LOVE

I saw her again, walking across the street, wearing nothing fancy. Strands of hair covering her vision. It was indeed amazing how effortlessly beautiful she was, never ceased to amaze me. I kept looking at her, I was getting late for office but losing on a sight of her was difficult. She was as beautiful as an artist's dream. Her big eyes twinkling in the broad daylight, I could not keep my eyes off her eyes. They are indeed mirror to the soul, I through her eyes, could see right into her soul. I wish I could keep staring at her while I was dumbstruck but soon she was out of my vision.

As I proceeded towards my office, I could not keep thoughts of her away from my mind. She was not only beautiful from the outside but she was beautiful inside out. I remember the day when I had lost my job and one sentence from her helped me forget all my sorrows, "Fuck it! The company didn't deserve you. You are my precious, deserving something bigger and you will get it, just keep the dimpled smile on all the time. It has magical powers." And on came a smile on my face. Not that this helped me slog any less to find a new job but it filled in me an energy to slog harder, to move with swifter speed. I was indeed blessed to have her in my life.

Suddenly sadness struck me when I realised that she would not remain mine in a few year's time. We will meet but not as often as we do now. I will not find her by my side in the middle of the night when I will need a shoulder to cry. We will no longer share those random laughs. But in a way I am happy, we had to part ways, she had to find someone apart from me who could keep her happy for her lifetime. She, my sister was soon going to be married to another man. I will miss her but she will always remain the first woman in my life, the woman of my dreams, an inspiration. She, was my first love.

SHE

I felt strangled. In this house of mine, I felt lonely and so I had filled my flat with enough furniture but it didn't help. I also didn't have any friends; I preferred to keep myself surrounded with work in order to remain sane. My parents stayed away from me, I loved them a lot but I didn't miss them as much as I should have. I didn't have a boyfriend, I had never fallen in love in my entire life and I had no idea why. The concept of love was far-fetched for me maybe. Soon, in a few hours my life was to change forever.

I worked as a freelance writer. Maybe there is something wrong with the term, 'Freelance'; people tend to think that a freelance writer will work for free. I earned close to nothing, close to 'free'. I got ready and left for my workplace. I had to take a sharing rickshaw to reach this particular place. I was the first one in the auto as the rickshaw driver was waiting for the rickshaw to fill up to its maximum so that we could take our journey forward. I was looking at something, I don't know what but I kept looking at that something while my mind wandered somewhere else. Soon I got distracted when a few passengers started rushing in the rickshaw so as to squeeze me in the corner. From the corner of my left eye I could see this young boy, with his headphones on, swaying his head and lip syncing to some song. He had a bag hung, torn from behind. He was dressed properly and looked like a smart teenager. The most striking thing about him was that he looked happy; maybe I was not used to see happy people. But he definitely looked different.

A girl staring at a boy definitely seemed to be a myth but there I was staring at him shamelessly. And in no time, I was in love. Yes, as a vague as it sounds I definitely fell in love with this guy. I didn't know him, I had just seen him but you do not need to know a flower's name to fall in love with its beauty, an infant doesn't need to speak words in order to have faith in its parents. I fell in love with this boy. Soon he reached his destination and got down; still swaying to the song he was listening to. I kept thinking about him throughout the day and by the end of the day realized that I was hopelessly in love. I wandered until reaching a decisive point where I realized that I was just a boy who felt like a girl from inside and this world was not meant for me.

STOP RAPING MEN WITH YOUR WORDS!

On Republic Day a video which went crazily viral was that of a girl bashing all men in this country, demeaning them, stereotyping them all and yes, it ashamed me! Not because what you said was right woman but because my “boyfriends” and I around are not like that.

This whole episode of generalizing all men under one category of perverts is equivalent to calling all Pakistanis terrorists because Kasab was a terrorist! What sense does it make in doing something like that? Do you gain sympathy by that? Well, it is high time you understood that men in India have all laws against them! The laws are so badly biased towards women that even if a man touches a woman, she goes on to file a rape case against. And what happens after that? His career is in shambles and so is his life.

Indian Penal Code, Section 345D states a one sided stalking law for women. It states that, “To follow a woman and contact, or attempt to contact such woman to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest by such woman; or monitor the use by a woman of the internet, email or any other form of electronic communication. There are exceptions to this section which include such act being in course of preventing or detecting a crime authorised by State or in compliance of certain law or was reasonable and justified.” This law actually sends shivers down my spine. I am so damn afraid to make friends with new girls now. What if we have a fight and she ends up filing an FIR against me for stalking her?

Out of the cent percent, ten percent or maybe let’s say thirty percent, commit rapes, sexual harassment, eve teasing and all crimes against women in India. Does that give you right to blame the entire race of men? You say, we call you slut, whore, chamiya, phooljhadi and what not. What are we called? Pervert, chep, cheap,  playboy and what not!

Let’s face this, we are in the 21^st century and we all know how progressive India has become. Gone are the days when women were reeling under men’s superiority complex. Today, men and women are treading on the same path. Yes, there are hiccups. Some brutal rape cases shock us too but stop generalizing! Start appreciating the fact that there are good men around, in the form of you father, your brother, you best friend with whom you can talk about “anything and everything” and of course your husband, who not always is a harasser.

We are tired of this generalizing as much as you are tired with rapes and harassment. Girls and women, whenever you are bashing men with words please care to mention good things about the rest seventy percent. It will help you maintain a balance and will help us feel good, for a change. We men have had enough! Stop raping men with your words!

LET US BE KIDS AGAIN!

I am looking for certain people. Can you help me find them? They belonged to a world of simplicity. Small gestures and things made them smile. I cannot see the smiling faces anymore. Can you see them? Can you take me to that same world again? I guess not. I guess you too are trapped in the same world. We all are, trapped in our masks, which just wont come off.

I remember the times when we were kids, like real kids. For us happiness was watching our favourite cartoon, building sand castles and not singing Honey Singh songs. Counting holidays in school calenders was the real euphoria we received every single day. Pre recess preparations, making cricket teams and do the toss so that it wont waste time and not wait to take off the mobile phone, yes that was our childhood. Playing with friends all the crazy games of hide and seek and not hide ourselves for real, from the world. Yes, that was childhood. Come night, watching tv and falling asleep, waiting for your dad to carry you to your bed and not your girfriend's text. Yes that is what my and many others childhood comprised of. Gone are those days I believe. All we are left with today are mobile phones and fingers that keep fidgeting. Hearts which never seem to be pleased. Gone are the days when a child can be called innocent, ah you can call him "smart" instead. Gone is the simplicity, all we are left with is emptiness, loud music, dark rooms and cellphone lights which keep on lighting all night. I say put that thing aside. Lets be kids again, lets build sand castles again. Lets be foolish again. Let us fall and learn to rise again. Let us be kids again!