This crossroad

I stand on a road. Many such roads are there around me- Going in every direction possible. there are people- countless people. Some are working with spades and shovel. Dripping with sweat. some are just walking... near and far they are walking.

As i stand here and look at them- the outlines are not very clear. The features of this scene are not very sharp.i certainly am not drunk then why can't I make out the details of the scene. Why are these people working? Where are they going? where do these roads go. why are there so many roads? What exactly is happening.
When I set out I guessed I had a plan. I guessed I knew where was I going. Plan! Ha! Who was I kidding. I wonder if there was anything as feeble, as vulnerable and as weak knee'd as my plan.

My plan was an illusion that I had. It was a mirage that provided attestation to my extortionate sense of self worth that led me to believe I could dictate my destiny. Could I be more flawed. Now that I realise this... let me try and figure out which road should I go. Ha! Like my choice matters!

THIS street

There were roads- which I loved to travel,
Slippers in feet and wearing THAT combination,
Of some t shirt and dirty jeans
I loved to walk on… those roads.

I used to walk,
I used to Jump, Play and laugh.
With those Slipper wearing,
T shirt and dirty jeans Adoring Playmates.

But gone have the slippers,
The feet have the leathers of finest make,
Gone is that combination-
Of dirty Jeans and Tee,
To be replaced with crisp Pants and shirts.
Gone are the jump play and laugh
And have been replaced by the void-THAT void.

This void when acknowledged,
Threatens to engulf you- reminds you,
That you are alone,
In a street crowded with people.

This street is not the same as
The road I travelled in slippers.
That road, for some strange reason,
People say I’m not allowed on.
I’ve outlived my quota of that road,
Oh, ok I agree…
Anyways that road was too good to go on forever.
But why is this street this difficult to walk on?

On this street,
The finest leather in feet
Alone and sweating… I’m running,
Racing with people,
For god knows what!!

i'm....

I'M drunk.
yes! I am.
They say,
You shouldn't speak
when drunk
OK! I won't.
FUCK! I'll write.
Yes, I will.
I want to write.
But i can't.
Words elude me,
when i wish,
they'd espouse me, the most!
They do.
This treachery of words,
I fail to comprehend.
oh, I so don't understand.
Perhaps, these two had a fight-
words and 'Old Monk'
I am sure they did.
Chuck it. Let 'em fight.
I don't want to write.
Not Anymore!!

Plight of a UPiet in Chennai

Disclaimer 1: I have many Madrasi friends. If you are one of them, Saalon gussa mat hona. I’m only trying to look at a lighter side of the problems by exaggerating a little.
Disclaimer 2: If you my non Madrasi Friend. Ap to samajh hi sakte hain.
Disclaimer 3: If you are not my friend, jo samjhna hai samjho.

So let me describe the day of an average UPiet in Chennai.

