Sunday

इश्क़


इश्क़ एक दरिया है
डूब हमे जाना है
जो ना दुबे
तो रास नहीं आना है
जो डूब गए
तो सांस नहीं आनी है |


Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi
JJJ

The Girl in the Tattoo

    This post has been selected amongst the Blogadda's WOW posts of the week.

The delicious aroma of something being cooked was struggling to find its way when the chef scurried into the kitchen and the aroma raced against the closing door to find its way through the cafeteria. The sweet and spicy smell dangled in the air sensitizing his olfactory nerves stimulating the secretion of saliva in his mouth and an irresistible urge to have a look at the catering counter. The legs tried to push him ahead and hands were about to reach the serving vessel when suddenly the only culprit brain activated the neural activity sending the message to sit back and resist. He dragged his body back and returned back to the seat.

Aasna gave him a quizzing look seeing him empty-handed. She was already annoyed by the stupid bugs sent out by the fools of testing team and seeing him blank, she fumed. She got up from her seat and bashed her hands against the table.
'What? ', she enquired.
He just shrugged his shoulder with a deceptive smile. She trampled her heels in anger towards the serving counter and grabbed her usual order of cheese grilled sandwich and a cup of coffee. While she returned back with the antidote of six hours of work-bullying, she was a little calm. But as she saw him resting his head on his left-hand staring at the spinning fan, she pretended to be still angry. She put down the plate with a blow on the table but he seemed totally lost. She too avoided him and concentrated on the food. Just a minute had passed and she felt something was missing.

What is missing? the cheese in the sandwich or the caffeine in the coffee?, she wondered.
Actually it was his usual chatter during their meal breaks which was missing today. She called off the five-minute cold war and snapped her fingers at his face. He jerked in the chair while reassembling himself back. He just nodded with that wry smile again. She had admired this answer-without-speaking attitude of him since past six years.


Both of them were friends from college. The duo used to be very popular in their times. The charm of the charming lady and the wittiness of the handsome lad kept the college muggins hitched to their daily happening quarrels or some surpassing engagement in some or the other campaigns. He and Aasna were together known as A2 (A- square). Intelligence had bound their brains and dance had bonded their souls. They were a great dancing pair. When they used to perform, people used to bite their nails with their sharp and clean moves. Girls felt jealous when he held Aasna in his strong arms to make a spinning move. Guys felt furious when Aasna tickled her fingers on his face before they leap into the air and he swings to catch her deftly with his tattooed arm. The tattoo carved on his arm made the boys green with envy. It was so elegant and cleanly drawn but was still obscure. It was the side face of a girl with her flowing hair covering half of her face and the eyelids sprouting out of the silhouette made it heavenly beautiful. Everyone wanted to figure out who the girl was? Was Aasna carved on his arm? But that remained a mystery for the peers. The duo never answered when confronted with the tattoo questionnaire.

Bringing him back to cafeteria, she tried to unravel the mystery behind his answering smile. He gave her a hint and directed his eyes to look around. She looked around and found there were only male employees grabbing their meals. No woman except her occupied the space. She got her answer and gave him an assuring look. She looked up and asked HIM to bless him. Her hungry rats got fed and she went to put the plate. He again got lost somewhere where no one intruded.

It was their mutual understanding to allow him to wander in his own world even when they were together. She never tried to pull him out of his reflection instead enjoyed his presence and the revered aura of love enveloping him.

The duo left after finishing their daily tasks. It was a bit cloudy. The lightening streaks and thunderous sounds made her heart skip a beat but she masked the brave lady face. He seemed indifferent to the surroundings. The stormy weather didn't stop him from racing against the trees.

Her phone rang. She picked up the call and a worried voice at the other end said, ' The weather forecast is saying it's not clear over there, is it??' She looked out of the car window and said in a low voice, ' Yes, it's cloudy all over here and ...'
Before she could complete he interrupted, 'How's he?'
'Composed'.
He heaved a sigh of relief and said, 'Take care of him. This day always makes me worried. I'll be back by this weekend.'
'Ok. Don't worry. I'll take care of him.'
'Bye sweetheart'.
The call disconnected. She was happy to see Faizal returning nearly after a month but at the same time was worried for her friend behind the steering.

They reached the block-D. He parked the car and they made their way to the apartment. He was unusually silent all the way. She knew he was chaotic inside and made her a little worried. He sat on the sofa loosening his tie and folding up the sleeves to the arms. She went to the balcony pleading the clouds to go away.

Bang! Bang!
The clock struck nine and her heart paced fast. She peeped at him from the balcony. He sat calm with his eyes closed. A strange satisfied happiness had enveloped him which she had seen years ago.

She was afraid of loosing him. She was caught with fear. Her hands went numb in the praying position. After five minutes she opened her eyes with a conviction that her prayers have been answered. She looked up and indeed HE listened. The clouds withered away and the crescent moon playing hide and seek from past four hours shone bright and clear. She jumped out of happiness and called him.

He slowly opened his eyes as if putting something on halt. He was equally happy. He wore the same half-sleeve T- shirt which he had worn two years back and from then onwards he wore that T-shirt only on this day every year.  He walked towards the balcony.

She was so tensed that when he approached and she got a glimpse of the tattoo she felt that she had seen that tattoo before! If only she could remember where.  She composed herself with five deep breaths. She admired the beautiful tattoo exactly after a year as it got unveiled once in a year by him on this day only.

She went inside and came out with a decorated thali. They stood together. He looked up and admired the moon through the sieve. He brought the sieve in front of the beautiful smiling face and just gazed and gazed. Aasna didn't interrupt him as usual and allowed him to take his time.  After nearly fifteen minutes, she put down the photo frame she held till now and asked him to drink water. He again closed his eyes and drank water as if she is holding the glass and finally broke his long-day Karwa Chauth fast. He turned his head and caressed the tattoo as if it was her face. Aasna ensured everything went well as per her promise to her.  She got the dinner table ready and served him a plate of her favourite food items. His eyes gleamed and he ate peacefully. Aasna looked at him and admired him again. She waited for him to break the silence.

After finishing the dinner, he looked at Aasna with respect and said,' Thank-you so much. Had you and Faizal not been with me, I would have died with her.'

Aasna interrupted, 'Ssssh! She hasn't died. She resides in you. Her blood is flowing in you. She wanted you to live and fight back Leukemia with her blood transfusion and complete the dream you have seen together. She must be very happy to have you. Not everyone is as lucky as her who rests on her beloved's arm forever'.


Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi
JJJ

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

Saturday

ठंडी बयार


करनी थी बहुत बातें
कहने थे कुछ राज़
रह गई सब अनसुनी
रह गई सब अनकही

थोड़ी सी मोहलत थी
थोड़ी सी मुहब्बत थी
एक ठंडी बयार ने
ठंडा कर दिया उन्हें
चले गए वो दूर देश
छिप गए किसी अँधेरे कोने में

पर चाँद की आस में अभी भी कोई चकोर है
चांदनी अभी भी उसकी छाँव है
तारे अभी भी टिमटिमा रहे है
रौशनी उनके साथ है
बस हम ही हताश है
बदहवास अशांत है

किससे कहे जो कहना चाहते थे
शायद अब चुप्पी से ही बतियाना चाहे
शायद खुद को खुद का इंतज़ार है
खुद ही सुन लेंगे अनसुनी कहानी
खुद से ही कह देंगे अनकही दास्ताँ

शायद यही हमारी पहचान है
खुले आस्मां के तले हम खड़े
न जाने किसके इंतज़ार में
शायद उसी ठंडी बयार के
जो हमे भी ठंडा कर सके |

Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi
JJJ