The unexplained companionship.. a short story

Sunday mornings were shiny and breezy on the hills of Mussorie. The sound of the morning birds woke up Meera, who thought were her only friends left. “Ahh, time for grocery shopping”, she said as tied her hair in front of the mirror.

Meera, in her early thirties, medium height, wheatish skin took the responsibility of taking care of her ancestorial tea estate in Mussorie.

With no personal life and friends, she worked day night at the estate. On Sunday while on her way to the super market, she crossed a nursery of beautiful flowers.

But what caught her attention was that one dried up plant which was kept aside. She regained her conscious and started walking.

Next Sunday, she passed through the same nursery and spotted the same plant which still lay there. Something stopped her. She kept starring at the plant as if she saw a mirror in front of her of her own life.

Her life had become too monotonous – waking up, going to the estate, coming home, eating and sleeping. She realised she hasn’t smiled or laughed all this time. She made no friends and was living alone like that plant.

“Apko kaunsa plant chahye, madam ji?”, Mali kaka asked. He mentioned all the names of the flowers in his nursery. To which she answered, “This plant?”

“No, no madam ji. These are to be thrown. I told Shankar last week, par woh bhul gaya”, Mali kaka replied in his broken English.

Seeing Meera’s look, Mali kaka packed the plant and gave it for free.

She came home and kept it near the window where the sun rays were the best. She watered it everyday, cut the dry leaves and kept the good ones.

She had developed a sense of compassion for that plant. Giving life to that plant, Meera realised she hadn’t been living her life.

Next morning while going to the estate, she greeted her workers and also made interactions few. Everyone was startled at this Change in Meera.

‘Tringggggggggg’ Meera had snoozed the alarm for the 10th time by now. She suddenly woke up and she saw that she was late for work.

It was the first time in all these years in Mussorie that she woke up late. She got ready, made her breakfast and as she was leaving for work she stopped.

A small bud was growing on the leaf of the plant. She smiled and felt a sense of hope as she gave wings to the unexplained friendship with that plant.

Songs related to the current Quarantine situation

Music has always been an essential part of our life events. Wherever we go, what happens, we have our list of playlist ready for each mood.

During this coronavirus pandemic, there are some songs which have become so relatable in our changed lives.

Here are the some of the top 15 situations where these songs fit perfect.

Hope you enjoy!!

Lets have a look.

1. Coronavirus Pandemic (the elephant in the room)

2. When you see crowded place

3. Stay at home song apt for all

4. The sudden importance of the use of mask and sanitizer

5. Bored at home all day

6. Work from home situation for all

7. Understanding what life was before lockdown

8. When you can’t visit restaurant and miss your favourite food

9. Seeing empty roads with no people around

10. Miss meeting your friend and relatives

11. When Netflix, amazon prime, and online platforms become your best friends

12. When you miss your househelp

13. When online games are the new place for gathering

14. When we finally meet our friends and family on video call

15. When finally everything gets sorted and the lockdown is lifted

Top 10 emojis for Coronavirus pandemic

Communication has been an essential way of expressing our feelings. Communication is not limited to just verbal, nonverbal, facial, or written.

The emojis has always been the fun and self-explanatory way of communication. From simple smileys to the new advancement of emojis have flourished during all these years.

Here are some of the Top 10 emojis which are apt during this coronavirus period

1. Face mask emojis

 

2. Namaste emoji – The new way of greeting

 

3. Washing hands for 20 seconds straight

4. Sanitizer – The new normal. Once was questioned as if it actually killed germs and was mostly seen as ‘show off’ by some is now seen at every household. (Tables turned!!)

5. Stay at home

6. Work from home

7. Temperature checks

8. Indoor and online games (Ludo King is on the rise, indoor games like playing cards and video games are family games enjoyed at home)

9. The frontline warriors

10. Social distancing emoji

 

 

Is Black and white the only answer?

As there are two sides of the same coin, there is no black and white to decide what is wrong and what is right.

We live in this confusing world where one right thing is wrong for some while one wrong thing is the right for the other. If this is so, then why do people judge?

Experiences are what it is all about. A persons experience moulds him and makes him what he is. His life choices, decision depends on that experience.

But after experience comes morality and ethics.

With that experience, are you ready to give up ethics and your morality depends on you.

And your self control is tested.

I am sure you must be confused by now.

But this life is a puzzle. We can have sympathy for thousands of people but empathy lies in some.

I have been swinging between this right and wrong. The problem is I can’t see bad, as I think that person must be going through something.

But yes, I do pass judgments too as no one’s perfect. But do we know someone’s judgement can affect that person so much? Oh man !!

The stampede of thoughts is undying. It hampers everything.

Have you ever faced this?

Would love to love as I am not the one.

My favourite food

“Did you get those packets of aromatic holy sticks,” my uncle wakes me up with a panicking groaning voice. Oh there no house warming happening at home. It’s our love for food which we have to hide. It’s the story of every Gujarati household eating non-veg.
It’s no lazy Sunday but rather a festive as its time for family get together. There no jalebi or fafda or khandvi as we are stereotypically quoted but its Amma he hath ka Chicken Masala and Prawns Fry.
Amma is all geared up for the day just like a master chef for her kitchen. She wakes up at 7 in the morning as she believes morning chicken and prawns is the fresh. She cleans and marinates the chicken like making dough. On the other side the house is filled with the raw smell of the prawns. Doors and windows are shut and house is turned into a gas chamber fearing neighbours will know and will stop talking to us. I still remember when we had such get together during childhood the names of the dishes were never disclosed to us. We were simply told the code names, gems for prawns and spicy chewing gum for chicken. We never bothered to ask questions and simply relished the taste.
The spicy smell of the chicken masala increases as the whislte of the pressure cooker blows one by one. “Srrrrr”, voice comes as oil drops dances as it’s poured on the hot tawa for frying the prawns. The crispy fried prawns are served with green chutney accompanied by the finely chopped mixture of onion, tomatoes, green chilies and tangy vinegar added to the salad. The spicy red Chicken Masala becomes very evident when the lid of the pressure cooker is opened and all of us take the soothing smell of the dish which is served with hot phulkas.
After all the preparation its buffet served at the table. The noise of the gathered 20 people suddenly stops as everyone starts eating. With every bite of the mouthwatering dish, it’s a day to relish and feast to enjoy. The comparison between the time taken to make the dish is never proportionate to the time it takes to gulp the entire buffet.
Such are our Sundays celebrated with fun, family, games and of course the food. After the feast ends the important part starts, two packets of aromatic holysticks are waved across the house to sway away all the much loved smell so that the windows and doors can be opened.