Himachal Pradesh... Firgun land

It was the sunrise that I wanted to witness. No, I didn't need an alarm to wake me up that morning. The yearning to see the golden sun rays fall slowly on the hill tops to uncover the dark cloak of the night kept me awake. 

It was 5 AM when I woke up. It was pitch dark outside, the sound of the nocturnal chorus being my only company. As ilI waited for the sun to wake up and unfold I noticed Biryani's drawing Book and some crayons lying on the table. An idea struck! I felt an urge to capture the beauty not in my mobile this time but in paper. As the Sun took lazy and gratifying turns to unfurl, I decided to surprise it with my callow art. Over the next two hours I drew, i coloured and took a part of the hills with me... The art was not to prove anything. 

The drawing set of a six year old daughter rekindled the kiddo in the forty two year old mother who still gets exhilarated like a kid at the sight of hills, sun, snow !

Sitting in the room of Manzanna Woodlet Cottage at Shoja with those twelve colours and a white sheet of paper in front of me, I started to draw. Draw without any purpose or motive. It was the magic of that moment... The serenity of the place, that time of the day between dark and light which made me feel the passion to capture what lau in front of my eyes. 

I drew not to get praised or applauded... I drew because I wanted to... I felt the urge to seize that moment forever. What better than giving the view it's due by etching it in paper with a bunch of crayons. 

The sky changed it's hue every few minutes, the dark green trees changing colours like a chameleon and playing hide and seek with the sun rays. It was magic... the magic of science beholded as poetry, as painting in the eyes of a wondering soul. 

I am so glad I did it! The sense of satisfaction after was splendid. I could feel a sense of belonging with nature. It was all so cathartic. Sometimes we should just go with the flow without thinking about results and outcomes. It's only for ourselves... Our soul that we should do things at times. It's liberating. 

The husband woke up and captured his wife's moments on camera because he had witnessed this me after ages. He too didn't want to let go off the moment. I was unaware though only to find out later about it. A great feeling indeed! 

A day that started well... The morning that told me not to give up on that kid inside... Ever! 

KK the voice of love

It's exactly two days that he passed away. So many updates, news, videos making the rounds on social media and other platforms. Condolence posts, comments that inundated Facebook and Instagram timelines. 

Frenzied photographers, journalists, fans trying to cover his last journey with mobiles and cameras flashing. What madness! 

Sab tired ho gaye honge ab taak. All the hard work paid off. After two days they must have hit the sack tired yet satisfied after covering all that news. Gharwale shabashi denge ke beta/beti badiya photo liya tune! Good work.

Somewhere in the city there are three souls or more (I am not aware if his parents and in laws are still alive)  who are tired too.. Tired traveling to a city where he breathed his last, tired of handling formalities and arranging for the cremation and funeral. They are tired of  the sudden media attention and unnecessary hype. Yes, They are tired... and tonight is the toughest night for these tired souls. Last two days were spent in organising and meetings. They would have hardly got any time to mourn. 

Tonight when the world is sleeping after all the madness, there's a family that's sleepless. A healthy man who left home with a smile and promise to return is dead. It's only the cremation ashes that remain in that copper urn which will be immersed soon. 

His wife, who was with him since they were twelve years old must be crying her heart out inside the bedroom, or she could just browse through her phone albums with moist eyes. She could also scream in agony as she visualises him in every nook and corner of the house. Her bed is empty tonight and it will be forever. Is she feeling betrayed by him? Could be. She could be wrathfully cursing him for leaving her alone forever or she could just be lying on the bed with silent tears rolling down.  Or she could be with her kids at last...all together after the incident. It's that time in their lives when they have none but each other to handle. No amount of consolation, sympathy can help at this moment. It cannot! 

This loss is irreparable and unforeseen. A family which is incomplete tonight, a family which will never be the same again. A wound that's going to be there forever. The bereavement is beyond words to describe. Death is inevitable but death like this is unbearable. 

The media will forget him in a week, admirers will move on too, the politics and slander will die out in a few days... What won't die is the angst and agony of the family members. Yet somewhere they will have a smile when they would think of him later. The respect he earned over the years as a human being and as a singer. His untimely death showed what a great soul he was. That's what will make his family proud and help them recuperate. I hope. 

The song 'Maine dil se yeh kahan' from the film Rog has been in my mind over the last two days. It features Irrfan Khan, was sung by KK.

Both fireflies ... Illuminating their surroundings with their celestial light and spark before the darkness of death shrouded them forever.  All they spread was light and happiness. Ethereal beings now in the realms of ether. Both gone to the big auditorium in the sky. 

Men may come and Men may go but few remain forever.