. Shanker realized for the very 1st time that his daughter had changed...and it wasn’t the kind of change that comes with normal ageing....it was different, it was that which he feared, always. It was the growth that was predicted of his daughter....but how? He wondered!
“Nobody can change the destiny Mr.Shankar!” Shankar remembered the words of the wise man.

“No.” Shankar had declared, “I will not let this happen to my daughter!”

“Mr. Shankar, why do you feel something wrong or bad will happen to your daughter?? Her stars nowhere predict pain or suffering to her! Your daughter will be fine.”



Shankar shook himself out of his reverie. He looked harder at Anji who was still looking at him, who was challenging him- head front. Shankar turned to look at his wife, “Pack her bags, I've had enough of her already! we are leaving right now. And I want to see who can stop me.” He left the room in a fury, Anjali heard him calling out to their driver, giving instructions to prepare for departure immediately.

Next moment, Anji got out of bed swiftly,

“What are you doing Anji?” Aunt Sarita asked worried, as just a couple of minutes back Anji could hardly stand on her feet.

“I’m getting ready, you must have heard what father said. His word is final for us, isn’t it maa?”

The stress on “Father” was prominent. Anji had never called her father anything other than papa.

“I need to change. Can I have some privacy?”

“Maybe I should stay. You are not well anyway.” Maa offered help.

“Do I look like I need help?”

Maa left the room. She had no say in the house. Not that the other’s in the house ever stopped her from speaking, but she could never understand what the ego and the attitude was for? Why exercise control over another being? Why act like a king? Why the aggression? These questions were beyond her understanding. She let her husband and her daughter live the way they wanted as long as she got to live the way she wanted.

15 minutes later when maa knocked on the door, the room was empty. Anji was gone. All her colourful clothes lay on the bed. There was no note, only the room window stood open.

Maa could hardly breathe at the site, she weakly ran to the window which was on the 1st floor of the haveli. Right down from the window was rocky ground that stretched back into the thick dark forest. There was absolutely no sign of her...

( To be continued......)
The Village Witch Part 6

The Village Witch (Part 4)

1 Day before Amavasya

The Villagers divided themselves in groups. These teams were heading in search of Meghna, the village witch. They carried swords, ropes, mashaals and every other kind of weapon available in the village. As if  you can fight a real witch with all that. The teams comprised of all men, of various age groups. They all looked very proud, because they were doing the most important task!

The village temple's main Pandit said a few prayers to protect these holy men from the Witch. He gave the teams his best blessings and God's prashaad, and the teams started out in 4 different directions at around 5 pm.

Meghna sat under the old bare peepal tree. She knew exactly at what time the villagers would arrive at the spot.

The 3rd team which had headed south arrived at the bare peepal tree at around 5.20pm. They carried on their usual drama of spotting the witch, then deciding as to who will come and catch hold of her and pull her to the main village. They came, tied her hands and pulled her to the village without a word being said and nobody being abusive to her. But the moment the village crowd came into focus, the eldest in the team, a 55 year old father of 2 daughters and a drunkard 5 times a week, took the centre stage! He tied Meghna tightly to the tree in front of the temple and applied on her some sort of powder that the Pandit had given him. The villagers were now cheering the 3rd team and shouting abuses at the witch...some old women even spit at Meghna. The old man then started slapping the witch mercilessly and kicking her in her stomach.


The Temple wasn't far off from Anjali's Haveli. She heard the noise and came into the balcony.
She realised that Pushpa and Sarita auntie were heading towards the temple with a plate full of some flowers and incense. Anjali wore a jacket on her sleeveless top and rushed down to join her aunts.
She met her father in the doorway.

At this point, the slapping and beating had crossed bearable levels for Meghna and she screamed like an animal who's being torn apart by wolves!

