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The next morning changed Javed's life forever. He found a letter with his name written on the envelope and read it- I still remember the day I first saw you and you became my most special 'someone'. When we got married, it was the happiest moment of my life. I left my dreams, my world, my happiness- ME because all I wanted was your world, your dreams, your happiness- YOU.  It didn't feel bad about leaving everything because I thought love was all about sacrifices and adjustments. But, I don't know when those sacrifices turned into efforts. I struggled behind closed doors, doing nothing. I wasted the past two years of my life for love, not realising that I was losing myself in the journey. The happy and bubbly Aria started  banging doors and  stomping around the house because I was frustrated. I didn't know what to do because I wanted to run away where I can find the real Aria, but never had the courage because I wanted you also.  Surprisingly, you gav

Silence made its way in the house. For a moment, they could hear each other's breath. "Javed? What is the matter? Aren't you happy for me?" Aria asked with deep wrinkles on her forehead. Her pink gloss was shining way too much.  He took a deep breath. "Do you really think I will be happy about this news?" His voice was stern.  "How can you expect me to like the idea of us staying apart?" Aria was even more confused. "Javed, I am willing to do this job not because I don't want to sit at home. I can do that, like I have been doing for the past two years, if your love demands. But, this job is my dream. Even I have worked hard in my life just like you and I also deserve to work...." "Are you in love with me or do you want to compete with me? What about my dreams of living with you? Why did you even marry me if you don't love me enough to give up on your dreams?" he shouted. A drop of sweat trickled down o

...continued from part 2 Everything ran fast in Banglore. The wise men wearing suits and the metros that carried them. The tireless housemaids and the life of the houses they managed. The words and the air they hung on. Only Aria's life had been at a standstill since she moved in the city months ago. While Javed went to work, she would spend her aimless days at home; reading the books already read, cleaning the dishes already cleaned and doing everything pointless to avoid 'nothing'. Sometimes, when frustration took hold of her, she would stomp around the house and bang the doors. Going to the writing club every day was the only thing she was proud of. It was not long before dangerous thoughts began creeping into her empty mind frequently. "I am just 25 and I am doing nothing in my life" or "I studied just to be reduced to a housewife!" But at the same time, she would think "Stop! Just stop, Aria. You are doing this for Javed. You love him.

Two Years Ago  With weariness from last night and smeared kohl in the eyes, Aria lay squeezed between suitcases stuffed more with memories than clothes. Her bangles clinked as she wrote- Dear Diary, It's been long since I last saw you. My life has dramatically changed in the past few days and I want to tell you everything tonight. Do you remember Javed Iyer from my college? I told you when I started falling in love with him and I disclosed my deepest secrets- that how I want to run my fingers through his messy hair, how I want to feel his vein running down the collar on one side of his neck and how I want him so close to me that the world can see our two souls as one. My intense love remained a secret for not so long. Friends nudged when we passed and teased when we talked. While I rolled my eyes, he laughed it away. But every time our eyes met for just a second, we both always knew it was love.   He proposed about a month ago and yesterday, we got married. Can you b

It was a busy Saturday night for Javed. Hunched over his computer, he sipped hot coffee intermittently which had turned cold. Everything was silent except the blaring of raindrops falling against the window pane and chasing one another down to form puddles of water. His room smelled of wet soil and stress. A knock on the door stopped his fingers running over the keyboard. "Aria! I thought you were asleep" he went over to kiss her.  "Did you think about what I asked?" she raised her eyebrows, pushing him off. Her long earrings stretched down her earlobe and dangled as she moved her head. Her eyes were wide and looked strong as they stared right into Javed's.  "I already told you. My answer is still 'No'. We will never have a conversation about this again. Okay?". He searched for 'Yes' in her face.  It took a second for tears to form in her eyes. "I can't believe you ever loved me." she cried out.   "

He came home at twelve that night.  I opened the door and served him dinner. While he ate,  I stayed there, just in case he needed water or some extra beans.  We didn't talk. He didn't ask 'Why are you up so late?' The only sound breaking the silence was the spoon clicking against his plate. Later, I would sleep only to find him gone the next morning.  This had been my daily routine for I was his spouse,  living as a stranger in his house.  But something different happened that night. He moved and lay right next to me;  flung his arms around my waist  and kissed my neck. I shrugged and  tried to wriggle out of his tight embrace. 'No, I am tired', I whispered. It didn't matter for he was tired too;  in need of some leisure  and so my body for him was a pleasure. I shared with my family and they laughed it off.  Some said 'You are young, married and a beauty' while some told that it's my duty. I fil

It was hard to leave that place. Where I steadily grew, where I danced and swirled,  where freedom had the sweetest taste.  But, I had to of course. They pushed and I squirmed out, finally said goodbye to my mother's womb.  As the nurse held me, those wrinkles on her forehead and a straight line  on her lips, couldn't tell me what was she sad about? Did I pee on her? My confusion solved soon when some terrible words  were served to my mother. 'Apologies. It's a BLACK girl' I was thirteen and I remember my crazy love for aircrafts. Dreaming of flight attendants, how passionately I imitated actions  emergency exits, seat belts and oxygen masks. You said 'Shh shh sh..'. Do you remember? You said 'Beauty works here and you are not beautiful' Shushed my actions, my dreams and now they are lost somewhere in the dark, darker than my skin.  In the late teens, I wanted to taste love. What is it like- sweet,

