Panei - Jonki

Panei - Jonki is the story of a girl named Panei and a boy named Jonki. They hailed from Lakhimpur, Assam and belonged to the Mising tribe of Assamese community. Panei was born to Niroma (mother) and Tamod (father) who were farmers from a poor family. Jonki's parents had expured since he was kid and he grew up in the village amongst other village families. They were residents of the Subansiri Miri Gaon which was based besides the river Subansiri. 

The Mising tribe is tribe originating from the hills. However continuous warfare has bought them to the plains. They worship clouds, thunder, moon, sun, stars and land. They offer wine, pork and chicken as a offering to the nature. 

Panei, who was then about 8-9 years old was playing besides the river. Jonki, who was then 14-15 years old was also there. Suddenly a bear came out of the forest. The duo got afraid and ran away from there. Panei stumbled upon the rocks. Jonki came back and helped her get up and both of them fled together. 

After some years, when it was the seventh day of Kati Bihu and there was a feast at the village with pork and chicken. While taking the blessings from the priest, Panei-Jonki sat together. Even during the feast when the group got divided on the basis of gender, they sat in oppositie to each other. After the feast, the Priest was asked about the well being of the village and then there he gave an indication that something untoward might turn up for one of the village couple. The village youth danced Bihu till late evening, when Jonki called Panei near him and asked her to meet him as he had something to discuss with her. Panei agreed to  meet him besides the river Subansiri. Accordingly, they met by the banks of river Subansiri. 

Jonki was eager to know if Panei has any likeness for him. He was also confused whether she had anything for Komud (the village Headman's son). Panei confessed that she like Jonki and denied of any likeness towards Komud. Jonki wanted to know if Panei's parents would allow them to get married. Panei asked him to work hard and earn and some money and only then she would be able to convince her parents for Jonki. 

Panei's parents were also worried for her wedding as she was growing old. Niroma wanted her to get married to Jonki but Tomud didn't. Tomud wanted her to get married to Komud as her future would be secured and he would get handsome money as offering. Niroma insisted Tomud to take Panei's consent to which he disagreed. Instead he asked Niroma to speak about Komud to Panei as she would probably grow some affection towards him. Panei, who had gone to fetch water from the river heard her parents discussing about Komud as she returned.

Panei met Jonki and asked how much had he earned by then. Jonki could earn only twenty bucks and said it would take him another six months to earn twenty bucks more and only then he would be able to talk to her parents about their marriage. 

Niroma discussed with Panei regarding Komud. Panei disagreed to the marriage offer and insisted on remaining unmarried. 

Six-seven days later, Komud reached to ask for Panei's hand and offered some monetary offering and seeked blessing. 

Jonki had left the village and was staying at Ghunaxuti, at his maternal aunt's place. His proficiency with Bihu and musical instruments made him famous amoung the young folks of Ghunaxuti. Dalimi, was one of the best Bihu dancers of Ghunaxuti. They started dancing Bihu together. Whenever Jonki would go to the banks of Subansiri to know about the how-abouts of Panei, Dalimi would be sad. Although she knew nothing about Panei, yet Jonki's absence left her sad. Gradually Jonki said Dalimi about his stay at Subansiri Miri Gaon and Panei. Dalimi was heart broken as she had started developing liking towards Jonki. 

Niroma and Tomud often insisted Panei to get married to Komud. However, she always denied. They even left the young couple alone at times so that they could start a conversation but seeing Panei's anger Komud never dared to speak a word. On several attempts, finally Panei said about Jonki. Tomud got furious and he went to the extent of saying that he would disown her as his child if she ever spoke of getting married to Jonki. 

Dalimi's father had few boats. Jonki asked Dalimi to lend him a boat as he intended to elope with Panei. Jonki said about Panei's sufferings and that left Dalimi in tears. She arranged for the boat.

