Kavya Janani U.'s Blog, page 8

NaPoWriMo (Day 5 poems)

I didn’t write for any 2020 prompts on April 5th. But I tried something fun. I wrote a piece incorporating the names of seashells, namely:

Peruvian Hat

Incised Moon

Strawberry Top

Unequal Bittersweet

Sparse Dove

False Cup-and-Saucer

Shoulderblad Sea Cat

Lazarus Jewel Box

Triangular Nutmeg

This was an old prompt taken from NaPoWriMo’s official website. Enjoy reading!

A woman wearing a Peruvian hat,

looked at the incised moon and said,

“Give me a few strawberry top shavings

and I’ll make some unequal bittersweet juice

out of them and take it to the sparse dove

in a false cup-and-saucer.”

The incised moon replied, “Send me your

shoulderblade sea cat along with the

lazarus jewel box and I’ll send you a

triangular nutmeg along with the shavings.” 

Hope you enjoyed reading it!

Love,

Kavya Janani. U

 

 

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Announcement: Free eBooks

Hey, friends! How are you all doing? How is quarantine/lockdown treating you? Hope you all are staying at home and staying safe. Use this time to engage in creative activities, watch lots of good movies, keep a tab on your physical and mental health, read lots of fiction, and rediscover yourself. 

I am here with an announcement. Since we’re all going through tough times, I am making my eBooks free to download. This is for my friends and readers who don’t have a Kindle device or Kindle app to read my two major short stories – Somewhere In A Song and The Timeless Turns. These stories were huge turning points in my writing life. Also, they deal with my most favourite theme, which you’d get to know as you read the stories. And, I have clubbed these stories into a series named Time Maidens, as I’ll be writing more short stories on the same theme with female protagonists.

Blurb of ‘Somewhere In A Song’:

Emma Justin, a young hypnotherapist, is obsessed with a song composed by independent musician Kevin Roberts. There are two reasons for her obsession.

The song has a haunting tune that sounded so familiar.

The singer, Sarah Jane Davies, sounds exactly like her.

But Sarah Jane has disappeared without a trace after recording the song. No matter how hard she searches, Emma could find no detail. Meanwhile, Kevin reveals something startling in a TV interview. How does that affect Emma?

Join Emma Justin on her journey to find the truth behind her obsession, battling depression and basking in success simultaneously.

Download your PDF here: Somewhere In A Song (Time Maidens #1)

Blurb of ‘The Timeless Turns’:

Melanie Porter’s alarm clock is a magical object. It plays a different tune each day, telling her how her day would turn out to be. One fine day, it plays a strange sound – an ambulance’s siren amidst rush-hour traffic. What follows is a journey that Melanie would always cherish for the rest of her life.

Scarlette Heatherwood is a woman mourning over probably-unrequited love. Engaged to a man she does not love, and living a life she did not expect, Scarlette believes she is stuck in time, until the future calls, suddenly altering her life beyond recognition.

How are these two women connected to each other? What is the secret that holds them together?

The Timeless Turns is an interesting concoction of magic, fantasy, love, and drama.

Download your PDF here: The Timeless Turns (Time Maidens #2)

On a last note, I’d also like to tell you that I am someone who loves making money out of my passion. So, once this lockdown ends, I’ll delete this post. Till then, these PDFs will be available to download. 

Please don’t forget to share this to your friends, if you really love the stories. Also, you can send me your feedback and views on WhatsApp (if you have my number), or DM me in Facebook/Instagram. You can also leave your reviews on these Goodreads pages: Somewhere In A Song and The Timeless Turns.

Love,

Kavya Janani. U

NaPoWriMo (Day 4 poems)

I wrote this poem for Amy Kay’s (@amykaypoetry) prompt: Write about your Eden and for Airplane Poetry Movement’s (@airplanepoetrymovement) prompt: Things you miss the most right now.

It was a honeycomb then. Now, a bittersweet memory. Cycling through the streets of my favourite avenue, with the wind brazing my cheeks, and my piggy tails dancing to its tune. Frilled tops, denims, and long skirts. Trying to keep away from the flirts. Headphones in my ears, carefreeness as makeup. Men on motorbikes throwing second glances at me. A teenager walking with her head bobbing to country music was a rare sight to behold. My safe place – a payphone attached to the front of my favourite shopping complex. Beige palm cupped over my mouth, arranging secret meeting places with a boy who never truly loved me. My cozy corner – a patch of mosaic floor between the bed and the wardrobe, a window above my head, air-conditioner mode, devouring Enid Blyton or Enchanted Castle, or sometimes writing too many secrets in a journal that it wept and bled itself to death one day. And, my Eden had some movies whose dialogues are stuck to my upper jaw like bubblegum, and some music that I call home.

