This is my dawn.

"I am reborn. This is my dawn. Real life has just begun.
Deliberate Living: Conscious attention to the basics of life, and a constant attention to your immediate enviornment and its concerns, example-A job, a task, a book; anything that requires efficient concentration (Circumstances has no value. It is how one relates to a situation that has value. All true meaning resides in the personal relationship to a phenomenon, what it means to you.)
The Great Holiness of FOOD, the Vital Heat.
Positivism, the Insurpassable Joy of the Life Aesthetic.
Absolute Truth and Honesty.
Reality.
Independence.
Finality--Stability--Consistency."

Christopher Johnson McCandless (Alex Supertramp) scribbled during one of the days of living it out in the wild.

2012

I write this just two hours before I am ready to board the Mumbai Delhi Rajdhani to go home. I hate the duration it takes for me to reach there but flight tickets are way too expensive. Going to Delhi exactly after a year this time. Its been the longest time that I haven't been in Delhi. This is almost the end of the year. I am not exactly in a very introspective mood but still can't stop thinking about this year. It indeed is one of the most important years for me personally. 

I did my first real backpack trip, solo in Paris for five days and then met a school friend, who now stays in the US, after almost eight years in Spain and we both had the time of our lives. Met a lot of interesting people and travelers. Fell in love with Madrid. Found Eiffel Tower extremely ugly. Day dreamt while strolling through the Seine river. Went to the Shakespeare & Co bookshop.

Met a few interesting men this year who re-instilled my faith that intelligent, chivalrous and good looking men really do exist. They might be difficult. But they do exist. Also met some of the biggest psycho jerks this year (actually thats nothing new and special).

Quit my job after two years. Got a new job almost completely out of the blue with a super cool design magazine, right before I was leaving for my great vacation. Moved in a studio apartment in Bandra. Staying completely alone for the first time in my life and absolutely loving it.

My bestest friend in the world got married to a guy that I totally approve of! :p I fell in love with my mother more than I ever thought I possibly could. Another bestest friend got her lifelong dream project to work on. Another special friend made a beautiful baby. Someone really close to me apologised to me this year and I found a lost friend. Another one got into the Harvard freaking University!

This year was about closures. And about new journals. This year made me realise that just loving people is not enough, expression is equally important. Being honest about my feelings is the most integral part of who I am. I will never ever change that. For anything. For anyone.

For the first time ever, I have seen such a continued outrage over a rape in Delhi. This makes me so happy.

The cynic in me has taken a backseat for now. I just feel that this year was all it could have been.

Here is to romance. Here is to love and friends. Here is to wine from Paris and Sangria in Madrid. Here is to fresh. Here is to new. Here is to interesting strangers. Here is to honesty. Here is to Old Monk and Classic Milds.

Cheers.

ये सड़क और कहा जाती है

घर तक तो आती है
ये सड़क और कहा जाती है

कुछ उधार के नुक्कड़ो तक
कुछ सिगरेट बीड़ी के धुए तक
कुछ सिमटे बेघरो की तरफ़
थोड़ी दिलचस्प कहानियों तक
घर तक तो आती है
ये सड़क और कहा जाती है

टूटे पत्तो से भरी हुई
बारिशों में उल्झी हुई
मुरझाये दिलों से गली हुई
घर तक तो आती है
ये सड़क और कहा जाती है

तुम भी तो इस सड़क से आये होंगे
वोह कुछ तो बौखलाई होगी
शायद थोडा शरमाई भी होगी
कुछ तो  तुम्हारे कानो में कहा होगा
क्या तुमने भी सोचा कभी
घर तक तो आती है
ये सड़क और कहा जाती है

Inspired by Paris

These cobblestone walls scream in agony,
Of pleasure, of love.
The river gathers in a corner,
Like your feet in the early mornings,
Lying lazily, moving laboriously.
Every building in this city is like a tombstone,
Ironic that it has tourist graveyards too.
You never hold my hand,
While we sit in the warm cathedrals,
To save us from cold,
To save us from fear.
We meet like this city meets its people,
Fresh strangers and fresh lilies.
In the evening, we devour the structures.
Walk together on different roads,
Going towards home and far away from it.
The city sleeps early,
And we keep pace with the night.