On a Road called LIFE

The newspapers yelled the petrol price hike which kindled not the vehicle engine but multifarious throngs fulminating day in and day out facing upto the central government manifestos which are so unpredictable than the weather outside. Being a mere ‘Common Man’, I located myself on a national highway. I cursed the mankind for finding an alternate egotistic modus operandi cashing in on the nature and drawing a parallel in the polluted winds (that would soon start fining people for not allowing the exhaust into their pulmonary tract) that slapped me hard forgetting behind a black oily patch of dirt all over my face . Sitting in a rickety bus numbered 1c and the huge amount I paid for the 1’’ x 2’’ bit of coloured paper, I sat gazing at the shining head of a man in front, to open up my thoughts for this post to follow…

On the first day, God laid the roads. On the second day He painted the lanes and put up the barricades and on the third day He let his so called “intelligent-creations” play.

#STAGE I

Hail on the road, the new driver, with hallucinations outnumbering the signals on the road. He is blessed with the never-ending green for all his elders to back, who know what is good for him. He solely accelerates and never pauses for anything ahead. Everything is been overseen by the words of wisdom and overdose of oil, evident from the bright ‘L’ on the rear and the front. He has now learnt how to move straight take a simple left and to halt when he guesses danger.

#STAGE II

Our very own new driver is now ready on his home rule on road. The road barricades a few curbs for him but he knows how to get the ways cleared by honking all around. This side is full of fantasies and cajolery, that the traffic puts him on an assay to quiz his curiosity to be cognizant of the traffic decree at the potential max and prove his ace in speeding on the tar. Yet he is run in secret by some hounding that makes certain he is back home safe.

#STAGE III

The now evolved driver is on full go to experiment with everything he finds being veiled away from the main course with onuses heaping behind. His nosiness being racing to discover the undiscovered and carry the responsibilities he has to, as a fellow road user. Then, it is here he he’s put into mega-choices. Two roads diverged in the tarmac, be one traveler long he stalled to choose the path less treaded by. ( courtesy: Robert Frost altered!)  

  

#STAGE IV

Now, it’s epoch for the burning passion to do the wheelie and the spin-skids. But watch out!!! the roads are slippery. He’s been thinking the road is totally free, but unaware that the pedestrians and fellow speeders influence his ride more than his clutch or the break. He falls prey to the mirage ahead and has attempted a jolly hitchhiking movement with the hazard lights ON, which he’ll repent for the days to come in solitude. Jumping the reds and impatient on the green, sometimes sizzled has urged him to carry a spare.

#STAGE V

Having had the experience and coordination perfected over the years, he is now totally poised to face the other hemisphere of the roads, where the roads have changed and the directions too. It’s totally a mess to drive smooth with bumps and unguarded railway crossings. He better fasten his seat belts to avoid any fatal accidents waiting on the road ahead. He has some quick decisions to make - in the red for a fruitful green at the cross roads.

#STAGE VI

Gone are those days of speeding. It’s now a slow tread along the countryside. With many a milestones crossed, and many a bunks paused, driving has now come to shear minimalist. In Shelley’s word, If winter comes, Can spring be far behind? It’s now time to watch to Gen-X do the tricks and he to sit behind and curse his experiences long foreseen. Finally, Destination reached.

“GCT Erangiko”… I get down with the triumph of a racer on the stand. “All the world’s a road”…

STOP… LOOK… GO…

On the track

Gowtham

My Ten - COLLEGE

Two years into college life… so much has been accomplished ( in the world outside not in the college though)… these two years have tempted me so much that I must list out  ten elements here ( in no particular order) that have taught me 10¹⁰⁰ feelings in no time.

#1 SIRIPOLOGY - SMILE

Eeeeeeeeeeeee! ;) Yes, something like that but better let only the 14 muscles get to work with a zipped curve (esp. the girls if you are actually reading this alongside the facebook tab less toggled!!!) if you can’t bet much on your toothpaste. This acts as a great ignition ON to drive someone crazy if you are worth it. There are a well stated set of rules you must follow to engineer ( Gavin, hope you’re reading) a perfect smile at the perfect situation or else keep the doc ready and frown at a bash. Don’t blame me for the smile that will end up ringing in your ears for an extra MILE. CAUTION: “Smiling to EVERONE, EVERYTIME and everywhere can be fatal!”I quote (as no else has yet claimed it!). I once smiled at a ‘somewhere-seen-you’ face which happened to be my external examiner on that day!!! Wt_.Now stop smiling!

