This site is as about the inspiration I get, as I am designed to get, where faith and conviction are my two flowers, which receive light when asked to God.
This new born baby is the joy and love of his/her parents. Within him/her they can see themselves.He/she is a miniature version of his/her parents with his/her own individuality.
Life is a very precious gift, which mustn’t be given away at any cost.
I was very grumpy. I ate two plates of panipuri and then
again could not control myself and asked the sandwich vendor to give me the
sandwiches of my choice.
The junk in my stomach was not melting and not even a single
burp was coming out.
Ma was also unhappy to see me like that. We went to the mall
and proceeded towards the gaming zone. I love to watch children playing in the
rides. We could not stand there for long and came out of the mall.
We stepped out from the exit door and were coming down the
steps, when a number of collegians entered the mall, most probably they had
bunked college. We ignored them.
Ma told me that we would walk the distance till home and my
stomach would be easy. An old man, little bent, holding a stick and limping at
each step was walking ahead of us.
We crossed the brackish water stretch. Metro work is going
on over there.
Crossed the road through the space given for all. Ma asked me
to walk slowly as the man was ahead of us and seemed feeble. He crossed and we
too crossed. A person helped him also. He sat on the footpath at the junction
of our lane just to the right, spread a plastic sheet. His dhoti had turned slight
grey to black and his kurta was torn in three places and patch work was done on
too.
While sitting cried in a wonderful, heavy tune from his
heart without scratches “Radhe- O Jagdish” (the consort and her lord). His
voice was extremely melodious , perfect in sur and taal.It was a crystal-clear
voice. He could have beaten any champion of any reality T.V. show.
Both of us were stunned and understood that he earns by
singing.
We went near him.Mother gave him ten rupees and I requested
him to sing the same song.
He looked at me quizzically and asked-“You want to hear this
same song from me or some other song?”
I replied-“No, I want to hear this particular song from you.”
He-“Are you sure?”
I-“Yes, uncle”.
His face was tired.
He closed his eyes and two lines from a Krishna bhajan came
out from his heart.It was –“Lord, please forgive me that I cannot see you
though you are forever mine”.
He stopped singing. I can tell you that, his voice is
unique, superb and realized beyond life and death. His voice pierced our heart and
overcoming with emotions, Ma and me, both of us were in tears.
Few passer-by’s too had stopped on their way, to hear him
sing. His voice was a rare voice. Such rare voices can never ever be measured
nor are they awarded on Earth.
While tears splashed from my eyes, many questions were aroused
in my mind. They were:-
1.Where did he learn to sing so beautifully?
2.Was he a singer? A trained or a professional singer once
upon a time?
3.How come with such a beautiful and rare voice, he was
sitting near a nullah on a plastic sheet with the sky as his covering?
But I couldn’t ask him those questions. The questions
remained inside my mouth. I felt that he was a huge personality and that gap between
him and me was very big.
I gave him ten bucks and asked him “Uncle will you have
something?”
He accepted the ten rupees with a namaskar and replied-“Tea”.
Still the questions pounced my heart and yet I controlled
myself. That old man was an extremely talented musician and definitely he had
some connection with the music world/industry. Seeing him there, it simply didn’t
feel right.
I crossed the side lane and brought tea for him. His face
glowed.
Wittily he looked to us and told-“I take care of my voice
and throat.”
God, let me hear from him, let him sing many more songs for many, many more days.
The song of life is like a flowing river, like the sweet melodious tune of a bird. The song can be easy, it can be hard and it can be neither easy nor hard. That’s how the song of life goes. Once it starts, it doesn’t stop. Like the musician, it too has kept on flowing. He has lost his everything, but his music is with him. Be with you and within you.You are you.
The average life span of a tortoise is more than 200 years, yet they don’t change. Even their pace remains the same.
“The you” who resides in you is like a rose. Just as a rose
can’t smell and look like lily or jasmine and in the same way, your self can’t
change. Hold on to it and see the truth of life flowing within it.
The Band got down from the bus and the bus went on ahead.The people who were singing and clapping, were now resting and enjoying the cool breeze and the sparrows were nibbling on the titbits of food which they found on the bus.
As the bus turned towards the road from where the seaside was visible, much cooler breeze started coming and the warmth of the sunlight was so glorious and healthy, that it felt as if they were standing near the hearth in their home. As the rays of sunlight touched the body, all tiredness, sluggishness and sleep vamoosed. Now it was time for the bus to take rest. The bus stopped near an air conditioned restaurant and the driver reminded everyone that the bus would leave exactly after forty-five minutes.
They all went inside the restaurant.As it was afternoon, the tables were mostly empty and the waiters were feeling too lazy to take down any orders.Slowly, slowly at snail’s space, the waiters came and took the orders. Most of the bus passengers ordered for tea and snacks.
