Live by the sun !

Life melting with emotions;

Is not life enough

Day setting crimson red

Is not day enough

Sliver of the full moon in the ocean

Is not silver enough

Live by the sun, as it moves in the blue clear sky

It takes you thru the day slow and steady

Bright and sunny

Setting quietly

Letting the other rise

All the days

Late or early

Shine the dust

Rainbow the water

Soften the mist

Go on live by the sun !

me, gulmohor...

मी, गुलमोहोर...

आमच्या बागेतल्या गुलमोहोराला
हिवाळ्यातच पालवी फुटली;
डावीकडची एक फांदी
अचानकच बहरून आली !
लालकेशरी पिवळ्या फुलांनी
लगडून जडावून गेली.
भर दुपारच्या कडक उन्हाच्या
वेडी प्रेमातच पडली
आणि सकाळचा गारठा सहन न होऊन
दोन फुलं गळून गेली.
मग ती वेडी हळवी फांदी
हिरमुसुन रडत बसली
आणि कोपऱ्यातली मंद अबोली
केशरीसं फिकट हसली.
मुसमुसत फांदी म्हणाली
मी का नाही सदाफुली?
ती कशी सदा असते सुखावलेली
तशी मी का नाही फुललेली?

रस्त्यापल्याडचा वड अनुभवी खरखरला...
"अगं, प्रत्येकाचा वेगळा काळ असतो आपला.
मी नेहेमी हिरवा असतो
तरीसुद्धा भकास दिसतो
पारंब्यांच्या चरबट आयाळींनी लगडलेला
बारा महिने उभा असतो
वर्षातून एकदाच पुजला जातो
सावित्रीच्या कृपेनं...
जखडून जातो त्यादिवशी
पांढऱ्या धाग्यांच्या वेटोळ्यानं
त्यातसुद्धा सुख असतं
प्रेमाचं बंधन असतं

तुझ्या फुलांचा रंग कसा केशरी भगवा उग्र दिसतो
अगं वेडे रडू नकोस त्यातलीसुद्धा गंमत सांगतो
तुझ्याकडे पाहताना वैशाख वणवा मऊ भासतो.

Punha Gulmohor...

गुलमोहोर आताशा गप्प गप्प असतो
कसा कुणास ठाऊक खिन्नसा दिसतॊ
वाटतं काय झालंय ते विचारावं...
पण मग त्याच्या प्रश्नांना उत्तर काय द्यावं

म्हाताऱ्या चरबट वडानं त्याला समजावलं होतं
कोपऱ्यातल्या सदाफुलीनं हसायला शिकवलं होतं

वडच आता पारंब्यांचे हात टेकून उभा आहे
सदाफुलीचा अवास आता घमघमायला लागलाय

गुलमोहोराला सावित्री नाही सत्यवानाची कथा नाही
तशी काही चिंता नाही मनाला कसली व्यथा नाही
तरीसुद्धा कुढत असतॊ, एकटाच वेडा वाढत असतॊ

बोलत नाही, फुलत नाही
वाऱ्यानं सुद्धा हलत नाही
पानगळ आता सुरू झालीय
त्याचं त्यालाच सांभाळायचंय
मला खूप काही सांगायचंय
एकदा भेटायला जायचंय.

Gulmohor, me...

खूप दिवसांनी आज गुलमोहोराला भेटले
सगळा सुकुन गेला होता
फांदि न फांदि वाळली होती
उभा होता एकटाच
कावळ्यांच ओझं सांभाळत
समोरचा वड केव्हाच पडला होता
तिथला औदुंबर आता पुढे आला होता
त्याच्या मागची बांबूची दाटी
शीळ मारत सळसळत होती
शेजारची अबोली नेहेमीप्रमाणे मंद हसली
अशोक वृक्षानं मान हलवून ओळख दिली
कुंपणाजवळची छोटी रोपं
केवढीतरी उंचावली होती