She wore loose jeans, a kurta, stepped out and sauntered in the dark with her veiled body, hair tied,  no makeup and nothing to seduce. Still, it happened! What was her fault?  That the poor soul was a 'She'? Or that she left at night and tried to befriend darkness? The world saw her bleak scars and ripped heart. To bring justice, everyone was with her  but, it seemed only air craved to touch her.  On her skin which she wore all the time, they wrote 'used' and 'impure' as if  it could burn and born again. How strange it is! For the rapists are out there, free and invincible and she is confined, punished for being  a beauty that every woman is.

Like the wind which blows violently, I can see you rushing. What is your destination? Maybe, even you don't know!  Chasing wildly the money and fame clad in ecstasy, it seems even death won't stop you. But, Stop! I insist. 💓 Pause and feel the euphoric rains. For each drop, like the elixir of life absorbs the pain.  And when the new day dawns, listen to the quiet, blushing sun as it makes love with the placid sky.  💓 For once, soak yourself in poetry to learn how warm words can be. Reminisce your happy moments in solitude.  As it has its own euphony; its own nostalgia. 💓 I want to see you live like the somnolent sea; still and clam, amidst the chaos.  I want you to live here- in this moment. You will not wander. You will not rush. Promise me?

As I sat and wrote one day, Dark words reflecting my pain, filled the blank sheets, Just like stark darkness swallows the bright sky. I longed for someone to read them; to fathom my woe and caress my wounds. But, all I heard was pages rustling as people passed by, aware yet oblivious of the grief veiled in words. 💗 I kept wishing for a shoulder to cry on; my wobbling soul, broken and strewn all over to be formed into a strong one. But, no one came. Rather, some stopped, glanced briefly and smiled  and laughed, leaving even deeper scars! 💗 This world works strangely. All share the same land, Like birds, sharing the same colossal sky, flocking together but, if one falls the other keeps flying. Laden with their own life, some lack time  to peer into yours. And some lift you only to push you harder. 💗 Before you burn yourself, expecting  someone to douse the fire do it on your own. Wipe your tears, Gather the grits of your sou

I opened my eyes and all I could see was water around me. I tried to hold my breath, but I gave up and could feel the water gushing down inside me. My heart ached and my chest was heavy but still, no desperation to breathe air gripped me since, I had lost the desire to live. Just laying there, embracing death, I was leaving behind the problems and troubles YOU gave me. As I sank deeper into an obscure world, my mind raced through the painful moments- the moment I realised your hatred for me and the moment you crushed me just like people who walk away, stepping on a beautiful flower and never bothering to look back. I was soaring high but, you pulled me down. You thrusted failures and sorrows on me but, never gave me a reason. At last, I was tired and decided to part ways with you. I did not live at peace so, I was glad to at least die at peace. There was no one; just me and the waves, stealing my breaths gradually. But, suddenly I felt a strong force pushing me up, forcing

Before I start, let me confess that as soon as I completed this book, I could not wait to spread the beautiful message this little piece of treasure holds for you! So, here I am, writing and sharing what I collected during this treasure trove. We all have dreams; dreams that are sometimes, totally different from what life we are living today, dreams that have the power to change our course of life in a snap of our finger, but only if we have courage to listen to them. We all witness the pain when God strokes the canvas of our life with different shades of failure; failure of love or failure of career but we can make a beautiful painting out of it only if we have courage to start again. This is the story of Shaurya, a CA student who dreams of becoming a filmmaker. He has courage to go to railway station but not enough to board a train which will take him closer to his dreams. Even the thought of leaving his parents and their dream to pursue his, flinches him. So, he has accepted

"This poem is what success has to say to all those who don't get it even after trying hard." "With darkest of days, With nastiest of pain, I filled your life  just to gauge your love for me. But, your desire to touch me, feel me and taste me was unwavering. I was far away, not easy to reach  but, you still searched for me and your aplomb was never reduced to zilch. ∽∽∽ I saw tears dripping from your eyes. Eyes, that also stared hard at fear. I felt your broken heart. Heart, that had fissures only for valour to seep in. I heard your whimpers when you fell, only to rise again. You had unflinching love for me and so, At last, I had to come. ∽∽∽ I came in your life to change it; for good, to make it more daring, more riveting. But, you exulted in your victory. You lost warmth towards world and found arrogance in you.  You missed that I came but, I could  also leave you. ∽∽∽ Still, I gave you chance to hold me

Escape within yourself sometimes, leaving behind your love and care  for heartless people your promises and commitments for selfish world. To discover, explore and unveil your forte Run away within yourself sometimes. Cry your eyes out sometimes. For tears are invincible and obstinate. If not gushed out, they make hearts heavy and eyes misty. Have bouts of laughter sometimes, to scare away the impediments of your life Bottled-up emotions are malicious always. So, Let the feelings flow sometimes . Fall hard and taste failure sometimes . Bitter it may be, but a great pedagogue it is. Teaching and chiding you along the way, it will hold your hand till the threshold of success. So, you just have to Rise always and fall sometimes. 