After having tea and snacks, everyone was waiting to go back to the bus, when the bus conductor came and told that they would have to wait for another half an hour as the bus driver was still sleeping.Hearing this, everyone grumbled.Now the time started passing slowly and some even dozzed off.It was five o’clock in the evening, when a band who were going to a particular function, entered the restaurant. They had ordered for some light food and were waiting for it to come, when two men from the band absent mindedly, began playing their instruments simply for sheer fun. Everyone woke with a jolt hearing –“para paap paap paap poon and dhi tiri riri riri” and they were stunned.It was a full on jazz performance of drums and saxophone.
All the bus passengers and the remaining band members were shouting-“Stop, stop, stop.Please our heads are aching.” Those men stopped playing their instruments and all heaved a sigh of relief.
Barely five minutes or so had passed, when the bus conductor came and said-“The driver has woken up, freshened himself up and the bus is ready to go.”
Immediately, everyone started walking towards the restaurant door, when a voice asked –“where is the bus going?”
The conductor replied-“to so and so place.” Immediately the band members’ faces lightened up. It felt as if they had received early bonuses.
Their leader spoke-“We, too would like to ride on your bus, as our destination is the same.”
After all the musicians had got on the bus, the conductor was trying to decide whether to charge for the musical instruments or not. The big trumpet had nearly blocked the exit and the bus driver wondered whether more such quirky individuals would get on the bus. Two bands in a single day, was something that he had never seen in his job.
Before the bus started doing –“Grr-grr-grr-grr”, the starting sound which all buses make before picking up speed, an ice cream seller got on to the bu. Instantly he began mongering his ice products of love, cups, bowls and cones.
“Mango-vanilla – lollipop ice cream, two plus one free.” There were two children on the bus.Spontaneously they asked their mothers for ice creams. Reluctantly the mothers had to buy them the ice creams. The ice cream seller said-“two plus one free. Buy four and I will give you three free.” The mothers’ simply brushed off his offer and bought single quantity of ice cream for their kids. Before giving her kid the ice cream, one of the ladies who had bought the ice cream had taken a bite and felt that the mango-vanilla-lollipop was heaven sent. She told all the passengers nearby that the ice cream was simply superb to eat and in a speed faster than superfast train, the whole bus was sumptuously eating the ice cream (including the driver and the conductor). By this time the dusk had fallen and sun was on the verge of going down the horizon, when the flute player of the band, played a tune so melodious that it toughed everyone’s heart’s core. It was a befitting salute and tribute to the Sun God who nourishes us all and keeps guard for us.The mouth organ player joined his friend and the harmonium player too rendered a soft piece of an unknown raga.
The evening stars were now shining all across the sky and the band began practising their songs for the function. Unknown to them, it was causing a bit of chaos to people below on the streets, as they kept on looking here and there for the source of sound and music, but couldn’t find it.
The band members became bored by playing the same songs again and again, so they began playing the latest party and hip and hop songs and instantaneously the whole bus was swaying, singing and dancing to those songs. The driver was having a hard time controlling his desire to get up from his seat and belt out a few dance moves, but it was years of experience of monotonous driving that he kept his buttocks firmly on his seat. Before the band alighted from the bus, they played out a famous songs so beautifully, that people passing by had gathered themselves around the band and like free birds, they forgot themselves for a few priceless and extraordinary moments.
Music is priceless, music is eternal and it is both boon and grace from the all loving father in heaven. The best music created on earth are the songs which a mother sings to her baby or child when trying to make them go to sleep. There is nothing more beautiful and natural than it. A mother’s song is an unlimited mine or ocean of love.
Such bus journeys make music felt and interwoven in hearts. Heart is nothing but a ball of love. If you feed it with happiness, love and music, it will grow stronger by the day and nothing can fell it.
Hope you have enjoyed this bus journey and again and again and thousands and million times, may you all have more such rides on such a wonderful bus trip (including ma, baba, me and God).
Have you ever travelled in an open double decker bus? Many of you surely have.
The wind ruffling your hair, the beautiful and exotic scenery making you feel as a part of the city, and a part of you wishing that you were a bonafide member of that place. Such wonderful feelings do come and dwindle your heart. The fresh air compared to the exhaust pipes which give out wonderful fragrances out of the cars below that fill one’s lungs with carbon monoxide and dust particles. So sitting in the open bus is definitely a better option than riding a bike or any open top vehicle.
In the open bus, a music band were travelling to a certain part of the city and they had booked seats grouped together at the corner. As the wind was flowing continuously bringing pleasure and happiness to all, the guitarist of the band, played the chord E on his guitar. Then he played out a melodious tune. On hearing his tune, the bongo player adjusted his instrument and brought out a nice beat. Soon enough the whole band were syncing together and playing something out which suited the surrounding environment.
The people started clapping their hands and like baby birds coming out of their shells, soon they began crooning and sometimes they sang out loud enough to get stares from people who were walking down the streets. On hearing the sweet tunes of the flute, the sparrows came and sat on the railings of the bus. When the bus reached at the band’s destination, the band took a bow and all the people gave them a hearty clap.
Music is spontaneous, music is love and it is what bridges the gap between all and makes everyone more inclined towards their own self.
Hope your journey has been as beautiful as this one.
Before You Travel. 