Panei-Jonki eloped. They stopped near a dense forest. They parked the boat by the bank and stayed in the forest for the night. The let the boat go and wandered by the forest. At evenings, they would take shelter in a forest near Ghunaxuti. The villagemen who were in search of Panei went to Ghunaxuti and found Jonki missing. They were sure that the duo had eloped together. Jonki would gather vegetables and eatables with the money that he saved from Ghunaxuti and they managed to stay in that manner for a month. 

One evening while they were sitting beside the bonfire, Komud along with fifteen other villagemen appeared and they caught the duo. Jonki was taken in to custody by Tomud. There was a tremendous fight between Jonki and Komud. However the tribesmen attacked Jonki and only then Jonki settled. Dalimi's father arrived there with other viillagemen and stopped the fight. Even after being surrounded by such a huge mob, Jonki warned Komud to stay away from Panei or else he would have to face dire consequences.

The matter reached  the court of Lakhimpur. Numerous charges of theft, robbery and kidnapping were levied upon Jonki by Komud, Tomud and other villagemen. The court took Panei's statement and could find out that all the charges were false. The court however asked Panei's parents to take her and added that during her stay with her parents, neither Komud nor Jonki could disturb her. Panei's parents assured that they would settle the matter amongst themselves.

Panei was taken by her parents. Jonki returned to Ghunaxuti. Panei was greeted by her friends on her return. Some villagemen also insulted her. Panei's parents again insisted her to get married to Komud. She said that either she would stay unmarried or would marry Jonki. If forced, she would die willingly.

Komud's father also decided that either he would take the offered money back or would get Komud married to Panei.

Dalimi said Jonki that she has seen his villagemmen go towards the jungle and then she sent her father with a few villagers of Ghunaxuti to save them. She did the best to save the couple. 

Panei eloped again. She learnt that her parents were planning to forcefully get her married to Komud.

The viillagemen again came to Ghunaxuti in search of Jonki at his maternal aunt's home. Jonki got angry and said that Panei had eloped only because of the forceful attempts made by her parents to get married. The villagemen left. Dalimi heard the news and bought whatever money she had saved to Jonki. Jonki also said that he would go in search of Panei. 

Panei's parents realised their mistake. Niroma would often blame Tomud. Tomud, who has hard-hearted all the while was now feeling sad for his daughter. Jonki reached their place asked for their blessings. Panei's parents requested him to bring her out if he had hid her anywhere. Jonki denied, took their blessings and left in search of Panei.

After two days of wandering Panei, reached a Hindu village nearby. They lived a young gentleman whom Panei approached for water. By evening he insisted her for some wine and taking advantage of her intoxication he tried to molest her. Panei was a strong Mising girl and she successfully resisted his attempt. She was about to leave when he got back to his senses. He apologised and asked her to stay overnight. She forgave him and stayed there. 

Jonki was was also searching Panei reached the same place two days later. By the time he reached there, Panei had already left. He again left in search of her. On the way, he was kidnapped and they took his money. After three days and three nights of walking they reached a village above a hill. They gave him dry meat to eat. He could understand that he was taken as a captive and that  he had to stay there as a servant. He stayed there for four months.

One day, while he was working he saw some men bring few women as captives. He could see Jonki in them. They met and decided to elope. They were caught by the villagemen. They were decorated to be thieves. A village court comprising of the village elderly prove them to be thieves. They were tied with a single rope. Jonki prayed that Panei should be spared as she was pregnant. The villagemen gave no ear. They were pulled to the river banks.

It was already six months since Panei had left. Niroma would often blame Tomud. One day, she saw Panei-Jonki in her dream who were in a mountain. They refused to come down. They said it was impossible. They were happy. After Niroma woke up she went to the bank to fetch water. She spotted two bodies grabbed in each other arms flowing with the river. As the villagemen pulled the bodies they could make out it was Panei-Jonki. They were stabbed by sharp bamboos. They left the world in each other's arms.

The eternal love  story of Panei-Jonki shall be forever remembered by the people of this part of the country.

