Pandemic Fatigue
I am tired
of wearing a mask everyday
of social distancing
of sanitizing frequently
of staying at home
of being afraid of people
of not going out
of not eating out at restaurants
of not travelling.
I am tired
of the new normal.
The pandemic fatigue is setting in...
I want to live
not
survive.
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Chashma
Chalo aaj mud ke kal ko dekhte hai
Par pehle zara ye gulabi chashma uttar lo
Warna tum phir yahi kahoge
Yaar kal bahut haseen tha
Tum bhool gaye wo roz ki bhagdag
Wo alarm ka zor se bajna, wo jhatke se uth kar nahaane
bhaagna
Naashta haath mein lekar, computer aur phone ko balance
karte huey train pakadna
Dhakkam dhukki ke beech phone answer karna aur phir poora
din chakkarghinni ki tarah ghoomna
Raat ko thak kar chid chide mood mein rehna, tapaak se mujhe
shut up keh dena
Tum bhool gaye ye sab baatein.
Chalo aaj ab is aaj
ko dekhte hai
Par pehle zara ye saleti chashma uttar lo
Warna tum phir yehi kahoge
Yaar aaj bahut depressing hai
Tum nahi dekhoge ki aaj kitna shaant hai
Ab alarm nahi bajta, araam se angrai lekar bistar par pade khidki ke bahar
baithe
totey ki jode ki
chechahat sunte hai
halanki work from home hai aur ghanto computer par beet
jaate hai
lekin na wo bhaag daud hai, na wo time ka stress. na wo
shorsharaba
Tum bhool jaate ho ye sab baatein
Chalo aaj aane waale kal ko dekhte hai
Par pehle zara ye kaala chashma uttar lo
Warna tum phir yahi kahoge
Yaar aage bahut andhera hai
Tum nahi dekh paaoge roshni ki wo kiran
Jo door jhilmila rahi hai aur keh rahi hai ki waqt guzar
hee jayega
Raasta mushkil zaroor hai. lekin raasta he hai, kahin toh
pahuchayega
Toh bas ummeed ka daaman na chodo aur dheere hee sahi par
chaltey reho
Kal bas yahi yaad rahega ki kissne kitna saath nibhaya aur
kis tarah nibhaya
Tum bas yaad rakhna ye hee baatein.
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Space
A little space
so
I can grow
A little more
so
you can grow
then
A little more
so
we can grow.
That`s all I want.
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The little boy sighed.
He tried so hard to colour inside the lines but no matter how he tried there was always some colour outside the drawing. Last week his teacher had scolded him and said sternly, " Why are you so messy and dirty? You can NEVER be an artist" His face had burned with shame as his eyes had darted fearfully all over his drawing book.
He was determined to do a good job this time. It was Naani`s birthday and he had asked his mother to draw a big flower for him. He wanted to colour it in shades of red and pink , just like those flowers that bloomed in Naani`s garden. But the colour., as usual, had spilled out.
He still wanted to give it to Naani so in the evening when his mother told him that they would go to see Naani, he quickly folded the paper and slipped it in his pocket. Naani was sitting out in the garden and he ran upto her.
"Naani," he panted as he handed her the drawing, " for you. Happy Birthday !"
Naani unfolded the paper and gasped. "Such a beautiful flower ! The prettiest I have ever seen in my life! You are going to be a great painter" She traced the little blobs of paint scattered on the paper and hugged the little boy.
The little boy beamed with pleasure. He would become a painter!
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Generosity
At the traffic signal, a hand stretched out from a car window. It held a paper bag dangling in the air.
The little urchin ran across the road and gleefully grabbed it. He drooled as he saw a half-eaten burger and some limp fries. He walked back to the pavement and sat down when he spotted the dog. He smiled. He tore the half-eaten burger into two pieces and threw one piece to the lanky dog.
There was always enough to share.
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The Story
He stood under the cold shower, eyes closed in a bliss, he picked up the shower gel and lathered it all over his body. He loved long showers but today he did not have the luxury of doing so -his boss had just messaged him.
I need 400 words on migrants-full
drama, tears-the works. By noon. Today.
He walked to his wooden desk next to the French window
overlooking the lush garden that his wife tended to so lovingly. The endless
row of marigold danced joyfully even as the hot wind slapped them harshly. He
booted his computer and called out, “Bahadur. Get me a shikanji. At least 6 cubes
of ice. And keep some beer in the freezer.”
He scrolled through a few websites, humming under his
breath, when he spotted picture of migrants. A bus bursting with passengers
and their belongings , a man trying to scramble up the roof-top with a toddler clinging on to his legs.
Perfect.
He smiled.
This is going to be a great story.
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Finding Myself
This year has been a game-changer in many ways. The pandemic hit us all and how! And then came The Lockdown ! The unthinkable had happened. Life came to a grinding halt. I have gone through a gamut of emotions- anger, denial , depression, elation, contentment during this period. Let me start at the beginning of the lockdown.
I always had a hectic schedule- I needed the buzz to make me feel alive hence I had very busy weeks and even busier weekends. My days were slotted neatly into various activities. I love routine and structures you see. Thrice a week I would rush to my Yoga class early in the morning, driving full speed to reach in time( I rarely did- I was always a couple of minutes late )and then would rush through my practices so that I would reach back home in time to leave again for work ! Once a week we had a 15 minute Pranayama session in Yoga class, which I almost always skipped, as I just could not sit and observe my breath! There was no time. My days were a blur-rushing, running, always on the go! From yoga to work to grocery shopping to tailor to library to club...it was a whirlwind !
Still, I did manage to find time for a singing class, an occasional
lunch with friends and even late night movies. I took great pride in announcing to whoever was
listening that I ticked all the boxes. But in this maddening routine, somehow, I had lost touch with myself.
Life was on an auto-pilot mode.
And then came The Lockdown. Everything came to a standstill. The initial couple of weeks I felt I was on a much needed break and I indulged myself by binge-watching shows, eating at odd hours and lazing away on my couch. Then the dullness started creeping in and there were days when I felt angry and at the same time helpless. I was lost. There was no routine to anchor me. I had thrived on activity and the lockdown meant no
more running and no more rushing to finish chores and ticking the boxes. I had
always wished for a day with more than 24 hours and now it seemed the 24hours had
turned into 48 hours! Thankfully, gradually I started slowing down and a sense of calmness enveloped me warmly as I started appreciating the simple joys of life. I accepted the fact that I
may have to live like this for a few months.
Though the lockdown has eased and now life is limping back to its previous avataar and my days are almost back with a vengeance- thanks to WFH- I still have some me-time and I make sure I do spend it leisurely doing things I love and not merely doing them to tick the boxes.
This lockdown has made me calm and has
helped me re-discover myself! I spend time doing things I love and I cherish my
time. I know this time will pass too but now I will ensure that I do not lose myself in the maze again!
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