toddler teacher

Been a while since blogging, but some things are worth being penned and shared... here's one such experience...

 

the last day of our trek to Roopkund, and at shouting distance is Ran-ka-dhar. I'm among the last people (Shreyas and Sidd being the others) walking in our trek group, along with Manoj who was the rear-guard of our trek. I find a chocolate bar in my pocket, but I'm not interested to eat at that moment. Just then, I see a kid, about a year-and-half old, standing in the courtyard of his house, blissfully playing. I tell Manoj, "Manoj bhai, ye chocolate bacche ko de kar aa jaunga, ruko." He takes it from me, and goes himself, since the kid seems not to understand other languages yet, when I call him. The little one happily takes the chocolate and safely puts it into the tiny pocket of his shorts. Just as Manoj bids a farewell, his mother calls out (translating to) "uncle ko pranam karo.". Without a moment's hesitation or second thoughts, the kid bends down to touch the feet of Manoj seeking his blessings.

It is the pure and unscathed humility of childhood, I figure out, that let the kid be so deft in listening to his mother. He doesn't spare time to thoughts of knowing (or not) whose blessings he was seeking, whether the elder is worthy of the respect, or any of those things that go through our minds when we're asked of an act of reverence. It is this toddler teacher that taught me, reverence to people doesn't involve answers to questions of the sort.

That moment is fresh into my thoughts even after a whole month since we trekked. And here it goes, lest I forget it over time, serving a reminder for later..

rain, rain, come again...

A boy of about 4 or 5 years, he'd probably just learned to happily sing

"Rain rain go away, little Johnny wants to play...".

but stood at one window of their house in the quarters, sad and disappointed; punished for doing it despite having forbidden to... twice!

It was an early summer day; those days when his place had seen rain with hailstones; and this was one of them. Just as it started pouring down, and the hailstones clattered onto the streets, he'd wanted to run out of the house. He wanted to relish 'Ice'... luxury then. A cautious mother who'd already warned him against going out if and when it rained was busy washing laundry.

However, a few minutes into his hailstone-hunting, she probably realized something was out of place, and went to look outside. Summoned into the house, his head was dried and all the 'Ice' he still carried were poured down the sink. After some chiding, he was given dry clothes to wear, and Ordered (with a O) not to go back into the streets until the rain stopped.

Did she know that was exactly what he would do? For, he was back on the streets and out in the rain, in no time. This time when she found out, he was dragged in, scolded harshly, made to undress and stand waiting for dry clothes, so that he wouldn't go back to the streets. He would have to remain so, until the rain had stopped... and that was her way of keeping him from falling sick.

And there he was, standing at the window, hopelessly staring at the street as the silvery white stones melted away. Little did he know either, that he had already fallen in love with Rain.

As years rolled by, he had forgotten this story, his little love affair with rain. But he never missed a chance to get drenched when it rained. Whether it was on his way back from school, college, the library or office, or anywhere else, he found opportunities to wet himself tip to toe in rain water.

"But now, he's 'Grown-up', and has so much to take care of... a family, his work, friends, society and what not!". Such thoughts seem to have gotten into this puny little thing of his, called the brain, which sometimes works, leading to what the learned ones call 'worry'. His worries and bothering of no apparent origin are taking a toll on everything he's supposed to take care of.

Along came another day, when it rained; just before the onset of another summer. He's just got the chance to savor another shower of rain on his way back home. Again ordered to dry himself (as always, by his mother...), a cup of tea is offered. He picks it up, and walks to the gate wanting to be out there, but is stopped by her once again. 

The craving to go and stand under the bursting clouds is pushing him. Quickly finishing his cup of tea, he runs up to that attic of his house. Just about to enter, he stops, and looks up to the sky. Drops of water force him to close his eyes, but he doesn't bother anymore. He's out there; letting the rain do what it does best. As the drops hit his face, he smiles for the first time in a while. And with the smile, come back sweet memories of how he'd once done the same thing as a little boy.

He had come to peace with himself, and when rain drops trickled down the neck, they washed down all worries with them... at least, for the moment.

ye dost bhi...

ये दोस्त भी अजीब होते है, देने पे आये तो जान दे दे...
लेने पे आये तो हसी तक चीन लेते है!
कहने पे आये तो दिल के तमाम राज़ बोल दे,
छुपाने पे आये तो ये भी न बताये कि आखिर खफा क्यों है!
नाराज़ होगये तो सांस तक ना लेने दे,
मनाने के लिए अपनी साँसों को भी वो वार दे!
इसी लिए कहते है, दोस्त ज़िन्दगी में नहीं मिलते,
ज़िन्दगी दोस्तों से मिलती है।

                  -Anon

Last days and a lonely ride 4

Day 3 : ... a bicycle story and paanch Samosa

One final get-together since most of us had decided to pack our bags the next day. At about 6PM, an SMS drops in... "Come to Crumbs by 7:30". One chunk that had gone outing, another that had gone roaming, and me... so it turns out, that I'm the only one who's to go from campus. What had been an impulse, is time to show off. That I am going alone gives me reason to ride out on my brand-new bicycle.

