Skip to main content

The Halogen Nights




On a fine Saturday evening, I decided to catch up with a late night movie. Not too mainstream, not too popular either. It came up as a random strike in the mind, and when I checked up online, it was playing at a suitable time. A few couple of finger tip punches later, I was heading for the 9-pm show, technically called the Second Show (which I still don’t get by what logic that name has been come up). Two-and-a-half hours later, I step out, with a smile on my face. The reason – unknown for its existence. The movie did go well (for those who would like to know). Probably, there was this brimming lot of energy within, which felt good, for the least.


Right after the moment I was out of the gates of a movie hall, it struck. Just at the steps of the movie hall, I saw a set of cops standing beside their official ride. The mission – only they knew, and I didn’t bother. I was mesmerised by the sight which I had in front of me. With the vast span of road in front, practically empty at the time stamp of 11:15 PM, there was an innocence in the roads. They were quiet, yet they wished to say something. A song, a lullaby, an essay, or probably - a poem. The lights on the streets felt like they were waiting for the sunrise, tired ever since the arrival of sunset. I turned left and right, as if I could go in hunt of the horizon at that time. For some reason, I didn’t feel like heading back home. And then was born the idea of Halogen Nights.


For strange reasons of not thinking along the lines of energy conservation, one will still find a lot of halogen/incandescent lights across the streets in the country. No, you may not see them on the highways, but you will still come across them in smaller cities/towns. Though the fact that, there are lights, is a blessed boon indeed. There are still many roads and alleys, which could benefit a lot from one, but their chance and time hasn’t come yet. The child in me had woken up, and the shutter bugs started tickling my eyes for the glint of yellow, wherever I could find one.


Ignition on, plugged in my earphones, and checked the battery on the phone – plenty for long hours! The left turn took my preference, with several animate men under the influence of the elixir of imagination, singing songs and walking the roads, keeping me company. The music was soothing, yet reverberating – the beats had started speaking their language already. And it felt good to explore the night.

Along my times in different cities and times, I have come to notice the fact that, a city always looks the most beautiful at night. And, not the night where there are traffic jams and beaming headlights all across. But the time, when the roads are left to their own tunes. There is this silence, a void which exists everywhere, which feels beautiful. Around each and every corner, the lights keep shining, and you feel like capturing all those moments right there in your mind - frame by frame. The different cross roads, keep narrating words to you, and you feel delighted when you can hear the silence. The shops which still run post-midnight, forms a last resort for night owls like me. There are the famous ‘tattu-kadas’, or ‘night-shops’ (you can definitely call them that), which keep serving good food. There is that old uncle, who is trying to wrap up his day, closing the shutters of his shop, and heading back home. The midnight tea shop near the bus stand, which still runs for the fellow travellers of time.

The alleys in the dark have their own stories to tell. The temple by the road, with it's lamps burning the midnight oil, has it's own share of devotees, waiting outside the doors, for their unanswered questions. The medical shop, which functions, 24x7, who may or may not have customers at that time. The theatre, which is wrapping up it's day after it's last show. There are people everywhere, which still keeps the towns alive. Be it any city, you can see these, at one or the other corner.

The midnight marathon finally ended at my abode, with the eager wait for the Sunday ahead. I settle down at my table, with a book in hand, losing myself in the world of words, yet again!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Vicious Circle of Survival of the Fittest

It's one of the famous theories existing in the world. The one part of the evolutionary theory proposed by Charles Darwin, which we all have learnt in school - "Survival of the fittest". Along the years of human evolution, the above said principle has seen to be followed by us as a species. And it is very evident in other species as well. The strong and the healthy ones, survive the competition and progress further in time. The ones who are weak, perish and the cycle repeats for numerous number of times. It might have been repeating for millions of years! Once one-sided, but it returns back! When we reflect on our society, we see the very repercussions of this theory in it. People have been evolving as civilizations along many years, and there have been remarkable changes in our societies as well. But as we should see two sides of everything, there are two sections of people, one which is very well off in their lives, and another section which is not at all so. P

Isn't it better to say it to the face?

It's a straight question. Isn't it better to say it right to the face ? I mean, there are various instances in our life, when we don't say things to people. We somehow manage to avoid the situation, or compromise that the situation is covered up. So that, we don't have to face awkward circumstances. But actually, shouldn't we be doing the opposite thing ? In this new age, with means of communication moving into various realms, it has become possible to express yourself in easier ways, than meeting the person, and saying it to the them directly. And definitely, all persons, prefer the better versions of communication, since it doesn't involve so much of embarrassment. When you are texting the person about your anger, your frustrations. The reason for this is the recent incident that I came across. Two friends - staying in touch all the time, meet in person after a long time. But due to some complexes, one was upset with the other. And naturally, when they

Should we exist this way ?

The curiosity of mankind with finding Life on another planet has always been there. Various scientific expeditions, telescopes roaming all over the outer space, various researches going on. And often there are reports all over stating that there are life supporting planets many light years away from our own. Considering the philosophical side of it. Suppose if we do come across such a world, where life exists. We as a life form called HUMANS, existing on this third planet of the solar system called Earth. We have our own definitions for things that exist. It was around 5 or 6 years ago that the planet Pluto was deprived of its "planet" status. And there are various things as well, which we define for our own sensibilities. As humans, we are supposed to co-exist with all the fellow living beings on the Earth. But that's not what is happening. Just wonder, that one day, we do discover that there is a life-existing planet other than ours, and there is a life-form as well