To love is to trust

The marriages of most of our parent's have been arranged. Love marriages, were not so common back then. How did they manage to stay loyal for so long without even being in love with the person? We tend to judge more, have more doubts on each others loyalty and perhaps break ups are so common than ever. Out true love lasts for couple of months. We have forgotten that even after being in relationship with someone we still have the independence to go out for a meal with a colleague of opposite gender, take a ride on their two wheeler, click a picture together, share a conversation, visit each others residence and have some good time. Why do we have so many doubts? Why do we even think that it is necessary to have sex with the person with whom we have gone out for a meal or shared a ride in their pillion? Why do we even think think that it is necessary to have sex with everyone? Has time changed or our mentality has degraded. Perhaps we are misinterpreting independence or we haven't learned to trust anyone. If you have been in love with someone than how can you not trust that person? Is trust not a part of love. Or we have been so decorated by bills and EMI's that we know to trust only when a bond is attached and that too duly signed in under legal jurisdiction. I have seen people for being together for years and then approaching counsellors and detectives to check on their partner. Aren't we spreading hatred? How could our parents have no doubt on each other? How could they be in love and not say it by words everyday but prove it by their actions? We must learn something from the ear that just passed by. They would define love better to us. They have known to trust and also to respect each others trust and stayed away from being heartbroken for always. Why aren't our parents so bothered that if each of them had anyone special during their past life? Are we suppose to call ourselves modern after we fight over the past issues so much  that we end up spoiling our present. Perhaps our generation has learnt only to click good pictures, spend a lot to pretend being in love, spend extravagantly to show their love and post pictures only to make others jealous. We have also deteriorated ourselves to a whole new level. The futures of tomorrow believe in proving love by sending nudes. God bless the lust addict trust deficit generation. 

The love deprived generation

What do we get by the enthusiasm of today's generation to celebrate an entire week on valentine's day? Why are they so crazy for just one day. They have never ever realized that love blooms in those small moments everyday than celebrating a grand  on one special day.

I belong to a generation with one leg on the modern era that's running now and the other on the era that belongs to a decade back. I am not modern but a semi-modern lover and that has made me realize the deprivation of today's generation. This generation has abundance of sex and sex partners. I am not pointing my disagreement on anybody's independence but today's modern generation hardly has any difficulty in finding sex mates. What we lack is that special someone who would kiss them on their forehead or hold their hand while enjoring a stroll in a nearby community park or talk till midnight or just be there and feel the essence of being special to someone or save pocket money to buy a gift. A decade back, things were mostly of that sort. 

Decorating restaurant corner seats with a special dinner and costly gifts are impressive but why are we doing them only on one special week of the year? Anyday anytime we can bring a moment of love in our partner's life. We belong to a generation who is starving for love. We need someone to hold us tighly. We need someone to hug us more frequently. Emotional breakdowns are now more often than anytime else and so we need someone to lend us their shoulder to rely upon. We need someone we can trust always. We needmore of holding hands. We need more of kisses. We need more love. Love is what will keep us alive in this winter of  life.

Best Proposal Scene Ever

We all have proposed or received proposals. While some hide themselves behind the cellphone screen and drop a simple text over whatsapp, there are quite a few who prefer to do it vehemently. Movies have always had a great role in idolizing love in our lives. The scene from 'A Walk To Remember' where the Landon asks Jamie if she would marry him while they were gazing at  the sky with a telescope  even after knowing that Jamie was fighting against cancer. Also, the scene from 'He's just not that into you' where Beth is about to throw away the trousers and Neil asks her to check the poskets and she finds a ring and turns around to find Neil on his knees saying, "I love you so much, so much, so much and I want to make you happy. I need to make you happy for  me to even have a shot at being happy.

There are quite a few remarkable from bollywood too. The scene from Saathiya where Aditya proposes Suhani in front of his friends in a moving train. Also the scene from Wake Up Sid wheer Sid runs to Aisha and hugs her in Marine Drive while it  was raining. Even in Rang De Basanti Ajay took his entire gang to an old fort and proposed Sonia in an utost serene environment. 

