Tuesday, January 24, 2006

The Nippy Chill

I was in a frigid zone for two days. Kashmir. It was frosty. Chilly. Cold with an upper-case C. Everything was shrouded by huge piles of snow. No car can come to a sniffing distance of my home. All alleys leading to our chalet are blocked by the frozen snow. It is a completely different world out there in the nippy valleys of Himalayas.

I personally like winters. The cuddling chill of it. The flakes of snow. I enjoyed it in Kashmir. For a few hours, we had a light dusting of snow -- makhir, as the folks call it -- and I revelled in it. However, I reason, a cold territory must have proper infrastucture to while away the beautiful but harsh season. In Kashmir, there is nothing called infrastructure. It is not only conspicious by its absense, people don't know what it really means. They have largely reconciled with the abysmal power supply -- 5 hrs a day -- they get, lazy evenings they spend and the badly mutilated roads they have. Poor folks!

I enjoyed my best pal -- Tanseer's -- wedding. It was dozes of fun. His Nikkah ceremony was the first such event I have attended. I never care to participate in other such social-- relatives et al -- functions. I can be fanatically choosy about the people I admire. So, Tanseer when asked -- Kabool hai {Do you agree} -- said I do. I do. I do. Thrice. That is mandatory. Christains, Muslims and Jews, I reckon, have to utter the magical words on their weddings. A flicker went through my face. My childhood buddy, bench-mate and a very close friend was now legally married. It was emotional. A succession of quick naughty flashbacks. I froze the moment in my video-cam. The begining of a beautiful relationship.

They -- my friends -- make fun of me. I cry in movies. I am sentimental. Schmaltzy. I think I am more in tune with my heart. I hate fake appearances. I prefer being called more humane. I love small things in life. The beautiful moments that actually make life. The smile. Winks. Laughter. A mother's eyes. A friend's wedding. Music. Humour with mates. Love.

I am afraid one doesn't get much of it these days. I am glad I have a heart that has tomes of it! Call me emotional!

Watch this space for my snow pictures!

Sameer



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi. I am based in Mulawi. This is such a beautiful writeup. I must congratulate you for being so honest in writing.

Anonymous said...

hey, sady. Good piece. what more can I expect. you write so bloody well. look up to more of that from you.
Jo

Anonymous said...

That is a candid opinion about the place where you and I happen to belong. I feel the pain of those who say that they live in the paradise… jus that only dead live in heaven…
Anyways wish your friend a great married life.

Anonymous said...

I think you write very well. As humans all of us have emotions in us. some express them while some don't or atleast choose not to.