Anjali heard the screaming and got restless. "What's happening at the temple?"
"Anji, go back to your room." Her father declared.
" Are these screams Meghna's?"
"It doesn't matter us!"
"Then what does papa? My job? Your business? Our happiness! That's it?", She was getting angry at her father now.
"Go up.....Now!"
The order was followed by a moment of silence in which Shankar thought he had scared his little girl, but he was wrong. In a swift move, she crossed him and ran towards the door.

"Anji NOOO! Satish, Yogesh, get her in! RIGHT NOW!"

Shankar's driver and the gardener ran behind Anjali who ran with all her heart towards the temple. Anjali was a fit female who worked out regularly, whereas Satish and Yogesh with their old age and big bellies could hardly keep up with her pace.

Anjali reached the crowd and pushed the people to reach the centre of the crowd, to the tree.

The cheering had got louder and so had Meghna's painful screams.
When Anjali came face to face with Meghna, it just took her a moment to take in the entire act! The merciless beating had left her friend's face blue and blood oozed out of her forehead,nose,ears and hands.....Anjali's knees went weak..they could not support her anymore. Her brain had suddenly stopped functioning! Meghna watched Anjali falling down in front of her. Their eyes met. She stopped screaming and kept looking at Anjali. The villagers noticed the change in the witch, the old men's beating got worse....but for a moment, everything seemed to stop...when their eyes met and Meghna asked Anjali, "What took you so long?"

The next second, the driver and the gardener arrived and lifted Anjali and took her to the Haveli. The beating continued for as long as everyone got tired of screaming, cheering and hitting.

The village witch was left tied to the tree the whole night!



(To be continued....)
The Village Witch Part 5

The Village Witch ( Part 3)

“Leech of my life that sucks my soul
May you be fed to wolfish fiends whole.
Those that skin you of your joy
May you be subject to their vicious ploys.
Oozing droplets of your blood
May their goblets it royally flood."


4 YEARS BACK

"Caroline, wait for me...."
Anjali ran briskly behind Caroline, her room-mate who was heading towards the library after the face off they had in their room a couple of minutes back.

"Anjali, maybe its best if I change the room. Or maybe its best if I leave the city.......", Caroline said between her tears.
"Wh...Why?"
Caroline stopped midway and looked at Anjali,
"I haven't been able to make a single friend here, nobody likes me...not that I care...But I want to be amongst my people, those who understand me."

"Well! That's not totally true......I'm your friend, am I not?"
"Friends don't look at each other as if they are ghosts!!", Taunted Caroline.

"Caroline, you just told me you are a witch! A witch!!" Stressed Anjali," Do you know what that sounds like?"

"A ghost?? You know Anjali, I thought you were different, but your reaction to me was so damn typical!"

"Caroline, you aren't giving me any time to digest these facts! I am not rejecting you okay? It's just been 6 months since I landed in this country, I'm miles away from home, I find this sweet girl as my room mate and just when I find myself getting comfortable, I come to know the girl sleeping next to me is a witch! How am I to react??"

Caroline was quiet.

"I don't know what being a witch means Caroline. I don't know if it means sitting on a broom or making potions in those huge pots, or wearing those crooked hats and saying those curses and spells, and turning people into frogs......I don't know! I don't know how I am to behave with you, whether I've to be careful of you, whether you have those strange powers, whether you can disappear......what are you Caroline? And how can you be a witch? I mean come on, this is the 21st century...this aint Harry Potter! I'm mud blood by the way.....and..."

"Shut up! Just Shut up!"

Both the girls kept looking at each other. Anjali knew she had lost sense of what she was talking.
"Come with me!"

Caroline held Anjali's arm and led her towards the back of the library.......into a world Anjali never thought existed, into the lives of the people most of us think don't exist, into the adventure that was to define what Anjali would be for the rest of her life- A Witch!

The Village Witch Part 4

Random Letter to Someone ( Part 5- Abt Dating, seduction and possibilities)

Dear Someone,

Today morning I came across an absurd site while browsing for information. ( I know I've left my story: "The village witch", halfway. The trouble is the kind of twist I want to give . It requires substantial knowledge of Wicca or at least some understanding of the art , less I make logical errors and write a story that's unbelievable.)

