My Sky full of Dreams

I wonder how the time stopped between us,
Fast enough expunging memories
Obliterating self and soul together.

I remember the day my eyes met yours,
A slow smile came to your face
Like a robin perches on the branches
I got the moment of your grace.

We shared the dreams together,
We walked down the empty lane
We laughed and we cuddled
We did what we thought was better.

I feel like writing about you...
I write about your stories in my sky full of dreams,
A part of which is you and will always be
I thought no one could replace you
For them it will be less easy
For me it's difficult to see the truth whatever be.

They say it's hard but never too late,
I pray to lord for your happiness
I wish all your dreams come true
Just wish for me wherever you are...
Wherever be our memories.

I will be there with you...
Holding your hands and walking beside you,
My loneliness will make me complete.
A window of ethereal love will open someday
Someday i will get to see you from there.
If seen, don't rush, walk slow, fly me a smile.
I promise i will be there for you,
Wherever you are there i will be flying with you.
With you, yet alone...
In my sky full of dreams,
In my sky full of dreams.

~~P.S~~

The Final Countdown

Continued from previous post-

http://www.sarkartimes247.com/2017/09/truth-or-dare.html

"Susheela...O Susheela....Susheela!" 

"Yes..yes..What happened?""Susheela...Today is going to be a very special day. You will get a good news very soon. Just pray to Ganapati bappa for my success. Just Pray.""Mr. Nathuram is very happy today...kaay jhale? Promotion? Or what?"Relax..relax. I will tell you after my duty. Don't sleep, just wait for me." He giggled for the very last time and never came back.That day was his last day. He never saw the next morning. Susheela was lost in her own silence. With her husband's dead body lying in front of her she broke down and fell unconscious to the ground.

Susheela was staring Inspector Pratap as if she wanted some answers. Her eyes were questioning him repeatedly. Pratap was feeling very uneasy over Susheela's reaction. 

"Baba..she is Pankaj's Mummy. And Aunty this is my Baba."
"I know...nice meeting you Inspector Pratap."
"Susheela..."
"Pakeya..come with me, you are not going to meet this girl from tomorrow, understand?"
"But Aai...she is my good friend."
"No need. If you don't listen i will not let you go anywhere, will keep you locked inside your room, understand?"
"But Aai..."
"Come..where is your bag? where is your school bag?"
"I...I lost it somewhere..." Without waiting further for any answer Susheela gave a tight slap to Pankaj in front of  them. Pankaj started crying immediately and covered his face with both his hands as he felt embarrased.
"Susheela...why you are doing this to your child? Leave him. He is innocent." Pratap interrupted her from further beating Pankaj.
"Mind your language Inspector Pratap. It's none of your business.Do you know how it feels?...still today that because of you i lost my husband. I know you killed him. Yes you are a murderer." 
"Please keep quiet Susheela. You are mistaking me.It was an accident.I have suffered a lot. Can't you just see?"
"Huh..suffered a lot? Do you know the pain Inspector?the pain of losing your own husband? Do you ever know the pain? Tell me..Do you have any answer? No..because people like you don't value life of others. You are a murderer."
Pankaj was crying covering his face. Kavya started crying too. 
"Susheela, i am not going to argue further with you. Kavya, let's go. You are not going to meet him anymore. ok? Ok Kavya? Speak up Kavya? Kavya?
"Ok Baba..I am sorry."
"Good girl."
"Like father like daughter."
"Control your tongue Susheela or i will put you behind bars."
"Can you bring my husband back? Tell me Inspector? He was so happy that day..so happy! And see what you people did to him? He got killed...he is no more..no more." Susheela broke into tears instantly.She turned back and called the nearest auto rickshaw available. Kavya was watching in horror. The entire crowd was watching the whole incident.Seeing this, Inspector Pratap shouted and the crowd vanished within seconds.
"I have never seen such a mad lady like you Susheela. Just go away and don't ever show me your face. Your husband was a coward. He lacked guts for that encounter. That's why he got killed. You foolish lady." Pratap lost his cool and the words made their way in anger.
Susheela took the auto rickshaw and left the scene alongwith Pankaj.
Pratap asked his daughter to come inside the Jeep with her tiffin box. Kavya took the half eaten chocolate sandwich that was left out by Pankaj and packed it inside her tiffin.
"I am sorry Panku, because of me you had such a bad day today. I wish every thing gets sorted out between our parents very soon. I am sorry Panku."

"Susheela...Susheela!!"
"Bola..Kay jhale?"
"They are after my life Susheela, please take care of Pakeya."
"Ram...Ram? Kuthe Aahe tumhi? Tell me? Where are you Ram?
And the call got disconnected. Numerous calls made to Nathuram went un-answered. Later his mobile came switched off. Completely Switched Off just like Nathuram. The day was long and the night was the longest Susheela has ever spent alone. All alone.