However the best scene that I have ever seen is from Jannat where Arjun takes his car to stop in front of Zoya's car at a traffic signal, gets down on his knees and proposes her. While you can call it as overrrated bollywood or a bookie's crazy on the moment instinct reaction without any damn fear, it is still the best scene ever. It can also a try to copy real life businessman Mukesh Ambani's proposal style to Nita Ambani where he stopped his car in mid traffic and proposed her and he only agreed to start it again after she agreed to his proposal. 

Gradual Love

Love is the result of a momentary impulse or it grows with time?? The momentary impulse or what we call as 'Love at first sight' is exaggerated attraction. Most momentary impulses are due to attractions to a beautiful physique. I believe in the old quote, what comes fast goes fast.  

Love is the flower you've got to let it grow.

                                                                         - John Lennon

To be in love means to be in love with the worst part of your partner too. You can't ignore your partner at the darkest hour of life. To be in love is being like the captain of the ship. When its soft and smooth, he enjoys sailing with the breeze; but when the ship sinks he dies with it. When love develops gradually there is an entire story behind. Having an entire story behind can be either from being school friends or even hooking up with your best friends girlfriend. It can be anything. Falling in love  is easy, but staying in love isn't. Sometimes there are less of agreeable beliefs and more of opposing views. People can be totally opposite in beliefs and habits and yet love is what makes both the bipartisan's meet at a midpoint.

There comes a stage where liking the goodness in each others phase comes to an end and people start getting irritated by the differences. Fighting the differences and ignoring  the past are the two major tests. The best part comes when you know your partner and still there is something that doesn't pull you away. Its like falling in love again and again with the same person.

Falling is love is like trying a new drug. You like the hallucinations but when  the intoxication starts fading away you hate the hangover. To grow with love gradually is being an addict who would die with the drug. It isn't easy. Its love after all. It can't be easy. It can simply be adventurous, gradual and forever.

Submitted to the 241st edition of Indispire.

Believe

We'll find some place soon,

In the quarter of heaven,
Where we'll share a laughter or two

All you gotta do is believe.

Let's fly into the clouds

Neighbouring the stars and resting on the moon

You are an angel I believe

You don't deserve to be here.

You are the rain,

You are the sun that glow,

You are the beautiful rainbow,

You are the angel of my dream.

One day we'll be there,

Believe me it's true,

Just hold on to me,

In the future lies peace.

The Touch and Trust

What is the need for physical intimacy in a relationship??

There has always been a debate on whether to get swept over by your partners love or not or when is the right time to get swept away from your partners love. Intimacy helps to feel the warmth. A simple hug builds a trust that there is someone beside, always.

Its good to have an assurance of togetherness, but is it always necessary to get naked in front of your partner? Can't we build in an intimacy without touching?

There are people who meet their partners once in a year. The only intimacy that they carry with them is their partners pic safely walled in their purse. Our soldier brothers and sisters have been living all their life with only the emotion of real touch for a fortnight or so in the entire year with their partners and this doesn't make their relationship less stronger. Even in this modern day concept of global village, people are staying apart, some in different cities of the same country and some even in different countries. Their need and greed for intimacy doesn't drive them to be unfaithful to their partner. They too meet after months.

I don't believe that happiness, faithfulness and intimacy can ever be correlated. Life isn't so uniform for all. A couple can be happy without any intimacy while another might need that happiness of intimacy quite often. A couple can be far and still be loyal while someone can just be near his partner and still be deceiving.

There are couples who find it exciting to have that touch quite often and that they need their daily dose of orgasm. There are also people who are so corrupted by sex that they find happiness in changing partners often. There are also people whose only intimacy is the walk they walk together back from office holding hands.

The real intimacy between two souls is when you don't speak and still your partner understands. Spoken words are to make sense to the world and unspoken emotions are only to the one who is intimate to you. He, who knows you for being yourself will understand when you are happy and what makes you happy.

“there's nothing more intimate in life than simply being understood. And understanding someone else.”

