The words “I“, “me”, “identity”, and others like them are the most intriguing in the lexicon of human communication. They span across languages and civilizations, and the task of defining (let alone applying) such words has been attempted by billions upon billions of people. It requires a brutally and beautifully honest survey of everything that exists and how one exists within it all. Prejudices and arrogance mix with trauma and achievement. Growth and maturity coexist beside nostalgia and youthful exuberance. It all pressures the seams of existence to that point of almost-close-to-bursting-but-still-barely-holding that defines the human condition. Change occurs while one clings to a conception of “self“. But does “self” change, too? Thoreau proclaimed that “Things do not change; we change,” but distinguishing between we and things is the eternal quest of humanity. Maybe, they are one in the same, or maybe it does not matter at all. But it is unavoidable, so we carry on. The pen still drags, the mouth still moves, the brain still ponders, and the projection continues upon a white infinite space that exists moment by moment. Or so, I think.
Monthly Archives: April 2010
Persons
Innumerable discussions
Begging at the request of their opinions
To be caught by ears
Anybody’s ears
But still some more than others
From one to another
Words mingle in fractal humanity
Frustration, hysteria, laughter
A spectrum of souls
And there I sat breathing every morsel in
With clocks ticking, mouths sprinting, ears opening and closing
Souls, hearts, and minds traversing differences and commonalities
Burning bright
“Hey you awake?”
“Yup, so what time are you gonna reach….Hmm.. how about sometime around 6:30ish.. Ok cool..see ya then.”
“Hey you reached yet?? Nopes..waiting..ok..stay put..we are gonna pick you up.. hmm..pretty darn cool if you ask me!”
“So, what about now? Err.. how about some early breakfast? Like? South-Indian re.. ok”
“Dude..just park it..no worries, its early morning…well if you insist.”
“Bhaiya, ek vada-idli, ek idli aur ek upma aur ha ek chai bhi.”
“Darn it man what are they waiting for – a chief guest for inauguration or what!! — &!@#$ – about time..they opened – bhaiya, 1000 ka petrol dena”
“Haha..paisa nahi hain…no worries got some; lets head out before the traffic intensifies..”
“Abe..where’s the stereo – WHAT!!!”
“ Ohh…see -see there’s an ATM!! Yeah..chal nikal”
“Hey dude- look to your left, there’s ParleG’s factory—could you roll down the windows so I can smell it – pagal hain kya?? No ways man – A/C chal raha hain..hmm”
You know what’s more ironic is we are heading out to bask under sun.
“Usko puch..arre puch na.. – yeah..take the left its right! ahem-ahem”
“So where do you wanna go, Sanman?” – No too early better head out to the beach..
“Hey you coming kya?? No you guys go ahead”
“I’m gonna go and sit under the shade – coming kya?”
“What time they gonna come out of the damn sea – look there they are—good.”
“So, shall we go to Sanman then??”
“Arre..lets have a few pomfrets @Mahesh Lunch home na..ok”
“Hey lets sit under the fan na?” – So the family man sitting suddenly voiced –there’s also a fan there- wonder what was his problem had we sat next to his table.
Yes sir, what would you like to have ?
“How about four plates of pomfrets – and a ‘soulcurry’ (konkan health drink)”
“Its piping hot..yeah I know that’s what makes it more tasty” — I devoured it as a feline. My peers as humans.
“Yummmy.”
Now we shall drink to it – gulp-gulp-gulp-gulp!
“Another naka! –arre bas bi karo – so how many tolls did we pay?- hmm..”
“Ok, so we are here..wait let me ask exactly where it is”
“Bhaiya – woh sanman hotel – machli wala kidhar hain?”
“Just go straight, it will be on the right after 4 mins – wait – I see you got a car – then it shall take less than 2 mins” – hmm..talk about observant people!
“Yes…finally!!”
“Suno bhaiya, 4 plates of pomfrets as starters”
By this time, our neighbouring tables have been served numerous times with a different set of customers.
“Anything else sir?”
“No just the bill.”
“Haha..we’ve outdone ourselves yet again.”
So what were we talking about?
RECAP: Last time, gang minus me with a fellow vegetarian (count as 5) managed to get a bill less than ours (read as 4 )
“Haha..look at his paunch – I tell you its gonna explode! – no wonder; the amount of food he just ate!”
“Ok, lets head out to the beach now…”
“Too hot re..no re..lets go back to Pune…dhyat..no lets go..ok baba.”
“Hey..what sight re..lets park here..no lets head out a bit more..”
Patience, I tell you…
“Magnificent…Awesome..magni-some.”
So we started walking under the blazing sun soaking in the tranquil environment. Till we reached the end of the shore..This till date has been the most beautiful beach I’ve ever been to.
We sat quietly witnessing one of the marvels of nature. Waves after waves crashing against the rocks. No respite from the burning sun, we simply sat there. Just sat there.
“Let’s head back…”
“Hey hey..lets play a bit with the sand..”
Sand sculptors, and enthusiast were my friends.
From making sun, to multi-tunnel to a fellow passionate photographer who attentively managed to click pictures of a living shell.
“Hmm..hungry kya?”
“Yeah…omelet ..hmm..pakode..lays..aur aur..hmmm..ok let it be just that .”
Indianized beaches help, I tell you!
The weather was cooling down a bit, but we needed to head back.
So I slept as the car found its way to the express-way and the day was no longer burning bright.
