New year mumblings

So after months of sweating over the English Premier League table, finally comes the distraction of the FA Cup. Added to that, what could be better than a lusty North London derby to put an end to the year-end hangover.

The winter so far has been depressing. Gone are the days when I could sit in the balcony and treat myself to the weekly India Today's under the gentle sun. This year, the sun is nowhere to be seen, the chirping sparrows gone and the idea of sipping hot coffee in late evenings not appealing enough. It puts me in a state of depressive lull that sticks to the head and refuses to walk away.

The only saving grace that releases me from this numbness is the television. Not that I am addicted to commercial entertainment tactics, but the return of the unassailable Sherlock got me glued to the TV last night. Arrogant he might be, or too confident at times, but I like his methods. Wish I could take a long look at a person and deduce his background and what's going on in his mind!

It's my beloved Arsenal FC's FA Cup game against the vile Tottenham Hotspurs tonight. Both the teams' stadiums are located 400 metres apart in North London's Tottenham neighbourhood, but the proximity has made them the fiercest rivals in English football history. I've been an ardent fan of Arsenal since the 2003-04 league season, a season in which they didn't lose a single league game and had excellent players like Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Henry Ljunberg and Dennis Bergkamp. I'm still an ardent fan, even though they haven't won a trophy since 2005. The game starts at 11 tonight.

Life has not been kind so far this year. A long new year party with my cousins was followed by three days in subdued silence while being confined to my bed. A third of that period spent in exchanging new year greetings, I spent another third of my solitude in football sites and with Frau liebe. The remainder was occupied by a few hours of sleep and reverting to office mails, all of which are always urgent. Wish I could be at a far off island with Frau liebe, sipping on some guavas and looking out at the serene sea, murmuring poetry and burying my feet in the cold sand! Our modern lives come at a cost of keeping everyone happy and our pockets full. It's a tough ask, but there're not many choices either.

The weekend, like all weekends, will fly past in a flash. The games, the upcoming movies and the plans will quickly become past and we'll be totally different people with totally different thoughts on Monday. Nevertheless, life goes on, and since we've all got one, let's enjoy it to the fullest.

On the way to work

Shoes carefully polished, the winter sweters dry cleaned, nails clipped, hair brushed and documents filed. The real challenge arises when one boards the state bus. How to ensure that the shoes remain clean?

THOSE WERE THE DAYS

I looked up at the dark sky, searching for the Gods.
The roads below were wet,
Sparkling fresh from the afternoon rain.
‘Why do you drench me with those cold drops?’ I ask them.
‘Is this a blessing?
Or do you wet my eyes with fresh tears,
That have gone dry under the dust, the toil.’

Those were the days, when I made merry.
Sang under the trees, danced with the leaves,
And laughed when you hid the sun in your closet,
To bathe the earth with relentless shower.
Those were the days, when I wrote on the leaflets,
In tune with your seasons, the winds and the storms.
I used to lie still on the wet grass,
The cold dew nudging my skin,
Forcing a smile on my lips.
Then she would wake me with a kiss, the girl I loved.
I would sit on the grass, holding her hand
And we would bask under the warm sun, so fresh and bright.

Gone are the days, when I would run up the hills,
And sing along with the birds that flew home.
When I plucked those red apples in the dusk
And waived at the sun as it returned to its nest.
Gone are the days, when I would cycle down to the dunes
And play with the sand as it slipped through my fingers.
When I would watch the moon play with the stars,
And stay up all night, not worrying for the morrow.

Now as the raindrops slide through my temples,
I wonder if those days have returned.
But when I touch the wet grass blades,
They cut into my tender skin, don’t tickle me anymore.
The cold dew clings to my eyes, and melts in the heat,
And as I shy away from the bright sun, I realize
That I am not as young as I used to be.

Is this the end?

Will I never be able to play with the rain again?
Or laugh when the wet leaves would brush against my skin?
Will I shine in the sand under the bright red sun?
Or will my skin wilt under the blistering heat?
As I lie crouched in a corner of my room, I wonder
If my fingers would ever tremble under a beloved’s touch,
Or dance in the air like the lovely stripes of a rainbow.
The thoughts come and go, the rain becomes a myth.
I strain my ears to hear the evening birds’ hark,
And yearn to smell the red roses, fresh from the rains.

But the earth seems as dark as my solitude,
Denied of emotions, of love and of sense.
I yearn for the morrow, a new day with new hope.
Of renewed love, of smelling the fragrant roses again.
Of singing with the winds and the sun,
And make the trees and the birds dance
To my new-found melody.

Conversation with a tree.

I dreamt of you the other day.

You were no different than you are now.

Slim, dumb and utterly boring.

You were full of life and green,

Yet stood alone like an age-old carcass.

You never talked, that most people did.

I had a few things to say, and I went to the people.

They heard me, but I knew they didn’t.

For they were too busy preaching their rehearsed lines.

I knew a bit of what they had to say,

So I didn’t listen to them either.