#2 SELF-CHATTER- LECTURE

                Four hours a day, sometimes dragged to a tiring seven!!!:@ When a few on the first bench admire the person speaking continuosly to HIMSELF to deliver something technical with feelings but sorry! Totally-out-of-track boggies, at the receiving end. For a few others at the back, the free advice is not from the pitiable Homo sapien on stage but from an intermediate messenger of his/her ANJALAE/ Mr. RIGHT ( Word courtesy: Nivi… who’s still on the hunt for him), yes the mamas and mami’s as I term them. BEEP… yes check! attend the new message on your phone it is 99.9% from this gang of people. Oh my true predictions!!! Fine, get back. Some enjoy these ‘who-the-****-cares‘ hours by lavishly slashing fruits and coconuts (Oops!! Check out for the bombs! ) or steal away an idol from the temple and run like Bolt. ( Happens to be my friend’s sis’s favourite.)other choices??? Yes here you are- snoring, drooping, chatting, dreaming, EAVESDROPPING, chewing…. Enough!!! Everything but not ‘Listening’ to the person trying to master the art of bowling at the stumps but it’s all a Bouncer. I only have actor Vivek’s famous line… “Yaarume illathe kadaile… yes yes the same. I can mimic only the new ladies in kollywood with my Tamil. :p

#3 BURP!!!! - CANTEEN

                The menu matters a ____. It is the SPONSOR who matters and that too only till ‘Gandhiji’ is safely delivered from his pocket to the cash counter. And YOU be the scapegoat sponsor for the day, watch out!!! The next order is ready on the table with you still at the counter calculating how to buy the teddy for her or the wallet for him (for GCTians-Baba stores… obviously). You are left with only your mouth wide open and the exit shut… I mean that of the canteen! If you missed someone not licking the loose particles of the samosa crust left over his plate to make the best of the 3 bucks spent, then sorry you aren’t in the canteen!!!

#4 WALK n TALK - MOBILE

Usually 4’’ long, some boast longer… Stop measuring now. The crazy ones are employed by their mobiles for a finger MASSAGE by a MESSAGE every millisecond (inputs from Gayathri) and a few others who can’t part even in the LOO. Mobiles can prove bad masters too… Once, enjoying my classmate being bombarded with Q’s by the teacher in all possible  TECHNICAL words, his mobile on ‘Samsung Volume 14” (phrase courtesy: Swetha) promptly rang “Evandi unna petha petha petha petha…” :o!!! Both their reactions were worth an oscar. Only if I had a pic to show you:D. You missed it.

#5 HELL BELL - EXAM HALL

                My genre (9 pointer by chance J)… Wait I’m not gonna bore, promise. It’s a drama on the whole. Sappae questions, racing gears of fastrack (aptronym) , pencil-borrow-eraser-lend agreement, Waterman! Scary at times!!! , underpant bits, Difficult Questions (no other choice, leave it in choice). Some specimen candidates like Shankar are more interested in ‘lady supervision’ than ‘genetic Engg. Mission’( statement as received – text message – 24.05.2012 – 04:41:35 p.m.)  ;). Exactly at 11 would arrive the friend-of-all Ramu from canteen. Read it from both a student’s and an invigilator’s prerspective – no? Caapi, COPY, caapi…

#6 CUPID’S -  LOVE

                Sighting – Staring – Smiling – Shying – Blushing – Texting – Calling – Meeting – Eating – Movie-ing – Driving – Dating – Hiding – Doubting – Fighting – Crying – Sigh-ing – Drinking – Dancing – Chucking – Advising – Falling – Sighting AGAIN. Thus a virtuous cycle J You were so engrossed that you forgot the most important part – LOVING!!! God knows where. Have one more go, for I’ve taken so much time and pains to bubble-sort the events J Two singles (Swe’s fav oxymoron) with unmatched characteristics and interests must have a try!!! Shanjiv will understand this even more better.

