Part 2:
They steered themselves upward to the hidden location which Leo was excited to show Tarun. Lansdowne was all about steering and pushing up to reveal pretty panoramic views. And there as they stepped on the cliff, whiffs of air started blowing around their heads. The air waves became loftier and heavier on their ears. As if wanting them to feel and open their eyes to the view ahead.
“ Its amazing….”, Tarun looked at the lushes of green hills and slopes ahead. Dark green Cher pine trees covered the whole village. In the lush greenery, little white spots emerged into view. Houses of people erratically dotted the whole village doing little infidelity to the eyes of travellers:
“ A new sight beckons in Lansdowne. Nature. Not people”, Leo said mesmerized writing something in his diary”
“ I had written two lines about nature. Now they become complete in Lansdowne. Here it is.’
Under the magnificent skies and the tall trees
Creating a beautiful reflection in our minds.
What a wonder to lose yourself
And find yourself at the same time
Tarun ‘s phone started ringing. He saw it was his boss. Leo saw it too.
‘wait what are you doing?’, tarun shrieked.
‘I will throw it away.’
Tarun tried to manhandle his bizarre friend.
‘ It is you. Either shut down this phone or let me do it’, Leo remarked angrily.
‘I will not use it during the trip. I will keep it shut down.’ Tarun added to his sentence.
After some photography both of them went down to their bike. Tarun drove it and Leo sat behind him. Tall Oak trees stayed and left their view as they rode ahead.
‘Okay now I want to do some more photography’, Leo shrieked. Tarun seemed to agree and they parked the bike near the Durga Maa temple.
Leo walked ahead whistling and laughing. His own mindless tones Tarun thought.
Tarun heaved himself up to the twisty road and unparalleled thoughts entered his mind.
But First of all he cursed Leo for ending his call with the boss.
Everything here was beautiful. Ordinarily beautiful. The rocks which had fallen off the ledge.. the deodar trees, the flat shades of tall vegetation. Which was scarce but enough to allow sunlight to pass through them. The fallen mangos and the rustling sound in steps.
The beams of sunlight were getting scattered though ineffective in callousing the coolness and dimness of this place.
It felt home, Tarun suddenly thought. Everyday Home. Going to office, traffic, cursing, boss, calls, returning back home, sleeping. Everything flickering out and dimness settling in. Light was almost there in Tarun ‘s life.
But after what had happened.
It was but not quite there.
‘Hey you getting my poetry now right? Your lips get weird-‘
‘No surprises dude no offence’, Tarun looked behind at Leo. Leo stared at Tarun.
But before he could say anything, came the shouts of people from above.
They had reached their location-Tip and Top.
It was also known as Tiffin top. It was a small hilltop viewpoint that was located 1.5 kilometres from the city of Lansdowne. The view was complete. The entire Lansdowne landscape, the Shivalik Foothills. The Himalayas adorned the background. Tarun felt an upheaval of emotions. How could someone feel so much in such a calm place?
‘Okay so who first?
‘ You and secondly strutting’, Tarun replied.
Leo grinned.‘It won’t be awesome. But I would do it for you.’ Leo positioned himself in front of the view.
“Alia Bhatt, Malaika or you know Marilyn Monrea?”
Tarun just clicked because Leo was looking overt in all poses.
And then it was Tarun ‘s turn. He stationed himself in a wide embrace and Leo clicked cursing him.
After some photography both of them had settled near a large rock.
The upheaval returned back just as it had gone. He tried to get up but felt a tug inside… he bent down on his knees staring.
‘Ok so I am looking awfully dirty in this pict-
‘ Leo sit down’
‘ But you never sit. Is everything alright?’
‘I don’t feel good here Leo’
‘Like’, Tarun started clasping his hands. ‘LIke you know the place feels strange and welcoming at the same time. whenever I look at where you are sitting or feel the brush of your hand, I picture Rashmi. And i wanna forget all of that’
‘ Just usher in the welcoming part’, Leo said looking at the pictures they had clicked.
‘What?’, Tarun asked, confused.
Isn’t it a mystery, the human mind?
Restricting themselves to the emotions refined.
Like the birds fly, and the chakoras wait,
Welcome your feelings – wait to feel.
‘ I guess.’, Tarun said, enjoying the calmness that had settled.
‘You can’t take over my job okay? I am the poet. I’ll talk the deep you listen and mock’, Leo remarked lightly at Tarun ‘s strange behaviour.
‘But what if no one really gets what you write?’
‘What if no one gets it?, Leo repeated
‘ Maybe just maybe poetry really is esoteric’, Leo looked at Tarun.
“You understood none of my poems. A slight appreciation? No.”After some time, Leo said again ‘I think… maybe .. we have gotten used to it? And why to complain? I can though always hope.’
To search for the light that is spreading light in dark,
To hope the metaphoric crackers and diyas when there is no spark,
Why limit myself to weep and not believe,
How everything can change into a better version
Or just could be.
Leo said ‘It means to hope still’
Tarun peered at him, feeling the wait of his words.
‘Let ‘s go’, he said.
hello guys!!! Happy Navratri to everyone by the way!! Hope you enjoyed the second part of the series!!!… You can share your opinions about the second part!!…
Duo Diseminators 