WeConnect on WeChat

              College days are the best days of life. Or so they say. You make friends for life, you live a carefree life, you could give anything to go back to that time. I didn't even want to think about my college. I pushed back those memories to the remotest corner of my mind. Each day I walked further away from those thoughts. So far away that I thought it would never come back to me. Not in this lifetime.
              That afternoon, I sat by the window watching the patterns the rain made on the glass panes. It was that hour of the day that I had to myself. That precious time which I used to ponder over the simple joys of life. To look at the lush green that adorned my garden, to feel the wind in my hair, to smell the roses I nurtured. It was in those moments of simplicity that my mind wove complex tales. Tales which when turned to paper earned me my bread and butter. It was ironic how that professional college churned out a writer.
              "Mummaa, see what I installed!!" my son came running from his room. This gadget freak son of mine! My smart phone had apps that I  had no idea about. I would fidget around with basics of the phone and he would master it in no time.
              "No more games! Did it charge you anything?"
              "It's a free app Mumma. Its WeChat. Didn't you see the advertisement? Now you can chat with anyone, anywhere. You can even leave voice messages." He started explaining how the app worked.
              "You know I don't chat with anyone. Let me delete this." I said
              He looked crestfallen and I had no heart to delete it looking at his face.
         
              I was working on the weekly column when the phone beeped. It was a voice message on WeChat. It was my dear husband sending me a "I love you". So my son had installed it on his phone too. I quickly typed "I love you too" as I didn't have time to figure out how to send a voice message. I saw some notification on that app. I clicked to see what it was. The names made me nervous. They were recommended friends. Friends? No way!
              " I think you should talk to them." My son Daan was peeking over my shoulders
              "What did I tell you about not reading other's messages Daan?" I tried to ignore his remark.
              "Oh come on Mumma, you never talk to any of your old friends. Start now."
              Before I could think of anything, he quickly clicked the "Add" button. There it all started!