7:30pm, and nobody is yet there at Crumbs. A wait of over twenty minutes finally bears fruit, and we're all gathered at the stairs. I murmur into the one standing beside me pointing at one car, and

"What the #$%^. Seriously?"
"Yeah. See for yourself." ...and I hand over the keys.

Unable to understand the reaction, everyone turns towards her...

"He's bought a new bicycle it seems..." a pause until everyone digested the news...
And then, "I'm riding it to Bangalore tomorrow."

Hitesh is the first to speak. "He's cool..."
"Paagal!"
"Hucch hididaiti? Illind benglurig cycle-daag hogti?"
"Tu bangalore jaane ke liye cycle khareeda?"
"Good luck with your adventure dude."
"Haan. Issi liye to Sunday ko tum logon ko baar baar call kar raha tha..."
"Hey, give me one ride no..."
"KC, be careful. Aparna doesn't know how to brake..."
"Are Aparna, tumhare pair neeche tak pahunchte nahi hai... be careful!"
...
...
People wanting to, take turns in riding, and then we go inside.

Some pastries ordered, a couple of sandwiches...
"Why don't we celebrate?"
"Okay... How about cutting a cake?"
So we decide it is pineapple pastry, but nobody is sure what to ice it with...

In the meanwhile, Irfan comes back asking for seconds... His order is for 5 samosas, and another muffin.
Orders billed at the counter...

"So what do you want for icing?"
"Abe, koi kuch to bolo..."
after a pause, when there are no suggestions, "Jo order diya, ussi ko daal de!"
"Theek hai. You can put 5 samosas on it."

All said and done, Crumbs wasn't going to fill our stomachs, and we decide to go elsewhere.
Scirocco comes up as a suggestion, and the choice. We go there, order some mocktails, which are a literal mockery of their names... (the food was okay, though!) about ten minutes to ten, two of them girls stand to leave for hostels, when we're still waiting for the cake we'd ordered. Finally, the *Paanch Samosa* arrives at ten past ten. This is got to be the most memorable cake for all those present on that day. After all, who would ice a cake with five Samosas?

We ask the couple (Bhautik and his wife, Dipali) to cut it on our behalf, and for the first time, we all tasted a pineapple pastry with 5 Samosas on it... Try it sometime... ;)

The story of two...

it was a story from once upon a time... (as narrated to me...)
In a green, romantic place, stood he near a cliff. She was beautifully robed in pristine white, and casually, walked towards him. He hadn't noticed her coming, but as she approached, his heartbeat rose in tempo. She was standing so close that he felt her in his breath. And then, she took his face in her hands, kissed the loveliest one any girl in romance would, said that this was the last that they would see of each other, and walked away into the dark...

thereafter... until the other day. This time, he was riding a bicycle along a crossroad of little significance. His princess who was sitting in the front, as soon as they approached the crossroad, got down to go home. They continued a few meters further when the soft touch of wet lips touched his cheek... the left cheek, to be precise... wondering if that was a caring one, a loving one or a romantic one, he woke up...

And now, I'm wondering how this story should be taken forward...

another year comes by...

Yeah... another year has gone by. So many things that i would remember from it, and so many that i will want to forget. And then, comes another year, strictly speaking of the Gregorian calendar... ;)

There was this movie at the Theater after aages... enchanted for some reason... maybe for i see myself somewhere there...

my future seems so uncertain to myself at this point of time. There's one opportunity, but i'm not sure if i'll grab it.

The Creator is yearning, but the risk is mammoth.

a few people, who apparently 'ignore' citing importance to some(thing/one, i dunno) else. Don't complain... 'cos everyone's got their own priorities.

lazing around since the begin of the year, and the toy hasn't snapped even a dozen this year yet.
Found the Dragon Warrior again. Seems like everytime i miss someone, this movie happens to be telecast on one of the innumerous channels. I dunno what it links to...
still planning to get lost. never yet making up mind.
grossly paid but so many of them were exclusively for Her... all the (H)EV's at Delhi.
The Godfather was here. An interesting story, where the plot revolves around someone least expected. for a change, it's Different. it's marvelous.
Oh yes, and the eclipse that showed up, and the one coming soon too have been good to start with...
and the first big folly... not having respected a dear friend will hopefully be 'Forgiven and forgot'.
hope this year enchants me with better things than all those so far...