AE ZINDAGI GALE LAGA LE

 

Ae ZIndagi Gale Laga Le..... Advait was humming the popular song from the film "Sadma", his all time favorite. 

The winter sun filled the room with a soft glow. Cool breeze touched Advait’s face as he sat in his old armchair, ready to lose himself in the comfort of his favorite book. In the carpeted reading room a glass paneled cupboard with neatly arranged rows of books stood tall, a large teakwood table upon which a reading lamp was casting it's light. A intricately carved wooden tray held a glass full of water and a jug beside it. A brass elephant stood guard at the center of the table. These had been his companions since many years now and this room was his all time favorite retreat. A neatly framed faded family photo hung on the wall like a memory frozen in time and the wallpaper on the walls made it more elegant and inviting. Stepping into this room was like going back in time. The room was quiet, still, and calm. The only sounds which filled it were Advait's singing and the breeze from the window.

Advait picked up his reading glasses, cleaned them carefully, and held them against the light. A gentle smile crossed his face. He murmured, “Ae Zindagi, my friend, my companion. You may have dimmed my eyes, but you have given me the gift of seeing life clearly and that too in full HD. Come here, sit with me for a while. Just look at us, we have carried the weight of decades together. It feels like yesterday when we began this noisy, clumsy journey. Now that you and me have aged quite a bit, I just want to sit in silence with you for a while. No accounts left to settle, only memories to share. What a journey you’ve been.”

Advait’s voice grew tender, “A big Thank you for the small joys. The smell of the first rain on the hot earth. The taste of home cooked meals, the warmth of a loving family. and a roof over my head. Thank you for guiding me through the challenges of school and college with wisdom.  You gave me light when I needed it most, and I will never forget that. You taught me how to fold disappointment into lessons - Thank you. You remember the mornings I thought I would go out and change the world? I raced out, angry at the slow world, and you with your patience held me in check. You showed me and made me realize that the world was here before me and I owed it to the world. You gave me the realization that most victories in life are tiny: a phone call returned, a warm hug from a loved one, a dish washed without complaint, a promise kept to myself."

Advait paused, then chuckled softly, “But let’s be honest, Zindagi. You were a terrible planner. Why did loneliness strike when I was surrounded by people? Why did you throw me onto rough roads when smooth ones were right there? Do you remember that big order for which I had worked for countless nights? You gave it to someone else. It did feel cruel, unfair at that point.”

His tone grew firm, yet grateful, “But I must say - Thank you, those stings shaped me. They burned away illusions and built resilience. I wouldn’t be who I am today without those fires. You made me stronger. You gave me treasures too. A adorable family without which I would be a boat drifting in rough waters. There were people who loved me and people who left like seasons. I sit with those memories now and I don't want to change anything. Some goodbyes still give me a lump in my throat, and some embraces feel like warm rooms I can step into again in a dream. You let me carry their names like coins in my pocket; they jingle when I walk and remind me I once mattered fiercely to someone else. You taught me that love isn’t about holding on, but about cherishing the time we share under the same sun.” 

Advait sighed, “I wish you had pushed me harder that one time in college. I wish I hadn’t wasted so much energy worrying about things that never happened. The sleepless nights, the unknown fears - they were heavy. But they taught me to value peace. Those quiet mornings with hot chai, the newspaper, and the birds singing. That’s when you whispered the deepest truths. That’s when I really found myself. There were places I never went and things I never said, and sometimes I think of them like unwritten letters. You have always answered me with a patient smile and told me that absence makes space for other things - a small habit, a new friendship, a quiet Sunday ritual. I found strength in the simplest routines. You laugh when I call those moments 'LITTLE,' and you made me realize that little is where most of living actually happens. You reminded me that a life is not a checklist but a living room where people keep moving in and out.” 