#7 PETER DUDE

                It’s a prefix (or sometimes Euphemism, else substituted with displeasing words) to your name for people fear English would win Indian hearts or vice-versa ( Doraiammal- Parthy anyone???) .You’ll be looked up like a new animal into the zoo and placed in a special niche (for my pals sitting back and reading- the niche is  LDS of course!) with elite treatment and set many a tops flaming. But thanks, no regrets… “Confident of knowing an additional language” – I quote Swe. Another biggie for the P-tag holders is a perfect 10 in VIVA’s. * laughs*. One of the many curses in the vernacular jumps to you if you ask for a ‘Mangosteen’ instead of ‘Nongu’ or ‘Nungu’ whatever. Abishek! hope you’re still reading.

#8 PLEASE DEO

                “Damn! The taps gave nothing but air” (hostel taps) Why tension? No tension! (In Shankar’s words). Solution is anonymous… AXE! AXE! AXE! Wait! Then the girls? “THE AXE EFFECT” exclaims Thrisha (Name changed deliberately) “but does not apply to GCT guys” she quips. Anyways , the Placement Representatives must be urged to call AXE to sign an MoU at least for the benefits of a ‘very few’ ,who shower daily, to sit in the class.

#9 GO BUNKING

This art is of three types:

Classical: Hiding yourself ( with another, if applicable) in a theatre, park or a bakery.

Contemporary: I’ve been called by ‘Dr.XYZ’, I repeat ‘Dr.’ for a meeting immediately. I must Go else You are screwed.

 Freestyle: Sneak out of the class when the teacher is attending to the Board. Or try the reverse of an adJ

And  I fall in the second category along with a few other professional-contemporary-bunkers (Left to the Reader’s conscience. If you don’t fall in any of the three, “Who cares? Just chuck (word courtesy: Nivi) the class dude”. Sounds like a free advice from ‘pro’ Ramkumar… bunking most of the Fridays and Mondays.

#10 DEPARTMENT FESTS

                It’s party time! The whole college is lit up with expectations of spicy events (not the technical in the wildest of dreams, only the culturals in an Engg. college!!!) and even spicier aftermath. Well, this is also grab-in-as-much-as-you-can time for some! I mean exposure (GCT secrets Shhh….). you get FREE refreshments, FREE action, FREE drama, FREE fashion show (intra college ;)) and what more??? FREE HOURS (O.D. :D)

                It’s an irony, for my friends would agree, The College which was bitched about two years back has redefined most of our lives especially mine!!! I now feel Damn PROUD to say - I AM FROM GEECEETEE!!!

My turn

Gowtham

The hunt continues

Sometimes nature cheats us with the mirage on the road resembling a river flow. Sometimes we are fooled by a question paper which has totally eliminated the expected questions. Sometimes an illusion unanswered…

It was usual for the three of the full time day scholars obviously including me, to finish our lunch and go around the college to find where we got some if not ‘safe’ but at least ‘not dangerous water in the ultra gargantuan louring haunting enigmatic construction of the 1940’s- in simple words my College Main Building.

We would start from our place going around, having a fresh lot of gossips to distribute and collect all around. Before anything we would first check out if someone is actually waiting to bore us with his boring g.f. stories or someone waiting to gain sympathy by reciting the rich fauna found in his food last night for samples say cockroaches to flies to flees. If no, let’s move… there the third year seniors enjoying their group lunch unaware of the surprise check of observations and records in the labs afternoon sessions, something I overheard pre-lunch. Someone said observation? Yes we had ours too, but would complete it after our daily raids were over within 10 minutes. At 100m stands our most reliable BEST WATER DOCTOR which guarantees you three options of – Hot, Normal and Cold, only a 0.1 degree difference among them. There we would take a close look at the couple hiding behind the pillar so that no one disturbs them and discussing, no doubt- what else? ENGINEERING. Then walk straight after the two water bottles overflew with the fetchers tracing someone walk through the common quadrilateral until she turned back. Then a CLOSE right turn lest you dash into a group of girls of the first classroom and commit the biggest crime in the college. Three classrooms later you find a set of junior girls announcing their Friend’s name syllable-by-syllable only when we pass by. Take the second WIDE turn avoiding dash into some seniors otherwise evoking a dept. fight.

