My Favourite Love Story!

It happened when I was nine years of age. Since my father is in defense most of my childhood years were spent in  beautifully barricaded residential campuses. As I rewind back , I remember a huge construction project(probably for the construction of new quarters) being undertaken in our neighborhood. And the sight of construction workers carrying bricks, mortar and cement on their heads in the scorching summer, and ascending on the seemingly fragile wooden framework of ladders on half-constructed buildings was a rare sight for me, but not a happy one. I would always feel they could fall off the dangerous heights any time and that would make me sad.


But it always was a happy sight to see their lively kids, most of whom were in the age group of 4 to 10,  play under the street lights , from the first floor balcony of our apartment. I would always feel delighted to see their excitement and happiness . I never interfered with their play, but used to  silently observe and listen to their playful talks. I would always feel like joining them, but the fear of getting harsh scoldings from my parents was enough to stop me... !!! :(


I remember one day sneaking out of my house with my teddy bear , with the intention of having a playful time with the gang. As I went near them, I immediately realized that one of  them,   a very small girl  staring or rather greedily looking at my teddy bear with undivided attention. And within a minute, she started crying and demanding for it...!!!


I felt very bad for her but felt equally angry , as that teddy was one of my favorite toys, and more for the reason that it was gifted by my grandfather, who was no more. I would never part with it for anything in the world, including any number of chocolates , ice creams  or any other more expensive gifts, not even for the most beautiful barbie doll!.


I stood there for around five minutes waiting for the girl to stop crying , so that I could start playing with them..!!! But that never happened. And it was then that a boy approached me and said " mere pas sirf 1 Rs hai aur mujhko wo bhalu dukandar nahi dega.... Mujhe aapka bhalu chahiye"  that is "I have only 1 rs and the shopkeeper wont give me the bear that you have.. and I want that" ... I felt even more angry.... And I replied with a stern "no".


After which, he started sobbing and said .."main usse shadi karunga aur mere pas koi gift nahi hai usko dene k liye" (ie I want to marry her and I have nothing to gift her"


 I  melted at that point of time like a  chocolate in the  mouth. I  had always dreamt of a prince charming who would say that and do  what that boy was doing, to me even at that age....:)


  So , I decided to part with the teddy, helping them  have a happy end or rather a happy beginning !!!. Though It made me feel extremely sad , It also made me extremely happy that I helped a handsome prince charming win a beautiful princess!!! so what if they were just 6 years of age!!!!


They went hand in hand with the girl holding the teddy happily and slowly faded away into their tin den ( the unison of tin roofed houses where all the construction workers  were staying ) , unsure of their education and their health, but sure of the innocent love in their hearts for each other...!!!


Soon the project came to a completion and the tin houses vanished from the vicinity, and I was left missing my teddy miserably!!! But my little heart was so happy to witness a beautifully blossoming love story!!!




Guys if you have a similar story, in which you experienced a magical moment when you felt two strongly opposite emotions? Love/Hate? Elation/Sadness? Anger/Sympathy? The desire to move forward yet run away at the same time? Please share your stories on this link www.facebook.com/closeupindia or as a comment to this post. Would love to hear them!!!
 

How It feels like to be helpless...

This happened almost about a week back!! On my way to a friends' place falls a mosque, a very old and large one. As I was walking along that particular road, I saw an old man, probably in his sixties holding a white cane in one of his hands and waving the other one in the air from time to time. The sight of white cane made me realize at once, that he is visually challenged and needs help to cross the road. The man was wearing very shabby and torn clothes and an off-white skull cap(trademark of muslim men) that had almost turned brown due to dust and dirt.


How helpless a human being can get?? is what I asked almighty that day. My heart moved by the sight, my eyes almost moist, but my mind still in a dilemma.... whether to help the man cross the road , or move ahead leaving him behind in a helpless state , like almost all the people on the road at that point of time. In this mind vs heart battle, my mind won over by convincing my heart that it wouldn't be a good thing to touch such a dirty and unhygienic person in front of so many people. But the most valid argument that it put across my heart was that you never know.... that man could be one of those classic perverts , famously shown in so many movies  and from my own experiences too, waiting to be touched by women and  young girls...


So I moved on, listening to my mind but after leaving the man a few steps behind a strange guilt caught hold me.. My heart said.. "What's wrong with you Pratibha...??  You are a person who believes so much in social equality and human emotions.. I can't believe you did this..." And I turned back........ I saw the man still standing at the same point, waving his hand , muttering a few unclear words. I started moving towards him to help him.


