Let Go..

I Let go…

I let go of an early morning drive,

To the best dhabha in town,

Just to eat Aaloo Parantha with Chai..

I let go…

Travelling with friends to new places,

Or the late night shows,

While in a training or while working,

Due to fear and my own inhibitions.

I let go…

Of friends who wanted me to be there,

In odd hours and listen to their stories,

Heartbreaks or any other topic under the sun.

I let go..

Of buying anything new and big,

Even though I badly wanted,

By convincing me that it is TOO EXPENSIVE.

Now, at this juncture,

If I could, would go back and tell myself at that time,

Don’t let go of things that you love,

Take necessary precautions and do at least some of it.

No matter what you do and say now,

The time that went by, Will never come again.

As you grow old, you have responsibilities,

There are thousands of things you need to think,

Before you can pack and Gooo!

Even if you can do all such things,

It would never be same again.

And some of the things would appear silly,

Or health won’t support these choices.

So, do what you want to do NOW,

Be what you want to be NOW,

As when time turns on you,

It won’t stop any time soon.

By,

Tulika Jyoti Vardhan.

25-11-19

My Lady!

My Lady, do not crib, cry or sulk,

When someone says nasty things to you,

In your office or personal space,

Simply smile and let it go.

For they are fools and don’t understand,

The value of things being done,

Day in and out,

With lot of detailing and care.

My Lady, don’t feel so bad,

For clothes that won’t fit,

Just try and take simple steps,

And See the difference it makes.

Every tiny step you take,

Feel free to do it at your own pace,

With smile in your eyes and happiness in your soul,

And witness its impact on all of us.

My Lady, for once don’t ever forget,

You are a mother and whatever work you do,

Or whatever work you don’t do,

Or the way you look!

Makes no difference in your kids’ life,

Rather what matters,

How you feel when you are around them,

And this will be engrossed in their memory.

At every step, you will have,

People/family criticizing for your choices,

My Lady, you do whatever you feel,

Is in your best interest.

Above all these,

My Lady, do not forget to smile,

Even for a while,

Just before you sign off for the day.

All said and done,

You are what you are,

Created with lot of care by GOD,

So, don’t judge or devalue yourself, No Matter What!!

By,

Tulika Jyoti Vardhan
(28-5-19)

What Just Happened?

What just happened?

To that book with a page folded,

Lying there silently,

With characters waiting to be unfolded.

What just happened,

To that beautiful dress,

Bought once with care and love,

Worn once but kept with care.

What just happened,

To those friends,

Who would come and talk,

Sitting silently or during a walk.

What just happened,

To the places you once visited,

With zeal and enthusiasm,

Now it is a vivid memory.

What just happened,

To those dreams and aspirations,

Which nagged you day in and out,

Now seems to be a distant memory.

What just happened,

To that beautiful smile,

Careless, carefree and bliss,

Now it hardly stays for a while.

Sitting on the chair,

Staring at the laptop,

With the “To Do” List,

And yet wondering what just happened.

Where did I lose,

Thoughts, dreams I choose,

Now it seems as if it belonged,

To a different person in a different world.

Pondering between thoughts,

Running between work, life and kids,

Will there ever be a tiny “Moment”?

To realize what just happened?

Because what just happened,

Was a phase that passed,

A phase that changed,

Making you a “grown up” person.

By,

Tulika Jyoti Vardhan,

29/3/19

Silent Words Works?

A question mark or an answer,
A view or an opinion,
Credited or Debited,
Hard to say or Hard to recognize.

What Works when words are unsaid,
Or What happens when said but unheard,
You keep Working at it without fail,
Silently in background.

Like those background musicians,
Or that team who helps in writing that perfect script,
Or that chorus singer who hit the right chord,
At every single pause.

Who knows their names or values,
Who knows how much effort is put behind.
It remains silent right there behind you.

Silently they move and keep it moving,
Without much expectation to be recognized,
It works synchronously,
Shining brightly right behind.

No one to notice,
None to hear,
None to give credit,
None to make it visible.

But if for once the silence STOPS,
To take a pause and change tunes,
Or write its own script,
It has power to Disrupt and Stand Out SILENTLY.

By,
Tulika Jyoti Vardhan
(30th June 16)

Time!!!

  

Why is it that sitting by yourself,

In a small room and staring at a blank page,

Makes you feel  alone,

With no interest whatsoever.

All you do is recall,

The time that went by,

The happiness that was yours,

Isn't there anymore.

Be it that odd shopping,

Where you went through every shop,

To get a pair of shoes,

Or that exclusive dress which you liked the other day.

Be it that book store in your neighborhood,

Where you went simply to see,

What new has come or chit chat with someone,

Standing behind scrolling the index just like you.

Be it that roof top where you spend hours,

Gazing at empty stars,

Talking to them,

As if they were real people.

Or those movies or shows,

Through which you sat,

Over and over again,

Yet never got bored with it.

All those strangers you met,

Only for a day or two,

Yet you remember them,

As if you see them every day.

Amazingly these things you did alone,

As seldom you had people around,

Yet now after so many years,

You want to do same things all over again.

