Romance in the times of Whatsapp!

There is something very personal and intimate about Whatsapp going beyond the entire extended family of groups and forwards. The dating scene has moved beyond the microcosm of SMS-relegated to the relic past, Facebook-I find chatting there passé and fake like grown-ups jailed. Gchat-Get a reality check, done it, enjoyed it. Can we move on please?  

Tender is the mother of dating app and not yet there, although ain’t denying that mobile apps can make a mid 30s dude like me stuck in a millennial body to be super cool.

Honestly, I dunno how stuff like Tinder, Cupid Ok and another one suggested by a friend to be back on the dating scene work. It leaves us with a down-to-earth and practical option, Whatsapp. Quite a comfort zone chatting with plain strangers or prospective love interests at a slow pace, singularly swiping left and right. Quick tip: Block the person acting like a prick or you are bored to death. Still better, bombard them with tons of silly WhatsApp forwards. 

Getting the phone number and adding a love interest is no Da Vinci Code to crack and showing a slightly unusual interest in the rightish, charming way is the sure way to land yourself on her Whatsapp. Pure passion to play the game of dating and hooking up in today’s age of smartphone.

 Hooking up, romance and ultimately finding love can land you in the unlikeliest place chatting your way to heavenly bliss. Flirting shamelessly, discovering each other before the big coffee date is the golden rule. Of course, there is always the risk of not liking each and kindly move on to the next person. Remember the classic SMS romance. Got news for it has shifted to Whatsapp having its own charm, blending privacy, innocent game and naughtier smileys or jokes, far away from the gaze of the pesky aunty who hasn’t spared us on Facebook. Unlike SMS, no charge applied for mushy midnight calls with wifi and high five love adding cherry on cake.

 It doesn’t take long to feel the vibe with someone after long hours, day and night of chatting what with making the mind to hit it off. You can easily make up whether your ‘love interest’ is into you, clingy or an asshole. The personality comes alive and easy to skin out the layer behind the phone number. Whatsapp leaves very little to the imagination and human flaws exploding.  A tale of sleeping with the enemy...err not literally!

The digital romance has one merit that it bares everything open for all to see, the emotion, brazen honesty and even countless forwards is a very good excuse to strike a conversation. Tinder fades and doesn’t stand chance in the face of mighty WhatsApp.

What’s up in the universe of Whatsapp whittling down to sharing of emotions, a day gone horribly wrong, excitement makes it an enthralling affair for you just don’t share your life but a world with the person at the other end.

We are humans. A phone interface not just protect us from underlying emotional fear but sparks up the confidence in speaking freely, something that we wouldn’t do on the first meeting. It works well for introvert singles like me to break the ice, find an empathetic voice and mastering the art of listening. I like taking dating slowly and not rush into things. . The world of WhatsApp works pretty well for me and absolutely love voice recording to help make up the mind as sweetness travels through the ear.

The odds of finding romance and lust on WhatsApp are high and unlike throwing the dice, easy to move on without explaining things when it doesn’t click. A practical exit of sort. The ground is quite set in getting to know someone well before meeting in flesh and the ice is broken minus awkwardness.

Looking for a harmless fling without paying the subscription fee that could well be saved for the coffee date, explore this channel and it's as good as the old world charm of SMS in the modern times. One shouldn't shy away from the romance technology, particularly if you are looking to be back on the dating scene in meeting a couple of prospective dates to drop a What’s Up! You can always take a call after a few chat messages. Swipe, left, right and center!

Frozen romance

Cuddling inside icy cold chocolate room, 

a spray of rain,

wet hair braid,

he caressed her tresses,

mouths pressed on the jet black streak,

warm coffee,

fingers interlocked together,

legs pressed,

eyes squirting on dim light, 

lips cupped together,

frozen skins,

hot sensation,

chill spurting down the spine,

cracking intimacy,

blowing one’s imagination,

control is a myth,

breaking loose gives an adrenaline rush, 

vagabond love,

Flowing like the ecstatic drug.

 

Daddy's little girl (2)

The sun-dappled day gleamed inside the room. Ankita woke up with a terrible headache. Raju sat on the bed, steering the tea in a porcelain cup and gently put it on her lap. She gulped the tea. He watched her with admiration and a large smile appeared on his face.

"You are not going to ask how you woke up in my bedroom?" Raju quizzed her. She scornfully said, "Of course, I was inebriated." "Thank you," she nodded. "By the way, you know who I am right!"

He picked up the newspaper and glossy magazine where her pictures were all over, posing in front of the newly launched luxury Sedan car. "Supermodel," Raju winked. Ankita smiled shyly. They made love in the morning, voraciously tearing into each other's clothes, smooching passionately and biting into the flesh. Ankita moved into Raju's apartment overlooking the Arabian Sea.

The lovers were inseperable like flowers blooming inside the bud until one day when Ankita had to leave the city for the launch of a new product. She tried calling Raju's phone number but the network was jammed. He was travelling when a blast rocked the city and trains from Churchgate to Andheri exploded. The air tickets were booked. Ankita was unware of the terror attack and boarded the flight. She felt a frantic heart beat and her instinct was not wrong. "Has he left me for someone better? No! It can never happen." A fear engulfed her and she became restless during the flight from Mumbai to Delhi, unaware of the terrorist attack. 

