"Whether you meet or separate" "Who the hell cares about your story?" "Everyone just walks by you" "NNo wonder the world has come to a standstill" "Let silence speak, then" "Let's wander into forests of dreams." "To find out if spring has arrived" "It's the age to sleep, the age to dream" "For just a moment or two actually" "Everyone just walks by you" "NNo wonder your world has come to a standstill" "NNawab sir, everyone's waiting for you at the publishing house" "The publisher, the press." "I've come to fetch you" "I'll be there right away" "NNagma, please fetch my sherwani" "I am bringing." "But where are you going brother?" "I'll tell you later." "Give my sherwani" "Don't you remember what's happening today?" "Yes, yes I remember?" "What do you remember?" "You tell me" "It happens to be my mehndi, my engagement ceremony today" "Of course, I remember it's my dear sister's mehndi today" "There will be a grand qawwali performance" "Delicacies conjured up by our dearest aunt will be served today but how did you remember that I must have forgotten?" "Because you don't remember anything but your stories and books" "I'll be back pronto Pronto" "Ladies and gentlemen, before addressing every gathering, everyone says," "There is no need for me to speak Without standing on ceremony, let me welcome all of you lovers of NNawab's books" "The name NNawab is made up of a few letters of the alphabet but this small name is recognised and acclaimed all over," "NNawab has become a household name" "We have gathered here today not to release his new book but to announce that he is beginning a new novel" "Gentlemen, photographs later please." "he has been inspired by a certain idea here's our beloved NNawab, the master of penmanship, the pride of the country, the pride of hyderabad, the finest novelist of the nation" "Dear friends, my apologies for my late arrival" "I don't know what yarn my publisher friend has spun in my absence" "Obviously, it must have been an interesting yarn" "In fact, I'm afraid that after publishing so many novels, he may become an author some day" "NNot to worry, I'll still remain your friend" "Friends, I stand before an enlightened gathering today, those who read, see, hear, find faults" "You're afraid of the sharp pens of us critics even before writing your next novel" "When will you complete it?" "It's a story that can never be completed" "When will you start on the novel?" "I'm aware this question is being asked since the last 5 years" "But my story isn't to be blamed for the delay" "The delay's because of my main character, an unusual woman" "While writing... my mind has been cluttered with questions" "So I thought to myself why don't I ask the woman to give me a new twist to her story" "Today my story has come to such a stage that the woman has become a riddle" "NNawab sahib, a woman has always been a riddle for men, a mystery" "But the woman of my story is a solitary point of reference" "She doesn't want to come to a standstill like the rest of world" "So tell me my friends, how can I ever end my story?" "Keep writing chapter after chapter of your incomplete story then" "The publisher is your friend." "he'll keep publishing the chapters" "After all there isn't a dearth of readers never mind the hullabaloo over the advance of the electronic media" "Meenaxi..." "Meenaxi... hey have you seen Meenaxi?" "Find her yourselves" "There she is... boo to you... we've found her" "Is everything ready for the mehndi ceremony?" "Where's everyone disappeared." "Where is Khaajabi?" "Begum sahiba, I was organising NNagma baby's clothes" "This NNagma baby is strange exactly like her brother" "Just look at NNawab's room" "Sheets of paper are strewn like children's kites all over his room" "Where on earth's NNagma?" "Oh here you are, are you ready, my child?" "Absolutely." "Aunty how do I look?" "Praise be Allah" "You're glowing like the moon" "Where is your brother?" "how can he disappear on such an occasion?" "Guests are arriving" "What's the use of complaining about brother dear?" "he doesn't care about anyone or himself he doesn't have time to eat or dress properly. he merely" "What're you chattering about?" "That books are your only faith, your life" "NNawab, how could you disappear today?" "There's so much to do in the house so many guests are already here" "Aunt, everything is clockwork henna will be applied on my sister's hands, the qawwals will sing and we will eat the delicious yogurt curry cooked by you and pumpkin kheer ...and fig." "Dessert!" "Today you'll feast but what'll you do when your sister goes to her husband's house?" "I've tried to make you understand a thousand times that you should get married" "This house needs a woman..." "but you never listen to me" "All around all around" "Light divine light divine" "Light supreme light sublime" "Flash dash light stabs the darkness" "Like a bolt of lightning stabs a black sky" "Beauty you are in the heart, body and soul" "Your radiance is ravishing your mood sensual" "Light only you know the answer