Celebrations

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 33; the thirty-third edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton. The theme for the month is 'Celebrations'

And the 20th bottle of beer was down!

That had to be the most craziest of the nights. They were partying like there was going to be no tomorrow. One of them was going to get married soon, to his long time lover. So, they decided to live their college days once again.

Flashback

"Come on dude! You got to manage this, it is Aman's bachelor trip. All of us haven't met together since college. It has been 5 years man. Please make it. Call back when you get the voice mail."

I don't think he'll be able to manage it. Life of an investment banker isn't easy. You get loads of money but have no life!

Ahh, not that we have an option anyways, we have to make sure that everyone tries and makes it. Lets call up the other guys.

----------------------

"Guys, I would try my best. Can't assure much though. Please go ahead and make the plan, let's make Aman have the time of his life."

"I am sorry but something really urgent has come up at work. There is some glitches in our systems that we need to sort out. I feel pathetic to be at such a responsible position but don't think I will able to manage."

"Hey guys, I have not been able to get the flight bookings done yet. I'll be booking them today in the evening. I won't be able to be present for the entire week. I shall be leaving mid way but lets rock it whatever time we get."

"Hey guys, something urgent! Can we have a call? It is about Aman's bachelors!"

These are the replies we have. I told you brother organizing this bachelors and having all 7 of us together would not be possible. I don't think 7 days would be possible and even if we cut on the days, there is no assurance that all of us would make it.

I know. What can we do, lets not fiddle with the dates because the more we postpone it, the more unrealistic it would keep becoming. Lets tell Aman that the bachelors in On.

Present

7 more beers please!

Ohh God, those were the days. College was life. You know guys I must confess that I had absolutely no life after that. Corporate was some stuff in the beginning but I soon realized that the fun went missing. This trip was so necessary.

Totally!

To be honest I never thought this trip would be possible. All of us were so hooked up in our lives. I am glad we took out time and manged it.

Cheers for Aman!!

Cheers! Cheers! Cheers!

Confessions after confessions kept on coming. While some of them were obvious, some of them took them off like a cyclone. And then the next course of action was being decided.

7 totally drunk guys making a list of shady things to do. Philosophy intoxicated with alcohol has an effect that is mesmerizing and laughter-inducive to the viewer. It exemplified that precisely.

5 and a half years it had been since college, scenarios changed so did people around them, cities changed and so did the cultures around them but what did not change was the friendship they once carved years back.

They had a deal amongst themselves that whoever gets married will have to do one thing suggested by each one of them on the bachelors party. It was Aman's turn to tick the tasks on the list presented to him. The crazy celebrations were on their way!

The list was made after a lot of discussions amongst the rest and no matter how badly Aman wanted to refuse but a deal done was a promise made!

Like all good things the trip also came to an end but they made sure that the stuff they did would not be discussed again. They lived the time of their lives before their other commitments called out for priority. A hug in the end, those glittering eyes and a smile on the faces were a reassurance of the fact that life is not counted by years but by moments because when days will pass and years will go by all we would remember is we chose listening to the heart, hence created memories down the lane.

The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton. Participation Count: 7

Life smiled back at them..

Five of them!

It was a crazy night, rather they made it one. The next day was their last college exam. All of them were well placed in envious organizations already. Effectively, they had nothing to lose. Four years of engineering had clearly taken a toll on each one of them. So, they decided to prepare like they never did.

They had been staying together for the last semester exams. Five of them in one hostel room!

They thankfully had prepared sufficiently for the first two exams but this last one, they knew was the last time they were studying together. It was supposed to be in afternoon the next day. And that meant, they had only one night to prepare.

An intense discussion was on as one of them saw the hourglass emptied.

Damn! It's past 8 pm guys. One more session of this discussion and then we will study. Ok?

"Yes!", everyone claimed in unison as he turned the hourglass and everything carried on rhythmically.

They did not realize that they haven't yet checked out how much they had to prepare, or rather they chose to overlook that; the discussion at hand was of utmost interest.

"Would you marry a girl knowing that she isn't a virgin?"

It is a special power that people have. They are never short of topics during exams.

"Lets head out for dinner", said one of them pointing to the hourglass which, to everyone's surprise was empty in what-they-felt no time. Everyone agreed. Though they had the option of eating in the mess but that would fly out of equation since two of them were not hostelers. 

As they moved out of the room, they ran downstairs, each of them announcing that they would drive the car. It was a long journey from third floor to the hostel parking. The one who owned the car never had the keys. Interestingly, he would be the only one who would be vouching the least to drive the car. Having not realized that they have spent 20 minutes taking each other's case and deciding who is finally driving, what they realized was that they forgot to lock their hostel room!

Another discussion concerning who takes on the uphill journey and accomplish the task, followed. Finally two of them agreed, they supposedly had a realization that they were wasting time. 

Maruti 800 was the coveted car. For some reason, each one of them were emotional about the car too. To put it plain and simple, they just loved it. Soon, they were at their dining place, which was a restaurant with no seating facility and their favourite dish not available. They started to search for options. Some were too costly for their budget and for others, the five of them did not agree mutually. They finally had to settle for the cheapest majority-agreed option.

Shall we move to the hostel? I haven't read a word. I am gonna fail tomorrow.

Yes, bastard you were gonna fail in Digital Circuits too, where you ended up scoring 16 on 20. We are gonna play pool now. What say?

Three of them agreed instantly as the other two frowned. For the good or for the bad, the decision was made. They headed towards the pool club.

Table for 1 and half hours.

Yeah Yeah, you guys play your heart out today and bleed tomorrow afternoon.

Sit down and study, I guess you've got those notes here. Don't ruin the night. We know we're gonna pass anyway.

All of them smiled silently as if truth had been spoken. They felt a sense of superior air around them.

