UNAPOLOGETIC BY APARAJITA APRA

There is always somebody who would tell you how to live, behave, what to eat and how to dress.  But do they have that authority over you?  Just a question 

Does your life belongs to you or to others?  Is your life the only a scribbled archetype of someone's notion.  Or is it your own beautiful canvas you would like to fill your way.  Think about it. People always judge us, they make fun of us but if we stick with what we believe in, we would be limitless and boundless in what we can do, achieve and believe in.  

And trust me we should be bloody damn UNAPOLOGETIC about how we wish to live our lives. Such a messy room, why can't you be a bit more organised?  Whats that fetish with being a rebel?  

Hey!  Its my life and I will live it the way I feel I want to....  TRULY FREE AND UNAPOLOGETIC.... THE WAY I WANT. 

THE NORM BY APARAJITA APRA

I wonder how many people are there sort of dying to put individuals in a box and stereotyping them.  Like "Oh!  that girl loves rock n roll, heavy metal. Man she must be a druggie.  Or Oh!  That guy wears pink mist be gay.  Or the funniest one Omg!  That girl is all into late night parties and dressing provocative, must be sleeping around .
The prenotions are a dangerous set of ideas that mares the understanding of humans. 
People can have different interests.  Their idea of perfection lies in their  mindset of perceptions.  It clears one fact -" Individuality can't be boxed in stereotypes".  We need to go with the open mindedness and  find common grounds  with  people. 
 Just because a person looks skinny doesn't mean that they are anorexic or don't eat enough. It maybe their genes and just because a girl is curvy doesn't mean they don't take care of themselves or have let themselves go. 
Just because a girl is mature doesn't implies she has to get hitched.  With more and more woman and men taking center stage.  Not walking behind each other but walking with each other, the line between masculine and feminine roles are blurred.  Its high time we see people  for who they are not what we assume them to be. 
Backing up with a simple concept all that we see is not exactly all that is there.  Sometimes there is a lot going on behind what we are made to see.   A nomad doesn't confirms irresponsible behavior.  A girl without poker hair doesn't mean

she can't be serious .  Its the norms which need to be torn not believed with conviction.

PEN FRIEND BY APARAJITA APRA

They say a daughter's first love is her father.  I can identify with my dad to a T.  He is certainly a chick magnet the perfect gentleman.  Few are as blessed as I am.  Apart from his wild child days and the little naughty pixie nature, its his ability to really understand people and being an exceptional multitasker that throws me into a shock every time.  

It dates back to perhaps 30 or 20 years back when there were  no serious means of communication.  People use to write letters and they use to communicate via them.  My dad being the gifted powerhouse of talent I knew had too much of charm.  He was in Sainik school, Bhuvaneshvar  hostel and must have been around 15 years old or so.  His sensitivity use to manage to  impress woman from all walks of life.  His curious nature that's also rubbed into me showed its signs in his yester years. This enigmatic man always has things which makes you love him even more and more.  It was two or three days back while we all were  over a cleaning spree.  That we discovered some old long lost letters from girls who were his pen friends 

A special mention to a girl whose name was

Yashuko who hailed from Japan.  His mischievous grin was quite evident over the face.  Now I could sense my interest in western culture ethnicity and lifestyle stems from here.  

"THE GENES CERTAINLY NEVER LIES".  As for me I am more excited than ever to figure out more layers of this multifaceted personality.  

There is a certain element of adrogynity which me and my father share so beautifully. What a day it was to find out the pen friends of my Dad that spanned beyond the country.  Multicultural and surprisingly liberal. Woah!  What a bliss 

NOSTALGIA BY APARAJITA APRA

It's just a picture,what makes it this adorable?He snapped at me. Ya right,for you it's just a picture.For me it's the moments lived.A journey through sweet bitter memories.The mindless chatters and endless cups of coffee over gun n roses"knocking on heavens door". The soft gush of pristine rain ,some humming over guitars.The empty packet of Marlboro. The chirpy giggles.The bellyful laughs. It's just a picture for you,to me it's a whole new world. I smiled😊

MY DAD'S ENCOUNTER WITH A TRANSGENDER BY APARAJITA APRA

A pass out from XLRI, an  HR of an Multi national  company . Having 32 years of experience in his kitty. A rather progressive man,here is my dad for you.

            This was my perception of him until this incident happen. His reactions surprised me to no bounds. I mean there was no need to exaggerate things so much. So what if it is a transgender .It is still a human. It was a rather derogatory remark he made-" ARE YOU A BOY OR A GIRL?" Had I been in place of my talented friend . I would have replied " SIR I AM NOT A BOY OR A GIRL,I AM A MIRACLE OF NATURE". 

Oh boy that would have been the best answer. Unfortunately the poor thing was all embarrassed and conscious. It takes a great courage in owning and accepting oneself .To leave aside duality and own who we are demands lot of boldness and vigilance. 

It cant be ruled out. In fact its the talent that matters. If everyone can, why not these special people?Look at Miss Lakshmi Narayan ". Aren't we all proud of her? Isn't  this what we call a masterpiece? Her enticing aura and stage presence. The personality that lights up the room. It bring me back to the question my mind has been pondering over lately. "Are we human being secretly scared of being ourselves?Is it the green eyed monster in us that's forcing us to hatred? Is it our shadow side coming to picture?