               "OMG!!! Is this you Maithili?? Really!!" Manasi pinged the very next second.
              "Hey Hi.." I replied, my hands trembling.
               She started Live Chat.
               "Heloo! Where are you?" She asked in her usual chirpy tone. We used to often tease her about her  voice. I still remembered the way she sang the Vicco turmeric jingle as a part of our first year introduction challenge.
               "Right here. How are you?" I mumbled. It was strange to start a conversation like that. We never really asked anything like that as friends!
               " I m good. You became a writer I heard. Not that you had to "BECOME". You always were. But I was kind of hoping that I would get to know it from you. You know I always thought we were meant to last till the end. Have those girly parties and keep talking for hours and hours and hours" She kept on blabbering.
               "Manasi make sure she hasn't slept." A soft velvety voice intervened. Instantly I knew it was Akshata. The singer in our group. The years hadn't taken away the charm of her vocal chords.
               " Why did you not come to the reunion?" It was one person I could not bear to hear. Nupura. She joined too when Akshata added her.
               "Isn't it clear that she didn't want to keep contact with you guys?" a male spoke. Vihaan..
               "Or maybe she didn't think we would ever forget that night." Karan joined the conversation.
 No matter how much I replayed this scene in my mind, I could not keep from crying. The 5 people I loved so much. The 5 people who took away everything from me. The 5 people from whom I hid for 10 long years.
                "Why are you guys asking me where I was? Did you ever care? Did you all even think about the consequences of your actions?" I shouted in fury. How dare they blame me for evading them?
                 Nupura: Did you care about what you did to me?
                 Me: I have told you a million times that I did not do it purposely. I was drunk! Don't you get it?
                 Nupura: You kissed him right in front of me. What do you expect me to say?
                 Karan: That entire wild night before the farewell was a bad idea. It was my fault that I got her drunk Nupura.
                 Nupura: That guy was a jerk. He wasn't drunk to do that. But you were my friend. It hurt me and you of all people should know that I don't talk until  I have healed.
                Me: Not just you but the entire gang isolated me. Why? Because I confessed, in my drunken boldness, what I thought of him? I fancied him alright. With Manasi and Akshata being so close and Vihaan and Karan being like peas in a pod, I just had no one I could talk to about it. I could not confide in anyone and then you all get me drunk and I spill my heart out. What do you guys do? Leave me all alone.
               Manasi: It was weird. We didn't want to take sides and mess up but we couldn't handle it either.
               Me: You all ignored me on the farewell and I was kept aside. No one even noticed me walking away. My friends just dumped 4 years of friendship for one mistake.
              Vihaan: We could have come around Maithili. We would have. Didn't your walking away make it worse?
              Me: What would anyone do if they were blamed for the suicide attempt of their best friend? There was contempt in your eyes. I felt like a murderer. My friendship was hanged without any trial. I had no chance to justify or defend myself. I endured my punishment in silence but did that help? No! The entire college treated me like I had blood on my hands.
              I could hear her sobbing  as soon as I completed my sentence. There! I was the bad guy again.
           Nupura: I admit I was weak. I shouldn't have taken that extreme step. I could have reacted better but I wasn't the tough one. I broke down emotionally with that heartbreak. I did not have it in me to accept it and move on right then. That relation kept slipping through my fingers. I could see that he was hitting on you. I could see he was no longer into me. I could see his wandering eyes and yet I chose to IGNORE it. You having feelings for him was the last straw. It blew away that secure shack or whatever it was. 
            Me: I m relieved that you at least see now  that I did not steal your guy.
            Nupura: I m glad that I walked tall and didn't go behind him. I m in a much happier place now.
            Manasi: Oh! How could I forget to tell you this? Do you know that I m married?
            Me: Haha I did not hope for any less. Who did you marry huh? (Trust her to ease the tension!)
            Manasi: You know him already. Make a guess.
            Me: I hardly remember anyone other than the 5 of you. Oh wait! Are you telling me he is among us?
            Manasi: Yes!!!
            Vihaan: Its me, Vihaan!
            Me: What??? Vihaan? Seriously? How? Why?
            Manasi: What do you mean why? 
            Me: I mean why did he fall in love with you so late :P
            Vihaan: Correction. I just told her late. I thought I had no chance. What with all her dreamy notions!
            Me: Well this is a huge surprise. What about the rest of  you?
            There was no response and I understood that the idiots were all trying to press the talk button at the same time. Some things never change.
             Akshata: I married Pratz last year. We stay in Mumbai. I work in Andheri now.
             Me: Wow! Why am I not surprised? Its just how you always wanted. Well done and congrats!
             Karan: I m still single and working in US. Pretty chilled life here..So yea going good.
             Me: You know I always thought Vihaan will land up like that and you will become a professor.
             Vihaan: Destiny swapped. Our college has the coolest professor ever. 
             Me: I need to pinch myself now. You and professor! Wow, now this is a shocker.
              Manasi: I almost fainted when he told me he is going to stay with me. We studied together in US and came back to work in academics.
             Me: Aha! Noble deeds!
              I hesitated to ask her. Someone had to break the ice, but who?
             Nupura: I married a chef! His name is Nirav and he works at Trident. We have a daughter. 
              I was thankful that she initiated this conversation. After the havoc that broke out last time we discussed relations, I could not muster the courage.
             Me: That is..that is just mind blowing. Chef's wife.. wow.. What's your daughter's name?
             Nupura: Mili
            There was an awkward silence. Mili was my pet name... within the group... and she kept her daughter's name after me! My emotions choked me to say anything further until Akshata broke the reverie.
             Akshata: What about you? You took every body's interview. Where have you been hiding?
             Me: The hills. Like I always wanted to.
             I knew they would understand what hills meant. It just meant I followed my passion and became a writer.
             Nupura: Married? 
             Me: Umm yes. Right after two  years out of college. I have a son. Daan.
             Manasi: You know this whole thing is great but I would prefer us all siting face to face. You all know how bad I m with technology. I must say this app is much better to use. 
             Me: I m talking to you all sitting in one corner of the world and that is just awesome right now.
             Manasi: Listen, I m carrying twins.
             Me: I just cannot believe this. All those conjoined strawberries you ate! They worked!!!
             Manasi: You can say that they are fruits of our labor. Well jokes apart, next month is the baby shower. Karan is coming home for holidays. The rest HAVE to be there. You better bring yourself and your family here. 
             Me: I will try my best.
             Daan shouted in the background, "We will come!"
             My boy was getting excited to meet the five people I thought I will never miss. I knew I had to make this trip for them and for us...
                                             

            This is my entry for Indiblogger's contest with WeChat. 
           