माझा गुलमोहोर मात्र गप्पच होता
थोडासा उदास थोडासा केविलवाणा.
त्याच्या बुंध्यावरून हात फिरवला
आणि घशात एकदम खरखर झाली
किती वय झालं याचं
किती ऋतु गेले असे
प्रेमात पडून, बहरून, सुखावून
किती तरी दिवस झाले

हळूच त्याची काटकी गळली
गुलमोहोरानं स्मित केलं
पूर्वीच्या कितीएक आठवणी
पुन्हा एकवार दाटून आल्या
मी म्हटलं कसा आहेस?
तो पुन्हा एकवार हसून म्हणाला,
काही थोडी पानं आहेत
तीच काय ती हिरवाई
आताशा सावलीसुद्धा पडत नाही
आणि एकदम गप्प झाला...
मी ही तशीच परत फिरले
उंच झालेल्या बोगनवेलीवर
कागदी फुलं शोभत होती
पहात पहात पुढे गेले
आणि एकदम जाणवलं---
आपण किती मोठे झालो !

Ayushya

पुसटतं आयुष्य म्हणजे कुणी आपलं वाटत नाही
थांबलेलं वाटलं तरी संपलं वाटत नाही
दुखत असलं खूप तरी दुखलं वाटत नाही
वर्षाव झाला अगदी तरी शिंपलं वाटत नाही
खोल खोल गेलं तरी रूजलं वाटत नाही
आपलं आपलं म्हणतानाच परकं वाटत रहातं
कितीही सांभाळलं तरी पोरकं वाटत रहातं
गडद गडद केलं तरी भुरकं वाटत रहातं
कुठेतरी चुकतंय असं सारखं वाटत रहातं

शोधावं म्हटलं तर मिळत नाही
जुळवावं म्हटलं तर जुळत नाही
पुसटतं आयुष्य...
म्हणजे काय ते कळत नाही.

So Hum !!!

अंधाराचा समुद्र भवति
अमर्याद हा भरून राहिला
आणि समोरच नौका छोटी
नौकेमधला दिवा चमकला

नौक ती कि काय कळेना
झाडातील काजवा फडकला
फसवित फसवित पुढे चालले
तेजाचे ते निशाण मजला

निशाण फसवी मी ही हटेना
पाठलाग हा अखंड चाले
आणि एकदा असा अचानक
तो तेजाचा ध्वज पूर्ण दिसे मज

अशी अनावर होऊन मी ही
तेजोगम तो निरखून पाही
विस्मयतेने अचंबित मी
अशीच पाहि उभी ठाकुनी

धूसर प्रतिमा माझीच होती
तेजाच्या त्या ॐकारातून

Chapha

चाफा वेडा बहरूनी गेला
आगमनाने ऋतुराजाच्या
कुणी सांगे पण त्याच्या कानी
नसे खास हा राजा ऋतुंचा

काय करावे त्यास कळेना
बहरूनी झडला चाफा वेडा
पुन्हा पुन्हा पण त्याच ऋतुचा
बहर यायचा नाही मिटला

अचंबित मग चाफा पुसतो
का यावा हा मजला परिमळ?
का या ऋतुच्या आगमनाने
मज अंगी हे गीत फुलावे?

मलाच पडला प्रश्न खरोखर
उत्तर द्यावे काय बरोबर?

निष्पर्णाच्या फांद्यांमधूनी
उत्तर माझे मलाच खुणवी

ऋतुराजाचा मान असे हा
ऋतुराजाचे भान असे हे
ज्याचे त्याला...
त्याच्या वेळी...

CONCLUSION

tHEM

“Oh I missed u on my trip”, he said and that startled her. She was not expecting any such show of affection from him, or rather to put it; she was not expecting any affection from him at all. That’s the way it’s been for last 6 years. He with his trips for work and pleasure, she with her social life and work, they both had been busy in their own lives. They lived together, under one single roof, shared a bed whenever he was around, had meals together, dined out to good restaurants, shared jokes, shared parties under their roof or someone else’s. Oh ok, they were married, so they too shared relatives and relations. All in all the life was normal.

