Finding Neverland !

A weekend in Bangalore without a visit to a mall, almost seems impossible these days. If I don't bother anything, I still find it a good place to roam around, or grab a quick bite, or if I find time(which I most often do) watch a nice movie in a comfortable multiplex. For the past few months(well, really close to an year), I have had a companion who accompanies me in this adventure(if I may call it so). She is only of my very few close friends(you can count the number in a single hand), who shares a nice rapport with me. I will tell you, she is one girl with a lotta questions and I am a guy with too little answers to them. One of her questions made me write this article.

As usual, this last Saturday, We were out, in front of a mall, when we saw this guy. He might have been in his late twenties or early thirties. With a dhoti, white shirt and no slippers, the man with pale skin and blond hair would have passed for both an Indian and an English. Though I am not sure about his nationality, I am sure he is not from Eastern hemisphere. He was standing under a scorching Sun, on bare foot, close to a drainage, selling books on Hindu Gods, which were neatly arranged on a hand-pulled trolley. He sported a short hair, ash on his forehead and Indian traditional. Seeing him, my friend hurried a question out of her mouth. "Why Ila? Why should he leave all comforts back home and come and stand on a dirty road, to sell books? Is it his fate?". She questioned and as she always does, got me off guard. And I struggled to form sentences with the words I recollected and gave her an answer. I knew she was not satisfied. I was not. I started searching for our answers.

That night, Will Smith was intruding into my dreams. "Pursuit of Happyness, buddy ! Pursuit !". I know he was shouting out his movie name, but was he trying to give me an answer? I thought about it. Men, in their lives irrespective of anything, anything for that matter, run behind one thing in common. HAPPINESS. All living things, that are still living pursue happiness, through different routes. For a business man, a box full of cash might be happiness, for a child, just a couple of chocolates could mean a lot of happiness. For a teenager, hanging out with his friends would mean happiness, for an old man, sitting in his porch might be. For a new mom, the sight of her baby would give immense happiness and for her baby, life may be filled with happiness. Happiness is a perception. It differs from person to person and to the same person, from time to time. The three words started ringing bells in my head. Isn't it the pursuit of happyness that keeps the World running? Isn't it the the pursuit of happyness that make men smile, cry laugh, betray, forgo, forgive, teach, learn, love and ultimately live? Isn't it the pursuit of happyness that make us believe that one day, we will win?

There was a small bangle seller living in a town, an unheard one, trying to raise a couple of sons. He had a very possessive wife, who used to take care of the boys when he was gone to sell bangles. She was no less than him when coming to love for the children. Life was hard on the bangle seller. He earned not more than Rs. 10 a day. Life would have been different had he married the girl, his mother wanted him to or at least would have been better, if he had no children. He had two boys, who he must equip to face the World. But his economic status was against him. This in turn was affecting his personal life at home. Any man in such a situation would have decided to turn into ash or would have got ready to bury himself with sand. Not this man. He was happy. He was educating his sons and he would do that, no matter what his hardships are, no matter what he debts, no matter how he falls. he worked hard towards his happiness. Today, one of his sons, writes this blog.

This pursuit of happyness ends with the finding of Neverland. Like happiness, it is just a perception. For some, it is decent food and a good home. For some it is life without hardships simply lying in their beds. And for some, somehow to live life is. Most of us are not gifted as Johnny Depp or Kate Winslet. We do not have fairies, colorful stars, blue rivers, golden sun, melodious birds, angels, mountains, peace of mind in our Neverlands. We always pursue with great hopes that to make our Neverlands as happy as possible. We may fail but still we pursue.

Well, still I haven't answered my friends question. Let me jump into the thick skull of the man and try to find my answers. War against civilians, hatred towards religions, not a liking for family life, men induced diseases, nothing trust worthy, blood in the name of God, drugs, rapes, murders, junkies and hippies, in all I live in a shit hole. And he got, a place where non-violence still exist, people live in families and love each other, an amusing culture, an awe-inspiring humanity, wonderful monuments, simple faiths and secular minds, a lot of learn and a lot to teach. He found his Neverland. he pursues happiness to find his Neverland and we ours.

Well. you have come till this far, so I will assume you will read the rest. And this is mu Neverland. A cottage near a beach. A slight drizzle and the full moon. Not much clouds but stars. A light house at a distance, and a ship anchored close to the port. Sand all around. Waves on my feet, and hers too(I hope, I will get married :-) ). A chill wind and a feather touch. And all that I need, forever, is a small smile. (And if anyone of you are dreaming about a similar Neverland, don't forget to think about me.)