Posted:
Yeh Un Dino Ki Baat Hai
I stand at the edge of the world, gazing out from my balcony I see the rushing forth fast forward frenzy of the modern global world saturated in bluntness of unnatural lights, crowds of people scrambling past in a mad dash heads buried deep in the latest gadgets of this technology obsessed world imprisoned within their fancy cars all with the urgency to get somewhere fast. Even talk itself is digitalised, via our WhatsApps, Facebooks, Skype. Empty words exchanged in brief over a screen.
I am a witness to the transfigurement of this now hollow alienated world.
Not like those days, where time was stretched out, things floating in their own space and matter, unravelling at a pace of their own, the sheer innocence and beauty of simplistic times where even the most menial things were imbued with wonderment. And where I discovered what it felt like to love someone.
There was no obvious beginning to demarcate the previous decade from the new events that seeped into one another so naturally as if they were always existing.
Except for the internal change that was happening in me.. Call it adolescent innocence, coming of age, hormonal change maybe. Alll I know is my change was delineated when he'd stepped into my town, into my life.
Chapter 1: Chewing Gum
The radio blasted out the soundtrack with the background static. It didnt deter Naina
from turning up the volume and launching into a dance. She wasn't sure why perhaps there was something about the autumnal air that incited in her this odd indescribable happiness. As if something special was about to happen, she could feel it, filling the air with sweet hope..
Gazab ka hai din socho zara, yeh deewanapan dekho zara...
Preeti shook her head and smiled at her cousin no less than a sister to one another twirling around on the street and joined in with her while the they were met with the cynical eyes of some elderly onlookers.
When the novelty of the track was wearing off mainly due to the growing distortion of the radio the girls hopped onto their cycles once more. They passed the monumental billboard paintings of bollywood giants, now showing Maine Pyar Kiya, past the video cassette stores that cropped up here and there, the sweet waft of freshly made hot savouries and sweets emanating from the modest stalls at every corner of the streets travelled to keen senses. Outdoor parlors and barbers were already bursting with business, the corrugated shops starting to slide open ready for the days trade, throngs of people wanting to make a phone call from telephone booths with queues that stretched from one end of the street to the other, the town was alive, a bustling atmosphere with modest means that glowed with energy where everyone knew everyone else.
The clang of the symbals resonated across the hall to announce the start of school as swarms of students made their way to their respective classes. As Naina walked in the class was in its pre mode chaos from the absence of the teacher who was yet to arrive. Some boys were fabricating a game of cricket using scrunched up balls of paper and rulers scoring 6s across the room to each other while some lounged on the desks making good opportunity for snacking, and a few girls were giggling over the content in their magazines.
Naina sat in her usual place next to Swati.
'Why have you got a headband?' She enquired of her bestie. Swati looked around suspiciously ducking slightly to make sure no one was watching.
'Look..check out my new hair cut'. She loosened her hair and curly styled tresses fell down to her shoulders.
'Wow Swati, step cut, it looks amazing!' She exclaimed.
'I know!!! And Deepak started to sing a song for me! Kehdo ko tum, ho meri
warna, jeena nahin mujhe hain..' She sang while making dramatic gestures to the lyrics.
'Who's Deepak?'
'Deepak yaar! The one who looks like Anil Kapoor!!! Naina you should get one too!'
Naina shrugged. What would be the use. She was a college student and her aim was clear, to get through it with flying colours. She didnt have time for haircuts and that kind of thing. Besides her family would have their say as always and she didnt want any trouble over a haircut.
'Anyways come on Swati lets not time waste, Shanti teacher will be here soon'. She said hurriedly setting about the organisation of her books.
In Vidya Praghati school the correlation between boys being better in maths than girls all came down to only one thing..Shanti teacher entered the room and all the boys immediately stopped, cheesy grins stapled to their faces. Maths had fast become a well loved subject indeed and actually managed to secure good attention from the most careless and rowdiest lot of boys including the Munna/Pandit lot.
