To Rooch and Chonu .... With Love !

I have been blessed with many friends. They stand by me steadfast and accept me unconditionally. Including my flaws and occasional insanity. I owe each one of them their affection and help, unfazed by their own hardships in life.

But, I would like to mention about two very special mates of mine, who have actually impacted my inner self and influenced my personality and perspective on everything possible, good or bad (which is just a matter of opinion .... and they differ and change with time and situation ... Isn't it?). There is nothing .... absolutely nothing running common between the two and yet they stay together with me. I would like to dedicate this post to them.

About Chonu ....

Whenever I think of her, certain flashes run through my mind! The green tunic, red tie and green coat which made our Carmel Convent School uniform .... my Red Bicycle which graduated into the Black Kinetic Honda in Std.XII .... Amit Shukla Coaching Classes .... Section-A and Section-C .... canteen samosas .... combined studies .... her green LML Vespa and long highway drives through Mandideep to Bhojpur, our parents being unaware of it. She stands for Strength and Fearlessness and nothing could ever deter her from achieving what ever she wanted. It was the masculine side of her personality, if I may say so, that impressed me the most .... she started driving cars, jeeps, gear operated scooters at a very young age indeed and never indulged in the regular teenage girl talks - none of the regular beauty care, films, exam fever or BOYZZZZ!!

I learnt to face any tough situation heads-on from her. She always said, "It is never too late for anything!!!" and we stretched it a bit too far by not studying for exams until a day before. Ha Ha!

Today, she is a software professional, a lovely wife and a mother of a beautiful three year old daughter. She sails effortlessly from one role to other with the help of her extraordinary intelligence and supportive husband. She never has one free moment in hand .... multi tasking at any given point in time .... Cooking and driving while talking over the phone with her close pals, working on a presentation when feeding khichdi to her girl, taking her dog for a night stroll and attending an official conference call. If I was to live her hectic life even for a day, I am sure I'll land up in a mental asylum. She inspires me with the fact that no grief or happiness in life can be bigger than life itself .... the play shall go on uninterrupted with or without a few characters or scenes. So, don't stop midway .... always be on the move and carry on.

I have never witnessed a single weak moment in her life when she was unsure, desperate or unable to gather herself. There are times when she sounds harsh, cold and unresponsive to situations especially if they deal with human emotions. Perhaps, it is her way of dealing with things. Even today, when I meet her, I get infected with a fresh hope to live and smile !

God Bless You, Chonu! I may not say this often, but I do love you for being with me since childhood .... for carving out a sense of masculinity in me that helped me tremendously in my college experiences and early job days in Mumbai.

About Rooch ....

Mumbai local trains, cabs, a beautiful shared flat, films, marine drive, Aksa beach, Colaba Army Club overlooking the Arabian Sea, tough hotelier and a passion for relationships bordering madness are a few thoughts coming to me instantly when I think of her.

If Chonu symbolised masculinity, then Rooch definitely spoke aloud of femininity .... in every manner possible .... disposition, taste, attitude and looks. A "Miss Ahmedabad" first runner up to the very famous Nethra Raghuraman, who had actually won the title, Rooch is a jaw dropping beauty with immense talent. Her entry into my life has been very subtle yet deep and destiny brought us together, time and again. Initially, I did not regard her very highly due to my pre-conceived notions about girls attending beauty contests and talking so freely on repressed topics. Romance, sex and men used to be her daily discussion fodder, be it the lockers, cafeteria or dinner table. I would simply observe her in a detached manner. It was only after we were put together to share accommodation in Jaipur followed by Mumbai that I experienced the real Rooch.

Rooch is made of dreams - living in her fantasy world perfumed with timeless innocence and love towards one and all! Even the scariest of personal experiences and most unfortunate life events could not manage to kill the goodness dwelling inside her.

She displays great skills of verbal and written expressions and more often than not, outdid her entire batch while giving formal presentations or articulately handling her seniors and bosses. She takes finesse in her stride and carries a natural ease even while talking to Ratan Tata. Nothing can overwhelm her. A great performer at whatever she did, she managed to impress each one around her with her subtle intelligence and diligence.

But, she has always been a slave of emotions and continues to be so, even today. Her heart always ruled her mind pushing her destiny to extreme limits of happiness and grief. Life could never remain normal, balanced or mundane to her. There had to be a disruption every now and then to keep her alive .... That's her!

I learnt the relevance of feelings and deep human emotions from her .... something that distinguishes us humans from animals. Nothing was ever planned in her life .... marriage, profession, finances nor her four year old son. Countless times, I have seen her giving away her most prized possessions even to the strangest of acquaintance on their slightest request. She has a lion's heart and has suffered at the hands of undeserving individuals on many occasions.

She evoked a sense of femininity in me .... changed my outlook towards society and its set norms. She matured my views and liberated my thinking and living. She made me realise that harming other fellow beings through malicious words and actions was a worse offence than enjoying a glass of vodka and singing a soulful song.

Rooch, May God bless you and shower you with all the happiness and love you could ever wish for. May you always remain noble at heart and kind in actions and words. May the Almighty give you enough mental strength to be able to sustain your intense emotions without getting hurt ever.

Apart from my parents and experiences who shaped me into whatever I am today, you two have become indispensable to my living.

Today, I pray to the Almighty that may we live and age in togetherness forever!!!

Let us raise a toast to friendship and happiness .... Cheers!