'Police constable gets killed in Encounter. TOI.
Promotion for Inspector Pratap. Most wanted criminal killed in encounter. One policeman lost his life. ABC.
Police constable accidently killed.Inspector gets bail.Police shuts case. DNA.
No CID Probe in encounter confirms state government. No Fake Encounter took place. NBT
The newspapers were filled with such headlines inside. Each and every word was pricking Susheela who was reading the news and searching for the truth'

But the truth was" He was gone. He cannot be brought back to life. Never." With this truth she has to live and Pankaj has to understand. Numerous thoughts were racing inside Susheela's mind and she was tired searching for explanations.
"Aai Baba kuthe gele?"
"Your baba is here only Pakeya, he is waiting for you to grow up and become a policeman. He will soon return back after you become like him"
"I want to become like Inspector Pratap, he has a big jeep, a big bungalow, servants and a sweet daughter Kavya. But Kavya is lonely. I don't want to be lonely Aai." Pankaj was speaking his heart out as always he used to say after getting a beating.Susheela hugs Pankaj tightly and looking at him said,"Pakeya is my son. He is not lonely. Understand?"
Pankaj nods in agreement. The Auto driver asked," Bai, get down, this is the place. I don't have chillars."

"Susheela, Panku is ill. I will take him to hospital."
"No..i got medicines. He will be alright."
"Pakeya is my son.He is a tiger. Aren't you Pakeya? You are my son, the son of a policeman.!" the father smiled.The son smiled back to his father. Embracing the child, the father felt happy and the mother felt contented.
"If you are there, then i am a tiger,son of a tiger. And i am not alone, father." . Pakeya didn't know that his father was smiling for the very last time that day.

Pankaj was thinking whether he should continue meeting Kavya. He was inside his room locked from outside. No lights. Just a punishment like any other normal day. 
"Aai...Aai...please let me go out. Please. I will not do this anymore. I am really sorry Aai. Please"
And suddenly the door opens from outside.
Meanwhile, Kavya was eating the chocolate sandwich that Pankaj left on the table. 
"Tomorrow, I will give another one to Panku. He was very sad today. His mother did not let him finish his food also. So rude. Such a bad way she was talking to my hero Baba. I love my Baba. He is my hero. How courageously he handled the situation. After all he is a policeman and everyone fears my Baba. But i am sad for Panku. I will wait for him again tomorrow morning at the bus stop. He will definitely come. After all we are friends now. Will he ever come back? I guess so. Or may be not? Let's see." Kavya was thinking the possibilities while having her tiffin inside the Jeep. The Jeep was moving away from her school.

A day passed. Second and third too. Fourth day arrived very quickly. Time took its course to heal the  wounds. Those wounds were Invisible but present. Present in the moment. Absent by virtue.
A similar voice came from somewhere...
"Ha station..Pune Vidyapeeth"
Two dark eyes searching for the familiar face inside the crowded bus.
A smile came from somewhere.Fingers searching something inside the shirt pocket. Three blue and two green marbles were there in his palm. This time one marble was missing. The smile faded. 
A hand came out of the crowd towards the boy. As she opened her fist, one black marble was there.
The black marble met the others. Now all the marbles are together. Three blue, two green and one black.
The two hands were joined in unison. As if they are not going to be pulled back very soon. As if they have found a stronger reason for their friendship. A reason to correct the wrong and forget the past. A reason to not question again and build a greater understanding for tomorrow. As if they know the purity of hearts and language of forgiveness.Growing up is not a child's play. Maturity comes from the mind not by the age. Maturity of thoughts is needed to make this world a better place to live and love.Mistakes are part of life and it cannot be undone by any punishment or penalty.But to every problem there is a solution.
Sitting besides the two were the mother and father. Panku was talking with Kavya about the pending treat of chocolate sandwich. Inspector Pratap and Susheela were silent but not angry anymore. They knew they cannot ruin their children's life with their past. They need to move on. They need to be mature enough and learn from their children to forget and to forgive. You cannot live with regret and revenge in your entire life. Life is uncertain, your children have a future to celebrate.
Life is like a bus journey. You get up and board a bus that takes you for a wonderful ride to your destination. The journey teaches you to enjoy the hiccups, experience the failures and learn from the mistakes you did on your journey. We all are travelers in this world and we have to perform our journey to meet our goals, reach our destination. Every one is like a Pankaj and a Kavita. We just need a ride to experience the journey called life. 

"Kuthe?" asked the same thin mustached man in his fifties tapping his vending machine towards Pankaj.