One and a half hours passed and the return drive was underway. As they entered the college gate, the car was turned towards the ground.

What now?

Basketball court, baby! Lets have some fun, I am sure no one is in the mood to study at the moment. Sleep is embracing me, I need some time out. Everyone with me?

A silence meant plan was on. One hour passed by and each one of them was unanimous about kick-starting study for the night. By the time they reached the room, it was 1.30 am already. One of them walked up straight to the hourglass and turned it upside down. That gesture meant it was time for one hour of senseless yet unavoidable discussion.

What's going on dude? Ananya seems to be all over you these days. Farewell day gonna see some proposal.

Laughter cheered past the silence on the third floor as the next three hours saw instances of some great one liners, undying hysterical outbursts along with tremendous weather. While pages of their books remain unturned, they scripted experiences in their journey of life. The night moved on as each of them left it to the morning and dozed off.

Making their last exam together memorable was just a reason, I am sure that they have many tests to endure together. They laughed and giggled and life, well, it just smiled back at them!

Papa, you are my Hero

I don't know how to start this post. Going through a Facebook post about Father's Day, I really got emotional and thought that I would just write my heart out. Well, I am really clueless how to go about this.

Ok, to start off, let me share a small story.

It was a science class where there needed to be a lot of diagrams and the homework only meant making those horrifying diagrams in the most beautiful manner. That kid would always have the best diagrams made. His classmates used to tease him saying that those diagrams being the best do not hold much relevance as they aren't made by him but his father, which as a matter of fact were all true. On repeated poking like such, the child gave in one day. He got back home and cried endlessly. On being inquired by his father he narrated the entire incident.

His father then took out a register and then took up a very complicated diagram. He asked the child to come up and the illustrated a step-by-step procedure of drawing the complex stuff. The child was amazed at the simplicity with which the entire thing was being played in front of him by his father. He did what was best possible, followed his Dad. SUCCESS it was!

Yes, the kid was me and the 'hero' was my Dad. I was happy and he was happier.

I can recall my Dad once saying to my Mom after reading an essay of mine, "He writes well."

I have not forgotten those words Papa, and see here I am owning a blog, penning down for online newspapers, having scripted more than 100 articles, getting featured at places. This is the kind of impact your words and your silence have on me. I still remember the only few times you have cried in front of me. Without going into details, I would only say that those were the most helpless and the most painful moments of my life.

I still remember those days when you would run hours behind me so that I learn how to ride a bicycle. You played cricket with me and bhai when we felt that there isn't much company to enjoy with. I can recall those broken tube lights, deshaped fan blades, shattered wall clocks, but I can't recall the scoldings, I can only recall the next-time-careful suggestions. That's the kind of person you've always been, spending heartily on your family and always being pivotal in my learning through the passage of life.

I really have no idea how you have managed to be such an ideal parent. Never saying no to any of my wishes and yet making sure that I do not fall into bad habits. Never stopping me from taking the odd risk in life and yet assuring that I never am on the wrong side of the things. And I also know that you have been a great great son. I can say that when I look at your wallet which holds a photograph of your parents. You are really my idol Papa, you are my Hero...

Blank Pages

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 28; the 28th Edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton. The topic for this month is 'BLANK PAGES'.

Call Summary

02:55:56

We spoke at length, that was a welcome call. We hadn't spoken to each other for quite a while now, it had almost been 3 months. As soon as I put the call down, there was a different feeling. I knew I was missing her despite talking to her for nearly 3 hours. I typed a text message to send it to her.

It is so nice always to speak to you, I had been missing this for so long J

As I was about to send this, my phone beeped. I knew it was going to be her message. After immediately sending my message, I opened the text I had received.

Felt amazing speaking to you after so long, you know what, I was missing this J

We had this strange connection of speaking the same thing at the same time. And though we had broken up some time back, we still had that same connection. We then chatted via sms for hours too. We knew how important we were for each other. Memories came flooding back. Those late night chats during college, enjoyment during fests, awesome trips to hill stations, meeting during exams, discussing life's trivia, everything! It all seemed just there, marching past me.

As we moved from college to corporate, things became a bit different. Differences started to creep in and though there was a feeling of concern always and a connection between hearts persisted, a layer of rust managed to settle. At one point of time, I had to make myself believe that my worst fears had come true. That phase was difficult and kept becoming hostile by the time.

What a turnaround life has been. Once a canvas was painted, today only blank pages to be seen.

I don't know what is going to happen after today's call but when I go to sleep tonight, I would hope that my dreams take me to the world which once existed.... "Jahan meri zindagi mujhse, itni khafa nahi...."

The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

We are always one desire Short!

At the most what we would be able to achieve would be one less than what we desire ultimately. Interestingly, this holds true universally and this is what keeps us going, isn't it?

Always striving for that one thing that we are devoid of currently and rather not enjoying the things that we now possess but once aspired. Well! As to what I could understand over these 22 years is that there will always be something running against you that would earn you an inferiority complex. This is where it is co crucial to have your own perspective, have a clear thought process and define what that ultimate happiness is for you because when God designed this concept of life, He made sure that it remains challenging!

What is rather more startling is that most of us must be knowing this at the back end of our mind yet fail big time when it comes to practical application. Retrospection tells us a lot of things, gives us a lot of fodder for thought but then, at the end of the day it is that one desire we are "short of" that fuels us to carry on and carry against life, hoping that we one day achieve everything we desire. Hah! Virtually impossible, if thought sensibly!

Life moves on, so do we. Our ultimate desires keep changing. Just to re-assert this fact, think of what we aspired to be when we were a kid, and what we are now. Both of them being in complete resonance is a rarity. If we have shuffled from our childhood desires, then going by the theory History repeats itself, I guess we would again do!