It was a rainy day when the Kumars had set off on a tour to western ghats. The sweet family consisted of 7 people - Mr and Mrs Kumar, their two sons - Ajay who was 15 yrs old, Vijay around 12 yrs old, a cute little daughter tinku, who was in 2nd std and Mr Kumar's aged parents . The 7 of them were packed in a Qualis and started off. The journey was not very eventful or adventurous but normal. The only people who seemed to enjoy the travel were the aged parents of Mr.Kumar as this was the only time they had got to spend time with their grandchildren for they lived in a shimoga and the others in bangalore. The little girl was specially of interest as she entertained the grannys telling them cute lovely stories, singing songs and talked naughtily. And it was only her who seriously gave ears to the mythological stories that her grandparents narrated which others found it quite old for their age. The two guys were most of the time engrossed in cliquing pictures of the scenic beauty that the Ghats offered. Mrs Kumar occasionally conversed with others while most of the time, she was glued to magazines. Mr. Kumar slept peacefully amidst these people and it was "peacefull" coz it was after many years he was with his family touring, otherwise it was always office stuff that constantly kept him occupied.

Most of the first day was spent travelling when finally they reached the guesthouse around 7pm where they planned to settle that night. The next day they visited Horanadu, Shringeri and other temples, Agumbe and other tourist spots and it was a couple of hours before getting dark.

The kids were keenly interested to visit the beach as they had not seen one till then. In fact the children had agreed to come only after their father promised them that he'd take them to a beach. Mr.Kumar was skeptical if they really could enjoy it due to high tides in that season. Nevertheless, being a faithful father, he didn't want to disappoint the kids and kept up his promise.

As he anticipated, the scene was quite horrific as the sea was fierce with high tides and the roaring noise scared the kids. The beach was almost deserted except for a few fishermen here and there. The grandparents, and Mrs.Kumar preferred staying in the car while others went to the beach. The eldest was a bravo and ran towards the sea. He attempted getting his feet wet though the others insisted against it. Ajay asked his brother and sister to join which they did after a slight hesitation. Mrs.Kumar kept warning not to go far from the shore. The fact was that the shore was very narrow and moving towards the sea a few yards was actually getting them deep into the water. Ajay kept "playing" in the mighty sea but he never realised he was actually responding to the inviting waves into the sea. To others, he looked a few yards away, safe. The other two only let their feet wet and din't dare to move further. Mr.Kumar meanwhile took a stroll on the beach now and then halting to see if the kids were safe.

It had started getting dark and Mr.Kumar realised it was time to start their journey back home and gave a pack up call and turned towards where Ajay and others were playing. To his dismay, there was "nobody" ther. He was the "only" creature on the beach!!! He was shaken to death for a split second and started breathing hard. On top of his voice, he started shouting out the kids' names. When he got no response he felt stupified momentarily and it took him several minutes to regain conscious. He searched for them in every possible corner on the beach, behind the bushes, near the rocks but in vain. He lost his composure and stood gaping at the deserted beach and he felt as though the sea had calmed down suddenly and looked all gay after preying the victims. Tears began to fill his eyes and he silently walked towards where the car was parked in all hopes of finding them there. Maybe it was just a joke, maybe it was yet another prank of those kids, or just hoped they had survived the death that was so close.

When he reached the car, his "hopes" turned sour. There were no kids there. Mrs Kumar was relieved to see him back and insisted that he and others get into the car so that they started their return journey soon. When he was about to break the news of "missing kids", he saw something flashy and glowing a few yards down the road. He walked towards it, and as he did so, he got a clearer view of the road as it was pitch dark now. As he neared it, he could hear the sound of a water stream. The other side of the road was the "not so thick" forest and so he was pushed towards the sound he heard but he saw no lights now. He thought it was just his imagination and turned back to return when suddenly the place was illuminated with torch and candle lights and there were the 3 kids who started to sing the "birthday song". Mr.Kumar strongly felt he was dreaming and he wanted to end it. But it was happening and he now rememered it was his "birthday" and wondered how unpleasant a surprise can be!!! He was very happy to see the kids again and hugged them kissed them and told them never to play such a prank ever again on him. The others joined them and they all winked at each other to have made Mr.Kumar the birthday bakra!!! They went back to where the car was parked and cut the cake and Mr.Kumar felt this excitement would last forever.

They started back to bangalore and everyone were speaking together about this plan and how hard they had worked to make it successful. As the car was crossing a hairpin bend, a truck from the opposite side hit the car and a loud "thud". That was the last thing that Mr.Kumar's family heard. There was a slight jerk and the car started moving backward off the road, down the hills, freely suspended in air for a few feet and another "thud" of the car resting on uneven land a few 100 meters down!!!