 Days later she came to know about the terror attack but was unaware that Raju was traveling in the local train that became the prey of bombs. On that fateful morning, Raju sneaked out of the bed after they made love and had the most amazing sex. He didn't want to disturb her for he knew that his lady love was having a hectic schedule, with shoots and product launch. Raju was late and dashed his way to the station but missed the train by a whisker. 

Days later, Ankita was preparing herself for the show when one of the models showed her the picture of Raju that was published on the front page of Times of India as one of the victims. She collapsed on the floor. Ankita shed tears for days and night, losing her soul but also a very precious part of her identity that was brutally taken away from her. It took her days to get out of the bed but deep down, the bruised soul was convinced she could never be the same. Ankita threw away her phone. She underwent depression and switched cities.

Ankita couldn't accept this reality and shunted people from her life, abandoning her career as a model. There was not a day when Raju didn't haunt her in the sleep. She would often jostle out of the bed in the middle of nights. She couldn't forget him after three years, the chiselled face and squealed on the bed.
 
Five years has elapsed. Ankita resisted everyone who convinced her to move on with her life but it felt that she was waging a lone battle. She often cracked and lost herself. Finally, she buckled down under presssure to tie the knot with her school friend. It was the day of her engagment. Ankita was decked in  a red kanjeevaram sari and adorned with expensive jewellery when Aniket gracefully dressed in a orange colorful Kurta-Pyjama, walked with relatives and friends to exchange rings. It was also the roko ceremony. Aniket insisted to introduce Ankita to his childhood friend. He blindfolded her with a pink band to usher her inside the room.

The calm and suave fiance gently whispered inside Ankita eyes, "Stop being restless. Count for one minute. You know him." Ankita was taken aback and counted the minutes in her mind but at the same time, her past life kept popping. 

Love Shot: Daddy's little girl in red stilleto

The red stilettos almost tripped on the wooden plank inside the bar and the round body pressed on the bar. She perched towards the barman and the voice slurred, “I need a whisky...a large shot...anything will do.” She swerved left, right and almost stumbled on the stool almost pushing the occupant off his perch.

The whisky spilled on the white shirt tucked inside the blue Levis Denim which shook off Raju. She turned around and jerked her body towards him, “May be you don’t know. Listen! I don’t need to tell you. I am Ankita,” she giggled. “I am not hitting on you okay and will slap you if you ever take advantage of kissing me.

Raju stood and held her hand, gently pushing her body to slouch on the stool. “You didn’t take permission to touch me but thank you for making me sit. I am not drunk just sloshed.”

He smiled: “Ankita! Easy babe! You are drunk like a fish. No! I cannot let you have another shot.”

She protested and her body twisted, “Who are you to tell me not to drink? My illegitimate Dad! No! I just want a last one...please. By the way what the fuck you told me? Drinking like a fish. You want me to jump into the Arabian Sea. No listen to me.”

Raju was amused: “I promise to buy you a drink tomorrow. Where are you putting in Mumbai?”

“It’s a question with a big Interrogation mark. I wanna party for the whole night. Take me to some happening pub man. It’s dark everywhere. Take me to Andheri,” she frolicked.

Ankita’s lifted her middle finger which flittered upward towards the tiny bulb coated on the wooden roof and shouted, “I want this bulb...it’s the star in the sky I am my Daddy’s lil girl...everything is for me.” Raju tried to hold her from falling off the chair. She raised her palm in protest, “No! Nah! Nah! Don’t hold me. It will give people wrong impression that I am tripping drunk.”

“It’s okay! I am not your boyfriend,” he reassured.

“But, why?” she yelled.

“Just one peg. You are such a ruthless man and a murderer. A woman, a human is thirsty! I am not asking to smooch you,” she blurted out.

Ankita fell asleep on Raju’s shoulder. He lifted her on his shoulder and carried her inside his humble Maruti 800 car.

The car disappeared in the distance, far away from the arch light and Paparazzi. Raju skirted in the dark night and waded past the lights in the city, intelligently averting the scandal of a film actress caught red-handed drunk and travelling with a stranger. 

To be continued

With Love

Vishal

 

Love shot: A silly date

Love shot: A silly date

“What a silly date,” she loquaciously tells. I smile and wink to conceal my awkwardness. She persists, “No! I am serious. Guys lack the spine to be creative by calling for a plain coffee date. I hate coming to meet over coffee.”

“Still you came,” I playfully say.

Image credit: ttps://i.pinimg.com

“Obvio...I was bored sitting home alone on a Sunday and gorging over pizza on Netflix,” she smirks.
I gaze at her pink skirt and was amused looking at the matching shoes.

“What are you looking at? You are lusting at my shoes,” she catches me off guard.

“Nah! I am looking at your pink colored lipstick,” I blurt out.

“Simple. I am not Aishwarya Rai wearing Purple at Cannes,” she lashes out.

I am drawn to the spicy words flowing from her mouth effortlessly. She pouts venom rather than saccharine. “I love that?”