"Shevtche Station...Khadakwasla. Last Station...Khadakwasla!" Again he heard the same voice..this time the voice had magic.Apna Pankoo smiled back to the bus conductor and showed him his journey pass," Khadakwasla." His eyes shining. Tears nowhere to be seen. Kavya watched him with a sense of relief and smiled back. Her little, just a little smile made the most perfect dimple for the two little souls ready to take the journey which was going to continue forever and ever.  

~~~THE END~~~

~~PS~~22.10.2017~~

About the Author-
Prasenjit Sarkar, 28 is a sales guy in the day time and a blogger 24x7. Having spent most of his life travelling to different parts of the country, the author enjoys writing poems and stories created from his own blogsite. The author can be reached via Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Sarkarian and can be contacted via e-mail- prasenjitsarkar89@gmail.com. Viewers and subscribers of this blog are requested to please like his FB page on https://www.facebook.com/sarkartimes247


Any suggestion and feedback is most welcome for improvement. Learning is Life.

Truth or Dare!

Continued from previous post
http://www.sarkartimes247.com/2017/08/lets-go-awaytogether-and-forever.html

Pankaj and Kavya were now walking together...
"Pankoo, why do you follow me? I am observing this for  a few days.Bolo Bolo..?"
"Don't know. It just happens!"
"Don't act smart okay? You always catch every single bus i enter. Don't say it happens like this!"
"Aahh..Well maybe beacause i like to spend some more time with you! My feet takes me to your direction only Kavita."
"You can call me Kavya!There is no harm...only some very few close ones call me Kavya..." A smile rushed on her cheeky face. A face now glowing with happiness but with a little bit of uncertainty,"So you study in Bal Vikas Gurukul right? That boys school down the lane?"
Pankaj nods a little, "And you are from Mary's Convent right?"
Kavya smiles," Pankoo..may i ask you something?"
"Ya,,ya.."
"I have never seen you with your parents..or your father or mother? Any brother or..."
"My mother is there, she works somewhere, but no father...no brother...no sister." Pankaj, starts walking shakily. His eyes, a little bit wet now.
" I am sorry Pankoo. I know a little. Even i haven't seen my mother. Hmm...so you travel all alone?"
"No...no...i always catch the same bus. Ha ha! " Pankaj hold his laughter a little. Their eyes searching for the comfort levels while walking and eventually they break out in laughter. This time both. Much more loudly.
"You are funny... But you are from boys school. You boys always talk rubbish and we girls hate it. You know? None of my friends will like that i am talking to a boy from Bal Vikas Gurukul. You understand right Pankoo?"
Pankoo stops. "Kavya...i think i am getting late now. See you tomorrow." He walks away slowly with his head down hitting every little stone that comes on his path with his white shoes.
"Pankoo...Kharaab Jhale? I am sorry if you're hurt. Can we meet for lunch?As i forgot to bring my tiffin and sadly you lost your school bag? I will give you a treat. A Chocolate Sandwich from my side. Done?"
Pankoo stops. He turns his head back and says, " Chocolate Sandwich?Pakka na? No cheating na? Promise?"
"Yes, Promise. Meet me for lunch, i will wait for you near this turning. Ok? We girls will go to Narayan's shop near to Rambhai's Market today. You also come but alone..Ok?"
Pankaj nods happily. All his pale yellow teeth visible. His eyes half closed in happiness.
Kavita with a snow-white smile moved on towards her school entrance. Her friends got along with her making faces to Pankoo as his attire didn't do justice today. A schoolboy with no bag roaming with a convent school girl. The barrier was man-made, temporary and situational. He was happy, damn happy today. 'Aila, Kavya noticed me today and is giving me a treat, that too my favorite Chocolate sandwich wow!'Thoughts got the wings and took a leap towards the sky, flying with no control, randomness guaranteed. But everything comes at a cost. And he was surely going to pay heavily soon for no fault anyhow.

Somewhere a phone rang. Three rings at a time. A loud one followed by two faint ones.
"Susheela...O Susheela....Tumchyasathi Phone Aahe, Paha." Manju Tai, a woman in her sixties called out Susheela to come downstairs. Susheela was busy packing Paithanis in her shop. A small shop in the city's busiest road full of beautiful colorful Sarees stacked one by one in the shop and a few bright colored ones on display. Susheela hurriedly reached down and took the receiver from Manju Tai's hand. The bell of the old fashioned clock hanging near the reception of the small shop rang eleven times.
"Hello...Mi Pankaj chi aai bolto aahe. Bola..."
Her face suddenly goes white in anger. "Madam, how is this possible? He cannot do that! He always carry his bag and I  always check his tiffin and books, his homework copy , classwork copy and...Madam...Thamba... me yeto.Thamba." She puts the receiver back to the place and wipes her sweat ridden face with her both hands." Deva re deva. What to do with this boy. Manju Tai..i got a call from Pakeya's school. It's urgent i have to go."
"Is everything alright? Anything serious? Do one thing...you take half day leave. Okay? no problem. But remember you already had enough holidays? Next time be careful...you go now. Your boy is like this only. Very notorious. Wish his father was alive, would have beaten the hell out of him. Poor lady. I feel pity for you Susheela. Go and see what happened. Take half day leave. I won't say a word. Now go!"
Susheela didn't utter a single word and goes upstairs and brings her carry bag and umbrella. She was tensed. Anger was evident on her face.

Its 1:35 pm, Susheela came out of the auto and handed the fare to the driver. She finds her boy in front of a few girls eating Sandwiches sitting outside the eatery.
Watching this she shouts hard," Pakeya?"
"Aai!" Suddenly Pankaj's face turns white as he finds his mother watching him eating with girls from a distance.
"Baba!" Shouts Kavya, this time with more excitement. Kavya leaves her sandwich on the table and runs towards her father who just arrived in his police jeep.
Susheela watches the little chubby school girl jumping on the arms of a police inspector. The tall, mustached man with a dusky complexion in police uniform takes the little girl on his lap and plants a kiss on her cheek.
Susheela watches in horror after recognizing the face behind the uniform. The same face that caused her living to be snatched away. The same face that took away her happiness and relations, her near and dear ones. The same face that proved the only evil in her life and beyond. Her eyes looking helplessly, her body shaking with fear and anger.
"Inspector Pratap?" Tears roll down her eyes as she utters his name in anger. She runs towards Pankaj and takes him under her cover. Pankaj was least bothered what was happening. His chocolate sandwich was still lying untouched on the table. Susheela watched the inspector taking out a small tiffin box from his jeep and handing it to his daughter.
"Thank you Baba... Baba come i have a new friend today..Pankaj." Kavya points him to Pankaj who was with his mother Susheela. Susheela was tensed. Pankaj was confused.
"S..S...Susheela?" Inspector Pratap was shocked, "Who is this woman, Kavya?"
"Aaah...maybe my friend's mother. He is Pankaj. He is from Bal Vikas, my new friend. He lost his father in some accident, he didn't tell me. And she may be his mother. You know her Baba?" Kavita was puzzled watching his father's expression on finding Pankaj's mother in front of him.
Both their parents were watching each other in complete discomfort, unbound silence on both sides. As if destiny had played with their lives. As if the day is cursed and everything is out of hand. The two little souls watched in complete surprise thinking what could have happened between their parents that they both are freaked out seeing each other. Is there any past incident or just a bitter future on the arrival?

What will happen to the newly formed friendship if their parents are not at all comfortable? What would have happened between the two rigid and tormented souls searching for the answers in this game of truth and dare or will destiny play spoilsport? Will Pankaj and Kavita ever meet again? Let's find out in our next part....