As the evening grew quieter. Advait’s voice trembled, “Now, as the story of my life seems to end, I’m scared. Scared to lose you. You’ve been my only friend from the first breath to the last. You have seen every mistake, every triumph. I am sorry for the times I hurried you, for the impatience that made us both tired. I don't know how long I have left to speak aloud these memories, but I know the shape they have made inside me. They are not perfect, but they  are special. I am more tender than I expected to be, more honest than I planned, and oddly proud of a life that kept showing up even when I didn't. It feels strange to know that the sun setting today might not rise for me tomorrow. But there’s relief too. The race is over. The duty is done. No more deadlines, no more bills. Just calm. It's like sinking into the softest bed after a lifetime of hard work. The aches are fading. The questions in my head are silent. The journey is complete.” 

Advait closed his eyes for a moment, his voice soft but steady, “Thank you, Ae Zindagi. For every breath, every tear, every laugh. You were messy, you were glorious, but you were mine. And I wouldn’t trade a second of it. I love you, my friend.”

"Ae ZIndagi Gale Laga Le..... Advait continued to hum.

PHOTO - SHOP

 Photo - Shop

It was a quiet Tuesday afternoon when Advait walked into "Dorabji's Photo World" a small photo studio tucked inside the lanes of Girgaum between a bakery and a tailor shop. The place had an old-world charm. Faded portraits of couples, mustached sethjis and family pictures adorned the walls, a dusty camera stand in the corner, and a faint smell of old photographic paper and photo chemicals lingering in the air. He had come to get a passport-size photo clicked, nothing fancy, just something which he needed for some documents.

As he waited for the photographer to set up the camera, his eyes wandered to a laminated rate card pinned to the wall. It read:

50 for 12
80 for 12
110 for 12

The numbers were the same in quantity, but the prices puzzled him. Curious, he turned to the photographer and asked, “What’s the difference between these three?”

The photographer, Dorabji  - a man in his late fifties with a kind face and a calm voice, smiled and explained, “The first one is a normal photo - just as you are. The second one includes basic touch-ups - blemishes removed, skin tone lightened. And the third one, well, that’s the deluxe version. We use filters, AI sharpening, and effects to make you look... perfect.”

Advait pondered and chuckled softly and said, “I’ll go with the first one. Just the normal one.” Dorabji raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. “Most people go for the second or third. Are you sure?” he asked. “You’ll look much better in those.”

Advait nodded, still smiling. “Hmmm yeah, I’m sure. You know, just looking at that rate card made me think... this is exactly how we live our lives now. We are constantly upgrading ourselves  -  not for us, but for others.”

Dorabji paused, intrigued. Advait continued, “We post pictures on social media with filters, with perfect lighting, perfect smiles, perfect backgrounds, perfect settings, everything just perfect. But inside, we are not always happy. Sometimes we are broken, sometimes we are tired. But we hide it all behind a filter, just like that third option.”

Advait leaned back in the chair and sighed. “We buy the latest phones, the flashiest cars, we go to fancy restaurants - not because we really want to, but because we want others to see it. We want to be seen, to be liked, to be admired. Even when we travel, it’s more about the pictures than the experience. It's about the likes and comments.”

Dorabji nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. “That’s true,” he said. “People come here for wedding shoots, birthday shoots, even baby shoots, and half the time, they’re more concerned about how it will look on Instagram rather than how they actually feel in the moment.”

Advait smiled again, but this time it was tinged with sadness. “Exactly. We are not making memories anymore. We are manufacturing moments. We are not living for ourselves, we are living to impress a world that doesn’t even know who we really are.”

There was a long silence between them. The only sound was the soft hum of the studio lights. Dorabji said, “Dikra, You know, people hardly ever say that to me. Most people just want to look better. But you... you want to be real.”

Advait nodded. “Yeah. I think it’s time we stop hiding behind filters. It's time we start accepting ourselves as we are, our flaws and all. Life is too short to be lived for someone else’s approval.”

The camera clicked. A simple photo. No edits. No enhancements. Just a man, as he was - real, raw, and quietly brave in a world obsessed with appearances.

Photoshop.....

"Where we edit pictures - and sometimes, our lives."

REINVENTING ADVAIT

 

Reinventing Advait............