A lot of others envied their life. Freedom, friendship, understanding, space, maturity all in one single marriage! Looked like heaven, felt like heaven. That’s what he had been finding it as, a heaven of a relationship. Well, there were a few tiffs, few disagreements and arguments, but that’s there when two people live together. He himself envied his life at times for getting such an understanding wife to give him this kind of a space. He could go and come as he liked, she shopped alone, she partied alone when it came to that, she had her own social circle, she cooked for him whenever possible, in fact, in the early years of marriage she even packed a good wholesome lunch for him to his work. Though the frequency went down now, he understood, with her career and her social commitments growing and his irregularity in being within town changing.

This time he was on a trip for a month and on his way back, he found himself longing for the smell of his house; he found himself thinking of her being around in the house. He was surprised at this; he had never felt anything like this before. He loved roaming about everywhere. He never even once thought of the place back at home. Deep in his mind, he had never been happy about the purchase of this house. He wanted a bigger house on the top floor of a tower, but he had to settle for this one which was smaller and a floor below the top floor. For whatever reasons, he did not have patience to wait and look for something he wanted and had purchased this one. They had shifted and she had loved the place. She decorated the place to her own choice. Yes, her friends had envied her for the freedom given to her. He, on the contrary, not even once had said anything, positive or negative, about the issue. He was not been asked for and so he never felt obliged to comment – appreciate or otherwise. She took care of everything, even monitory part of the activity.

But today, he found himself uttering those words and he felt strange. He blushed with embarrassment when he saw the reaction – whatever mild start of surprise – that came from her. He hated himself for feeling something which he did not understand. He threw his shoes in a corner and went to his room to change. Yes, his room, though they shared only one bedroom, they had two different rooms to keep their stuff. That was an understanding, when he first found himself irritated at her rule for keeping things to its own place. He was happy with this as he could use his room as a bachelor’s pad and felt comfortable in the manly smell of his room. No compacts, no female perfumes, no lipsticks and eyeliners on his mirror. He could toss his aftershave bottles, his deodorant sprays as he liked, he could throw his used clothes and towels everywhere in his room and not get disturbed. His room was his den – his lion’s den – as he liked to call it. Once inside, he did not have to worry and think of the world outside.

He walked into the room and closed the door behind him; he threw himself on the bed and remained there for sometime. He was too scared to change and go out of the den. He wanted solitude. He did not want to face emotions. “But then she doesn’t show any!” he thought and was startled. That was a realization. Again that was not true. She is an intelligent woman, with a mind of her own, with a career of her own. She shared intelligent discussions, in fact offered some good advise about finance or career when needed. She is animated and bubbly when she talks to her friends, no, not only that, she laughs her gut out on a good joke he shares with her. She has impeccable manners when it comes to parties or dinners. His friends, their relatives love meals cooked by her and she obliges them with many. And another realization came along. She is changed. Since when? Changed in what way? For good or for worse? He could not decide that. She had always given him the friendly space, the ‘too much’ freedom that a woman would not offer to her husband, yet, she showed she cared in the small ways that she did. It was him who never felt a reason to call back home while away from town, but then she had never been cribbing about that. She never expected him to inform about his coming and going. He was the one who never showed he cared. He hastily threw the thought away as he did. “Come on,” he thought, “I have always given her all the freedom an Indian husband would not give to his wife. I never ask her, about her accounts, her spending, and her social life or anything for that matter.” And a voice came, “hey dude, I guess you were just being convenient to yourself.” Cause he knew if he asks, he would have to tell. “Naah, he thought, there is nothing to hide. So what’s the problem if I have to tell? No it’s not me, it’s her who is changed, who is distant for some reason.” But then it’s always been a friendly relation that they shared. He decided to get up and talk about it. He also knew she would be ready with some snack to have and he was hungry. He took a shower and felt fresh. He then opened the door of his den and went out. Heading to the kitchen where he knew she would be ready with some delicious snack and his favorite tea. Sure the food was ready and she was there. As she saw him approaching, she smiled at him and said, “Go on to the dinning, I shall serve and get the dishes.”