“Stop lusting and be bold. You wanna smooch,” she pulls the last one. She wades effortlessly and her leg is pressed on mine. I am shaken off the ground and feel a rush of electricity running down my body. Our lips are cupped together and my hand running over her bare back and naked shoulder. She presses her lip. I am whacked on the mouth.

“Baby! Time to leave. I never expected the first date to end like that,” she seductively flits on her legs and picks up her Gucci bag.

I call out, “Hey! Phone number.”

She turns back, “I have yours. As it is, just not interested in another silly coffee date. Find something better next time. I will call you when my day is not happening.

I am too stunned to speak. A second cup of silly cappuccino is ordered and the sea breeze wafts flutters my unkempt hair at Chowpatty. 

Someone nudges me from the back and turn around to see a hot female flashing a smile. The feminine voice soothingly says, “I’ve been waiting inside and thought you would never turn out.” I am confused. The short hair woman plonks herself, “Your whatsapp date...oh! you having the cappuccino.”

“Silly coffee. I prefer a latte on this not-so-silly date,” she guffaws.

“Now, who is she?” I wonder. “Who was the one I kissed?”

Love

Vishal

Online Chating...online Mohabattein

Online chat...online mohabattein. Let's connect. The whole online chat has gone beyond party life, getting possessive over my G-chat where I still ping the close chums there or the Mirc chat relegated to the archive kinda grandpa era like the boringly drab poke business on Facebook. Who does that! Wanna bet! Of course, WhatsApp has made online chatting, be it yahoo-push the delete button here or G-chat irrelevant. How I hate saying it!

The random chats on Facebook and or the buried scrapping on Hi5 or Orkut and yahoo messenger is the tale of tickling boxes that hardly appealed to my senses.  I can count on the finger the number of times I've pinged someone on yahoo chat that faded away like the Diwali cracker ban. The romance spree and flirting online, sending sweet and naughty whispers are now wrapped in the memory trove.

Image credit: Google

Of course, chatting online has its share of evil and tickling sensation when we read about mediums like Facebook that can register private conversation in their database. It freaks me out when I think how those private conversations can be recorded and used against us. Okay! I have not really indulged in the evil sense but would abhor thinking about the intimate ping coming out in the open.

 The morning ping, silly forwards or conversation spree on WhatsApp is where the whole world has moved like migrating birds. Some random messages are met with a high-five to acknowledge or else this whole long conversation is not really friendly what with my fingers moving slowly. Fire your dirty mind, perverts! I mean typing where I get too slow and not finging around the phone. 

I did play around romantically with someone on WhatsApp when I discovered the recording button on the phone and she was way faster than me the time we decided to tap the get to know each other button. Naturally, the whole thing went kaput after a month or two of whatsapping, calling, flirting, exchanging dirty messages or singing to each other on the recorder. It was fun. We were in two different cities across the globe and it reached a saturation point where we stopped giving a fuck to each other. There were a certain fondness and vibes that could have wiped the entire planet with chocolate and candy floss feeling. Just fun and nothing more. I am sure she must be laughing over the whole thing when the thought struck her.  

Phone and social media have brought hearts closer but there is the danger of perverts lurking around when I read statuses of female friends on Facebook telling how some men have sent lewd messages or pictures.  Some people really need a reality check. Sadly, the healthy flirting get lost with vultures roaming around to give online flirting a bad name and being such a spoilsport. Sadly, the laws can get so complex on how to prove the case against vicious trolls or verbal sexual assault. Time for authorities to come clear on what the law says to nab perverts attacking women. There is a need for a healthy debate on the whole issue.

I am always in favor of healthy conversations between friends and would urge to flirt or converse with someone with whom you have a good understanding and don't blindly trust lecherous strangers or unscrupulous people who can steal personal information such as bank account or id. Sending a stranger one's personal picture is a strict no for one cannot know how it can be used against you.

Chat in good faith and make the whole experience healthy, fun and romantically endearing affair to remember over the years. Chatting and flirting goes beyond the romantic aspect for me and I made such good friends who shared their many little secrets, past relations, current one or about the guy they crushed on and yes rated scenes. The bottom line is: Trust in the online chat space to create the comfort level and the stories I am privy to makes for interesting stories to whip.  

With love
Vishal

Letter to mere yaar's ki ex-girlfriend

Hey!!!!

That's how loved ones and admirers call out to each other right! It's been a decade now and time for me to pull the curtain to declare of my being your secret admirer, babe. You must be the hottest chick around that I may have seen or met. Actually, the word 'babe' is a wrong way to call you. We know each other, right. But, you know those stupid rituals that prevented me from asking you out. Hold on! It might be stupid for you but sacred for me.

Image credit: google/http://www.authorlove.com

After all, you were dating my buddy and in fact, you guys broke up. But, you know how it is between friends. We draw a morally right circle that we promise not to transgress.  Friendship has always been sacred to me where we don't dare to cross the lines. But, you see I am human. You were too hot to handle in college. I cannot be blamed for being attracted to your appealing features. After all, human beings have desires. No! It doesn't make me a traitor friend or sinner.

Once you asked me why I was silent and perhaps, deep inside you knew the reason or you didn't for that matter. Anyway, that's not important. What matters is the 'dangerous attraction' I nurtured for you and the envy to hold your hand, caressing your features and stealing a light kiss. I shall not go deeper into that. It's an unsent letter that you will never see. We are in touch on some social media channel. You are already married to someone else and not to my buddy. So, I guess that things hardly matters now.