of what is divine" "I question darkness and it turns silent" "I question brightness and it is embarrassed" "I question the bird and it says to fly is divine" "I question silence and it says to hear is divine" "I question the flowers, the leaves, the colours, still no answer just rustles and cries" "All around all around" "I lifted the veil and saw your magnificence" "I went a step forward to reach your destination" "I raised an eye and saw your face in the humhumhum of a moth in the khankhankhan of a hand bracelet in the mind and body of a lover in the lasting gaze of separation in the cadences of melodies" "You are there only you" "Light supreme light sublime" "Light divine light divine light supreme light sublime" "Why're you beating him up?" "Go to hell!" "Strange brute." "hmm, the scent of jasmine" "Oh it's you..." "what brings you here?" "Why don't you ever close the door?" "But who are you?" "My name's Meenaxi" "I've read all your books" "I remember every word of every story I see" "Now I'm looking for something." "I need your help" "Alright." "Why're you standing?" "Take a seat" "Why is the house silent?" "Do you live alone?" "Yes." "My kid sister NNagma was with me" "She got married recently, she's gone" "Our mother died when we were kids we went over to our aunt's She brought us up" "When NNagma grew up we returned to our ancestral home" "NNagma would look after the house." "I miss her hey there's no need to get emotional" "After all life is a game played on us by somebody up there" "Life must go on." "I can get by..." "I'm lost in my world of words" "NNever mind." "Tell me what brings you here?" "Who are you?" "I sell perfume" "Perfume huh?" "Mercifully you don't sell dreams" "But I've come to make you write dreams" "I've heard you're working on a new novel" "That's right" "This time I want to write something different, away from the rut" "Perhaps I can help you how?" "By asking you to write a novel about me" "About you?" "I don't know you at all" "Look, it's very easy to write stories about imaginary characters" "But it's very difficult to write a book on someone who's real, alive and breathing" "Pooh." "I'll tell you all about myself and if there's something missing, you can fill in the blanks it doesn't have to be the absolute truth" "Stories can't be made of halftruths, halflies" "Stories need something more" "Forget those essential ingredients for a novel" "You can start a story with just a face" "with just a feeling" "and at times, with just the scent of flowers" "Why's my lady hiccuping away today?" "hmmm, the garage Babajee recommended" "Oh god!" "Shit." "It's silent everywhere." "It's going to rain, let me sit inside." "Let me sit here for some time." "Ok let me play this." "What're you doing mister?" "Quit showing off you're hotblooded" "Leave me, attend to milady." "Milady?" "Which milady?" "The one standing hiccuping there" "Just see which part of her is hurting" "You're that famous writer, aren't you?" "Famous no." "Writer yes" "Mister, you aren't what you appear to be how do you know who I am?" "Don't fret, I'll stop your lady's hiccups" "Your name?" "What's in a name?" "See that poster." "My name could have been on it" "I'm whiling away time to forget my sorrows" "Mister this flute in your hand, the humming in the car's bonnet you seem to be someone else" "I'm just fond of singing hmmm, interesting." "Tell me a bit more about yourself" "Why you ass hole?" "Will you write a book on me or what?" "I couldn't become a singer... damn it" "I don't want to be the hero of your story" "And then what does the poet say..." "Scents will blossom in your gaze" "We will walk on by to meet ourselves" "Our destination is just two footsteps away" "Everyone's walking on by which is why" "The world is at a standstill today" "heavens, no work done." "And she's back" "What're you writing, sir?" "have you written anything or are you just wasting away?" "What brings you here?" "There's plenty going on" "I've written something in my mind." "More is to be written." "But right now my mind is closed." "I can't write." "Still I've accepted your challenge." "I will surely write your story." "Oh really?" "On one condition." "Condition?" "Yes" "What's the condition?" "I want complete freedom" "There is no need to distort my story any which way" "There will be no intervention, my pen will be free" "Do you agree?" "I agree" "Listen." "Yes" "There's a boy called..." "Kunal no Karan... no, no, he's called Kameshwar actually." "Kameshwar sounds appropriate" "Very oldfashioned, no?" "Will you let my story proceed?" "Don't get antsy." "Tell me." "Are you stuck on the name?" "NNo, no, tell me." "So Kameshwar is walking down the road." "It's evening." "The day's exhausted, it's come to a halt." "Give me your hand, give me your hand dear life." "Walk along with me." "Walk along with me forever." "Where does this road go to?" "This road is standing here you have to go somewhere." "The road doesn't have to go anywhere." "So what if we have to take two more steps?" "Quick