Her Dark Brown Eyes

Raj hurried towards the school gate, his hand clutching tightly to the plastic box which he carried. As he entered the classroom, it wore a deserted look. There he saw Vivek-a last bencher copying down yesterday’s assignment and he gave Raj a smirk and started scribbling faster.

As Raj saw through the windows of his class, he could still hear the birds chirping and the strong smell of jasmine filled his nostrils as he gave a relaxed sigh. He had arrived early all because of the plastic box which he still held tightly in his hands. Was he anticipating something?

She entered the class and gave Raj a solemn look but he simply ignored her. “What do you have in your hand?”Neha inquired. Raj didn’t want anybody to have a glimpse of his little secret but Neha was steadily approaching him. (Vivek was still scribbling down his notes)

He felt a twinge in his stomach as the sight of Neha sitting next to him made him blush for a second but he managed to keep his cool. He was constantly suppressing himself to open the box but finally he opted to do so, what made him change his mind is still unknown.

A simple cardboard had a bulb, a red switch and cells hidden beneath. Neha surely hadn’t seen anything like it before and she whispered softly in his ears ‘Raj, did you make it yourself?’ “What does this red button do?” Raj sensed her excitement and casually said “Why don’t you try it.”

As he involuntarily moved his hand towards the switch so did Neha’s. They both pressed the switch together. The bulb glowed. (Raj’s heart was ON). When they turned it off. (Raj’s heart was OFF). It continued for a while and time stood still. (Vivek was still concentrating on copying his notes)

Raj could feel the gentle touch of her hand and suddenly he found Neha glancing at him intently and he was just looking at her eyes. “Her dark brown eyes.” He hadn’t noticed it before let apart their colour. Their eyes remained glued to each other eyes for a moment and then Neha started asking Raj about how he had come up with the idea and he explained her as she listened to him attentively not missing any details as they were talking / looking at each other. Their hands awkwardly turned the lights on/ off which was now automatic. Raj often glanced at her and he noticed a twinge of pink on her cheeks.

‘Hey Neha’! Someone beamed from behind. (It was not Vivek – seems he’ll never finish copying his notes) Neha clumsily left Raj’s company and started explaining to her friends the amazing thing Raj had come up with for the Science Project. Al though Raj wanted his plans to be a secret but he was soon surrounded by his excited classmates all inquiring him about how he had done it. Even while explaining it to his classmates Raj sometimes glanced to see Neha – who to his surprise was already looking at him with an affectionate gaze he had never seen or maybe felt before. Soon the bell rang and everyone went to their respective seats and were seated. (Vivek had the most disappointed look and was repeating, Damn!! when will I finish my assignment.)

Finally, when the class began Raj was not concentrating on his English textbook, he was recalling the morning incident when Neha was with him and after a quick peek towards the teacher he slowly lifted his eyes trying to find an excuse to see what Neha was doing at that moment .She was already looking at him and her dark brown eyes had the same expression as it had in the morning. He simply looked at her in wonder.

Maybe their eyes were interlocked for the entire period unaware of the scribbling of notes, the teacher’s patient explanation to a question or the laughter that followed after a joke. All was lost in oblivion for them. (Vivek finally managed a smile, “Ah!! Half work done” he said, now next part after the lunch break and he started humming................. :)

“With that soft touch
Of her gentle hands on his
And her hazelnut colored hair
Which all he seemed to care
All he could think of
Her Dark Brown Eyes
And she
Of His Darker Brown eyes.”

RJ Life - Half Truth Half Lies : You Decide !!

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too. …………………… (IF by Rudyard Kipling)


“Lights, Camera and Action”, my world is analogous to this-almost .I can’t be seen but I can be heard. In my case, it’s “Ready, Steady and Go” (usually indicated by thumbs up in the background). A thin transparent glass separates me and my technical assistant.


I am inside a cubicle along with a microphone, headphones and a chair – to my relief there is an AC as well. The room is all mine for the next hour. What I speak, the whole world gets a piece of it (literally); it’s aired online as well. My voice is audible to some audience who are frantically searching among the thirty odd FM stations in Kathmandu while they figure out which one best suits their interest. I don’t get paid for my hour of stardom, for the research and hard work I put in for the show. Nobody bothers how I manage to reach the station when I am stuck in a traffic jam or return home walking as one can’t expect to hire a public transport at midnight. Only because my recording sessions are postponed in favor of the paid employees as they get to have their say first .Welcome, to my asymmetrical world- the real world.


I am categorized as a second class, for not having a link to the inner circle. Therefore, I am required to remain an amateur. Yet, I am content and do not complain. At least I get to do what I am passionate about. But it hurts when you are hired on trial basis after being selected from a pool of hundred people by a series of interviews (which were not on trial basis). Apart from the creative freedom, I get nothing. But still, I am satisfied. My rendezvous with the real world doesn’t end here; it begins.


In my job place, jealousy and competition force some people to act in biased ways. And then there is the usual battle against the adamant attempts in dislodging me only because I get more fan mails, enquiries and more air play as well. One unruly scandal is always on the cards and obviously the blame somehow finds a way to reach me. I am in dire straits. It’s a tough world and ground realities are hard to digest.


My punishment is that I don’t get any live shows because the program manager needs to impress his pretty girlfriend and she’s doing the live shows from now onwards. Her credentials and talents you might enquire. But, “Do they really matter?”, “Don’t you get it?” This is how the inner circle works.



You might be wondering why I still choose to remain in this loophole, humiliated every day. I am helpless at times but I don’t see any reason to give up. Some fights are meant to be fought and I am not leaving till I triumph over this prejudice. Yes! It’s distressing yet it’s enthralling to derive inspiration from the love of what I enjoy doing.

Sumit Dugar

Finally I 'm Blogging

I start from today . Some thoughts,ideas,plans and memories .