HongKong and Macau

It's bad manners to keep a vacation waiting. And for a long time I'd behaved badly. So this summer I decided to spend some time with family, break the monotony of daily mundane activities and explore some beauties on our lovely planet Earth. Choosing the destination was not difficult. When the whole world is today looking towards Asia, specially China, we too decided to follow the trend. A little away from the mainland, we shifted our pivot towards the famous islands of the South China Sea- Macau and Hong Kong.

We took a flight to Hong Kong, from the Indira Gandhi International Air terminal, New Delhi. Duration of the flight was 5 and a half hours. We had to advance our watches by 2 and a half hours. Ferry is a common mode of travel in these island states. Hong Kong airport has an attached ferry terminal, called the Skypier. From the Hong Kong airport we took a direct ferry to the Taipa ferry terminal (Macau). Many times in India I took ferry rides. Ah, those rickety boats overloaded with people, goods to sell on the other side, cattle, vehicles and what not. I thought we would travel to Macau in a similar fashion when I read the word "ferry" in my ticket. But, to my surprise, a beautiful air-conditioned small ship was awaiting us. I thought what's the word for "cruise" in this part of the world?

Once in Macau, we took the Shuttle bus to Sands Cotai Central, where our hotel, Holiday Inn was located. Originally, Macau consisted of three main islands- the Macau peninsula(connected to the Guangzhou province of China by an isthmus), Taipa and Coloane.

But, the entire water body between Taipa and Coloane has been land filled or land "reclaimed" and the region is today called Cotai. It's here that the casinos of Macau, the glittery shopping complexes and sky-kissing hotels are mainly located. This is what it looks like today-

The small strip of land on the right hand side of  Cotai is the air strip of Macau; built through land filling. Yeah, it's called development, not destruction! Again, the southern islands are connected to the Macau peninsula via three huge bridges called the Friendship Bridge, Macau-Taipa Bridge and Sai Van Bridge. The white bridges are a treat to the eyes. 

So, coming back to my travelogue, we stayed at Cotai. All hotels here have casinos in their ground floors. The Venetian, the largest casino in Asia was just across the street from the hotel where we were put up. One can find adults from all age groups in the casinos. A lady, stooped by her old age, wearing a short skirt and a fashionable top, caught my attention! She must have been older than my granny, who was back in India and kept mostly to her bedroom. And, here was this old lady gambling in a casino. I had a culture shock for a moment.

Fashion seemed to be a top priority for everyone in Macau. Armani, Versace, Dior, Chanel...you name it and you find people flaunting it. Let me tell you that Macau has one of the highest per capita incomes in Asia and also high Human Development Index. So, a lot of rich people spending away their monies in the casinos and the high-end shopping malls.

Apart from the casinos, the Fisherman's Wharf, A-Ma temple and Ruins of St. Paul are worth visiting places in Macau. If you are travelling with kids, then do have breakfast buffet at the Kung-Fu restuarant at Sands Cotai Central. It has a Madagascar and Kung-Fu Panda themed show which is quite amusing.

A peculiar thing that caught my attention in Macau was that everyone at the hotel reception, information desks, ferry terminal etc were standing. When I asked the girl at the information desk, she sweetly replied that if they sit they cannot attend their guests well. Service to their guests is their main priority. Whoa!! Standing for 6 hours in those formal clothes and high heels and maintaining a beautiful smile! Where are the human rights and labour rights activists??  

Also, till 1999, Macau was a Portuguese colony, after which it got the status of Special Administrative Region of People's Republic of China. So one can find a lot of people with Portuguese origin and names in Macau. 

After two days in Macau, we took the ferry to Hong Kong. In the ferry itself we had to fill in the immigration slips. From the ferry terminal, the travel agency cab took us to the hotel- The Regal Oriental. The cab driver, Jimmy, was speaking fluent Hindi and looked Indian in colour and style. In the 20 minutes ride, he gave us brief overview of do's and don'ts in Hong Kong. While getting down I asked him, "Bhaiya aap India me kaha se ho?", to which he replied, "main Pakistan se hu". 