She followed him to the table with the tray full of eatables and tea. Served him and for herself, sat down next to him. He tried to look at her, tried a lame smile and said, “ Look, I don’t know why I said what I did. I am not sorry for that, but it’s strange. You do know I care, don’t u?” She looked him into his eyes and said, “ I want a divorce. I am tired of you showing that you don’t care when you do and I can’t anymore go on showing that I care, when I don’t.”

He kept looking at her without knowing what to speak.

hER

There was a long silence and she felt like she was going back in the space. She felt like she was dreaming and did not know how long did she sit like that in her daze. Suddenly when she was out of her stupor, it was dark all around her, she still had the cups and the dishes in front of her and the silence was unbearable to her ears. For a few stark seconds she did not know why was she sitting in the dark room, why were the mugs still around. And then it dawned to her. She got up from the chair, went to the window, looked outside, it was breezy and cool. She felt better, why? She did not know, was it because of the feeling she had just let out some time ago or was it due to the wind. She caressed the flower plants in the window. Thought about what had happened. She was surprised of herself for such a sudden outburst. Well, it was not the usual outburst in the explosive way; yet, it was a blow to her as much as it was to him. She was staggered with her own emotions. Why had she talked about divorce? It was not there on her mind at all. Then how did those words come out?

She switched on the lights in the room and as she blinked with the brightness she saw him coming out of his room. He looked stressed, ruffled. She stood there with her eyes closed for some time and then opened her eyes slowly and looked at him. He had taken his place on the sofa and had switched on the TV. Not a single word exchanged. She too went onto the table and cleared the mugs and the dishes and took them to the kitchen. It was already time to start cooking.

She just stood there by the kitchen platform and unknowingly went back to her day. She was expecting him back from his tour today. Since morning she was thinking for a menu in the evening, as she knew he likes to have some good homemade snack with his tea. It was also a holiday for her and so she could plan her day well. She got up late, as she liked it always when she was alone. Taking quick morning shower she headed to her beauty parlor for a long pending hair trimming and pedicure. When her pedicurist commented on how tired her feet looked, she just gave a tired smile to match with them. But that had set her thinking. She had been feeling too tired to do anything lately. Reaching 35 she was not too old to feel uninterested in things. She was the one who was known as a life of a party, she used to be enthusiastic to try new dishes, to cook a new menu every week. She loved her job and her career, she enjoyed going out with friends. But lately – she didn’t remember since when – she stopped enjoying anything of this. She just loved her Sundays, her cozy afternoons at home, she loved reading books but even they had come down to stupid unintelligent gossip based fictions. If there is something she liked, it was sleeping, curling with a fiction and reading on. She did not feel like meeting anyone, spending time with anyone. Her telephone conversations were also cut down to minimum, she just lost interest in talking to anyone either. She was thinking all of this while her feet were getting pampered and she decided that she needs a break, a holiday out of town. She decided that she would talk to him about it when he comes back, it would be a good idea to take a nice idle holiday around a weekend to feel refreshed. She decided that they must watch a nice movie with a bag full of popcorns, a couple of samosas and ice creams. Yes, she knew that’s what they were missing. She longed for togetherness. She longed for his company. When she reached home, she again felt sluggish and decided to take a nap. After a nice shower, though she was feeling a bit fresh she decided to go ahead with a nice stretch of a short sleep and so she went to the bed. She saw the bed sheet not so clean and decided that she must change it, she went to the closet got a clean bed sheet, and changed it. She felt the house suddenly fresher than before. She then stretched comfortably on the bed. She was not waiting for him but was expecting him. It was a funny feeling. She should be waiting for him. A wife, meeting her husband after a month should be a waiting wife. She felt strange about her own feelings and then decided it was the same lack of togetherness and so she was feeling this way. Once again she told herself that she needed to talk it out to him.

