The Ponytail

"We never just stop loving someone. We just learn to try to live without them"

It was a rainy summer morning. Rohan paced fast towards the main entrance hall of his college. After getting to the hall he raced upstairs as he was already too late for his first classes. He was striding towards his classroom looking behind for the muddy footmarks he had left on the floor when he collided with someone which made him go out of balance and he fell instantly. As he looked up a hand reached towards his face to help him get up. It was a girl with dark brown silky hairs, plastic skin and a faint smile. It took him time to respond to her. He girl too was in an utter urgency to reach the class. Rohan, however, helped himself stand up and firmly said sorry. It was followed by the girl’s gentle nod. That day the class was full of noises and the teacher was busy in introducing all the students about the college and the faculties.

Classes ended soon that day. There was something that was going into Rohan’s mind when he was reading a novel that night. It was the face of the girl with he had collided that morning. He couldn’t help himself not recalling the face. There was a voice inside him urging him to talk to the girl.

Next morning he again got up late. Without having a breakfast he rushed towards the college. As he reached the gate of the college a faint fragrance of some talcum powder touched his nostrils. He spun around to see a girl with a long ponytail wearing an adorable pink suit. It was girl he was recalling last night. Without even thinking he let a word pass by his mouth.

‘Hi’, he said.

‘Hey’, the girl responded.

He felt blank as he didn’t know what to say next.

‘I… I’m Rohan.’ He said after a brief gap.

‘I know. I am Ritika.’

‘Hmm... . Look I’m sorry for yesterday. I was rushing up for the class and didn’t see you.’ he apologized.

‘It’s okay, for I too didn’t see you. Actually I was too in a hurry to catch classes.’ she said smiling.

The conversation ended as Ritika realized that she was getting late for the classes.

‘I think we should again get running, for we are losing the classes.’ she said with an urgent tone.

That day Rohan felt that there was something in her that was attracting him towards her. But he wanted to let this feeling go. Days passed and Rohan made his routine to get to the college early and roam around the stairs in order to catch some moments to talk to her.

Ritika was a bit skeptic about boys. Her thoughts were lighted further by her friends. Gradually, she started distancing from Rohan. After the last class of Saturday, Ritika paced rapidly towards the stairs with some of her friends. Rohan was just behind them when he saw a metal bar extending out of the corner of the stair boundary was just few inches away from Ritika’s back. He felt his guts swollen as she jerked towards the bar. Without thinking a bit, he placed her arm on her back. The pain that followed by the piercing of the bar was nothing compared to the relief he got to see her safe. Ritika turned instantly feeling someone behind her. Her mouth fell silent to see Rohan trying to touch her back. Without saying a bit she left off. Rohan didn’t say anything either. He just tried to hide his profusely bleeding palm from her but her friends saw it. After she left, Rohan asked her friends not to tell her anything about what he actually did that day.

Two days passed but Ritika didn’t come to the college. It was Tuesday when she came. But that day wasn’t the same as earlier. Rohan wasn’t lurking around the stairs and nor was Ritika smiling anymore. Both attended classes but neither of them turned their eyes on each other. Rohan just got outside the main gate when a pair of powerful hands caught his from back and smashed his head in the wall. As he realized what had just happened, he saw a tall dark muscular boy with a bunch of other strong men were there. He punched the boy back and instantly he heard a caring sound from behind. It was Ritika caring for her brother as he got a punch. Rohan was about to give up but now there tincture of confusion and pain of disbelieve. Even knowing that the men will beat him up badly, he started punching them. He fell and rose again until he got some serious injuries and fell unconscious.

Ritika was also getting mixed emotions of guilt and anger. But until now the anger about Rohan’s touching him dominated the guilt of feeling herself responsible for his condition. As she entered the class, she was stopped by her friends. They asked her as to why she did this. They explained her about what actually happened that day and why Rohan did that. It left Ritika dumbfounded. It was now that the guilt was the only thing left for her to feel.

Her eyes waited for Rohan to see him but Rohan was nowhere to be seen. Some said that he has migrated from the town while some asserted him of being in coma. None knew about his real condition. After a month, a man in his forties visited the college with wet eyes. Ritika was down in the hall when she confronted the man. He was the father of Rohan. It has been about a month when he did Rohan’s final rites. The reason of his death, what Rohan told, was that he met with an accident on the way back his home. But his father knew the real story. He had nothing to say to her but to give her Rohan’s dairy.