Hope you enjoyed reading it!

Love,

Kavya Janani. U

 

 

©All Rights Reserved

 

 

NaPoWriMo (Day 3 poems)

This is my poem for Kristian Porter’s (@kristianporterpoetry) prompt: describe the sound of heartbreak.

THE DIFFERENT SOUNDS OF HEARTBREAK-

1. Cartwheels on gravel, chug chug chug chug. That was the sound I heard when one of my ventricles swallowed pain and swayed into a slow break dance, because he wouldn’t read between the lines of my poems. Instead, he said, let’s leave for our homes.

2. I bottled some of the silence that hung between us, while we stood in the parking lot, contemplating whether to ride together. Sometimes, I brought the bottle to my ears. Sound of silence it was.

3. He kickstarted his moped and there lay that sound, that I have become so accustomed to. My auto rickshaw arrived. Wedged in the intervals of the tuk-tuk-tuk was that sound. All the ordinary moments that followed encapsulated the sound of my breaking heartstrings.

4. We waved goodbye and the air around us sang of my unexpressed love. A beautiful chorus of heartbreak. I did not hold his glance a second more, for the rickshaw driver would turn around and investigate the melody’s source.

5. The lump in my throat composed its own tune and I gasped it out. My gasps peppered with staccatos of longing. Ugh ugh ugh ugh. I wished people wouldn’t peep inside the rickshaw to find a weeping mermaid.

6. Streams of tears fell on my handbag. Tip tip tip, each rendering a different ballad. Sad ballads painted in hues of grey. I wiped them with my bare hands, wishing that he was following behind. Wishing fervently that he’d harbour some love for me. 

Hope you enjoyed reading it!

Love,

Kavya Janani. U

 

 

©All Rights Reserved.

NaPoWriMo (Day 2 poems)

Hey, folks! This is the poem I wrote for day 2 of National Poetry Writing Month. The prompt was given by Caitlin Conlon (@cgcprompts) on Instagram.

Prompt: Redefine an existing word.

REDEFINING ‘PANDEMIC’ IN 2020

i. Underpaid are those who provide you essentials. Now we pay the visible and invisible lions their dues.

ii. Gold rates aren’t at our fingertips anymore, helpline numbers are. And, yes, now we smile at the people who work in the electricity board.

iii. We are a hungry bunch trying to find a way to download food. Cooking is a necessity now. Regardless of gender, of course.

iv. This time we’d celebrate our maid’s birthday, because now we can understand her value. Dishes don’t do themselves. The house cannot stay dusty for eternity.

v. Artists are Gods. Repeat after me. Artists are Gods. We cannot imagine a lockdown without movies, books, music, web series, and TV shows.

vi. We are puzzle-setters, challengers, nominators, and meme-creators. We  now have a choice to either waste time spreading misinformation or utilize it in learning a useful skill.

vii. How beautiful it is to take care of ourselves and accept our appearances, now that we don’t get to socialize or groom ourselves in salons.

viii. We donate towards medical science. It just took one word (read pandemic) to realize the importance of medicine. Holy places are closed doors now. Your past million-dollar donations are safe in their vaults, phew!

ix. Wherever we go, whoever we become, we come back to just one thing. Home. Loved ones, yeah.

ix. Everything around us is breathing, except some thousands of human beings. We are desperately trying to recover the rest.

x. And, when this is over, we know we’ll never be the same again. We all would turn empaths.

Hope you enjoyed reading it!

Love,

Kavya Janani. U

 

 

©All Rights Reserved.

NaPoWriMo (Day 1 poems)

Hello all! I have been doing NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month) on Instagram. In this post you’ll find the day 1 poems I wrote for various prompts.

i. I wrote this poem for Caitlin Conlon’s (@cgcpoems) day 1 prompt: Write a poem that’s 5 lines or less.

The first time I saw you,

I knew that you were someone,

who’d never return my love,

and never return my heart, too.

ii. I wrote the following poem for Terribly Tiny Tales’ (@ttt_official) prompt: A confession poem.

It’s high time I stop hiding you in my poems.

And, it’s high time I stop crumpling those sheets of poetry

and giving them a home in the dustbin. 

I confess, I love you.

Intensely. 

I love you to the point that I’d feel happy

on seeing you read my love poems to someone else. 

If hopeless is a person, it would be you.

If chanceless is an emotion, it would be your love for me. 

Every day, I live in denial of the fact

that you are uninterested in me.

And, every day, I would love you a little more,

burning all my expectations. 

Pointless? Yes.

But it makes me happy

and that’s what matters.

A love like this makes me shine

and puts me in good mental health.

Is that not enough? 

I try, though, to just calm down and move on, but I fail. 