But, this letter in all its forms has to be sent somewhere in this world and I gotta vent out for mental peace. Actually, venting out is so overrated as an epithet to describe the state of mind. Honestly, how I wish one day we could sit over coffee and me declaring the flame for you, going back in time, Pehle baar we dekho each other and how it sent the adrenaline rushing or getting drawn to your physicality or calm demeanor. I loved your long and jet black hair. Your gaze and the way you react to things, walking with the unique charm as if you are a bride getting ready for the saat phera. It wasn't love at first sight. But it was an attraction,  a plain crush and the desire to make love to you. An adventure that I wanted to be part of the growing up and fond memories during those carefree days. How I loved your soft and silky creamy in those days?

 Suppressing the matters of the heart is the biggest lie we men love to tell ourselves where we often forget how human we are. Though not many would believe it, a man is human and born with feminine appeal that cares for the world and that special person for whom he can go soft on, fighting the world and singing, 'My Heart will Go On.' This is another facet of love. You were the object of manly desires in college. You were a bombshell. You are still one. It was not just about being sexually desirable but it goes beyond that. There were an emotional bonding and connection that we could have done with. I could have called you Saakhi, a companion which is free from the bondage of attachment where the light would have traversed between our souls. There are so many things that we could have been or done together! I don't mean worshipping our beauty and being content with only holding hands together as the flowers bloom together.

I choose to write this letter after more than a decade, when most of us have moved on different directions in life. I feel that the line between friendship and falling for someone is quite blurred. There are different ways of looking at things from a relationship perspective. Would I fall for a friend's muse? It gets complicated. On one hand, there is something called friend's loyalty and on the other lies emotions that make us human beings. It's a major flaw, in fact.  Should we cease to be humans? By that, I don't mean Salman Khan's tee.

I don't know whether I would like things to stay inside me. Perhaps, you should know better or had an inkling of things. Does it serve any purpose? It makes me wonder. Yes, at the end of the day. I may still choose friendship over dating you. Babe! You rock and you know that.

We shall get closure about the whole thing the day I decide to bare my heart open. After all, we belong to the young generation who hate to make things complicated and both of us shall still laugh over things.
 

Love
Vishal

Love shot: Him and Her in Mumbai

"I am waiting for you at Bandstand,"  she enthusiastically shouted on the phone. "No, do not give me the lamest excuse. I just want you to be there in time." He protested, "But, Baby! I mean, how and why!" She cut her iPhone off on his nose.  He was in the middle of an important meeting and had no choice but to apologize to the client, citing an urgent call from his office. He got away with that and broke the traffic signal in his modest Maruti 800, giving the cops a slip to finally reach Bandstand in time.

She was not to be seen and he cursed under his breath. As it is, coming late is the hallmark of ladies for a date they themselves have set up. He was fuming and wondered how he dashed his way to Bandra, all the way from Churchgate and canceling all appointments just because it was Madam call and the usual pretense to sulk on the phone. She sashayed her way inside the crowded Barista in another good one hour where he spent the time smoking and gulping two cups of coffee.  He grinned sardonically, "Oh! I was imagining a film in my head, Happy waiting." She ignored his rant, "Okay, forget all this and there are many other important things to discuss in life. How do I look?"

He was taken aback by this sudden question, "I mean, is this why you called me all the way from Churchgate. What do you mean? You look like you always do, same like yesterday."

It was her turn to be pissed off. "I mean, you haven't observed any change on my face or body," she asked in anticipation. He scanned her throughout but didn't see anything. "No," he casually replied.
She shouted, "The tattoo on my neck, the hair cut, and golden hair tresses...Men will always be the same."

It shook him off the ground. He couldn't resort to the usual excuse of saying he was kidding. He sported a feeble smile, "Baby, I am sorry." She placated him, "Fuck your baby-ing me and go to hell." She stormed her way out of the cafe and he ran behind her on the promenade to coax her.

Love
Vishal

Crush Spot

Crush! This magical fairytale of falling in love with someone special as films, novels and stories paint an idyllic definition of the perfect person whose shortcomings we learn to blindly ignore. We revel, 'How smoking hot and beautiful she or he is.' A moment of thunder that pierces the heart and makes us vibrate to the tune of mushy Hindi romantic songs and as lovelorn us leap and fly in the air.

Image sourced from; Buzzfeed

It's our crush spot whether we are teens, growing adults or mature men and women. It's love in the air and the wind of change make us go sheepishly red. Crush is a hot virus that looms in the atmosphere that leaves no one immune to it. Certainly, not hearts longing for that touch, intimate kiss or making out in the open or dark garden that would put Adam and Eve to shame.

1. Teeny weeny love

Remember our teen days where our hearts were beating for the damsel carrying herself with grace in the bright yellow skirt or blue jeans that made our hearts beating frantically. It's how we go blind in love for that person where we race against time to introduce ourselves and propose with a red rose. The holding of hands and shyly kissing on the cheek and progressing to the lip as we bury our heads in shame for indulging in sin and again, looking tenderly into each other's ears before whispering sweet little nothings. I remember penning secret poems and love letters! Hey, my generation was not ahead of its time for we never dared to make out on the first date.

