Tag: Love

  • The Gift

    Yeah, you guessed it right! It is really a very special day. That’s the reason behind my dressed up avatar. Otherwise, I would have been sitting with bunch of others. But, Sumit came in yesterday. His arrival was announced by the ding of the small bell attached to the door. We paused our talking and checked the door curiously. He came in and spoke something with the manager. It must be the reason for him being here amongst us. The manager directed him towards us and said, “for her with love” section. He was searching a gift for his ‘one and only’. The occasion was their first anniversary.

    He started walking towards us but was acting like a child in a toy shop. Confused about where to look and what to enjoy. The credit goes to our manager. He has done his part of stocking the store with a huge variety of items, which someone can gift to their loved ones for their special occasions. Our manager has smartly put our section at the end of the shop. One has to browse through the entire collection before reaching us. He must have decided about at least 20 gifts for his friends and family for their upcoming birthdays, festivals, etc.

    He reached us. I can feel his curious yet confused eyes scanning us. He was looking for something very specific. I am sure he must be having a clear idea about what he is looking for. I have seen many Romeo’s buying gifts for their Juliette’s. Every new recruit from the college nearby comes here to buy Valentine’s gift for his or her’s “someone special”. But only 2-3 successful heads return next year. However, Sumit was different. His love was tested and proven by 3 years of dating. One year of courtships and now he was about to celebrate his first anniversary tomorrow. His eyes were looking for something very special. Close to his heart. Probably very significant for their relationship. While scanning through shelves he glanced over me. Soon I could sense the glint in his eyes. But it took a couple of seconds for him to feel it. Yes, his attention moved back to me. A smile emerged on his face and the decision was made.

    With the signal from the manager, I was picked up from the shelf. They dressed me up in this adorable box. He paid and we left the shop. Sumit had taken all the efforts to keep me a secret for the special moment. I think he must be a very good poker player. He concealed his excitement and joy under a mask of a typical husband who forgets all the dates and prepared himself and me for the final surprise.

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    I am writing this post towards #Blog&Celebrate contest by Novemberschild

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    Image Credit: Eryn

  • The Sticky

    The Sticky

    It’s me, The Sticky, who is the reason behind keeping the bond of love and care between Neha and Sumedh strong. They can’t even greet each other on weekdays. But I do it for them on their behalf. She brought me in this Flat No. 701 of Paradise apartments some 9 – 10 months back. It all started when Sumedh got his promotion letter. A year’s hard work had paid off and gave him good hike in the package, but it also put him on rotating shifts.

    Tension rose up initially as they had to adjust to this new routine. Not able to spend the time with loved ones was taking a toll on the fun and joy they used to have till then. They started having fights over small issues. Suddenly it struck to Neha and enter, me, The Sticky. It was some routine weekday, they had their usual mix of tension and fight over some nonsense issue on WhatsApp. When she came home, he was sleeping. His meal was untouched.

    She relaxed at home, had her meal, plated for him and put it in the oven. Pulled me out of her bag. She had thought about this while leaving the office. She had pitstop at stationers and picked me, some color pens and some fun stickers. On one part she wrote big ‘sorry’ with sad smiley face and put it on his mobile screen. Another said about the meal plated for him, another part of me was talking sweet things to him from his coffee mug. She finished the last one with ‘XOXOXO’ and stuck it to their photo frame.

    She changed and went to bed. She started the dialogue in a new way. When Sumedh woke up on his routine time and checked his mobile, Neha said sorry to him from the note. He got up and turned on the coffee machine in the kitchen. He pulled the mug from the shelf which was saying how important he is to her. It also hinted about the love they share since the day they met for the first time. He had his meal after heating it in the oven when Neha told him about it. He couldn’t stop himself when he saw the hugs and kisses she left for him on the photo. Engineer in him picked up the pen and put the( )^2 around those XOXOXOs. And sorry note took place on Neha’s screen as he walked out for his share of work.

  • Muse

    It was a pleasant morning. I was snuggled under the blanket on my bed. Though it was around 9 in the morning, my eyes refused to open. I heard the curtains open. I knew that she will wake me up soon. My senses were tingled by a fresh smell. She must have finished her bath. Slowly I felt the warmth on my neck. Sunrays kissed me through the open window and I opened my eyes. I stretched myself under the blanket. She sensed my movements and turned around to greet me good morning.