So while browsing for info on Wicca I came across this site---------> www.realman.in , and it totally caught me by surprise as its a site which boasts of training men on the Art of Attraction and seduction. What more? It conducts workshops in my city!

I carefully went through the contents of the site and let me confess, I found it interesting! This is what the film "Hitch" is based on. I don't understand what made the female lead go mad on Hitch ( Will Smith) for teaching men to hook up the woman of their dreams!! I mean come on!! Isn't it better for us women to be in the company of a man who knows how to treat us, how to make us laugh and entertain us rather than accompany a nervous wrack??

We women long for the man of our dreams throughout our lives- Someone with the right looks, the right manners and the right words! But how many times do we really come across a man who knows how to treat us?? I know many women must be thinking that it's better to have the company of a man who is himself than a man who's been taught to behave in a particular way! But Hello?? Haven't all of us learnt the ways to talk and to walk, through some or the other medium? This workshop is just a step ahead of self teaching! This workshop is where the experts tell you what is the best for you, so what's the harm?

I shared the link with some of my friends and I got different reactions. Men who are confidant of their art and approach think this is bullshit! Some women think this kind of thing is cheap! ( "Yuk! How desperate can you get to just have the company of a woman?? Cheap!") , Some other women thanked god! (" Ohh! The concept finally makes way into India! At least now, we'll have more fun on dates!"), some men with whom I shared the link thanked me for sharing the info with them! My personal opinion is, "Now that "Hitch" is here, when will "Speed Dating" make its way into Indian Society??

I'd really like to meet the well groomed men who know what to say and do and who don't shy away from the truth that our whole life is actually just a game of attraction! There's nothing cheap about the universal truth, that seduction is and always will be something that will capture our minds!

For those men and women who want to make this topic an issue of ego, vulgarity and treat it as something negative, yeah you can have your way- Please go ahead and complain, criticize and laugh on those who are trying to learn something new. No good ever comes out of laughing on others anyway, so yeah! waste your time! Others, if you find the link helpful, great going and wish you all the best!

Love,

J

The Village Witch! ( Part 2)

The Village Witch Part 1

"Answer me,  74 x 8?"
"592"
"Add 295 to it, how much do you get?"
"887"
"Subtract 86.3 out of that."

"Papa....This is too much!"
"Wait Anji....Tell me Meghna, what's the answer you've got?"
"800.7" Pat came the reply!

"Now divide...."

"Alright! Enough you two. I don't understand how you two calculate so fast....I don't like this game." Complained 9 year old Anjali as she picked up her doll and headed for her room.

"Wait... I want to play too." Meghna picked up her doll and ran after Anjali.

Meghna's father worked for Anjali's dad in his factory. He was the most trusted friend and associate in his business.

" Narayan, I'm planning to move to Delhi."
"Why Shankarji?"
"This village , as you know, doesn't have much scope for expansion. Besides, I've to travel to Delhi at least once a week to take care of our clients. Our business operates from Delhi though the factory is here. I suggest you too shift to Delhi. It's a better lifestyle , better business opportunities and better education for our daughters."
"Shankarji, its expensive in New Delhi. Besides , we have daughters. they'll get married and go anyway, why do you worry so much for their education?"

Shankar knew it was useless to tell these village folks the importance of education. It was foolish to expect them to treat girls and boys on par with each other. Shankar had tried a 1000 times to make Narayan not talk negatively about daughters, at least not in front of them. He had tried to explain to Narayan that Meghna is very sharp and if given the best opportunities , she'll make his entire family proud. The excuse Narayan always had was, " I cannot risk the name and honour of my family by letting Meghna have the wings to fly. You give too much in the hands of a woman and she doesn't take a minute to let you regret your decision. Women are to be controlled and subjugated, Kautilya said it Shankarji, Manu too. Our scriptures say it!"

