The world has taken an interval just like how we have one in every Bollywood movie. Just FYI, Bollywood movies are probably the only ones that give a brief interval between their movie screening since their duration is much more than that of an average movie made in Hollywood. I have always felt that the best way to express oneself is by writing and there’s no better time to talk (write) about it than in these dreadful pandemic times when the world is struggling to stay indoors and all those urgent outdoor activities have somehow either ceased to exist or are confined to indoor spaces.
Now when I say writing is in my opinion the best way to express oneself, that doesn’t mean that all the other ways are inferior but somehow, I have always felt comfortable with the pen. There is something about writing which is not there in any other way of expression. Maybe it’s because while you are sitting with a blank piece of paper, you give your imagination a chance. Maybe it’s because you aren’t scared of anything and anyone. Maybe it’s because the blank piece of paper will not answer back or better, it won’t intimidate you, or maybe because there are times when all you want is for someone to listen to you.
The era of writing letters, unfortunately, has long gone and so has the excitement of opening envelopes. Pardon me, but all that we unbox with tremendous excitement nowadays are parcels from online stores. One does not have to be great with words to write as it is often the simplest of writings that leave that lasting impression. I write because of the satisfaction which I receive in penning down my thoughts. I am definitely not familiar with the complex vocabulary of the Thesaurus because I feel that writing in simple English isn’t that bad, right? Ruskin Bond did just that, didn’t he? Isn’t he adored by all of us?
You don’t have to impress anyone with your writing, write for yourself and you’ll realize how good it feels. Since we’re all trying to fight back in these difficult times, let’s inculcate the good habit of writing one page a day or maintaining a journal. You’ll find many fun journals in the online market or you may simply use any notebook lying at home or better, just use MS Word- pretty convenient and hassle-free!
Of late, people are becoming quite detached from books. One look at the metro compartment in any city in the world is enough proof of that. The community of readers has shrunk with the advent of smart gadgets. From smartphones to watches, we just didn’t realize that we also need to feed our brains with evergreen and classic reads. A bit of Louisa May Alcott and Sidney Sheldon will do greater good to your mind than watching another one of those roast videos on YouTube.
A kindle has still not been able to replace the books in my life and the same applies to the vintage community of readers. We are too loyal to books (Hardbound or paperback, doesn’t really matter though, right?) and I know that there are tons of cool gadgets to keep oneself occupied but there’s always some time to read, trust me.
You only have to look for that moment and once you start and delve into those alluring and powerful lines on paper that are painting a picture and mounting your imagination manifolds, there is no looking back. The amount of pleasure you get when you finish a book is always overpowered by the feeling of despondency that comes with it. It feels as if you are being made to return home after a fabulous vacation and although you don’t want to but you have to so you do, with a grumpy mood and grave face (duh!).
You get transported to an unusual world with intriguing characters while you’re neck-deep into a book. You can travel around the world without a ticket, without spending money, and of course without the risk of catching the horrifying COVID-19 virus. You can develop abundant fear for Miss Havisham and fall in love with Mr. Darcy. You can be in the valley of Uttarakhand and in some Haveli of Udaipur, all in a day. You can flip through Dickens or Austen, depending on your mood.
Sitting in a comfortable chair with an old book containing brownish-yellow pages, droplets of water sticking to the glass panes, cool wind gushing inside your tiny room through the open door which makes frequent noises due to its peculiar to and fro movement. The intoxicating petrichor tempts you to look outside at the lush green trees laden with fresh fruits but the smell of your book is constantly reminding you to not leave and keep reading. Isn’t that the dream?
2 Comments
Interesting. Wondering what is fulbright research finalist?
i am big fan of bollywood movies. really a thoughtful post and connects well with bollywood 🙂