              

Summer Training

               She alighted from the bus number 186 which she took daily to the office from station. "Last day" she thought. She looked like a panic striken puppy the first day she took this bus.  She even missed her stop as she was sitting on the fourth seat of the crowded bus. "That is an industrial area and the bus is full of worker people. Stay careful with your bag and sit near the window seat. Cover yourself well." her mother had instructed her on the first day. Within 3 days she even knew the timings of the bus and reached bang on time to catch the 9 AM bus. She didn't think she would become so used to this route and the place she was assigned for training.
               Myra had just completed her third year and spending her summer time training in Frenkie pharma. She was apprehensive when she had come to know that she was the only girl from her class placed there. The entire class was getting trained atleast in  a group of three. She had to go to this company all alone. She was nervous at the start of the training but in a few days adapted to the firm like a fish takes to water. She loved working there and the people she was working under were benevolent and ever enthusiastic to teach her new skills. She couldn't thank her luck enough to be here. She looked forward to going there everyday and even though she came home drained of energy, she was happy.
               She would miss it. Miss the motherly nature of her mentor who spent time teaching her and even talking about life to her. Miss the fine teaching skills of the assistant manager who taught her as if he were making a kid understand the concepts! Miss the confidence of the executives  in her,  who assigned her so many tasks and yet always keep a watch that she wasn't overwhelmed. She would even miss the observing eye of the manager who was the most experienced lady on the staff.
               As she entered, the watchman made an entry of the time as usual and waved with a smile. She ventured into the lift and pressed for the second floor but the lift wouldn't move. She came out to ask the watchman but he wasn't at the desk. She took the stairs instead of waiting for him to return.
               It was Monday morning and it looked like the house keeping didn't clean. The stairs were dusty. It was an old office built way back in 1949 and most of the things about the office remained the same. The only modern things in there were the AC and the equipments. The office had wooden tables, not cubicles. The chairs were wooden with matted plastic seats. Cushions were put on the seat and back to make it more comfortable. The telephones were the kind which Myra had seen only in her early childhood. The one where the numbers weren't pressed but moved :P She guessed they still used it because it worked fine!
                                             

              She was in for a shock when she moved in to the quality control department. All the furniture was covered with white cloth. The department was crowded with spider webs and dust. She couldn't breathe as she suffocated in the stench emanating from that room. She was scared out of her wits! What the hell happened in the two days she didn't come here? 

            She ran from the department and rushed downstairs. The desk of the watchman was empty and there were no ledgers either. Her heart came into her mouth when she felt a hand on her shoulder. 

        " Madam, madam! What are you doing here?" asked an old watchman. She stared at him hard but couldn't recognise who he was. 

        " where is everybody? What happened  here?" she stuttered.

        " Madam yaha koi nahi ata!!"  ( Madam no one comes here ) The watchman smiled.

        "What? Who are you?" she asked. Was this man crazy!!

        " I m the new guard here. The owners are finally going to build a five star hotel here. The building will be demolished tomorrow."

        "What about the company? Where have the people gone?" She asked trying to overcome her disbelief.

        " Madam this company was closed 20 years back after a fire broke out and killed all the employees inside." He replied gravely.

        Myra laughed. 

        "You are out of your mind. I come here daily since last one month. I work in the lab upstairs with the people here and you say company closed down! I take the damn 186 bus every day right outside this office and not once this company was closed!" 

        " Madam you are the one out of your mind. There is no 186 bus. It stopped 20 years back. It was dedicated bus to this area but after all companies here shut shop, the bus service too was discontinued. This company was the last to close down. They did not agree to sell and finally the fire made them leave this place.I used to work for a company next to this that time and I have seen it with my own eyes" 

          Myra could feel it was a delusion. She would wake up any moment and laugh about it. Either this man was crazy or some joke is being played. Today was the last day and she was going to collect her certificate and stipend. She didn't need this terrible joke. She walked towards the gate and then she saw it... 

