I remeber my first crush

It had been pouring heavily outside from couple of hours, “might be storm surge occurred in the Bay of Bengal”, I surmised. I took my bag and raced towards the bus station without worrying much about the outside cloudburst. As soon as I reached the station I saw a hi-tech bus just started and I ran hard towards it by waving to the driver.
The bus has got already occupied except few window side seats which were drenched by rain water infiltrating in to the bus. I looked around and got settled down adjacent to a middle aged Uncle where a beautiful girl rested along with a middle aged aunty (probably her mother) just in front seat. As I was completely soaked in the rain I put my bag on the seat and stood close to the bus door to dry up my clothes. As I was drying my hair, inadvertently few drops dribbled on the girl’s cheek. I tried to act as if I have not seen her and continued to wipe out the water from my hair but this time few drops have fallen on the Uncle’s face. He thought that I did it deliberately and yelled at me “don’t you see the people around you?” before I said ‘sorry. I did not say anything except one more sorry and reclined myself on the window side seat by thinking about that girl. I was sure that I had seen her before somewhere but could not recollect where I did and tried all kind of mischief acts like keeping my hanky on her seat head, pushing my shoe towards her and playing sounds from my MP3 player to gather her attention so that at least she could identify me. But nothing has worked out infavour of me; I was seen by that uncle when I was throwing a piece of paper towards her seat.
After sometime the bus broke down in the middle of the road due to radiator problem and the driver told everyone to relax for few minutes till another bus comes from near by bus depot. To my surprise the uncle along with that girl and her mother got down from the bus in hurry and scuttled off by taking an auto without even waiting for more than ten minutes. I didn’t know why they left abruptly but I understood why the uncle was fuming at me throughout the journey. As I took off the news paper from the uncle’s seat I have found a bunch of keys including car keys. I didn’t think much and stopped another auto to catch them and I could successfully return their keys before they are lost.

BY now I forgot the uncle’s face but I still remember the uncle’s hangdog expression when he was saying thanks to me. Also I figured out later that the girl was my first ‘crush’ in my junior college.

Sree…

…….last confession

That day afternoon also I heard some sound from my grand father’s room (it used to be a store room previously) but it was completely different from his daily moaning ‘abba, ayyaa’. It was like some one was murmuring or muttering continuously. I went to near the window and peered out at my grand father who had been lying on the same bed from past six months. I was surprised to see him chanting

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

…. … …. … …. …. …. …. … …. ..

and could not believe my eyes. If it were not for my grand father who lived his entire life as agnostic anyone would have done the same, especially when you are on death bed. He was always used to be self centered, very dogmatic about his opinions on god and admonish that god doesn’t come and feed you. Even as a father or grand father he never treated his sons and grand sons (also grand daughters) with affection.

I was not certain initially whether he was chanting ‘coz of god-fearing or he was making atonement for his sins. But later I understood that he was meditating on god to confess his sins and to attain liberation and salvation as per Bhagavad Gita at the time of death. I never understood what made him to talk like a sage but his last words are still echoing in my mind:

‘When life is good, it’s especially bitter to admit that it will end someday. When it’s ending you realize that you didn’t make anything out of that good life….(a long pause) I should have lived my whole good life by thinking my ending everyday so that I could have accumulated lot of something more pious. I wish I live for few more hours to get some more of that (punyam).’

-Prav

Sree…

…another train experience

I didn’t have to do much work from morning and most of the morning time I was thinking about how to get out of the office by noon to catch the evening train. But I had to tarry two more hours after lunch to meet my boss who was in meeting with some foreign delegates. As it became very late by the time I packed few things in to my backpack I had to take the help of my colleague to drop me at the railway station. Luckily the train was late by ten minutes and I was on time before its departure.

As it happened to be Friday the train was fully crowded with IT geeks who travel every weekend from Pune to Hyderabad. It took an hour for me to settle on my berth before my berth status was changed from RAC to SL. I was quiet and started reading a novel to pass the time but it was rather stodgy- digressing from actual story. The journey soon became tedious and I had to start conversation with uncle who’s sitting next to me. In that process I had to tell my biodata like where I am from and what I do and where I studied etc. The girl who has been quietly listening to us from adjacent row just opposite to my berth joined us by introducing herself as Srivalli and she works for Tech Mahindra and so on. I could not stare at her eyes while she was talking as I didn’t feel comfortable and maintained silence by nodding. The uncle was listening to her but it was my turn to answer her when she asked me ‘what do you think’? I tried to act as if I have not heard her but had to look at her when she moved further close to me. She was good looking, plump, and with the innocence of small child against to her talkative nature. For next one hour we had nice discussion on politics, Telangana issue, education system in India and foreign opportunities etc. After some time the uncle moved to the upper berth and there by given more space between us.