quick, get inside." "I..." "I... got here first." "We came here first." "Says who?" "Let there be colour." "Let's celebrate the splendour of colours." "Let there be colour" "Let's celebrate the splendour of colours" "Colours are dance" "Colours are the flame of living Colours are the dance of living" "Colours are us Colours of romance." "Colours of love, colours of union" "Colours inspire a song" "Colours inspire a story, a language" "Colours reflect the shades and hues of life" "Let's wash ourselves in the font of love" "Let's learn of love from the tide of colours" "Let's listen to the sound of colours." "Monsoon arrives on the anklets of colour." "Every colour exudes a scent." "Every drop dances to the rhythm of colours." "The heart dances too to the rhythm of colours." "Let there be colour." "Let's celebrate the splendour of colours." "Let's celebrate the pageant of colours." "Kaanji, where's Kameshwar baba?" "he hasn't come yet." "What do you mean?" "You must have reaches the railway station late." "I reached well in time." "Then?" "Errr... baba... err." "What... go on, say something ...of Kameshwar." "Aunt if I don't tease you, whom else can I tease?" "Go on, I don't mind" "You were frightened, weren't you?" "Alright child, I did get frightened. happy?" "Kanji, take baba's bags inside" "Tell me my dear, how was the journey?" "Terrific" "Such a long journey and that too, by train" "You're as stubborn as your mother" "If you had informed me earlier..." "I would have asked the maharaja to send his private airplane for you" "Yeah right" "Long time no see, your lordship." "Were you hanging out in London?" "NNo way." "London and Europe are your husband's domain he travels to and fro as if he were travelling by local bus" "Maharaj, I have to travel purely for business, no pleasure..." "Where's Kameshwar?" "he'll be here. he's freshly hyderabadreturned he won't present himself before his elders without wearing his long coat he's very shy... oh young man come, come join us" "Salaam" "Young man, meet Maharaja Vijendra Singh" "We used to study together at Oxford." "Great" "There's a problem." "What problem?" "I don't know how to introduce my nephew to you." "Why?" "Because I'll end up flattering him silly" "Then use your typical British understatement," ""he's not a bad guy"" "Seems as if they were right in lavishing praise on you" "I'm hosting a party the day after tomorrow" "You must be there." "Certainly" "We'll be there too" "You guys don't need a formal invitation." "Do come along" "We'll be there" "NNonsense." "Maya you don't know what you're saying" "You know I'm respected here" "Let's go from here" "One day you'll humiliate me in public" "Who are they?" "They think they're too much" "I can see that." "But who are they?" "he's a hotshot bureaucrat." "Collector Karanvir he throws his weight around he's terribly illmannered" "Chameli, my petal!" "You said something?" "NNo my riddle diddle" "Any kite flying today?" "Of course" "Those who can't see by day fly kites at night" "At least they can try to." "Absolutely" "Forget it." "It's okay" "You look lost young man" "Go ahead... take care" "Where is she?" "She was here only." "Traditionally we greet guests with a glass of water" "Absurd!" "We should give them water only if they're thirsty how can you insult tradition?" "There's such a shortage of water." "Less water wasted, the better" "Water should be conserved for emergencies" "Things are conserved only for emergencies" "It seems your life's pretty complicated" "The complications have just begun" "Up to you to straighten them out" "Till then have a cool drink" "he's my nephew... and Meenaxi is the dear, dear niece of the maharaja" "Karan, you're so late" "I had some work." "You're looking lovely tonight" "Aah, you could teach fools the art of flattery" "You haven't brought Maya with you?" "Where's the maharaja?" "Follow me" "Meenaxi, what's the buzz on your savewater campaign?" "We're going great guns" "Gradually village folk are understanding our point of view" "Anyway it's far easier to make the villagers understand than the city slickers" "Miss Midnight Blue, do give me the address of some village where I can stay and you can come there to make a naive fellow like me understand" "Superb!" "Continue with your conversation, I'll be back" "Are all of you hyderabadis so careless?" "Are all of you from Jaisalmer cloaked in mystery?" "I can't speak for others but you'll have to work harder to get to know me" "With your permission I'll leave" "What if I ask you to stay?" "Then I'll stay" "The biryani I cooked has more taste..." "and strength than your Kameshwar" "Do you understand?" "I'd warned you not to poke your nose in my story" "Now you're making a joke of my characters" "The biryani's delicious." "Your hands have magic" "The biryani's fantastic... but when will you write a fantastic story?" "Again you're being sarcastic" "NNo, not really. have some more biryani" "NNo way." "It's cooked in pure oil" "I'm stuffed." "My stomach may explode any minute