Gets up by 8 am in morning. Yaaawwwnnsss… fuck. Why do I have to go office every day? Anyways, ab bhaiyya office hai to jana hi hoga. Irritated at the fact that he has to work for the rest of his life and can’t just sit at home and make merry on dad’s money he gets up, gets done with daily activities and gets ready for office. Sala formals me jana jaroori hai. Jaise ham agar jeans pahin ke chale jaenge to kaam hi nahi karenge. Farji nautanki! So after getting ready, this guy sets out for office. But before going to office our guy has to have breakfast. Misery time boy. Bhaiyyaji Goes in a decent looking hotel and looks up the menu card. Ame Gajodhar, ee ka ka likha hai be menu me? Bhaiyya Fatte, pachaas nautanki na karo, khana ho khao sasur nahi to bhookhe maro. So our guy orders a plate of idli, sambhar and it is served to him. Ye kaha aa gaye ham… Gadaulia ghat pe poori sabzi aur jilebi ka kitta badhiya naashta mil raha hoga :(. Anyways he finishes his breakfast and then orders one coffee. Kyu be Gajodhar. Coffeeya to badi badhiya banai hai. Haan be Fatte hame ummeed nahi thi. Anyways he finished the coffee and sets out for office.
On the street he calls an Autowallah to reach mount road where his office is located.
UP Guy: Bhaiyya mount chaloge?
Auto wallah: Hindi ille saar.
Beda Gark!!
UG: ok, will you go to mount road?
AW replies in a sideways head motion which makes it difficult to comprehend whether he is willing to go or not. This can be yes and no both. Its amazing how they produce that head motion.
UG: Yes or NO?
AW: yes saar.
UG: How much(with an exaggerated hand motion)
AW: vaan twenty rupis saar.
Saala chor. Ye autowale sasure har jagah chor hi hote hain kya? Hamko laga Gorakhpur wale hi aise the, ye to yaha bhi wahi hain. saala pachaas rupaya kiraya hai aur ek sau bees bol raha hai. Ruko batate hain.
UG: Thirty rupees.
AW: what saar…
UG: No No I’m not going with u.
AW: saar seventy.
UG: No man. Sorry I’m taking another auto. (You bloody come down to fifty else I actually am taking another auto)
AW: No saar (speaks some tamil) seventy (tamil) rate (some more tamil).
Now, UG is thoroughly irritated.
UG: Bhag bh***. Jane do.
AW started speaking angrily in tamil.
Saaale haramkhor, abhi tak izzat se baat kar rahe the to samajh nahi aa rahi thi baat ab gariya diye to samajh gaye wahi hindi. Latkhor nahi to
UG walks speedily to another AW(AW2). AW1 follows him speaking angrily in tamil
UG: Going mount road?
Before AW2 can utter a word, AW1 starts speaking to him loudly.
AW2: how much u give saar?
UG: Fifty, not more than that. Sala chutti le ke ghar baith jaange lekin pachaas se jada nahi denge.
AW2: ok lets go.
UG is relieved and AW1 is still shouting in tamil.
Anyways, UG reaches office. Thank fully in office almost everyone speaks hindi and those who don’t understand Hindi speak English. Bhala ho angrejo ka jo angreji chod gaye bhaiyya, nahi to aaj ham naukari chod chad ke azamgarh bhaag jate .
Works till lunch and in lunch goes to office canteen.
There’s rice and three daal type things in small bowls and curd. Kya Roti hai hi nahi. Ham to bhookhe mar jaaenge Gajodhar. He bhagwaan aisa kaun sa paap kiya tha hamne? Kaha subah dopahar raat har waqt roti khaate the aur yaha chawal ke alwa kuch hai hi nahi :( :(
Anyways, he starts eating.
Abe sab kuch khatta hai. Teeno katoriyon me khatti daal hai. Saaala imli daal ke banayi hai kya.
Somehow, still half hungry, the guy leaves canteen.
Feeling sorry for self, the guy somehow endures the rest of the day and reaches his room.(luckily has less trouble with autowallahs this time).
When he reaches his room, he finds that the maid to whom he had given his clothes for washing has returned with the clothes. He takes the clothes and counts. One pant is missing.
UG: Where’s the black pant?
Maid: (very fast tamil)
UG: Listen, speak a little slow and speak at least one or two words of English.
Maid: English ille saar.
Fuck!! I must have been a sinful bastard in my past life. That’s why I have to endure all this.
Dear UG goes, finds another person in neighboring room of building who speakes tamil and asks him to be the interpreter as he speaks English. And finally UP wale bhaiyya learns that the black pant has been given for ironing and he’ll get it in morning. Dhat tere ki. Khoda pahad aur nikali chuhiya.
Frustrated, UG thinks, after such hard day he has earned himself at least a good meal. Goes to a north Indian restraint. Has a lot of chicken Tandoori, chicken Kashmeeri and Roti. Then devours some soft drink and pays a bill of four hundred rupees(sala dhang ka khana khane me kangaal ho gaye). And then mentally preparing himself for next day, goes to bed. Bhaiyya kal office bhi jana hai.
Badi kathin hai dagar panghat ki bhaiyya… Pitashree bolte the ki paisa kamana asaam kaam nahi hai to hame lagta tha ki yaar papa to bolte hi rahite. Jaake paav na fati biwaiiii….


Chaliye ab bahut der ho chuki hai aur hame bhi kal office jana hai.
I’ll write again when and if I have a new story to tell.


Signing off,
Miyan Fatte

attempt for resurgance

you might(not) have noticed that i have not been very active blogger. but recently i turned into a dead blogger(as not a dead blogger but dead who was a blogger). i tried to find out reasons and the only one thing that i could think was that i was bored with this whole blogging thing. so i kinda tried to reinvent myself with a new name. lets hope this name motivates me to blog more.

aapka,
miyan fatte

Glimpses of Arunachal

I was brought up in a place called Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. Now, whether or not I like the place is an issue for another day but there is one thing that is unmistakable in Arunachal Pradesh- its scenic beauty. Every day, this State is first to witness sunrise in India hence it is also called 'the land of rising sun' and that’s how it gets its name- ‘Arunachal’. Like other Himalayan states, this state too is generously gifted in terms of Scenic beauty and hence has a large potential as a tourism hub. In fact the place could well be country’s signature in wild life tourism, adventure sports and most importantly- Hydro electricity. But why the promise in all these fields is still only a ‘promise’ and why any attempts towards fulfillment of this promise are thwarted is again a debate for another day.
What I’d like to share with you are a few stills of Arunachal Pradesh displaying God’s genius at aesthetic.
The photographer is not a professional and the pics have been taken using a cell camera… hence probably might not be awe inspiring (mind you, the place has potential to give awe inspiring stills). Also the photographer has a bias towards taking sunrise pics, he has clicked a lot of them so bear with me :P.
















PS: The photographer happens to be my brother and i'm publishing the pics without his permission... so i thought might as well acknowledge him :)

AGNEEPATH

I have this awesome poem collection by Shree Harivnsh Rai Bachachan- Meri Shrestha Rachnayein at my home. while going through it, i came across this most brilliant poem by the master poet... its a very motivating sort of a poem. i actually like to read it if i'm kind of in need of some inspiration. so here it goes.

अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ!
वृक्ष हों भले खड़े,
हों घने, हो बड़े,
एक पत्र छाह भी मांग मत, मांग मत, मांग मत!!
अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ!

तू न थकेगा कभी,
तू न थमेगा कभी,
तू न मुड़ेगा कभी,
कर शपथ, कर शपथ, कर शपथ!
अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ!

यह महान दृश्य है,
चल रहा मनुष्य है,
अश्रु -श्वेद- रक्त से लथपथ, लथपथ, लथपथ!
अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ!
---श्री हरिवंश राय बच्चन