And then again…

The ties that were so strong broke not so long ago
It seemed that there was no ray of hope, no tunnel in sight.
Her heart began to wander, wander far away,
To places and thoughts out of reach…

But her faith never dwindled,
She knew her prayers would not go unanswered.
She waited and waited…patiently…
Until the sun came out to brighten her day.

They finally met that evening,
Shedding the cloak of animosity,
Working out their differences,
And understanding where they went wrong.

Their relation had taken a different turn
As they realised each other’s importance.
Unspoken words passed between the two
Their bond dancing to a different tune now.

The bantering began soon after,
With her chasing after him.
“You’re incorrigible!”, she huffed.
“With you, I always am!” he countered.

They laughed playfully now,
The old days refreshing themselves before their eyes
They knew their bond was stronger now,
Stronger than either could imagine.

With each passing day, the heart grows fonder,
And the undying love refuses to wither.
For all friendships stand the test of time
when the heart is true and untainted.

Days turned into months, which turned into years
And somehow, they both lost touch
Following the madding crowd,
Pursuing their individual dreams.

But they never forgot each other.
Reliving the reminiscences of the past,
Which often made her blink away unshed tears,
While he would sit moping about, alone.


Twelve years had passed,
Since they had heard of each other.
Twelve years had passed,
Since they last met…

Until today…when a chance meeting
Made them face each other again.
That they met at their favourite bistro,
Was perhaps what providence had planned.
That they shared the only vacant table
Was also perhaps a game played by fate.

Their happiness knew no bounds that evening.
As they sat facing each other.
With tears flowing from their eyes,
They apologised for the time that had elapsed.
“But we haven’t lost each other have we?”, he asked.
She just smiled, and he got his answer.
They got up and walked out into the pouring rain.
Something, which neither had done in years!

They walked hand in hand,
Carrying their bittersweet memories along.
They walked hand in hand,
To the place where they truly belonged…

I hated Mumbai when I first came here. The crowd, the trains, the Mumbaiyya language, the chalta hai attitude, all of these repulsed me. That was four years; four long years ago. Now when I look back, I see that I have changed a lot from what I was, and I owe it all to this magical city. Why magical? Well because it has transformed me into a completely different person. It has made me look at life with a totally different perspective; made me a positive person and as much as I hate to admit, I have adopted the chalega attitude with much aplomb!
Though my first year here was not what one would call a disaster, but I never really made any efforts to enjoy myself. I kept cribbing about the weather, the people, the language, the food… I mean… just about everything! I really wanted to leave Mumbai. But then, there is something about this place, something that pulls you to it. You’re mesmerised by the sheer simplicity and beauty that Mumbai has to offer. Quite literally, the city grows on you. I love getting up early in the morning, walking up to Churchgate station just to have bun-maska-chai. Doesn’t sound like a very scrumptious meal I know, but there is something about seeing the man slicing the bun in half, cutting a chunk of AMUL butter, applying it on the bun and cutting the bun in three pieces with that flat knife. Then there is this tea, which is made to boil beyond boiling point; rather, it is always on the boil. The combination is deadly! We had a bun-maska-chai walla right outside our college until the BMC asked him to vacate…
It was perhaps in my second year that I began enjoying this place, venturing out, meeting new people and discovering new places. And soon, I was in love! Sitting on Marine Drive, or just walking past, with the waves lashing at you during the monsoons, is highly romantic! Walking the streets of Colaba, window-shopping (though mostly, it ended up in burning a hole in my pocket!), exploring the various lanes, was so very mesmerising… I have always gone to these places by myself. Somehow, I feel that having company for these places doesn’t give me time to absorb all that they have to offer. Being on my own, I go wherever I wish to, without having to listen to the other person’s wishes… Hmmm… does that sound selfish? Maybe so… but then that’s how I am… fiercely independent.. Hey!! We’re not talking about Mumbai here… why do I always digress from the main topic? Tsk Tsk Tsk… This city has, I must admit, humbled me a lot. After having been brought up in Delhi amidst luxury, Mumbai paled in comparison. Staying in a hostel, where our rooms are the size of matchboxes “and” which have to be shared with another person, the bland food that our hostel offers, and many other things to which I was exposed to for the first time… opened my eyes… From the haughty, arrogant, full-of-attitude Delhiite, I have become the sprightly, confident, congenial and ever-adjusting Mumbaiyya! My family and friends back in Delhi often wonder if I’m the same person they knew four years ago… Needless to say, I enjoy the compliments showered on me… I am so in love with this city, that the very thought of leaving makes me feel nostalgic and highly emotional! Standing on the sea-shore and recollecting the glorious years that I have spent here, one song seems to resonate over the waves touching my feet – “Ae dil hai mushkil jeena yahaan, zara hat-ke, zara bach-ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan…”

Broken Ties…

What do you do when your best friend leaves you in the lurch,
In spite of you making all efforts to get back?
What do you do when you are avoided like the plague
By the very person to whom you gave your soul?

You remember the days when you were teased playfully
When you shouted at your friend for doing so.
But you cannot deny that you secretly enjoyed it
and actually waited for the next time he would do so.

The conversations over dozens of cups of coffee
And innumerable meals makes you sit and wonder
What went so horribly wrong?
You sit back and cry, your heart broken asunder.

You blame yourself for everything
For the friendship that has gone sour.
You cannot believe all that is happening
Your faith in relations dwindling by the hour.

But then you realise your mistake,
Your mistake of being overly dependent on someone else.
You stand up and shake the dust off your shoulders,
Ready to face the world again.

You do miss your friend at times
When you see something familiar,
But now you just laugh to yourself
Those memories, close to your heart you hold.

Your friendship will stand the test of time
Since you have been true to your friend.
You ponder for a while and realise…
If he loses you, it’ll be your friend’s loss, not yours,
But next moment, you look back at the days gone by
And secretly pray that things could've been otherwise...