She was soaring high, up and above  in the sky.  Just then, the bitter failure, envious of her glitter, of her sparkle and shine, tip-toed in her life.  Stealing away the light, darkness conquered her bright days, breaking her into smithereens and shattering the dreams she had to chase. The time was no less than a nerve-racking nightmare. Thousands of quandaries flitted through  the labyrinth of her mind.  And the world, unfortunately was blind to see the chaos she had turned into. With misted eyes and heart clad in abysmal despair she had nowhere to go, since the path to victory seemed to disappear. For people around, she was the talk of the town. Behind their concerns, opinions and help was a hidden taunt.  They laughed and mocked her, they kicked and pushed her, draining every drop of composure, merely left in her. Confinement embraced her and solitude gifted her the love  of words, which strengthened overtime.  Books and wri

Screaming and squirming, he was born to the couple. Couple, they were for the world. Foes, they were to each other. Every other day, they slipped into a scuffle which sometimes lasted for whole day while the new born slept peacefully, incognizant of his mother's weeping.  Some years passed and at the age of nine, the child's world was bliss to him with ecstasy all around. But, his parents flummoxed him because there relationship was still a blend of arguments and misunderstandings. While they fought, he just stood there, observing his father berating his mother, who just wailed all night. The reason of their contempt was beyond his understanding. But, a broad smile on his mother's face back in the morning would make him believe that everything was normal.  The family waded through another ten years. Nothing changed except their ages. Their son touched maturity and understood what he did not as an immature. But, surprisingly, he was not bothered at all. To see

I smile widely and my eyes gleam,  every time I see you, lying on my shelf. You will stay with me forever, holding my hand it seems, Unlike humans.  Deceitful they are, clever they are. They come and go, like a flickering light breaking hearts and promises once made. But, I know, you are here to keep up my might. 💓 As I skim through your pages, I embrace you tightly to never let you go. You are a pot teeming with words. Wise and beautiful words that flow within me and are engraved in my heart. But, so different are humans from you. Their words so hideous, so harsh. 💓 Every time my watch points towards painful hours, you lift me up with exemplary ideas. My happiness doubles and my sorrows are halved around you. Through all the vicissitudes of my life, I find your shadow lingering behind. But, my failures are success to humans and my ecstasy, enviable to them.  💓 So different are humans from you, dear books and that is why, I will keep on loving you

Ravi Subramanian is the master storyteller of financial crime and the winner of many awards for his work. 'The Bankster' is the first Subramanian's book that I read recently and I was blown away by the storyline. After reading this absolutely thrilling novel, you will find asking yourself, "Should I really trust these bankers who claim to keep my money safe?' because the author has put the "bad" side of them in an upfront. The plot revolves around the two central characters- Krishna Menon and Karan Punjabi. While the former is completely distraught by the death of his son in nuclear blast and is adamant to prevent any such further accidents, the latter who is an ex-banker and a press reporter is baffled by chain of deaths of a bank's employees. Menon, while protesting for the safety of people from nuclear plants and Punjabi, while delving into the mysterious deaths of employees come across a global conspiracy and a biggest scam ever. So, Menon

In the chilly mornings, the alarm clock rings, breaking your dreams into bits  and waking you to assemble those pieces in reality. But, when you choose  to stay under the covers and when you refuse to follow  the arduous trajectory, Oh boy! You are not desperate enough to taste victory. In the ocean of life, you swim and swim into the oblivion to reach the end.  The end or the victory is far, invisible but, it is there. The journey is daunting and you start with a heart brimming with aplomb. But, when a huge wave throws you hard, back in deep waters and you choose not to be brave to start again and create history Oh boy! You are not desperate enough to taste victory. On the path of success, you start as a caterpillar and end  as a beautiful butterfly. But, if you choose to remain cocooned  and refuse to accept change, you die. If stepping out of your protective shell makes you feel jittery, Oh boy! You are not desperate en

As the mother cooked various lip-smacking dishes, sweat dripped from her forehead intermittently. But, she had no time to wipe it. Outside the kitchen, the drawing room was decked up with marigold flowers, rendering a beautiful look to their otherwise spartan place. The father was on the heels of their servant, ensuring that every speck of dust is cleared. Boxes of sweets were brought in with family members flitting around the house leading to utmost chaos and confusion. Well! It was a red letter day for their daughter since a family was coming to see her with a marriage proposal. Slight nervousness could be seen on each of their faces. Everyone was meticulous enough to make everything look perfect since they had a fear of being judged! So, an hour later, the guests arrived. From the threshold itself, their eyes began wandering to find some flaws. They all sat in the drawing room and the mother arranged delectable delicacies she had prepared on the table. While the guests h