On the fourth day of his solo trip through the quiet lake trek near Uttarkashi which offered solitude and scenic views, Advait found himself atop a quiet mountain, the sky appeared to be only a few feet away from where he stood. The trek had been long, winding through mossy trails and whispering forests, but the reward was sublime, a panoramic view of layered hills fading into mist, the air crisp and laced with the aroma of eucalyptus. He dropped his backpack, sat on a flat rock warmed by the sun, and let silence settle around him like a warm shawl.

Advait had always been a man of structure - meticulous notes, spreadsheets, schedules, and neatly folded shirts. But something had shifted in him lately. The mountain, with its unhurried rhythm and unapologetic wildness, mirrored the disarray he had been feeling inside. He closed his eyes and asked aloud, “What am I really chasing?” The question hung in the air, unanswered, until a voice which was his own, but different, responded, “Maybe not what, but who.”

He chuckled, surprised by the clarity of that thought. “Who then? I’ve been Advait the manager, the husband, the father. Is there someone else?” The voice within replied, “There’s Advait the wanderer. The one who scribbles his thoughts in pieces of paper, in the vast notebooks of the mind, who once dreamed of building a farmhouse with a winding dusty road tucked away deep in the cover of trees, who feels more alive watching the clouds and the flowing stream than closing deals.” Advait felt a strange warmth in his chest, like meeting an old friend he had forgotten.

The conversation deepened. He remembered his childhood in the suburbs of Bombay, climbing the big stacks of hay in the cattle farm behind his school, running and playing in the narrow lanes and drawing maps of imaginary farmhouses. He remembered the thrill of his first solo cycle ride, the wind in his hair, the sense of boundless possibility. “I buried that boy under responsibilities,” he murmured. “But he’s still breathing. I can feel him now.” The mountain seemed to nod in agreement, the breeze kissing his cheek like a beloved lover.

Advait stood up and walked to the edge of the ridge. Below was the river snaking through the valley like a silver thread. “I’ve lived like a dam,” he said, “holding back dreams, emotions, even tears. But maybe it’s time to be the river.” The voice inside him laughed gently. “You already are, its just that you forgot how to flow.”

He sat again, this time cross-legged, and pulled out a small notebook he had carried but never used. The pages were blank, but his mind wasn’t. He began to write, not plans or to-do lists, but reflections, sketches, fragments of a story. Each word on the paper felt like a stone lifted from his chest. “This is me,” he whispered. “Not the polished version. The raw, real one.”

As the sun dipped lower, painting the sky in hues of amber and rose, Advait felt a shift, not in the world, but in himself. He wasn’t escaping life; he was rediscovering it. The mountain hadn’t given him answers. It had given him permission, the permission to question, to feel, to change. “I’m not just Advait the achiever,” he said. “I’m Advait the seeker.”

He stayed until the stars began to peep from the grey sky, each one a quiet witness to his transformation. When he finally descended the mountain, he carried no souvenirs but only a new sense of self. The man who had climbed up was not the same as the one who came down. He was lighter, fuller, more whole.

Back at his homestay, he didn’t rush to check emails or plan the next leg of his journey. Instead, he brewed tea, sat by the window, and watched the moon rise. The solo trip wasn’t about solitude anymore, it was about reunion. Advait had met someone on that mountain. Himself. And he liked who he found.

As the steam curled from his cup and the moonlight spilled across the tiled floor, Advait’s thoughts turned inward again, this time toward the people he loved but felt most distant from. His wife, once his confidante and co-dreamer, now seemed like a stranger across a chasm of silence. He remembered their early days - the shared laughter, the soft pecks, the longing for each other, the unspoken words. But somewhere along the way, the warmth had cooled, replaced by clipped conversations and unspoken resentments. “We stopped seeing each other,” he whispered, “even when we were in the same room.”

The hurt wasn’t one-sided. He knew he had retreated into work, into his friends, into the safety of routine. But he also knew that others had meddled - friends who sowed doubt, relatives who judged without knowing, voices that whispered poison into already fragile spaces. “They saw our cracks and widened them,” he thought bitterly. “And I let them.” The realization stung, but it was honest. He hadn’t fought hard enough to protect what mattered.

