After all these years : Story 3 of Sunshine and Wildflowers

It’s been ten years but I made no mistake in recognizing her. There were only five people in the train compartment, out of which she was one. At first, I thought to avoid her. What was the point in exchanging pleasantries after all these years? She had not noticed me as her gaze was transfixed on the screen of her phone. I looked out of the window as I felt the past merge with my present.

No. I cannot run away. I have to face it. If this person can affect me even after all these years, I definitely should not run away.

I picked my bag and moved towards her seat. As I sat in front of her, she hesitatingly turned her gaze from her phone to me. The smile on her face faded away at once.

“Hi Diya! How are you doing?” I asked.

She clearly did not expect to see me all of a sudden. And the fact that I was greeting her as if nothing had happened between us baffled her. After a silence of two minutes, she nodded in reply.

“Just like this train, life moves on. Holding on to anything eludes our peace of mind.” I said looking at Diya who did not utter a single word.

She looked at me, her face tainted with myriad expressions. It was a combination of sadness, guilt, and anger.

“I noticed you for a long time, but couldn’t gather the composure to greet you. After fighting a battle with my demons, I am here sitting in front of you, acknowledging your presence. I can clearly understand what you are feeling.” I continued.

“It’s good to see you, Meera after all these years,” Diya said with a soft smile.

“It’s great to see you too. Hope you are doing well.” I said.

We talked to each other about our present life, family, and work. The cloud of awkwardness did not fade away, but the sun was peeping somewhere behind the clouds. Diya and I were best friends in college. We were inseparable and that’s why people used to call us Siamese twins. As far as I can remember, I couldn’t spend even a single day without talking to her. I considered her my sibling and pleaded with my father to adopt her. We used to argue at times but never harboured any grudges against each other. 

One day, we had a bitter fight full of accusations. In anger, I told her all the things I did for her and she pointed out my faults. The nasty fight was accompanied by several misunderstandings that destroyed the foundation of our friendship. I started avoiding her as even seeing her face pinched my wounds. We went separate ways and never tried to contact each other.

I thought Diya had taken advantage of my helpful nature and exploited me. Maybe, that was true. But in anger, I have also said her things that the present me would have never said. Today, in retrospect, when I think about it, I understand that we both were at fault. And after all these years, it’s meaningless pointing fingers at each other and evaluating who was more wrong. The best thing that we can do to each other now is to release the pent-up anger and get a closure.

“It’s time to leave. My station has almost come. You take care.” I said to Diya.

“Meera, I am sorry for what happened.”

“I am sorry too. And thank you for today. It was great meeting you.” I said and shook hands with Diya. She beamed and waved me a goodbye.

As I alighted from the train, my phone beeped, alerting me of a new Facebook friend request. It was from Diya Sengupta. I felt liberated from the baggage that I was carrying subconsciously for the last ten years. My heart was at peace. It was overflowing with love and gratitude.

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Nature's Child : Story 2 of Sunshine and Wildflowers

All her life, she was fed the line “Loneliness can kill a person.” But no one told her, “Loneliness is a state of mind. It’s a choice. What seems to be loneliness for one person can be the blessing of solitude for another person.”

Natasha looked at the beautiful hills, marveling at the beauty of Nature. She was seeking this inner calm all her life, which was amiss since her childhood. Belonging to a rich and orthodox joint family, she always felt chained. An invisible cage followed her like a haunting shadow. 

Her happiness did not lie in money, but in simple things that Nature offered. The colorful orchids, the various shades of green, the whiff of petrichor, the play of butterflies, the hide and seek of sun and clouds, the laughter of a child filled her heart with uninhibited joy.

Natasha’s family failed repeatedly to understand her heart. She always had to follow her family’s decision whether she liked or not. She wanted to be a painter, but her family told her there is no money in scribbling lines with a pencil. She was compelled to do B.Com followed by MBA. When she got poor marks, she was admonished and ashamed by her entire family. 

Yes, it was true that she never had any shortage of money and material pleasures. But they were meaningless pursuits to her. The biggest wealth for Natasha was freedom and in that respect, she was a pauper. She felt she was an inanimate picture who is shrewdly caged in an expensive golden frame.

Caged birds cannot sing. So, as days rolled on, Natasha became sick and depressed. Her zest for life was fading away like the colors of the sunset. Without painting the glory of Nature on her canvas, she felt her limbs are amputated. When her family saw that her condition was deteriorating, they arranged her marriage with a rich businessman without her consent. This triggered survival instincts in Natasha. She knew that if she blindly followed even this decision of her family, she won’t be able to survive anymore.