You were among them too,

Yet you didn’t scratch your ear, or prick on your nose,

Or appear like the all-knowing saint who foresaw doom.

But I kept my eyes on you, all the time.

For you were the only one listening.

Now that the dream is gone,

The words are now a fade, the memories past.

But your tall frame was never lost on me.

And today as I walk down the widowed path,

That was once a paved street,

I chance upon you again, tall and slender,

As you proudly display your leaves like wings of Icarus.

The tips of your roots, like eagle claws, cling on to the mud,

And your thick stem stands proudly amidst the tiny herbs.

Oh tree, the guardian of time,

Did you really listen to me the other day?

Or are you as dumb as you are mute?

Do you really feel the aching in my human heart?

The lost cravings, the treacherous demons,

Who have returned to haunt my soul?

As I suffered in the hands of the unfaithful,

The lost friends that have turned to foes.

Now as I sit at your feet,

I can feel your soft fingers

As they mend and brush my hair.

I can hear the soft sound of the wind

As it slides through your countless leaves.

Say nothing, my friend.

For here I can stay and tend to your nails,

And talk about the sadness, the pain,

The despair that I could never share.

On Friendship ...

The night was now old, wrinkled and shy,

The birds that too flew, to invade the morning sky.

My room was still draped, wretched and dark

As the curtains shielded me from the early rooster's hark.

I was still wide-awake, dreamy and unkempt,

When I came to terms with my insomniac self.

The dawn had now bloomed, and it whispered in.

And so had the sun, with many a golden fin.

I kept sitting still, staring at the turn of fate,

As the darkness was gone, engulfed in nature's breath.

Still crouched under the covers, I could hear the distant waves rise,

The purple clouds were now a blur of flying kites.

I could only see the empty sheets, and the solitary nest,

But not the din, the clatter of the early morning fest.

My heart wished to soar to an even greater height,

From where it could behold the sole enchanting sight.

I struggled with my limbs, still in the grasp of dark.

My mind anything but numb, now yearned for the cold park.

I reached for the door, my fingers turning the metal handle.

The early sun scorched my eyes, and I scampered back to the candle

Closing my eyes again, I prayed for the nightmare to end

But the pain still persisted, and so did the nightly fiend.

Longing to be under the sun, and near to the cold falls,

I waited for the moment when I could move on.

Hours must have passed, for the sun rose above the panes,

And I felt a cold shiver, a burning fever that it did tame.

A soft hand now touched my palm, its feathers melting in the lines,

As the blood returned to my limbs, I suddenly felt just fine.

The hand pulled on its hold, tugging my pains away,

And I felt my soul sway, as it wet along its way.

The soul was now free, I felt the pain was gone,

I emerged from the dark chamber, hoping it still was dawn.

The hand that clasped mine was now a blinding sight,

As I beheld the human figure, my soul lost is fright.

Still dazed from the harrowing pain, I now turned my eyes to the breeze,

Cold winds greeted my eyes, as I breathed in the nature's freeze.

Buoyed by the tempest's glory, the figure pulled me along

And I floated into the wind that now sung the healer's song.

As we sailed through the winds, I felt its fingers bend,

As the figure that kept so still, now turned its kindly head.

It was now drizzling, as my soul leapt in glee,

Fro it was you my eyes beheld in the wind.

You took me through the clouds, and across the plains,

As I could now scan the hills, the snow and the gray lanes.

We floated through the sky, and hummed the songs we knew,

Spoke of the distant memories, and the tears that were few.

It seemed like eternity, as we turned our paths together

And flew over the fields that swayed in the cold weather.

I could soon see the nearby hills, as my soul sang in ecstasy,

As we started descending after a journey that came as a blessing.

You took me to my porch, and then waved goodbye,

As my heart came to life when the soul entered its body.

I turned my head, and saw you turn and leave the hive,

And sprung from my bed, as the heavenly dream turned to life.

Blood rushed through my veins, the plague was now gone,

And rush to the streets I did, as of pain I knew none.

I flew to the lush gardens, to the trees of palm and berry,

And to the parks and the dunes where we used to make merry.

And then I saw you, as you waited for me all this while,

Fro you lit the candle of my life with the same heavenly smile.

I ran straight to you, and gave you a warm embrace,

For this life I did owe to you, this life that you did bless.

The stars smiled down on us, and sent down the heavenly rains,

For I had a friend like you, a friend worth the grace.

Stars in the Ground!

Watched Taare zameen par with parents last night on a rented (read pirated) dvd. The movie was great, obviously, but there were a few interruptions that are better known in the Indian parlance as 'power- cuts'. There were two such interruptions of one hour apiece as the movie finally came to a close after a 5-hour marathon.