The days blurred and the empty desks taunted her, day after day, blaming her, forcing her to believe he was gone, but she could see him so clearly, like she had just left the class early, she held his voice, and she saw him smile, sometimes she even smiled back.

Ritika opened the diary with tears in her eyes. The incident had left her disturbed and distorted but again it was his words that pacified her. The last page of his diary said, “I will be alive even after my death if I see her smiling with her hands extending towards me”. And the very first words on the first page were ‘The ponytail’.  

The Half Marriage

Author: Read the story till end.

Amit was sitting on a well furnished chair which looked to be imperial. Beside him sat a young lady whom he was to marry that day. The wedding ceremony was enjoyable to those who were there as a guest, but for Amit it was rather a serious day. Despite being an ACP, he was highly nervous that moment. The sole relief to his seriousness came when a newlywed couple paced over the stage holding a nicely wrapped gift.They were Sanjana and Shekhar. Sanjana asked Amit,"So, finally we are going to have a half divorce."
"Oh... yes. And that too without any official paperwork. "
"So what? If the Half marriage was without any paperwork so why should its divorce need paperwork"?
"Ohkay... So from now on you are free to become a complete wife of Shekhar. Isn't it?", said Amit jokingly.
"Many many happy returns of the day", congratulated Sanjana.
"So, I am going to tell her the dramatic incidences of our half marriage. Can I?", whispered Sanjana in a wavering voice.
"Yes...', said Amit in a relaxing fashion. 'Why not.. Of course tell her."
Sanjana sat by the side of the bride and started,"Hello. I am Sanjana, the half wife of Amit."
"Relax...', Sanjana said in a pacifying manner after seeing a panic over the expression of the bride. 'Nothing of that sense."
"Then?", asked the panic stricken bride.
"Let me start from the first time we met.', continued Sanjana. 'Amit along with his parents has come to see me at my home for the purpose of marriage. When the usual talks were moving on, Amit took permission from my parents to talk to be separated. My father asked to take Amit to the terrace. We went up and stood near the railing of the boundary. You would wonder what the first question he asked. It was,"'do you love somebody else? Do you have someone in your life whom you would be delighted to marry?"' I rejected the fact instantly. I didn't remember what stupid replies did I give to him. But being a police officer it was not a rocket science for him to catch my lie. He went on,"'Look Sanjana. You own the right to be happy and so has I. One decision can ruin two lives on the go. Okay, let me tell you a little secret. I have a girlfriend and I want to marry her. And so I will. But the question is that our condition is same then why don't we simply help each other? Now tell me if you are having someone in your life?"'
I refused initially, but soon after some more pressing words of him, I replied affirmatively.
"'Yemm... yes, I have a boy whom I would like to marry. But this is not a case of the usual love for I haven't told him about it"', said I hesitantly.
"'So how can you say that he will marry you?"'
"'Yes, I can. I know, he won't refuse, for I know he love me as well. But he suffers the same situation as that of mine.. The hesitation!"'
"'Well, if this is the case, then I'll help you in this matter as far as possible. But there will be one clause. You will have to be my Half wife till I don't get married."'
I didn't get him. And I was so terrified after hearing his demand of being a Half wife that I can't ever express it.
"'What... What does it mean?'", I asked in a serious and a bold tone.
"'Oh... Nothing of that sort... you took it wrong, girl!', replied he in a rather normal manner. 'Half wife means you will have to be in touch with me so that I can make arrangements for your wedding. Won't it be okay?"'
"'Oh.. Perfectly okay!', replied I in a relaxed tone. 'This is my contact number. We will be in touch, but how are you going to help me, sir?"'
"'Let it to me. After all, I am a police officer. I can manage it easily."'
"'But what about this marriage, sir? How can I refuse?"'
"'Why would you refuse. What am I here for?', said Amit. 'I would reject you, but not because you have a boyfriend or there's a more or less odd to you, but rather because I have some important work to finish first then I'll think of marriage."'
He did the same. He denied to marry and his family left. My mother constantly kept asking me as what had happened and I answered each time as I don't know. Later on two or three days, my cell phone rang. Amit was on the other side. He asked me to mail all the details about the boy that I knew. I did the same. And he carried out some investigat......"

