To the city beautiful.

There is something about cities.
You can lose yourself in them, 
... in their concrete buildings and traffic.
And you can find yourself.

Being brought up in a small and calm town like Roorkee, I've been associated to two cities till today, and both of them have a special place in my heart, just as my hometown does.
As I write this today, I look back at myself exactly a year and a half back, and I smile. This is what I wrote then, and shared on my blog :

JANUARY, 2015 (http://gazalbharadwaj.blogspot.in/2015/01/blog-post.html )
"There is this something which is troubling me since past few days. I wish to resolve it. 

I  bid adieu to New delhi, few days back. And here I am in one of the most beautiful cities of India, Chandigarh. Delhi made me a different person. I would rather say, it transformed me from a kid to a young woman, a thinking and questioning woman. I learned. I failed. I rose. I lost. I found. Yes, Delhi I remember everything you gave me, and I'm thankful to you. I'll come back one day I promise.

I am on my way to something, and I do not know if I'd get it or not. People make choices, sometimes sacrifices. Sometimes life itself is taking away from you, some sacrifices, without even your knowledge. That is how they say, the balance is maintained, Isostasy, you see. 

People come and people go. Moments appear and moments depart. Cities, villages, towns, all so different and yet full of similar people become a part of our lives, and so do their stories. We're all heading somewhere. And we don't know whether we'll get there or not. But let this not stop us from living life as it comes, cherishing it, growing old with it, wiser and evolved. We are humans after all. We can think, question, complicate, and resolve. For its all in our heads. For even animals can feel. But we can channelise our feelings, derive energy from them.

Living alone in a new city, teaches you a lot of things. Yes you're alone and that pinches you often. But, you know you have a purpose. And you have somewhere started to trust your efforts. Believe me, don't trust anyone else, but them."


When I wrote these lines here in Chandigarh, I was on my way to something.
Tonight, when I type these lines here again, I'm on my way to something too.
But there is a difference. That difference is what this city shall always be remembered for.
"There's something about cities.
You can lose yourself there.
And you can find yourself all over again.
Do the latter, and you shall make the city yours."

Yours forever. 
Cheers to you- the city beautiful.To you:
कारवानों में तू ढूंढे वो लम्हा तेरा 
और लम्हे तेरे कारवाँ लिख रहें हैं 
लफ्ज़ और खामोशियों के बीच में...

लफ्ज़ बंदिश भी हैं 
और हवा की तरह 
लफ्ज़ आज़ाद हैं 
इनको जी ले , कि  यें , 
बस तेरे आज हैं 
कल रहें न रहें, 
कल मिलें न मिलें 
बीते लम्हों को मत तोल, 
वो कब रहे साथ हैं ?

कारवानों में इन, तू है लम्हा वो इक,
ढूंढता तू जिसे है, अब यहाँ, अब वहाँ 
ढूंढता जग जिसे है सदा से रहा, 
जाने पहचानों और बेगानों के बीच में...

PS: In remembrance of the journey:
http://gazalbharadwaj.blogspot.in/2015/09/the-shouting-rhymes.html
http://gazalbharadwaj.blogspot.in/2015/09/roshni-3-let-me-change-like-this-city.html
http://gazalbharadwaj.blogspot.in/2015/09/unworldly.html
http://gazalbharadwaj.blogspot.in/2015/09/i-know-you-cant.html
http://gazalbharadwaj.blogspot.in/2015/05/hot-air.html
http://gazalbharadwaj.blogspot.in/2015/06/defying-gravity.html
http://gazalbharadwaj.blogspot.in/2015/11/the-brittle-dream.html