She left her house with her savings and paint brushes, determined to fly amid the vast sky. After a few years of struggle, she got a job and settled in a small house in Shillong. She taught English and painting in a primary school, where her students loved her. Her evenings were dedicated to her canvas where she sang the glory of Nature through her paint brushes.

“Don’t you feel lonely living all by yourself in this remote hill station?” The fellow teachers asked Natasha many times to which her reply remained the same.

“I used to live with twenty family members in a huge mansion, but I never had any inner peace. What use it is to have people around you who tell you what to do and what not to do? We are all independent beings. We have no ownership over anyone. Only the Supreme owns us, not any human being. Then, why should I sacrifice my wings and agree to crawl all my life?”

“So, are you truly happy now?” They asked Natasha with a tint of pity.

“Yes. It is long-term happiness because I am under the umbrella of Nature, my Divine Mother Nature. In her bosom, there can only be peace, wisdom, and overflowing love.” Natasha replied with a serene smile.

Alone, but never lonely

She has slowly befriended

Beautiful, arcane, wild things-

Tidal waves on full moon

Gurgling rivers in

Torrential July rain,

Violet and purple wild flowers

Swaying with the whimsical wind.

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Choice: Story 1 of Sunshine and Wildflowers

Trisha woke up in the morning with a serene smile. It was the festival of Janmashtami and she could feel the divine presence of Lord Krishna all around her. The flowers in her garden were blooming with all their vibrancy. The soft breeze soothed the unseen blisters of her heart.

The last few months were like a nightmare. She felt that she was walking amidst the hurricane for hours and yet could not reach her destination. The storm was not raging outside but within Trisha’s mind. It was a ferocious battle not only between the brain and the heart but also between her longing and duty. She had spent long nights struggling to find the answer to her questions. Finally, an unseen power planted courage and determination within her which helped her solve the quandary.

She went to her mother’s room and kissed her on her cheeks. This is how she wakes up her mother every single day after her father passed away a few years back. As she prepared breakfast, her phone beeped.

See you in two hours. I am so happy you finally made a decision.

It was a text from Akash. Trisha and Akash have been in a relationship for 5 years. With a content smile, Trisha replied to the message.

See you soon.

After having breakfast, Trisha got ready and embarked on the most important journey of her life. She reached the café in thirty minutes.

“It’s so good to see you smiling, Trisha. I felt that I lost you in the last few months. But now, my girl is back.” Akash greeted her with a smile.

“You know Akash, it is not heartbreaking when the world does not understand us. It is heartbreaking when we don’t understand ourselves. I was feeling lost as I could not hear my inner voice all these days.” Trisha said as she seated herself on the couch.

“You are great at words. I wonder why you haven’t studied philosophy in college. You are so good at it.” Akash smiled and took Trisha’s hand in his. He gently said, “Let’s get married now.”

“I cannot marry you, Akash. Today, I won’t request you to continue our relationship, unlike other days. You are free to leave me and marry anyone. I will always pray for your happiness.”

“Don’t start this again, Trisha. Can you see me with some other girl? Please be honest.”

“Yes, it will be painful, but I can. The thing I cannot see and tolerate is my mother in a help center for Alzheimer’s patients. As long as she is in this world, she will stay with me. I cannot give her responsibility to paid caregivers. I am a part of her. If I cannot be loyal to my own part, how can I be loyal to you, Akash?”

“But what about your own life, Trisha? You are in your late twenties. You will need a life partner someday who can take care of you.”

“The universe will take care of that, Akash. When you proposed me for marriage in front of your family at the beginning of this year, I was overjoyed. But soon, your parents told me that my mother cannot live with us after marriage. I have to send her to a professional help center for Alzheimer’s patients. You supported your parents, saying I cannot spend my life being a caregiver.”

“I didn’t mean it that way, Trisha.”

“You are not wrong, Akash. The responsibility of being a caregiver is huge. I am not ready to marry and start my own family.”

“You are making a terrible mistake, Trisha. You will pine for children and husband one day. You cannot spend your life alone.”

“Every woman has motherly instincts in her. Right now, my mother is my daughter. So I am already mothering her with my unconditional love.”

Trisha’s answer rendered Akash speechless. She got up from the couch and said with a smile, “I will always cherish our memories, Akash.”

After reaching home, Trisha snuggled up to her mother and cried her heart out. Her mother had a blank look on her face. After a few minutes, she gently lifted her hand and caressed Trisha’s hair. After years, Trisha experienced a drizzle of mother’s affection. It flooded her heart with emotions. At that moment, she knew that she made the right decision, under the supervision of Lord Krishna.

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Shades Of Life releasing on Holi!

Shades of Life is an anthology of short stories and poems, each of which depict a shade of life. Life is a supernova of emotions and the stories and the poems in the book highlight those myriad hues of life that makes it a roller-coaster ride.

