Monday, December 31, 2007

Taare

I am talking about Radhika Jonty Anu and the special Malvika , these were my society kids while I was in Bombay for one year. We used to play Ring-a-Roses, Lock and key Chain, Chain Chain, and it was the first thing for which I would come back from office on time before they would head back to their homes for dinner.

They are the "cutest" reason for which I miss Bombay so much.

The bubbliest of them all, most talkative, always giggling and really cute ,Radhika, was short and would just, almost, reach my waist. Jonty was the smallest, light weight, with one front teeth missing. Anu was chubby, and golu molu, always smiling. And Malvika, she was different, with whom no one would play, because she was different than others, she walked, talked, smiled differently, and she was the dearest of them all to me.

They have made me sit and listen to their songs, see their dance which they have prepared for a society show and listen to their gossips, resolve their fights. But before all this actually began, I had to bribe them with chocolates and Gems so as not to call me "Uncle" anymore, which they used to, anytime they wanted a chocolate from me.

There have been times when I have been completely moved by their sweetness, their simplicity, the depth of their thoughts. I just loved being with them, pamper them, play with them and be the Den almost everyday in "Lock and key chain".

One day Radhika she looked at the Flat Number vs Owners Name chart in the apartment's lobby and asked :
"Which one is your flat bhaiya ?" . I replied "304" .
"But this is not your name na bhaiya?" . "Yeah Radhika I live in someone else's flat".
"Ohh to aap rent par rehte ho, fir to aap ek din chale jaoge yaha se."
(So you live in a rented flat, that means you would leave us and go somewhere else one day)

Just before leaving Bombay I brought a gift for each of them, for Radhika I got a story book and a small stuff toy key chain, which was cute looking but not as cute as her. I wrote my cell number and email address behind the story book, and she said, I know yeh computer waala address hai na, main aapko email karungi.

Jonty , as soon as he sees me, he would stand still, with his head tilted to one side and both arms raised straight in the air pointing towards me. With a sweet smile on his face, and an expression which silently asks me to pick him up in my arms, he says just one word "Bhaiyyaaa .....". I used to pick him up from right underneath his arms and move him in circles with his legs in air and me rotating with him in center.

He picked up the funkiest hotwheels car from the gifts bag, before anyone else could even lay hand on it.

Anu was a good dancer, and the chubbiest of them all. She was always smiling and pretended to be the Daadi Maa of them all, even mine. I took lots of videos of them dancing, singing, and doing crazy stuff. Anu would always take hold of my blackberry and Radhika would capture my cellphone. So one day Radhika threatened me that she would delete all their pics and videos from my cellphone, to which Anu immediately stopped her and said, "agar tum pics aur videos delete kar dogi, to bhaiya humko yaad kaise karenge."
She did not took my gift directly, but asked me to give it to her small 4 yr old cousin. She feared her mom so much, that she thought her mother would kill her for accepting the gift and actually bringing it home.

Malvika - My Real Taara. She would always complain to me "Ye log na mere saath khelte nahi hai." . And then I used to ask each one of them to treat her normally like other kids, and play with her, so it was always me and her vs others. On one Sunday, I was watching them race, and Malvika was among the last finisher every time or she would not even start sometimes. I picked her up and we defeated the all time winner Tushar by a huge margin. From that day onwards, WE never lost even a single race against them.

She asked for a kitchen set, but I could only find a barbie makeup set for her. The happiness I saw on her face, was the reason I wanted to give them all something from my side.

If you wonder why I am writing this on my blog today, suddenly, out of no where. I have just returned home after watching "Taare Zameen Par". I was absolutely quiet for many hours after watching the movie, and shed a few tears while riding back home. It has been a great emotional experience, bringing back so many good memories and times that I would like to cherish forever.

I love you kids.

Here is a video of Anu and Radhika :


25 comments:

Meenal said...

I am touched.... Trust me

Abhishek Agarwal said...

Awesome post dood...! Quite simply cos it was from ur heart... !! And being some1 who's actually seen u on a few occassions with those kids.... I can understand it all too... the joy on ur face wen u used to play with those kids too... and the joy on their faces too... Simply Beautiful :)

Ohh.... did she mail you.... ?? I hope ur gonna mail them now if u haven't ???

Romram said...