No matter how hard you try,

Since time snapped by,

It can never be brought back,

To make you feel like before again!!

 By,

Tulika Jyoti Vardhan

30/9/2013

IF I could just lay my hand......

IF I could just lay my hand,
On a Remote controlling time,
Would simply press Pause,
And let the time stand still.

Not see the time for a sec,
As it moves ahead,
Simply stay where I am ,
And watch the time around.

Stretch my leg,
Put hands underneath my head,
Close my eyes,
To see beautiful dreams.

With no thought to disturb,
No one who calls,
No one to say,
What I need to be doing.

No one to ask you to move fast,
Think fast, Learn fast,
Just Stay still,
And watch Silence move slowly.

Like a bird flying in the sky,
Or like a wind blowing around,
Or without making single sound,
And gaze at an empty space.

“Space” is what makes you run,
With every rise of sun,
A need is always created,
For you to make space and be NEEDED.!

By,Tulika Jyoti Vardhan
(28th Nov 2011)

Independence Streak!

Yesterday, I saw Rockstar, a movie that was long with too much of hyper activities, yet once the lights were off it lingers on your mind. When you walk out of theatre your mind is flooded with numerous thoughts especially the ones whose seeds were sown rite from the moment you were born.

It is a simple story of a Guy who wants to be a famous singer and was initially told by an adviser that in order to be famous you must go through hard times or heart breaks. What’s interesting in the Journey is that in order to achieve he indulges himself in self destructing activities and once he reaches the pinnacle he finds himself alone and worst is that he doesn't even enjoy it as he is in constant agony. Perhaps LOVE is actually a very strong emotion to handle especially when your mind is receptive to the outside world. It requires lot of courage and strength to let it live every single day of your life because the so called society would try it best to take it from you.

From this word Love I believe comes out freedom to be what you are and do the things at your own wish not being guarded by parents/Teachers/School and sometimes even friends. I very vividly remember that when I was in school I wanted to grow quickly so that I could take decisions on my own and not have someone else taking it for me. Yet, when I moved out I actually missed it and at times felt staying at home is so much easier than to come out and face others. Because here they don’t give you any chance to come up after a failure or give a damm about what you want or think. In order to make friends you need to have a parameter on which you need to stand and pass it. For ex- If your circle is of stylish girls than you have to be like them to be with them. They would nag you endlessly till you become someone like them.

But, if you try to continue to be what you are then it becomes very very difficult. I often wonder that would I be eating a McDonald Burger every day or a Pizza weekly or a rich spicy food daily if I was the decision maker and would be living all alone. Not really because I stayed in Bangalore where from the morning tea till nights dinner I had to eat out and apart from some odd days I never ate such things. Most of the days I used to have Dosa's or Full south Indian meals. But yes whenever my friends ordered for a Pizza I wanted to share it.

Just the other day I was speaking to one of my very closed friend and when I asked her about getting married she said that she doesn't want to give up this "Independence" and be tied down to a family. Today if she wishes she can sleep till 2 o'clock on a weekend and then get up eat maggi, go for shopping and then come back late. She isn't answerable to anyone. Tomorrow if she wants to visit her friends and stay overnight she can do it without any hassles. But this doesn’t mean she is not caring and doesn’t want to be in a family. Yet that fear is always there.

On the other hands I have friends who are married and stay in a nuclear family their thought process is also the same. They say that they don’t want any "Khit-Pit" of any sets of parents. They have their own system which they have developed which they don’t want to be criticized. Than there others who couldn't get away from Joint family they have learnt to ignore and do things what they love without telling their parents.

The sad part is that parents do this for their own children but when it comes to daughter in law they don’t do it at all. This is the main reason why girls of current generation wish to stay away from home as much as possible. So that they could enjoy things they love without feeling guilty of making a bad impression. The worst is that this trend is being passed on from generations to generations. Mostly they feel that in order to keep discipline you need to behave like that because they themselves have learnt it that way. What they forget is the time itself has changed dramatically and would continue changing. If you don’t adapt to these changes you would be often caught sulking. The best way to pass on the tradition from one hand to another is to show these “girls” that there is a reason behind the way things are done and make them realize it themselves. So that they look up to you with love, admiration, respect and value it. There is no point in making them do things by force and then when you would not be there they would do things their way. Which would be quiet opposite to what you want?

I feel this is where a role of a parent comes in, when they would let their children be or do what they want and still making them understand where to draw that line. There should be so much understanding between them so that the child doesn’t even think twice on whether to share or hide. And this freedom should be extended in all relationships including friendship. It requires lot of maturity to understand this as it is not at all possible for everyone.

In the same movie when Ranbir says to "Late Shammi Kapoor" who impersonates a famous Shenai player that "classical Music is BORING". Shammi kapoor laughs without being offended. Yet, in later part of the movie he is sharing the dais with him without feeling awkward. He was honored to play with the younger counterpart. For me this was the BEST scene in the movie.

When it comes to any new generation one should simply join hands and let them be whatever they want to be and for this LOVE is the Crux. You never know their ideas and the way to deal with things would be better than yours.

I hope I can stand by it, though at times I feel it is an impossible task.