2. Love Duet

Memories of crush spot seem like wanna singing a love duet the Hindi films way where romance was all about flashy clothes or gentlemanly suit and the lady love in saree, going full swing the romantic way. The five minutes song was all about telling an entire lifetime of romance and love, to our crush how we will make the most beautiful couple on earth. The simplicity of calf love, the longing and how easily our heart broke into tiny pieces before the Crush Spot easily moves to another target. Time for another love duet. How our C-Spot changes from one romantic interest to another, as we seek to find idyllic romance.

3. Breezy touch

Silly lil' crush stroke our senses like the electrifying jolt that smears our G-spot and feels like a breezy touch on our skin that reminds us that we are mortals that gotta behave like one...you know kissing, intimacy and having sex.  There is no age or reason to have a crush on someone and whether it's in sweet 16, college days or mid-30s, it makes us dream of love and kissing with the same burning passion. Love is a breezy touch that doesn't spare us, a bit like Harry Potter magic wand. The best thing is crushing on someone makes us youthful in our hearts and minds, going back to the first days of crush spot and suddenly, life becomes so beautiful and jazzy. Believe in love, bare and dare to make love shedding the cloak of shame to tread the unchartered body zones or territory. It may be a harmless fling but works wonders for your soul.

4. Labon ka Karobar

Cut to 2016. Crush spot is the zone of ending it all with passionate kiss and smooches, exploring every inch and zone to taste nectar on the lip. It's the generation of millennials where Gen X doesn't shy in getting intimacy inked on the first date and indulging in Labon ka Karobaar. It's the changing equation in relationships, crushes which nowadays is more like one night stand or casual sex, for that matter. The crush zone is getting hotter by the day with the new age, dudes and babes indulging in kissing and forgetting but not telling. Crush spot has differed for each generation and time for us in our middle age to accept how Gen X do it and indulge in fun.

With Love
V

Love, Life and Nature

I.
My world.
No flicker of sound and rasping voices,
can crawl in.
Ideal.
Perfectly.
Woven with the tapestry of innate beauty,
flawlessly etched with divine stroke,
magical lush of oceanic waves.
Chime of silent whispers,
tinkling like bells inside the mind.
Misty cloud.
Squirming birds,
singing nature's ode.
Lonely heart,
craving for harmless romance.
Whooshing sound of her trinklet,
Hair fluttering,
to the sound of waves.
A timeless adventure of
love, life and nature.

Second and Final: 'I am not your Boyfriend'

It's a surprise. Thanks for loving the Campus Romance: I am not your Boyfriend. Since many of us told me that I shouldn't have killed the female character in the story, here I come with a sequel, the final and last part. Hope you will enjoy it. This time, I take it to another level. Go and read.

'I am not your Boyfriend: Final and last

A gentle fur caressed his face and stroked his lip. Icy cold air wafted in the spur of the moment and touched his skin. ‘Ouch,’ it felt so cold. A chilled sensation ran and captured his body like a stream of electric current. He felt a gentle hand, cupped his face and caressed slowly. A sharp and invisible finger pressed his face. It felt so unreal. The gentle and feminine hand disappeared out of the blue.

Lips melted. Their mouths meshed in a passionately long smack, tongues swirled their way to heaven. It was bliss. Karan wondered, “Am I dreaming? Who is this invisible woman? She bit his ear and ran her fingers on his chest.

He stood naked. A svelte feminine shadow held his hand and they traversed the moon in a jet speed movement. Lightning struck. His vision was blurred. The soothing voice told him, “Don’t be afraid. It’s only, Me and you. Everything is so perfect. Let’s make love. I am standing naked in front of you. It’s not our bodies that stand light and uncovered but our souls. You will not see me now in flesh. We no longer belong to the physical world. Be with me.”

He was confused but gave himself to her. Karan felt her breast, naked body, and lip but couldn’t see her. The voice is familiar. Suddenly, mystic music gyrated loud. It was intriguing and mysterious. He felt helpless. Somehow, he felt light like a soul and his pain has mysteriously waned away. “Am I alright? Where has the blood gone when my head hit the floor?” he asked.

The last thing he vaguely remembered was Shraddha’s letter in the hospital became wet with his tears and everything suddenly went blank after that. He fainted and sloppily tripped on the white ceramic floor in the hospital, oozing blood.

“Shraddha,” a voice with the innocence of child curled inside his ears. “Love! You couldn’t bear this shock. I saved the girls from you. You would have troubled them too much by not loving them but only me. You must be aware that you are with me in this world, our world. You will realize that we are surrounded by love and not grief. We have left that world of turmoil behind.”

Shraddha’s words were not making sense to Karan. He felt that he was hallucinating. But, their souls are intertwined together and belonged to the universe that no ordinary mortal could reach out to. He was ushered in a garden filled with berries, white roses, and snowy flakes.

She took a human form and kissed Karan on his cheek, “It’s our garden. It’s made and filled with love which is free of attachment. It will not be the garden of hate or lust.  How the world crucified Adam and Eve...the apple of sin they called it. Love is no sin. Our love is pure. We shall consume the apple of love. No one will crucify us here. It’s just Me and You, soul and spirit. Love needs no flesh.”