          - Brad Meltzer, The Inner Circle

 The article is penned for 236th edition of Indispire, "Is physical intimacy the only thing which matters in a relationship? Can you live without it and yet be happy?"

The Bid Adieu

Since the day you have left

I have wept in solitary and prayed

May Your smile and happiness

Fly from your lips across your face

With the broken heart I cried all night,

Wish you were nearer and always mine.

I shall wait for you to return,

Cause I know there is a lie hidden.

You left alone in the dreary desert,

With the dry hope of swimming around beautiful Madagascar.

Now there's a last wish that I do tame,

Be with someone whose heart beats with yours.

The one who showed you dreams of beautiful blue,

Are all unreal, vague and untrue.

There is beauty in your smile,

That only a drunk poet can define.

For he who wants you for the glory of sex and beauty,

Remember, he shall be gone once it fades away.

He waited

Alcohol has been a good healer, at certain times for fever and at most times for loneliness. He was suffering from the former since the day back and the latter for months. Even those wall paintings, cozy cushions and floral curtains which were all her choice, no longer fascinated him. For months, he was away from the beauty of her being present around. He missed the smell of her hair on his face as he woke up, He woke up to the smell of rum on his breath and rarely remembered the last moments of the last night. He drank like a dog. He drank to overcome loneliness. He drank even before he could get over his hangover. She was thousands of miles away from him. He regretted the decision of not having a baby at times, which she often insisted upon. At times, he was glad that he didn't let the baby suffer those moments of loneliness. He spent lonely anniverary. He had made several plans, but she couldn't be home.

A mail popped in. She was coming in a couple of days.

He lost his sleep. He made the house look home again. He bought gifts. On the day he arranged a cake and a bottle of single malt of the dining table. Although she hated him when he drank, however the occassion was to celebrate and he thought not to leave it incomplete and instead bought her favorite brand which they used to drink bunking college classes.

He waited for her at the door. As she walked to him, he openned his arms. She jumped to him. He held his world after a long gap. He kissed her desperately. He got upon her lisptick like a man who was away from food for days. He pulled her upon his lap and they kissed like never before. Her war had ended. He was a proud husband to a lady soldier. He waited for these moments.

Allure of Marriage

An elderly man was disturbed by his neighbours compalints of a married life and he often got offended when recently married couples often cracked jokes that that 'happily married' was an irony. He called a few couples one evening and he asked any lady to volunteer for a small game.

 

 

 

"Write the names of twenty five near and dear ones in your life?" he asked the lady pointing the board.

 

The lady got astonished and she looked at the man. The man insisted her to continue. She wrote the names of her husband, her child, her parents, her in-laws, her friends and few of her close relatives. In no time her list of twenty five got filled on the white board.

 

The man read the entire list and asked her to remove five names, She removed a few relatives. The man again insisted to remove five more names. She removed a couple of her friends. When asked for the third time, she removed the names of few more friends. The final list contained six names which had the names of her parents, her in - laws, her husband and child. The man now asked to remove three names, which left the lady in despair. He reminded her it was just a game. She omitted the names of her in - laws and her Dad. The only three names in the board contained the names of her husband, child and her mother. The man now asked her to remove one more name. She left the game. He insisted her and reminded her about the veritability that it was just a mere game. She stepped forward unwillingly in the saturated silence of the entire room and unwillingly rubbed her mother's name. She was left with a board full of two mere names that held her whole world. The entire room of compalining youths was now left with silent sympatheies and realizations. The man broke all went to test the extreme endurance and now asked her to omit the final name. She broke down like never before. She forgot the game and repeatedly said that it was impossible. When insisted again and again, she rubbed her child's name.

 

"Now you all know the game", the man said and he helped the girl to her seat and asked her to calm down.

 

The irony of a happily married life was now turned in to deference. The man gladly remembered his dead wife.

Melody of Victory

 

 

Young men, not even a beard on face,

separated by all, termed as a disgrace.

They marched ahead, with a broken heart,

they tamed mutiny, yet seeked love.