It is the seventh anthology that I am a part of. The book has my short story Silent Offering which talks about the emptiness that gnaws at you when you abandon your most loved dream. It also talks about unconditional love and friendship. 

Here's a quote from my short story:

 

“Some people are not meant to be a part of our lives forever. Some people visit our lives for a brief period, not to stay in it, but to show us something that we have been unable to see it ourselves. In the form of a gift, a lesson or a piece of wisdom, they change the course of our life and help us to fulfill our destiny.”

― Purba Chakraborty, Shades Of Life

Many of my blogger friends are also a part of this book. It has been compiled and edited by Saravana Kumar Murugan who is also a prolific blogger. The foreword has been written by Vinit.K.Bansal who is a bestselling author. 

The book will be releasing on Holi. It's currently available for pre-order in Amazon: http://amzn.to/1njjwXD

If you are in Goodreads, you can check out all the Quotes of the book
and also enter the Goodreads Giveaway to win a signed copy of the book. 

A lot of heart and soul has gone into the making of the book. It has soulful stories and poems by both new and professional writers.

I have a short message for all of you in this video. 

 

Make your Holi more colorful with Colors: Shades of Life!

 

She finally got a lifetime friend!

She started sobbing as her mother asked her how her day at school was.

“I won’t go to school from tomorrow, Mom.” Pari said between her sobs.

Her mom took her in her lap and cajoled her to say what’s troubling her. She was afraid that some teacher must have punished Pari.

“Puja is not talking to me. Ever since our class teacher changed our seating arrangement, she has stopped talking to me. Now, she talks with Seema the whole day. She doesn’t even bother to share her tiffin with me. She was my best friend, but now I think Seema is her best friend.” Pari explained with glistening eyes that made her innocent face clammy.

Her mom listened to the whole incident with empathy. Although she had to manage so many difficult problems in life, Pari’s simple problem started bothering her.

For a ten year old, this is not a simple thing. Their minds are so tender that things like this have a huge impact on them.

“Puja shouldn’t have behaved like this. But why do you want to stop going to school, my dear?” Her mom asked, wiping her tears.

“I feel lonely, Mom. I don’t have any other good friend other than Puja and now she is also not talking to me. Everyone has their own groups and I belong to nowhere. I have to eat my tiffin alone.” Pari continued.

“What if I introduce you to a new friend today who will always be there for you?” Her mom said.

“Really? That will be great.” Pari said with a twinkle in her eye.

Her mom told her to close her eyes for a minute. She felt some object in her lap and instantly opened her eyes.

“What’s this? You told you will introduce me to a new friend.” Pari said, feeling dejected on seeing a book. It was written on the cover Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

“This is the friend I was talking about. It will never leave you. It will never start preferring someone else. And It will always give you company.” Her mom said with a smile. Pari however, looked more disappointed than ever.

“I don’t want to read it. A mute book can never be my friend.” Pari said, keeping the book beside her.

“Alright. Let me put it this way. Once you start reading this book, you will meet a lovely friend who will enchant you with his adventures. In fact, he will take you along with him to the land of his adventures. Just give him a chance to do so.” Her mom continued with a smile. 

(Image Source)

Pari never thought that her mom’s words were so true. Of course, she was so right. Not only one, but she got 3 wonderful friends inside the book: Harry, Ron and Hermione. She never feels bad now when Puja doesn’t talk to her. She has her book to give her company.

Books and the characters in the books had a tremendous impact on young Pari’s mind. They made her a wiser and a calmer person. She never felt desperate to grab someone’s attention because she always had a friend by her side. 

As Pari grew older, she often questioned her. Who is a better friend: Books or the characters inside the books?

Now, she knows the answer to her question. Books are friends for a lifetime. They are not only reliable, but they also introduce you to many more friends i.e. the characters living inside them.

She knew she would never feel lonely in life as long as she has a book with her. She is lucky to have a friend for lifetime. 

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

The Music Teacher

(Image Source)

Riya sipped her coffee and gazed at the beautiful handmade card with reverence, that her student, Rahul has gifted her on the occasion of Teacher’s Day. Rahul is an average music student and a very shy child. He struggles a lot while playing the synthesizer, but Riya never loses her patience. May be he is gifted in playing some other instrument!

“All your students love you a lot.” Her reverie broke as her husband, Samar uttered these words.

“May be, because I love all of them too. I am never harshly partial.” She replied with a smile.

“This thing amazes me the most. You don’t only love the students who are the most talented, but also the students who don’t perform so well.”