~~~ to be continued~~~
Click here to know what happens next http://www.sarkartimes247.com/2017/10/continued-from-previous-post-httpwww.html
~~P.S~~17.09.2017

Lets Go Away...together and forever!

Continued from the previous part
http://www.sarkartimes247.com/2017/08/continued-from-previous-part.html

                                                         Pic courtsey: (c) Rohitash Hurla, 2012. Location: Sinhagad Fort, Pune.

"Now? what next? You are not going to school without your bag..or are you?" her eyes grew bigger and wearing an upset face Kavya was looking more beautiful than ever to Pankaj.
Pankaj giggled a little.
"I never thought i would be talking to you for so long. I so love my schoolbag now." He was happy.
"Huh? Okayzzz... I am getting late now. My friend, Supriya will join me soon. Time to go now. Bye Pankoo. I have to catch a bus to Khadakwasla. Its really far and i am getting late. Bye" She turned her face back and stood there only with her arms crossed and looking up as if she doesn't want to talk anymore. She soon started humming one of her favorite songs.
Pankaj turned away his face from hers. He stepped back a little. His eyes again searching for the bag.
He asked the man standing right next to him. "Dada, have you seen any bag? a school bag. Blue color? with a superman? Red wala superman?Inside it there was my lunch box. I kept that bag here only. Have you seen dada?"
No response came from the person who was busy staring his wrist watch and adjusting it as if someone has tied the time telling device and he is not able to get rid of it. Pankaj waited for his response. He shook his head in negative and attended a call, "Hey Shalu... my wife is waiting for me dear. I can not come right now. You know your friend Rashmi very well. Imagine what would happen if she gets to know everything about us what will....hey Shalu listen, hey..okay where you want to go? Okay...I will be there. Hmmm some twenty minutes? Okay?Bye." The call got disconnected and his eyes met Pankaj's sad little face. "Kaay Pahije? I haven't seen anything. Now go!" "Hey Rashmi, Ho... I will be a little late darling, Mera jo boss hai na he has given me a very big assignment. I need to stay back at office. Ha....on my way to office right now. Sorry darling. Is Shruti alright? You gave her the medicines no...?... that i gave her last night. The doctor told me Shruti will recover once she completes this course. Yea...What about Chintu? School gaya? Okay..Hey..will call you after I am free okay? Chalo Bye..Love you darling." He disconnected the call and started running towards the bus which was already crowded.