If the wind brings to me ‘Hymn For The Weekend’,

I would abandon all other things

and pass my entire day listening to it

drenching in bittersweet memories.

Yes, I’d fail at that time 

If I come across ‘Old Man And The Sea’,

I wouldn’t give two hoots about the world and

find myself devouring the same lines over and over.

Yes, I’d fail at that time. 

Years later, if someone asks me, ‘After all this time?’,

I would reply, ‘Always’. And, I’d fail again.

My love, unexpressed and unrequited. 

iii. Another poem I wrote for Amy Kay’s (@amykaypoetry) day 1 prompt and also NaPoWriMo’s (napowrimo.net) prompt: Self-portrait as something else.

SELF-PORTRAIT AS A 90S INDIPOP

I am a past tense now.

I was. Not ‘I am’.

People no longer listen to me,

though I have much to say.

I am not dead.

I am just obsolete.

You can find me hiding-

in the playlists of a hopeless romantic,

in articles, blogs, and top-ten listicles,

in the lanes of nostalgia,

and in the wind that carries original music.

Look! I forgot I am a past tense.

I was the girl who wore blue cholis

and danced to Bhangra beats.

I was the girl who walked on a rope

to woo the man she loved.

Had I been a 2020s Indipop,

I’d rather be a girl who wants a man

to fall in love with her natural traits.

I was the boy who danced on the streets

with his band and wrote secret poems

and love ballads for his crush.

I am a bittersweet memory.

I am a reference.

I am a music lover’s forgotten friend,

during this quarantine.

I am a past tense now. 

iv. Wrote this one for Airplane Poetry Movement’s (@airplanepoetrymovement) prompt: Write a poem introducing yourself.

I am scripturient. I love everything to do with words.

Stories, poems, food descriptions under exotic dishes in Zomato, ingredients at the back of instant noodles packet, Instagram captions, and even obituaries.

I am tempestuous. I feel too much. I cry during emotional scenes in books or movies. I cry when my anger reaches its pinnacle.

People say that it proves my weakness. But I am made of softer feelings. So, when something harsh like anger sprouts inside me, I tend to cry.

Sometimes, I desperately want the world to reset itself to those good old days, without my knowledge, except for a voice at the back of my mind warning me about bad decisions.

That reminds me – I am obsessed with time-travel. That’s why I find solace in writing time-travel stories.

I use Google Earth extensively and imagine myself living in all those eye-candy places that aren’t affordable.

I hate onions so much that I cringe whenever spring-onion shallots are added to almost every dish the world cooks.

I am scared of lizards that I can imagine a thousand situations where they’d fly at me.

I have dreams of tsunamis, fallimg airplanes, broken teeth, and nakedness.

I have this weird fantasy of working in Atlantis Bookshop in Santorini, so that I can look at the sea all day.

I am so obsessed with A.R. Rahman’s music that I’d burst into tears if I ever meet him.

I would write a million things here, but this has to stop, for I am a leaking human faucet when it comes to introducing myself.

So, these are the poems I wrote for day 1. Hope you enjoyed reading them.

Love,

Kavya Janani. U

99 Songs Music Review

The long wait is over! Somewhere in 2014, A.R. Rahman announced that he’d be writing a script. And, now in 2020, we have the entire soundtrack in our hands. The album of 99 Songs has come at a time, when the world is grappling with a deadly virus. Rahman did just the right thing by releasing it digitally, so that people could have a treat while staying cocooned in their homes. The soundtrack is loaded with 14 rich songs that promise variety and a delightful musical experience. Here I present 99 Songs album review to you:

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1. O Aashiqa – Shashwat Singh

The album opens with a lilting melody that is breezy all the way. Shashwat Singh’s mesmerizing vocals intersperse with Rahman’s beautiful arrangement. The addictive ‘oh jiya toh jiya toh jiya…’ chant is the cherry on the cake. I love how Rahman has cleverly woven the tune of Sai Shirdi Sai (the song was released in early 2019) in this number, which makes it a complete lovable package. The chorus at the end bring the song to a wonderful finale. Anthem of the year!

2. Sofia – Shashwat Singh, A.R. Rahman

Shashwat Singh returns with this pleasing melody that is easy on the ears. It begins with Keba Jeremiah’s brilliant guitar strums. In fact, it is Keba’s guitar all over, which elevates the song to another level. Rahman gives the song a grand finale by joining in a radiant humming along with Arjun Chandy and Shashwat Singh. Another winner!

3. Nayi Nayi – Shashwat Singh

This is a fast-paced pop song that gets to you on the very first listen. One can visualize the hero singing it on the stage and the audience cheering to it. Beginning with some Rockstar vibes, it moves on to the catchy phrase ‘yeh nayi nayi nayi…’. At times, the track has traces of Roobaroo Roshni in it. If you are feeling low during this quarantine period, listen to this song. It’ll surely cheer you up.