Anyways, it wasn't the first time i saw that movie. The first time i saw it was in the first week of Jan when I went to Satyam at Janakpuri with a dear friend named Rahul. Watching a movie in the theatre is sure fun. At least there are no power- cuts in there (Rohtak movie theatres not included). Delhi crowds may not be as well- behaved around the metro trains, but they sure are around PVRs and multiplexes. My best experience was when the entire crowd stood up when the national anthem was played in PVR Vikaspuri when I went there with Shashi to watch Chak De.

Hobbes (my lab) just received a massive cuddling.

Don't ever remind me of the 'Welcome' experience. Ma was very upbeat about the movie as some of her fellow- teachers had peobably told her that the movie was real fun. Baba has never been into movies, but doesn't mind accompanying us in case the entire family decides to watch one. So we drove down to the nearby movie theatre (don't remember it's name, but it's supposed to be the best in the city). I jostled with some creapos for the tix while my parents parked the car. The funniest part was when the ticket checker snatched all our tickets instead of punching them. 'Koi problem nahi hoga' was what he said. Flabbergasted, we proceeded to the giant dark hall. Fortunately the movie, hadn't begun as yet, but to our surprise we found there were no seat numbers. People sat where they liked, that too in the balcony, as scores of rowdys kept coming in. The rest of the movie experience wasn't as much fun either, as I had to contend myself listening to those hooting hooligans around me rather than the actual dialogues in the movie. Sitting with parents and having to hear all those rowdys hurtling abuses at each other and at the actress in the movier was too embarrassing. Anyways, I made sure the pain was healed when we decided to have a nice quite dinner at a restaurant after the movie got over. That's why I had to make sure I had them watch TZP 'at home' so they could finally enjoy a good movie experience in the new year.

Awesome lyrics, I must say.

So here goes the title song. It's churaoed, so don't mind the spelling mistakes. They aren't mine. :)

Dekho Inhein Yeh Hain Os Ki Boondein
Patton Ki God Mein Aasmaan Se Koodein
Aagrayee Lein Phir Karwat Badal Kar
Nazuk Se Moti Hans De Phisal Kar

Kho Na Jaaye Ye Taare Zameen Par

Yeh To Hain Sardi Mein Dhoop Ki Kirane
Utarein Jo Aangan Ko Sunhera Sa Karne
Mann Ke Andheron Ko Roshan Sa Kar Dein
Thithurti Hatheli Ki Rangat Badal Dein

Kho Na Jaaye Ye Taare Zameen Par

Jaise Aankhon Ki Dibiya Mein Nindiya
Aur Nindiya Mein Meetha Sa Sapna
Aur Sapne Mein Mil Jaaye Farishta Sa Koi
Jaise Rangon Bhari Pichkari
Jaise Titliyan Phoolon Ki Kyari
Jaise Bina Matlab Ka Pyara Rishta Ho Koi

Yeh To Aasha Ki Lehar Hain
Yeh To Ummeed Ki Sehar Hain
Khusiyon Ki Nehar Hain

Kho Na Jaaye Ye Taare Zameen Par

Dekho Raaton Ke Seeney Pe Yeh Toh
Jhilmil Kisi Lau Se Ugey Hain
Yeh To Amboya Ki Khusboo Hain
Baagon Se Beh Chale
Jaise Kaanch Mein Choodi Ke Tukde
Jaise Khiley Khiley Phoolon Ke Mukhdey
Jaise Bansi Koi Bajaye Pedon Ke Taley

Yeh To Jhonke Hain Pawan Ke
Hain Yeh Ghungharoo Jeewan Ke
Yeh To Sur Hain Chaman Ke

Kho Na Jaaye Ye Taare Zameen Par

Muhaley Ki Raunak
Galiyan Hain Jaise
Khilney Ki Zid Par
Khaliyan Hain Jaise
Muthi Mein Mausam Ki
Jaise Hawayein
Yeh Hain Buzurgon Ke
Dil Ki Duwayein

Kho Na Jaaye Ye Taare Zameen Par

Kabhi Baatein Jaise Dadi Nani
Kabhi Chalkein Jaise Mum Mum Paani
Kabhi Ban Jaaye Bhole
Sawaalon Ki Jhadi
Sannatey Mein Hansee Ke Jaise
Sooney Hothon Pe Khushi Ke Jaise
Yeh To Noor Hain Barse Gar
Teri Kismat Ho Badi

Jaise Jheel Mein Lehraye Chanda
Jaise Bheed Mein Apne Ka Kandha
Jaise Manmauji Nadiya
Jhaag Udaye Kuch Kahe
Jaise Baithe Meethi Si Jhapki
Jaise Pyar Ki Dheemi Si Thapki
Jaise Kaanon Mein Sargam
Hardam Bajti Hi Rahe
Jaise Barkha Udati Hai Bundiya...

Enjoy!

Message for visitors!

This message is for those who do care to visit my blog once in a while....
For all ye sweetest of the lot, here's wishing you a very very Happy New Year!

Hope most of your 'realistic' dreams come true, and may you put in your best efforts in whatever you strive to achieve in the present year.

And in return, do wish me truckloads of good luck as well.

regards
You-know-who