We reached our hotel at around 5:30 pm (hong kong time). Our hotel was located in the Kowloon city. If we consider the NCR region of India, I would call Kowloon the old Delhi part. But, unlike Purani Dilli, traffic was smooth though the streets were narrow.

Fyi, most of the water bodies that you see in the map, between Kowloon, Hong Kong island and Lantau island has been land filled. The process is still underway, burying more oceans under the burden of sands, mortar and cement. The Hong Kong island is the main financial centre and administrative block of the city. The Lantau island is like a pensioners' paradise with beautiful buildings and green hills in the backdrop. The airport too is located in the Lantau island. 

On day 1 in Hong Kong we took a city tour, wherein we took the heritage tram to the Victoria peak- highest point in Hong Kong. The tram we took was the first tram in Hong Kong, built by the British, 108 years ago. Actually, Hong Kong was a British territory till 1997, after which it became a Special Administrative Region of PRC (same status as Macau). 

Coming back, we visited the Golden Bauhinia, Aberdeen fishing village, Stanley market and took an open-top bus across the city. High rise buildings in the Hong Kong island, cobbled streets near Aberdeen and Victoria Peak, beautiful street shops selling variety of dried sea-foods are a treat to the eyes. On the flip side, the sight of old people doing menial labour will sadden you. 

The Hong Kong legislative council elections of 2016 were held on 4th September. It was the same day that we went for the city tour. A common sight that day was hordes of old people, in buses and popular dimsum joints. Our tour guide explained that the political parties have arranged for the old people in the outskirts to come and vote(for them). Rings a bell, doesn't it?

The next day we had an amazing time at the Ocean Park. Unfortunately, the cable car was closed that day for maintenance. But, it was awesome watching the Panda, which was busy eating the bamboos and a glimpse of the ocean organisms at the Grand Aquarium. Sea horse, Leafy dragon sea horse, sea cucumbers, star fishes, spider crabs, whip ray fish, sting ray fish and a variety of sharks will definitely keep you glued to the aquarium glass. Oh, don't miss the view of the Toucan at the rain forest section of the park!! What a spectacular beak it has! Also, the various hair-raising, thrilling fun rides at the park are worth trying. 

In the evening, we visited the Temple Street night market. It starts at 6:30 pm and continues till dusk. As the night advances, the market becomes more and and lively. The shopaholics in mom and me bargained like crazy and got very good deals. Popular items in the market- electronics, clothing, cutlery, jewellery, paper cut items, hand bags and variety of souvenirs.

The next day we took the Lantau Island tour. we took the cable car from Lantau island to the Ngong Ping village. The ride was one of the most fascinating ones in my life! It was a half an hour ride, across four hills. You get a view of the Hong Kong airport, the South China Sea waters, small islands and of course, the misty hills. After crossing four hills, we saw the silhouette of a Giant Buddha statue! I was awestruck at this sight. Here are some of the snaps I took from the cable car...

The Enlightened One (literally)!

In the last picture, you can get a glimpse of the Po Lin Monastery. Beautiful, isn't it? So basically Ngong Ping is a small Buddhist village in the Lantau island. The tourism infrastructure is wonderfully developed, making this small heritage village, tucked away somewhere in the cloudy hills, a major tourist attraction! The clean air, serene greenery and the howling sound of the winds was intoxicating. 

Once in Ngong Ping, we took the paved road to the Tian Tan Buddha statue. On both sides of the road, there were statues of 12 guards, each representing one of the 12 chinese zodiac signs. They had Indian mythological names like Indra, Vajra, Kinnara etc. At the end of the road, there is a flight of 268 stairs, leading to the Giant Buddha. The Buddha is surrounded by 6 Boddhistavas. I could only identify Padmapani Boddhistava.