I finally decided to hold his hand and make him cross the road, despite the thing that I would surely get the strangest of looks from the crowd. But I moved at a steady pace. But just as I was a few inches away from him, I saw a able bodied beggar hold the man's hand and help him cross the road...!!!


I know I could not help him , But somehow I freed myself of the guilt which would otherwise have remained in me , for  I dont know how long.... !!!

Bangalore Indiblogger #AkshayaPatra Meet

I attended the first bloggers meet in bangalore on the 9th of jan, 2011 , which was organized by indiblogger in collaboration with akshaya patra(ISCKON). And it was wonderful meeting such a huge plethora of talented people from all over the country.

From technology bloggers, to poets, to bloggers who write satire,  it felt really special to be amidst a versatile crowd. The event was held at the multivision theatre , ISCKON , Bangalore. It was supposed to start at 12.30 pm, but somehow got delayed by almost an hour. I reached the temple premises around 12.45 pm but could only reach the theatre by 1.15, but it was a huge relief seeing the refreshments kept at the entrance of the theatre, as I was dead tired due to my journey from home at the peak of the day , when sun was directly above my head, or rather everyone's heads.. this is what they say about 12 in the noon right!!!

We entered the hall after logging in with our indiblogger id's at the laptops kept at the entrance, and immediately after that we could see our names on the two huge screens, behind the centerstage that said something like "Pratibha Mohanty entered 0 seconds back".. Wow it felt amazing to be welcomed that way..!!!

After each one of the 277 bloggers entered the hall, the event kick started with  the introductory speech from the indiblogger team. And that was followed by speeches by the founding fathers of the akshaya patra organization. They spoke at length about how the organization started, mid-day meal programs, and their target of feeding about 20,00,000 hungry children by 2020. It was very motivating to hear the story of the largest operational NGO in our country.

Next on the agenda was the program known as "60 Top Bloggers" wherein 60 bloggers amongst 277 people were picked to speak. And I was one of those 60. It was fun hearing other bloggers introduce themselves in their signature styles..And each of the 60 people received a photobook from akshaya patra..:)

After that came the most fun part of the event... We were all given chart papers and sketch pens and were asked to hang them at our backs by a single thread around our necks and we were supposed to write comments on others backs and allow comments on our backs too. The motive was to allow maximum interaction between fellow bloggers.

The day ended with we receiving a cool t-shirt which had the following tagline "INDIAN BY BIRTH BLOGGER BY CHOICE"

How I welcomed 2011...

Sorry for writing so late guys... I know I should have written this post 2 days back! But never mind!!! I am back to share the story with all u people out there who care to read my blogs!!! It felt amazing  spending new  year's eve with a bunch of female friends, and I can say it was the best new year's celebration for me over last three years taken together.  We ordered food from outside, gyrated to numbers like sheila ki jawani, and munni badnaam hui and likes, burst crackers at midnight , in short had a gala gala time.


It was a beautiful night full of lights in the sky and sparks inside the house(hehe please don't take this sentence in the wrong sense guys) . What I meant was there was so much melodrama going inside... this space is not enough for me to give a complete description.


There were intensely sweet talks on the phone obviously with their respective guys, there were catfights( 3 cats vs. 1 human ie me) and over what....???


Any guesses....??????


Well!! It was over the color of the nail paint that i was putting on my nails. You may be thinking I must be insane decorating my nails on that particular day when I was supposed to be  having just plain fun!!!


Well Poor me!!! I was the only daisy duck left among three donald ducks(jus kidding), trying to do something feminine... (again kidding). I just meant that the other gals decided to drink and I just opted out of the option. I totally am aware that drinking is no longer a male bastion, and I am not averse to girls drinking either. But that was a personal choice for me to opt out of it.


But those donald ducks din't take to the color of my nail paint lightly...!!! and all sort of accusations were hurled at me..
From trying to be someone whom I am not... To using a wrong color... To trying to woo someone .... and the list goes on!! And  Can you imagine all three pouncing on me for this stupid reason.


But what they possibly didn't know was I can defend my turf!!! like a true champion!!!(no giggles here guys, i am sure I am one when it comes to standing up for things I believe in doing.) If they can change from non-drinkers to drinkers... then why cant I Put the wildest color possible in imagination on my nails...!!! Its totally my call... And even if I am trying to woo somebody... that's none of anyone's business.


Atleast I don't chicken out of situations where I need to accept what I do. If ever in future I decide to drink, I wont hide it ever from people except my parents(coz they won't understand).


After defending my point successfully!!! the good times resumed and we continued having fun till the wee hours of 1st of jan which was again spent very beautifully....!!!!:)