The entire village blew up any ideas of modernization/ logical thought in the name of our great Indian traditions and society and cultural values. Shankar knew , that hanging on to the old and useless traditions would do no good to anybody. He had lost the battle to change his village long before he even started it. If his most trusted friend can not understand his point, who else would?

Shankar had decided, he would be the change! But he would not waste his time nor energy on others.
So while Anjali got the best as she grew up, all thanks to her dad; Meghna was time and again asked to compromise on her dreams. Meghna's only hope for a bright future was having Anjali and her father around, as Shankarji till a great extent was a huge influence on her father. and Shankarji was very fond of Meghna, she was almost like his 2nd daughter. Whenever Shankar went to Delhi, he would buy 2 of everything- 2 dresses, 2 dolls, 2 boxes of chocolates, 2 hair bands etc.

Anjali did not mind nor felt jealous about the situation. She was too happy to have Meghna around for company, She was her best pal! They played and studied together.


 Present Day:

Anjali had no interest in her father's business nor was she interested in getting roasted in the Indian kitchens. She had absolutely nothing to do in the haveli rather than sit and watch TV or read a book. She was the daughter of the youngest son. All her uncle's children were married and had their children. Nobody fitted in the age group that Anjali belonged to, nor was there anybody to match up to her frequency of thought.

Anjali took the task of exploring the haveli. The old uncleaned attics and basements, opening her ancestor's closets and looking through their stuff, checking out old diaries, pages of which had turned yellow with time...this sort of detective work always amazed her. She remembered Meghna and herself played many detective games in the many rooms of this haveli. Sometimes Meghna would act as the detective while Anjali would hide , other times Anjali would be the detective.

She found her old dolls and their jewelry, carefully kept in a big wooden antique box.
" I've to meet Meghna..." She thought. Meghna had been Anjali's only close pal till date. Anjali moved from 1 school to the other and from 1 country to the other, but never did she trust another person with her secrets like she did with Meghna. Meghna, though a year younger to Anjali, was always calm and wise in her behavior and advice. Both of them had kept in touch through letters for over 3 years, then the study load increased, the extra curricular activities increased, and Anjali could not remember when she stopped replying to Meghna's long mails.

" But where will I find her??" She wondered.


After lunch, Anjali decided to ask her aunts for some information on the whereabouts of Meghna.

Pushpa Auntie was the most alert woman in the family. She had an ear for gossip and details, nothing ever missed her eye or ear. Anjali casually sat next to Pushpa Auntie while watched her favorite serial after lunch. This was the best time to get information out of her, since her attention was fixed on TV.
" Auntie, Where is Narayan uncle's house?"
Auntie was a bit irritated for the disturbance caused, but Anjali was a guest, that too 1 who came after 15 years, "Narayan is dead."

"And Meghna?"

"Nobody knows where she lives."
Anjali had heard this line before, but she wanted something more.

"When and where can I see her? I mean I wanted to meet her before I go back."
Now Pushpa auntie was alert, another reason for shifting the focus on Anjali was the commercial break.
"Why do you want to meet that witch?"
"I don't believe she's a witch, she was my friend."
"Yes! She was....WAS! You don't want to get involved in the mess of this village Anji...it's not meant for girls like you."

Pushpa auntie realized that Anjali was disappointed. So she added,
" It's going to be Amavasya in 2 days, the night of the witch, the villagers will hunt her down tomorrow and tie her to the tree so that she does no black magic!"

Anjali started thinking what to do....
" Don't think too much Anji...you are going home tomorrow night!"


(To be continued....)

The Village Witch Part 3

The Village Witch ( Part 1)

"I do not wish them to have power over men, but over themselves." 