Amit interrupted in between. "Let me tell her what I did.", said Amit excitedly.
"Yes. He will himself tell you what he did and how he tortured my love!", said Sanjana joking over Amit.
"I didn't torture him. Did I?", asked Amit to Sekhar.
"No.. No.. Of course not.", laughed Sekhar.
"So after getting the details, I took my police team and visited his workplace. He worked in a private bank. So I went straight to the branch manager and asked him about the character and personality of the guy. I mean Sekhar.' Amit continued with a nostalgic smile over his expression. 'I pretended it of being an official enquiry. So he showed me his credit records and everything was clean. But the personal habits are different than professional. And to know his personal habits I had to literally arrest his close friends. I took two of his friends to an isolated spot on the outskirts of the town and started my interrogation. I must admit that his friends were indeed very fragile. I had just started asking questions about Shekhar and they collapsed down in tears. Nevertheless, I soon got what I have been looking for. Sekhar was a simple and a very decent guy according to his friends. I released them with a warning of not saying anything what happened to anyone. The following step was the arrest of Sekhar! Do you remember that Sekhar?"
"Yes.. How can I forget that most dreadful day of my life!', replied Sekhar with a laughing tone.
'Amit arrested me when I was parking my bike about a fast food stall where I used to have tea every evening after the office. I was little confused and heavily frightened then. He took me right away to the police station and locked me up in a separate cell. The cell looked special and it seemed that it had been made to shut away the most dangerous criminals. I started sobbing when Amit came in the cell having a hard, shiny black baton in his hand. I thought I was going to be beaten mercilessly. But he started questioning me with a warning to tell the truth, otherwise the baton's end will come breaking on my rear. It was so terrible that I couldn't even think of uttering any lie. He began with some awkward question as if it wasn't my interrogation but rather my Interview! Soon I was left free and the same warning was made to me to not to tell anyone about the incident."
"I told him that he was arrested on a suspicion. So nothing was that serious', said Amit. 'Then I called for Sanjana to meet me in the cafeteria. I told her that nothing was wrong with Sekhar and he was a right guy to marry with. I asked her to tell his parents and if they don't agree then I would handle it. She told me that her parents would never permit her to marry a guy working in a private firm as she herself was a doctor earning far more bucks than a mere clerk of a private bank. But still I asked her to try once. And she did so. But then they didn't agree.
Now this was the time for my call. I visited her residence as an official visit. I knew that in uniform was more efficient to convince someone. I talked to his father and asked him not to be stubborn. There is no any difference between private and government employ. And as far as the salary is concerned, a private employ has much more chance of getting fast promotions and make more than a government employee. A private employee being in that very bank could make as much as 2 lakhs per month, but a government employ can not ever imagine of getting so. After convincing him for half an hour he eventually agreed. Now it was the time to convince Sekhar's parents. It was not that tough as that of Sanjan's parents. They quickly agreed."
"It was a neat surprise to me, for I had never thought that Papa would let me marry Sekhar. And the best moment for me was when Sekhar called upon me and proposed me. My guess was true about him that he loved me as well. I wanted to thank Amit for all what he had done for me, but to my astonishment he vanished. I contacted him a lot, but he didn't pick up my call. I ran up to the police station where he was posted, but I got the news that he had been transferred out of the city. I didn't see him before the day of my marriage. He was clothed in a fabulous black suit and was carrying a beautifully decorated gift for me. How selfish I was that I didn't ever ask him about his girlfriend. But that day I asked him. And his reply left me dumbfounded.
'"I don't have any girlfriend. That day I lied so that I could know about yours. It's a manner of interrogation that we use oftenly to make someone confess."', he replied with a tint of smile on his face.
I was thinking how gentle and generous a personality could be. Tears ran across my cheeks thinking that he didn't even know me but yet he helped me so much. I must admit that I had never ever come across anyone so gentle and caring like him.
'"Would you please do another favour for me?"', I asked in a cracking voice conflicting to control my emotions. He replied in the affirmative.
'"Can we stay in touch with each other and can we be best friends forever?"', I asked. And he nodded positively. And see today came the day of his own marriage. But I must reassure you that you are being wedded to the worlds most big-hearted person I have ever met and soon you will find yourself blessed to get such a partner!"

