Excerpts..part 2

He lay on his back on the soft moist grass, enjoying Kavitha’s animated gestures. She was still sitting and the moon projected its full light on her face, enhancing her beauty even more. Nothing she spoke made any sense to him. It was her animated expressions and restless eyes that were holding him captive. The tide was picking up in the river, and the soft waves added music to her already musical voice. Suddenly, Kavitha stopped. She understood he was not listening to a single word of hers, but even though she stopped her chatter, he kept looking at her, as if he was listening to a voice from deep inside her. She felt as if he was pulling her towards him. The moon slowly crept behind some dark clouds, knowing very well that the young lovers needed to be alone. Kavitha leaned back, and he felt her soft lips on his. It was slow, unhurried, almost musical as their eyes closed and a soft, cool breeze made her hair graze his face. He did not know how long it lasted, but he knew that this was the moment for which he had known her for years. As if the moon knew it was time, he slowly crept out of his hiding throwing a wake up light to the unconcerned lovers. Their first kiss.  Then a second, and a third. A lightning burst from the corner of the sky, as if nature had had enough of the romance. “Have you been practicing? Doesn’t feel like you are kissing for the first time.”, he chided her, in a playful tone. “How do you know about an experienced kiss?”, she retorted, in an annoyed tone. “Like this”, he said, and kissed her as she melted in his arms. She felt like nature had created this scene, preparing the setting with a diamond studded sky, cool silky breeze and soft caressing waves that made a light musical tone as it reached the banks. They lay there for a while, as he played with her tiny fingers, rubbing them as if it belonged to a new born baby. There was something in his touch that made her heart beat faster. He used to do this every time she started talking, so that she would stop. She could not talk when he played with her hands. She wondered if there was magic in his fingers. Just when it seemed they could live their life like this forever, she heard Kalpana shouting her name. As if awakened from a dream that should never end, she hugged him tight for a few seconds and shouted back to her sister, “I am coming!!! You don’t have to shout. I am not lost!!”.With a sad look on her face she tried to pull her hands away from his, and as he reluctantly loosened his grip he watched her as she jumped along the tiny path leading to her house, holding her skirt with two fingers and balancing herself with the other hand. What would he do without her, he wondered. As he looked at the sky, it had suddenly turned dark, and then, as if to wake him up from the dream, a tiny drop landed on his eyelids.  He lay there, as the rain came pouring down,  reliving the moment that passed by, wondering if he was blessed enough to live through those moments again. After a while the rain stopped, accepting defeat and night wove its magic as sleep seduced him, but Kavitha’s kiss and her moist lips stayed with him.

Finding my Muse..

Here I am, staring at this blank white screen, wondering what to type. A few things flash in my mashed up mind, but nothing interesting. I am sure every one who has written something feels there is a writer hiding deep inside, and no matter how bad we write, its still beautiful for us. That's when i wondered if I am experiencing a "writer's block". Now before you sneer, I sneered upon myself. Considering I have published three best sellers and one that was panned by the critics, its natural that I go through this phase. Ha!! How I wish all these were true!! Unfortunately, I happen to be just one of those blokes who feel they can write, but never give it a try. There are a hundred excuses; too much work, hanging out with friends, I feel sleepy, I had to kill mosquitoes and what not. Finally, when you have all the time to scribble, we realise those were just excuses.At least that's what I felt. This is not any classic writer's block and I am no Shakespeare. Still, considering I am a writer, what does everyone of us need to write? A story? No. Characters? No.A setting? No. Any clue???.....

Now stop thinking and ask me what the hell is it. Well, its a muse. I am sure every single writer, at some point of writing has had a muse. Now don't jump into conclusions. Having a muse doesn't mean it should be a girl or a guy..or both. It can be anything, but there has to be a story behind it, a personal attachment. Something about which you can lose yourself in its thoughts. The way Kemal builds a museum of every single object he collected that reminded him of Fusun , or the city that gave Karla to Shantaram, or the way my neighbourhood shopkeeper lives inside his tiny shop, listening to the radio all day and night, immune to the madness surrounding him. So there it is, I need a muse. Now I start wondering who or what my muse is. I need something or someone apart from all the beautiful women who cross my life every single day. Something that brings back fond memories. How long can I keep musing about the monsoon? And since its given me a bad cold (I cannot blame the beer you know), I should refrain from patronising it. I need something that is close to my heart, which I don't have with me now, something I long for, and a lot of memories attached to it... Hmmm, now what could it be?? think think think think think think think think...tun tun tun tun tun tun (sing it in the tune of Come As You Are by Nirvana)....

Eurekaaaaaaaaaa!!!! ( NO, am not running around naked :-D ).

Why the bloody hell did I not think about you? All through my life, I have spent most of my life dreaming about you, at your ethereal beauty and charm, longing to be with you, hurt when people talk bad about you(although some of it is true), the very meaning of my existence and who I am. Although I have spent most of my life away from you, the love has only grown deeper and stronger. There you are, my muse, and I, an estranged lover longing to get back to you. So my dear,starting now I dedicate my writings to you.

Also a special thanks to someone really special, for getting me back to the world of letters and dreams :-)