LOVE MARRIAGE YA ARRANGED MARRIAGE ?

   

 Marriages are made in heaven and arranged marriages are made in Bharat Matrimonial or The Sunday Ananda Bazaar (That’s what they claim).At times the relatives play an important role bringing in their very distant relatives claiming to know them very well even when the last telephonic conversation between them happened 2 years back! Power packed ads- bride needed for the only son of Highly qualified Chartered Accountant,also knows scuba diving or looking for MBA, IIT, CFA, for only sister, very fair, very beautiful. At times it is slightly confusing whom is the ad for ?Is it for the Chartered Accountant father (who from the bottom of his heart  really wants to remarry and throw out the wife a , 1960’s model), or his son or his daughter!

                                      The father of the bride really has a hectic job of finding a decent groom but then it’s a question of her whole life. So drilling starts. The mother of the bride also does her part... No,No...This guy won’t suit you at all. His uncle’s daughter fled with a local hooligan. The expectations make it tougher to find suitable match. He is just 5’3...So dark, how can he manage with this meagre salary?

                The bride or the girl at times adds her own requirements and specifications-Dad, I want a tall guy, size does matter. Please Ma, I want to marry an engineer. The list goes bigger and bigger.

The Father of the groom is a bit disappointed as his son couldn’t find a suitable girl by himself even at 30 years of age. Ekta Dharosh tumi (Useless Fellow), can’t find a girl after so many years, he has in his mind. The mother of the groom has started crying for she has already lost her son to some imaginary girl who plays JadooTona (mumbo jumbo) on him, thanks to KYUN KI SAAS BHI KABHI BAHU THI ( A popular television soap ).She can’t sleep at night .But then she has to get his son married.Mukherjee Da’s wife was telling the other day.... How long will you keep Nakul unmarried?get him off or else he will start doing all nonsense.

                       So the search begins - Groom wanted for extremely fair, extremely beautiful, extremely calm and quiet girl, MA, Diploma in dancing (only at night clubs!), Also knows stitching (couldn’t even stitch the first button of her Shirt, Always open).....At times the father and brother plays a big role in the ad...Father retired very well known professor of very well known college( bucks! Flowing! ) ....Brother IIT,IIM bla bla (More bucks! Flowing! )

                                         The groom always had some secret criteria which now comes forth....She must be very fair (As Priyanka whom he proposed 11 times but no luck), Should have a very good figure (Hmm..Like Payel,the Delhi Chik who had 20 boyfriends in just 3 years ),should be very homely ( And also shake her hips with me at Night clubs )....And so the search goes on...and on.....

                                                     The two family’s sits on the opposite sides of the table smiling (and remains smiling...always smiling).The groom has already started liking the bride’s cousin sister...Smart glances being exchanged...Here comes the bride with the tea tray in her hand....A bit shaking ( God!!! The Tequila’s last night was quite strong at Tantra )... Eso Ma,Ki misti Dekhte (Come my Daughter! So swheet)…The groom has already started dancing around the trees…Thanks SRK!!

                                  All well that ends well…So was the marriage and the reception….barring some minor incidents… The bride had too much makeup …The groom’s red underwear was clearly visible throughout the wedding. Some optimistic hearts here and there…This is my number…Please call me…I have the full Brilliant Tutorials IIT Material…Although I am studying BCOM now … OMG! The groom was bald on the marriage day and now he has full grown hair!...Thanks to Habib’s.Ambarish got a bit carried away with two pegs of Royal Stag and tried to kiss the bride’s cousin sister…She is hot Man!!!!.....all well that ends well….

Poor humans!!! It never ends!! The painful saga has just begun my friend….