hIM

While he was staring at the TV, he was going through turmoil of thoughts. When he went to his room after her sudden expression, he was numb. While he was lying on the bed he could not think anything for a long time. He wanted to make sense, put logic to the whole thing. He was trying to think and reason, but he just was not feeling anything. He kept watching the sky from the window trying desperately to understand what he is feeling. He felt his heart was beating rapid. But he realized, he was not feeling anything. He was absolutely calm about it, no emotions at all. No sadness, no shock, no anger…nothing!! He was now puzzled. He sat up on the bed uneasy with this new revelation. He got up and went up to the mirror, as a habit, started watching his beard stubs. Then roamed towards the window and watched down. He was still not able to figure out his own mind. He knew he should feel something. This was sure a shock that his wife has talked about divorce. He should feel insulted, feel angry, feel sad may be. But he was so calm as if it was expected, as if he knew this coming to him.

He heard some movement out in the main room. He started wondering about her. Why did she say that? Did she plan this; rehearse this over the month while he was away? But he knew it was not a rehearsed statement from her. But again she was not such an impulsive person to talk without thinking. She had not been showing any emotions lately and so this sudden expression puzzled him more. What is going on in her mind right now? Is she also as surprised? Did she mean it? He was not able to figure out why was HE taking it easy? Did he somewhere in the mind want it himself? And this thought startled him, gave him a direction of thoughts. Yes, he realized, he was feeling rather light hearted, free. But again what would he feel free from? There was nothing he was forbidden of? He was independent, free from the typical wife cribbing that others get. He did not feel answerable for anything he did at all as probably others do feel. Never felt guilty about some boys’ fun he had which other husbands probably did.

He was too confused. He wanted a distraction at least for tonight from all this. He was just back from a tiring journey and wanted to relax. He decided he would take it easy and then think about it later, tomorrow may be. He opened the door and saw her standing by the switchboard, blinked with brightness. He wanted to laugh at the sight of her standing eyes shut by the switchboard. He went on to the sofa and started watching TV, his favorite pass time. He was sure she would be surprised by his reaction. He thought she must be expecting an outrage from him, he was calm, surprising himself he was calm. She looked at him and went on to the kitchen. He knew that’s her thinking place, she likes to stand by the platform and think and at such time she cooks well. He again smiled at himself with this thought. He kept on staring at the TV and waited for her reaction.

tHEM

Mechanically she started cutting the vegetable and putting rice and daal to boil. Suddenly her mind was blank without any emotion or thought. She felt exhausted. Once she set the sabzi on the stove she went out and sat next to him on the sofa. He flinched a little, she thought, may be he was surprised that she sat next to him. She was wondering what is he feeling? Is he feeling anything at all? An intelligent man, big with a bigger corporate, known as the best in his position but zero sensitivity towards human emotions. Why is he not reacting? Has he gone numb towards me? Did he hear me at all? And then she felt like smiling, thinking, probably he did not hear her at all... He is just like that always in his own world, like a baby. Someone needs to care for him, take things in hand for him. That’s why his secretary the elderly Mrs. Simon is such a hit with him!! She is a mother figure for him, would take care of his lunch time, coffee time, schedules and meetings. Where will he go without her and I? She again smiled a little. She felt him looking at her and she just got up to go back to kitchen.