4. Humnawaa – Armaan Malik, Shashaa Tirupathi

Here comes a multi-layered melody that acts like a slow poison flowing through your veins as you listen to it repeatedly. This song has only three elements – Armaan Malik’s honeyed voice, Rahman’s ebullient piano, and Shashaa Tirupathi’s dreamy humming. Yes, it sounds like an unplugged song, but there lies the beauty of it. This track has that kind of music that brings tears to your eyes. When the song comes to an end with the beautiful deviation ‘tu hai mera jahaan…’, you know that this one is going to rule the charts for a long time!

5. Jwalamukhi – Arijit Singh

The already popular Jwalamukhi is predictable Bollywood content. There are times when Rahman composes songs that aren’t out-of-the-box. This number joins that bandwagon. But it still has Rahman’s signature touch in the arrangement of the tune. Suppose he had chosen another singer instead of Arijit Singh, this song wouldn’t have ended up stereotypical. Nevertheless, Arijit does a commendable job.

6. Soja Soja – Shashaa Tirupathi

Rahman begins this number with some soul-stirring piano and some mellowed rendition by Shashaa Tirupathi. However, it surprises you when the ‘I will put a bullet through your heart…’ line begins. It turns into an out and out jazz show. If you want to play some brilliant jazz song in your lounge party, look no further than this number. Shashaa’s intoxicating voice is sure to give you goosebumps. Though this song is experimental, it takes a few listens to turn addictive.

7. Sai Shirdi Sai – Bela Shende, A.R.Rahman

This was the first single which Rahman released in early 2019. But he did not specify that it was a part of 99 Songs. I was visibly surprised to find this beautiful number in this soundtrack. As the title of the song says, it is a soulful tribute to our own Shirdi Sai Baba. Bela Shende pours honey into your ears with her mellifluous voice. The song turns evergreen when Rahman joins her in the ‘Sai sai..’ chant. Not for everyone, but a complete treat for devotees of Sai Baba.

8. Teri Nazar – Shashwat Singh

Here comes Rahman of the yore! This breezy romantic ballad is a moving number with some heartbreaking lyrics. As usual, Shashwat Singh does a brilliant job with his lovely vocals. The mellowed rhythm gives you a Jashn-e-Bahaara feel, but the comparisons stop there. Rahman’s extraordinary interlude has some mind-blowing strings, violin, flute and piano notes. Though the tune follows Rahman’s oft-repeated melody template, it is sure to be played repeatedly!

9. Jwalamukhi (Female Version)- Poorvi Koutish, Shashwat Singh

This version is thousand notches better than the original version, only because of Poorvi Koutish’s husky rendition. It has that kind of lounge-y feel, especially with Rahman’s string progression. What I absolutely loved about this version is that ‘thararey…’ chorus, which strangely takes me back to the summer of 2006, when I listened to such kind of Bollywood numbers (actually blasted them in my BenQ PC’s speakers) in my air-conditioned bedroom. Shashwat Singh’s chorus at the end serves as the perfect dressing to this track.

10. Gori Godh Bari – Alka Yagnik, Anuradha Sriram, Shwetha Mohan

Awww, how nostalgic it is to listen to Alka Yagnik! This soul-stirring Hindustani classical song is the perfect number to be played in your baby shower (godh-baraai or valaikaapu) functions. Joining Alka’s melodious rendition are Anuradha Sriram and Shwetha Mohan. The foot-tapping chant of ‘sajna piya re…’ and the jathiswara ‘nadhirdunthom thana…’ are so pleasing to the ears. Well, I can’t stop lauding this fantastic number!

11. O Mera Chand – Bela Shende

When was the last time you heard a lullaby in Bollywood? Follow my advice. Drop everything that you are doing, plug in your earphones, shut out the outside world (which you’re already doing), and listen to this heartmelting lullaby. Rahman’s nostalgic flute in the first interlude is sure to move even a mountain. The second interlude has a beautiful male humming (I am not sure if it is Arjun Chandy or Rahman) that has the tune of Sai Shirdi Sai again. Bela Shende soothing voice is a balm to all our chaotic souls.

12. Veere Kadh De – Sarthak Kalyani, Swagat Rathod

Rahman drops a high-on energy anthemic number after some pleasant melodies. The track opens with the rhythm of Maaro Maaro (Boys) and moves into a series of hip-hop portions rendered powerfully by Sarthak and Swagat and rap portions by thoughtsfornow (Instagram username). It is comparatively shorter than other tracks. This is one of those songs that would be popular in that particular year and then it would be forgotten for many years to come (for example, Beera Beera/Veera Veera or Thok De Killi/Kodu Poata).