With teary eyes, Pankaj saw the man finally get to board the bus. Some commuters who were hanging near the doors started beating the man for such unauthorised entry. Life is like that only. Pankaj collected his thoughts and started visualizing the angry face of his mother.  Her ever abusing attitude towards him and how she locks him in his room as a part of punishment. His mother will beat the hell out of him. He remembered the last time he lost his only pair of black leather shoes during a cricket match in neighborhood.
"Kaay? Laad sahab ban gaye ho? Did your father saved enough for us? Are we that rich Pakeya? Answer me? where are your shoes?Where are your shoes??"  With a raised voice and red eyes she started scolding her son.
"Aai, Mala mahiti nahi. I lost them somewhere i don't know!" *And then the regular event started which was nothing new to Pakeya.*
Pankaj would sit in a corner of his small room crying and remembering his father while holding his left cheek. The warm tears rolling down his cheek started tasting sour rather than salty.It was never sweet either. The day he lost his father, he didn't cry.He would take out his marbles one by one and place them down on the floor. One by one he took out three blue, two green and one black marble. "Suresh, Rohit, Mangala, Baba, Aai.....Hmm...Hmmm...Kavita."

He turned back to Kavya. She was going towards the bus with her friend Supriya.
"No, i will not go home. I will not go home. Mi Ghari Janar Nahi..Nahi."
He started running towards Kavya as if he wanted to see her once again. The two girls busy chatting entered the bus and managed the window seats near towards the exit.The other commuters were entering the bus ready to go on a journey for more than one hour long. The bus driver honked for the last time. The conductor standing near the exit door shouted monotonously, "Khadakwasla,Warje, Kothrud Stand...Chala Chala..."
Pankaj didn't want to lose the opportunity.He didn't care about his lost school bag, neither he cared when he lost many such gifts of life. He never had such a great desire to meet Kavya before. He felt as if his legs were taking him towards Kavya effortlessly. Because this time he had reasons. Reasons to not return back. Reasons that he wanted someone to believe him. Reasons that Kavya cared for him knowingly how stupid he was. All his sorrows vanished into thin air which was becoming heavy with his heart full of emotions and willingness to talk to Kavya.
And he jumped on the bus finally. His both hands now firmly taking hold of the door handle on which he was still hanging and smiling towards Kavya.
"Kuthe?" asked the thin mustached man in his fifties tapping his vending machine towards Pankaj.
"Shevtche Station...Khadakwasla. Last Station...Khadakwasla!" Again he heard the same voice..this time the voice had melody . Apna Pankoo smiled back to the bus conductor and showed him his journey pass," Khadakwasla." His eyes shining. Tears nowhere to be seen.

Pankaj took a deep breath hanging by the doors. His eyes met Kavya's who was watching him carefully without paying any attention to Supriya's gossips anymore. Pankoo,almost hanging from the doors took out the only black marble from his shirt's pocket and showed it to Kavya .

"Kavita...see. This is for you."

Kavya watched him with surprise and smiled back. Her little , just a little smile made the most perfect dimple for the two little souls ready to take a journey long and for ever.

What will you do when you find the journey more beautiful than the destination?
Will Kavya and Pankaj continue their journey together? To know further...please have a little patience as picture abhi baaki hai mere dost.


~to be continued~

~PS~ 08.08.2017

Lost and Found...