The words struck Karan like a stroke of lightning. Slowly, the events unfurled in front of him, Shraddha dying in the hospital, the love letter and how he lost his life. He could feel the purity of his limitless love for Shraddha and was grateful to the universe which conspired to bring them together. They were united in death. Now, they belong to another world, faraway from ordinary mortals and humans. Their spirit became One. The garden of love is bliss. It is their abode where none shall trouble them and human jealousy, bondage and attachment know no place.

“Come with me,” Shraddha smiled. Her fingers pointed at the hospital bed where the bodies of Karan and Shraddha were lying next to each other. Their parents were crying. Karan wanted to say, “Don’t cry. Do not kill us. We are alive.” He smiled and held Shraddha in his arms.

They made love on the snowy bed, lying naked into each other’s arms. Shraddha’s breathed in and out, while Karan smiled and looked into her eyes. “Don’t ever say, I am Not Your Boyfriend for our love has no boundary. Don’t give it a name,” Shraddha playfully slapped his face.

Who says happy ending doesn’t happen in paradise? They bit the apple. No one crucified or stoned them to death. There was no one to judge. They shall love unconditionally, never doubting their feelings.

The end.

Sparkling love

Image credit: Google/santabanta.com

In love we believe,

gentle whispers, sweet nothings in the ears and stealing kisses.

Valentine Day is just the perfect excuse and gateway.

Surprise your lover with flowers, exquisite chocolates and gifts.

Romance tickles the heart,

as we reach a high that makes for life long memories.

We shall never cease to believe in this powerful energy called love.

It's pure as white, an oxymoron and bliss.

The heart never stops loving.

It bleeds when disappointment creeps in.

We shouldn't stop ourselves from loving for we may never know when it will trigger our feelings. 

He or she may just be a step away from us.

Our heart will never cease from singing the lullaby of love and sparkling romance in the heart.

Celebrating togetherness and achieving milestone together.

Who needs to be in love for ages?

Love as if it's your last moment and do it like teens,

make the season of love last eternally.

Keep the faith and celebrate love.

Belated Valentine Day.

With Love

Vishal

Shift in relationship and US

Is being in love enough in this age of complex relationship which is increasing coming under duress? R for Relationships has many feathers to its cap: fling, one night stand, on and off button, obsession for one another and committed. The kind of love flaunted in the universe of Facebook and selfie makes one wonder on what makes love rosy. Or, are we seeing things with tinted glasses!

The way we look at love and relationship has changed among the teens and new generation with smart phones and gadget applications. For teenagers, it's a shift in mores and the world is undergoing a crisis of sort with the altering of equation. Quick sex sounds like grabbing a burger for those as young as 14 in college who doesn't shy away from getting intimate with multiple partners. The India Today sex survey findings is revealing when it shows how there is no distinct between cities and small cities, where the young do not shy away in telling that they browse porn and do it with class mates. The risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases is always present. It's a worrying trend. At the risk of sounding preachy, I can't stop myself to ask whether they will grow up in an increasingly insecure environment, plagued by emotional vulnerability. 

Has city life and globalization made us vulnerable when we look at relationships where we are reeling under stress? We are a young generation of seekers, we look for love and if it doesn't work out the way we expect things to, we turn into emotional wreck. There are many hazards such as depression and lack of balance that often gives us a wrong perspective about things in store. The interesting part is that our expectations are not lowered when a relationship is not working but to the contrary, we constantly look out for that person who will offer us balance.

Image credit: Google 

It's a change in social mores in an age where we becoming increasingly busy with work and we hardly have time to give to someone. I feel a relationship with no commitment string works out for us and after all, we are human beings who need a shoulder to lean on. There are many who abhor the changing face of love and relationship but the fact is that one needs to adapt to the complexity of life. How do we do that? We stop believing in the thing called romance or love by sitting like a spurned lover. This facet of being a sore loser doesn't find resonance in today's world.

I ain't pretending that we should embrace everything which is modern but the main argument is that we should avoid the pitfall of morality and judge people according to some societal yardstick. Rather, we need to mull on how to treat our relationships, in particular, one that has no future. Expectations from a relationship is something that must be dealt with in a very sensitive manner and knowing that it may not have a long leash of life, we shouldn't make it a priority over other stuffs such as friends, family or personal space. 

Sometimes, we are ill equipped to deal with break ups even if it's a platonic relationship. Partners need this space and emotional disconnect to take care of themselves, which is often neglected. I have a great belief in 'Me time' where we can do activities such as yoga, treating self with shopping, spa and travel. It's very important to see the world and being a great believer in solo travel since it affords one the luxury to be with the self. One shouldn't make relationship the whole of one's life. It is part of our existence but not everything.

Why the rush to jump into back-to-back relationships post a break up? Me think that it's the habit of having someone by our side and we tend to get insecure at times with stress building up in our lives and the crack that we suffer from. We need to take thing slowly and breath easy. Rushing into relationships will not solve half of our problems and just because the whole world is getting on with a partner, that doesn't mean it will work for us. If love is destined to happen, it will and never be shy or stay away from it.

