So encroaching are the crossroads
entwined in the psychic progress
hindered by practical issues
confounded
I wander

to europe
searching the past exotic glory
given in the books
confounded
I wander

to the himalayan mountains
plush with green forest
beauty admirable
confounded
I wander

to the lonely islands
the hollow sound of the ocean
emptiness that ringed my heart dreary
confounded
I wander

to the hermitage of ascetics
the active peaceful atmosphere
disturbing the mind, wrenching the soul
confounded
I wander
and come back
struggling with
my psyche and soul
to find
Harmony...


We all are wanderers..........

The smell of the murky mud
bringing in the clouds
as a blanket over the
thundering sky
darkening everything around
the trees smiled breezily
as if they know...
the secret
but refusing
to tell me....

Her hands clasped the tiny rain drops
with rhythm a heart beat
she turned around
her saree trailing behind
and saw
Rain
she smiled
raindrops all over her face
her hair disheveled
yet beautiful
her eyes sleepy
like mist
her lips parted
like seashell
she held out her hand
inviting
and the rain came pouring
down....

Deep within the psyche
lay clustered
emotions
stirred once;
revealing beneath
black misty subconscious
opening with vibratory
disturbances
the primitive urge
atavisitc
a devouring ugly animal
stirs up violently
waking
the
divine...

You send a letter to me:
Clouds
Fighiting your enemy:
Sun
Hearing your footsteps:
Raindrops
I run along to see you:
Rainbow
Yet again another messenger.....
Oh!!!!
I am waiting for you my dear
expentantly
Oh Monsoon !

Hi

It's almost two months, but unfortunatley I got connected to the net only yesterday evening - the reason being certain policies of the big societies in Pune. After shifting , I wanted to transfer my Tata service to my new house - but to my dismay, the building authorities - or society decision was not to allow any service providers except Sify and BSNL, which I learnt after two weeks - hunting for the secretary, and BSNL connection could be taken only afetr two months for they were launching their own BSNL franchisee, which would take time - So had no choice but wait - Sify connectin was worse , for I was not even able to open Google.

So now m'back - Better late than never you see...

And mouthshut has really baffled me with its changes -wil take time to get used to it and also have to make up for reviews, I have not read.

Have a gud time all of u there.

The morning set in
with embellishments of fire
bombarding 
the monotonous
fission of
human life
disintegrating
the atoms of energy
making the world
a little more unstable.
Oh! the Scorching Sun...

(Continued)

Scene 4

Ranjani: recovered ?
Srikanth: I think yes
Ranjani: Well, when are you going back?
Srikanth: I will be in Cuttack two weeks and will be visiting Chennai again for IITLecture and and will be leaving by the end of this month.
Ranjani: All scheduled..?
Srikanth: Yes and I amm sorry for what...
Ranjani:- Oh it's fine. It is better it is out. I din expect to meet you here. But I was happy to see you as well - infact after a long time. I have always respected you and it was just pleasure to be in your class and to able to listen to you. May be...perhaps if you had told me what you felt then, instead of telling me when we had to work together, I would have definetly felt very bad about you. But when you revealed that you were not able to overcome that feeling after five years, I was surprised, because I did not expect it and was also happy that I was able to explain and make you understand in a very compatible way.

(TTR checks Ranjani's ticket)

Srikanth: may be yes!. But I never had that feeling when I met you n the school, possibly because of the responsibilites of a visiting professor, though I always wished I could talk to you. And also because my intellectual relationship with my wife was not so good as I told you then. But when we met again....I knew what it was  and was forced to tell u, swallowing my pride ..
Ranjani: That which I always wanted you to face..... (faces him), but never in this circumstance.

(both of the m remain silent for a while)

Srikanth: Ughhh! Well, If you feel Cuttack is near to Kolkata... I extend an invitation to come to my sis's house and moreover - Gita-Govind was written By Jayadev in Orissa, If I am not wrong
Ranjani: I will try... but again you    remain so elusive.....  din know you were interested in Gita Govind.....
Srikanth: Nor did I expect from you  an article on Cern and Cyclotron in The Times
Ranjani: Oh - did you read it?
Srikanth: Yes! I did
(both of them - sleep) - The Train next evening will reach Orissa


You can attempt  to write Scene 5 ( I have given a hint - with that you can develop-  - I will give two  different ends to the play (two scene (5)) - one mine and one yours. and also suggest a title. I will choose the best one.

So happy writing.