His children now felt distant, like faint reminders of a once joyful connection. Now, they barely spoke unless necessary. Their words were laced with sarcasm, anger, resent and their eyes guarded. “They think I don’t care,” Advait murmured, “but I care too much. I just didn’t know how to show it when everything was falling apart.” The guilt sat heavy on his chest, a weight he had been carrying silently for years.

He had tried in many ways to mend things - apologies, gestures, attempts at conversation, but the walls had grown thick, layered with misunderstandings, misinterpretations and one sided information. Every effort felt like shouting into a void. And the taunts, subtle digs, dismissive tones, repeated reminders of his failures had begun to chip away at his spirit. “I’m not made of stone,” he thought. “I feel every word, every glance. I just don’t show it.”

Physically, the toll was visible. Sleepless nights, a persistent ache in his back, a fatigue that no amount of rest seemed to cure. Emotionally, he felt like a man adrift, yearning for connection but afraid of rejection. “I’ve become a ghost in my own home,” he admitted. “Present, but unseen. Heard, but not listened to.” The mountain had given him clarity, but it was not able to erase the pain.

In this reflection, there was a flicker of hope. The notebook beside him held more than words, it held intention. “Maybe I can write my way back,” he thought. “Not to who I was, but to who I want to be.” He imagined sharing his thoughts with his wife, his children - not as a plea, but as a window into his heart. Vulnerability had always scared him, but now it felt like the only path forward. The lion had to show his underbelly, let his guard down. That was the only way he could win recover that was lost. Of course he was not expecting instant healing. The gorge was deep, and the bridges fragile. But he could start with honesty with showing up, not as the perfect father or husband, but as Advait the seeker. The one who had climbed a mountain not to escape, but to remember. “I’ll try again,” he said aloud, voice steady. “Not because I’m strong, but because I still believe in us.”

Outside, the moon hung low, casting silver shadows across the quiet courtyard. Advait sipped the last of his tea and gently closed the notebook, its pages now etched with reflections. Tomorrow, he would call home - not armed with answers, but open with vulnerability. The journey wasn’t ending; it was just beginning. A new beginning.

His thoughts, like beads, continued to string themselves into a necklace of clarity and intention. And as the first light of dawn kissed the horizon, Advait understood: he couldn’t rewrite the past, but he could shape the story of what came next. 

With every breath, he chose courage over comfort, truth over silence, and love over pride. This wasn’t a retreat from life but it was a return. A return to feeling. To healing. To becoming. This was the quiet, powerful start of something deeper.

This was the moment of Reinventing Advait.

THE BENCH TALK

The Bench Talk...........


The breeze was softly flowing through the park like a graceful lady walking down a road. The dried leaves rustled over the cobbled stone path, kids laughing in the distance, and the sky slowly melting into shades of orange. Anirudh, a 60 year old man, sat on his usual stone bench near the walking track, sipping chai from a steel tumbler and humming “Yeh Shaam Mastani” with his eyes half closed and seemed to be enjoying every note of the song. His cotton kurta fluttered gently in the breeze, and his leather chappals tapped a slow rhythm on the ground. Just then, Anaya, a 20 year old girl, walked up, slightly agitated. One of her chunky sneaker laces had snapped, and she slumped down beside him with a sigh. “Ugh, this is so annoying,” she muttered, pulling out her phone. “Gonna order new laces on BlinkIt. Should be here in like 10 minutes.”


Anirudh looked at her, amused. “You’re ordering shoelaces? In ten minutes?” She nodded, not looking up. “Yeah, quick delivery. It’s a thing. I can’t walk around like this, it’s giving ‘hot mess’ energy.” He chuckled. “In our time, if something broke, we fixed it. No apps, no panic. Just jugaad.” She raised an eyebrow. “Jugaad? I think I have heard this before. Aaah you mean getting around something.” He smiled. “It means clever fix for you. Why not tie the broken ends in a knot? Make it look cool and artistic.” Anaya paused, "How do we go about it? I mean, I don't have the tools to do it. Okay, wait... this actually slaps. Like, it’s giving DIY streetwear.”