my stomach is full but not my appetite" "What's the time?" "Why're you so restless?" "I was so entranced by your biryani that..." "I'd forgotten that my aunt has sent for me." "Aunty?" "I have to leave immediately her anger's lethal, it lasts for several days." "have you eaten?" "You can eat later." "Come with me to aunt's" "When will you complete my story?" "Take it easy, I'll finish your story for sure" "You get impatient so easily" "I don't mean to be that way." "But frankly" "I can't be patient with anything that's connected to me" "What should I do?" "I don't want to participate in the story" "I want to read, feel  understand the story while I'm still alive" "But... but... the writer in you just doesn't even want to try and understand me" "I feel helpless" "I want to experience a different relationship through the medium of the story" "What kind of relationship?" "I hope you understand" "I understand everything" "You can't possibly understand the kind of characters... who're in my imagination" "Now look, aunt is all ready to vent her anger on me" "I'm trying to grasp time in my hands" "Once I've fielded the catch," "I'll do every little thing on the dot of time" "Now stop spinning yarns honestly I'm not spinning yarns" "See, NNagma's friend Meenaxi is here with me" "Who's NNagma's friend Meenaxi?" "Where is she?" "She's with me." "You're talking drivel" "Begum sahiba, the biryani's turning cold" "Cold!" "Come inside immediately" "Oh no, more biryani" "You're behaving as if it's some crocodile instead of biryani" "What're you looking for?" "Come." "I was looking for" "Looking for what?" "The biryani's inside" "Why are you coming after me?" "Get lost." "Sir you were stalking me" "NNo I wasn't." "You were" "Take it." "What're you up to?" "how could you disappear from aunt's house as if you don't know me at all" "Look if I'd come there, you would have tried to find out something about Meenaxi from me" "NNot at all." "I know everything" "What do you know, NNawab?" "You've been writing the same book for the last three months, it hasn't even taken off yet" "Your poor, helpless characters are still struggling to know... the reason for their existence" "I know the reason for their existence very well" "I'm trying to bring them to life in new colours you won't be able to understand that" "I understand everything" "I know you can give everything to Meenaxi." "It's my search that you must understand Look at me" "Do you find something lacking in me?" "I'm beautiful... right?" "Look into my eyes" "can you paint them in any other colour?" "What else can I say or do for you?" "We have met, there's a distance." "Perhaps love means distance." "We meet, we separate" "Our story remains incomplete" "If only you were here" "Without you the moon is half even on a full moon night." "I can see you by touching you" "We are separated merely by a lifetime" "Separation is a must" "Or else how would we feel the pain of love?" "What're you doing here?" "Exactly my question" "First you tell me why you're here" "First you, why are you here?" "I'm looking for a face" "What kind of face?" "A beautiful face" "NNo shortage of beauty here" "Yes but" "Now I suppose you want to say my face is imprinted in your eyes" "I didn't say that." "Your eyes are saying that" "Eye say!" "You can read eyes, can you?" "Yes if there's something written in the eyes" "I can read and write you know how educated are you?" "how many languages can you speak?" "I can speak the language of women which can silence men" "You can't cast your spell on me" "We've just met" "Why!" "Do you want to meet again?" "For heaven's sake, where does this road go to?" "From water to earth" "When the sun shines on earth, the earth goes bone dry" "But when this sun falls on a body, the body is soaked in sweat" "And to think both the earth and the body arise from the soil" "Pray, who has knocked on my heart?" "Is it you or my solitude?" "The one who has stolen my sleep is wide awake in my eyes" "The wind is playing tricks with me today" "The wind has brought the scent of someone special today" "We have met but there is still a distance" "Love means distance perhaps" "Whether we meet or separate" "Our story remains incomplete" "Meenaxi!" "here you are" "I've been transferred to hyderabad" "You could have told me that on the phone." "Why call me here?" "To say that you will love hyderabad" "Yeah may be." "Kameshwar's aunt has told me that too" "I was thinking about visiting hyderabad with her" "She used to live there once" "You can visit hyderabad with me" "Yes but you won't be alone in hyderabad" "It's high time you found yourself a companion." "Anyone in mind?" "Of course I do Is it Maya?" "I don't want to be trapped in such a web of illusions" "This Karanveer is like those creepy film villains, isn't he?" "Who else can be trapped in the web but you?" "It's not a trap" "If it isn't a trap, it's a trick" "But it's a seductive trick like the winning move on a chessboard" "You've been duped" "Meenaxi!" "Karan I came here because