Continued from the previous part.
http://www.sarkartimes247.com/2017/08/pudhil-stationpune-vidyapeeth.html

Pankaj would stare Kavya with complete surprise and did not utter any word. This was his daily routine, like for the past one month he is trying to grab some kind of attention but in vain.
Kavya surrounded with the girls would always love to boast how her father fought valiantly in police force.
"He would jump on the culprits from the tree tops and get hold of them. No one can escape from my Baba. He is my superman!"
"Arey Kavya, you never told us about your mother. Where is your Aai? Not here with you? You didn't tell us about her!" asked the girl with the runny nose, puzzled.
"Pooja, tula kaay mahiti? I don't know... My Baba says she has gone to meet Ganpati Bappa to some distant place. I am sure she will come back someday. I just want to see her. How she looks and what she wears? is she also fond of badminton like me? or she plays basketball like Sandhya? I wonder if she likes..." Kavya was soon interrupted by the noise of a loud quarrel between a lady and an old man fighting over a seat.
"Disat nahi ka?. This is ladies seat not for you, uncle!" ,the angry lady was shouting to an old man who was going to sit on her lap as the lady jumped on the window seat that went vacant at the next stop.The old man who was wearing a gandhi topi was holding a local newspaper that slipped from his hands during the tussel and fell straight in front of Pankaj.
Pankaj was busy counting his marbles down the pockets. One..One plus one is two. Two plus two is four. He was struggling with his schoolbag ,disappointed of the fact that after a month long wait, Kavya neglected him finally. But when the newspaper pages came rolling towards him, he couldn't resist but picked them up and reached to the old man who was panting now,tired and exhausted.

"He ghyaa Kaka."Pankaj saw the old man's wrinkled face creased with sweat as he was unable to stand in the crowded bus. He took the newspaper and slid it inside,buttoned up his shirt and secured it from the outside world thus saving it with his compromised state of privacy. People these days are less concerned. Everyone is busy doing nothing. Nowadays we love to make ourselves confined to our own world filled with gadgets and social networking that demand nothing except our limited time thus making us busy doing nothing at all. The screen makes us blind and the music makes us deaf to the outside world. We fail to listen to our own voice which haunts us after it's too late to respond. 

Pankaj took a quick glance of Kavya. Yes, she was watching the whole incident. Her friends were busy gossiping about the new school teacher and the possible punishments if the homework was not done, but she was silent, looking straight to Pankaj with a thoughtful mind. Pankaj took his eyes off from her and continued counting the marbles inside his pant's pockets. One..One plus one is two. Two plus two is four. Four plus four is...

The announcement, " Pudhil station Shivajinagar, Next station Shivajinagar."
Pankaj became upset when he saw Kavya getting down with her friends. They would exit as if they wanted to leave Pankaj alone, he thought. He would stare them go away..with their big bags and even bigger smiles on their face. He couldn't remember the last time he smiled. He forgot smiling the day when he lost his father...forever.

The usual pheriwala was back with his tray of piping hot vada pavs. Chala Chala ...Wada Pav..Kanda Bhajji.. Pankaj was always fond of this local cuisine. He would remember the time when his father used to bring hot vada pavs to home after returning from his daily labour. The time spent in the evenings were such a delight. His father was his only source of glittering happiness and filling appetite apart from his abusive mother.
He would readily search down all available pockets but would comfort himself thinking that today is not his day and his mother will not give him any extra money to spend. Huh...here goes my dreams shattered, he would think. The pheriwala was carrying those hot little dreams that Pankaj always wanted to cherish with his father in the lost evenings at his old deserted house in Mumbai.
He jumped down from the bus in the poodle of mud and moved on to search for the pheriwala who got lost in the crowd silently just like his father. He would soon catch another bus for the place where he was least interested to go. To the school. He waited near the bus depot and started looking for the pheriwala with his school bag kept on one of the steel chairs near to the ticket counter.Now the aroma of wada pav is gone. Just noise instead. Never ending noise. Chala chala Katraj..Swargate!

"Pankoo?" he heard a familiar voice again. A female voice again but this time it was not pre-recorded.

As he turned back he found Kavya standing in front him looking straight into his eyes. Her big, round, blue eyes full of questions, he thought. No..she was not with her friends. But why she came to me? He again thought. Pankaj smiled and searched his pockets. Soon his smile began to wane when he found three of his marbles missing. Oh no, i am so incomplete without them!
"Pankoo...you forgot something. See what i got for you! Your marbles." Kavya moved her right palm forward and offered him the exact three blue marbles that he always liked the most.
"Just like your eyes!" Pankaj was brimming with joy. As if he found his life back. His birthday gift when he was 8. Mumbai..Father...Accident...Hospital...Mother...Relatives...Friends..Abandoned.. The Deserted House...A Long Journey...A new city...New place...New people...New life. But Same old marbles, three blue,two green and one black. Blue..Just like her eyes.Big, round, blue eyes.The only constant in his life.Undisturbed. Safe and Secured back. He wished he could get everything back. His father back. "Thank...you...Kavita!"
"So you already know my name? You can call me Kavya, Hi... " Giggled the girl with the blue eyes.
"Haha..I am Pankaj, but I am okay with Pankoo if you like calling me by this name. I am ok. Very much. Though this is not my nickname. My Aai calls me Pakeya..." he laughed back this time.
"Pakeya...haha!...Kavya and Pakeya...haha!!!" His laughter exhibited the gap between his two incisors. Kavya laughed a little more.
"Hey, your school is not in my way right? You will go to that way right?" He asked hesitatingly.
"Yes, actually i forgot my tiffin box today. My father will be very very angry you know?"
"Oh, you can take my tiffin dabba. I don't feel like eating anyway. You can have it." Pankaj looked for his schoolbag which was out of his sight right now and no where near to the ticket counter. It vanished just like that pheriwala. "I kept it here only...where did it go?"
"It's gone! It's nowhere here." confirmed Kavya.
He was happy to get rid of his schoolbag finally. What a pain it was! Not able to help Kavya this time as a favor for returning back his lost marbles was more painful to him.
"You lost your schoolbag? But how? What will you do now? Your teacher will beat you up for not bringing textbooks! What about your parents? I feel pity for you now. So sorry for you Pankoo!" Her eyes grew even bigger now. Pankaj found such a relief getting back his marbles that the loss of his school bag didn't matter at all..