February 13…

Feb 13 was not like any other date. Everything was normal to my senses (even the water gave my hand a good sense of the temperatures) but only till the close right turn? What happened? Without much ado...         

The ominous date ‘13’ (but a Monday) had left us bewildered in that scary gargantuan louring enigmatic corridor. Everyhting else had vanished but a crystal clear noise of Chal... chal… chal… followed by an impromptu howling of a limping dog.

“What!!! You did you hear that?”

“No”, both echoed.

Chal… chal… “ Yes !!! again they corrected themselves.”

“Don’t tell me there’s a new Chandramukhi into this place. Anyway I know how to deal Laka… Laka… Laka…” *laugh*

But the sound was intensifying and the other two resisted from moving further. And thanks to kollywood, the only portion visible, the white dupatta had taken an immediate right, something that would urge anybody to pass out.

“Wait it is just some sappae* figure of the college.” (* for those who don’t know what this means it is GOOD)

“Yes you know of every girl” one remarked.

“The vice-versa is true as well “the other jumped in.

“Funny”.

We followed upto the turn but four ways diverged and she( hopefully she ghost) had vanished. Leaving behind a question that if ghosts were feetless then where they wore their Payals?

And then was the usual syllable practice and the wide right turn but the sound kept reverberating in my ears. The ghost or whoever had stolen, obviously NOT my heart but my 10 minutes extra. I just had an max of 5 revolutions of the minute hand for an untidy circuit diagram and rushed to the lab to be boomeranged by a powercut. I came back and checked for the hovering spirit. No. It wasn’t found anywhere. Then why did a debate in the house ended with the fact ( I lost) that ghosts do exist efter watching a show on the idiot box. When the whole of the college knew how my lab shoes sounded, how can this sound overtake? This is not the time to think. Chuck it and RUN>>>

February 14…

                The day had been a much awaited day for many for their cupid-gifted senses but for a few others, like me, to watch a movie for free out of the window in the quadrangle at the comfort of sitting in a boring class and judge pairs on their shyness and boldness. And constantly peeping into the mobile, hid under the desk, waiting for the reply from a ‘known’ number for a question asked four months back.

The lunch raid was usual and again today she or whoever that was, had returned with the sound, starting from a distance and the sound intensified directly proportional to the nth power of my soaring heart beat. Not out of fear but some person to make it my day on that significant date. The graph reached it’s peak on the immediate right and PAUSE!!!!

“Time evalo aachi saami?” 32 red teeth of a dark plump granny must be in her fifties glared at me and she was holding not a rose but the broom. Scaring the hell out of me… I replied “What the??? I mean rendu maniku pathu nimisham.( ten to two)” . Gosh was it for this I sent my BP to the hills? Horrified, I gathered some courage to open my whistle blowing pressure ears and walked away embarrassed but as usual something in me said both the sound frequencies did not match. Consoling myself there is always a tomorrow and tomorrow in my case should come. And surprisingly the syllable practice that day was “Gow- tham”. or whoever WT*.

                Hence the ten minute raid became a routine for us but with fingers crossed and chanting mantras but she or whoever it was, was never found.But even today we three or at least me, walk the way to solve the mystery of the sound and the white dupatta. The hunt continues…

On the Go
Gowtham

Yet they were happy

Jan 26, 2012... Obviously Republic Day was something more than a sense of patriotism. 20 bright NSS volunteers under Kalpana Ma’am set off to Sadguru Seva Ashram, R.S. Puram. When I volunteered my wish to join, I was rebuked by a few for not being well versed with the vernacular language. But some adamant voice in me said I must go, something is waiting for me. And hence I went to meet a group of 60 brimming young innocent faces. I had to prove EXPRESSIONS need no language to express, all you needed was a heart and some space in it to FEEL. I forgot almost everything related to me for those four hours, except the little space in my heart I mentioned above.

  

They knew what celebration was

For they laughed around the chairs

They taught me what living together was

But they never lived my Family.

Yet they were happy.