The conversations ended and the marriage rituals proceeded. But the Amit and Sanjana along with their families would ever be good friends.

Why is India so Filthy?

Filthy India

Swaksha Bharat Abhiyan, A programme started by Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi is indeed a nice initiative to make India a better place to dwell in. The programme has been set forth to make India Clean but it holds an even deeper and worthier aspect. It seems as its goal is only to change the physical condition of India, but in contrary to this, its broad aim is to change the mindset of Indians.
To understand this, let's ask a question to ourself, Why is India so filthy? There will be different answers with various facts to suit the theories. But the summarised answer is that India is unclean because its inhabitants are likewise reluctant to clean it themselves. And this reluctant attitude isn't all their fault. Our manipulated culture also plays a lively role in synthesising such mindsets. The ancient civilization of the Indus Valley and the later Vedic culture had been manipulated by certain so called high casters who once used to be called the more cerebral ones. The caste system was just a tool to divide the jobs for the existing population and to make them devoted towards their responsibilities. There is no such mention in the Vedic culture that the duties ascribed to someone will be a hierarchy but it was wrongly altered and we ourself are living evidence for it. The caste system promulgated and now it is proffering the most effective deterrent for our development.
The upper caste people don't consider it as their duty to clean their surroundings as the task is already assigned to the lower caste ones by default. Whereas the lower caste doesn't do it themselves arguing that they need an equal status. And this conquest for equality and supremacy in turn disrupts the cleanliness of the nation.
PM, Modi had taken a vow to make India clean and he will encourage others in his surroundings, village, family and colleagues as well. Taking an inspiration from Ice Bucket Challenge, he tagged five businessmen and actors to join him and tag ten more to constitute a chain of encouragement. This was done not only to clean India, but to clean the mentality of Indians. But despite of these efforts a big mass of society is still adhered to those sick mentalities. Mahatma Gandhi had once himself set an example of manual work by cleaning his toilet in public. Here in India we have laws against pollution of the environment by factories, but we don't have any law for those who dump the garbage in open.
Today what all India needs is an addition of another fundamental duty to the constitution. And it should run like all the citizens of India has their responsibility of keeping their surroundings hence India clean. We all should see cleanliness as a moral duty rather than associating it with certain castes.India needs society like that of Japan, where despite of the position and status of an individual, all have to keep their surroundings clean. There should be strict laws for throwing trash in open like that in the UAE. And above all it should be a moral responsibility of individuals to keep the nation clean and this is what we all should adopt and promote. 

Ridiculous culmination of Science & Politics

Rock Bedding ShowiIng possible depostion of fossils

I am totally fed up with the ongoing political propagandas. Don't we have other stuffs to invest our minds upon?
The Himalayas has a vast concentration of highly metamorphosed contents and Marine fossils. It can be well authenticated by its origin itself. The Himalayas has been evolved from the Tethys sea, according to the widely accepted view of Geosynclinal evolution theory. In that location is a probable existence of Shale.
When the world is starving of future energy resource, we already possess it and that too in the shape of huge deposits but what we are getting along? Still absorbed in those moronic bloody political debates!
There are two basic things to be researched. One is the availability of Shale and the other is the method of extraction of its chemical energy and later the transformation of it in the form of heat and mechanical energy.
We are already holding a possible deposit of Shale. Then all we necessitate to do is to explore it and find out a way to make use of it. And it doesn't require any sort of heculious work to be done. We are already having certain most sophisticated chemical labs in India. But ironically the sophisticated ones get no work and the useless ones are busy synthesising the most advanced political propagandas and conspiracies to defame each other.
India has been gifted with tons of resources but long since the very beginning, we have been wasting our time in such political scums letting others (Like Persians, Turkish Moughals, Portuguese, English and the most recent AN Italian) to take away our valuables.

Ultimately, I would say Kudos to the work of Kalx Marx, who amalgamated a political term Socialism with Science and synthesised Marxism popularly known as Scientific Socialism. At least for me, I would never understand the culmination of Science and Politics!