There is only so much liberal arts crap that you can dish out to your mother

Trust mothers to put a bit of common-sense into a liberal-arts lecture...

अब और कितने स्टेशन बाक़ी हैं?

इक्कीस फ़रवरी का टिकट,         

जेब में छुट्टे पैसे खोजना.         

एक गरम कप कॉफ़ी में,         

एक हज़ार बातें घोलना.          

पल-पल की पाबंदी है,          

क्या बात कहें, क्या जानें दें?          

और उसपर भी ये तय करना,          

समझायें या समझानें दें?         

अब भारी मन से चढ़ तो गए,          

जाने की भी मजबूरी है.          

तुम रुक जाओ, हम साथ चलें,          

कितनी लम्बी ये दूरी है.         

ये किस्सा सुन शायद दुनिया,          

हंस-हंस कर पागल हो जाए.          

रोने से फुर्सत कहाँ हमें,          

कि उनको जज़्बा समझायें.          

है गला रुंधा और सिर भारी,          

वरना उनको समझाते हम.          

हर प्लेटफ़ॉर्म पर बिछड़-बिछड़,          

फिर दूजे पे मिल जाते हम.          

How does one celebrate seven years of not running out of words to say to each other? By holding hands over a humble cup of coffee on the railway station as we continue talking. At railway stations all over the country, we have had inconsolable, heart-breaking farewells; only to poetically reunite on similar railway stations at a later date. Movie scripts can only aspire to match this sort of drama. (The comic relief we provide to the general public is a bonus feature.) Darling, what other love can I aspire to? You have set the benchmark too high.

The thin line between comedy and tragedy

Laughter and applause. What a crowd, what a night! But they won't let him leave without one last wisecrack. The jester sighs behind his painted smile. And fishes in his little bag of tragedies to craft one more joke for the night...

The element of surprise in love...

Bus 119

I was at Infy, Mysore in 2007. Just as the clock struck 5, hoards of happy Infoscions escaped the cubicles, via Food court 1 and boarded bus #119 on their way to freedom. 

This was the year Puneet Raj Kumar's "Ninninndale" was being played everywhere. I heard this song so many times on the bus, I actually began to like it. Even today, this song brings back to mind those days of travelling from Hebbal to Myna auntie's house via Bharat Cancer, Vijaynagar, Surya bakery, Fab mall...

Mahishasuramardini

The trouble with watching an awesome dance performance live is that one begins to feel very left out and ostracized by the end of it. I know!! Petty me! But to watch breathtaking choreography without being a part of it in anyway is my idea of a desperate personal hell.

And sometimes desperation is another name for inspiration. Hoohaahaaaaa...

Hide and seek