They knew what discipline was

For they assembled at my whistle

They taught me what true Smile was

But they never enjoyed my Childhood.

Yet they were happy.

They knew what love was

For they jumped and played around me

They taught me what self-content was

But they never had my Cupboard.

Yet they were happy.

They knew how short the day was

It would pass in a jiffy

They taught me what happiness was

As I bid a bye from far away

Yet they were happy.

                With my heart and eyes full. I had nothing but silence to explain. I must visit once again as I had promised them a next time.

Love and Prayers

Gowtham

NEW DUDE!!!

Well, I believe there are no strangers in this world. All are just friends whom we have never met. Life gives you a rare opportunity of finding someone suited to your frequency (for I loved Physics then) and a probability (Maths too) to make it the best union to be celebrated for all days to follow.

It was one fine June morning I set off to Carmel Garden Mat. Hr. Sec. School (Something unusually long for me to recite...) totally unaware of what and where… and my first day of Shoaling began with a Shock- The so called CGMHSS was a BOYS SCHOOL!!! OMG!!! Some force in there attracted me totally ready to accept me as a student for long. I controlled my emotions (though embarrassed) and rushed to the two storeys building in the extreme right and some spirit guided me to the first floor. Class room XI A …

“Hello! Can I know where the Computer Science classroom is? I am a new student.”I put all the 14 words and the 3 punctuations out in a single breath to a spectacled boy (obviously shorter than me) and the only other person in the corridor, dressed in brown checks... that was my school uniform for my info. And there he donned the sense of attitude of a 12 year experienced Carmelite holding a small blue munch box. (Later he revealed he was school second with a 95 in Tamil!!! Something I was terribly bad at!!!)

“Go check in the list put up in both the classrooms” a peculiar accent of CBE English commanded me and I rushed inside. No it’s not in G then??? Okay, here it is R.Gowtham- second language Hindi. I settled on the second bench of the middle row behind the only other bag found in the tiny classroom with 13 huge four-seaters, and it was his. (Later I got to know from his good-old-friend that it was usual for both of them to arrive early on the first day to reserve themselves the first berth.)

I kept a mum, difficult for me though, till everybody arrived and a set of boys teasing me for replying to them in English. There I had acquired a new tag- PETER which I’m still holding in college. Mr. Tube light reassured I’m Gowtham, R. Gowtham.

Time 9.00 a.m. a mass exodus into the classroom following the bell. Everybody had something to say except me.

“Here Mr. (?) I’m school second with a 475.” (And the same, almost empty box in front of me)

“Oh! Congratulations”

“How much did you score?”

“466.” Followed by a shot smile.

“Which school?”

“Navy Children school, Goa “(Shorter than the present).

“GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?????”

“Yes. My Dad has got transferred here.”

Shhh… Prayer time.

He stood with his hands folded. So did I. I had got a new friend Hurray!

I waited for him on the roll call. ”Roll no.25 Shankar Giridhar V” .So he is Mr. Shankar. Why does he show so much of attitude? He acts as if he knows everything. Everybody recognizes him. Must be some big VIP in class. My senses took me back to Goa where the new students would have felt the same for me.

Every period commenced with an Intro session and he turned back and admired the same all 7 times.

“Don’t you know Tamil?” My silence end raised eyebrows gave him the answer.

And at the end of Day one. My observations had:

SIMILARITIES:

·         Both of our sense of SCENE.

·         He was a Foodie too.

·         Whitener- for few called it white paint, we were addicted to it.

·         Handwriting- Later he made me complete his Maths Homework

MISMATCHES:

·         He remained in the class for Tamil I travelled to the Hindi class.

·         Mouth wide open in class. I kept mine shut avoiding any comments.

·         He knew to use the log tables. Me??? He taught me.  A Thank you today.

·         His habit of picking his nose. Me??? No way.

Hence started a new era of Buddyship. Roll no.25 and roll no.40 were the best buddies in town. A typical day started with a Good Morning… 9:05 filling in the work done register in turns. Chem. classes were full of laughter. Maths hours were totally ours. Physics was dead silent only we both giggling at the drooping heads. English Ma’am was like “ Today Shankar/Gowtham is absent” Let’s have a period off( mourning our separation for a day or half).

