Your Life, My Life

“Alka, I told you na, we have to be there in the wedding. It’s not just about the marriage; it’s about my responsibilities towards the extended family. “I told my wife Alka, as I was entering the metro station on my way to office. Thanks to the good old soul who conceptualised the smart card entry in the metro, I thought as I was going past the ticket window with a long queue of people.

“No…No. I can’t leave you alone here. I don’t believe this city… the people here”. I reached the platform in no time and was standing on platform still talking to my wife. Being the second station from starting, I generally get a seat on my way to office.

“Yea, just boarded the train. Did you have your breakfast before leaving for college?” “No, this discussion is useless. We have to go and that’s final.” I disconnected the call in a flustered. The people in office can surely expect a tough day. Out of no fault of them, they will be prosecuted for smallest of mistakes by me, reason being my bad mood.

Amita, any status updates? I saw the gentle man sitting beside me writing an sms. I just happened to peep into his cell while feeling furious. Is his wife expecting or it’s the share market he is inquiring? Is it some important contract? He wrote the name first, writing the name first doesn’t seem to be a personal message. My mind got busy in the endless mystery of the message sender. Suddenly his phone rang…

Amita calling…

“Hey Amita, any updates from them? Did they call?” he asked inquisitively.

Oh! I hope it’s not some new demand this time. It feels like it’s a world of hungry monsters.” He said in a half anger half depressed tone and disconnected.

So his married daughter must be facing some issues with in-laws or is it about a marriage proposal being discussed; may be a government contract. I was busy thinking about all this and I happened to see the person on my other side working on his laptop. He closed an excel sheet and started writing a mail.

Dear Team

Life is a journey which never ends. We meet people, good and bad; We get varied experiences and mature in the process. In continuation to my journey of life, I have decided to move on and take up another opportunity out of the organization but this not at all means that our relation ends here.

This team is like a baby as I have grew it from scratch. You guys were fresh from colleges and we nurtured you to the best of our abilities. You all have tried your best to become an integral part of the team and proved to be a valuable resource to the team and the organization. With my team leaders- Anish, Rahul & Daman, we have given you tough times to prepare you for the worst and you all have taken it head-on and proved your mettle.

 I have been the guiding force but you are the warriors. I wish you all the very best for your lives and career. Continue to be the real warriors as always. Feel free to catch up or drop me a mail in case you need any help or guidance.

Never say die. Never say bye.

Rohan Patel

RM- Sales & Marketing

I could see Mr. Rohan’s face speaking of his heavy heart as he pressed the send button.

“Next station is Udyog Vihar”, the announcement was made. My destination. I got ready to get down and so the first person beside me.

Suddenly I got a call on my cell.

Alka calling…

“Hello.”

“I told you na I can’t leave you here. You have to come with me.”

The train halted and I got down from the train.

“But why don’t you understand. It’s not safe. And above all, mom wants you to attend this marriage.” I said as I was climbing the stairs of the metro station.

AnujShailGupt

(Image courtesy: Google)

मैं ही तेरा आशियाँ

जाने दुनिया के किस हिस्से मे
करे तू इंतेज़ार मेरा…
तू ना जाने यही आस पास
करे कोई इंतेज़ार तेरा…

तू दूर है पर तेरी खुश्बू
पास है मेरे.
तू कही नही पर तेरा साथ
चाहिए मुझे.

मैं यहाँ, तू कहाँ
नहीं तेरा नाम-ओ-निशा
आ मिल जा मुझे
समा जा मुझमे
की मैं ही तेरा आशियाँ.

Stealing your way to Soul

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery — celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from — it’s where you take them to.

—Jim Jarmusch, The Golden Rules of Filming

Lamps, Wishes & Diwali

Dreaming the truth

“Ok bye Aditi. Have a great weekend & happy Diwali.” I bid goodbye to my office mate as I was leaving office early to visit my home town for Diwali celebrations. I had also taken a few days leave to attend to few pending things there.

I reached home in about 15 mins where Nidhi, my wife had already finished packing and was waiting for me. I hit the bed after freshening up to straighten my back to get ready for the 6 hour drive. It took about an hour for us to hit the highway. Being the weekend just before Diwali, the roads were crowded like anything. Everybody seem to be heading home. People were taking whatever ride they could find. The buses were uniformly crowded inside and above the roof. Cars, Jeeps, Buses and autos- every vehicle seemed to be on the road that day. I couldn’t cross the 40 kmph on the 6 lane highway to Jaipur even 20 kms out from the city. This was making me a bit restless which Nidhi could make out from my gestures.  “Don’t panic dear, just go with the flow. Don’t Jump. We are in no hurry” Nidhi said.

As we crossed the first toll booth and entered my home state, the roads started getting clear. I was touching 60 kmph now but I wanted to quickly make up for the time we lost initially while wading through the huge crowd. So I started to accelerate. I was hitting 90 kmph in no time. The clean and clear highway was also in my favor.