                                             And then the clock ticks 11:30.All too tired after the reception…Except for the Groom…Come on Man!!! This is the night!!....He had waited for 30 long years. Apart from the little Hanky Panky with Ruchi, that too at Nicco park, today he wants to pump to glory. The room smells too flowery as Ambuj Da, his elder brother has really stuffed it with flowers, everywhere, all over the bed, above the bed and the not so fitting ones, below the bed. The bride sits a little distantly at the farthest corner of the bed…Groom fidgeting with the Ganda Fool…A bit tense atmosphere across the room…Abrupt hushing outside… OMG! They haven’t started yet! When will he finally do it? The groom’s boudis too excited, trying to peep and see what’s happening inside….It’s getting late!!! Groom getting more tensed… Shono na, why don’t you change your saree…It can get spoiled…Its too expensive…. Oh!!! So you want to see me naked so early….Bapiiii!!! Whom did you select for me L ,anger peeping out from the bride… I don’t sleep so early, and where’s my glass of milk…haven’t you told your Mom that I can’t sleep without a glass of milk at night...The bride replies back…God!!! She needs milk, where’s my milk…Groom’s condition deteriorating…Please excuse me for today…I totally forgot to tell mom, tomorrow onwards everything will be perfect….Now,Can we please go to bed errr I mean to sleep…..I need to change…Bring me my bag….Can you go outside please ….What!!!! Please, I can’t go outside…All my Boudis are standing at the door I know….And I am your husband…for the next seven lives….The groom smiles …..Moron….I think it’s my seventh and last  life with you…..The bride saying in her hearts of heart….In the mean time, the groom has reached quite close to the bride, though both in sitting position…The groom tries to play a little piano with the Bride’s fingers…She takes it away fast….The silken Sherwani has already started biting the groom so he wants to change to something simple and free flowing….I think we better change and get into something comfortable….The groom speaks up and proceed to change…without looking back…..Although a passionate desire had already grasped him…He looks at the shorts which he has been wearing the last 5 years, Picks it up but reluctantly leaves it…The idea of an old short that too in the first night won’t be too good...Shifting inside a pajama…Newly bought….As he changes, the rhythmic jingle of bangles comes to his ear….Giving a frightful square look of not getting caught, he could see her creamy back and the shoulders quickly getting draped into a night gown….The fire inside has already started raging…He feels an intense desire to kiss her...but steps back in case he sends some wrong signal of being branded as a Sex Maniac…He is so cold….At least could have  kissed my …. The bride feels as she quickly changes…. Riju Da was far better….He use to kiss me so passionately…Why Bapi dumped him just because he was a sales representative…

                                            Both lies flat in the bed pretending to sleep….But both remains strongly awake….The groom still thinking how to start….Will I start with a kiss…or embrace her…or…or…. God!!!! When will he do something…Are you feeling tired? You must be…Thank God, Everything went well…The groom starts a conversation…The Zero Watt Red dim light had its own effect on the whole room…It had spread it’s romantic wings embracing the two newcomers to the marriage arena…The groom looks deep into the bride’s eyes….both looked tired…She has got such beautiful big eyes…This was the first time he was looking deeply into them…Apart from the Subho Dristi Time…The bride felts a fervent desire to run her fingers through his cropped hairs but resist herself…The conversation slowly stops…But the gaze continues…Both Looking deeply into each other eyes…She liked his tired smile…He slowly starts caressing her hair….And then the ‘first night together’ begins with a deep long kiss…






-       SAPTARSHI BASU

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Saptarshi Basu is a gold medalist in mechanical engineering and has worked in the IT industry for the last eight years. However, writing has always been his first love, his passion.  His second novel, Autumn In My Heart was published by Vitasta Publishing with Times Group (TIMES OF INDIA) in November’11. He maintains a blog http://saptak-firsttry.blogspot.in/ and writes screenplays for movies and columns for some online magazines.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

There's so much being told about Mothers, that I couldn't resist myself posting it...I too love my Mom you see :)

Mother
-Saptarshi Basu

Mothers are the place that we call home.
On them we rest our heads and close our eyes.
There's no one else who grants the same soft peace,
Happiness, contentment, sweet release,
Erasing nighttime tears with lullabies,
Restoring the bright sun that makes us bloom.

Mothers are the place where love
Emerges from the earth,
And happiness rings out like bells
In honor of our birth.

Mothers are the sun that lights
For life our inner sky,
So we may know that we are loved
And need not question why.

Mothers are the moon that shines
Upon our black despair,
So even when we weep, we know
That someone's always there.
Whatever fear, or stress, or pain
Might them to anger move,
We know that underneath the storm
We have, always, their love.

COMING SOON IN FLYTE -THE DIGITAL STORE OF FLIPKART.COM

Saptarshi Basu tries to find the answers for problems of today's youth in the context of their busy lifestyle  -The HINDU

A RECOMMENDED STORY FOR TODAY'S YOUTH - THE VIEWSPAPER,INDIA'S YOUTH VOICE

http://www.saptarshibasu.com/ 

FEATURED IN CALCUTTA TIMES -TIMES OF INDIA

AUTUMN IN MY HEART FEATURED IN TIMES OF INDIA-CALCUTTA TIMES

'MEET THE AUTHOR' PROGRAM ORGANISED BY TIMES OF INDIA AT KOLKATA BOOK FAIR 2012

SPECIAL MOMENTS OF 'MEET THE AUTHOR' PROGRAM ORGANISED BY TIMES OF INDIA AT KOLKATA BOOK FAIR 2012 ON THE RELEASE OF MY NOVEL 'AUTUMN IN MY HEART'

- A BIG THANKS TO ALL FOR COMING AND MAKING THE EVENT COME TRUE !