I remember… Once when Shankar confidently read out dysentery as “DIE- sentry” with the whole class, except a few dumbos, bursting into peals of laughter. In another case he was asked to spell ‘diarrhea’ ( hope I’m right now) he stood up with two a’s and a ‘y’ somewhere. He never learnt it till one dinner meat left him with a fix next day in school.

Time 11:00 a.m. Break Time. We ran to collect our VIP newspapers subscribed through school and then he would start “ Pasi uyir pogudhu Gowthaandi” (Hunger was killing him, actually my pocket!). There two spring rolls, Rs. 7 each and his topped with the whole bottle of tomato sauce and we got the daily  fierce look of the canteen owner FREE. He would have completed his by the time I started and okay!!! Shankar… have mine too lest he snatched it away. We were the most known faces on the corridors for we bunked with our superior skills of buttering the way. Lunch!- one sided- almost half of my tiffin into his tank leaving me contented with the innocent humor.

Celebration time was the best of all. With Mr.Joker reading out an informal welcome address as a President’s oath and running for the snacks when we knew everything was under our custody. He knew to play the keyboard, only Happy B’day and the National anthem. And he, Mr.Vandumurugan exhibiting his stupid arguments in front of Justice Gotham Peter. Well, I forgot to tell you – Uncle is an advocate. Once the two proud hosts of the Annual Day needed his coat. Both boarded bus 7 from Sungam and forgot to ask for a ticket until they reached the stop and narrowly escaped a public ‘Podhumaathu’ and sneaked into the Court. Shankar ordered the most humorous ever Thayir Vadai .Thanks to uncle he sponsored for the two empty pockets. Why tension??? No tension??? One could bid one’s entire lifetime for his mouth.

Exam nights were never stressful for he would text at 2:00 a.m. “I’m learning kinematics now. Will I Pass tom???”. I reply with  a blank for the mere coincidence. People yelled the K-word and the P-word. And the KP-word too. But seldom did he use. Once when I asked for an explanation he termed it too high for my knowledge.

 Journey by 7 for us was like a travel in Mercedes. I got down first and he would push himself out of the narrow window and bid me bye all through a 100m following a turn. And people here would stop and gaze at the ‘waving crack’-Me.

Dates flew, Winds blew. Seasons changed, relations remained. We had given our Boards. And guess what Shankar was all ready with his BENZ and it was all party time thereafter, treats-movies-drives and an occasional FRANKEE at Nilgirs down Avinashi Road. His 2 mins meant 2 hours. Irritated, I call to hear a sweet voice…

“Hellooo” .

“Hello Aunty. Shankar irukaana?”  ( Actually is that crack alive???)

“Thoongittu irukaan pa”.

Idiot… he’s sleeping :@!!

Another surprise was that Mr. Car-proud had selected the same college and I had no words to express.

Tides changed, External influences played, distant drums sounded sweet. The HE had no time to spare for the ME I yearned to live back those days but my calls unanswered. Yet I look up to him today and all I have for him is …

S H A N N N K A R R R R R!!!

Friend waiting

Gowtham

WHEN RELATIONS CHANGE...

When relations change

Those, were not days.

Nine altered emotions,

All in one face.

When relations change

It’s not a WE to spree.

YOU find your way,

I stand solitary.

When relations change

Messengers need not reach.

I’ve encountered enough,

What life paused to teach.

When relations change

You ought to turn to see.

Arousing the long dormant,

The Poet in ME.

Related forever

Gowtham

   

                       

MA!!!

“Gowtham leave your book and come for lunch now!!!!”

“Amma!!! Tomorrow is my Exam. Don’t you know???”

“Finish eating and then continue.”

“Only if you knew what ENGINEERING is!!!!”

“I know what your HUNGER is.”

This statement set me aback and I was reminded of a Food for thought given by Mrs. Louisa Pereira, my English teacher in Navy Children School Goa… 5 years later  I attempt to recollect… It went something like This…

When you were one year old, she fed you and bathed you

You thanked her by crying all night long.

When you were two years old, she taught you to walk

You thanked her by running away when she called.