Me and Nidhi were listening to our favorite Pakistani band and enjoying the drive when suddenly I saw an old villager crossing the highway wearing a red turban and white dhoti kurta with a lamb in his hand.  I was cruising at 95 kmph and I knew it was impossible to stop the vehicle. You have very little to do at such speed. The impact was unavoidable.  He was too close to apply sudden breaks and braking may could also make the car roll over. I just hoped him to pass through the road before the hit. I could feel the drops of sweat running down my spine. I geared down and was decelerating continuously but that wasn’t enough. It was doomed to happen. I hit him right from front of the car and he was thrown to other side of the road by the impact. The sheep wasn’t hurt much and ran into the fields but the old man was lying there beside the road crying for help. I didn’t know what to do. The highway was clean and clear with no vehicles visible. I first thought of running away but something didn’t let me and I stopped the car and went near the man. He was bleeding from mouth and moaning. I offered him water and apologised.  He drank some water and then stopped moving. I shouted, “Baba, jyada lagi kya?” But no reply. He was perhaps no more. It just took a split second and I started running towards my car.  I fired the engine and hit the road. Nidhi was crying during the whole drama and I was not in a position to console her. I drove like a dragster for about 50 kms before we took a halt for tea. She went to the loo and I was sitting with my head lying on the table and I didn’t realize when I got asleep.

“Wake up Honey. Its 6 in the morning. We need to leave for Jaipur. Yesterday evening also you slept and we couldn’t go”, Nidhi said in her sweet loving voice. I was in my bed in my Delhi home. Yes I was dreaming all that. I didn’t wake up after coming from office and Nidhi didn’t wake me up thinking that I was too tired to drive. I was all in sweat. She asked me what happened and I told her everything. She kissed me and softly dragged me out of the bed.

I got ready quickly, had a light breakfast and we hit the road at around 7 in the morning. The highway was clean and clear but I didn’t go beyond 80kmph. I was a bit skeptical and cautious. After driving for about 40 kms off the city I suddenly saw an old villager wearing a red turban with a baby sheep in his hand crossing the road. The one in my dream. The entire dream went through my eyes like a movie and my limbs felt jammed. I was dumbstruck and couldn’t move my hands. I lost all control over the car…

 

AnujShailGupt

PS: All kinds of feedback/comments are welcome.

In the spirit of Nation

सरफ़रोशी की तमन्ना अब हमारे दिल में है…

वक़्त आने दे बता देंगे तुझे ए आस्मा,

हम अभी से क्या बताए क्या हमारे दिल मे है

ए शहीद-ए-मुल्क-ओ-मिल्लत मैं तेरे ऊपर निसार,

अब तेरी हिम्मत का चरचा गैर की महफ़िल में है

सरफ़रोशी की तमन्ना अब हमारे दिल में है…

A Tribute to the great freedom fighter Shahid Bhagat Singh on his birthday.

Vande Mataram

Hollywood Inspires

“Every brick wants to be something”

It is often said that Movies are a reflection of our society. They often portray the best, the worst and the middle of the two aspects of life around us bringing them to the fore. I was watching this movie called “Indecent proposal” and realized that sometimes how inspiring few unimportant sentence can become or how deeper it can mean. The story goes around a happy couple in need of money who are offered a million dollars by a billionare for one night with the lady.  After a long thought over the lady finally accepts it for her lover but lover couldn’t understand her love and they get separated. He takes up her passion for architecture and starts taking architecture classes. In the orientation class he raises a brick in his hand as soon as he enters the classroom and says “Every brick wants to be something”. Whether its Taj Mahal, Empire state building or twin towers, they all started with a brick and lots of aspirations and dreams. The words imbibe the strongest of inspiration for any architect or any individual for that matter. Every big thing started with a small step forward taken under loads of aspirations to fulfill the dreams.

AnujShailGupt

इश्क जूनून है

किसी ने जब पूछा ये इश्क है क्या बला…

इश्क जूनून है

इश्क खुदा है

इश्क हर एक मर्ज़ की दवा है

इश्क जूनून है

इश्क प्यास  है

इश्क तो जन्मो की आस है.

तेरी और तेरे पास आने की

तेरी खुशबु और तेरी परछाई की.

इश्क तो माँ की दुआ है.

To you, Mom

I  am your dream

I am your wall

I’ll be there

Where ever you fall.

 

I am your path

I am your ride

I am the one

Always beside.

 

I am your walker

I am your servant

Cant give you him

Everything else is fair.

 

Be my light

Be my map

Show me the path

Far ahead.

 

O Almighty

O Father !

Almighty as they call.

The one who puts life in the womb…

Give me my wings

My power to swing…

These heights of sky

Call me, to fly high.

Give me my sail

To sail across the seven seas

To reach the treasures far n wide

Across those beasty waves.

Give me my sword

Let me be the warrior

The warrior on the path of light

To brighten the dark valley.

O father, the God, My Lord

Give me my life, give me my soul

Let me fight and reach my goal !

AnujShailGupt