He smiled and signalled her to remove the shoes. With some deft moves, Anirudh tied the broken ends of the lace to resemble a bow and did the same to the other shoe. "This is so cool, man." Anaya was amazed and started clicking the picture of the lace. Instantly posted it on Instagram with the caption "Not just tied. Styled" and showed it to Anirudh. He was spell bound with her speed with which she posted the picture and had coined the caption.


After a few more pictures and a few more captions later, they started talking about music, life, and how everything had changed. Anaya was talking to him with Arijit’s “Heeriye” scrolling on her phone screen. Showing the scrolling image, she said, “This one’s trending right now. Everyone’s making reels with it.” Anirudh nodded. “Romantic, no? We have grownup listening to Kishore da. His songs are like poetry to the soul. ‘Yeh Shaam Mastani’ was our anthem for slow evenings and stolen glances.” She smiled. “Your vibe was handwritten letters, isn't it? Ours is blurry soft-launch pics and cryptic captions.” He looked puzzled. “Soft launch?” She giggled. “Ya, it’s when you post a pic with someone you’re dating but don’t show their face. Like it keeps things mysterious, you know.”


As the sun set lower, their conversation drifted to varied topics. Anaya spoke about how her generation lives online like they are always connected, yet often so lonely. “We talk about mental health, go to therapy, post memes about our feelings, but still feel kinda lost.” Anirudh listened quietly. “We never had any words for it. If we felt low, we would just keep quiet. Smiled through it. Lived through it. Grow through it” She looked at him, surprised. “That’s rough. Like, we do overshare sometimes, but at least we name it.” He nodded. “That’s brave. But don’t forget beta, healing takes time. Not everything can be delivered in ten minutes.”


They sat in silence for a while, watching the sky turn dusky. Anaya looked at her sneaker lace again, the bow was looking prettier. “This was nice,” she said. “Unexpected, but kinda grounding.” Anirudh smiled. “We call it soulful. Come next Sunday. I will get some old photo albums so that you can have a peek into my sepia world.” She grinned. “Bet. It’s a vibe.” Anaya's phone pinged rapidly, she glanced at the notifications and exclaimed, "OMG, can't believe it. Uncle, see, I got so many likes for my shoelace. Isn't that cool?" Anirudh nodded with a smile.


Just like that, the broken lace became a thread connecting two strangers, two eras, and one quiet bench in the middle of a noisy world a bridge between the two worlds.

BREATHING ROOMS, LIVING MEMORIES

 

Breathing Rooms, Living Memories ........

After weeks of business travel, I finally stepped back into the sanctuary of my home. The moment I crossed the threshold, a wave of familiar scents wrapped around me—warm, grounding, unmistakably mine. The air itself felt like an embrace, soft and intimate, stirring memories tucked into corners and cushions.

During my journey, I had stayed in a variety of hotel rooms, each space offering its own palette of sensations—distinct textures, moods, and subtle olfactory whispers. I found myself attuned to the energies of each place, absorbing their quiet stories through scent and atmosphere.

Now, back in my own space, I could feel the difference—not just in comfort, but in resonance. Home doesn’t just smell familiar. It feels like truth.

Homes Are Not Built—They Are Breathed Into Being

A home is so much more than a structure with walls and a roof. It’s a living entity, sustained by the emotional rhythms of those who inhabit it. As we spend our days and nights within a space, our energy—our hopes, worries, laughter, and silence—seeps into the very foundation.

Every chai shared in the cozy confines, every tear shed during a tough time, every quiet moment of reflection—it all leaves a mark. That’s why a newly bought house often feels cold and empty until it’s infused with our unique vibrations. We are the ones who give it a soul, making it a sanctuary that reflects who we are.

The Invisible Imprint of Emotion

When you step into a house that has been lived in before, you can feel it immediately. It’s not just the furniture or the layout; there’s a certain feel in the air. Maybe the rooms feel warm and welcoming, like someone left behind love and laughter. Or maybe there’s a heaviness, a quiet discomfort you can’t quite explain—like the eerie stillness in a thriller film.