you called" "You don't have the guts to accept my answer to your question how could you even think I would know the answer to your question" "NNo one has dared to ask me such questions" "Meenaxi!" "What's come over you Karan?" "You're sensible" "Why chase me?" "I'll get Meenaxi" "She's gone far too beyond" "I can reduce the distance between us" "NNot possible" "If you let me walk with you, where's the distance?" "But I'm walking alone right now" "What's this walk talk?" "Think about it again, it's a long journey" "Karan, I've already thought about the right person" "I should think in the right direction too" "But I can see only one road, one relationship" "Perhaps there's just one road, one relationship for me as well" "What's this?" "The Bonalu festival!" "Festivals are all the same" "I start shuddering a week before any festival" "I don't like the crowds and noise." "I know that." "Let's go, You don't enjoy life at all." "Spice is the variety of life!" "You must understand why there's such a passion for celebration, for the noise, the madness." "May be" "It's essential to enter other worlds, but your story lacks that spice, NNawab sahab" "Can't you see, how spontaneously people meet walk together  reach the destinations they have set for themselves in this life?" "Yes, you're right" "Then your story should acknowledge that" "Chai?" "Isn't there a particular time to drink tea?" "A particular tea time was decree by the British colonialists" "Come morning, it's bed tea" "Tea break's at 11 a." "M, then it's evening high tea at 4 p.m." "O these hinglish Binglish customs" "Actually the Chinese founded the tea ceremony, they drink tea sitting, standing, sleeping" "And we Indians?" "Oh we take the tea and bakery!" "Especially if we happen to be hyderabadis, the tea we guzzle is thick, sweet, porridgelike" "But where are those teashops and rendezvous points where conversations would gurgle to the puffpuffpuffs of hookah smoke?" "Now you can only gulp a cuppa at the Irani restaurants and scoot" "What kind of place is this?" "Boss." "Yes" "Bread, hard crusty bread, salted biscuits" "Enough man." "NNo need for reciting the entire list" "Just get us two cups of tea how can we finish our conversation over just two cuppas?" "We're not here for a long and deep conversation" "At most instead of two cups, we'll drink four cups, maybe six" "You're not frazzled by long conversations but..." "But what?" "What about the story?" "Oh that damn story." "Am I writing the story or are you?" "Don't worry about the story, it's my call" "Sure it's your call but I am the woman at the heart of your story" "This crowd  noise... help!" "I can't drink my tea in peace amidst this cacophony" "Where are you going?" "Sit" "You expect me to sip tea in this place" "Do sit, don't be rattled by a little noise how will you ever face the noise of everyday life?" "A noise over which a woman like me can speak endlessly" "Maybe it would be better if a woman like you quit my story" "NNot possible." "My dear NNawab, it's obvious if I don't stay put in your story it'll have neither life nor power" "Power?" "Yes." "Power, josh!" "You're talking about josh but what about my hosh?" "My sanity?" "I'll sit here... okay?" "I can neither sleep at nights nor can I drink tea anymore." "Can't eat either" "Eat some grapes at least" "I wanted to ask you two things" "Why two, ask four" "You're quick on the uptake, aren't you?" "First tell me, why do your shoelaces come untied so often?" "I don't know how to tie knots" "Means you haven't tied the knot yet" "Forget my shoes." "Why don't you ask me whether I'm single or not?" "Why forget your shoes?" "You tie them well enough without knots" "Now I understand what you're trying to say" "Finish your tea, got to show you something" "Aah my Jaisalmer, my golden city" "First familiarise yourself with the city, then you'll be able to familiarise yourself with its people" "But it's said a city can be understood through its people" "You must meet the right people liked hyderabad after meeting you" "Let's check out Jaisalmer." "I like you" "Meaning I have to like you to understand the spirit of hyderabad" "There's no one here..." "except the camel he's the first Rajasthani after all." "Oh okay." "What dark, intoxicating eyes" "And since you're Meenaxi, you have the eyes of a fish, eyes which don't ever blink, they're wide open... always" "See these hills of stone." "Do you know how they got their majesty?" "They were sculpted by burning rays of the sun then the sculptors went at the stones with their sharp, chiselling instruments" "And today you gaze from the sculpted windows and high balconies to see Romeo stride ride a camel delivers a love letter to you" "Rajasthan's Juliet has received the letter, an epistle of love" "She hasn't replied?" "The reply has drowned in the depths of a farflung water well" "Will we have to drown in that well too?" "Only the thirsty travel to that well" "Let these tears, like a necklace of pearl, remain in you" "If they're in the eyes, they're