Whispering Shadow

I was going to school today feeling a sense of finality of everything. The exact same pre-school morning routine. Packing my bag after checking for all the essentials. Meeting the same people in the lift, other children who go to better resourced schools and their parents. Taking a rickshaw to school with the meter reading between Rs.44-46 everyday (as per the latest fare revision - fares changed thrice during the two years). Reaching school before 7:10AM, the time for the first bell. Signing in on the teacher's muster. Leading my class line for the assembly. Being greeted by a "Good Morning" by my students.  Setting up the class for the lesson - the closing lesson of the year. Taking attendance. Executing it to the tee, well almost. The video collage of photographs of some of the key moments of our journey made them realize that this was the last time I was taking a lesson for them. That was when it dawned on them and me that I had only a few minutes left in that class...

It is quite a spectacular view. At one moment you are watching the high rise towers of Malabar Hills sitting on the comfortable parapet of Marine Drive. At the next, all you see is grey clouds. You can make out it is raining out there, there's lightning, and then there's thunder. It looks quite spectacular because of the wide canvas provided to you, a frame which you usually cannot zoom out on in a concrete jungle that the city is. You are so mesmerized by the beauty of the view that you don't realise when the clouds have caught up with you. For a while, you feel it is just the waves smashing into the breakwater, but as the downpour grows heavier, it finally sinks in that it is raining. But you don't want to get cover. You want to stand up, raise hands and feel the rain. It gives you the impression that you are standing on the edge of the world with no one else around you. The thunder overshadowing all the sounds of a busy city and the lightning giving a cosmic feel to ...

There has rarely been a time in my life where I have had such diverse and confusing emotions as I have today. I was so looking forward to the end of college, but yet, when I face the last day of my college life this Saturday, I don’t want it to end. I never loved my college. In fact, the balance of indifference had tilted towards a sense of disdain to the ways of its functioning. So what has been this reason for the change? Is it the attachment with teachers? May be with their quirks, but that’s not a strong enough point. Is it the activities of the college? Well, whatever I loved about those activities has ceased to exist, so that can’t be the reason. I guess it’s the people, my peers, my pals. I have spent four years with them and during this period, they knowingly or unknowingly have become my habit. I am in awe of the intelligence of some and hate the sycophancy of others. I enjoy the humour and respect the humility of a few. In every way, each one’s idiosyncrasy and/or beha...

Pensive and dreary for a reason Beyond it spring and summer season Peering into a heart's horizon I found a man that lay awakened Tears flowed like the rain The darkness he saw in vain. 'Coz there was death and there was sorrow In the withering trees of his solemn woods. Death of kinsmen and their kings To his past were they the only strings One by one like a strider's sword Fate inflicted its deadening blows. Living strong his head held high Despite the hurts that made him cry He continued to grow old The soul fading faster than its abode. The holy lights guided him Between that period interim, The second he stopped living And the moment he died.

It was the day every Potter fan was waiting for - 21st July, release of the seventh and last installment of the series which many in our generation have grown up with. Having read the book now, I would like to issue a warning that this blog entry might turn out to be a bit of a spoiler, so go further if you don’t mind bits and pieces of the story being thrown open to you. Jo Rowling couldn’t have thought of a better finale than Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The entire story is so well narrated that you really can’t let go off the book once you begin. Unlike the previous books, this book as expected, is darker and moves at a expeditious pace. I made my share of predictions in the Potter-o-logy article. Introspecting on where I went right and here I went wrong, here’s a brief summary: 1>Harry is the chosen one and he survives. I was on the spot there.. 2>The Horcruxes were pretty much on target, except I missed out on Ravenclaw’s Tiara and Harry himself. As far as the latte...