These aren’t just spooky stories. They’re subtle energies absorbed by the walls, the floors, even the air. Just as you can sense tension after a fight, homes carry emotional fingerprints. And as new occupants, we have a choice: to ignore those energies or to gently shift them.

Transforming Space with Intention

The beautiful part is, we have the power to transform any space. Just like we clean the floors and repaint the walls, we can also cleanse the emotional atmosphere. Playing music, lighting a diya, laughing with loved ones, or simply sitting quietly with good thoughts can shift the mood of a home.

Even placing fresh flowers or cooking a meal with love can bring warmth into the space. Think of it like planting seeds in a garden—what you nurture will grow. You can’t control what happened before, but you can choose what happens now. Your energy becomes the new heartbeat of the home.

The Sacred Responsibility of Atmosphere

Ultimately, the atmosphere of your home is your responsibility. It’s up to you whether you want to create a space that feels like heaven or one that drains you. If you fill it with kindness, patience, and joy, it becomes a place of healing and comfort. If you let stress, anger, or fear take over, it can feel like a trap.

A home is a living thing—it listens, it responds, and it reflects. The energy you put into it is the energy you get back. And that simple, powerful exchange is what makes a house truly a home.

THE HEALTHY PEOPLE DIET

 

The Healthy People Diet........

Advait had always been the quiet one in his group. He wasn’t loud or flashy, but he had dreams—big ones. He loved books, ideas, and the feeling of discovering something new. But lately, being around his friends, Rohit and Vikas, felt heavy, as if he was carrying a backpack full of stones.

They never shouted at him or called him names. No, it was more subtle than that. A quick eye-roll when he spoke. A smirk passed between them like a secret. When Advait shared something he was excited about—a new book, a thought, a dream—they didn’t listen. They judged. Silently. Sharply. It was like being in a room where the lights were always dimmed, no matter how brightly he tried to shine.

One rainy afternoon at their usual café, Advait told them he was joining a story writing club, where he would learn and hone his writing skills. His eyes lit up as he spoke. It felt like the beginning of something beautiful. But Rohit just sipped his coffee and said, “Story writing? Seriously? Writers are born, not made.” Vikas laughed and added, “Yeah, stick to your job, man. Don’t get into that creative shit, it's just a passing fad.”

That moment felt like a slap wrapped in a smile. Advait saw it clearly—this wasn’t friendship. It was slow poison. Their words didn’t just hurt—they shrunk him. Made him question his worth. Then, something clicked.

He remembered a line he’d read once: “Feed your soul only what lifts you. Choose a Healthy People Diet.” And suddenly, their words felt like junk food—greasy, stale, and harmful. He didn’t argue. He didn’t explain. He just smiled, nodded, and stood up. As he walked away, he felt something strange… something light. Like he’d dropped that heavy backpack at last. The change wasn’t loud. It was quiet, like a sunrise, slow, reassuring and beautiful.

Advait stopped replying to their messages. He didn’t go to their meetups. Instead, he spent time with Sushant, a colleague who loved writing too. Sushant listened, encouraged, and never mocked. Advait joined a local writing club, where people clapped for each other’s stories and shared ideas like gifts. The room felt warm, like home. It was after a long time in years, Advait felt seen. 

Without Rohit and Vikas’s shadow, Advait began to shine. His writing grew stronger. His confidence grew. He felt alive again. He started waking up with purpose, scribbling ideas in his notebook, and dreaming of stories that mattered.

And one day, while journaling, he understood something deep: Rohit and Vikas weren’t mocking his dreams because they were silly. They were mocking them because they were scared. His courage reminded them of their own fears. His growth made them feel stuck. Advait didn’t hate them. He just chose better. He chose kindness, support, and light. 

He chose a Healthy People Diet. And it was the best decision he ever made.

Months later, Advait sat in the same café, this time with his writing club friends. The air felt different—lighter, warmer. As he read a short story aloud, the table burst into applause. He smiled, not just because they liked his work, but because he finally liked himself. He had learned that the right people don’t just hear your words—they help you find your voice.