When you were three years old, she made all meals with love

You thanked her by tossing the plate on the floor

When you were five years old, she walked you to the school

You thanked her by screaming... “I’M NOT GOING”

When you were ten years old, she drove you all day,

From soccer to swimming pool, one party to another

You thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back.

When you were twelve years old, she warned you not to watch certain T.V. shows.

You thanked her by waiting until she left the house.

When you were fourteen, she paid for a month away at summer camp,

You thanked her by forgetting to write to her.

When you were sixteen, she came home from work looking to talk to you,

You thanked her by having your room locked.

When you were eighteen, she cried at your high school graduation,

You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.

When you were twenty, she paid for your college tuition,

Drove you to the campus, carried your bags.

You thanked her by saying good-bye outside the dorm

So you wouldn’t be embarrassed in front of your friends.

When you were twenty two, she suggested certain careers for your future,

You thanked her by saying, “I don’t want to be like you”.

When you were twenty five, she helped you to pay for your wedding,

And she cried and told you how she loved you,

You thanked her by moving halfway across the country.

When you were at thirty, she called with some advice on the Baby,

You thanked her by telling her,” Things are different now”.

When you were forty, she called to remind you of Dad’s birthday,

You thanked her by saying, “I’m busy right now”.

When you were fifty, she fell ill and needed you to take care of her,

You thanked her by reading about the burden parents become to their children.

And then, one day, she quietly died. 

And everything you never did came crashing down like thunder on YOUR HEART.

If she’s still around, never forget to love her more than ever.

And if she’s not, remember her unconditional love and pass it on.

                “Sorry Ma.. I was so stupid…”

                “It’s fine. Hope you liked your fav spicy Rajma. Go study well.”

I had tears drop on my Thermodynamics book... Has Engineering made me so emotionless??? 

Mama’s boy
Gowtham 


P.S.: ADVANCE MOTHER'S DAY WISHES TO ALL LOVING MOTHERS!!! :)

A Singular Conception

I waved at him... HE reciprocated too.I smiled at him, he did too.He approached when I did.I reproached when he did.It took me long long years to get cracking on a conversation with him.Was it cowardice? I dared not to speak... Was it ego?? I could not bow!!! But he was someone, Whose voice I've longed for often.

somehow it happened.The mist cleared to spic and span.

HE...6' tall_ with aims taller than the welkin. Fair complexioned... as fair as his judgement of good or bad. A big Black Bag!!! a storehouse of whole a lot of gossips. The Blunt Blue tag, an identification of his commitment as an Engineer. A random coloured shirt- like his moods every single day. And a pair of pants chasing his Swift Sprinting Steps..Go where he may.

He had a well calculated calendar 24x7.I followed him around the paths he traced, the decisions he made, the people he recognized and the ones he was recognized by.It's all a Hi!! or a Bye! to every head passing by.

I was mesmerized following him every moment.
His biggest ASSET- His loving family,effervescence of care, and his words of experience to share.
His STRENGTH- His confidence with cheer
His WEAKNESS-Emotions!!!
He LIKES- His company being celebrated.
He DETESTS --LIES!!!
He's most PROUD of his activeness...
His most precious POSSESSION- F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Yes! Friends- There's one ,the only one who compliments the day. There are 3 Dudes! who usher rain of Comradeship. 3 tufff yet elegant Divas! and a weekend shoulder of a Doc in making. Not to forget 2 geeks sitting back in the hostel ready anytime.

LOVE??? May be YES- He's blushing ;p . May be NO- his Remorse :-( !!! May be a Y/N -Kept on a waiting list... I Guess.

He's on Demand- A PULL here, A PUSH there!!!

He's on Command- Left-Right-Left.

His life is full of mixed emotions... Very BUSY... Yet he kept me Interested. I looked further!! OMG!! He's gone with the last ray of light. Only darkness stares at me... Will HE back tomorrow??? He left me with Q's unanswered...

Why do the Ups make us fly???

Why do the Downs make us cry???

I turn back to realize... the Guy is in the MIRROR!!!

And the "HEEEE".... is "MEEEE"!!!! 

With content, I wish to explore more the next Sunrise...


Truly ME
Gowtham