~ Mary Wollstonecraft

"Dadii......." Anjali rushed out of her car and into her grandma's arms! Anjali hugged her dadi so tight, her dad was concerned,
"Anjali....careful! Don't squeeze your Dadi, she's not your teddy bear!" He warned her.
" It's okay Beta! When she was small I used to squeeze her, now its her turn!" Dadi was just too happy to see the whole family get together after almost 15 years.

Anjali and her family, that's her dad and mum had moved to New Delhi when she was 10. Since then they hardly ever visited their village "Dumaria", in central Eastern State of Bihar. Anjali's father always wanted the best for his daughter, he thought differently from the rest of his clan. He believed in equality of genders and an education for every woman. That was something unthinkable 15 years back....it is unthinkable even till date in this part of the world.

Anjali had gone abroad for a post graduate degree in Media studies and had got internship with BBC for almost 10 months. Thereafter she applied to the top media houses around US and UK and had got a job with Viacom Networks. She had come home for a short vacation before she started with a busy career.

She was nostalgic to walk through the corridors of their haveli and climb up the stairs to their old room, which was locked for the past 15 years and was now opened and cleaned for its old masters. Anjali was too excited, too happy to meet her full family and have everyone tell her she had grown up to be so beautiful!
"Yeh toh bilkul heroine ki tarah dikhti hai....filmon mein kyon nahi jaati Anji?"
"Jaungi Mausi...aap bas dekhti raho!"

The 1st day passed by in laughter, meeting lots of relatives and eating spicy food!

Anjali lay down on her old bed , relaxed, happy and content!
" Papa, there's really nothing like home!"
Her father looked at her, " I'm glad you connect to your land even after staying far away from it all these years Anji!"
" We should have come here more often!" Anjali always complained to her father for not making enough trips to Bihar.
" I thought it was in your best interest to let you have a safe and a sound adolescence Anji! You do not know how women are treated here, you have no clue."
"I've read a lot papa....."
"There' a difference in reading and seeing , and seeing and experiencing!" Her father's voice had that note of a strict warning, of definite knowledge, and of a patriarchal protector's instincts. Anjali did not pursue the matter further, after all she was here for just a couple of days.

The next day, her father left to check out a site for a factory with her uncles.
Her mom was busy in the kitchen with aunts and other female relatives catching up on the news headlines that shook the village over the past couple of years.

Anjali walked to the huge balcony and  let the sun rays bathe her! She closed her eyes and let the wind bring to her the flavors of what cooked in the kitchen and the scent of the sun-baked Indian earth. When she opened her eyes, she saw a young woman  looking at her from the road. Anjali tried to get a clearer look by shielding her eyes from the strong rays of the sun with her right hand. The young woman did not smile, did not wave her hands, she just stood looking at Anjali. Anjali could not recognize this frail, dark woman.

"Don't you remember her?" Her aunt Sarita was at her side.
Anjali took a while to recollect, "Meghna?"
"Yes! Poor girl. Lost her mother 1st, then she was married off at 18 and her husband died within a year of their marriage due to some disease, nobody really knows what it was. Everyone blamed her for his death. They call her the village witch now. The villagers believe she has a lot of dark powers that she uses to take revenge on people. How otherwise would her mother in law die within 2 years of marriage!?! Everything sounds so strange! My god, I'm getting goose bumps!" Sarita Auntie collected her clothes from the balcony and headed for the stairs.

"Sarita auntie....., why didn't you do anything for her when she was in trouble? I mean Meghna and her father used to come home quite often , right?"

"Her father left the village after all these deaths. She is left alone here. Nobody knows where she lives.Whenever anything bad in the village happens, the villagers search for her and beat her up. And surprisingly, everything comes back to normal after that." Sarita auntie said it as a matter of fact and climbed down the stairs.

Anjali was lost for words, Beat her up? Village Witch? What nonsense is this?

She turned to look back at the road,
the Village witch was gone.

( To be continued.....)

The Village Witch Part 2

I Am In Silence!

" I am in Silence"  It was written on the badge that hung in her neck. She showed it to him and smiled sweetly.

"Of course" He thought!