Love deserves a second chance

It's been a year since Kavya ran away from her home and lived in  constant fear that they will chase her down the fast lanes, between crazy traffic, speedy vehicles and train in this big city. She has been hiding her face under the veil during her daily journey in the local train on her way to work at the BPO. She was able to make ends meet with the 20k that she earns at loose end.

The fateful day on her way to freedom still runs deep in her breath and whenever she thinks about her great escape from the clutches of her ruthless in-laws from US, her heart beats furiously. Her parents convinced her that Ajay is a good match, settled as a software engineer in US and that she will make her life. Her in-laws demanded a huge dowry and the moment, she stepped foot in her new home, the land made of dreams, she was subjected to harassment and forcing her to go without food till her husband don't reach home. At times, Kavya would go without food till the wee hours in the morning. She was drained and lost the energy to protest against the inhumane treatment and the Karwa Chauth where she was made to fast. Once, her mother-in-law slapped her for taking a shower before her husband and the latter never protested against his mother. 

Then, one day, it was too much and she sneaked out of the apartment with her passport and hundreds dollars, helped by the immigration officer to a new city in India. She lived in constant fear, surviving on tea and going to bed on an empty stomach. Turned down by her parents because good girls don't run away like that and the bullshit about the family honor, she lost faith in humanity. Kavya went around a couple of times with business men, rich college students and CEOs as a call girl and was arrested. The sympathetic lady inspector understood her plight after chiding her and got her a a flat, sponsored by the Indian Government and a job at the call center. Her faith in humanity has not been restored yet.

Till one day, Kavya met Vicky Malhotra, a simple guy who was struck by her beauty at the railway station. He waited for her and pursued her like crazy, between making her feel special only to be rejected. He didn't accept defeat since he was enamored by Kavya's beauty, simplicity and fell in love with her. He was unaware that circumstances has turned Kavya into a stone-hearted person and that love has no place in her life. Her eyes told Vicky lots of things and could sense how much pain is being hidden beneath her eyes. He decided to give his Kavya happiness.

One day, she got fed up of him when he convinced her to come along with him at the restaurant. Vicky confessed his love to her, "Kavya, I am in love with you. Your eyes never lies and tells me how life has given you pain and sadness. Everyone deserves a second chance and one shouldn't say no to love. I've dated and slept with several women but they never loved me. I can see the sincerity in you."

Kavya felt uneasy, "You know Vicky, what do you know about me? Before we start being friends, there are certain things that you need to know about me. I was a battered woman and run away from my in-laws. I live in constant fear that they may find me. The cops have arrested me for doubling as a call girl since I needed to feed my stomach."

She thought that the reality would make Vicky run away but to her surprise, the latter said, "Kavya, my love, no one is a saint in this world and those who pretend are the biggest hypocrites. I am an orphan, abandoned by my parents but made things on my own. I was in love with you but now I respect you. It demands lots of gut to tell the truth." He kissed the palm of her hand. "Friends?" he asked. Kavya smiled and hugged him.

Two Years Later

Kavya was dressed in the orange peach sari and dazzled as Vicky was gushing and couldn't keep his eyes and hands off. He ran his finger on her back. Kavya gently slapped him, "Mister! Keep your hands off me."

It wouldn't stop Vicky who caressed her face with his hand, curled his lip on her and she held tight to him in the drawing room. He kissed her passionately and she ran her hand on his chest, biting his ear. "Happy! Enough for now. We will run late," she seductively tells him. "Let's keep it for dinner," she cajoled him.

They drove to the marriage court and in no less than one hour, Kavya and Vicky were legally wedded to each other. During the evening, a room was booked at the Oberoi. Kavya and Vicky made passionate love to each other, chartering zones no one would have imagined. He undressed her, touching her back, kissing her and cupping her breast as she bends and pressed his stomach, before getting into each other.

Kavya and Vicky's soul were united beyond the physical love. Who says that only movies and books have happy ending? They drank their wine to glory, being a constant support to each other and united to each other.

20 years later:

Today, Kavya and Vicky's daughter Shonali is getting engaged to her best friend, Rahul. Kavya is dressed in a green shiffon sari and as she steps out of the BMW at the venue, Vicky holds her hand. "What?", the 50 year-old charming mother exclaims.

Vicky smiles and looks dashing in his grey suit, "You look as beautiful as you were the first time we met and see what's there on your left cheek." She turned to see her face on the car's rear window and asks, "What's there?"

He blushed like a child, "You are beautiful." Kavya gave an infectious smile and helds her husband's hand, "Let's walk in, Baba. Your daughter is getting married and you behaving like a child, infatuated with love."

Kavya and Vicky walk in together, hand-in-hand as the guests look at them in awe, wondering how they've kept love alive for so many years. Shonali couldn't stop admiring her parents and run to hug them in a tight embrace.

