Whispering Thoughts

I remember trotting hand in hand with my family to the only theatre in the town to watch the hit Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. I was in 5 th standard. And it was the first time I had watched some movie on 70mm screen. Interval was a big surprise thing and I was scared when they switched off the lights and started the movie again. My dad had gone out to buy refreshments and had not returned. Moments later he came back, guided by the torch lights and holding chips and popcorns. We did not go that often to the theatre those days. The movies that I saw in theatre can be counted on my finger tips. Dil To Pagal Hai, Pardes, Duplicate, Dil Se, Mann, Fiza, Mission Kashmir. There was another movie especially for kids. But my memory fails to place its name correctly. Except Mann, all of these have been watched in the hall of our very own Kusum Theatre. Mann was seen in Shringaar theatre in Ludhiana. The theatre seemed no different than ours, only a little pricier. Then there was a break. I we...

My desktop has been delivered back to me. And after two months of its hospitalization, it has started functioning again. The bout of sickness has left it weak and emaciated.   Almost every part has been replaced so as to get it working. But here it is. Back in its old niche. Still trying to be of help as long as it can. My most faithful friend. J The sweater that I had started knitting for my nephew, Harjas, is finished. With ample inputs from my mother. It took us three days to finalize the pattern. She taught me how to do the cables for the front and stripes for the back and how to cut out the shoulders and how to do the arms. She did the knitting for the neck and the complete stitching. So, it is like I knitted the parts and she made a sweater out of those parts.  J I am learning how to write Punjabi. Something which I should have learnt a long time ago. But, better late than never.  The first time I wrote out the complete set of alphabets, I felt ...

Saturday afternoon. Merry making. Revelry. Wedding functions in full swing. Suddenly I remember a FB update about our result. Not sure if it has actually been declared. Picking up phone receiver and then placing it back on the cradle. Finally, I make the most anticipated call. Nervous but audible croaking of roll number. A muffled shuffling of papers. “ Reappear ”. “ Which subject ”? “ IT ”. A short click. The call ends. Now that the call has ended, I do not feel anything. Numbly I walk to my room. Nothing registers for a while. Then the truth dawns on me. Then … Tears. Screams. Shouts. The pain is unbearable. Nothing dulls the realization. It seems like all is lost. Past, present, future … all buried in some dark and deep recesses. I wonder if I can hold myself together … for the ceremonies … for Monday … for any other day. Amidst the fit of weeping, I somehow get ready and attend the functions. Rarely talking. Certainly not dancing. My actions and smiles fo...

Diwali has come and gone. But we are still caught in that festive mood. And the reason for celebration is a cousin sister’s wedding. Fun and frolic. Zeal and zest. Vibrant and vivacious. Rituals and merry making. Nothing short of a carnival. A carnival … that is going to last a month approximately. A carnival … half of which will take place in my native Mandi and the other half in Chandigarh where the groom’s family stays. Tomorrow. The day when the family will attend the “Path da Bhog”. Some days back, all of us had gone to the Gurudwara Sahib … to tell the priests to start the recital of the Holy “Shri Guru Granth Sahib” specially to mark the beginning of the ceremonies of this wedding. The recital was “Sahaj” … suited to the schedule of the reader ... and will finish tomorrow. This will be followed by a short prayer “Ardaas” … the word of the “Guru” will be received and blessings sought … to ward off all obstacles. Friday, the 11 th of this month. ...