LEHERIKA AND THE SAND CASTLES

Once upon a time long time ago when the earth was more greener and the seas more blue, there was a kingdom under the sea called Samnagar, ruled over by a mighty and just king Samnaresh. He lived in a palace of brilliant corals and shiny pearls with his daughter Leherika. Leherika was as beautiful as she was intelligent. The people of Samnagar lived in houses made of large shells and decorated it with sea weeds and colourful stones.

Every morning the king would go around his kingdom in a golden chariot pulled by eight mighty sea horses with glistening scales and colourful fins, showering gifts on his people. As he would pass by, people would bow their heads low in respect as they loved their benevolent king. Then he would ride his chariot and travel long distances. Everyday in the evening all his people would gather in the palace courtyard and he would regale hem with tales of the sights and sounds that he saw on his trips. He would tell them about humans who lived outside water, lived in sand castles and moved in huge vessels they called 'Ships' and everyone would listen to him with wide-eyed wonder.

Then one day on one such trip Samnaresh took his minister along with him. Of all the wonderful things he saw the minister liked the sand castles the humans lived in. That night after the king's assembly, people all gathered around the minister, to know more. Elated by all the attention he was getting the minister started telling them about all he saw. "And looking over the sea was a huge castle, with colourful flags fluttering in the winds and glittering in the morning sun. It could be seen from miles away, standing tall and strong" he said waving his hands around him. "Was it really made of sand?" a young girl asked in disbelief. "Yes indeed" he said " big and strong, unlike our houses of soft corals and brittle shells" he added. "They are not blown away by wind or swept away by water" he bragged. That day everyone went to sleep dreaming about houses made of sand.

As the days passed by people heard more and more about the beautiful sand castles on land. Now they all now wanted to live in sand houses as well. Soon everyone broke their beautiful coral and shell homes and started making sand houses instead. But, alas! Everytime they built sand houses, the wet sand would be swept away by the water. Again and again they tried to build their sand houses, but again and again the wet sand got swept away. Now the people were really sad, they no longer had any homes to live in. Looking at the sad faces of his people made the king very sad. So one day be went to the Sea God seeking his help. "I am sorry" said the Sea God in a voice as soft as the gentle lapping of the sea waves," there is nothing i can do about it. Why don't you seek the help of the Land God. He might be able to offer a solution to your problem" he said kindly.

That night the king sat at the royal window looking out at his kingdom. People no longer sang and danced. They no longer laugher or made merry as they had no houses to live in. Seeing her father looking so unhappy Leherika said, " Father you need to be with your people. Let me go and speak to the Land God on your behalf and get help".

So, the next day Leherika rode on her father's chariot and went to meet the Land God. Reaching his castle she rang the huge bell that hung at the gate. Soon palace guards took her to the Land God. On seeing him Leherika bowed low three times and gave him precious gifts she had got for him - precious stones, colourful corals and pearls of all shapes and hues. Pleased by her genteel manner and generosity the Land God offered her a silk cushion to sit on and said kindly," what is it my dear sea princess that i can help you with?". Leherika told him about how her people had broken down their homes to make sand houses like on land, how it kept getting swept away by the water and how unhappy they were. As she ended talking two tear drops ran down her face and fell on the ground where they lay glistening like diamonds.

Touched by the princess' love for her people the Land God said, " Dear princess be sad no more! I shall help your people. My own children shall make strong sand houses for your people, dried by the wind and the sun. But you must take them to your people yourself as they can't breathe under water". Clapping her hands happily, Leherika bowed low three times, " Thank you Land God. For their efforts your children will always be rewarded by us" she said gratefully.

Since then little children make sand castles on beaches and Leherika comes along with her waves and takes them to her people, leaving behind colourful shells, stones and beautiful weeds for her little helpers.

Friends.............

Saturday...........met up with old college friends.............and had a groovy time!!! it was like being back to college........the days when we would chill out in the canteen (our gang used to be the noisiest lot!!! i'm sure they still recall the loud singing, keeping time on the table!!!), when dull wintry days saw us sunning on the terrace of the building chatting nineteen to dozen........looking forward to the jam sessions in college festivals..........pooling in to go and catch a movie............walking long stretches to the bus-stop, incessant chatter that made little of the long distance...........GOOD OLD DAYS!!!

One of my favourite episode is, of all things, my best friend and i trying to cheat during a class test.!!! It was with great excitement that we took the book and sat in the last bench.........till the teacher called me to sit right out there in the front table (coz as it dawned later, it was quite evident on my face that we were up to something!!!)...........being the martyr that i am, i left the book with my friend and gave the test (and ironical as it may sound i did score the highest in that test!!!)..................Well as it were, after the test i asked her as to how it went tho i was sure that it must have gone brilliantly, coz after all she had the book..............."बाक़ी सब तो ठीक है" she had said looking mighty confused........"मगर वोह question कौन से page पे था यह नहीं पता चला!!!"............bad as she was at cheating............she has done really well for herself and now actually teaches the new batches at our college!!!

Every time our gang gets together, we generally drive down to our college..........since we usually meet up on weekends, the grounds are always deserted..............after a lot of begging and cajoling the guard lets us in.........for a brief period of 20 minutes..........And for those few precious minutes we are transported back to the golden days when life was more carefree...........unlike now when most of us get sucked into the quagmire of chasing goals in our personal and professional lives .........

As one journeys thru life, one meets a lot of people who become an integral part of our life and the people that we become..........but these friends, which we make in school or college are irreplaceable...............friends who pick up the threads where you left them 5, 10 or even 20 years ago....................friends who know you inside out and with whom you can be your real self (the only people who would not look at you in contempt when you lick the chocolate off the wrapper!!) they will never judge you and will never think twice before pointing out your mistakes................friends who take you back in time, engulfing you in sweet nostalgia............friends who really make your life worth living..........

Like everyone's all time favourite song goes........पुरानी जीन्स और guitar........बस यादें यादें यादें रह जाती है, कुछ छोटी छोटी बातें रह जाती हैं............बस यादें...........

So attend all those alumni meets, catch up with friends when they are in town or when you visit theirs, keep in touch with those whom you really hold close............because they will keep you in touch with the real you, keep you grounded and not get swept away with the tides of time, and remind you that no matter what you have or haven't achieved.............you will always have a special place in their hearts that can never be filled by anyone else...........because relationships is what life is all about..............because friendship is like a violin; the music may stop now and then, but the strings will last forever............and i believe in my hearts of hearts that its true.........

For a change...................!!!!

अब आप पूछेंगे के इतने समय के बाद मैं क्यों अपने ब्लोग का टेम्पलेट बदल रही हूँ....just for a change........

so much has happened..........and i have waged a battle and recovered...................though the process has been gradual..........with lots of support from a man who is my biggest strength and my greatest weakness.........who made me think more positively and look ahead with more hope and happiness..........coz, as he often says, life must go on............and that there is more good waiting to happen.........

..................so this change is dedicated to you............to my partner and my best friend coz u truly are my better half!