Naina heard a fragment of the gangs hushed conversation, something to do with not minding Shanti teacher giving them a kind of 'lesson' and rolled her eyes.
The students came to collect their paper one by one as Miss Shanti called out their names.
'Kya hua? Jao.' She said to Pandit who was still standing dumb in front of his teacher clutching his paper before he left with slunken shoulders at her quick dismissal.
Naina had examined her paper a little disheartened to see she hadn't scraped higher marks even though she'd been sure of her answers. Yet on reviewing it again she found an error and highlighted it for Miss Shanti who beamed at her, impressed with her sharpness and self belief. The boys at the table gave looks of envy, more from the fact that Naina was being praised by Shanti teacher than to her receiving the top score.
Naina felt like this was occasion to celebrate. After school she set out with Chachi and Preeti to the market in view of snacking on pani puris. The girls were bedecked in their 90s finery of long flowing dresses' skirts, heavy shouldered blouses in chiffon and satin with bright colours and garish designs, for in those days even something commonplace like going to the market was a big thing.
Naina felt a whiff of the savouries being freshly fried and headed over. She was completely rapt in conversation with Preeti when she felt a gentle breeze ruffle against her hair and at the same moment brushed against a guy who was walking past her. The guy had raised his hands up in irritation at Naina whose back was now to him and who had without looking almost bumped into him, he brushed his hand across his hair watching her from behind in expectation that she may turn round to apologise, she didnt so he turned his back to her continuing his merry way. After walking a few steps forward an odd instinct compelled Naina to stop in her tracks and turn on her heel to catch a glimpse of the person she had just brushed past but only saw the back of him, his hair flying with every step he took and then he vanished from sight disappearing around a corner. Naina turned back again feeling an odd sensation of wonder as Preeti continued her chatter.
As they were heading home a boy ran up to Naina, a note in his hand. She opened it to discover the word 'Sorry' written on the gum wrapper. She followed where the boy was pointing and saw an arm waving as a taxi drove him away and looked at the wrapper again finding a sketch.
'Chewing gum?!' Naina exclaimed in horror.
Preeti looked at her and gaped
'What?..Ugh how did that get there?!'
Naina looked at Preeti wide eyed and bewildered. The only way to get that gum out was to have a haircut. Back then it was no small matter.
That evening Naina sat on her bed a worrisome look on her as she fiddled with the gum stuck to her hair braid.
'What am I to do with this troublesome gum?!'
'Its true, pyaar ka yehi nishani wont be a secret for too long' Preeti joked gesturing to her hair and echoing the story retelling on the radio.
' Are you serious? All thanks to some unknown stranger I am in such trouble.'
'No one will find out. Listen, if a pen can change a 7 to 17 then a scissors can do no less"
'Wait..you are implying I should cut off my hair??'
And she did with Preeti's help who would go onto become Ahmedabad's best hairdresser, who would have thought that her sisters flair for this hobby turned goal traced back to the humble beginnings of her own home with just a pair of scissors and Naina herself as her first customer.
The following morning Naina wore her schoolgirl headband but on insistence from her sister took it off.
'Naina meri behna, I didnt give you a haircut just so you could hide behind it. Come on, flaunt it like you mean it' barrettes off too girl.'
With reluctance Naina undid her newly cropped hair which fell out in waves and gracefully came to rest upon her shoulders. The wind whipped it back and forth into a gentle rhythm and all eyes fell on her as she walked with Preeti. Even the regular jokers in her class had to do a double take, mouths gaping wide as they stared at Naina walking by while she was met with some looks of envy and disgust from the gossipers. Preeti smiled proudly and Swati gave her a thumbs up.
'Yes Naina, Madhuri Dixit style!'
Naina felt uncomfortable doing the walk to the classroom, it wasnt her and she wanted to save her hair for something special. Today wasn't that day. But Naina just knew that something was different. Something was going to change, and it wasn't her hair that marked this feeling she had. She didnt know what it was.
comment:
p_commentcount