Gym a day...more than keeping docs at bay

FITNESS FREAK- this century of youth has become just that.. and me not far behind….
Have now been having this regular gymming sessions to supposedly stay "FIT"….so much so that 20 days of hols and the first thing that I do is to enroll in the local gym at my parent's place…..
After lazy hours of clerical activities and banal formalities done; 10 days into the vacations, I get my card done… Never to late to push off.. right? :)

4:30 P.M. - the ladies time and I adhere to the norm.. All ready, I whisk away to "Modern Gymanasium" only to find myself welcomed by aunties from my apartment, sweating out there…
Welcome to Gym and of course the euphoria that my presence creates….
"oh dear", kab aayi???
Kitne dino tak ho yahan…?
Mere ghar to beta tum aate hi nahi…
Itne duble ho gaye ho ? gym kyun aayi.. ghar main theek se khao peo
and it goes on and on and on and on !!!!
My IPod firmly switched off now and I begin returning these pleasantries….

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally manage to begin the workout...... I try hard to concentrate on the peppy numbers that are ON.. but just cant do so.. the conversation lingering around is far more interesting…
The maids running away.. so and so bought new saree, Mrs X's daughter likes that teacher who comes to teach her.... I heard the school children these days watch all those arbit movies coming on TV... Humare bacchon ki kya himmat thi ki kuch aisa waisa dekhte,, kya karen and etc etc… The cycling and treadmills have pleasantly taken a backseat......they are all excited over these new piece of information shared....

I freak out.. For heaven's sake, Its a place to stay fit and workout not to gossip….... But of course I can't say that to them….
I continue my workout.. They continue to talk…

The aunties leave after 45 mins…. And finally I find some solace..... Suddenly the silence is reverberating and makes me think.....
They are 50+ ladies but yet so full of life.....… their enthusiasm still effuses out......everytime they see me they light up as if I was their real daughter, their sense of love is from within…
We try to act so composed, so refined, not indulging in apparently "senseless gossips" - but the truth is that we are so occupied with ourselves that we fail to look not only at others flaws but also feel no love or compassion.. They hold no place in our lives…
Can I imagine myself feeling similar warmth for them whenever I see them..?
Would I care what happens in their lives- if not for any gossips, then definitely not for times when we need them or they need us….

And above all, they are still untouched by this fitness mania,,,,,,,for them gym's actual purpose is secondary- In actuality it's a place to break free from the bounds of home and enjoy this life although in a slightly devilish manner ;)

The little secret

I enclosed it somewhere, deep down the heart
Undeterred, unfound, like that whispering sound...
The words, the beats, the conspiring feats-
Lay quiet! And guard that secret deep

For years, its veiled, untarnished, untouched
The essence of my being, oblivious to others
My dreams, my beliefs, the casket of glees
My kinder days and the innocent deals

Let me unleash and open it now
Let me relive those wondrous sounds
Let me again feel the Ganges flow
Let me unravel the chants and furor
Let me walk through the shaky lane
The chiseled street, the cobbled road
Towards the nook, that hides the chest,
The Pandora box, with my riches best

There lies that rusty case,
Waiting to be opened and unraveled….

Let me search my broken heart,
That cried all night for the treasure lost….
Let me try my princess dress,
On a carriage, that I wore and fled…..
Let me hold that touch me not,
Whose mystery had left me spell bound…
Let me try that glistening bangle,
Red and pink, and flowery too…
Let me read that forlorn book,
So inspiring and yet unknown…
Let me spell out my childhood crush,
The brawny hero, the wicked don…
Let me shine the lonely shell,
How it held life? I found it difficult to tell…
Let me gather the diffusing smell,
That flows out and touches my self
Let me identify the fingerprints on each,
The memories of friends, so far from my reach…
Let me hold the luxury that I had,
A decorated candy, all for myself…
Let me feel the emotions again,
Of Bday cards and letters penned…
Let me smile at my childhood pic,
The little baby nestled so safe,,,
The secure lap of mom and dad..
The assuring arms that gladly held…
Let me keep these secrets safe..
Of remembrances and for days ahead..

Gum aur Nahi....