We all want to get rid of our burden. We all want to erase everything bad from our memories. Yet they have etched our minds so deeply that we fail to do so. Life is like a journey. We meet some and we leave some. We make some and we break some. Are the two little souls destined to find the way out together in this journey? Or will there path will never cross again? Lets find out in our next part...

~~~to be continued~~
Click here to know what happens next - http://www.sarkartimes247.com/2017/08/lets-go-awaytogether-and-forever.html
~~P.S~~05.08.2017

Pudhil Station...Pune Vidyapeeth!

I wonder how countless people carry loads of stories with them everyday and everywhere.
Right from waking up early in the morning, performing their daily chores, gushing out to the streets and losing their own identities among others in just a fraction of time.
Some want to get a decent job, rest want a handsome pay.
Some want a life partner, rest a partner in crime, if i say.
Some want to break away from the routine life and start their own ventures but fear make them stumble and uncertain in such a random world where your destiny is governed by a society.
A society that creates its own rules and slap them on your face just to prove that you have lost your significance living a life lacking of comfort and full of deprivation.

One such life was carried forward by a boy named Pankaj. He was twelve, hence a school boy.
He was a usual in the PMPML bus stop at Ravet, a place in the suburb of Pune.
A city which carries more vehicles on its roads than Aamchi Mumbai is well discussed in the Buddhijeevi section.
Pankaj used to travel a total of thirty kilometers, changing two buses daily and mostly standing with other men and women packed inside with no space left to move hands or look for the next station. He was accustomed to his life and he didn't bother. He knew his life is never going to change for good.
"Aye..Ladies seat, baher ye!" shouted a 40 year old lady to the boy.
"Ho." Pankaj offered her his seat and started moving towards the exit of the bus as he was not sure whether he will get another seat next stop.
"Pudhil Station.. Pune Vidyapeeth. Next station... Pune Vidyapeeth." Announced a lady from the  pre-recorded system which was a new topic of discussion for the daily commuters. Some will say that technology in public transport is much needed and a few will disagree saying that it's their own money getting siphoned off and thus is the outcome.No such appreciation at all. To the conductor, he must get the fare from the commuters or charge them fine if fare not paid. To the driver it was just a normal routine, a kantaal tiring drive to Hadapsar depot .Long two hours drive. No such expectation at all. But for Pankaj, it was the only female voice he had in his life apart from his elder sister, an elderly mother and a regular girl from the next bus stop. He fills with joy everytime there was a recorded announcement and he would mimic and say, mimic and say until or unless the bus stops, "Ha Station....Pune Vidyapeeth..." cause he would know, she has arrived...on time like everytime.
Just when the bus arrived to the stop, from the rush of people shouting and jumping over the already crowded bus entered our pyaari si nanhi si Kavya. Drumrolls please!
Kavya was a year older than Pankaj who used to study in a girls high school which was just a walk away from the boys high school. Everyday she boards the bus alongwith her three girl friends shouting and making space and securely getting near to the driver's seat. Such is the benefit of one's short height and big glasses. For Pankaj, these glasses are no way normal. They would make her eyes appear larger, her round blue eyes just like marble. Pankaj loved playing marbles so he carried 6 marbles everytime, everywhere. This time also he was carying them inside his school pant's both pockets. No cotton,no candies, just marbles, that's it. When he saw Kavya, he took out the larger marble from his white pant's right pocket and tried showing it to her. Kavya, as usual was least interested. She was thirteen and very much proud of her age. "I don't talk to kiddos like you." With a grin on her face, she dismissed Pankaj and moved away from him.