There is only one happiness in life- U know what?

‘There is only one happiness in life-To love and to be
loved. these are not my words. Lord Buddha has said this.’

Saying this he looked at us. I tried figuring out in my mind
how to let Guru know the details of my life to help him find
the truth for me, when he looked at Vinod and said.

‘Your uncle loved you. Where ever he is now, he wants to see you
happy, my son. You were confused for a long long time in a
world, which was not yours. Remember my son –

‘nainam chindanti shastrani
nainam dahati pavakah
na chainam kledayanty apo
na sosayati marutah’

‘The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon,
nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered
by the wind. But then you need to realize what you are.
Consciousness is eternal. ‘Na Hanyate Hanyamane Sarire’-
Consciousness is eternal. It is not vanquished with the
destruction of the temporary body. My son, you need to seek
the truth within yourself, and that will set you free.’

---- Guru Lama from ' AUTUMN IN MY HEART'


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YOUTUBE TRAILER OF AUTUMN IN MY HEART

BOOK REVIEW- AUTUMN IN MY HEART

‘Autumn In My Heart’ by Saptarshi Basu is the tale of the quintessential human being we all have inside us. Be it the Software Engineer guy Deb, or the forced-by-family-to-get-married girl Ayantika, or the other parallel characters like Sagarika, Sujoy, Priyanka, and the office colleagues of Deb – ‘Autumn In My Heart’ tells the story of US, as a whole. The author Saptarshi Basu just had to take the pain to pen it down in a concrete basis in between two covers, efficiently. He did exactly that, and how!

Saptarshi Basu, the author, talks about the Bengali culture and sentiments in a way that not many authors from this side of the country has done recently. At least, not us from ‘Between The Lines’ have gone through such works lately. Naturally, ‘Autumn In My Heart’ was like a whiff of fresh air. And, the author has not disappointed. During these days of SOBA (serial-obsession-of-being-an-author, as we call it sometimes on BTL), Saptarshi Basu brings in some fresh change to the lackadaisical writings that we get to face otherwise. Though‘Autumn In My Heart’ straight reminds me of the Korean movie of the same name (Korean, right? Or Japanese it is? :O), we understand that even phrases tend to become limited at times, when one needs to express himself just like the way he wants to. Talk about cliches, the book never makes you feel it for once.

   READ MORE AT - BOOK REVIEW

CAN LOVE HAPPEN TWICE?

READ ON AMAZON : http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009A1ANDY


ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Saptarshi Basu is a gold medalist in mechanical engineering and has worked in the IT industry for the last eight years. However, writing has always been his first love, his passion.  His second novel, Autumn In My Heart was published by Vitasta Publishing with Times Group (TIMES OF INDIA) in November’11. He maintains a blog http://saptak-firsttry.blogspot.in/ and writes screenplays for movies and columns for some online magazines.

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EXCERPTS FROM THE NOVEL -  AUTUMN IN MY HEART

Everyone has a past and so did Deb.

‘Please Priyanka, Please don’t hang up the phone. Listen

to me. You know how tough it is to make a call to US.I have

been trying to call you for last three days. Please, listen to

me! I will make everyone happy. Please! Don’t break the

relationship. I will try to make uncle accept us. Please give

me a chance.’ Deb tried hard to control his tears.

‘Deb, it’s over now. The sooner you accept it, the better.

And please don’t harass my dad with your pestering phone

calls.’ Priyanka said from the other end. Her voice was cold

and devoid of any emotions.

‘How can you say that, Sona? We have had a relationship

for the last ten years. How can you break it in a day?’

‘It’s over Deb. I have someone else in my life. Aditya is

my Project Manager and we are going to get married soon.

It’s a waste of time discussing all those crap, sentimental

old things. I am done with you.’ Deb felt his temperature

rising. His heart was pounding loudly. Also, the phone bill

was rising. He tried to give it a last try. How can she leave

me, Oh God! Please, God, Please bring her back to me.

 ‘Who is this mother-fucker Aditya? Don’t tell me that just

three months in US, and you have forgotten our love.’