After that, we visited the Po Lin monastery. The main hall has 10,000 small Buddha statues and 5 giant dhyani Buddhas. Photography is not allowed in the main hall. The vegetarian restuarant inside the monastery serves yummy food. We spent around 4 hours in the village, strolling carelessly across the narrow roads. It's spectacular!

Coming back to Kowloon, we visited the Ladies Market in the evening and the Temple Street market at night. Quite a lot of shopping we did, even though Hong Kong is not much of a shoppers' paradise. After all that's the sign of a true shopoholic, isn't it?

We skipped the Disneyland tour. But it would be recommended for those with kids.

Ah! Coming to the food, both Macau and Hong Kong can be paradise for those who want to try different types of foods. Vegetarians beware! My parents had a hard time too as they don't like experimenting much with food. Anyways, midway through the trip, I started having cravings for chawal-daal and maggi. Luckily, we found Indian restuarants at both ladies market and Temple Street market! And to my surprise, they were packed with foreigners!! They were repeating their orders- Beer, samosa, pakode and tandoori chicken. Wow!! 

Overall, it was a nice trip- quite relaxing, learnt about different Asian cultures and spent some quality time with family. In Macau, the people are friendly, willing to help and language not much of a problem. In Hong Kong, unfortunately, I found the people quite rude and ethnocentric. And make sure you learn some basic Cantonese words before stepping in Hong Kong. We had a hard time on the streets of Hong Kong due to language. Another turn-off was the duty free section of the Hong Kong airport. They have very less variety- chocolates, perfumes, wrist-watches, alcohol. That's it. I was expecting more here.

On 7th of September, we flew back to India. Not that I missed India much, but the moment I saw the the land from the flight, a sudden euphoria overtook me. After all, home is where the heart is. Yet, the hangover of the vacation is still not over. Nevertheless, it's time to get back to the daily routine till I plan my next trip. 

  

Trust

Over the skies, in a late blue night
The stars sparkled and the moon shined bright.

Meera was fast asleep, lost in a beautiful dream
Her lips curved, a serene smile crossed her face;
As she dreamt of Krishna- her beloved.

Like a quake shakes the Earth,
Meera suddenly shivered and quivered,
Of fright, pain and awe.
"Did she sense something dreadful?'- wondered the stars above.

In a far, far land
Krishna was lost in the beauty of Maya.
Breaking the sacred vows,
He addressed her as his love, his soul.

In the late blue night
Under the sparkling stars and shining moon,
He took her as his wife!
The holy fire stood witness-
To love, or to infidelity?
Was the bigger question.

Dark clouds hovered the sky above.
At the sound of thunder, a trembling Meera
Woke up with a start.
Sitting in her bed, sweating with fright
She contemplated a future,
Darker than the clouds above.

Just then, a hand ran down her long black hair.
She startled at the sound of a soothing voice;
"What's the matter, my love?", asked Krishna
Sitting next to her, holding her in his arms.
"Oh, just a bad dream", sighed Meera.

As they lay down together, she burnt with guilt
For having doubted Krishna's flawless love.
The lack of trust, she thought
Will eat away their love
Like black clouds, it will darken their future.

But, Meera resolved
Not to water the seeds of doubt;
To trust her love, to fight away the dark clouds.
She planted a kiss on his lips
And fell asleep in his arms
Just as her lips curved, and a serene smile
Crossed her face.

Pollution and Indian cities

India is a welfare state and protection of environment is a panacea for welfare of human life. The Indian Constitution under the Directive Principles of State Policy and the Fundamental Duties makes it the duty of the Indian state and its citizens to protect the environment. But, unplanned urbanization and alarming rates of pollution is causing environmental degradation, affecting well-being and hampering sustainable development.

