On the outside of the city of Karnal,
Opposite the Bull Complex of NDRI,
Situated is its Christian cemetery...

Deserted it seems away from the city,
No attendants stay at its rusted gates,
Beyond its boundary an eerie silence..

Once in a blue moon it is thronged by,
Many mourners clad in formal black,
But silenced afterwards the coffin dug 6' deep.

It's been months since I played it,
The guitars have my exams in their way,
They miss me at Karnal just as I miss them here at Rohtak.

The strings crave to be played - to be touched by me,
It's high time that I played it so the tuning must be long lost,
The hollow & the pickups feel lonelier in my memory without me & strings missing my touch.

I must hold them in my hands and write musical notes with them,
I will make the strings my pallet & strum them in rhythm while I sing,
I will apologize to my guitars for having ignored them knowingly.

It was raining very torridly that day,
The cold was so frigid here in Karnal.
A pregnant lady was rushed to the hospital,
The Antichrist was born that evening.

Sceptic of old traditions the boy grew,
Not feeling the justification of religion.
Though I know about the good things in books,
But still I am that irreligious man now.

Always approving of the creator God,
That almighty remains unquestionable.
Not He Himself had dictated things to anybody,
I denounce the need for money in faith.

It Was A New Delhi To Bangalore Flight In 1994
I Was Aged Three Years & 7 Months At The Time
We Did Start From Karnal For New Delhi At 1400
Mom Feared It That We Might Miss Our Flight
I Did Not Say Anything As I Knew Not Why So...

Anyways, We Reached IGI Airport In New Delhi
Here We Checked-In At The Domestic Terminus
Remember The Security Folks Tickling My Body
Maa Disappeared Into A Screen - Wooden Frame
I Looked Silently At The Smiling Security Man...

Then We Had To Cross Over In The Boarding Area
I Was Not Allowing My Young Eyes To Rest At All
Closely Following My Mum As Dad Was Not Here
Then Just As We Mounted The Taxiing Bus, I Said Aloud,
"I Am Not Here For The Bus!!!
Where's The Flight?"

Such was my childhood.

She is from Amritsar,
Home to the Golden Temple,
And a historically important city.

He is from Karnal,
Home for some research,
And Indian Milk Revolution..

She is still innocent,
Drawn to his charming self,
And that too quite righteously...

He is experienced,
Drawn to her innocence,
And is always there for her....

She is very receptive,
Often listens to his advice,
And much to her advantage.....

He is most supportive,
Showing her lighted path,
And so for her is all of him......

Both replace all pairs,
Many poets know of them,
And Mystery-Atul just rejoice.......

Initially,
Her thought was a positive one,
And my memory sharpened,
So much that I still remember,
The first time she doublecrossed,
So like kids I had wept for her,
And an older friend Madhur,
His shoulder was my tear pillow.

Madhur had said, "If she made you cry now, how can she be your fabled truest lover, your soulmate?"

I remember how she had argued,
That I never cared enough for her,
But all my time was just for herself,
I so resent her for ever forgetting it,
How she revised her 10th with me,
I gifted her self-belief back then,
I know now she silences me.

I remember how I fixed a deal,
We sold the Bengaluru property,
For it our family had flown there,
But I remember how she was misled,
2013 was marred by an old terror,
My old phobia of getting ditched,
She forgot I got it sold for her.

2014 was a bit happier for me,
But I had wrongfully let her be,
I gave her immature self the key,
That key to my utmost happiness,
To behave like that I was foolish,
She was happy having my time,
Did I ever look at another girl?

I remember when my dad was ill,
He was admitted to the hospital,
In '15 winters it was exam time,
She had 'gain swayed off of me,
Young girl presented a Catch-22,
Choose from my thirst or thy dad,
I chose dedicatedly serving my dad.

I still try to woo her back in vain,
For I know she is a bullet astray,
Shot into the period by her age,
Social bounds are now a cage,
Like a Catty she pounces upon,
She surfs upon an internet tide,
And thinks that she is up to date.

Now I feel so tired of trying,
But I will try once again,
I will go to her house,
Once more I will go,
My course ends soon,
Now I just have to gain,
For there is nothing to lose.

Even our newer bigger home,
In Karnal comes to completion,
Opportunities are many in here,
Researching life I am indulged in,
Now is the time for me to watch,
Plan, act & watch the outcome,
I see joy is 'round the corner.

My happiness is in my own hand,
The pursuit of it is not so bland,
It is the most full of challenge,
No time to lose in indulgence,
It's now when I must perform,
The pursuit approaches an end,
My joy is in making destiny bend.