Of old photographs and memories…
I want those romps again
Cold noses, warm bodies and slobbering kisses
The whispering of secrets into floppy canine ears
The muddied paws, the bath fights
The panicky mayhem at the Diwali crackers
I want that sheer boyish stupidity again
the ‘masti’, the ‘paagalpan’, the ‘chutia-giri’
The carefree-ness, the college days
The scooter drives without brakes
The egging, the picnics, the practical jokes
I want those incredibly long walks again
Visits to boring museums and the Cloisters
The indomitable courage and the joie de vivre
The friendship across four generations
And so many continents
I know they say you can’t always get you want, but please, pretty please?
Damn, I didn’t mean to well up!
But I miss them still.
And I’m missing them now. Like crazy!
Dedicated to Timmy, Schnugi and Pushan – my dogs, all of whom left me before it was time
Shiroy & Cyrus – my crazy Bawa (Parsi Zoroastrians, a fun loving community in India) friends. The twenties and thirties aren’t a time to leave
Esty Epstein – a nonagenarian French Jew from NY who’d befriended my grandmum & my dad in the early 60s, continued with me in the 80s through to the 2000s, and then even met my daughter
Masti = Hindi for mischief
Paagalpan = Hindi for madness
Chutia-giri = Hindi slang for “effing around”
Egging = throwing eggs into the homes of people you don’t like. Stupid, I know, but damn funny for tipsy teenage boys
Wow K! Well done this time again 🙂 you’ve summed up all the stupidity of youth that somehow seems to make sense in that age and phase! Well I’m still just in the phase so it all sounded amazingly coherent with events of my everyday life! 😉
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And as I grow older, I mellow with the passing of time and also some exceptional souls
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Touched my heart! By the way, my post with shayeri (called cuppa coffee and some shayeri) is up on the blog! Do let me know how well your inspiration has worked for me 😉 have a nice day K!
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Yup, will do… & thanks for stopping by
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Anytime! I really enjoy reading your posts 🙂
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😊
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I loved reading this and thinking about it for myself. It reminds me of Gladys Night’s/Barbara Streisand’s “The way we were” and all the things one reflects on with old friends.
But I guess its also about the carefree days before bond repayments, school fees, days of adventure and taking risks.
Your egging reference reminds me of gangs of us climbing trees and stealing other people’s Avocado pears and running like hell when they set the dogs on us ( I had brothers you see) As you gets older you think of which age you’d like to freeze. I used to think it was 18 but now I’m happy to settle for 26 – 28 for some of those memories. But we make memories every day still. A lovely post Kunal😉
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Thanks, dear! Hugs!
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And hugs right back you my dear friend😊
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Need those at the moment, thank you
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I felt it somehow – it’s that word again – you know the one:-)
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🙂
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Oh, I love the sentiment and the energy in this piece, Kunal! You brought us back to that carefree time of life that we all remember, no matter what age we were. Thank you. You still have
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Young an carefree, yes, but the reality of loss hits hard and hurts at times
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Of course it does, Kunal. The pain of loss is as real as the memories of youthful fun. It’s all there as part of who we are. I so appreciate this post.
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Thanks, Lola!
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that fun self inside of you
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😀
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I just caught “chutiya-giri” 😉
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You Delhi-ites call it chutiyapanti, isn’t is?
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Yes! But I’m an upmarket snob, i dont use such crass lingo hahaha . I use the English equivalent true to the snobs here 😉
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TBH, much as I remember the fun times with all these guys, I’m in a rather pensive mood. Can’t help but smile when I think of them, but somewhere inside, I’m sad they’re not around any more. C’est la vie, unfortunately, the circle of life
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This is wonderful my friend. The nostalgia is catching. This is written with So so much love and affection and the Hindi words give it much charm. Your words really do give across a time of carefree days, freedom and joy of living. So very well penned and a great read first thing in the morning! Thank you! Truly inspirational! 🙂
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Thanks, as always, Krys! Have a lovely day!
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You too will try and catch up with posts as and when able! Off to a Sufi retreat tomorrow till Sunday… Food for the soul the theme is Baraka, heart magnetism! Camping again phew! Need to get all packed up again having just returned from previous but just wanted to say I’m still here, not disappeared! You have a good week end when it comes my friend… You’ve got me thinking Nostalgia myself today… Childhood days, first love… Aaaaaah! 🙂
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You have a full weekend ahead of you. Well, enjoy! And do come back rejuvenated!
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Thank you for your time and patience… You too! I’ve missed immersing myself on here… :(. 🙂 !!
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Very touching! Reminded me of Ronnie my sweetypie, Binder & Bagga who left us very early.
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Thanks, Dhiraj!
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Pleasure Kunal 😊
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The second stanza steals the show, at least for me 🙂
Like you, I also miss all that pagal-pan and masti. Chutia-giri is a new word for me. We don’t use this here.
Tafreeh is more common!
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It’s actually street slang and a bad word! 🙂
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Yeah, I know 😉
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…but it’s also used to describe an idiot, as in “kya, tu ch______ hai kya?”
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Bilkul, giri wala hissa chor kar 1st part idhr bohat use hota ha aur ussi maqsad sy 😀
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Excellent nostalgia piece.
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Thank you, sir!
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My pleasure☺
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This is lovely, made me misty-eyed too 🙂
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Thanks, Stella!
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Most welcome 🙂
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Really sweet, K! And I appreciate the language briefing!! Also impressed how the three subjects blended so nicely into one. 🙂
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Thanks, Em, appreciate the visit! Could coach you on a few of the choicest Hindi words, but that wouldn’t gel too well with your Sanskrit! 🙂
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Hehe, I wouldn’t really know if they mix or not, for I am just a beginner. But, it may come in handy if I ever get myself to your part of the world! 🙂
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I can tell you, they’ll be more useful than Sanskrit! The latter isn’t used much at all in day to day life, as I’m sure you know
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Yes, I’m sure of that! I use it to teach Yoga, however, so it applies to my daily life! 🙂
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Oh dear… This reads so up close and personal, so true… Your words moved me. I hope you had a restful night and feel refreshed. You’re a beautiful heart!!!
Hugs to you!
Dajena ☺️
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Thank you, Dajena, I’m touched by your comment. It means much to me.
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You are always welcome dear friend. 😊
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🙂
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A lovely slice of nostalgia: sad but tinged with joyful memories.
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Thank you, Chris!
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Oh what a joyful post! In the words of the incomprehensible Murakami, “Memories warm you up from the inside, but they also tear you apart.” A heart warming first verse, I could feel the sense of loss all too well.
I do too miss the good old days when like was simple and sorted. But on the brighter side, nothing can stop us from doing chutiyapanti in the future, which is quite a relief. A wonderful post, as always! 🙂
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Thanks, T! Shit, I’m missing them again, ya! 😦
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Oh, I would have told you to get another one but I guess no other dog can replace them. And it’s too much pain to go through all over again. Kidnap your friends’ dogs 😁😀
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I couldn’t resist commenting. Well written!
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Thank you!👍😊
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