What they seeked, was a lovers cuddle,

they faced swords, and struggled in battles.

They faced cuts, groaned in pain,

they were soldiers, agreed to die virgin.

After days in battle, one fine day,

they went outnumbered, about to fall astray.

They gathered courage, went to fight back,

for death may come, yet glory shall remain.

They killed the enemies, killed to live,

they won the war, sand the melody of victory.

The homemaker hubby

Stereotypes that have been there for ages saying an woman's true place to be in the kitchen and proudly we have been able to drive that out of the society to a great extent. It may be prevalent in the society somewhere in the nooks and corners, but it can be claimed that the era of the stereotype is in the history now.

The next generation stood up to step ahead towards equality where responsibilities and chores of the house were shared equally by the partners and which resulted in a progressive household and also led to higher household income. This trend is still followed in many households. Sharing things brings in respect for each other among the partners and also brings extra moments of love.

There is this new concept of the husband being the homemaker. Yes, I am saying something from the recent bollywood release 'Ki & Ka' starring Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor. Its actually a great concept for men who have longed to be in the kitchen. Usually men drop out the idea of being in the kitchen with the fear what their neighbours and kin's might think. Social norms have taken out the urge from many men to spend in kitchen. Many men like to do household chores and they long to be near the stove. It is pertinent when after a week of hard work men run to the kitchen on sundays to cook something good for their other half. They find solitude in cooking rather than analyzing excel sheets with data poured in it. Its not only chilling beside the lake with a pint in hand that brings excitement in to a man, but also cooking and doing other household chores. In fact, this new concept has proven that work and gender aren't related at all and everyone in the society has the right to live their life.

What I learned from my mother..

I have grown up in a family where both my parents are working and I have always seen my mother as a dedicated later towards her work. She has never complained and also never skipped work, except on those occasions when it was mandatory to do so. Even after all the responsibilities at work I have never seen her skipped any part of her work at home. She has always ensured that our meals are ready on time and everything that is necessary to keep the house as home. She has perfectly maintained that home and work life balancing.

Often in family gatherings I have seen most women getting engaged in gossiping and bitching. Somehow my mother has always ensured that she stays away from all that. Instead she gets in to those talks which say about future prospects for me or anything other that is constructive. I have never seen her bitch. Even when I ever complained about anyone, she asked to stay calm. As a child when I ever said anything wrong about anyone she used to say me it was a sinful act and automatically I stayed away. Now when I have grown up, she knows that saying it as a sinful act won't keep me away from doing so. So he just says that she doesn't like it when I do so.

I have also learned from her to stop relying on anybody. Even after being a working lady she has never relied upon a helper or a servant. She never minds doing the household chores. When inquired, she says she actually does it as it keeps her healthy. This has influenced me to a great extent and even after having persons around to help I still do my own tasks. The only things that I can't do myself is pressing my clothes and stitching a button back on a shirt. I am sure I shall soon excel in these sectors also.

At my place its purely vegetarian and my mom has been cooking vegetarian food for the past 26 years without the use of any onion and garlic. Often our near and dear ones remain astonished seeing that. I have heard people saying that onion and garlic adds taste to food and meat and fish adds taste to a meal. My mother has proudly proved it wrong and she has always ensured taste in a mean without use of any chicken, fish, ginger or garlic. I am far away from being an expertise in this field.

The Virgin Soldiers

Graves looked very young,

heart sang melancholy song,

fought proudly; died bravely

virgin soldiers proved loyalty.

Trrrng Trrrng Thoughts - III

Trrrng Trrrng.. the phone rings

"Hello," greeted Ishani with the universal conventional way as she picked up the call.

"Hello Ishani," as Yudhi greeted her back.

"Yudhi?" she asked with astonishment. She was shocked to receive the call at 03:25 AM in the morning.

"Yeah gorgeous, its me again. Many many happy returns of the day."

"You remember my birthday?" she asked in surprise.

