Glass Half Untouched

(February 2017) I wasn't a complete stranger to Mumbai when I moved here two weeks back. On the contrary, it's where I was born. After spending 23 years of my life in Pune, I moved to my uncle’s house in Mumbai for an internship. I didn’t read too much into it until my little cousin asked me the other day, “which city do you like more – Pune or Mumbai?” My answer should have been Pune, undoubtedly, but I said, “it’s too soon to tell. I have spent 23 years of my life in Pune and just two weeks in Mumbai. It's not fair to compare my connection with both the cities.” Though I seemed to have dodged the question, it got me thinking. Being brought up in Pune, I am fond of the peace and serenity that place offers. Its charm, its calmness, and moderately lazy but culturally rich and tasteful lifestyle is part of me now. Yet there has always been this inexplicable attraction towards Mumbai. My family had decided to shift to Pune before I turned 1. So, till tw...

He looked up as she called him for makeup. His wandering eyes tried to narrow down her position through the crowd. As he politely asked the people around him to step away, she looked at him with awe. He arrived where she sat and settled comfortably in his seat. Finally, she began his makeup. No, he was not a celebrity though he was quite celebrated in her world, she was not his makeup artist, and no, they were not in a gleaming makeup room of a reputed studio. They were on the, usually bustling and seldom quiet, Ferguson college road in Pune. Sitting in front of a fancy mobile store, she had already laid down colorful and unique ornaments on a maroon makhmal-y cloth, below which, there was a cheap, pale pink plastic sheet (which she used to lay it below him when he was in his bed-wetting phase). Now that her roadside shop was opened for the day, she turned towards her 7-year-old and continued their daily routine. She started painting his face with all the bright colo...

It was a beautiful day for Rekha. She woke up before her alarm went off. Bathing water was at optimum temperature. Got ready 5 minutes earlier than usual. Walked to her bus stop instead of taking an auto. And...there she was. Occupying her regular seat in the bus. All familiar faces. Her neighbor was engrossed in his morning newspaper giving her enough space to sit comfortably in her half of the cushioned bench. All comfy and good.  She was so relaxed that she could hear the birds chirping. She noticed that it was not too sunny today. Just pleasantly bright. Her neighbor, who was done reading the morning news, looked at her while folding the newspaper. They exchanged smiles and returned to their respective morning commute contemplations. Just when she was about to call it the best morning ever, it happened. A horrendous, unimaginable and unacceptable act.   Calm down. Maybe that's not it. Maybe he is about to do something else. Don't panic. It...