The Third Room

The house I stay in right now, has this small extra room, which we rarely use. We have partially converted it into a storage place. But my toddler often visits that room out of curiosity and explores the stuff lying there. Also as my parents and my niece were here recently, I used that room more often in last two weeks. One particular morning, when I was in that Third Room, I felt this strange sense of calm. Also I felt, I have been to such Third Rooms in past. Like that store room, in my grandparents' place which felt cold and haunted at times, but it had those large metal trunks, the ones that held blankets and rajais (bed quilts/duvets) and may be some secrets too. 

As a child did you ever escape into the world of your imagination while hiding in that metal trunk in the Third Room?

There was this cemented water tank on the second floor of the house I grew up in. Everyone stayed in that house - parents, brother, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. The space below that tank was a great way to hide from others and still enjoy the cold there in hot summers. The cold which might have frightened someone weaker than me. 

As a child did you ever think of yourself as a master strategist planning your next battle move lying on your back in a damp space of the Third Room?

The annual grains' supply for the entire joint family used to come in large gunny bags. For few days before the grains were transferred to the steel silos, the bags lied there in a corner in a bulwark formation. The evenings were really exciting. The cops chased all the robbers with their toy guns. The games we played revealed who were on the dark side.

As a child did you ever wait endlessly in the Third Room, behind a wall of gunny bags, to spring a surprise?

The Third Room is not really a physical space. It exists somewhere in our minds. As we grow up, we lock it up and forget about it. It is a place which is a great escape from our routine. It is a place to reflect upon the next move in your life. It is a place which might spring a pleasant surprise. The first two rooms are all about your family and your work. This Third Room is about you. It is time you find it and open it. The key is right there. There in your own hands.

Songs of Life

I watched a film called "Meri Pyaari Bindu" last month. It is a rom-com and a badly made one. But there was a concept in the film, which stayed back in my mind. The lead couple has a playlist of certain songs which define their relationship. These are not necessarily good songs, or even their favorites. But songs that trigger memories. I had written about instances or memories that define strong relationships in this post. I felt like revisiting the theme, but from the perspective of songs.

So here is a list of songs (not in a chronological order) and the memories they bring alive even today. They are not necessarily great songs. But definitely associated with strong memories. 

Kullu & Manali Trips

Summer vacations were always fun. I used to love even the holidays' homework that came along with them. Making charts and scrapbooks was more a pain for my mother, rather than for me. I remember this particular stretch of three years, when my father took us all to Kullu & Manali for few days. Yes! same holiday destination, every year for three years. Of course, each time the group we went along with, was different. And each time we discovered something new. 

On one of these trips, I listened to the songs of film Mohra on loop in our car. And sang along loudly as well. The songs were risqué and had double meaning lyrics. But at that time, I didn't understand all that. Whenever I listen to these songs even today, the memories of those Kullu Manali trips, come gushing back. So here is the most played song of the album and most probably your favorite too, if you have grown up in that decade. Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast!!!

Cable TV

Do you remember the days, when you had to wait for Wednesdays or Sundays to watch your favorite film songs on Doordarshan? Rangoli and Chitrahaar must be getting all the TV ratings in those days. With advent of cable TV, all that changed for ever. Songs were now available on tap. There were umpteen countdown shows. And one song ruled the charts for many many months, in nascent years of cable TV. This song was part of a film (Hum Aapke Hain Kaun) that brought families back to cinema halls. So while this song has several associations for me, the strongest one is 24 X 7 TV channels. Go ahead and listen to Didi Tera Devar Deewana...

Antakshari

Antakshari is a game played in Indian subcontinent. The word itself is concatenation of two Hindi words - Ant (End) and Akshar (Letter). It is a game where people / teams have to sing songs starting with last letter of the song or verse sung by previous person / team. I am sure you have several memories of those school trips, college excursions, parties, family functions etc. where you played this game. Some people like me, sing really cheesy songs like "Bharo Maang Meri Bharo"or "Ki Ki Ki Mohabbat Ki Ki" which people remember for their sheer stupidity. But this one Antakshari changed the way Antakshari was played for ever. The moment some one sings the song "Aaja Aayi Baahar, " inadvertently you would guess the next set of songs till you reach "Kaate Nahi Kat te yeh din yeh raat". Watch this Antakshari to know why 😼 from the film 'Maine Pyar Kiya'.

My break-up song

It is the song associated with one of the saddest phases of my life. My girlfriend at that time, left India for ever, to settle in a cooler country. I was so much in love with her, that I listened to sad songs whole day long, and kept thinking about her. I didn't want to get distracted. I wanted to wallow in the pain caused by this heart break and her memories. And then this song came along (Mitran di Chatri By Babbu Maan). The lyrics felt so apt at that point of time. The song literally talked about a girl going abroad. Irony. Listen to my heartbreak song. In hindsight, it sounds funny. And I found love again. Many times over. 

Wife & Me

We were seeing each other for a year, before we got married. And I still clearly remember the first film we watched together - 'Welcome.' It was December of 2007. It is one of the funniest films we have seen together. It was an exciting date. We laughed a lot that day. And there was this one particular song in the film which my wife took a fancy to. I am not sure what she liked in it, the video, or the lyrics, or the fact that my wife is as tall as me. She looks even taller when she wears heels. The song alluded to the height of the girl. There is a sense of mischief in the song. So every time, I listen to this song, I think of my wife and that first film we watched together. 

There are several other songs and several related memories. Do you have a playlist too?