Another 15th August... (From the Tricolour's view)

I wait for the day I can flutter like I did in 47,
When you banished your rulers and discovered yourself again

My mind goes out to the sacrifices made by young and old,
You remember them in memorials and books, but your hearts are so cold

Aren't you tired of faking that all is going well,
It pains me each time your dignity, you are ready to sell

You hide behind excuses of corruption and suffering,
Why don't you see it is all your own doing

My heart burns each time I see a division on caste, creed or language
Unity in Diversity seems like a load of garbage

You don't understand the what a wonderful gift you inherit,
'Tryst with Destiny' was a price paid by many, how easily you forget?

You can sit all night blaming people who take your decisions
Aren't you the one who put them in their position?

Yet you won't get up to fight the wrong you are bearing,
You turn your eyes away instead of caring

Wake up my beloved from your slumber of lies,
Unite my children, you're family cries

I will never stop hoping like I hoped then,
A better nation you can be, you must realize this within

I wait for the day I can flutter like I did in 47,
I wait for the time when you look at me and say 'Truly my India is on earth a Heaven'

Hey Mr.Nice Guy

Hey Mr.Nice Guy how's it going today?
Are the people still stepping on you as they walk on their way

Hey Mr.Nice guy why are you still silent?
When the people show you dreams and break them in an instant

Hey Mr.Nice Guy why do you lend a helping hand?
When there's no one ready to beside you stand

Hey Mr.Nice Guy why do you always smile?
I know you're been hiding things now for a while

Hey Mr.Nice Guy why don't you take the easy way out?
It's hard to do the right thing, you ought to know that now

Hey Mr.Nice Guy how long can you persist?
You have to breakdown, evil's temptations are too strong to resist

Hey Mr.Nice Guy what's the point in being you?
When you hear 'You're too nice', you know their scared of you

Hey Mr.Nice Guy, you have to stop sometime
Don't try to be the lone hero cos Nice guys finish last all the time
No one can match a nice guy so he's pushed to the last all the time

Nostalgia

It was a wonderful time and the memories are in the sack,
We may have come a long way now, but I'll give any anything to go back

Every picture comes to life when I try to remember the story,
Its like a movie in your head, one which is never boring

The journey started from hostel with CS and took us to the duplex which was shady,
Still the bedrooms were empty and everyone slept in front of the TV

Then the coming together living face to face,
Bearing each other idiosyncrasies, we never got phased

Some searched for love and journeyed city to city,
It was totally worth it for sure, but definitely there was pity

Then some moved abroad and others followed suit,
Some are still trying and some just ask for a bottle to loot

Some are now married, some with kids,
Some are still single and looking for the other bit

The bonding was great and some of the kicking made people cry,
The stories are now legends and the laughter brings tears by

It was a wonderful time and the memories are in the sack,
We may have come a long way now, but I'll give any anything to go back
We may have come a long way now, but I'll give any anything to go back

For once Team India did it for Sachin ...

Image Link: http://www.espncricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/131000/131020.jpg

... and not the other way round. It was a strange moment for someone who grew up in the 90's watching the Little Master win games single-handed, and when he didn't countless debates "Why did he hit that shot?", "For once he should stop playing for records", "It is Sachin's fault that we lost" In fact when he snicked it to Sangakarra I shuddered to think what would happen. Surely, not 2003 again.

Flashback to 2003: For all the master's work in taking India to the finals, it was he who was blamed for not getting the job done. How could he take it for so many years? How can he be so humble after endearing abuse from so many people, his own people. In fact, I sometimes thought he didn't deserve India. I think he must have cried that day, just as he had during his epic 136 against Pakistan at Chennai in '99 and countless other occasions. I know I did.

Apr 2nd, 2011: Something brilliant is happening. Gambhir and Kohli are taking the fight to Srilanka. As Kohli cut Dilshan to the boundary, I thought to myself just maybe this is the day. Next ball, Dilshan takes blinder of a catch. Oops, I jinxed it. Step up the leader of the next generation or should I say the face of new India calm, composed as if this was just another cricket match. That six of Kulasekara will be played back and again many a time in the future. As he hit it, surely you heard billions of Indians across the globe celebrating. Oh well, they were just my speakers on high volume in the quiet city of Richmond. But, the feeling was so overwhelming. Yuvi and Dhoni celebrating on the pitch. Gary Kirsten (you beauty) pumping his fists, 4 years of hard work paying off. Then you see a small jubiliant man ... no wait ... a 37 year old kid rushing towards the scene. Mahi! he hugs, Yuvi! who hides him in an enormous bear hug. 20 years carrying the burden of the team on his shoulders, hiding tears from the press conferences. No more he says! I'm crying tears of joy. Definitely true, I know because I did too.

The dawn of a new future, a new India. A team which does not need Sachin to win them matches. A team in Sachin can just entertain and trust that his teammates have the "bottle" to finish the game off. All his 20 years of toil, hardwork, determination rewarded by 14 other men who watched him and idolised him growing up. Is there anything more he could ask for?

Just another face in the crowd

Just another face in the crowd both she and I,
Yet, we smiled at each other one wonders why.

She was quite different, the way she looked,
But I got a clue the moment she spoke.

I thought maybe this was fate's little game,
To set me up with a beautiful dame.

We spoke for a while about home and life,
About what we wish for and our strife.

We exchanged our numbers and then we said good bye,
I wonder if I should have waited, instead of letting her slip by.

Now we're just another face in the crowd, both she and I,
I dropped a message to her and I don't know if she will reply.