          Right next to the small exit gate was a board containing pictures of all the employees who died in the brutal fire. Total 56 employees. In 1993.. And she saw the smiling faces of all the people of the quality control department.. She was working with them all this month... 

         She looked at the bigger entrance gate. It said in bold and large font " R.L Hotel properties". 

          She looked at the window of the quality control department which overlooked the road. The window pane was broken.. And she saw 5 people waving at her... Then they were no more there...

        

One last time..

          It was past midnight when the cellphone beeped. For a moment she thought it was her alarm going off and woke up with a start. She checked her phone and realised  it Jay who had messaged her. "Strange! This late in the night on a  weekday? Must have been partying!" she thought. The text read,
              "I m on your terrace. Come up fast."
         Was she dreaming? Should she pinch herself and confirm like they show in the movies? Jay coming up on her terrace to meet her like some bollywood romantic film hero was sooo out of question! But then he never texted her late in the night ever. Was this some prank? Just as she was about to call him and ask him what the matter was, her screen flashed " Incoming call- Jay".
         "Riya you will freeze me in this cold yaar. Come soon."
          Okay  now she was all excited. She snapped the phone shut. Quickly combed her hair and hurriedly applied lip balm. She pulled on a shrug and checked herself in the mirror. Maybe this was going to be one the most romantic days of her life!
          She tiptoed out of her room and sneaked to the terrace of their house.
          Jay stood there smiling at her. So this really was a surprise and not a prank!
         
           He was wearing the red tshirt which she had gifted him. He didn't wear that often because he thought it looked too bright. They had argued on it so many times. She loved the colour on him but he couldn't see that. His gaze was fixed on her as she slowly walked towards him. There was something special about him today. Like the way he was looking at her as if devouring each moment. The way his face shone in the moonlight. It was pitch dark except for the lone lamp (which stood the damage from cricket balls) on the terrace. As she stood close to him, so many questions in her mind, he slightly stroked her hair.
           "Jay what has happened to you?" she asked when she noticed he hadn't once spoken.
           "Just watching you." he smiled shyly.
           "So what's the occasion?" she raised her eyebrow.
            He traced her brow with his finger.
            " I always wondered how you raise only one of your eyebrow."
            They both giggled.
           He walked her towards the swing on the terrace and gently sat her down. He sat  besides her silently.
         "You always wanted me to be romantic right? Sorry I wasn't the kind you wanted." He said
         "Jay I never meant it like that. Ofcourse I would have liked if you did something special once in a while but you don't have to be sorry. Its not a prime requirement." She replied wondering where this conversation was heading. Was he upset ? Was he going to leave her over that ?
          "You could have always found someone who could do that for you. But you stood by me. Through the years we were together. I should have tried to meet your expectations. I didn't."
          " Jay please don't start this.."
          "Shh.. I will make it upto you today.. For all that I didn't say.."
          " I m bad at expressing myself. I always was. I never told you how much I liked it when you always took efforts to make all the occasions special. I like the way you get excited about every little thing. The way you remember all important days for me. The way you pray for me. I like that I can always count on you to wait for me. The way you melt away with just a few smileys that I send you. I like the way you always click loads of pictures and store random things just for the sake of memories. I like the way you are are beaming with happiness right now."
           Oh my God! Was this Jay who was telling all this? She hugged him. She was teary eyed. How silly her tears were. Flowing away after hearing all that she had waited to hear from him.
           "Riya you are beautiful and I m lucky to have found you. Don't ever doubt that okay?"
            He then sat on his knees and rested his head on her lap. She gently stroked his hair.
           "Riya you should paint more often. I know you are studying something else but this is were your passion is. Let yourself free with your hobby. It makes you happy and don't lose it for anything. Don't worry about what others think of you. You are awesome the way you are. Don't fret too much about how others will react to your decisions. Promise me you will never compromise on your choices."
            " I promise. Jay its as if you are giving me a goodbye speech. Its freaking me."
            " Riya, you remember you liked a book in hobby ideas showroom? The one which had pictures of couples in every stage of life? Well I wanted to make something like that for you and I think I succeeded to an extent. Its not as good but here it is." He handed her a crimson red album.
             What could she ask for more? Her joy knew no bounds when she saw the collection. So many photographs of them together with quotes on each. Most of them were clicked by her but there were some which she hadn't seen! OMG Jay had clicked them without her knowing it. It was the best gift of her life from Jay.
            "Remember Riya the day when you asked me what I would do if you were dead? I told you I would cry some days and then move on. You were so pissed that day. Riya truly that was what I would do. I m telling you that what you should do when I m no more there with you. Move on to better things. Better people and better opportunities. Cry for the person and smile for the memories and then leave it behind to make new ones."
            "Jay I wouldn't.. I can't.." she was stung by his words.
            "You have to.." He looked straight into her eyes. He stood up and kissed her forehead.
            She closed her eyes and when she opened it she was alone. On a swing that was gently rocking.
                                             

