Insights & Instincts

Well, it's harmless to write a love letter for a friend, so that he can give it to his girlfriend on their anniversary. Right? And since I really liked what I wrote, I am sharing it on my blog here.  I never thought I could be romantic someday. Romance in the literary world does not necessarily mean affection towards the opposite or the same sex in a lovey-dovey manner. It could be about anyone from your mother to your sister and from the girl living next door to your favourite class teacher. So the point here I am making is that love does not necessarily be like Nicholas Sparks writes where the protagonist goes through all sorts of adventures like staring the girl and almost scrutinizing her or sometimes stalking her to know the smallest detail about her life such as what she likes and what she doesn’t just to impress her with the fact that he knows stuff about her more than anyone else she could think of ; which in the end of the day, would  sweep  her off her...

We all have friends. Some have some. I have many. And by many friends, I literally mean many many friends. I can even make a list of top ten best friends in my life. But when it comes to naming the one, I never talk straight. I have tried more than a few times to write about this friend of mine but never came through writing anything more than 'I love you and you're the best person I've met in my life' . Why is it that only when a person is not around us, we fathom what impact they had on our lives. I guess somewhere we know. We just never express it because they're our best friends. They already know. She was in the same class . We spent a whole year as acquaintances. She knew my name is Vedang and I knew hers. I knew she went to the US and she knew I went to Japan. That's all. Who would have thought we could have such a beautiful friendship and kizuna between us? So back when we started hanging out, we hardly knew each other. And now there is almo...

To view the first chapter of the story, click here To view the second chapter, click here This chapter is the last one of the fiction story, 'And there she was...'' Thank you all for reading!  The phone kept ringing. Unknown number. I never pick up calls from unknown numbers as 9 out of 10 times they are from some freaking bank desperately wanting me to avail their free credit card offer or it’s from Vodafone. It kept on ringing. But the third time it rang, I picked it up supposing Vodafone or any bank cannot be so desperate. I was wrong. It was from a bank! ‘’Fuck you for waking me up in the middle of my afternoon nap!!’’, I said and hung up. Not sure what to do now, I switched on my PC and started working on that Presentation on Indo-China relations. And the phone rang again; kept on ringing, for a fewer than fifteen minutes. ‘’I wouldn't pick it up this time, I know you’re just those ‘Sir we are offering you a free credit card’ jerks!!’’, I s...

(Part 2) This chapter has been written by my friend Drashti Wani. Thank you so much Drashti for this. I had no idea this can be lead somewhere. Now I'm working to the third and the final installment. to view the first chapter click here. “I am sorry I am late”, she busted out, for a moment made all those people in the cafe look at her with bizarre expression. I was reading a beautiful article about Mr. Sachin Tendulkar, which someone had shared on my Whatsaap. All throughout my life, I have been a die hard Sachin Fan.   I looked up. She was standing right there in front of me, somehow managing to assemble the tons of shopping bag she carried with her. It was our third meet, in the same Santosh cafe.  We were supposed to meet at 5:00 pm, but as I looked at my watch it was almost six. “You are loud” I said, trying to escape the embarrassment. She gave me a tough gesture of how stupid it was of me to not stand up and help her with her bags. I was about to stand u...

The railway station was bustling as usual. Coolies in their everyday red shirt and white bottoms, gathered around me offering or literally begging to help me lift the thirty pound bag pack I was carrying. I carried heavy bags all around Japan just like that! Strong shoulders I have, I thought, turning all of them down, flaunting my imaginary biceps. As soon as the train arrived, people started running here and there lifting their bags and suitcases, pushing me over as if it was the last train available and they’d die if they don’t catch it! Huh! I always have and will keep hating the sun. Okay so what it gives us life? It also ensures to take it away by harassing us with the 40 degree Celsius temperature; which is why I prefer travelling in the early mornings if using public transport. But I am not the only smart guy in the world who fancies travelling in mornings. There are other people.  Too many people. The train was packed. Like a subway sandwich; veggies almost ...

It was back two years ago when I started to apply for KL-YES program i.e Kennedy Lugar Youth Exchange and Study, which offered a scholarship to spend a year in the United States. It was mainly targeted to inter-cultural learning and exchanging one’s ideas and views with fellow exchange students arriving from Pakistan, Germany, Japan, Istanbul, England, Russia ; so far and so not. I had made up my mind, filled the application form ‘neat and clean’ and in great handwriting, which is by the way against my habit. However, one thing was missing in it. It was my parents’ signature resembling their willingness and approval. I was waiting for them to have the best possible mood and then I would approach them, explain, and get a big YES! Nevertheless, that didn’t happen.                                      ...

I see myself today in the mirror, and I see a bright future. It is filled with happiness. I see myself today in the mirror and I see that I'm travelling. Across the world, I'm learning. I wish to eat on Indian streets, Socialize and get to know the Pakistanis, Sleep on a beach in Spain, and feel on my cheeks, Mumbai's rain. I wish there were no wars, and we lived in a world that is ONE where love, friendship; triumphed; always. And then my final wish will be, that all of us, wish the same.  I again see myself in the mirror, and I see that I am smiling.