Oh, Allahabad! When shall you receive the rainfall that you deserve? My parched soul was seeking the solace of petrichor when my friend called me to inform about her engagement with the man she loves. I was not surprised as it was not something beyond my anticipation. What caught me unawares was the timing of eventuality. I am keeping the names of the protagonists of this story in wraps like those slick movie magazines that deal with people in third persons. For the matter of convenience, let me name them after the eternally ideal lovebirds who have guided generations of lovers- Simran & Raj.
My eyes glistened with happiness and heart became ‘Ferrarisque’ upon listening to this good news. The most conspicuous aspect of this union is that it is devoid of the tyranny of Babuji(imagine DDLJ). No success is comparable with the union of two people ready to intertwine for the rest of their lives, or as the Hindu rituals say for next 7 lives. Hey Simran & Raj, may Lord make it the most pleasant decision of your lives.
My ideas about love are quite shaky for a plethora of reasons. Fueled by various art forms and bondage of society, I have painted such a fictional picture which I feel will never see the light of day. Hence, I resort to the principle of vicarious pleasure to keep my sanity intact. Oh, Lord! It is so hard to live this life. The beauty of the process of social culmination of a love relationship is that what starts with a diffident rendezvous ends in assertion and assimilation of two different identities. Like nature, two persons adapt themselves to ensure happiness for each other. What a bliss! I am sure my Simran and Raj would be thinking about their first telephonic call today which might have ignited the fire of love, or about that casual glance of an eye which would have unarmed either of them. I am sure that their glory shall enlighten the lesser mortals like me about the beauty of life for aeons to follow.
We are the generation which has had a mixed upbringing. Our childhood has been old-fashioned. Adolescence was marked by advent of social transformation led by technological and economical necessities. As a result, our youth is interspersed with a multitude of paradoxes. We watch Game of Thrones with keenness but miss our summer vacations with a similar degree. We live in a zone which lies between two poles of nostalgia and future-ridden ambition. Few are lucky enough to strike balance in this complex setting of life. Those are the people who become Simran and Raj. I am quite happy that we have not fallen prey to the ‘Love Guru Syndrome’ suggested by Kishore Kumar in Padosan, else there could have been possibility of mushrooming of coaching institutes laying down the paradigm of love.
Love can and should never be emulated. In order to attain security, we are creating a homogeneous world which is utterly boring in its predictability. The most innate feeling of human psyche must be unique in its expression and ultimate manifestation. It must not bear vestiges of anything which is already existent. Never! Though similar in basics, love must be strikingly original in its detail. It is the umami which adds to the zing of life. Believe me, no one can ban this one like our dear Maggi! You two managed to keep it alive despite the distance and time. There is no one in this world who can question you today or ever. Wear it like a medal forever in your life.
Simran, you might not be able to gauge the immense magnitude of your achievement today. However, it will be reflected in every aspect of your life. Every single call for which you waited when all were asleep, every single line that you wrote during those endless chats, every single secret meeting that you planned so assiduously, every single dream that you ever had, everything is coming to fruition in full splendour. Abound with blessings of your parents, family and good wishes of friends what is about to follow shall be an idyllic existence, which despite its natural imperfections shall be more than perfect. I hope you have some dried rose petals hidden in some diary to remind you the fragrance of those days.
Raj, you must understand that whatever beautiful is there in our life, it is because of the grace of women. It all starts with the advent of life in the lap of mother and achieves its fullness in the embrace of your lover. Always cherish that sense of gratitude and love for her more than anything. A woman needs nothing but love. I am sure you will never give her a chance to become an angry Indian goddess!
Hail Allahabad! Why? This Sangam could not have been possible anywhere else. Allahabad ensures confluence of entities that ought to be together. Similarly, it separates those who ought not to be together or guides them in a direction which though momentarily heart-wrenching is beneficial eventually. Where else can love blossom to the fullest in its pristine form other than Allahabad! It was not for nothing that celebrated author Dharamvir Bharati imagined the deity of this city to be a romantic artist. Simran & Raj, when you visit this city next, try to relive the moments which you lived earlier at the same time but different places. You will be able to hear the melodies of your love which pleases us all in form of symphony today. Every thing happens for some reason. Simran and Raj, you two have got your reason of existence. Live it to the fullest! God bless you!
Small City Thinker 