"Why won't I?" he asked back. "I have been calling you up since 12' O clock," he added.

"Oh I am sorry, I didn't have your new number," she apologized without much thoughts.

"I haven't change my number for years. Both me and my contact number are the same for years."

She remained silent and he too didn't expect any answer after that. The pause went on for a while.

"I was having some issues with my boyfriend and so I didn't pick up an unknown number," she replied with a lower tone of voice.

"I am none to comment on your personal matters," replied the forever gentle Yudhi.

"He forgot my birthday just like the previous years," she broke down as she said. Her gesture proving her unconditional love for her boyfriend.

"You see, I never forgot your birthday till date," he replied. She remained silent. "Is it the reason you didn't pick up the call?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Can you do me a favor on your birthday?" he asked.

"Please don't propose me again. I don't like to turn down your proposal every time."

"No, its not that. Even I don't like to get heart broken every now and then."

"Then what is it?"

"Can you please come down? I am getting impatient, its really hard to wait for three and half hours with an umbrella on one hand and cake on the other," he said.

"What?" she was shocked.

"Yeah. I am here since 11:45 PM. I have got your favorite Boston Cream Pie and a small gift for you. Can you please come down fast?"

She ran to the window pane. He was there.

"I love you," she didn't know how she uttered those words. It was out of excitement for that moment.

"Save that for your boyfriend. I am sure he is planning a better surprise for you tomorrow."

"I am sure he isn't," she replied as she rushed through the stairs.

She ran to hug him. He passed on the umbrella upon her so as to protect her from getting wet. Meanwhile, he could feel his shoulders get wet by her tears.

"I was here to see a smile on your face, and not for your tears."

"You haven't changed," she smiled, but the moisture in her eyes weren't over yet.

"I said you that beautiful girl."

A prostitute's love story..

As she expressed her heart out,

into laughter the men broke out,

her tears were ignored by all,

men forgot to console, shamelessly laughed along..

She had been famous and renown,

for she sold her beauty in dark lanes of the town,

most perverts of that town had some rest,

foreplayed and slept over her chest..

Men forgot, she too had a heart,

they knew her as someone who sold love,

and like ruthless beggars, for which they did starve,

every night someone teared down her innocence in the bed..

This guy, whom she had always known since her childhood,

who was lost with time, returned with manhood.

"Thousands of naked men have crawled above me,

yet I remain a virgin; for my heart still belongs to you".

Love is not a poor man's play

Love is not a poor man's play,

He who is rich shall play it the best,

he who has a heart saturated with emotions,

shall shed tears and earn it from her..

Love ain't what's in her heart,

it's about those moments, that you lived without fear,

insecured, yet he dreams of blissfulness,

Love is, not expecting anything in return..

For he who has cried his life for commitments,

feels the need, and fails miserably to love,

and he who has built castles even in tear drops,

knows to love, even if he's deserted to live alone..

Love is not a poor man's play,

he should have courage, to live alone,

blankets of emotions shall wrap him in winter nights,

tears of expectation shall guide him to eternity..

My beautiful girl..

My beautiful girl, is so hard to understand,

she smiles, hiding miseries in her heart,

she tries and tries, yet she fails,

I find myself, behind her tears..

My beautiful girl, knows to fake a smile,

she's happy, even when she's not,

she does, to make up my heart,

I make her cry and she happily does..

My beautiful girl, takes my breath away every hour,

I have a heart that beats with her,

she's a princess, with tiara and love,

I being a roadsider dream to be with her, forever..

My beautiful girl, ain't for everyone to understand,

for God himself took hours, when he made her,

and he created luck to make me meet her,

she's a stroke of happiness in my dreary moments..

An Imperfect Life-partner

"Finally, I have found someone for myself. I am very happy", said the girl as they walked down the street.

The girl and the boy had been friends since high school. The boy had a crush upon her since the first day of school. The boy even expressed his feelings several times and the girl gently turned him down. She liked his friendship and so in spite of hindrances she maintained the friendship with him.

