DURGA PUJO – comes in every year to bring in the gift of life.

~ Sondher Aalo te, Misti Hashi, Ekta Sugran, Shankho Dhwani Te Bore Eelo Ma’er pran
Ponchami er bela te, mon ta ma’er jone osthir hoye othee.

Today, is panchami, as the Bengali community gears up to welcome the mighty Durga Ma, this year too would be special just like others. I’ve learnt with whatever little experience I have of living the grand festival that each Durga pujo brings in something new to life, a meaning or even a new beginning. Every time when Ma comes she brings in a miracle for everybody. For some it’s the sheer joy of celebrating this epic festival with families and friends, for some it’s the reconnect with the holy deity, some enjoy the glamour and the grandeur associated with it, some the simplicity, some are bowled over with the appearance of Durga ma, and some just lose themselves in her devotion. The list goes on.

But with years I’ve realized whenever Ma comes she brings in a small gift, at least that how I see it. Be it be strength to live a new life or the experience of the mystical Shimla Durga badi, the manifestation of the seed of photography or the realization of being responsible, gift of hosts of friends, the memoirs of those four-five days, adda and cha at 2.00am in the morning, sitting on chairs, saying nothing at all , dozing off but still not heading home, reuniting with school and college mates, surprises about their lives and realizing so much time has gone by yet the friendship continues like the fragrance of sandalwood. The long lists of dresses, what to wear when, coordinating with friends making sure no two people turn up in the same dress, hanging out in large groups and becoming the central point of discussion for the people around, trying out food from every stall, serving bhog, returning at 4 in the evening to step out at 7 again. No rest, no sleep just adda and fun. Underlying this lies the hidden facts of forgiving enemies, meeting lost friends, making new ones, starting new relationships, planting new memoirs, looking at your past as a bad dream and stepping forward for the new one, waking up everyday with the fragrance of Ma, dressing to welcome her, bowing in front of her with folded arms and feeling her warmth and love filling up your soul. Souls getting cleansed with the aroma of dhunochi and the melody of the dhak. Dancing for Ma, to express your affection, slowly losing yourself in the devotion, losing you rhythm, your rhyme to her song. The feeling of losing yourself to ma is so effervescent and enormous; it’s difficult to describe it in words. The glow and the aura makes you speechless, it’s divine.

Durga Pujo comes every year to bring in the gift of life with dhak er awaaz, dhunochi er sugran, misti khawa, sidhur khela.. And many more. Durga Pujo was special every year; let’s see what Ma how Ma makes it special this year.

The lonely road, not so lonely anymore.....

It’s been sometime that I’ve walked the lonely road. Set amongst the millions of colonies in Delhi, the road seems ordinary, starting from a bent leading to another world. By the looks it is a regular road. Enduring the test of time, some would say it sure is never lonely. Surely it might sound a little absurd that a road can be lonely. But if someone decides to meet the road post 8’o’clock, it’s a different story. Lined by variety of houses on one side, some big, some small, some has children some has songs, some has memories and some just stand along. Lined with trees on the other side, trees which become his pals, trees which help him play; trees which make him feel less lonely. As you walk along the road, the silence of the night might surprise you. The night, a very silent and peaceful night, displaying the songs of the stars and the dance of the moon. Together with the road I notice the changing tempo of the glamorous performance of the heavens. A performance which takes place everyday, but we are so busy in our lives that we hardly get to notice it. It was as if it was just done for the road. To bring up that smile, to make it feel loved, to make it less lonely.

The road welcomes each and everyone with open arms every morning. Wanting nothing in return. Cars, scooters pass over, dogs laze around. It plays the game of hide-and-seek with the shadows of the trees. Moring is always fun, with people bustling with the joy of life, but it’s the night which becomes lonely. As the road waits for someone.

As I walk passed the trees mesmerized with its story. A thought crossed my mind; today the lonely road wasn’t really lonely. I was there, there to share the mystical experiences of the night, there to listen to its whining bright, there to acknowledge the beauty of it all shinning bright.

The lonely road, not so lonely anymore.

2nd Bengali Poem.. TUMIIIIIIIIIIII

Tumi hain tumi..
Tomay jaani ki aami ?
Khothaye tumi ?
Ke tumi ?
Tomay jaani ki aami?
Koto kotha
Koto dukho
Tomaye sobh bolte eecha kore
Kintu..
Tomay jaani ki aami ?

Roj aalo aasche, kintu tumi toh aascho na..
Roj hawa chole, kintu tumi toh aascho noye..
Keno tomay dekte eecha hoye ?
Keno tumi noye ?
Tumi hain tumi..
Tomaye ki jaani aami ?

Chobita puro noye..
Aakash ta shoboj hoye
Kintu
Tomaye dekte eecha hoye
Keno tumi nai
Keno tomaye dekte eecha hoye
Tumi hain tumi..
Tomaye ki jaani aami ?

Delhi Rains....

Rains, some of us like it some of us can’t stand it. But one thing which nobody can avoid is the beauty of it. Yes, true if stuck in knee deep water accompanied with an hour long jam then the beauty is not that beautiful though. Yes, yes I agree they can be a pain but what to do sometimes its fun to enjoy the pain too.

