The Voiceless

Delhi summer touched 47°C this time. Scorching hot isn’t it? We can’t go out and roam about with our friends. Not in the afternoon heat at least. We simply while away our time sitting indoors with the A/C conveniently cooling the room, cribbing about the heat and sweat and everything related to it.
If I would ask you to stand outside in the heat for an hour, you would probably think I am mentally unstable and stay put wherever you are. So, now that you know that you can’t stand out in the heat for an hour even if I provided you with water, imagine the predicament of all those street cats and dogs that stay out day in and day out without food or water or A/C’s or shade. They are out all day with the scorching sun burning the very life out of them. Feel sad? Here’s what you can do.

     Below are some simple steps you can follow to help the voiceless:

1.     The first basic step you should follow regardless of the weather is, NOT THROWING STONES AT THEM. Many animals, mainly dogs die because of small wounds caused to them by humans throwing stones. They get a small cut or gash and obviously since they don’t have any medical help, these wounds aggravate leading to fatal conditions. The infection spreads and they slowly succumb to it. Keep in mind that they won’t hurt you if you don’t hurt them. If you really are too afraid, don’t throw the stone directly at them but at their side, it will scare them off without hurting them.

2.     Buy a mitti a donga (mud bowl) and put water in it. Keep it near your house or someplace where you know dogs can find it. Refill the water at least thrice a day. Water is an essential in summers. You have no idea how thirsty the dogs are on the streets, you will really help them by providing them with water.

3.     Give them food. Ask your mom to make 2 rotis extra; I’m sure she won’t mind. You can also give them bread; buy half a packet extra, it only costs around 10 rupees. Feed them at least twice a day and if you can’t then, once a day is absolutely essential.

4.      If possible give them milk once a day. It will help them grow. Also, milk is a delightful treat for cats, kittens and pups.

5.     Make sure there is at least one pup or kitten in your locality that is solely your responsibility. There are plenty of litters in every locality who die due to lack of care, over speeding and care less drivers and starvation. Make sure he/she eats and drinks enough to stay healthy.

Just following these five basic steps will help make a difference in saving lives. Plus, you will feel good about yourself. Help those who can’t ask for help.  

One year

16^th June 2011: My friend, Aman wanted to buy some canned tuna fish and me, being the eternal 'vella' accompanied him on his scooty to Khan Market to look for it. Alas! we had no luck so we roamed about the town just looking for his fish. We didn’t find it. Meanwhile Palak, a friend of mine and the best friend of the girl I was madly in love with told me it was about time I asked her out. I couldn’t help but agree however I wasn’t sure if Nidhi was quite ready. I knew she liked me but a relationship is based on much more than liking. Palak had a way with me as she does with shopkeepers, she convinced me. She told me Nidhi loved lemon chocolates. So after searching half the town for fish, the 'vellas' searched the other half for lemon chocolates.

  I was on my way back home when I get a text from Palak saying “ So are you going to ask her out?” to which I simply replied “ In 15 minutes.” That one by far, was the best decision of my life. So again, Aman like a great friend that he is, accompanied me to Nidhi’s palce where he hid and Nidhi and me were just walking around. Suddenly, Aman comes up from behind and hands me the chocolates and a rose and speeds off on his scooty. Nidhi has no idea as to what is happening and I being I, got so nervous, I forgot my speech and that I had to go down on one knee. I just blurted out “Will you go out with me?”. She said yes.

             So if you want our back story, here is a brief version of it. I met this girl in 11th grade and I instantly liked her and asked her out. She obviously said no. She hardly knew me. Also she had a boyfriend back then. When she broke up with this boyfriend I being a douche, asked her out again. She again, said no.
Meanwhile  she being the true sweetheart she is, was totally cool about being friends with me. In fact we did become pretty good friends. However it was not to last. The coming month, that was January screwed up big time and me and Nidhi had this major fight and by major, I do mean major! We didn’t speak for almost a year. I dated a few women in between but never quite got over her. Sometimes, I even sent her forwarded jokes, just in hope to get a 'lol' in reply and to start a conversation. It was in vain. My friends told me I still liked her, I refuted these claims. However I did want to believe them. After the class 12 boards, I texted her and somehow this time, she replied. That was it. We sparked off again.
I met her for the first time in 16 and a half months, a few days later and we were back to the same old crazy us. This time we became the best of friends and eventually grew closer. One thing led to another and I asked her out. (Sorry for the part when I said this would be brief)

    To be honest, I believe we are the best couple in the world. Every couple says about themselves but there are plenty of reasons as to why i say it.
We tell each other EVERYTHING! We feel there is no need to hide stuff at all and I take great pride in this attribute of ours. There are no stupid restrictions that many couples have these days on each other. We cherish each moment spent with each other. Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Of course we fight! Although these fights don’t lead us to not speaking for days and days (although there was this one time when she didn’t speak to me for a day and a half, because I went to her  friend’s party without her, but trust me it wasn’t like that) I am surprised at myself, even sometimes at how much I love her. There hasn’t been a time when we fight that I haven’t done something crazy to make it up to her, from getting her chocolates

to well, bananas.
       I think we both have gained a lot from this relationship. My best friend, Aman is now her  brother (Gosh! How they fight!). I gained a great friend in Palak. I came to know of Hyderabad and the “re” connection. I gained many more great friends and life just seems a better place with this group around, including a certain someone who never lets me and Nidhi sit together! My sister loves my girlfriend more than me and the same can be said about my girlfriend loving my sister. Also, yes we do have problems but we deal with them because this relationship is VERY important to us and it is a year old today. I hope it continues for many years to come and we enjoy each other to the fullest in times to come because I am in Para Para Paradise!

Special thanks for helping us in this relationship to Aman Garg and Palak Mahajan.

Last but no the least, thank you Nidhi, for bearing with my dumbness and deafness (sarcasm is dripping) and for being the person you are. I love you today and always.