13. The Voice Without Words – Poorvi Koutish

This track is just a whispery oral rendition by the brilliant Poorvi Koutish. It inspires you with its stunning lyrics and some astounding background progression by Rahman. Though you wouldn’t listen to it repeatedly, it is good to indulge in Poorvi’s haunting vocals once in a while.

14. The Oracle – Instrumental

I have never heard such a mind-blowing instrumental piece in recent times. Rahman intersperses some evergreen piano notes, soulful violin, jubilant strings, and heartmelting flute sections in this enthralling theme. Pure delight!

Overall, 99 Songs is the medicine for my soul that I have been searching for a long time. The world needs such beautiful albums now, to calm human minds and to bring peace over their souls.

 

Tacenda – a list poem

Things you don’t know, and I wouldn’t reveal to you:

There’s this solitude performing a ballet dance near you. I see you staring at it. You grab it and embrace it, suddenly. I watch it travel through the veins at the back of your hand. Oh, you have intentionally built a fortress of mystery around you.Poetry journeys from your irises and hangs from your eyelashes, when you look at me. How I would love to dust it off gently, so that it finds its way to the nib of a poet’s pen. I’d love to read how your pupils have captured me.My taste-buds make honey every time I pronounce your name. And that’s why the honey jars in your neighbourhood supermarket have multiplied in numbers.I find a long-lost manuscript lodged at the tip of your nose. When you stand near me and breath, it turns clearer. But I can never read it fully, because staring at you would put me in the wrong limelight.Pride juggles through my arteries, when I speak about the reason of your absence. After you return, you can find all the praise and appreciation left by strangers, swirling in the air you inhale. It is my duty to make garland out of your talents hitherto unknown and hang it in public display.When you speak to me in your saccharine voice, a pearl forms at the bottom of my heart. I turn into an oyster and keep making pearls whenever you drop a word or just sigh in exasperation. All those ‘oh my god’ exclamations of yours are now a huge pearl chain.You gave me a silver cup. Every day, I fill it up with my heartbeats, all my unsaid words, and a thousand imaginative scenarios of us together. I’d take the cup to my grave, the only thing that’d help me reincarnate and continue this bittersweet journey of unrequited love.

Happy World Poetry Day, folks. Hope you enjoyed reading this list poem. This is one of the poems that appears in my upcoming book, La Douleur Exquise, a collection of poems on unexpressed, unrequited, and unattainable love. To read more poems from this book, follow me on Instagram: poeticmithridate

Love,

Kavya Janani. U

The Case of a Lucky Girl (Thriller Short Story)

The atmosphere inside the bus was lively, or rather eventful. Hell-bent on reaching Marushur, the terminal point of the route, in time, the driver was driving like a maniac. Having developed a sore throat due to constant whistle-blowing, the conductor was using the outdated rope-and-bell system. A middle-aged man was snoring away in the last row. Probably, he had got into the bus right from the Shreenagar terminus. A guy in a casual checked t-shirt tucked inside a low-hip jean was animatedly conversing into his mobile phone. Behind him, there was a young couple oh-so in love, exchanging sweet-nothings. An old woman in the seat opposite the couple smirked at their behaviour. Sitting in the front rows were some young labourers, probably Nepalis, their conversation beyond comprehension.

And then there was Nakshathra. 

She was an epitome of beauty. Her walnut-brown skin gleamed when the evening sunrays hit her through the window. Her jet-black hair was a hot topic of discussion among her girl buddies. Her perfectly polished nails invoked the jealousy of nail-biting homo sapiens. But it was her kind personality, which attracted many a good heart towards her. She was adjustable, but she hated travelling in the Pallavan Transport Corporation buses. She preferred the auto rickshaw as she could alight in front of her house. Taking a bus meant that she should walk for ten minutes to reach her home. She occupied a window seat and was browsing through her Facebook newsfeed when she was interrupted by a tap on her shoulder. She turned back and noticed a Japanese girl smiling at her. She deduced that she was Japanese, as she had watched N number of Japanese movies. Speaking with a foreigner was a rare opportunity for Nakshathra. So, she returned the smile.

“Where will you be getting down?” asked the foreigner.

“The last stop, Marushur,” replied Nakshathra.

“Okay, can I borrow your pen for a minute, please? I will return it when we reach the last stop.”

“Sure.” Nakshathra fumbled through her college bag to find a pen. “Here it is,” she said, offering the pen to the Japanese.

Minutes ticked away. The bus was taking a diversion towards a popular multiplex when the Japanese girl tapped once again on Nakshathra’s shoulder.

“Thank you, what’s your name?”

“Nakshathra,” she said, contemplating whether to ask back. “Yours?”

“I am Deborah. Are you a college student?”