pearls" "If they're shed, they're water" "I only appreciate pearls, whether they're in the eyes or" "thousands of leagues under the ocean" "But these pearls can be strung around your neck forever" "Till today you have only seen perfect" "Pearl strings adorning the neck of a Rajput princess," "But now this string of pearls are waiting to be picked by the fingers of someone who's as devoutly in love as Meera" "I don't want to pick the pearls" "What you want is immaterial" "Because you have strung the pearls together with a thread that is indestructible" "Someone shows you dreams Dreams that are true" "That someone opens your eyes To dreams that are true" "Now what name could be given to such a bond" "When the sun is tired" "When the day is dying" "Then someone unknown touches my breath" "And I feel closer to my heart" "My heart comes closer to me" "If a pearl drops in a silent stream" "It creates a ripple" "A ripple which gathers into a storm" "Now what name could be given to such a bond" "I keep painting portraits" "On the canvas of broken voices" "I keep looking for a certain face sometimes on walls, sometimes on doors" "I do not stay with myself" "Someone calls me from a distance" "Now what name could be given to such a bond" "What's the matter, child?" "You look lost" "Uncle I can see certain roads," "I can hear the sound of certain relationships but" "Go on" "NNothing much." "I feel I'm somewhere far, far away" "My feet have the strength to keep pace with someone," "I want to come closer, my heart is buoyant with hope" "Then why're you afraid?" "I'm not afraid." "I don't lack confidence either" "I'm only a bit hesitant" "You're hesitant like so many girls" "That's true." "I just need to be bolder perhaps, spicier" "Oh then only the oil has to be sprinkled" "An oil of purity and of ritual" "I've found the right guy for you." "he's from Dungarpur" "I'd seen him in a polo match, he's goodlooking, young, virtuous" "You'll like him for sure" "You here at this hour?" "What, what happened Meenaxi?" "Who's there?" "Meenaxi" "In the burning sands of Jaisalmer, the burning sands..." "Burnt my novel." "All my efforts in vain" "What should I tell the publisher now?" "The world is made, destroyed, remade" "It must have a flaw somewhere" "You're a champion in quoting couplets and wasting time my dear NNawab" "Six months have whizzed by without any sign of the story" "You haven't prepared a draft or discussed the matter with me" "My dear publisher the story is incubating in every little corner of my mind to the extent I can even hear the heartbeats of that woman" "Who is this wretched woman?" "To understand her or not... that is the question" "And who is this boozer, idiotic motor mechanic?" "What does he have to do with a respectable woman?" "You poke your nose into things you don't understand" "A story has to search out its characters, a form has to be found for the story so that it can be written" "Be patient" "I'm not a printing press which can hack out pages after pages" "What's this?" "The car still hasn't been repaired" "Tell me your name at least" "Tell me if you can cure milady's hiccups lt'll take some more time, it needs some more work" "My dear fellow in the state you're in you're only fit for warbling songs" "If you have a flute in your hand, your garage tools are bound to be useless" "That's the trouble What's the difference anyway" "If you're a mechanic or a musician?" "You're playing some harmonium or the other every day" "Stop making up tall tales" "My car has a long life" "Everything in it makes a noise except the horn" "I was just five when my father handed a flute to me" "That bugger died of booze, leaving me only with this flute as a legacy" "hey girls, hey girls, let's go with our tantalising names" "Let's go girls, we'll dance and play" "I've trapped a butterfly" "A butterfly like one of you" "I've trapped your thoughts, your life in the palm of my hand" "I've entered the garden of your smiles and laughter" "Forget your complaints and sorrows" "Malli sashaying in your silks, join us" "These streets are mine." "This is my playground" "The streets tell my story Of love." "Illuminations and hope" "I've trapped every contour of your body" "Your every breath your every sigh" "I've filled your vacant eyes with desire" "Western city?" "May be in Europe..." "may be in Prague." "You here?" "To give your story a new twist" "You didn't find any other town?" "Three cities." "Prague is one of them," "I'm here to write about the city and to meet you" "Someone told me that a girl called" "Maria lives here" "I was told several other things too which resemble parts of my story" "A strange coincidence that" "My character has stepped out of novel for a live performance" "In a way, I'm a novelist on the right track" "And I'm your Maria" "Yes in my story you live in Prague." "Absolutely alone" "An orphan who lost her parents in a car accident" "You earn your livelihood as a waitress in a cafe and you flirt with life by acting on stage" "You ride a bicycle, you