Bombay Meri Jaan

Dear Bombay,
Thank you for the green lights on 3 consecutive signals, the day I had an interview! 
Thank you for the spray of salty sea water at Worli sea face, the Carter Road drives, for the excited child in me whose eyes still light up with memories of back to school shopping on Abdul Rehman street, for the ‘katta’ opposite college.
Thank you for the pani puri at elco, jinni dosa at khau galli, the ice pan and sooooo much more ‘amazing’ food.
Thank you for being safe enough that our parents allowed us to hang out late at night, for the fear of law, for the efficient and available traffic policemen, for being home to Bollywood.
Thank you for the rains because it’s alright that we take 3 hours to get home once in a while, but it’s amazing that we have almost enough water for the ever increasing number of people who live here.
Thank you for the Vadapav uncle who looked after my heavy school bag while I played around and waited for the bus to arrive, for the rickshaw wala uncle who reached my building every morning sharp at 8:15 so I could avoid the late mark at work.
Thank you for intstilling compassion in me so I reflect your essence because ... “I’m from Bombay and we look out for each other”
Yours truly,
A girl who grew up in Bombay

How I wonder!

Always wonder what kind of a place I live in
Why are women always expected to give in
Why is there so much hypocrisy
Why pretend it's a democracy
Why is there silence when a village girl is assaulted and murdered
And why such a hue and cry when a smart TV actress climbs up the political ladder
Oh Wow the PM touched his head to the ground before entering the parliament!
But a soldier who bites the dust is just so insignificant?
A big fat cheque to a cricketer for being chosen as the man of the match
Even though last series he was paid to drop a catch
Every new season of a reality show declares an ambitious winner
I wonder what happened to all his predecessors!
When the city of of 7 islands was fearing drought
Why was a rich man holding a holi party on his yacht!
Wake up and ask Why and What?
Oh we are so hungry, let's claim our food for thought....

More Than a Mother

She's seen it all, she's seen us grow

She let us all, our tantrums throw

Every wish was fulfilled before we could blink

From a simple toy to a diamond ring 

She'd protect us from our own parents 

When we were little impish errants 

Threaten to crown us with the food on our plate 

If we dared to fuss about what we ate 

The biggest honour for all of us was

A pat on the back for being the first one to finish the milk glass 

Her thoughtfulness would leave us amazed 

Our every dream with us she has chased 

Her own children she would fight 

To support us when were right 

Around her being our world revolved 

She's moulded us into what we have evolved 

And then one day she had to go!

To a place of which nobody knows

A place from where nobody came back

She didn't even get the time to pack

In a minute our world came crashing down 

In our own tears I feared we would drown 

But happiness for us is what she wanted 

And her every wish must be granted!

So every face will now smile bright

And she will always be our guiding light :) 

Sweet Romance!

Our love is all about little pleasures

Just one smile from you and that is my treasure 

Those times we get drunk and don't have a clue 

And believe our dream world is just so true 

Ohhh, when you put your arms around my waist 

And we look into each others eyes without any haste 

Those stolen kisses when our friends are watching 

Those looks you give me when we're just not listening 

To whatever the world around us is discussing

And then that naughty silent winking 

Those dances we have at the club 

Your signature moves get me high like a drug 

Those moments when we sense some trouble 

The times we wish most, that we could snuggle 

No we don't need no flowers no chocolates

We're just good at our sweet dates 

I can't wait to be held in your firm arms 

No sorry baby, I can't escape your charm!

The Story

What's on her mind? What is she thinking?
She's staring at the picture on my wall without blinking
Well, nervous I was, to take her home
She was much older than the girls with whom boys my age roamed

I met her on the park bench, she'd hear the birds chime
I was drawn to her eyes, I saw a wound that wasn't healed by time
She sat there alone, uncared for, amid the throng of human beings who passed her by
Nor heeded the glance of her anxious eye

I asked her for coffee, she exclaimed " Why me, young lad!
You'd get a fine date, you don't look that bad."
I laughed and said, " Cos you pretty lady, have a story to say
And this young lad here has nothing to do all day."

She smiled and over coffee, confessed
A man she loved truly had got her life messed
A decade back, her heart he had won
Her friend found out, he was the father of a son.

And that's how our story started,
Since that coffee date, we never parted.
I brought her home to my family, to make them meet
My father was a friendly man and mother was sweet

But when she saw that family picture, she would not walk
I could see her hands trembling with shock
Running away, she said, " I cannot meet your dad."
That moment I knew, the man who had betrayed her was the father of this young lad!

Apathy towards Economics!

Here I am so bored in class
I wonder what to do to make time pass

The subject is called managerial economics
I cannot comprehend the teachers phonetics
There she's talking of demand and supply
Here I'm thinking where this silly theory I'm going to apply?
She talks about economic inflation
I feel myself sink into depression
Apparently division of labour was advocated by Adam Smith
To me it comes across as a non existent myth
So many monotonous theories,
The portion itself makes me worry
How I wish I could take a break
Even if a headache I have to fake!

You & Me

When I see you my heart sets a record pace.
In a throng of people, all I can see is your face.
Your every move makes me sigh
And when you speak to me, I feel like I'm flying high.
Your dark black eyes so mesmerising and deep,
Even a moment away from you makes me weep.
I try to speak but words I cannot find,
To the world I may appear to be out of my mind.
And when you walk, oh my your gait!
I feel you stepping into my hearts gate.
Far far away, I think we should flee,
To a place where it's just You and Me....