Rainy Day

"Rain, rain go away. Come again another day. Little Johnny wants to play."

Even after reciting this rhyme several times during our nursery days, it never actually became our motto in school. Our July and August were spent in singing:

"Rain, rain please do stay. Come again and again whole day. Little Johnny wants to play."

The rainy days of Bhopal are etched in my memory and my friends from Carmel would nod and echo their agreement here. Rainy days were the golden days for the school kids.

The most looked forward treat used to be school announcing a holiday due to heavy rain pour. Wow... I still remember how I would wait for the bus and then come back hopping happily, splashing all the puddles, ruining my clean and well pressed uniform. "Chutti mil gayi... it is a rainy day... Bus nahi aayi" Even my Mom used to get intoxicated by my happiness and would smile at the extra bout of work (my mud stained uniform) that I would bring back for her. You see, the those were not the days of Surf Excel. "Daag achche hain!" came quite later in our lives. I so envy the kids these days when they are encouraged on national television to enjoy sack races, get themselves covered up in cycle grease to impress a girl or beat up a puddle because it had hurt their little sister. I so much envy them... really. Anyhow, coming back to my rainy day celebrations, the rest of the day always passed by in a blur. Watching TV, reading comic books, shouting, dancing and creating all possible nuisances. Best part used to be when rains would stop and a clear sky took over past noon. All kids in the colony used to come out and play. It used to be the best of both worlds, no school and more playtime as well.

Even when at times school administration didn't get too liberal and used to call us for classes while it was raining cats and dogs, the poor turnout was a blessing in those moments. Most teachers would skip lectures and then we, the fortunate ones, used to get free periods one after another. We used to remove our shoes and drenched socks and jump from one bench to another. Sing songs, play games, chat and discuss even the most trivial issues as if our life depended on it. The whole day used to be like a recess time and then we used to board buses that would take us back home.

Well what can I say, we were kids back then. Those were the golden days, real gold. Now it is all so mundane and different. It has been raining continuously in Bangalore since last night and still I had to wake up, get ready and drive all the way to office. Getting mud soaked by the splashes made by my fellow drivers. I reached office somehow after tackling the worst possible traffic jams and then got busy with meetings, codes, installations and obviously writing this post. I wish I could still get back those school days once again. Sing the wrong rhyme again and play once again. Oh dear... "Rain, rain... "

A little girl I am...

Credit rolls of "What a Girl Wants" were still scrolling on the TV Screen as Daphne Reynolds' quest to get that special "Father-Daughter" dance came to a happy ending, Anagha pressed the red button on the TV Remote and the screen flickered and went blank. What a beautiful relationship it is, the one that a father and daughter share. Anagha couldn't help but smile at the thought of the "My Daddy Strongest" t-shirt she had got specially printed as her first ever Father's Day gift for her Papa. How excited he got that day. It was simply priceless. Could have easily been the idea for a MasterCard Ad campaign. Getting a t-shirt Rs. 60/-, printing a picture Rs. 100/-, the smile on your dad's face Priceless.

Her train of thoughts traveled through each junction of her life with her Dad and came to a halt at the phone conversation that they earlier had the very same day. "Betuji, I didn't realize that my little angel has grown up and is a young lady now. Your Mom is pestering me to find a suitable match for you. The very idea of you getting married gives me jitters, but that is how life is. I knew this day would eventually come...". This and all the cliched stuff that any father would say before dropping in the bomb of already having found a suitor for her. "Ayush will call you in the evening, just talk to him. Okay! We will only move further if you say yes. Do keep what I just said in mind. Love you Betuji. Take care!" Hmmph, has she really grown up? Daphne had a "Coming Out" party thrown by her Dad, but does any girl ever really grows up?

Anagha walked towards her closet with her mind exactly on one thing that was going to prove her point. She opened one drawer after another until what she looked for were there in front of her eyes. Little miniature toys, collected secretly over the years with fun meals, toothpastes, jellybeans, chocolates and what not. She probably has thousands of these. She still loves to pick up goods with such freebies when she shops for groceries. Never a fan of displaying her collections, she hid them all away from where her friends could spot them and make fun of her. She still loves each single one of them and has fondness for all the new ones too. Has she grown up yet?

She closes the drawer and tries to shut down the door of the closet, but it is almost stuffed to the edge with clothes, matching accessories and shoes to go along with every dress. Her childhood fantasy to have a closet of the size of a mansion is still a fantasy, but her fascination for all that she would put in that closet hasn't gone down one bit. How her heart still aches for every new piece of fashion she comes across. Had funds not been an issue, she might have filled the whole house but for now she has to be content with coming to terms with only a closet full of them. She still remembers how she had hopped up and down the whole house when her Dad had bought her favorite dress and matching shoes and a cute little purse to go along with on her third birthday. Anagha couldn't help but laugh at how she still does the same when she gets back from her shopping sprees, only difference is now she does it after shutting herself up in her room. Has she really grown up yet?

Not much has changed from when she was a toddler. She still wants a big tight hug when she is low in spirits. She still needs somebody to look after her when she is sick and bedridden. Tears roll down her eyes with every wound, physical or otherwise. She still needs to be looked after. She still has soft toys lined up on her bed. She still loves to listen to a story while she goes to sleep, only now the stories are told by movies or books rather than being recited by her Mom. She still feels elated to see a new leaf grow out on her plant. She still loves to listen to the morning chirping. So how exactly is she grown up? What is different now? Just because 26 years have passed since she had troubled her Mom to get into this world, doesn't exactly mean that she has grown up and is ready to share her life with someone. There is so much to learn, so much to see, so much to experience. Why give that all up for a stranger? Why stop being Daddy's little girl? Well these would probably just remain questions. Nobody can actually answer them. Anagha sighed as her train of thoughts had finally reached to the last station. All that is now left is to get down and get unknown in the crowd. Trin, Trin...the phone rang and it is time for another experience, good or bad, time will tell.

Without You

Days have passed,
And so have the nights.
Spirits have been low,
And high are the tides.

Roses are now black,
Gloomy are verses of love.
Sea is forever violent,
Meaningless is act of dove.

Nothing seems complete,
Without you in my life.
Nothing feels correct,
Without you by my side.

Looking for some comfort,
Searching for some rest.
Walking alone here I am,
Being Invictus is the quest.