Gum aur nahi, ek hi kafi hai
wajood nahi, teri yaad hi kafi hai
Hum reh gaye is jahan main; taraste, bilakhte
Muddaton se ankahee humari kahani baaki hai
Kyun kashmakash main pade rahe
kuch hum aur kuch tum, yun naadan
Kyun sargoshi se kah chale
tum apne dil ki daastan
kyun ruke nahi meri maun pukaron se
Kyun kar chale ruswa bhari mehfil main yunhi
Kyun dete rahe sazaa banke humraaz mere
Kyun badte rahe adig, rond ke khwab mere
Kyun samjhe nahi tum, ki shabd hote hain khokle
Bavle, manchale; aparibhashit ashru se nahi
Kyun nahi samjhe meri tatparta ke abhav ko
Kyun nahi jaane shaalinta ke libaas ko
Kyun nahi kahe ki aye shamaa jalti raho
Kyun nahi samjhe ki uske bina bas andhera hi baaki hai
Gum aur nahi ek hi kaafi hai
wajood nahi, teri yaad hi baaki hai

Of partings and meetings

Bend in the road..... My favorite chapter from my favorite book..
The chapter that told about subtle reconciliations, of incipient relations, of things to look forwad to.....
But the bends are not just grounds (rather spots) for these meetings.....They can be for parting as well....so painful, so unwanted and yet so profound and intense....They are so difficult.. the last bye, the misty eyes, the unknown age, time, the numerous uncertainities...
the road that you both travelled together.. sharing the heat, the spring, the voices that you heard together..the leaves that crumpled beneath ..... but there lies before you.; the bend, the road diverting into two.....and you know it would be years before they converge.. the steps are hard but they have to be taken,,the words are many,,but can hardly be spoken...the emotions are overflowing...and they can hardly be curbed...But what flows unrestrained, unbridled is the wish, the prayer, the belief that come what may, the roads will cross, the meetings would happen, but untill then we continue to walk our way, without the others support, basking in our joys but still waiting to meet the other back once again !!

P.S. This is for u dear abhivayakti

pensive notes

I had always wondered, how would the pensive notes be like? Will they also have the undulations of notes that reflect the joys of the ambience, the atmosphere in their own vibrancy or would they fluctuate naughtily like the unbridled notes. Would these notes carry with them the onus of the pain, the sorrow, and the chains of grief with them??? Would they be different for different people????
Pensive notes turned out to be so different!!!!! Omnipresent, they lie alongside the several beautiful rhythms that spur occasionally. They complement them, adding tones to these joyous sounds; They are like the dams that try to hold the flowing water, the joyous moments, helping me relish them, enjoy them and above all understand that pensive notes are melancholous only to add tune and beauty to the erstwhile unbridled, naughty notes

Facchadom at IIMA

Reh jayegi bas ab yaad is ek saal ki jee tod mehnat, naye dost, naye mukamon ko choone aur tamaam vakyon ki

Hence this definitely calls for a deviation of my usual writing style...

My first poem wid splurges of urdu in it


Kabhi yeh shauk aaya tha humein
Ki chalo kuch barbaad hua jaye,
Kuch shant si behti zindagi ko
tarannum si lehar mil jaye

Reh reh kar khinchte the
kisi tilasmi manzil ki taraf
kuch aise fanse kashmakash main
Ki yahin pahunch gaye hum

kahan samjha tha humne ki azaadi kya hai
Kya hain vichaar; unki seema kahan hai
Jab bandh jaati hai soch, par katte hain
Jab do pal ki tanhaaii ko bhi taraste hain

Hum to aehmaq ban gaye,
is bekaar ki guftgu main
Kyun chod aaye us sukunnat ko
Basne is registaan main

Kabhi rehte the mast,
Is kafil-e-mehfil main;
Aaj hai aalam aisa;
na hum aur na yeh ruh baaki hai

The bend on the road..

"Is mod se jaate hain,, kuch sust kadam raste, kuch tez kadam raahein"



The song flows in the backdrop,, so harmlessly and inanely,, but yet so meaningful, so deep..


Life indeed is a bend; sometimes too sharp, sometimes just enough to give you a slight jolt..

Had it not been for these recursive jerks, we would be just submerged in the mindless monotoniety that engulfs us... The endless sequence of mundane jobs, the bliss of living and enjoying this inertia...
This routine and the mundaneness just makes you wait for the right turn, the right direction, the right path..
The tired steps avert these turns , the frightful souls avoid..
For them, this monotony seems bliss, A bliss that excludes them from making decisions, choosing their own course, being accountable for one's own self...

But then there are steps that manouvre their path, their own way;
The bends are opportunities , the unknown, the key to myriad treasures...

This bend on the road is for you to seek, to explore, to search,,,
So rise over this inertia and acclaim the treasure it holds for you!!!