The levels of suspended air particulate matter (PM-10 and PM-2.5) recorded in Indian metropolitan cities, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in major river systems of India and noise levels in Indian cities have often exceeded the global safe limits. The 2014 report of Ambient Air Pollution database by World Health Organization (WHO) has ranked Delhi as the second most polluted city in the world. In Delhi, PM2.5 concentration is 153 micrograms and PM10 concentration is 286 micrograms, much more than WHO’s permissible limits.

High population, lax government regulations, dependence on fossil fuels, unscientific waste management, poor public transport infrastructure, climate change and unsustainable lifestyle of India’s urban population are largely responsible for such dangerous pollution levels in Indian cities. As urbanization progresses, population density in urban agglomerates, specially in the metropolitan cities have increased exponentially. This has resulted into indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources, specially freshwater resources. Release of untreated industrial effluents and vehicular emissions above permissible limits continue due to poor government regulations and misgovernance.

According to the new industrial policy, 2010, thermal power will constitute 60% of India’s energy share for next two decades. This is bound to increase levels of SPM and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen in air. Incineration and landfill are two most common waste management techniques. They cause air pollution due to the release of dioxins and water/soil pollution due to leachate. Public transport has improved in Indian cities but use of Compressed Natural Gas is still low. Moreover, public transport connectivity in city outskirts is poor, forcing people to continue using private transport.

Climate change and pollution have a more cyclic relation. Increasing air pollution levels have transformed India’s metropolitan cities into heat islands. Increasing dust storms and fog covers in North India has accentuated the SPM and toxic gas levels in the air.

Lifestyle patterns of the urban populace, specially the middle class has largely failed to imbibe “green” and healthy habits. Waste recycle/reuse, segregation of waste and judicious use of resources are still not followed by many. Consumerism, on the other hand, is on the rise.

The impact of pollution is very dangerous because it can hamper inclusive growth and thereby economic growth. As the air, water and soil gets polluted, the poor people will face the maximum resource crunch. The rich can afford clean air and clean water but the poor cannot. Thus, increasing pollution can lead to increasing poverty levels. Expansion of slums and the poor living conditions therein is a case in point. Incidence of diseases like lung cancer, respiratory diseases and water-borne diseases have increased. This has increased the out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare by Indian households. As per reports, increasing pollution can reduce life expectancy by 3 years. This can be a major threat to the demographic dividend that India may enjoy in near future. The WHO report that ranked Delhi as the second most polluted city globally has also hampered the tourism industry. India also lost the bid for hosting the 2014 Asian Games due to the same reason.

Acknowledging the seriousness of the issue, Indian government has taken certain steps. At the Copenhagen Climate Change Summit, 2009, India committed to reduce its emissions per unit of GDP 20 to 25% below 2005 levels by 2020. For this, India is focusing on increasing fuel efficiency (by implementing Bharat Stage norms), adopting green buiding codes(the GRIHA rating), increasing forest cover and increasing the share of energy derived from wind, solar and small hydro power plants from current 8% to 20% by 2020.

In 2014, the Indian government adopted the vision of building 100 smart cities in India. To make these cities inclusive, healthy and attractive, pollution control will be one of the first issues that the government should tackle. While dependence on thermal energy for generating electricity will be difficult to reduce, clean technologies can be adopted to reduce emissions. The India-Japan agreement on clean coal technology transfer is a good step in this direction. High tax rates on sports cars is another good effort by the government.

State governments will have a huge role to play in pollution control. Maintenance of water resources and health are subjects under the state list. Also, swift implementation of pollution control measures and regulations will depend on political and bureaucratic will at the state level. The pollution levels in South Indian cities is much lesser compared to North Indian cities mainly due to efforts of state governments in developing renewable energy resources, better city planning and strict implementation sewage treatment rules.

Scientific urban planning with special focus on solid waste management, public transport infrastructure and slum rehabilitation will have to be sped up if pollution levels of Indian cities are to be reduced. Increase in number of buses, better public transport coverage in city outskirts, use of CNG and speedy clearing of wastes to avoid the burning of garbage dumps are some quick steps that the government can adopt. The support of civil society will also be crucial specially in bringing about behavioural and lifestyle changes among the urban population and create the demand for green and cleaner technologies.