“Yes, engineering, final year.” Nakshathra scolded herself mentally for divulging too many details about her.

“That’s great! I completed my bachelors from Annie Women’s College last year. I am currently travelling to visit my sister in Marushur. I stay at Ice House.”

Nakshathra was taken aback that Deborah had revealed even more information about her. She relaxed and felt comfortable with the foreigner.

“Do you love music, Nakshathra?”

“Yeah, I do. Who doesn’t?”

“Voila! Then I have bumped into the right person. You see, my sister and I are independent Japanese artists. We create low-budget music albums in English. We have only a small fan base in Chennai, most of them are our relatives and friends of friends. So, I would like to spread a word about our work. Do you have college on Sundays too?”

“No! We don’t. Do you want to see me tortured even on a Sunday?”

Deborah let out a short laugh and continued, “Okay, then you can pay a visit to our concert on Sunday at Skysplash Mall. What say?”

“I – I will try to make it. I don’t know what will come up as I am busy with my project.”

“Okay, do try to come.”

The bus arrived at Marushur terminus. Nakshathra got down and to her surprise, Deborah was expecting the conversation to go on.

“If you don’t mind, can I have your number, Nakshathra? Or is there any other means of contacting you? I would like to keep in touch with you and update you about our concerts.”

‘God! Where is this leading? Should I trust her? Though a girl, she is still a stranger. I have been taught that I should not speak to strangers. But, from our two-minute chat, I find her trustworthy. I can’t suspect her for no reason,’ thought Nakshathra.

“Why not? You can save my number. It’s 91******30.” Deborah’s fingers typed the number on her Smartphone.

“Okay, I will save it. What are your other hobbies?”

“Writing. That’s my passion. I have authored some short stories and I am currently working on a novel.”

“That’s awesome! Nice meeting you, Nakshathra. Will keep in touch with you. Bye,” said Deborah, surprised by the fact that she was speaking with an upcoming author.

“Bye, Deborah.”

‘Ha! Foolish girl. She has given away her number to a stranger. She doesn’t have an idea of what she is getting into,’ thought Deborah wickedly on her way back to a shabbily constructed old building named ‘Red Label’. The building was hidden from the main road and it was situated on one of the infrequently visited streets in Marushur.

However, Nakshathra was walking back with nonchalance. She held her head high, even though she was aware of the cons of giving her number to a stranger.

*****

“Good catch, ya dude! You could have asked her Facebook profile link,” said a burly African, smoking a pipe and forming rings with the smoke. The plaits of his braided hairstyle hung loosely before his eyes. The slightly protruding teeth enhanced his appearance of a thug. At the far end of the dingy room, his gang was lost in a game of poker.

“I thought to ask, but these Indian girls are intelligent. She would have refused to give me the link,” replied Deborah, slightly irritated that her efforts were not being appreciated.

“Good job, Debbie! Contact her after a few days. Befriend her and click a pic with her.”

“There is no need for that. Let me check whether she is in WhatsApp. If so, I can save her profile image.”

Deborah refreshed her WhatsApp contacts. The name ‘Nakshathra’ did not show up.

“Luther! She isn’t on WhatsApp.”

“Damn it! What’s her name?”

“Nakshathra.”

“Nakshathra. That means star, right? She will be a star after a month.”

The entire room roared with devilish laughter.

*****

“Nakshu dear, what are you looking at?” asked Nakshathra’s mom, worried by her daughter’s behaviour for the past few days.

“Nothing, Ma. I am looking at a friend’s profile pic in Facebook.”

“Sweetheart, for the past few days you look sad. Is everything okay?”

 “Ma, that…I had…” Nakshathra put down her Smartphone and faced her mom.

“What?”

“Ma, I..I..”

“Why are you stammering, Nakshu?”

“I have committed a mistake, Ma.”

“What?” She looked agitated.

“I have given my…”

“Given your what?”

“I have given my number…”

“Phone number?”

“I have given my number to Rohit, Ma. He is calling me continuously and disturbing me.”

“Oh, God! It’s only Rohit, right? It’s not a mistake; he is your cousin. There is no wrong in speaking with him. Attend his calls.”

“Okay, Ma, but don’t try to marry me off to him.”

“I would never do such a thing. I am a modern mom.”

“Thank you, Ma.”

‘How can I tell her that I have given my number to a stranger?’

*****

Red Label presented an eerie atmosphere that evening. The air smelled of a mixture of alcohol and tobacco. Luther was scurrying from one end of the room to another. He was speaking on the phone in a business-like tone.

“Okay, sir, sure. I will tell her.” Then he ended the call and turned towards Deborah who was looking after a tied-up girl.