He was wondering, what is she smiling about? Was that a joke that she pulled on him? What’s going on? Then he realized suddenly, there was this funny series going on the television, her favorite, his favorite, their favorite. Oh, so they still had a few things common between them. They loved sitting together and watching this particular TV series and always talked about it. She came back from the kitchen and sat again next to him. No word exchanged at all. They kept watching the TV and suddenly he felt the life is such a drag. He got up and went to his room. He wanted to think, he went in and found himself, taking his cell and calling the theater. He knew about this play running in the city they wanted to watch since long. He found himself booking and instructing home delivered tickets – two. He smiled. He heard the phone ringing and then her answering it. He waited in the room. Thinking how alone he is feeling and felt like shouting loud in the sky… He wanted to cry. He was alone, very alone. He decided he must go watch some more TV. He can not feel the way he was feeling, he is not sad at all. He was not weak. He did not need anyone in life. He is happy with his den. And then suddenly he thought would the den remain with him or would he have to let her take it? He slapped himself in mind for his disgusting thought and just went out to watch TV.

She was serving dinner already and he quietly sat on his chair to start dinner. He could smell the food, delicious, spicy, just the way he loves it. They started eating and she said that the call was from the Seths and they would have to attend an early evening home warming at their new bunglow. He hated Sunday evening parties, she knew it. He wanted to tell her go ahead and attend and that he would like to rest, but he found himself saying, “We will have to go only after the afternoon theater show I have booked for.” She looked at him surprised and said, “I thought you would want me to go alone, don’t you hate Sunday evening parties.” He looked at her, “But you like me to go with you don’t you? Will you come with me for this show tomorrow, I know you don’t like your Sunday afternoons outside, but this one time, please!” She smiled and said she would love to go with him anytime, anywhere. They both were smiling, warm and loving, not looking at each other. Suddenly he said, “err… by the way, I am flying out again on Thursday for 10 days.” She looked up, disappointed and said, “I will accompany you this time, I get bored here and then when you are back I do not know how to express my loneliness to you.” He nodded enthusiastically.

They did not realize when the dinner was over, but he found himself, leaning at the kitchen platform as she was cleaning and clearing. He was just looking at her, working, moving swiftly, getting irritated that he was in her way. They both loved this feeling. Felt like they newly weds. Realizing in mind, freedom is not everything.

The Day...

It was Monday Morning at Dadar Station - probably the most crowded railway station of Mumbai suburbs. She was walking down
towards her train, already placing her day in mind with a list of things to do. There was a light hum in the air at that busy station and a few announcements in a screechy voice about the train schedules. She loved that morning, as she usually did all Monday mornings. She looked at the schedule indicator and there, her train was already put with a bright red numerical. She hurried towards the platform and while pacing down the staircase she was watching all the heads from the top. There were many thoughts in all those brains and suddenly she felt a shiver that she was going to blend into that crowd. As the train arrived, all the thoughts stopped for that moment and every one hung to the already crowded train. She thought she saw a face in that crowd. She halted for a moment but it was impossible to find it again. She boarded the train and looked for a comfortable place to sit. She was eager to put the list in mind onto her laptop.

She sat and opened her laptop and felt a bit awkward to see lipstick clad curious mouths around. So nothing had changed in two years! She used be a regular at these trains and at this station but nothing had absolutely changed in Bombay. They were more bridges to connect highways though, but the feel was just the same.

She closed the laptop and got off at her station and looked for that face again but he was not there. She kept thinking about Vinod all the while, in fact that was one of the reasons to travel by train this time. She wanted to remember all that again. Deep in her heart she wanted to contact Vinod also. But how? Her heart ached at the memory of Vinod; she wanted to meet him, talk to him.

She was back again at a crowded flyover bridge on the railways. Every thing was just the same as she had left two years ago. She now concentrated on her road as she took an auto rickshaw from the station. She reached her office building. She noticed that the building was much better now; the construction work was over and it was cleaner. The area around it, which used to be full of mud and sand, was now neater. She felt nostalgic about those small moments while she waited for the elevator to arrive, felt they were also very important for her to carry them as a pleasant memory. While she reached the office, her colleagues were waiting for her. They all gave her a warm welcome. New people were introduced to her and the old ones were happy to see her back and told her that they missed her. She was touched by all the warmth and realized that even she had been missing the cubicle she used to sit in and the people there. They ordered a good lunch, had it together just like they did two years ago.