walk along with your bicycle" "I haven't learnt how to ride a bicycle yet" "Maria the time has come for you to learn how to walk with someone" "Are you Kameshwar?" "Yes." "I found this on the railway platform" "I was standing on the platform with that sign since eternity" "But no one came." "Dr Krasa has sent me to fetch you" "You're Maria" "Maria, Maria Zarkova" "I nearly didn't recognise you in this long black coat" "I thought it was some reverend father" "Your thoughts are noble" "how do you know Dr Krasa?" "he's a professor of Indology which fascinates me" "Is it?" "I am interested in Indian culture." "have you ever been to India?" "NNo, not yet but maybe some day." "You're to stay in hotel Akron if you're not tired how about coffee and a chat?" "Two drops, one drink." "Why not?" "Now tell me what's this long black coat all about?" "It's not a gown, it's called a sherwani" "Oh and the jeans underneath..." "meaning East meets West" "It must be that way..." "the way I've come here and met you" "The coffee's come" "I guess the chicken sandwiches are still walking to the table" "Czechoslovensko NNarodini podnik sounds good." "What does it mean?" "I'll tell you when the time's right." "Okay I've to get going." "I'll walk you to your house" "Two are not allowed on a bicycle here" "Is a license necessary?" "Yeah and that takes time." "Why?" "Czechoslovensko NNarodini podnik" "Again." "All right, let's walk to your house... it couldn't be too far." "Yeah it's not too far" "There's a special thrill in talking while walking together" "A walk also helps you to familiarise yourself with the streets of the city." "Plus your hindi's so honey sweet" "We haven't reached your place yet" "We passed by it." "I didn't want to cramp our conversation" "Which place have we reached?" "You tell me where our talk has reached" "Nowhere." "Our talk is still in progress" "As for the place, how should I know?" "I'm a stranger" "Oiks, where did we leave the bicycle?" "We were so rapt in conversation, we forgot all about the bicycle between us" "Kameshwar!" "There's a very famous nunnery behind that door" "Don't be scared." "I'm not a nun, I live there" "Even if I become a nun, so what!" "Then I will become a monk" "Czechoslovensko NNarodini podnik" "Let's go and find out why dreams must fade?" "Why hearts must stop beating?" "Come let's go, it's not far" "Perhaps we will find some friends there" "Perhaps there will be some light there" "To find that light" "So many lamps have burnt to cinders" "Still we must find the lingering light in the darkness" "So what if we have to take two more steps?" "Two more steps towards our infinite destination?" "Before we share a new day together let me tell you that my heart has two commitments" "One, the Charles Bridge cafe where I'm a parttime waitress" "And second, the Playhouse where I'm a fulltime actress" "The cafe's table is my bread and butter and the theatre planks, my sweat" "I don't have days, I have time" "Time knows neither morning nor evening" "Yeah I was saying time knows neither morning nor evening, time isn't reined in" "But time is meaningless if it isn't yoked to the time of someone else" "Now what right can I have to someone else's time?" "Don't demand time as a right." "Just ask for it" "Do you have the time to go to the Prague string music concert with me?" "Sure if I don't have a play rehearsal that evening" "There's the Prague film festival too" "But what about my cafe job?" "Forget all these mundane matters" "Maria you'll let me accompany every day to the high gates of the nunnery, won't you?" "That's sweet of you" "NNo bicycle today?" "You can't walk alone" "Yeah that's why I thought I'd walk with you today" "You've been walking with me for so many days now" "I thought I'd remove the cycle between us today" "What!" "Do you think of me as a bicycle which will walk with you?" "NNo." "I think of you in an entirely different way" "If not as a bicycle, as a horse?" "Why a horse?" "A bicycle can let you down when it is punctured but a horse is always loyal" "Correct this line" "have some tea how many days have whizzed by, how many nights have waned" "we've been through all the streets, all the alleys but we still have to discover Prague... and love" "But I discovered you" "Do you know about the Taj Mahal, Maria?" "A Mughal emperor dreamt of love he left a priceless monument sculpted of white marble... for his love" "Centuries have not been able to touch the rare pearl left in the heart of hindustan" "Why am I so restless?" "Why do I smolder?" "Why am I ablaze?" "N fire?" "Why is every pore of my body assailed by smoke, these clouds of smoke?" "Our love flowered" "We met, no one could separate us" "Winds and gales could not come between us" "Then why is every pore of my body assailed by smoke, these clouds of smoke?" "The leaping flames of fire are devouring me" "What kind of a fire is this?" "I'm melting, mmm... melting" "The rains are stranger" "The rains cannot douse the raging fire" "My heartbeats are straying, time