Pankaj didn't bother. As usual he would raise his eyebrows and pucker his face to show his dissatisfaction and how much he cared for her.

What is it feels like when you get a reason to smile. When you get a reason to forget all your worries and fill your mind with the very thought of feeling special? There is a story in everybody's life....Let's explore the life changing story of Pankoo a.k.a Pankaj and Kavya a.k.a Kavita.
~~to be continued~~

Click here to know what happens next- http://www.sarkartimes247.com/2017/08/continued-from-previous-part.html

~~P.S~~ 03.082017

शोर...हर तरफ शोर

बहुत शोर है...
आजकल

तेरी आवाज़ नहीं सुन पाता
तेरा चेहरा नहीं देख पाता ...दिल दुखता है...दर बदर तर बतर
यादो के कैनवस पर रंगों की कलम नहीं चला पाता
यह रंग भी बेरंग हो चुके है लगता है
लगता है यह रात भी ऐसे ही गुजरने को है.
शोर..हर तरफ शोर

मुझे याद है वो कॉलेज की गलिया
जहा अक्सर तुमसे नज़रे मिल जाती थी
हलचल सी एक मचती थी माथे पे लकीरे तन जाती थी
तुम्हारा वो मुस्कुराके देखना
तिरछी नजरो से घायल कर जाना
आज घायल मन को दवा भी रास ना आती है
मंजिल के सामने होके भी सांसे थम जाती है
बहुत शोर है...हर तरफ हर जगह हर दफा

मुझे याद है वो चोरी छिपे मिलना
हॉस्टल के गलियों से भाग कर तुम्हारे घर की तरफ बढ़ना
दबे दबे पाँव से थमें थमें साँसों तक
तुम्हारा गुजरना भागना चहकना बहकना
यह दरमियाँ आज ठिकाना पूछ बैठी
हमसे तुम्हारा पता पूछ बैठी
लगता है यह शोर तुम्हे दूर लेके चला गया
मेरे सपनो की कायनात को तुम जला बैठी

आज भी मेरे मन के किताब में तुमको मैंने लिखा है
चाहे जितना भी दर्द हो सुकून मुझे तुम में दिखा है
जानता हू मुमकिन नहीं तुमसे दुबारा मिल पाना
पर हा..मेरे मन के अंतर्मन में तुम को ही रखा है
मैं जानता हू यह दुनिया बहुत छोटी है
कही न कही तो तुमसे जरुर मुलाकात होगी
और उस दिन तुम्हे भी एहसास होगा
यह शोर ही है सीने में जो तुमसे ही आया है
तुमसे ही जायेगा तुम्हारा होके रह जाएगा

हर तरफ यह शोर तुम को मुझ तक पहुचायेगा
तेरी आवाज़ को मेरी धड़कन बनाएगा
सुबह कि पहली किरण से तुमको यह जगायेगा
यादो के कैनवास को रंगों से यह सजायेगा
रहने दो जरा सा शोर जिंदगी में
तनहा हमसे न जिया जाएगा

लगता है आज यह दिन ऐसे ही गुजर जायेगा
शोर..हर तरफ शोर

बस यही शोर रह जायेगा
बस यही शोर रह जायेगा

~प्र.स~

Demurring the Dalliance...

Yes I was wrong
in my own perspective
Giving it all up for the ante i had created
once for you and now for myself
Wrong in the correct sense
with ephemeral love of yours
Your glamour made me blind
Blind from within and closed out
Fearing the ultimate opulence will spell its cast on me
I hesitated a lot thinking about us
About you i was null
About me i was dead
Miracles do happen i thought
I collected my conscience and ran
Ran away from you and your feelings
The thorns of the poor little love was hurting
Bleeding my heart blue i came back to you

You held me up like a criminal
A filth surrounded my soul
A hatred anguished with dark desires
You became my nemesis my dear little love
Like a Pyrrhic spoilt-brat
I wandered here and there and where not
Lastly lost you to a silly mistake
An unknown identity faked by the truth and decorated with self pride
My heart stopped and i fell down
I saw my own downfall unto you
Like a feather falling apart the bird unknown about its destiny
Flowing with the wind and shifting shapes from within
Black, blue, green, yellow, struggling for mellow
Burning from inside and losing my face
I surrender and seek penance now for the misdeeds
for the promises for the hope for the ultimate sacrifice

I was not the one you dream of
Never been so wrong and would never question again
A new lease of life is a far possibility now
I will die like this forever
Demurring the dalliance i would happy pass away
would never argue would never crave for you
My emotions are all wrought and gone
I will not look back will never come back
to you
will never come back to you.
No and Never.

~~PS~~