When she sat at the same cubicle again, she felt a sudden strong memory of Vinod. She remembered their phone calls and endless talks. She smiled at the memory of the early morning messages to each other. She felt how crazy all that was, calling 10 times in a day and then sunsets in the evenings. There used to be nothing to speak at the end of the day and still there were calls probably to listen to the silence from each other. She wanted to call him again.
She kept herself busy that afternoon with calls and meetings. The day was over; she thought of catching up with some lost time. She thought she must travel around Bombay to check whether everything was as it was. She wanted to watch the sunset again; she wanted to sing by the sea while watching the sun going down the salty water. She wanted to call Vinod.

She wanted to call him and congratulate him for his international award winning film. That made her smile again, thinking about their arguments. Both knew that no one wanted to win. She thought of their talks of ambitions and the time they used to spend talking by the sea. It all felt so new again. As if she had not missed a day, as if it had been happening till only yesterday.
Suddenly the phone ring startled her. She was thrown back to the present world. It was Rajen, her husband. Rajen needed a good guide for his second Bombay tour. He was teasing her about her memories of all those days and said he was curious about them. She knew it was all a good humour from him she smiled and they decided to go to the sea and watch the sunset.
Rajen was in a very cheerful mood as he usually used to be. He told her about his day and asked her about hers. They went to the old fort near the sea. Rajen wanted to take a few photographs of the old temple, which she noticed was much busier than it used to be two years ago. They came back up to the fort. She said the fort was just as it was and Rajen was curious to know where she used to spend her time. She showed him around the fort and shared some good jokes and laughs. She noticed that it was still the same. There were still couples coming there to snatch some moments alone and also the same guys who would come to watch them. She shared some old jokes Vinod used to crack about them and again had a good laugh with Rajen.
They watched the sunset quietly hand in hand. Rajen asked her to sing a song. She did. Rajen clicked a few photographs of her in the beautiful evening sunlight. She was having a good time. But she thought of Vinod all the while. She felt thankful to Rajen for not disturbing her lone mind. She knew he wanted to know so much but was not asking her anything.

She had decided to marry Rajen because he was mature and focused on his field. Probably for the same reasons she had loved Vinod. It had been one whole year with Rajen and she had been enjoying each moment with him. But she still missed Vinod. Rajen understood that, he was from a broken relationship himself. She was happy with Rajen for their high level of understanding towards each other.

She remembered the last evening with Vinod when they decided to part. They were grown ups, they were mature and they had their own lives to lead. They had enjoyed the most lovable moments together. They had shared joy, grief and also fear together. They knew each other so well. But they had their own lives - very different, which could not have merged into the world. They had a world of their own but that could not have complemented their own separate worlds. They knew it was going to disturb their happy lives if they still were together and they decided to part.

Then she met Rajen. So engrossed in their own professions that they didn't notice each other. She was not happy when her mother suggested that he was a good guy and she must think of marrying him. She met him very reluctantly and they talked about their own professions. They didn't notice each other at the first meet. When her mother asked her about her opinion, she was not ready with any comment. Her mother decided for her and now she was realizing that it was really fun to be with Rajen. He was a good husband, a good friend and yes they loved each other a lot.

As they were walking the rocky way down the fort, she whispered to him, 'I love you'. He pressed her hand and said that he loved her too. They waited on the way and kissed each other lovingly. Started walking again they saw some guys watching them and had a good laugh. While sitting in the car, they promised they would visit this place daily while in Bombay. There was so much Rajen wanted to ask her, there was so much she wanted to share with him. She needed to brush up her tour guide skills for Rajen.