          Seconds later she got a call. She knew this was meant to be a prank!! Jay is sooo going to pay for this.
         It was "Incoming call Jay."
         "Jay where the hell are you?"
         "Riya, Varun here. Jay was in an accident on his way home."
         "What? Where is he?" Riya was shrieking.
         "He is no more. He passed away few seconds back."
         "Hello Riya, are you there???"

         She frantically checked her phone records. She hadn't deleted anything. Yet there was no record of Jay calling her at midnight and neither the text message.
          

Tears of destruction

             They say never let a woman's tear seep into the ground. So much has this thought been ingrained in the culture of this land that it is a phrase to say, "Why make a girl's tear touch the earth" to convey that " why hurt a girl"!
           
             It is for the lust of land that great wars are waged. Blinded by the riches of the lush green earth and a quest for power,  many a great kingdoms have dwindled. This is one such story..

             They all lived in a joint family as people did in those days. Two brothers and their respective families. Their house overlooked a large verandah covered with the rich red soil of the region. Rows of ropes ran parallel to the periphery of the compound. Clothes washed on stone in one corner of the house were put to dry on these ropes and were promptly dried courtesy the smiling sun.
             The fields surrounded the house on all sides. A narrow path led from the house and through the fields onto the main road that took one to the market. The land was bountiful and acres of field bestowed plenty of grains to establish the house as the most prominent of those times. Happy as the superficial facade may seem, all was not well within the house.
              One of the brothers was not happy sharing the riches with the other. Jealousy and greed claimed all fraternal feelings. The  burning desire to become the lord of the house and thereby the richest man of the village engulfed his thoughts day and night. He was waiting for the right opportunity to strike and he found one soon.
            The people in the house were out in the fields. In those days the field work was done by the members of the house itself. Field labors were few. The elder brother returned home in the afternoon sooner than others and the younger one, who always kept a tab on his movements, followed him stealthily.
             Without delay, he killed the elder brother in one swift movement of the field sickle. He was yet to withdraw his sickle when he heard the sharp cry of a woman in the house. His elder brother's wife had seen the cold blooded murder of her husband by her brother-in-law. She came out rushing and her cries made others in the field alert. The younger brother quickly dumped his sickle and acted equally shocked. The poor woman cried and pined for justice for the ruthless killing of her husband by his brother. The family did nothing and turned a deaf ear. Not only were they aware of the devious schemes of the younger brother, they also defended him. They pushed out the widow from the house in the scorching summer heat.
             The house was fully aware of the power the younger one yielded and who was capable of killing anyone who dared to cross his path. Maybe it was to safeguard their own position in the house or maybe it was to save the widow ( after all she had to look after her children) from being killed, the rest of the family participated in this grave injustice.
              Broken, hurt beyond measure and left to her own devices, the poor woman along with her children walked through the narrow road. As she crossed the compound, her tears dampened the earth and the clothes drying on the ropes caught fire...
             Too consumed by her sorrow, she kept on walking, her kids following her through the maze of roads in the fields. Her tears soaked the mother earth in sorrow so much that the entire stretch, the woman passed through, became barren. It is now a  wilderness what was once a treasure of a land.
            They say, years after the woman left the house, no one could still put clothes to dry on ropes in that compound. They caught fire as soon as they were put. The family gradually deteriorating in wealth as the land refused to bear grains. The descendants of the house were falling sick or meandered on wrong paths before they vanished completely. No known descendants survived. As to what happened to the wronged woman and her children is little known..
            And they say.. Never let a woman's tear seep into  the ground...
             