    As seconds passed, her blurry image became clearer to me and everything paused. My darling. She was right there, just at my arm’s reach. The first thing in the morning is that I see her. The chill in the air, the warmth of sun rays on my neck had created a special atmosphere. Straps of her sheer dress slid down on her arms, allowing her milky smooth back to get soaked in the warmth of the sun. Her hair tied in a bun. Light coming from the window behind her was casting a heavenly glow her face. Wide smile spread on her face as she saw me awake, “Good morning honey” brought me back from my early morning musing.

    Model: Snehal Deshmukh

    Photographer: Sandeep Khade

  • जिव्हाळा: रुटीनचं प्रोटीन

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    कुठल्याशा रविवारची एक निवांत सकाळ, अंथरुणातून उठण्यापासून साऱ्यालाच एक निवांतपणाची किनार होती. सकाळच्या कॉफीबरोबर कुठलेसे पुस्तक वाचावे म्हणून मी माझ्या पुस्तकांच्या खाणांवर नजर फिरवत होतो. दोन तीन वेळा सारे खण धुंडाळून झाले आणि नजर स्थिरावली ती व. पुं. च्या ‘महोत्सव’ वर. व. पुं. चे कुठलेही पुस्तक घ्या, अगदी कुठलही पान उघडा आणि वाचायला लागा. बऱ्याच वेळा त्या पानावरच्या एखाद्या ओळीशी मन अडकत. अडकत ते कळलं नाही म्हणून नाही तर मन त्यावर विचार करत बसतं म्हणून. सारखं सारखं त्या वाक्याशीच येऊन थांबतं दोन दोन दिवस. रविवारचा निवांत दिवस, अन व पुंचे पुस्तक म्हटल्यावर आजचा दिवस या चिंतन वाक्याशिवाय कसा राहील? “जिव्हाळ्याचा स्पर्श झाला की रुटीन पण प्रोटीन होतं.” इतकं साधं सोपं वाक्य पण माझं मन गेले कित्येक तास या वाक्याशीच घुटमळतय.

    अगदी लहानपणापासून आपलं आयुष्य एका ठराविक दिनक्रमाला बांधलेलं असतं. शाळेत असताना रोजची शाळा, त्या नंतर शिकवण्या, घरी आल्यावर गृहपाठ, हे सारं कमी असतं म्हणून की काय आजकाल वेगवेगळ्या छंदवर्गांच खूळ निघालंय. इतकं सारं केल्यावर दमला भागला जीव जेवून कधी झोपी जातो हे पण कळत नाही. शिक्षण आटोपून नोकरी लागली कि वेगळ्या दिनचर्येला सुरुवात. सकाळचे कामाला जा, ऑफिस मध्ये आपले तास भरेपर्यंत काम करा, संध्याकाळी कट्ट्यावर, नाक्यावर मित्रांसोबत टंगळमंगळ करा, घरी आले की थोडं फेसबुक ट्विटरवर सोशल व्हा, जेवा अन झोपा. संसारी लोकांचे तर वेगळेच तंत्र, त्यांना आपल्या अर्धांगासोबत करायच्या कामांची वेगळी यादी तयार असतेच. महिन्याची महिन्याला बिले भरा, वाणसमान भरा, एक न अनेक. आणि एकदा रुटीन म्हटलं की त्याला चिकटून कंटाळा हा आलाच पाहिजे.

    पण याच रुटीनला जिव्हाळ्याचा स्पर्श झाला की सारं कसं एका क्षणात बदलून जातं. रोज त्याच वाटणाऱ्या कंटाळवाण्या गोष्टी पण कराव्याशा वाटतात. मग तो जिव्हाळ्याचा स्पर्ष आईच्या मायेचा असुदे, किंवा प्रेयसीच्या हास्याचा असुदे. एखाद्या छंदामागे पिसाटून लागणे पण काहींसाठी ह्या प्रोटीनच काम करतच. कानावर पडलेले छान संगीत किंवा अचानक पुन्हा वाचनात आलेले जुनेच पण आपले आवडते पुस्तक,    कित्येकदा आपल्या नकळत अशा प्रोटीनचं काम करत असतं. कुणासाठी हौसेने लावलेली गच्चीतील बाग तर कुणासाठी संध्याकाळचा नदी किनारा, दिवसभर काम करून शिणलेल्या एखाद्यासमोर प्रेमाने आलेला चहा कॉफीचा मग, किंवा ध्यानी मनी नसताना त्याने तिच्यासाठी आणलेला जुईचा गजरा अशा छोट्या छोट्या गोष्टी, दिवसेंदिवस त्याच गोष्टी करून आलेला कंटाळा, शिणवठा किती नकळत चुटकीसरशी पार दूर पळवून नेतात नाही?