We had our dinner together and she asked me to wake up her at Nampally if she doesn’t get up. I wished her sweet dreams before I was about to sleep and there all of sudden we heard a loud shout from few compartments away. It was known from the fellow passenger that some bandits snatched gold from a woman neck and ears. Fortunately she was not hurt seriously however she was strangled for sometime when they were pulling the chain from her neck. Everyone was frightened by that barbaric incident and cursed the railways for not arranging proper security. And Srivalli too horrified by that scene and asked me to do favor of not sleeping for some more time. She talked about her childhood dreams, friends, movies and her colleagues etc. She even shared all her personal feelings and family details to me and at one point of time I felt like she’ll propose me. I was very happy to listen to her for one more hour by looking at her ingenuous smile until she told me that she has engaged and her marriage is in next month.

Sree…

Colorful Life

I opened my laptop to see if my friend Archu (Archana) online so that I can share my joy of freedom with her. Yes, I am very happy that I am able to devote plenty of time to do what I always wanted to do; that is reading the Indian philosophy and epics. My friends always used to say that I will become busy once I get married and go to US and even I won't get time to chat with friends. But here I am sipping tea by sitting on a swiveling chair when it's dribbling outside and enjoying the view of glistening roads just like a free bird in November rain with hell lot of time to spare.
Well, to write my story I need a proper starting, u…u..u. it was last summer when we were preparing for final exams I got a call from my Dad to come home by evening without even saying the reason. The sudden call means something unpleasant might have happened back at home. There was only thing I could guess was my great grand mother might be serious or died. As expected my great grand mother (g.g.mother) was serious and she was laid on a bed surrounded by all her grand daughters and grand sons. Doctors said their last word that she may not live for more than a month or two. As for as her she had lived long enough (94 years) and had seen three generations already in her life though was it not enough yet, now she is wishing to see my marriage before she dies. The idea of marriage and that too in a month was appalling me at the time of my final exams. But I was happily preparing for the exams as I thought I won't get a match within a month. Just a week after that day I heard from my younger brother that someone from distant relatives brought a match where the groom is a software engineer based in US (NRI) and they were equally keen that marriage should take place in a month as that guy also will not get leave afterwards.

I couldn't contemplate how it going to be if I marry someone whom I heard just few days before marriage. My friends suggested me to inquire about him through someone and know about him by some means (someone from the same place of him). They also gave an idea to search ORKUT profile if his details are available. I only believed that anything happens for our sake and prayed god for my bright future.
My marriage ceremony took place grandly just two days before my last exam in presence of some hundreds of crowd and my father felt like relieved after him himself so occupied for ten days in distributing wedding cards, booking the wedding hall, arranging catering services, shopping and importantly selling our farming land in short span.
I accepted my hubby for making love with whom I spoke hardly before the marriage. He was seemed to be very good (as he's) at first impression and he took me to various places like his friend's house in Hyderabad, to a marriage party, to Daman (a hill station where his close friend resides) and importantly to an orphanage (run by him and his group of friends) in Hyderabad.
My hubby flew back to US just after two weeks of my marriage and it was me all alone had to go for visa though all the docs were kept ready by him. My g.g.mother died at last few days before I left INDIA and I have that glum feeling till now that I haven't attended her twelfth day obsequies (pedda karma). Sometimes I believe that life is so strange that my g.g.mother last wish became bliss to me as may be I could have not got a very good husband had I married someone else after a year.
In a month I got my exam results were out and I could manage just pass in last exam with the aggregate of 71% and sent rejection letter to Wipro for not able to join with them. I still remember my family crying, whooping and waving just outside the gate before I checked in at the airport.
Now, here I am enjoying the summer evening of California when it's still pouring outside…by doing what I always wanted to do…

Yawp!!! It's already quarter past 6 PM..it's time for my sweet hubby to come from office. I have to prepare snacks and tea for him. I think that's it from my story from great Calvanuru to California..

I got to go,
Byee then…

Cheers
Yours Vaasuki

(..told by my friend Vaasuki after her recent marriage anniversary)

Sree…

People in your LIFE...

. . . When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do. This is what the secret behind understanding your destiny.

When someone is into your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason, you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season!

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (any way); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

So, did u figure out how many people have come in to your life for a REASON, for a SEASON and for a LIFETIME???

Sree...