Sincere and holistic efforts to reduce pollution levels in Indian cities will surely reap benefits. In future, it will result in urban spaces that are sustainable and healthy. It will surely bring economic benefits and help in achieving the goal of inclusive growth. In perspective, it can help India achieve its rightful place of “Jagat-Guru” in the world.

Who Are You?

Who are you?
I wonder at times.
A magician, I guess;
You carry no wand,
Magical are your words though;
That transform my worries
Into peaceful smiles,
And, magical you make my whole life!

I wonder at times;
If I were a rainbow,
Would you be my colours?
For my existence
Is meaningless without you.
If I were a flower
Would you be a butterfly?
And together shall we dance
In our garden of Life!

Or are you just a lover?
A passionate one.
A romantic one.
A caring one,
Who would love me always;
Walk with me,
In every walk of life;
Hold my hand till eternity
And promise to be mine, forever!
Who are you?
I wonder at times.

Breathing...

"life will be a roller-coaster ride"
My elders always advised.
To rise with the tide
And fall with the ebb
And, ah! Just enjoy the ride.

But, when the tides are too high
And the ebb not too low
The body drowns
In the ocean of life!
While breathing under water
Do we still enjoy the ride?

When all doors are closed
And there's no way out.
When the waves are too strong,
And the body too frail

Life seems out of control.
But, little do we realize–

It’s only we, who have full control.

A matter of making a decision, it is

Hard, not impossible it is.
To search the keys of locked doors
Or to maintain status-quo?
To search a new way out
Or to give up in despair?

To let the body drown,

Or, to fight against the waves?

Submit to the antagonistic forces,

Or, Struggle out of the water?

And continue breathing... 

India shining??

On the eve of India's 65th independence, Indians across the country and abroad were absorbed into a festive mood to celebrate the essence of independence and commemorate the sacrifice of our freedom fighters for our motherland. It is a day that comes along with a lot of pride and joy for every Indian.

Today, when I breathe in this free nation- the sovereign, secular, democratic republic of India, on one hand my head is held high with pride, for this country that served 200 years of slavery, today is one of the world's largest and fastest growing economy; Chandrayan, White Revolution, Kalpana Chawla, two times cricket world champion are just a few examples of India's success in various fields.

While on the other hand, I stoop down with shame when I realize that deep down, behind that astonishing success story, lies India's ugly truth-"CORRUPTION". Our Government is scarred with innumerable scams-2G scam, CWG, Swiss bank accounts, Bofors, Adarsh apartments and in addition to it, the mockery of the Jan Lokpal Bill has further deteriorated the prestige of our Govt. Our politicians, be it the ruling party or the opposition, are just playing the game of power and the blame game among themselves.

On this note, I would like to ask myself- are only the politicians of this country corrupt? Is the common man of India who claims to be a responsible citizen of the nation utterly honest and not corrupt? On 15th August, 2011 a very disturbing incident took place that has indeed forced me to ask myself this question- Will India ever shine??

I was travelling by bus on my usual route which charges me  Rs.15/-. I was taken aback when the conductor issued me a Rs.25/- ticket. I, very politely told him that there has been a mistake and that he should give me a Rs.15/- ticket. I tried convincing him but instead he gave me a piece of his mind. Not wanting to create a scene in public, I quietly handed over to him the money. Frankly speaking, I was very disturbed. It's not the question of monetory loss or gain. It's the question of truth and the violation of my fundamental rights. Probably, if I had taken the issue to the transport corporation, that particular bus conductor could have lost his job.

I'm sure that many others like me, have gone through similar situations. The auto-rickshaw meters are almost always tampered and the travellers end up paying more than the actual cost. Whenever such a thing happens, if we contact the traffic police then and there, maybe the auto-rickshaw driver will get thrashed and we pay just how much is required. But, we refrain from doing so.