Because we lack the self contentment they have managed to acquire in this lifetime. these lucky chaps are indeed blessed. They are someone who deserves to be treated with  respect. This is a freaking millennial generation. We have no right to malign our own reputation. Cheers to  being the out of the box creatures that is our defining trait. 

This is actually the man who taught me and guided me through my childhood stages. Ditching the discrimination and teaching equality on all basis.Treating everyone with humane and moving past the stereotypes.I hope next time his behavior is much gentle and amicable wih these people who are so much part of our society and lives.

YOUR OWNSELF AND PASSION BY APARAJITA APRA

   

The importance of introspection is not just confined to self reflection. It gives us clarity and passion to move forward. The quality of our thoughts designs the events in our lives.

Our mind is a terrific device,the power of our subconscious is amazing." WE  CAN EMBED ANYTHING WE WISH TO,IN OUR SUBCONSCIOUS". Then with conviction leave everything to the Law of attraction. Sometimes we need to delve deeper within us. Today if we decide to make ourselves above average,we will. We can create the life we want. We only need to act and direct the cosmic forces.It has been proved time and again "UNIVERSE MELDS WITH THE VIBRATION AND ENERGY WE RESONATE. It operates on the idea of "YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND". As we all possess this gift it is now solely upon us whether or not we want to incorporate it in our lives. 

To manifest it in the reality we want. The life we desire, the passion we live for every single day .We attract with our thoughts what we chose to happen in our lives. 

''WE CREATE OUR OWN REALITY".

KID AGAIN BY APARAJITA APRA

  As I was going through the photos of my childhood,My first stage performance at the age of 3. I realised how far I have come. How quickly the time passed. From the rebellious teenager to girl of dreams. The petty triffle with mom for the largest pie to doing monthly  budgeting . 

That's how fast time passes with no rewind button. I wanted to scream loudly -" I WANT TO BE A KID AGAIN"

Then I am thrown  back to reality with endless Watsapp messages,Facebook statuses, files piled up in corner,presentations to make,tasks to finish. 

A proud grin smirks from my face. 

This is just a beginning .The top of an iceberg. I have to do greater things, dream bigger dreams and live more liberating,progressive and inspiring life. 

There is a lot more to be done.

And so I go back to my computer screen continuing with my work :)

LEGACY BY APARAJITA APRA

The spark of elite magnificence was still in her mind. In the  silence of dark mayhem of life ,she had hopes. The dream that kept her awake past midnight .The dream that was so relentless and vivid it forced her to make it reality.

"So you conceived another baby girl?No takers to expand our legacy" were the words of her grandmother. 

She walked like a proud queen striding in her drawing room. A sprawling bunglow and bugatti parked at the parking lot. She gazed at them like a painter admiring its painting. 

Walk past the grand entrance containing a chandelier.There lies a photograph of an elegant lady dressed in a cream saree with embleshed pearl adorned with garlands and scented candles. 

She smiles at the photograph and shouted 

-" You were right grandma I wasnt born to expand your legacy , I was born to create my own".

Music. As I see, hear and feel

MUSIC AS I SEE, HEAR AND FEEL BY APARAJITA APRA

I must say music is the only language which speaks when everything goes deaf.  I have literally felt it in all these years.  Must have been some kind of past karmic influences.
Well lets not go there, I think everyone  has got that one particular song that they truly dig in.
For me it has always changed with time and space.  I have been a great lover of western culture for as far as I remember.

What makes music such a phenomenal thing is the way it reaches you, its something so elusive that you can't point finger and tell exactly what it is  but its there.

My first memory of music as I hear from my childhood stories which happens to be a favourite topic at a family's guest gatherings  was my favourite song  as a toddler use to be-"YEH KAALI KAALI ANKHEIN " staring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol from the movie Baazigar. Whenever the song use to play I would start dancing, even in my sleep.
As I grew up so did my relationship with music grew.  But on a subconscious level I got inclined towards english songs and Hollywood quite early on.  I remember listening to vengaboys and backstreet boys as well as aqua secretly.  Hiding the archies books in my blanket since I still didn't hit my teens.  It was always thrilling to hear a song.  My poems and desire for writing was built through them or perhaps it was the other way round.
However my greatest anecdote was music.  There were  days when I did nothing more than play songs in my computer all day long.
I use to feel that the time has just frozen and things have become standstill.  My passion for music grew through leaps and bounds when I was gifted a stunning, shiny lovely Apple Ipod that was the first of its kind.  Now I could store my favourite songs and listen to them as and when I wanted. I was always an active, on the go kind of multitasking kid that was a true fitness freak.  My best time of the day use to be riding a bicycle with the iPod jingling over a full volume.  Man!  The experience was otherworldly. 
The world of music is such a gorgeous aggregation of art, literature, poetry and sound with emotions that could make you experience 'NIRVANA".  I wouldn't say I was fixated to a particular genre of music ever but it was my fixation to music which just lead me to discover over new territories and horizons.
"There was always a song which spoke volumes to me " sometimes inspiring  me, sometimes guiding me, sometimes riding me".  I have never felt so closer to anything in my life as I have to music
Its where I have always found  my refuge and my moments of pure happiness. My paradoxical nature has always made me feel like an outsider but when it comes to music I don't think that I have felt as close to home with anything as music. Its like my piece of heaven on earth, its like my paradise in the spectrum of life.