             

From a far away land..

              Stories live forever. Sometimes they evolve in the years that they pass through. Sometimes they are preserved in the papyrus scrolls of time, untouched. The most lasting and creative form of passing on a story is by the word of mouth. I call it most creative because as the story travels from one teller to the other, each receiver adds his own perceived or imagined bit and gives it a new turn or paints it in a new shade.
              I get drawn to stories like a moth to flame. It could be my imaginations or some eavesdropping abilities that make for most of my own stories.
              I fancy the pictures showing an all knowing grandma, who sits by in the evening surrounded by her grandchildren, telling tales of a distant land. The tales that the past generation has to offer is often full of mystery and magic. Maybe it was just the lack of understanding of certain sciences or maybe there was magic!! Nevertheless these stories are enthralling!
              Why am I giving a backdrop to my story writing and listening history? Well, my stating the above things will probably make it easier for you to digest the story I m about to tell. The story isn't mine to explain the details and answer doubts. It is something which came to me from a man in his 90s right now. I happened to have been an audience by chance. Strangely, out of the people there who were actually sitting around him, the story found its way to someone who did not know this gentleman. Yes, it was me. Somewhere, somehow this story came to me and in a far away land it is getting delivered to many through this blog. Then there are stories which you need to listen and imbibe without worrying about the details...

               In Mangalore, almost every house worships a spirit. Yes, besides the 33000 crore dieties, it is a custom to worship the spirit known as bootas. This boota is not "bhoot" but a guardian spirit. Legend states that these bootas are actually the herd of Lord Shiva. While Lord Shiva decided to make the Kailash his abode, his herd travelled further south and settled in the kingdom of Nagas. There are places of worship for Nagas in Mangalore. It is said that through Naga worship, we please the Nagas from whom the land was claimed for human settling. Naga and Boota are given more importance in terms of rituals than other dieties. Each house has a guardian spirit. Each family line has a guardian spirit and every community has a guardian spirit. In a land, so rich with spirit worship, it is not unbelievable that spirits make their presence felt.
               A small village of poor peasants was settled near this water body. As to when and how this pond came into being, no one knows. The depth of this pond has been of great mystery. The correct depth has never been found out.
              The pond was said to have a spirit. A benevolent spirit at that. It was unusual to worship a water body without evidence of its powers and powers it mighty had!
             It is said that decades ago, the father of a girl cried. He was too poor to marry off his daughter. How could a father give his daughter in marriage without a piece of jewellery on her wedding day? It is common to wear jewellery of relatives on the wedding day and return it after the grand feast in such communities. It is common knowledge that the girl's family cannot afford to adorn her with riches. But years back it might have been a social stigma to ask for someone's jewellery and hence this father was in distress.
The spirit in the pond, unable to stop the stream of tears passing into it, decided to intervene. It presented the jewels on the banks much to the delight of the poor farmer.
              The wedding was done and the farmer true to his nature returned the jewellery on the banks of the pond. From this incident onwards, the poor girls of the settlement shed their precious tears in desire of getting married with glory. The spirit never failed to help.
              Over the years, daughters of the settlement were honorably married and then returned their present to the pond. Human mind, with all its desires and ambitions, often succumbs to greed. This was bound to happen with the bounties the pond offered. One poor peasant girl, dazzled by the jewellery and blinded by the naive desires, with held a nose ring. What was the pond supposed to know!  A small nose ring wouldn't make a huge difference to the bounty the pond had bestowed. Or so she thought. Little did she know the consequences of her foolishness and the ire that she invoked.
             The spirit, angered by the show of dishonesty, never ever helped anyone.