“Debbie, can you believe this? Mr. Shimasu Kakri has chosen Nakshathra and he would like her to be traded immediately to Seoul. So, fix a meeting with the tramp in Skysplash Mall. Convince her; say it’s an important concert. You know what to do. Whisk her away and drug…”

“Okay, okay, Luther. I understand. I will call her right now.”

Deborah dialled Nakshathra’s number.

Please check the number you have dialled. Neengal dial seidha tholaipesi ennai seri paarkavum. Please check the….

 ‘Oh my od! Did I save her number correctly?’ Deborah panicked. Her fingers trembled as she dialled once more.

 Please check the number you have dialled. Neengal dial seidha….

‘Why does the recorded voice sound different? Does this network company have a separate recording studio?’ She dialled the number for the third time. The same message was received.

“Luther!” cried Deborah.

“What?” he asked, hoping that Nakshathra would have given her consent for a meeting.

“We have been deceived.”

*****

International high-profile prostitution racket busted in Chennai.

The headlines caught Nakshathra’s eyes. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed a familiar face amidst the gang of pimps.

‘Deborah! What the hell!’

She continued reading the news, which said about the hidden Red Label building and how the hoodlums were abducting young girls. Deborah was the catalyst. She would befriend the girls, take their phone numbers, and, after a few days, set up a meeting with them in a mall. Then, she would drug them and take them to Red Label. Subsequently, the girls would be traded to different countries and given away to big-shots as escorts.

Nakshathra couldn’t believe her eyes. She was horrified. Bile rose in her stomach. Hurling the newspaper away, she ran to the bathroom, and threw up.

“Nakshu, what happened? Why are you vomiting?” Her mom hurried into the bathroom. She held her daughter’s head while she was puking.

Nakshathra drank some water and settled down on a sofa.

 “What happened, Nakshu?”

“I am not feeling well, Ma. Let me sleep for some time.” She began sweating profusely.

She shuddered at the thought that she was almost abducted and traded away. She thanked God for saving her at the nick of the moment. She headed for her mobile phone to set the alarm. There were two missed calls from an unknown number three days earlier.

‘What if I had attended the calls?’ She trembled at the very thought.

*****

Rohit planned a mind-blowing ceremony for proposing to Nakshatra. He was sure she would accept his proposal. He smiled at her picture on his mobile and dialled her.

Please check the number you have dialled. Neengal dial seidha tholaipesi ennai seri paarkavum. Please check the….

 ‘What? This is ridiculous! Has she changed her number within two weeks? Let me try again.’

And the second time also he received the same message.

Please check the number you have dialled. Neengal dial seidha tholaipesi….

“Hello!” It was Nakshathra’s voice. Rohit gasped at the other end.

“Nakshu! Is this you?” He checked the screen to ensure whether the call has been attended.

“What, Rohit? Have you gone mad? You have called my number and you are asking whether I am Nakshu.”

“Hey! This is unbelievable. I would have not called you the next time.”

“Why?”

“Because I heard a voice telling ‘Please check the number you have dialled’. Can you believe this?”

Nakshathra’s heart skipped a beat. She stood still with her eyes transfixed on the wall in front of her. Like a bolt from the blue, everything became clear to her. She got the answer for her probing queries. She had wondered why the unknown number hadn’t made any calls after that evening. Realization dawned upon her. She had a miraculous escape from a horrible racket.

“Hello, Nakshu, are you there? Why did it happen? Anything wrong with your phone? You can change to another network if you want..hello…”

“Rohit! That voice you heard is…”

“Yeah, what about that?”

“It is my hello tune, which I had set from the Funny Hello Tunes series provided by Vodafone. I almost forgot about it. You know, it saved my life.”

~THE END~

10 Best Songs of A.R.Rahman – Toughest Challenge Ever

I love challenges! As a staunch Rahmaniac, I challenged myself to choose just 10 best songs of Rahman. These are the songs that I’d recommend to anyone who’s approaching me to introduce them to Rahman’s music. This was the toughest job ever, but I somehow chose these numbers.

P.S: This list will not cater to your liking. Your list of ten songs will be completely different from mine. So, no mockery or belittling comments allowed here.

1. Poongatrile (Uyire)

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Though Aye Ajnabi from Dil Se is the original, I prefer the Tamil version. This song shaped my book With Love, Forever so much that the very first line of the book has this song’s title in it. Whenever someone asks me to name just one favourite Rahman song, I’d tell this one (though my heart would break and my mind would shatter into thousand pieces for not telling 100 other favourites).

Lines from my tribute post:

This song is the epitome of poignancy. Poetic lyrics, Unni Menon’s effervescent voice, Swarnalatha’s heartrending cameo, and a combination of heavy violin and strings in the interludes make this number an uplifting listen.