Surprised/touched to see the more humane, non-geeky side of Ravemz.

Post more frequently!

kpowerinfinity said...

Whenever I go to my uncle's place, I really enjoy with the kids there. Kids around makes you forget anything that might be worrying you :)

Very nicely written. Touching.

Unknown said...

they are really amazing ... they still miss you soo much. everytime when i or bhaiya enter the society gates and they are playing their ... we always locate the shine in their eyes ... which search for you ... as if u are playing hide and seek with them ....

its beautiful ... sahni da .. keep writing :)

Ashish Chordia said...

Masto !!

Prerana Singh said...

Overwhelmed by same emotions...which i felt after watchin the movie...Grt work GS!!

Unknown said...

Gaurav........Very well expressed and related........A Beautiful Portrayal.

Unknown said...

ITS REALLY VERY TOUCHN ND A NEVER KNW DAT U MISS UR KIDS SO MUCH(HI HI)...NYWAYZ IT WAS NICE 2 HEAR 4M U...DAT U LUV UR KIDS SO MUCH...GREAT JOB DONE..SIMPLY AWESME....!

Unknown said...

hey... very well epressed ya.. inspite of bng knowing each n every thing bout these sweet little wonders,(as u always keep updatng me).. i was sheding tears, as i was gng thru this blog.i have to go to bathroom twice to wash my face:')...
really amazng!! mmuuaah!! :-*

Unknown said...

lovely and cute :)

-Niket

Roy said...

a closet writer? sahni?
nice!

Prototyper said...

The Film make one realize that somethings much more important in life. It amazing that how every scene unlocked a different memory which was buried under a lot of crap accumulated over the span of the last half a decade starting from PreJEE. The moment we got out of the theatre. I am sure everyone was too much into their thoughts and memories to talk to each other. So was I. I'm happy that it bought this out in you.

neh said...

hey...its simply superb..direct dil se :) had jus heard it frm u, but after readin ths n seein d vdo, m truly tchd.. !!

Neha Jain said...

finding short of words to describe the touch of this post....totally awesome!!!!With every line unfolding,I could see a picture.....
These kids still ask for u and miss u a lot........

Unknown said...

Nice..

lavender tulips【ツ】 said...

Thats a really beautiful post. I had to leave a comment here 'cuz I was also incredibly touched after I saw Taare Zameen Par.
In my younger brother's best interests I also had to uproot him from a school that he'd been attending all his life & send him to hostel & to a different school, in a different country. He doesn't have a learning disablity or anything :) but the movie was so close to my heart. I absolutely love kids & definately want to go into Paediatrics...Your post comes from the heart. I hope you're still in touch with those kids. They look so cute in the video! God bless 'em!

lavender tulips【ツ】 said...

(I don't know if you'll see this on my page, so I thought I'd leave my reply here as well!)

I left a message on your 'reason, season & lifetime' note. Very true my dear :)
And as for this post, and your's too- small moments in life really do take your breath away eh? =)
Keep blogging, I don't see a recent post from you in a while.
Much love,
S N.

Unknown said...

I must admit that I have seen a side of you which I knew you have but never thought that you would show it through writing.. You wrote that blog when you were under intense emotions and it can clearly be shown from your writing.. And, as you know, any story written under full emotions never fail.. Bravo for writing a story that has touched reader's heart.. Hope to hear more from you.. Keep me up-to-date!..

Roy said...

aa jaa bombay!

Jil Jil Ramamani said...

I landed up on your blog clicking random links along the way.

Must confess, I continued reading after the first line and now I'm truly touched.

It surprises me how an experience of someone somewhere touches me this deeply. Intense indeed.

I could not see the video but I'm sure its as cute as you describe them to be.

Cheers!

Unknown said...

"Awesome".... must be those times u had wid them... each word of ur write-up reflects that...dude i envy u for that....
n abt TZP... My gosh ! that movie is just superb...can not resist watchin it everytime it comes on Television... More than d dialogue guess d expressions are somthin not be missed at all... !!

Anonymous said...
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S said...

G, you're amazing! Very few nice people are left in this world. Im so happy you're my friend. What you wrote and the video are just beautiful. Thank you O:)

best download software said...

Thanks.! for post a movie. They are the one of the best movie of the bollywood.