On the top of the World

Blue sky, chirping birds, golden gleams of sunlight, cool breeze, a non-perennial water body, tens of telecommunication miniatures of the Eiffel Tower, domes of a temple, church and mosque (all at one sight) exhibiting sovereignty, green patches of moist land serving as the Eden Gardens to many Master Blasters in the making, distant horn of the Great Indian Railways, sailing colors of drying pyjamas and salwaars, an aunt in the neighborhood household exercising to stay fit and the house of my best friend in the very next lane.

I’m truly on the top of the world. I’m on my TERRACE :).

My bonding with this beautiful place began from my school days when my mom expects me to study for a minimum of 15 hours a day of which ten passed at school (But please don’t ask me if I studied at school. Lol). It was the remaining five hours that were a problem at the beginning, till I got on to the terrace one evening with my book. Ever since then, it had turned out to be a companion, a friend, a soul mate and a personal diary. What would one think if you keep talking to yourself all alone! That you have gone mad. Well, yes but not when you are in this place with a earphone playing the favorite song of yours. It knows everything about me from the half yearly exam I bunked in my twelfth standard staying back at my friend’s place watching the Final Destination series, my secret crushes, awkwardly odd fetish ness, the kind of affection I have for my family that even they don’t know, pre defined plans for life (though none has taken off) and the happy and sad moments encountered with my lady love. Most of all, it knows the real ME like no one else in this world have known or would.

Even today if I come home, it’s my assigned job to treat the crows every morning calling out, “ Ka. Ka “. I was so good at it that the crows eventually started coming without even me calling out but my mom says that I’m never supposed to serve them mute (I wouldn’t wonder if my neighbor says that he uses my tone as his alarm to wake up). The non-perennial water body that I mentioned above serves multiple purposes – play field, dhobi ghat (nope, not the Aamir Khan feature film), a place to dump domestic wastes and a water tub for buffalos. I even used to rehearse for my roles in plays and for oratorical competitions earning me a choice to add a good number of certificates to fill my 40 leaf file for placements (which I did). I’ve essayed several roles as an actor, singer, music director, film critic and sometimes a choreographer too which only my terrace knows (Good for the world, It doesn’t). I should mention that we have a lot of peacocks around my place, which would contribute some pride provided the poachers don’t deprive them by seizing their feathers. And not to forget the cat and dog play (at times, it is dog and dog play) which keeps me better entertained than WWE.

I remember a philosopher once being asked which was his favorite place on earth and he replied saying where ever he was. Well, I may not be so thoughtful as him but my mouth would effortlessly utter, “MY TERRACE”.