"A talk in the train! Meet-up 4(ii)!"

Ratan left early for his rehearsals and due of this, he missed his meeting with his friend. Raghubir saw him directly on the stage that day. Ratan was enacting a rag picker on the stage. He was as realistic in his acting; that people glued their eyes on to him. When every movement and the expression he gave, the audience noticed it all. The spark on his face, beautified every facet of his character on stage. From a tragic scene, he had held the breathe all the way. Tears dropped from the eyes of girls sitting in the first row. Raghubir, sat on the second row in the auditorium; as he felt the atmosphere of the auditorium, developing with as much involvement of the audience as was the artist involved with his art. With his monologue, the play concluded and young boys and girls stood up, awaiting for the audience to start dispersing; when they could get an autograph of their favourite actor on stage. Before that was to happen, the director of the play introduced the characters on the stage to the audience, with their names and skills; on how much dedicated they were, towards acting and about their track record. The director of the play, Mr. Abhishumat Srivastava added to the awareness of the audience, that Ratan had also a role to play in an upcoming Bollywood film, and on this the people cheered and clapped. Now, the young boys and girls were just waiting for their moment to come to meet the artist personally.

So much lovely a feeling it was that day for the boys and girls to find Ratan, that they didn’t care that he was in his characters' clothing, wearing untidy pyjamas and torn off shirt; with dust clad makeover. It was a real effort put together, but it only gave him joy and inner peace of mind and soul. Acting had been where, he could vent off all his anger, all his frustrations; and so did it show up, in his performance. Ratan changed his attire, and it was six in the evening by then. 

Ratan and Raghubir, left from Lodhi colony towards Old Delhi. Raghubir was driving the scooter, and Ratan was sitting at the back seat. They talked, exchanged good vibes from each other. On the way back, Raghubir had to meet a book publisher in Daryaganj, after that they had planned to enjoy the walk in the streets on Chandani Chowk. 

Raghubir took the Lalit Hotel flyover after passing Connaught Place. The flyover that led to Turkman Gate; where one could easily find beads and artificial jewellery in good range. Then, a right turn from there made one drive on the road, where on the left was Asaf Ali Road, with famous Delite Delux and Delite Cinema; one of the oldest cinema’s of Delhi. Ratan knew about it, then they reached Delhi Gate, which was one of the gate to enter Delhi in the Mughal era. They discussed through their drive, about the Sunday book market that took shape in the roadside of Darya Ganj. Raghubir was more interested to share more incidents of the book market, but then he had to meet his publisher. The two friends took the stairs to reach the publisher at the first floor of the old building. It was regarding the publishing of his latest book, ‘The enchanted dreams’. It was a collection of many poems, written over two to three years. It formed a good thick book, and Ratan glanced at the flair and happiness on his friend’s face, he was overwhelmed and proud of him that very instant. Raghubir read his poem to Ratan, as Ratan kept his steady glare on to his face. The poet went like this..

Road and my dream.

“From this every road that I take,

to the every turn that life makes;

I stand amid the trees, like a dream,

unread by others but felt by my self,

along these lanes, these roads to be. 

This breeze is eternal, it springs me along my walk,

like a kite is in relation to the string, 

flying higher and higher, while the power of the kite,

is felt to be, by our fingers, stretching to our body,

a touch, a dream, is like this string. 

This place is my home, I have lived here,

my dreams have made me ascertain goodness;

to the places, where goodness lacks in volumes,

I desire to reach there, to express my dream;

that is of love, all the way so supreme.”

Ratan liked it very much and lost in thought, walked the streets of Old Delhi. It was dark now, but the lightening brought a new radiance to the streets. Women flocked inside the saree shops, with students seen in search of textbooks for their colleges. 'Nai Sarak’, had its own light; when Ratan’s friend just spotted him there. Aleem was having 'Nimbu-Pani’, at a shop when he saw Ratan. They met with smiling faces and Aleem asked him to come to his house that was near the Golcha Cinema. Ratan told him that they had come that way, after passing Golcha Cinema only, and Raghubir and he were planning to go to the Jalebi Wala in Dariba Kalan. Aleem agreed to accompany them, and like a ‘guide’, at every turn showed them the delights and surprises Old Delhi had in to offer. Dariba Kalan had jewellery shops, and every other shop dealt with selling and purchasing of gold and silver jewellery. Foreigners liked the movement of the people in the ‘bazaar’, the feel of Old Delhi was unmatchable, it was unique in itself. 

Dusk had its shape upon the bazaar but it was ever glittering with shine of the Kinari’s that was to add to the grace of suits which women wore on functions and events. Young girls with their mothers, were found murmuring to each other’s ears, on their bargain tactics. Kinari Bazaar was in its own pride, a lively yet energetic market; colours and vibrancy moved in and out, everywhere. From the infamous street food spots, to the hawkers having different varieties for everyone; eating was one thing Delhi was known for. Then one could also not forget the Paranthe Wali Gali, where in those shops; the framed pictures of actors and famous personalities were put on the walls. That day, Ratan and Raghubir couldn’t eat more; they had to keep the Parantha treat for some other day. Already they had walked so much that day, they had now thought it better to return to their scooter parked at the Red Fort parking. They had lots more to walk, but Ratan suggested as did Aleem to take a rickshaw journey back to Red fort parking, and then Aleem could take the same rickshaw to reach his home near Golcha Cinema. 

The rickshaw ride was a full of pleasant memories of the day, when Aleem seldom triggered to ask his friend, to reveal the name of the mystery girl. With whom, Aleem had spotted Ratan few months back. Ratan kept on telling him, he didn’t remember, that day; the day about which Aleem was talking. Ratan seemed clueless or was he tired after a big day at work and then walking continuously through the streets of Chandani Chowk. They had covered as much as they could cover that part of the Old Delhi , in three hours. It was already nine’o clock. When Aleem dropped them near the parking, he said a line from his and Ratan’s college days. The actor was this time outdone by his college mate, when with rehearsed tone Aleem spoke in his Purani Dilli tone. “Mia.. ek tu hi to meta best friend hair, baki to sabh friends hai”("Brother, you are my only best friend, whilst others are just friends.”) They smiled and hugged each-other. They could remember their days at theatre together as well. Aleem always took comedy very brightly, whereas he was a good actor with a good command over his language, his dialect and words. Aleem never left Ratan unimpressed. It was his ‘light’, and his ‘beauty of being’.

They drove back for their homes, and it was a lovely day spent. They had felt the love they had for their respective arts. They had more to talk and share, and they parted to meet yet again; in their journey’s by trains.