“A teacher can create a magnificent impact in a student’s life. A teacher should enlighten her students and fill them with a zest for life. A teacher is the candle that kindles and rekindles the potential of her student from time to time. Every single child is gifted and has some talent concealed within him. The duty of a teacher is to help her student find his talent and true potential.” Riya said.

“However, all teachers don’t walk in the same line as you do, Riya. They are only concerned with seeing which student is performing well in their subjects or which student is obedient to them.” Samar replied.

“I know that. Some people employed as teachers also dampen the spirit of a young mind with their harsh and unruly words. They never have an idea what a tumultuous impact they are making in a child’s mind” Riya said with a choked voice.

Samar looked at her, waiting for her to speak.

“There was a girl who had to change her school in class eight after her mother passed away. She was so psychologically affected by the loss of her mother and the change of place that she started living in a cocoon. She never talked much in class. She was a shy and introvert person. She was average in studies and she never got the courage to participate in extra-curricular activities in her new school, despite having learned music since the age of five.

However, one day, she thought to participate in the annual concert. She mustered some courage and gave her name to her class teacher. The teacher scanned her from top to bottom and said, “You? Please, don’t even try doing such a thing. You should better sit in the audience and clap for the other participants.”

Her eyes welled up and she looked at her class teacher with embarrassment. Without any sense of guilt, she continued, this time with a sarcastic smirk, “You’re such a cry baby. And you plan to sing in front of an audience? Just go sit and don’t waste my time, ever.”

This incident shattered all her confidence and made her feel worthless. She lost her self-esteem for a really long time, until she decided to be her own teacher and guardian. 

She motivated herself, fought her demons and came out from the shadow, victorious. Today, she has her own music academy and she is standing in front of you, Samar. However, her scars have not evaporated totally. Therefore, she loves all her students and tries to encourage and motivate each one of them. This is her path to happiness and solace.”

Without saying a word, Samar embraced Riya and whispered in her ear, “I am so proud of you and the positive impact you are making in the life of all your students.”

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

The lady at the bus stop

The roaring thunder and the vigorous pouring of rain was enough to predict that it was a bizarre night. Rajeev has been working overtime that day. He reached the bus stop finally, when it was 9pm. The bus stop was secluded and instantly, Rajeev worried about getting a bus so that he can reach home. 

It was still raining heavily and the clouds were clattering every few minutes. After Rajeev seated himself at the bus stop, his eyes rested on a woman who sat at the extreme corner. 

She was covered with a stole right from her head and therefore, Rajeev couldn’t catch a glimpse of her face. He got up from his seat and sat beside the woman, intending to talk to her. He cleared his throat to make her aware of his presence.

The woman didn’t respond until a strong wind hit her face that resulted in the stole to fall down from her head. She was definitely the most attractive woman Rajeev has ever seen, courtesy her beautiful eyes. 

 (Image Source: here)

His eyes were transfixed on her and finally the woman looked at him. Rajeev noticed that the woman gazed at him, as if she knew him, as if she wanted to tell him something. It was an unusual gaze, her eyes brimming with excitement, eagerness, angst and pathos. She mumbled a few words, which were inaudible to Rajeev.

Rajeev took his eyes off her, but even after a few seconds, he realized that she was ogling at him. He was definitely happy that he was being gazed by such a beautiful woman, but then, it was also awkward.

“Rajeev Sengupta. What’s your name?” He asked the woman.

After a long silence for two minutes, she replied “Meera.”

Rajeev kept talking to Meera. However, all the talking was mostly done by him. The lady barely replied in monosyllables, albeit her gaze intact on Rajeev. There was no hint of the rain to stop. Rajeev could see that Meera was trembling slightly due to the chill in the air.

“Would you like to have a cup of tea?” Rajeev offered, empathizing with Meera’s condition.

Meera nodded her head. Rajeev assured her that he would be back within a few minutes and went to the nearest tea stall which he knew would be open even at that hour.

I never knew I was so good looking that a beautiful lady would turn speechless on seeing me. Yes, Meera is a little weird, but anyone can die for those beautiful eyes. I need to take her number.

Rajeev soliloquized as he bought two cups of tea. He rushed towards the bus stop, but to his sheer disappointment, he saw a bus moving past him and Meera looking at him from the window with the same intent gaze. 

It broke his heart as he realized that Meera was gone. With dismay, he sat on the bus stop sipping his tea silently when he noticed a piece of paper on the floor getting to and fro with the direction of the wind. He picked the paper instantly and opened it.

You look exactly like my husband who had passed away three years ago. It took me a while to realize that you are Rajeev and not my Jai. God bless you.

Meera

Rajeev swallowed the lump that was formed in his throat. He looked at the direction where the bus went by. He read the note again, things registering in his mind slowly. 

If only I could meet Meera again! If only this story hasn’t finished here…