Life

The purpose of living was surely not to spend most of our time in pursuit of small spurts of happiness that resemble contentment but are too fleeting to be anything but pretence. Dissatisfaction has a foul stench. And jealousy is at the root of every disgusting discourse. Knowing what you don't want eats you up on the inside worse than knowing you what you do. It seems too futile to put into words. So I stop trying. The constant consternantion and erratic behaviour which must be explained to someone day in and day out so that there is a proof of conscience is simply proof of the fact that there isn't. Sometimes I stop myself before it becomes tangible. I wish it would break. So that I won't have to touch it. Always tentative, always watchful, always waiting, always afraid. It's as if I read 'Life for Dummies' and am still too dumb to understand it. I doubt the answer will lie in 'Life for Dumber Dummies'.

Lucidity

Years pass by and yet we still seem to be standing in the same place. It's always just enough time in which one has finished a bottle of perfume. I paint rooms with love. My rooms, his rooms, our rooms. They're fiery orange and red and purple and beautiful mellow yellows in which there are a hundred ifs and a thousand buts and so many words that fall pell mell over each other and form tottering piles of apprehension. We hold all truths to be self-evident. We disregard all that is said and all that will be said and simply believe in that one little gesture that seems to define us. It always remains a part of me. Him. His words, his voice. His thoughts and his denials. His lies are my secrets. I buried them deep somewhere a long time ago and they resurface now and then in rooms full of laughter and liquid amber eyes filled with more beautiful lies.

There are countless songs on the playlist and though neither of us sings well, we sing all of them together or join each other midway. Join each other midway. That's a lovely line right there with so many meanings in those four words : Join, midway, each, other. It reeks of conviction. The sort of stuff that I love to deny when it's day light and I lie with my legs draped over a sofa arm and blow smoke rings at the ceiling. Comfortably languid.

As if life will go on forever. Or maybe because it won't.

Arranged Marriage aur Hum

The marriage mafia presents..: not-eligible match for your idiotic, dim witted, pot-bellied, weird, uneducated bania lump of a son.

Name: Manasi Chatpalliwar

Height: 5'8'' ( yes too tall for your lump, I suggest you not read ahead.)

Date of Birth: 15/06/1988

Age: 22

Views on marriage: If it involves what's described above please kill me now.

Place of Birth : Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania (Will bet you a hundred dollars your son does not know which continent)
Time of Birth : 8.30 p.m. (Non- Manglik - which totally is besides the point but because your brain power is limited to thought processes involving fried food and getting married, discussions on this will help you feel intelligent and thoughtful.)

Qualification: B. A. Honours, History, Pursuing LL.B. - No package (Maybe that will deter you greedy bastards)

Other Details : Girl is a voracious (yes it's a word, yes it's very common) reader. Enjoys Music and travelling (trips to Manali in borrowed Innova taxis do not count as travelling). Family-oriented (towards her own family that is, not yours). Simple, not down to earth - chances are she might bully your son. Is said to be witty, which is a pity because all that humour will be wasted on your blob.

Convent educated, tall and slim.

Family Tree

Father : Government Official

Mother: Government Official

[Neither possesses the capacity to discuss your jewellery, cars and business beyond 5 seconds]

Brother: Possesses more intelligence in his little pinky than your entire khandaan put together and will be immensely cooperative in secretly poking fun at you behind your back after you leave.

Note: If still interested after reading this, kindly note that NO, we will not give your blob gold or a car or a washing machine, or a television set, or a house or pay for bathroom fittings etc. if by some sheer fluke this marriage does actually place.