Today, the rain drops looked like hungry children screaming for food... falling on the puddle in front, one couldn't stop noticing the beauty of it. Dark clouds making rumbling noises, the crazy wind blowing everything possible, the dust that makes you squint, the smell of the ground and yet again that smile when the first drop touches you. Smile indeed, thinking and wishing if that one special one was with you to enjoy that feeling, to hold your hand, dance with you, crazy smile and laugh at you looking at that wet pony, that incredible mad hair style, then suddenly holding you up in their arms and giving you that most amazing hug. Or maybe cuddling in each others arms and watching the rain fall, making paper boats and dropping them from your balcony for them to float...or just standing alone and feeling every drop touch your soul to refresh you to the core.

So many things so many moments so many splashes, so many drops, noises around, lots of music... But the best is with your family with hot cup of coffee or tea and hot yummy pakoras yummmmm.

Enjoy every bit of life you never know maybe it’s the last drop that falls on you...........HAPPY RAINS

LOVE LOOKS

As you all know and well might have just noticed my life is all about fairytale s, hopes, and dreams and lots of it. Well other than thinking about all of this I like watching television also. Over the past few days I've seen many movies and serials concerning love, romance etc etc. I tried to ignore this particular aspect but couldn't do so for long.So here goes let me tell you this one. Every love story has those typical "love looks".Now you might be thinking what is this love look well its when suddenly the heroine or the hero get very lovy dovy and in a crowd of millions suddenly from no where give that intense look of I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.. look deep into your soul, which might be true for that particular moment while a moment back he was checking someone out... But is that normal well I really don't know people in love do such weird things its crazy. But eventually I think all these things makes love what it is .... Some say its the most beautiful thing in the world some say well its okay I can use some, some say its the best.... I say its life.... FALLING in love is one of the most beautiful feelings in the world... Lot of people have commented and expressed how they felt. But the most important things is to cherish it and live it.. one should not try to hold it coz as they say if its yours then it will stay with you always... BELIEVE IN IT.. coz if you don't love wont. A true example would be this... That day I was walking back from the gym and noticed a couple walking hand in hand .. one could make out they had stepped out to go for a walk in sports shoes and track pants and all. To my surprise it was a very old couple... but what was beautiful about it was the love they shared.. I kinda had the opportunity to hear the conversation they were having and it was beautiful... I was accompanied with some of my friends n one of them was a guy he also said "Wow this happens". The man was saying to his wife see isn't it fun walking in these new shoes. You need to walk the doctor told you to walk everyday. To which the old lady replied but you should not walk you get leg aches. the man smiled and said Its okay , walking will help you keep fit and seeing you my beautiful wife will make my pains go away... then they gave each other that ever lingering "I love you so much "look. BEAUTIFUL was that moment. I kind of always had big question mark about falling in love .. one gets hurt and all and even some get crazy.. but after this incident I know I also want to fall in love head over heals , I also want to hold the hand , I also want to get lost in the crowd among so many people from a distance give that look"I love you so much" One day yeah one day for sure

AAJ AAKASH SHEE MEGH DEKECHE (A Bengali Poem) My 1st first ever

Aaj aakash shee megh dekeche

Aaj batashe chobbi eekeche

Kobita toh likte parina kintu tomay dekte eeche ootheche

Rasta aaj khalli keno

Shobayi ki Bali gelo

Shorjo ta aaj tez keno noye

Shondeta dor keno bhai

Shob toh aaj tumi keno noye

Tomay dekte eeche hoye

Bristti hobe monoye

Tai monoye rasta ta khali hoye

Gadi gullo chala phira kore

Kintu tumi toh noye

Aaj batasche chobbi eekeche

tomay dekte eeche ootheche

A foggy winter photo

Well the Delhi fog is not a surprise element for any of us. It seems to have settled in our lives now. Some enjoy it some curse it. Personally I am loving it. Why, one may ask ? Why love the fog and the winter chills ? There are so many other things to love why this. My answer is simple, the fog reminds me of dreams which are sometimes clear yet not reachable, which are there but when you open your eyes its not there again. Sometimes it smiles then again turns its face around... Just like the fog.. Every morning we get up not knowing how the day is going to be foggy, misty or a normal winter sunny day.

Imagine a cup of hot tea in your hand and you are in middle of no where the only thing visible is fog and only fog. You have a camera in your hand and well the situation seems perfect. There goes the perfect picture.. kichak.. captured in my camera. Its beautiful my bones are giving up on me my brain says its time run for your life but yet I cant give it up. Its just breathtaking. Its just too beautiful. The illusion wrapped in a misty white quilt , which leaves you guessing as to what is there under the quilt.

Its amazing how the fog creates illusions around you.. well no doubt driving goes for a toss but its fun.. if seen in the right spirit. One cant really help if there is too much fog so lets just presume that its a hide and seek game where you are blindfolded. Well too much of optimism what to do the fog does this to me.

It was indeed a beautiful day really don't know how the night is going to be my brains are going to have a very strict chat with me but its worth every shot....

Looking forward to such beautiful yet mysterious days ....