Deep down, people are all alike...

It was a place of lush greenery all around. Birds chirping away, smell of wet earth from the distance, a peacock's voice could be heard in the distance every once in a while. He always felt privileged to be in the lap of mother earth; something not everyone enjoyed. Tall grass and Lantana all around, it was the space of the kings and queens who ruled the place. He had to be careful. He was a mere visitor after all. He would take one step after another, being extra cautious to not disturb even the smallest of animals, lest it disturbed the ecological balance of the place! Walking through the jungle today, amidst barren land that wouldn't have vegetation on it for at least a few years, he suddenly saw a carcass. Walking through the graveyard of what was once a forest, the Tiger's charred carcass was still too much for him to take. He knew it wasn't natural. His body shivered with rage, eyes red with fury. Here's a beautiful being, disfigured beyond recognition, owing ...

You are perfect! You! Yes, You! What if there's no fat or thin? No fair or dark skin? What if we are all just a spec of light? In a Universe so bright? So what if we know nothing? Or specialized in everything? So what if you are a killer A thief or a burglar? So what if the world revered you or loathed you? After all, the stopped clock is twice right too!    What if everything's just a choice? And you could change and transform like River to Ice? Would you choose to lose? Would you choose to choose?

Chapter 2 After a whole day’s physical and mental strain, she was still in the kitchen, cleaning and readying the kitchen for the next day’s chores. She washed the mixie vessel and the non-stick pan, which would be short-lived in the hands of the maid whose main weapons were Sabena and The tablet foil. She then added just a ladle of curd to a vessel full of milk and let it rest in a corner of the granite slab which acted as her regular work table. She transferred the remaining curd into a smaller vessel and put it near the mixie, which was the only empty spot nearest to the Kitchen door. She still had to put that day’s washed vessels in their allocated locations and fill the “vessel tub” (a tub allocated for vessels to be carried away by the maid) with those to be washed the next day, then ensure nothing unnecessary was still outside, put if any, into the fridge, wipe the granite and gas stove clean without a dot, switch off the gas, put a couple of almonds in a cup of...

Chapter 1 16 th September 2010 I t was yet another restless no-peace day. The mind was full of thoughts and clutter of images. Nidhi was going through seemingly difficult times; her career wasn’t taking off the way she had expected it to, but that wasn’t really bothering her. What was bothering was something else, and she couldn’t figure what. With these thoughts driving her, she drove back home in her year old Alto she had traded for her grandpa’s Maruti 800. Back home, she found her mom, Akila in the kitchen, (as expected) and as she normally did, enquired about her dad, Madhu’s whereabouts. “Your dad’s in the hospital. Grandpa’s not well na.. He had to be hospitalised for the operation today. I told you yesterday na..?!” “Oh! Ya ya... I remember.. Alright...”, managed Nidhi. Mechanically she proceeded to throw her bag in a corner, freshen up, and geared up to dine and hit the sacks. The day had now been officially declared over. Madhu had returned and was updating...

The cloudy skies sing a song With raindrops for the beat Wonderful place A visual treat A job well done Self-appreciation unbound All the feelings wonderful Bountiful I small glitch in between The face shrunk low A thought, a smile It was back to a glow Yearned for a voice For the thought The thought denied The voice defied The rain stayed The voice strayed The skies now gray Moods were at play Eyes went bare Thoughts went numb Rain paused for a while And there was the smile. Back again Dancing to the tunes Over and above Life’s many sand dunes Stay it shall Albeit for a while Stay it shall Even if not a mile For, come what may The choice is yours Pick the smile Or the tears

Prologue A s she held his hand, she could sense the pulse falling, slowly, but steadily. Valli was beside her, standing in anxiety, still hoping her husband would open his eyes to her. Akila made her hold his hand; it was probably going to be one of the last times she could do that she feared. Madhu rushed in just then. He saw it in his wife’s eyes that it was all over now. He looked at his mom, who was now holding his dad's still warm hand. Unable to face her, unable to face the fact that his mentor, his auditor, his beloved dad was no more, he kept looking at his face, partly hoping it would be a lie, a bad dream, that he would wake up and sit and everything would be alright, and partly wondering how to face his mom, how to tell her that the one who had been with her for 60yrs now, was no longer to be. The pressure was mounting and he could sense tears flowing down his face already. He tried to control it, tried wiping his face, it just wouldn’t stop. All he could do was ...

I walk the path in front of me Moving towards nowhere The trees, the birds, the scenic beauty around me Captures my attention to the fullest. Immersed in their beauty I forget my destination But the path is there And nature’s leading me through I keep walking Not knowing wither to But my mind isn’t sceptical My mind isn’t confused I am just my relaxed self On my journey to nowhere It no longer matters where my destiny is I’m there In this moment Where I am At this instant In the midst of this very essence of beauty Dancing to nature’s music To the rhythm of my tapping feet Of the branches swaying in the wind Of the fountain of leaves co-ordinating the tunes I enjoy my solitude In the crowd of natural substance I walk the path of life Enjoying my journey...Unbothered of destiny