Love

V

Monsoon Affair (11)

Monsoon Affair (11)

The room was dark and he slowly opened his eyes, gaped for breath. The man with a protruded belly tried to move but couldn't. His vision became blurred and the only thing he could hear was the pitter-patter of rain outside. He almost fainted and was drained of energy. The voice became weak as he tried to speak, 'Is anyone here? Please save me and have mercy on this old man. What crime have I committed?' Sobs!
He finally knocked passed out on the wooden chair where some unknown people tied him. It' been two days where he has  been lying like that and was only fed with water to keep him alive.
Splash of water woke him up when he heard loud foot steps and could make out that the shadow that emerged was dressed completely in black trousers, jacked and boot. He slowly perched his head towards the shadow when a torch flashed on his eyes. He mumbled something but his weak voice failed him and wished that he could die at this moment, to be relieved of his helplessness. A voice greeted him, 'Namaste, Sirjee! I know that you are praying for someone to save you but nobody will ever hear your voice in this dim room.'
The voice became sarcastic, 'Don't worry, you will not die so easily. I am making sure that you will be kept alive to make this Monsoon memorable. It's the last stage in your life. Chill! Ah! How can you?
The footsteps moved away from the old man, who started coughing and wished someone would hear him in this place, cut off from the city where only pigeons roamed and the innocent laugh of small  children dancing to music played faraway and at a looming distance. He passed out a second time, losing his identity and thought about his wife and children, who died five years back. Perhaps, they have come to take him with them.
He could hear a voice calling him, 'Oye! Shankar! What a glorious name you have! Yet! You are a sinner and you will have to atone for the crimes committed. ' Shankar was unconscious and no power on earth could make him hear the voice, determined to torment him and make his life hell. He shall beg for death yet it would elude him. After all, the mystery person will make old Shankar pay for a sin he has forgotten.

****************************************
Huma jumped of the bed and was visibly shaken by the nightmare where the vision of the old and helpless man kept popping in her dreams. She walked to the bathroom and washed her face. She tried to shrug off the nightmare and walked out of her apartment, hailed a rickshaw towards the railway station. The thought of Varun kept coming in her mind and grinned, "I hope he will understand why I am doing all that." The train slowly rattled at platform No.2 and Huma pushed her way towards the women compartment to find herself an empty berth. She didn't want to be disturbed at this moment and pushed all thoughts of Varun away. Love is such a big lie and illusion in life. The ruthless emotions can make someone weak and wander aimlessly. She forcefully smiled.

Monsoon Affair (6)

Monsoon Affair (6)

Varun eyes grow moist, tears in the rain, obfuscated by the cloudy sky, lost in the realm of human mass in the city. He was fighting a raging battle with himself, forcefully resisting the love virus and feeling of being carried away by Huma. It was emasculating him. 

"I tried to resist everything but like fever it struck my soul and heart. It can't be happening to me. Why, I am falling for her and yearn to be close to her when we are not together? I wonder whether it's just a passing phase. It just cannot be a phase! I get hyper on hearing her name, longing for her presence, 24/7."

He tossed on the bed, unable to sleep throughout the rainy night, speaking to himself. "Huma! Huma! Destiny plays a role in our lives. Perhaps, there is a reason for us to meet and make love. Now, it can't get more paradoxical. I was hitting on her and we indulged in intimacy minus this love crap and now what's happening. Life is strange.  I should be happy, prancing around and doing what..getting sunk in this beautiful feeling called love. Yet! it's weird and growing into an obsession, wanting to posses her every single moment. I don't wanna possess but love her."

Varun poured a peg of the old monk rum mixed with water, sipping a taste and lit a cigarette, trying to avoid the thoughts of Huma infiltrating into his soul

************************************************

Huma was sitting at Barista, thinking, 'Should I or should I not tell him everything?' confused whether she needs to put things straight with Varun. She still has time since Varun is stuck in the Mumbai traffic and will only be able to reach in another hour. She lit a cigarette pondering whether to give it a chance but would surely tell him not to build high hopes for their future together.

Finally, she decided that let things go with the flow and will behave in a normal manner, no warning or running away from things. Let the passionate sex take over their lives and may be. it would be an antidote to make the passion of lust win over love.

'Love', Huma sniggered at how people live in a world of illusion, where couples run away, fight with parents and end up doing things that is not worth it. She wondered, how can one lose their individuality for something not worth like love, ready to forsake their dreams? Somebody please explain to me!'

Varun walked into the crowded cafe, sweating profusely and his face brightened when he saw Huma, bent down to kiss on her forehead. "Baby," 

"What's up", she asked.

"The crazy traffic, I tell you."

Their fingers were tweaked into each other, munching on fresh fries. Huma caressed Varun's finger, "Game for sex tonight?

"Your place or my place. It gonna be torrid," he teased.

She playfully smiled, "Of course mine, babe. It gonna be on my conditions."

They laughed. She wanted the ghost love to disappear from his mind and wanted to provoke lust, planning to initiate passionate sex and explore zones where none of them have gone.

Varun suddenly asked, "Acha! Tell me something about your parents and siblings?"

Huma was taken aback and wondered how he asked this question all of a sudden. She avoided his gaze and said, "Why do you ask, yaa? Told you na, my parents are out of India. What difference does it make?

She feared that this must raise some suspicion in his mind on the deep dark secret and that the mystery might unravel. There is something that Huma is hiding from him and doesn't want to hurt the feeling of her lover boy. She expressed relief that the whole thing escaped his mind and didn't press on her.