    अगदी एखादा दिवस जरी असं प्रोटीनयुक्त गेला तरी पुढे आठवडाभर आपण तोच रोजच्या त्याच कामाच्या ओझ्याला आपण अगदी आरामात ओढून नेतो. कांटाळवाण्या रुटीनला या प्रोटीनची चरचरीत फोडणी मिळाली की आयुष्य एकदम लज्जतदार होऊन जातं. माझं प्रोटीन मला या अक्षरांमध्ये सापडतं, तुमचं प्रोटीन कशात दडलंय?

  • मेनका

    मेनका

    प्रचंड उकाड्याची एक ढगाळ संध्याकाळ. उन्हाळ्यातलीच, पण मळभ दाटून आलाय. विनय एकटाच आपल्या खोलीत अंधारातच बसला होता. टेबलवर तासाभरापूर्वी वाफाळता असलेला चहाचा कप आता थंडपणे भरलेला. बाजूला अॅश ट्रेच्या खाचेत बऱ्याच वेळात त्याच्या ओठापर्यंत न पोचलेली सिगारेट जळत जळत फिल्टर पर्यंत पोहोचली होती. तंद्री लागल्यासारखा तो त्या धुराच्या उठणाऱ्या वलायांकडे पाहत होता. समोर टेबलावरच त्याचं रायटिंगपॅड पानं फडफडवत होतं. त्यावर लिहिलेल्या चार शब्दांपलीकडे त्याला काहीही सुचत नव्हतं म्हणा किंवा खूप काही मनात होतं पण ते विचार कागदावर येईपर्यंत मन त्यांचा हात पकडून कुठे तरी लांब पोहोचत होतं. आणि न प्यायलेल्या सिगारेटच्या धुरात विनय त्या विचारांच्या मागे कुठेसा हरवला होता.

    अजून वेळ आहे म्हणता म्हणता लेखाची डेडलाईन परवावर येऊन ठेपली होती. गेले दोन वर्ष एका आघाडीच्या दैनिकासाठी तो दर आठवड्याला एक सदर लिहितोय. (more…)

  • त्या वळणावर

    त्या वळणावर

    त्या संध्याकाळी रोजच्यासारखाच मी रामण्णाच्या त्या खास कॅफे मध्ये बसलो होतो. माझ्या अत्यंत आवडत्या अशा कॉफीचा आस्वाद घेत. तशा महत्वाच्या पण फारशी वर्दळ नसलेल्या एका रस्त्याच्या कोपऱ्यावर रामण्णानी त्याचे ‘मद्रास कॅफे’ चालू केले होते. ऑफिस संपल की रामण्णाच्या ‘मद्रास’मध्ये यायचं, रोजचीच ती खिडकीतली जागा पकडायची, आणि बॅगतून पुस्तक काढून वाचत बसायचं. तितक्यात रामण्णा कॉफी घेऊन यायचा. त्या गरम वाफाळत्या कॉफीच्या वासानी दिवसभराचा थकवा कुठल्या कुठे पळून जायचा. मगमधल्या कॉफीने तळ गाठेपर्यंत चांगला अर्धा पाउण तास सहज जायचा. कॉफी संपली की पुस्तक बंद आणि रामण्णाला धन्यवाद आणि पैसे देऊन मी घरच्या वाटेला लागायचो.

    इथे नोकरीला आल्या दिवसापासून असलेले गेल्या चार वर्षांचं हे रोजचं वेळापत्रक त्या मंगळवारनंतर कोलमडणार आहे याची मला किंचितही (more…)