Priyanka was working with one of the top IT MNCs

in Kolkata and had gone to Dallas, US for her first onsite

engagement. ‘Aditya can give me all the luxuries of life. Plus,

he is my project manager, so no one can stop my promotion.

You are a loser, Deb.’

‘Oh, I am a loser now! And what about that time when I

spent an entire week beside your hospital bed when you got

jaundice. It was I, who took your dad to hospital when he

broke his leg? I did all the shopping for your whole family

for a month. And now you are saying I am a loser.’

‘Oh! So you did all that to get something in return. Tell

me what you want? I will ask my dad to pay you.’

Deb held his breath for a minute. It pained to let

Priyanka go away from his life. But he could make out that

it was all over. All these ten years, those beautiful nights

chatting over the phone and hugging and kissing. Those

rainy days, movie halls, market places, botanical garden– he

could feel her presence everywhere. The warmth of her

breath, the softness of her touch. How could it be all over?

‘Please Sona, Please.Come back to me…’ Deb could feel

the tears slowly running down his cheeks.

‘I can’t I have already accepted Aditya’s marriage

proposal.’

 ‘You bloody bitch. One day you will repent it. Go to

Hell !’.

Deb threw the phone away. It beeped a while before

going into total silence. He ravaged his cupboard to get

his cigarettes. He got hold of one and sucked it hard till

it reached its end. Deb looked at the burned out cigarette

stub. He felt just like it. Used, abused, sucked, burned and

thrown away.

As each day passed by, Deb felt the pain making a

formidable hole in his heart. The crowded Kolkata streets

felt empty as he struggled to reach his office in the morning.

Sitting at one distant corner of a window in the lazy tram,

Deb gazed blankly at the roads where they had walked hand

in hand. It made him feel that his world was completely

devoid of any happiness.

As time passed by, the emptiness in Deb’s heart

transformed into an uncanny purposelessness. He tried

to spend more and more time in office. But the pain had

grasped him thoroughly, clenching him in its tight clasp. He

was neither able to concentrate on any of the work assigned,

nor did he feel the need from inside.

Slowly, Deb slipped away from the mainstream. He

rejected phone calls from his nearest and dearest friends,

roamed aimlessly on the streets of Kolkata. At times, he spent

hours sitting by the side of the Ganges. As slowly the defeated

Sun drowned in the shining waters, Deb looked vacantly

at the happy couples flocking on the riverbank sharing a

melting ice cream. Suddenly old memories flashed in front

of his eyes making him weaker and smeared him in pain.

The food he loved most had lost its flavour, the streets

had lost their charm, friends had lost their warmth and what

mattered more, life had lost its meaning.

It went on like this for a couple of months. Deb’s

quality of work degraded to the last level leading to daily

skirmishes with his manager. At last, he felt compelled to

resign and started looking for another job. Things were at

their worst. After a month of futile search, Deb still remained

unemployed. By that time, he had lost all the zeal to struggle

for his existence.

Mitali, Deb’s mother could easily understand her son’s

condition. She tried to contact Priyanka. It didn’t help much.

By that time, Priyanka had already changed her US mobile

number. She tried hard to contact Priyanka’s parents only

to surrender helplessly to their threats of a police case for

harrasment.

It was raining heavily that night. As Deb stood there

lonely in the verandah, he could see the gushing waters

overflowing the city drains. The lightening remained frequent

with flashes of light zapping the nearby jasmine tree in their

garden. It was just then that Deb decided to live no more!

As Deb looked at his parent’s smiling photo one last

time, with a shining razor in the hand, a deep-rooted pain

clenched his heart. He felt like crying but perhaps the tears

had dried up in his eyes. The room was scattered with torn

letters and photos of happy times. Outside, the thunder

could be heard frequently. It was as if someone up in the

heavens was protesting against his next action.

He felt reckless one last time. Deb looked at his glass

window with droplets of rain clinging to it. Priyanka’s face

flashed for the last time with the lightning. Her sweet smile

beamed in front of his face. How much he liked that smile!

How he was mad about her! And then it was all over. The

razor shined the last unforgiving minute in his raised up right

hand, till it came down slashing. It was all over. A puddle of

blood formed on the white carpet as Deb lay there, his soul

still fighting to unite with his creator.

Everyone has a past and so did Deb.


READ ON AMAZON : http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009A1ANDY

-                                                                                                                                            

       ---From the novel ‘AUTUMN IN MY HEART’

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