has come under an intoxicating spell" "Why is every pore of my body assailed by smoke, these clouds of smoke?" "What are you looking at?" "I can see colours, a glow" "That glow  the colour is a face..." "an identity." "My gaze has made an identity that identity is a wondrous face which you have worn" "Aren't you getting cheated, are you?" "What you see dosen't exist." "What you don't see, does exists" "Maria I don't know why I worry about you constantly" "That's because I'm the heroine of your story and you've even sent me a hero" "Kameshwar who can repair my bicycle and walk with me he walked with you but did anything happen?" "Yes and no." "I'm not confused but I have to sort this out myself" "Blood!" "But there's no blood in your story" "Why're you being so morbid?" "I'm not" "I came to ask you if you're writing about Joan of Arc performed at the theatre" "will anyone understand your gobbledygook?" "Do you think there's only one kind of a woman in this world?" "Give it to me." "Who's this flashing his teeth for no reason" "The message of this graffiti is Prague's face is a happy face" "Didn't it laugh earlier?" "There are many types of laughter" "Like mischievous laughter or mocking laughter" "Very few can laugh at themselves" "There you go again" "You can break into a lecture like a professor on any subject under the sun" "Why do we stick labels on our faces?" "Labels like produced in India, Japan, America?" "We can't choose our birth place" "NNo label is authentic." "Labels are useless, they can't even tell you if a product is genuine or fake" "Like Czechoslovensko NNarodini podnik heavens, I'm getting out of here" "Darkness is upon me." "Let the lights be on for a while" "Let me light my heart, light your hearts for me," "Save me from the darkness for a while" "NNawab sahab, don't take the trouble of lighting your heart" "What a coincidence" "I have come here as if I were the light of the couplet" "Why are you aflame?" "Come pick up your pen and complete the Maria of your story" "Do you understand?" "That Kameshwar the imaginary nerd you sent after me, he's just like you" "When will the fever of this book abate?" "If NNagma were here, she would have taken care of everything" "She'll be here tomorrow" "My life is at a crucial juncture, you are right before my eyes" "You my creator, why have you brought me here and where do you intend to take me from here?" "Nowhere." "Quit the pages of my book, I want to free you from my story" "You have become the real Maria" "I won't leave." "I won't let you end your novel so abruptly" "I will now play the role of Maria on the stage of life" "Gardener any news of NNawab sahab?" "Bibiji I haven't seen him for days Don't know where he's vanished" "Why don't you know where he is?" "You don't know I'd quit working here after NNagma's wedding?" "I haven't seen him anywhere" "Ooof." "Where could he have gone?" "NNagma's due to arrive." "What am I to say to her?" "Yes?" "I'm Kunal." "NNawab sahab?" "What do you want?" "I wanted to thank him." "I've given up all my bad habits" "I'm setting off on a new road, the road which he showed me" "I want to earn fame as a singer" "I wanted to give this to him" "But he doesn't live in this city anymore" "Weirdoes!" "Who was it?" "how do I express my gratitude?" "I'm leaving but before that I want to assure you that your Meenaxi is alive" "These segments of your story, these pages lie scattered" "Your Meenaxi is walking on the strength of your pen her steps are firmly grounded, she isn't wavering" "Meenaxi has walked a very long way through your story" "Your pen wrote uncertainly at several points" "Yet Meenaxi accelerated her speed till the day she could come out of your story" "Then this pen was no longer yours, it belonged to Meenaxi" "You were shocked, you weren't sure where I'd lead your story to" "The story was no longer limited by the pen" "You tried to snatch the pen away from Meenaxi" "Now your Meenaxi stand before you as real as life" "Look your eyesight is fading" "You see me but only as a shadow" "Look you've become so weak" "You cannot touch my soul" "Surely you can hear someone's voice" "Surely you can hear the call of music" "Who is calling out to us?" "Let's find out" "So what if the road is lonely?" "So what if the night is as silent as a tomb?" "Let's be together always" "We have weathered so many storms together" "So what if we have to weather some more storms?" "Let's take two more steps towards our infinite destination" "Is life a thought?" "Or the search of a thought?" "The wayward foolfoolfoolishness of the heart" "The unfaithfulness of the heart" "O beauty don't ask me why or where." "Just take me away with you" "Life is a secret a deep secret" "Why unlock the secret?" "Someone unknown, walked silentfooted into my life" "And I didn't even know how a moment changed into 400 long nights and three stories" "Like I didn't know how Meenaxi was born from the womb of the book" "This life is so strange" "Is this life just another book?" "Who are you?" "I am Meenaxi"