LIFE AND LIES #57 | Neil Nitin Mukesh (#2)

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"Krishna is a married man but he's always revered along with Radha, his lover. What if... say Rukmani, said to Krishna one day, that she'd rather be Radha?" 

Nitin uttered his thought out loud then looked around the room. While the others had stopped long back, Neil was pouring himself another drink. Only he could drink so much on a Sunday night, because unlike the others, his Monday had been declared a Bank holiday. It was Mukesh who was sober enough to reply to his question.

"Radha spent her years in sadness longing for Krishna. Rukmani would not want to be in her place."

"What if...'' smiled Nitin. He always placed the actual question he wanted to ask as the second question. "One day, after reading my work, my wife says to me that she'd rather be one of the women I write about so passionately."

"The women you choose to write about are also inherently sad," Mukesh was quick with a reply. "Ask your wife then, would she rather be a happy wife or a subject of your writing."

"How can you be sure that those women are inherently sad?"

"That is what makes them beautiful to you."

"Wow, never thought of it that way before," exclaimed Nitin, wondering if what Mukesh said was actually true. Though, It didn't take him long to jump upon another chain of thought.

"When I was a kid," he began. "There used to be these tum-tums (horse-driven carts) plying in my hometown. These horses had blinders on both of their eyes. On enquiring, I found out that the purpose of these blinders was to keep the horses from getting distracted by the passing traffic. I guess, after a certain age, men need these blinders too. This is achieved by getting married. When you have somebody waiting for you at home, you are eager to get home rather than getting distracted by the oncoming traffic."

"I think you are disillusioned on this," replied Mukesh. "But since you are not married, I'll take it into consideration. You are confusing responsibility stemming from a relationship as blinders and being carefree as having freedom. I feel, having someone to share your life with, and depending on each other makes life more worthwhile. When you have a good companion for travelling, the passing traffic is merely not amusing anymore."

"Sometimes...a certain kind of slavery can give you comfort and security." Neil landed his glass on the table with a thud and said in a finishing tone. "And that slavery is marriage."

"Oh, come on," laughed Nitin. Mukesh joined in. "That can't possibly be as poignant as it sounded."

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Original Art - 'Ripped from their mundane life, they suddenly appear in the world of geometric patterns.' by Duane Kirby Jensen 

Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

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