"I am happy for you", replied the boy in a soft and broken voice. He didn't have any moisture in his eyes, yet it was not able to maintain the joyfulness.

"I owe you a treat. Tell me where do you want a treat?" asked the happy girl.

"What was so wrong about me?"

"I don't like you. That's it."

"Why? You like my company but you are not ready to accept me as my boyfriend. Why is it so?" asked the confused boy.

"You cannot decide your life partner just because you like his company. He need's to be a complete man."

"What's incomplete in me?"

"You see a man is known by the company he keeps. I hate your friends. They are so badly dressed. They wear the same pair of jeans for weeks thinking it might go unnoticed. They are into brawls every now and then and surprisingly most of the times it is for others. They still need to grow up."

"You didn't accept me because of my friends?"

"You are a good guy but he is better. I can blindly trust that he shall keep me happy all throughout his life. He earns good, has a nice apartment, keeps travelling across metros and is always surrounded by good company. By good company I mean to say people who are properly dressed with suit and live a gentle life."

"I had bought something for you but now I think it won't be of any use to you" said the boy.

"What did you bring?"

The boy pulled out a diamond ring from his pocket.

"Please don't make it difficult for me. Please don't propose", said the girl.

"I won't. I gave up the idea of proposing you when you said that you have found out the life partner for you."

"It looks expensive."

"Yeah I saved an entire months salary for it" smiled the boy as he said it.

"It looks more than your months salary."

"Obviously it is. The rest is paid by those friends whom you hate so much. I just announced that I was planning to propose you and they collected the money. I hesitated to collect the money but they insisted a lot. They selected this ring."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes I am. It might be true that I am an imperfect life-partner but I am surrounded by perfect company. Fatso earned his livelihood by giving guitar lessons to the school kids and that idiot sold his guitar for this ring. Sam was saving for a Royal Enfield but he broke a part of his savings. I am lucky to have them. You please keep the ring or they shall be hurt. I will keep my friends. I look best in their company."

It happens in Love

"Aren't you hungry today?" she asked.

"Hmmmm.. Yeah, but I don't want to go out today."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing such in particular."

"You seem little off today."

"It's nothing like that. I am fine."

"Then come out boy."

"Okay I am going", replied the boy. He sounded little confused yet he tried to act determined to keep his word in front of her.

They met. She was clueless about his sudden abnormal behavior.

"I am hungry. Come, lets have something", the girl proposed after she discovered sudden silence among them. She was more keen to start the conversation then to have something to eat.

"I am not hungry", he replied.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Please have your food. I will wait and sit beside you."

She ate as her order arrived. Although she got her food when her hunger was at the peak and she should have been happy at that, yet she wasn't. In fact she was disheartened.

After the food, they walked to the shop at the end of the lane from which the boy bought his daily quota of cigarettes after their evening snacks.

He didn't walk towards the shop. Instead he stared at her.

"Can you lend me 100 bucks? I will return you at the earliest."

"Okay sure."

She drew out a hundred rupee note from her purse and handed it over to him. 

"I saw your purse empty. By any means, was it the reason that you didn't want to come out to eat?" asked the girl.

"Yeah."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. For the last few days you have been paying for my food and booze. I feel guilty. Today I had to ask for the cigarettes. I don't know what shall happen next."

"Oh now I get why you were behaving like a jerk all this time. Please don't say such things. You have paid for my food, shopping and outings whenever you had money. In fact most of times you have spent most of your salary on me."

"I don't feel okay since for the last few days you have been spending your salary on me."

"Oh come on, we have been together for years. If you could have skipped lunch and saved for my birthday gift then this is nothing in front of them."

She hugged him tightly. As the girl pulled him to leave, the guy stopped her.

"I am hungry. I want to have bread omlete."

Hearing this the girl laughed her heart out. She watched him have his food.

As they both were leaving, the boy slowed down gradually. The girl couldn't understand initially. As she rolled her eyes in inquisitiveness, she discovered the bar around her. They both entered and drank beer.