The grandparents were dead on the spot. Ajay the bravo fights hard for breath and gives up, Mrs.Kumar dies of a bad head injury, tinku and vijay bleed badly and are dead crushed in the car and Mr.Kumar left with injuries in a soporific state. Chasms of grief engulfed him and the birthday song kept ringing in his ears. Being the only survivor amongst them, Mr.Kumar goes into a state of trauma and recovers only after 6-8 months of rigorous/timely treatment.

What a tragedy it was!!! The "ACT OF DYING" come true!!! Its one of the true stories i have heard. Just imagine the pain that Mr.Kumar would have gone through. Dear friends, can you imagine anything worse happening than such an incident? Can there be anythin at all that leaves you with so much pain and a churn in your stomach? I bet anyone wouldn't want this to happen even to their deadliest foes. Sometimes i wonder how can God be sooo cruel. Taking off so many lives in matter of few minutes!!! May be this is HIS way of cost cutting through recession!!!

Kavitha, a close buddy of Anitha
Both had first met in a class of BhagvadGeetha

Together they went to the same school
In their twelve years of school they were the sort "never to bhool"

Some adored their friendship though some envied
Whatever it is, they never missed out the lead

Together were they like sisters
Promised each other never to part, when they met their misters

It was time that they stepped into college
Most awaited period for people in their teenage

Kavitha joined a college X while Anitha the college Y
It was their parents choice and both wondered "why"

Different colleges did not matter as they often met up for "combined studies"
Both knew, it was simply a claim, and the real reason was to make gossips ;)

Days passed like a whirlwind, soon it was the 2nd year of PUC
High time to get serious and stop being in the world of fantasy

Both worked hard to the core
Managed to get a decent score

Anitha chose "Engineering" while Kavitha "Pure Sciences"
Both graduated successfully in the respective courses

Anitha had a job offer in an IT firm and started off a career
While Kavitha pursued her Masters, went onto become a pioneer

There was never a day that they did not speak
The smses, the phone calls always used to be at peaks

Kavitha ,more matured sort, was always there like a shoulder to lean on
She was a "darling" in its truest sense that Anitha had ever known

Very down to earth and "Be a roman in rome" sort of a girl was kavitha
These very qualities were the ones that influenced Anitha

Their lives went on smooth; Love, fun, care for which there was always room
Until one day when Kavitha had a proposal for a groom

Reluctant she was in the beginning
For, an MS seat in US was what she was yearning

Though rejected this one, due to pressure in the family more proposals flew in
Nothing there was that she could do, being disgusted, she finally gave in

The guy was "Anirudh", whom she chose
Soon they were engaged and the marriage was close

They started going out on weekends
Anitha teased her if she had forgotten her friends

One such day, Anitha's cell beeped, it was an SMS from Kavitha which read "where are you dear Ani"
She was v happy to see that msg, more so coz of her pet name and replied instantly, "At home honey"

In few seconds there was another sms from her saying "Sorry that was for Anirudh"
Anitha for the first time felt a pang of jealousy unable to fathom the truth.

There on, calls from kavitha began to cease and messages seldom beeped
With a dramatic change in her behavior, anitha silently weeped

Finally it was the D day of kavitha's marriage
Anita with mixed feelings, tried looking normal with her feelings camouflaged

Off she went to her in-law's house
Anitha wept so much that she required a paracetemol dose

Phone calls and smses almost zeroed, things changed drastically then on
Very difficult it was to keep the momentum going on

Forgetting friends was what Anitha thought was the post marriage trend
Unlike others, Kavitha proved otherwise, being a truly responsible friend

It was a weekday when Kavitha finally called
Talked for a really long time, non-stop of her family, responsibilities, which left Anitha appalled

Some of us would have encountered Anitha Kavitha in our real lives
Which makes me, my thoughts revive

Sometimes I wonder "why it happens only with gals"
While guys usually are in touch with many of their pals

I wonder, how a stranger can become so important in a person's life
Whether it is self imposed or if it is something that happens naturally in everyone's life

Is it truly the responsibilities , or is it the the insecurities and the fear of in laws
That goes into the girl's book of marriage clause

For all that we may not know, may be it is that immense love of a husband,
That blindfolds the gal even to notice the best of her friends!!!

Today i was taking a stroll in the park road limping slowly due to a sprain and something very beautiful caught my eye. It looked like someone was staring at me at first and that stare slowly turned into a smile. It was the moon !!! I simply stood there with my eyes transfixed over the scene. The two stars (guess they were the planets the bigger one possibly jupiter, as they were unusually bright) just above the moon appeared as its eyes as though wishing me a pleasant evening. I very lucky to witness the moon smile at me and i simply smiled back :) Few minutes after the clouds shadowed the smaller star/planet and this looked as though the moon was winking at me :) Had no words to describe how beautiful it was. Tried taking a snap in my cell phone. This was the best i could capture. Later the moon said "goodbye" went to sleep :(

Hey sky you looked so bright;
The very sight made me delight;

Ready to run several miles
For your breathtaking smile

Felt like reaching you standing on the edifice
For, i know, you were the God in disguise!!!