How foolish of him! He had been living in the Ashram for 6 months and knew every course that went on around.
People wearing the Blue and the Orange badges were a part of the advance course and were supposed to be in silence for a period of 4 days to 1 month- depending on what level of advance course one has reached.

"Is this the the first time you are doing the advance course?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Is this your first time in Ashram?"

She moved her head to indicate a "No". And she showed 2 of her fingers.

"Oh! It's your 2nd time!"

She disagreed again and after a while took out a pen and a notepad and scribbled- "It's been 2 months since I'm here!"

"2 Months? Wow! That's strange because I've been around here 6 months but  never saw you."

She scribbled- " I was taking some ayurvedic treatments and was advised to take rest most of the times."

That's a bit strange , he thought. He was so sure he knew all the 500 or so Ashramites. He had seen them walking on some or the other road, or during Satsang's or in a Ashram office or at least meditating under a tree!
Anyway, people have their own agendas when they come to an Ashram!

She moved her hands and signaled to him that she has to go. He nodded and she left.

It was the 2nd day of her advance course of 4 days and this was the 2nd time he had seen her around the lake.
Mostly nobody came around here. The lake wasn't exactly beautiful as such. People preferred more beautiful locations like the Ashram's various themed gardens. The Japanese garden was everyone's favorite for its rock formations, small water ponds and bridges.
Lake, on the other hand was an open area, there weren't any trees around and it was full of crocks. At the most, people came here in the afternoon's to watch the crocks sunbathing, but no-one turned around this side in the evenings. The lake was at the southern tip of the Ashram , it marked the southern border of the Ashram.

Neil had been visiting the lake every day for the past 6 months. He loved water, after all he came from a coastal area. Seeing water body made him calm. Of course a lake is nothing in comparison to a sea...there are no waves, no sound of waves, no sand and no star fishes on the banks of a lake......but the lake had it's own  activity. It had crabs and the crocks, the birds that came to  drink water or take a bath and occasional new visitors such as a mongoose , a snake, or a chameleon. All these months he sat around the lake till it got dark. .He sat alone. But since yesterday, he had company. And now that she had left, he found no reason to sit around the lake,he suddenly started feeling lonely. He picked up his jhola and headed for his room.

Day 3

Neil waited for her to arrive. It was past  her usual time of visiting the lake. He wondered whether he should go at the venue of the Advance course and look out for her. But that would look too desperate! Besides, there were around 4 batches of Advance courses happening in 4 different locations at 4 corners of the Ashram...he would be lost looking out for her. So he decided to bide his time.
And she came, thank god she came.

He turned and looked at her and gave a smile of relief!
She instantly must have understood why the relieved smile came her way and shook her head in disbelief!

"Yes. I've been waiting for you."
She signaled, "why?"
"Because I wanted to talk to you. Tomorrow is your last day of the course. Are you staying here longer?"
She said a "no". ( Said meaning in silence, in sign language/ through body language).

"Oh!So.... once you are asked to break your silence, we could go to the Ashram Canteen for a cup of tea and a small chat? Are you fine with it?"

She thought for a while, took out her notepad and scribbled, " What's wrong with having a tea while I'm in silence?"


" Oh you want to go now too? Sure! Pleasure is all mine!"


They both walked to the canteen which was almost 20 minutes walk from the lake. She walked in silence while he talked about his life in Kerala. How he went abroad for a higher education and realized his deep sense of connection with his roots. And after staying abroad for a couple of years, he returned to Bengaluru where he joined a MNC but did not find any satisfaction in the work or life and had finally turned to ashram life to find answers to his questions and wanderings on his destiny...


"You know what? In all these 6 months, I haven't felt so good talking to anyone else as I'm feeling talking to you. Please don't feel that I'm flattering you, I'm just being honest. There was something about just sitting in silence with you on the banks of the lake, and then we just saw each other and smiled and exchanged a few words again, and today I'm talking about my life and my innermost feelings. Though I wasn't in silence, it was almost similar to that for the past couple of months. I did not befriend anyone, nor did I find any company interesting. But I want to be your friend, but you are leaving tomorrow....that's so sad!