Over the years, the middle class population of this country has developed an "arre chalta hai" kind of attitude. This is nothing but our support for corruption. The whole system of this country is so much politically manipulated and power driven, that we have been, infact forced to develop such a carefree attitude, which in turn supports corruption. So this becomes a vicious cycle, the outcome of which we all know quite well.

In order to break this, any one phase of the cycle has to change. Expecting the people at power to change is as unreasonable as expecting the Sun to rise from west. But, the later is quite possible, i.e. the common lot of this nation will have to come out of their carefree attitude and become more responsive towards the Govt, its policies and their implementation and raise voice against any form of corruption. 

This is not an easy task. But, we all know that Rome was not built in one day. We have already taken our first step towards it: Anna Hazare's protest and the nationwide support for his protest is a clear indication that the common man shall no longer tolerate corruption in silence.

On this note, I remember the popular dialogue from the hit movie "Rang De Basanti": Koi v desh perfect nahi hota hai, usse perfect banana padta hai...

Years ago, our patriotic heros made an attempt to build a perfect nation. But, in the course of time their attempts have failed innumerable times. Now, its our time to rebuild this nation and make it perfect. I can't help but imagine a day when the entire country will get together and fight against corruption. The recent happenings give me a feeling that with every passing moment, this day is drawing closer and closer. Then, a feeble voice from deep within my heart tells: "India will shine!!"

Campus to Corporate...

Four years down the line, I came to Bangalore as a teenager from a small-town- confused, anxious about the future, grief-stricken to be parted from home but at the same time thrilled to be a part of the hustle and bustle of the big city. I immediately got accustomed to the college life. I was care-free and "pseudo" independant (pseudo because I was still financially dependant on my parents ;);)). I was in my la-la land; obviously as we all know- ignorance is bliss and so I was blissfull. I was innocent, candid and believed that the world is no less than a fairyland. My friends became my family!!

1st year of college: fun-filled, exciting, in a nutshell- WOW!!

Then came 2nd and 3rd year. I got exposed to the harsh realities of life; got to know a lot about human nature and instincts. The world was no longer a fairyland and friends were not even close to family. Sometimes I laughed at my stupidity and sometimes I cried. Still I tried my best not to lose my focus from my studies and career. I absorbed everything as if it was all just a part of my learning process.

4th year was like a roller-coster ride. It took a giant dip in the beginnig; things were not happening the way I had measured and planned and it was a big gloomy phase of my life. But then, there is always light at the end of the cave. I successfully completed my final year project and hence my final year and got placed in a reputed core company which is a dream that every electrical and electronics engineer nurtures. I was on "cloud 9"!!!

I realised that I had climbed the first step of success. Here, I would like to mention that I don't mean to sound thrasonical. I'm just penning down the feelings of a fresh gradute who just got her dream job.

I had to join the Bangalore office of Volvo on July 13, 2011. That gave me a month's time to prepare myself for the corporate world. I spent this time giving my wordrobe a more corporate look and finding myself a decent accomodation close to my workplace. I was very very excited; completed all the pre-joining formalities with lot of enthusiasm.

Then the "big day" of my life finally dawned. As I stepped into the boardroom ( we were instructed to go to the boardroom for the formal introduction with the HR team), I realised that I was the only girl in the group of 19 GETs ( graduate engineer trainee)!!.... My first reaction was "WHAT??...SERIOUSLY??"

Well, yet another challenge for me. As I mingled with everyone I was slowly coming out of the gender hesitation- made friends with everyone, got introduced to managers, group leaders and seniors. People say the corporate world is a doggy-dog world. Luckily I have not felt that pinch yet, maybe because I am still very new to this world. All the 19 of us got our own desks, access cards and ID cards and it has been an amazing experience till now.

