The Genius

Mumbai Meri Jaan

There were my parents in the endless stream of commuters at the Mumbai International Airport. As soon as they saw me, they began waving and calling as if a VIP had just landed. It may sound funny, but when you see your near and dear ones after a stupendously long time, all you want to do is scream out loud, "They're here for me!! My biggest fans!!"

My mom hugged me. Technically, I dont like any bodily contacts such as hugging, kissing etc unless the person I'm touching is really really spongy. But these occasions are different. My mom says that when I was a kid and would come back after a long time and see her, I would clasp her tightly and hold on like I never wanted to let go. She says she sees the same expression on me whenever I come back home. 

Today was no different. I got my customary clap on the back from my dad. It resounded and everyone stopped to stare. "Ah! Finally back home!", I thought. 

We reached home. Mom had made my favourite food - Ladies finger and steaming hot dal rice. Simple but delectable. Right after lunch, I had an afternoon siesta in my favourite blanket. I then went to meet Rose. She had not changed a bit - pretty as a picture. A military doctor, she was now living her dream. She was engaged to be married to a pilot. Her nuptials were perfectly timed, for who should be her bridesmaid but me. The thought was exhilirating. 

A friend once told me that if you aim high, you would definitely live atleast half your dream. Rose proved that you could live your dream a 100%. That was why she was my best friend. She set her goals, and she acheived them. No regrets. She gave me hope that some day I would be what I wanted to be - a successful entrepreneur. 

As a kid I had big dreams....to be Miss universe, a dancer, a singer, an economist and an archaeologist. Finally I became an exact enantiomer - nobody in their right senses would call me close to an aspiring model; I had forgotten what proper movement of joints was; I kept cursing the govt for not giving enough money for scientific research; I scavenged the future, didn't decipher the past; but yes music was the love of my life and will always remain so.

All these thoughts raced in my head. You might be wondering why I thought so much. Or how I concentrated so much on my thoughts while doing other activities. The truth is, I dont know. People would say I had a very active mind. But it was actually a cloak. To sheild me from those noises in my head. 

Strange right? Its actually like your brain functioning as two brains. One part remains rational while the other goes totally insane. It goes to insurmountable heights. I had always attributed this to the generations of madness passed down to me....I do have a history of mental diseases in my family tree. I was always afraid of becoming like them - a pain and a burden on others.

At an early age, I realized I used to hear things speak. For example, the chair I would sit on would groan and grumble to its neighbour making me jump. Being extraordinarily brilliant, I would make up stories about it. But when I felt it was more than a part of my creativity, I began fearing the worst. And since there is nothing like a mental medical check up, I decided to take matters into my hand. I began focussing a lot on my studies, so that my real brain would overpower this figment of imagination, but it never happened. It never left me.

Soon it began haunting me. So I crammed my mind with thoughts. So many that all of them would fight to be shown. And there would be so much steric hindrance that the madness would not get through. It would slowly leak in the form of radioactive waves. And vanish. And it did.

Or so I thought....

That night it came back to me. The fire, the lady on the tiger...it felt so real that I got up with an ultrasonic bang. Thankfully nobody was disturbed (they're used to the chickens clucking down - I swear I could build an atom bomb for them). But this dream....I had got it after years, exactly the same - me and my friends at a party, then a fire erupts, and we are trapped. Suddenly a tiger springs from nowhere. I look into its eyes and I know that its here to protect me. Suddenly the statue of the Goddess comes to life, takes my hand and protects all my friends and I'm left to choke in the lampblack. 

At first my uncle told me that it was a sign - that the Goddess would protect me from harm, but I believe that its the tiger, not Her. The same dream has put itself on repeat button in my head, and I simply cant fathom why. 

I got up to drink a glass of water. As I walked into the kitchen bypassing the hall, a voice came behind me, "Old habits die hard. Even after so many years this girl cant sleep without a glass of water." Another voice said, "Oh shut up! I'm trying to sleep, cant you see?" The water in my mouth froze as I said, "Ha! That's from last nights movie!". Wait. Someone else had said exactly the same words per unit time. 

I turned around with the one thought that clouded my mind during such impromptu occurrences - what do I have in my defense? And suddenly I was thankful for not cutting my nails, just to realize that there was nobody there. I turned around a whole two pi radians and even looked at the image of my surroundings in the kitchen windows. Only to find that not only was I alone, but that the light was also switched on. 

Those voices - where were they coming from? Like there was a huge amplifier right at their lips --

"Now who switched on the lights? Surely its not her...she never switches on the light...."

"Shh you two! All  hail the Mighty! Namaste Mata!"

And encore --

"Namaste Mata! All hail the Mighty!"

I clutched my hands to my ears as it got louder and louder, but it wouldn't stop. I closed my eyelids shut, to find brightness enveloping me. And there she was.

The statue with life in her.