2. Anjali Anjali (Duet)

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Based on the raga Maand, which signifies love and warmth, this heart-melting duet is a must-listen. If you are craving for some rich music, listen no further than this song. You can find an ode written by me for this song here: A for Anjali Anjali (#AToZChallenge).

3. Kun Faaya Kun (Rockstar)

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Because, this number is my lifeline. As simple as that. Whenever I want to experience divinity and feel the presence of the Supreme Power, all I have to do is just close my eyes and listen to this song.

I can tell that this number is the purest form of Rahman’s Sufi. The spellbinding tune and Irshaad Kamil’s Arabic and Urdu lyrics make us connect to the Almighty directly. The velvety voices of Rahman and Javed Ali add to the spirituality. Harmonium and soft tabla beats intersperse naturally. Rahman gives the number a western twist by introducing few guitar strums and Mohit Chauhan’s cameo rendition.

The above lines are my ode written in one of my previous posts.

4. Masakali (Delhi-6)

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Are you going like, ‘WHAT THE HELL!’? But, I say, ‘Why not?’ Yes, I have said a thousand times over social media that this song led to my Rahman Awakening. This was that one song which made me decide that I want to be a hardcore Rahmaniac for the rest of my life.

Some lines from my ode:

Have you ever heard of a song that is both inspiring and stylish? I would strongly recommend this upbeat number for people who feel that nothing is going well in their life. Masakali not only boasts of varied musical nuances, it is also like an anthem for all youngsters. Accordion notes open the song and a soft percussion wafts to your ears. Then begins the contagious tune that drove the nation into a frenzy in 2009. Mohit Chauhan’s playful rendition peps up the folksy flavour of the number. Prasoon Joshi’s awe-inspiring lyrics contain some beautiful advice for woebegone people.

Listen to Masakali right away!

5. Taal Se Taal (Taal)

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Yet another number that had a huge significance in my life and shaped my book. There is a reference to this song in the book and also I have named a chapter as ‘Match Your Rhythm With Mine’.

Lines from my ode:

Taal Se Taal is a number that can drench you in pure love. With a heartwarming tune, this song is a perfect listen on a rainy evening. Rahman weaves magic by indulging in some mellowed dholak beats, flute sections, violins, and water droplet sounds. Alka Yagnik’s maudlin voice flows like honey in the ears, while Udit Narayanan’s nasal tone complements well. The radiant female chorus is yet another beautiful aspect of this number.

6. Urvasi Urvasi (Kaadhalan)

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This song really changed my perspective about seriousness. It taught me that I shouldn’t take too many things to my heart and I should follow the ‘take it easy policy’. It also reminds me of how time is running out and that I must begin things right then and not wait for the right time.

7. Piya Milenge (Raanjhanaa)

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Another song that can move you to tears, if you are on the path to spirituality. This soul-stirring Sufi-based song is one Rahman’s finest works in the past decade. Once you start listening to it, you’ll never get enough of it.

Lines from my ode:

Yes! This is yet another song which acted as a catalyst while writing my baby ‘With love, forever’. This utterly meditative Sufi fusion number is peppered with Sukhwinder Singh’s divine rendition, KMMC Sufi Ensemble’s empowering chorus, and some religious hymns from Quran. Irshad Kamil’s heavenly lyrics make this number an absolute inspiration for many.

8. Kannalane (Bombay)

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Mind-blowing is an understatement when it comes to this soulful melody of the 90s. This number also has a reference in my book. A beautiful qawwali section in the first interlude makes this an evergreen classic.

Right from the ‘Gum sum gum sum gup chup’, this song is one grand celebration. Everything about this number is sure to tingle your senses. And the icing on the cake is K.S.Chitra’s nightingale voice and Rahman’s heavenly aalaap in the first interlude.

9. Vennilave Vennilave (Minsaara Kanavu)

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If there is one love duet that I’d make you listen, then this is the one. This ultimate melody is a great companion on lonely nights. Lie under the moonlit sky, plug in your earphones, and get lost in this number.

My ode to this song is a long one and you can read it here: V for Vennilave Vennilave (#AToZChallenge)

10. Malargal Kaettaen (OK Kanmani)

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If it is Kun Faaya Kun in Hindi, it is Malargal Kaettaen in Tamil. Whenever I listen to this song, I can feel the presence of the Supreme Power.

Some lines from my ode:

This is a pure Carnatic based song that stirs your soul from the first listen. Chitra’s mellifluous voice seamlessly flows along with the ethereal tune. Get ready to listen to Rahman in a never heard before avatar. His sangadhis are pitch-perfect and we’d be left wondering why he doesn’t foray into classical singing. Some mellowed tabla beats and Ragman’s vintage flute make up the interludes.

What are your choices of ten Rahman songs? Let me know in the comments below.

Love,

Kavya Janani. U