Today, I am a responsible and independant adult. I learnt my own lessons about life and fought my way through it. The life from campus to corporate was not an easy one; but I lived it and today I am standing on my own feet. It surely has been a hell lot of experiences but it was worth it. I am sure there is still lot to learn and even harder times to face; but this time I am not an innocent teenager who will get carried away and fooled by people. This time I am prepared to face the twists and turns of life in a more mature way....

To give an ending note to this article, friends, life is tough but it all depends on us how we take it and what we learn from it. So live life to the fullest and face it with a smile:):)... 

Strings attached...

Today's Bangalore Times had an interesting article..."friends or frenemies?"....In the age of social networking sites we boast of having hundreds and thousands of friends in our friend lists but let us do a reality check on ourselves: how many "real" friends do we actually have??
I personally had a very strong sense of satisfaction whenever i looked into my list of 'true friends'... Honestly, it was quite long. I loved and trusted all of them. Or I should say "blindly" trusted all of them. It is only at the moment of truth when one realizes the superficiality of a relationship. When the moment of truth of my life had finally arrived, it was like a thump on my heart!!...Apart from the fact that it was the most difficult phase of my life till date, it also opened my eyes to the fact that I was actually surrounded by more of "frenemies" than friends...
I'm not sad; rather I'm happy that I could see the real faces hidden behind the mask of friendship. I'm happy that I could also identify my real friends!!...A true friend is one who accepts us  the way we are, who is never judgmental on us but understands the reason behind every action or decision we take. A true friend is one who will stand by us during our most difficult times and guide us in the right direction.
I consider myself quite lucky because even at the most difficult time of my life, when I was alienated by almost all my friends, I still had three people who stood by me like pillars; one of them being my own sister who is also my best friend!! Seriously, some strings can never be broken; and such were the strings that were attached between their hearts and mine.
Sometimes it may take time for that person to understand you. But have patience and don't lose faith on them. Because a true friend will eventually come back to you no matter what. Always remember that friendship can never be conditional or selfish. As the old saying goes...A friend in  need is a friend in deed!!

Special...

As a young girl, i always had a very clear outline about the kind of person with whom i would eventually fall in love. My sister used to laugh at me when i would narrate to her the long list of qualities that i wanted my partner to possess. But as time passed, reality crept into me and the "outline" started to fade away and got modified innumerable times. In layman's language we call it "experience"...I had lost almost all hopes of finding that one person who would make a chill run down my spine every time he had his eyes glued onto mine; whose world would revolve around me all throughout his life.
But i turned out to be the the lucky one!! It was like any other summer afternoon; sitting in college we were discussing a street play that we were supposed to perform, when for the first time i felt his eyes fixed on me. Little i had realized that this one look would change my life forever. He left me confused!!...I could not read his thoughts. Was he really passionate about me or was it just a figment of my imagination?...Days passed. I was still confused and now a tinge of fear got added to it. Was my long forgotten dream finally coming true?
He was pip and perfect. Every word he uttered was like a strong magnet that drew me closer and closer to him. Yes, i fell in love with him and some voice deep within my heart kept telling relentlessly that he too had the same intense feelings for me. I wanted him; wanted to spend every single moment of my life with him. But it was not easy. I had to let go off many other relationships in order to bond with this single relation. Was it worth it? How could this one person become so special to me in so less time? How could his love for me give me so much strength that i was ready to undertake any risk in order to be with him?? Honestly, I did not have any answer to these and innumerable other questions that were revolving in my head.
All I knew was that He was special; so special that everything else seemed petty in front of him. It took me months to arrive at this conclusion. And when I did, I feared was he still there for me? Would he gaze at me with those same passionate eyes as he did the very first day?...I heaved a sigh of relief when I realized that he was still the same; his love for me had not changed a bit.
There are times in everyone's life when hard decisions are to be made. But ones they are made, one should not lament over them. I had made my decision and today we are together. I could not have been happier than this!!.. I have finally realized what it feels like to be special for someone. And without a doubt, he will always be- My special one!!