She smiled again.
They both drank tea at the canteen and Neil spoke continuously for almost 4 hours. They walked from the Canteen to the various gardens, to the Vedic school campus etc.


"Gosh! I'm talking so much. I'm tired! I hope you aren't feeling tired!"


She nodded and gestured that she has to take rest.


"Oh sure. But please remember we are meeting tomorrow. Should we meet at the Lake or the canteen?"


She gestured saying Lake.


"Alright. I'll be waiting here at 5 pm. And tomorrow, you'll talk...you'll tell me everything, okay?"


She smiled and headed for her room.


That night, Neil could not sleep.
Her silence was killing him. He had dated many girls, but none had eyes as expressive as hers. None smiled as sweetly as her. She wasn't beautiful as such, but she had a very good poise! Every time she did any gestures with her hand or mudras to convey any meaning, she was very apt and clear.He wondered where she must have come from, oh! He hadn't even asked her name, nor had he told her his name. She hadn't asked any questions, she gave only answers.


The next day, when Neil reached the lake at 5 pm, She was already there.
He was so glad to see her, he had got a nightmare that she wouldn't turn up.


"Hi! Finally, we are here.....I'm Neil." He extended his hand.
She smiled and shook his hand and showed her badge which had her name on it, which he hadn't noticed the last time," Ashwini".


"Nice to meet you Ashwini. But you can talk now."


She smiled and handed him a piece of paper.


" I can not talk. I'm mute. Last year I met with an accident because of which I lost my ability to speak. I'm taking treatments, it might take another 1 year to regain my voice, but it might not be the same. I'm or rather was a carnatic classical singer before the accident. I lost my livelihood to that fateful day. So I came to the Ashram because I had nowhere to go. Here, the courses and the treatments helped me improve. I'm learning bharatnatyam now from a teacher. Bharatnatyam is based on carnatic music so I understand it well. I have to go to Bengaluru since I'm joining a renowned Guru from tomorrow."


Neil looked up at her, unable to say anything. He did not know what went on in his head. He had too many expectations- he wanted to hear her voice, he wanted to hear her story, there's so much we connect to speech! So much we say..and here's a life in mute! It is better to be born deaf and dumb than lose your abilities at a later point when you've already depended so much on it!


She scribbled something else on that paper," I'm in silence...and I don't know for how long it's going to be this way!"





Photo by :

Paul Runnestø 

Random Letter to Somebody Part 4 (Abt: Boredom)

Dear Somebody,

I get so surprised with myself when I feel bored! Especially because the time when I feel bored is exactly the time when Life starts turning around......So , in a way I'm confused about my feelings. Am I bored? Or am I anxious of what lies ahead?

There are loads of films I haven't watched,

loads of books I bought and haven't read yet,

magazines that I haven't gone through,

a dozen exam papers I have to write still,

a dozen calls I've to make
etc etc etc....

But I don't do any of it!
Because for a while I want to feel empty!
I want to empty my mind of all the thoughts and all the worries and stop thinking for just a moment.....
1 moment....

and that would be the greatest moment of all!

I think that's what the aim of meditation is...to learn to empty your mind for just a second.....

So there it goes, I simply refuse to do all of the above activities for 5 days! I don't find it interesting, nor energising....they are just activities to do on day to day basis. I want to add something more to my every day.....I guess that something more is called "Peace of Mind".

I'm off to the Ashram now...where else can I learn to find peace of mind?
I want to take a break from the Internet, the TV, the chatting, the career and the ambitions....all starts looking useless at a point of time.
Hope the Ashram works its magic once more ....that's the dose I need to keep me going for the rest of the year.

You should try it too.
And yes, go alone. You suddenly realise how dependant you are on people.

Love
J