(Continued)

Scene3

Ranjani : How is your wife?
Srikanth: She is no more with me 
Ranjani : What exactly do you mean? (quite alarmed)
Srikanth: (no emotion) She is dead
Ranjani:  (I...... am.. sorry) and children?
Srikanth: With me in Yale
Ranjani: Yale .....?
Srikanth: Yes - Lecturer in  Thermodynamics, Yale Univ
Ranjani: Oh..... that's nice 
Srikanth: Is it?
Ranjani : (stares at him)- You are a moron...(wants to say Srikanth, but controls)
Srikanth: Srikanth.... complete it.
Ranjani : I..... (angry)

Train stops!! people rush out to buy things - shouts of vendors . Both of them look out  Train whistle - everyone back in)

Ranjani : (now subdued): I have never been able to call you by your name. I am used to calling you professor, though you ofetn insist and say  the difference us is only 10 Years.

Srikanth: ( with a little smile) ... Though You want to ......
Ranjani:   Its your beautiful assumption.... From Yale to chennai - and Kolkata - Why?
Srikanth: To Cuttack. to see my sister. You agree that it is beautiful... hmm?
Ranjani: You are as incorrigible as ever.
Srikanth: You have always said that! Whatever you say..... I have always enjoyed your conversation and you impeccable English.
Ranjani: Srikanth....
Srikanth: Finally....
Ranjani: Srikanth, this is the second time I am calling you by your name- I hope you remember - when we had to work together in office, unfortunatley for few days..... Now Srikanth...
Srikanth: So this is the Third 
Ranjani: Listen, why do you want to go on dwelling on That... why don't you try to forget you once had a feeling like that. It will help you go a long way...
Srikanth: .......
(another train passes by)
Ughhhhh. if only I had not told you what I felt...If only I had not married before I met you...If only you were not here with me in this train....(very angry)-...(gets back to his book)

(they both are silent for a while)

Neighbour: Oh so you both know each other
Ranjani : Yes.yes. I was his student once
Srikanth : (watches her)
(Ranjani gets into conversation with the neighbour)
(after some time)
Ranjani: Shall we have dinner ?
Srikanth: Why not?

(They both share their dinner. He goes out and stands near the gate watching the night set in - he comes back, quite recovered)

(Scene 4 - next post)

Setting: In the train (from Chennai to Kolkata), two-tier AC.

Characters: Srikanth- Lecturer- Thermodynamics, Yale University.
                   Ranjani - Post Graduate in History (once his student) and 
                   Others in the Train.

  Scene 1

Srikanth: (Reading Pride and Prejudice)
TTR :      Aapka ticket sir, (gives the ticket, takes it back, resumes reading)
Neighbour: Excuse me, could you just help kee this suitcase unnderneath
Srikanth :  Oh yes! (helps him push the suitcase)
Neighbour: Thank You. Are you going to Kolkata ?
Srkanth:     No. Cuttak.
(Neighbour goes away giving an od). He watches the couple nearby, bidding their parents farewell. They heave sigh)
Srikanth: (similing) resumes reading,

(everyone settles down.)

Scene Two.

Another Neighbour : Sir, is anyone coming here? I though I sit here sometime
Srikanth :     I don't know (irritated)

(The train stops at the next station. ranjani boards the train). She is finding her way to seat number 21.

Ranjani: Excuse me, (surprised to see Srikanth) 
Srikanth: Ranjani............
Ranjani: (settles down)..........Gazing out of the window
Srikanth: (reading the book) How are You?
Ranjani : In my prime!
Srikanth: "In my Prime". I hardly ever hear sentences of these kind now - a -days
Ranjani:  (Gazing Out still): I hardly get a chance to speak like this to someone outside the sphere of literature
Srikanth : (putting his book, aside) - It's a surprise to see you here. Where r u heading to?
Ranjani: Kolkata - the city I have always loved. You know it better professor.
Srikanth: Are you living there ? 
Ranjani:  No - a kind of short trip, - since I am into research. 
Srikanth.: Ah!!! What is the subject
Ranjani: Gita- Govind - a study of literature as historical work
Srikanth: As usual as ever. You never out of  literary craziness, even though you are.... I am sorry.... good in Science as well. Why did you not choose medicine or physics? You were always top in your 12th .... I mean in your school, when I was visiting lecturer.
Ranjani: Don't you know it? .... You know, I never liked science and you also know that I would always opt for the arts. This question sounds absurd.

(Coffee, Chai ...... Both of them get tea).

Scene three and four in the next post