            It is said that the pond is calm. It never harms anyone near the banks. Women wash clothes sitting by the banks. The harmless looking pond is furious otherwise. Anything that goes into it is thrown out, charred. The reason for the burning of things is not known and the heaviest of the things thrown in, come out floating.
           It  once happened that a woman was washing clothes sitting by the sides of the pond. Her detergent bar just slipped and in a bid to lay hands on it she lost her balance and fell into the pond. 2 men from her family ran to her rescue. None of the three could be saved. The pond pulled them deep inside and threw out the bodies.. charred..

            Mysterious, isn't it? I could think of so many reasons to analyse why things might be happening. Maybe there was someone who overheard the plea of the peasant and offered to help. A good Samaritan maybe!
          Maybe the pond has geothermal energy.. Maybe it pulls down object due to some force and throws it out later as a balancing act. But the theories don't hold as much charm as the lore passed on... :)

         If one introspects further, the underlying message is clear. The spirits, no matter how benevolent, were cheated by the treacherous human greed. Nature gets back too! You just cannot take anything for granted.. Do not invoke the ire of someone just because they have been good to you :) 

Mirror Image..

               It was past midnight when Rita was done with the last chapter. It was the last exam of the semester. Good, Rita thought. She was done with the syllabus and could revise in the morning. Mentally she made plans of going to the movies after the exam was done." Once the exam is done I m going to sleep straight 12 hours!" she decided.
               She rose from her chair and stretched herself. She carefully tucked the notes in her bag, took a sip of water and headed to the washroom. She was ready to sleep and then she saw her hair comb on the bed. The dressing table was right opposite to her bed. Making an effort, she walked to the dressing table and stared at the mirror.
               A week of sleep deprivation had made her eyes look weary and deep dark circles around them.
Then she saw the circles deepening around her eyes and her eyes almost popping out of those deep hollows. She touched her eyes but the image didn't.
               Then she saw her mirror image smiling at her....

Some food for thought

           I remember being once told by a teacher of mine that going to the temple in Kalyug will amount to "punya" or good points equivalent to praying daily in any other time :P
           I wondered if God had some kind of excel sheet with our names and entered points against it. :P Years later the same thought came back to me. Only the situation and people were different.
         
           On Tuesday ( For loss of memory on what special day that was, I will refer it as a special Tuesday :D ) there was some game scoring event in the court of Lord Ganesh.
           If you fast on this particular day, it is equivalent to fasting on 18 tuesdays. Or so they say.
     
           One of my very God fearing and religious friend decided to take advantage of the situation. The day started with a positive note for her as she could not finish her breakfast :P
           The rest of the day she could snack on "upvas" chips. Yea, the same ones which also can be eaten as "diet" chips. Get the logic?
           I asked her why she was keeping the fast and she replied, " It is equivalent to fasting for 18 days and also I get to eat special sweets once I go home."
           Come lunch time and the canteen fellow made Sabudana vada for the religious and starving students. Do I need to tell he make a good profit that day? So my friend devoured on the Sabudana vadas for lunch followed by dessert. I questioned the hypocrisy of the whole situation only to be shut up by another one who said " Aye, Upvas me ye sweet dish chalta hai". Point to be noted- The said sweet dish is a Bengali sweet laiden with calories which exceed half the the calorie requirements for the day.
           The day at college ended with a fruit to have enough energy to board the train back home.

           some other day.
             Three of us stood at the platform waiting for the train. I had a packet of peanuts in hand. I gave the other two half of them. A little girl came begging to us.
            The fasting, religious one gobbled up her share at the sight of the girl. I gave the girl my packet of peanuts. The other friend offered me half the share of what I had given her, while someone tried to swallow with difficulty :P
           It saved us both the calories and a little girl snacked happily on our share of calories :D

           Rather than starving yourself (which you obviously do not), feeding someone else is more fulfilling. Keeping accounts of punya is not your job and there definitely is no monsoon sale on it going on! 
                    
           Recently I heard a radio jockey say, " The value of money increases when you share"
           If you buy lunch for yourself for Rs 1000, the value of that money is just Rs 1000.
           If you buy lunch for 4 other people in that same Rs 1000, its value increases to Rs 5000 because you are feeding not just yourself, but 4 other people!
           Beautiful thought, isn't it?
           Share while you have the capacity to share. Its not in everybody's destiny to be a giver :)