It’s a Friday evening and I am now home from work. So true that Friday evenings are the best. Knowing that you don’t have to crazily cruise through the evening and plan for the next day, I use these late evenings to write. Most of the times, for this blog.
I am alone at home and from the open balcony behind me, I hear all kinds of sounds. People rushing towards home, the reverse sensors of a car making noise, a hawker quickly pushing his cart, the sudden downpour and then a gang of girls giggling and running towards shelter.
The way it is raining today, I remember how once a year, in the monsoon season, my school used to declare a rainy day. Going to school with a packed lunch box and on the way getting to see students going home used be exciting. Knowing that when you reach home, it will be like a day off. Watch television while finishing that lunch box, chat with friends, read a book or simply sleep. Like a relaxed Friday evening.
I close my eyes and rest my head on the wall. I hear a (Koel) Cuckoo. From somewhere far, it sings. If I keep my eyes closed and don’t see my own house, it feels like I am in my grandparents’ house and the Sun has just woken up from a slumber. Hearing a singing bird from behind the jackfruit trees yet never getting to see where the sound came from. Just like this Friday evening.
I don’t know what those girls were talking and giggling about. But don’t they make fun of the guy who walks coyly with his head titled on one side? Or how the new teacher pronounced the word ‘fundamentals’ in the Physics class? How English teacher talks about romance from the play in the class? How their male biology teacher talks of ovaries and points at his own tummy? Like a Friday evening when friends giggle and wish each other a good weekend.
I hear our neighbor calling his son. Twice. Thrice. No answer. Wonder if the boy is at home. Maybe he doesn’t want to show he is home. What if he is asked to fill water and lock the gate? Children do that many times just to find an escape from the household chores like C and I did. Just like those employees who pretend but don’t work on a Friday evening.
I hear a car honk right beneath the balcony and I get ready to open the door. Looks like VT is home. I smile and remember how Papa used to honk right at the gate so that one of us could come and open it. It was a scooter and the sound was enough to know that Papa was home. Identifying the one from many, just like this Friday evening.
Now that VT is home and anchors on CNBCTV 18 are yapping, I find more analogies and I hear more sounds. It’s getting late and I hear the whistles from a pressure cooker. It has stopped raining and vehicles are fewer on the road. I can now smell some fried fish or is that meat being cooked? Ah, that’s poori and there goes the tempering in daal.
A rainy Friday evening and it’s time to dine.
I was chosen as a featured writer for #FridayReflections this week in response to the prompt – What are you thinking of right now? Express yourself by free writing?
happiness and food 
Lovely & refreshing read. Quite a description of a relaxed evening. Wonderful, Parul 🙂
The giggling of girl and sound of Koel reminds me of my haiku:
A rose bud unfolds
On mango tree, cuckoo sings
Aha, girl giggling!
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Thank you, Ravish for adding that Haiku. Good one to match up the post 🙂
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That was a perfect read for a Friday evening. Isn’t it sweet how sounds and smells bring back memories? Our father would honk too when he got home. And that biology teacher and his ovaries had me smiling like a those girls.
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So nostalgic, those rainy school days and muddy puddles.. Today my son was cycling in the rain and playing in those muddy puddles, (the kid in me wanted to jump.. but remembered i’m a parent now) and because its Friday, the fear of catching flu did not really matter.. Happy Weekend Parul…
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A perfect Friday evening read! It was raining here too. More like drizzling. After reading this I want to write too. 🙂
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It was like I was part of your Friday evening.
Love your observations and writing.
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That’s cool way to plan things. I need to keep days for blogging, creative writing and professional assignments. Or else, the whole thing goes for a toss. Enjoy reading your Friday funda, Parul:)
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A simple and sweet account of a fine Friday evening. Reminded me of my rainy days in school, when we would run rounds in the playground during the heavy rain in the middle of teachers’ calls to get under shade, five of us clinging on to a single small umbrella and getting drenched any way…and yes those unexpected holidays due to heavy rain which were such a joy to all of us. 🙂
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Great post… thoroughly enjoyed reading it…
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When I first began reading blogs years ago, this is the sort of post I was looking for: a little view into someone else’s thoughts and life. Lovely!
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Thank you for saying that Val. Means a lot!
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Very nicely written. Enjoyed reading this. Keep going
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Thank you! 🙂
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Its a lovely read, for a relaxed Friday.
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Thanks, Lata!
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You know, Parul, I could actually feel the entire scene enfold in front of my eyes as I read your post! And, as I did it, I was hearing the sounds emanating through my window and imagining what must be going on in the world outdoors. It really felt like a script of some Hrishikesh Mukherjee film! The everyday life, which we seldom give a second though to. The little things that get eclipsed by the big things we run after! 🙂
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Thank you, Shilpa. The Hrishikesh Mukherjee analogy is sweet. You are right that little things get eclipsed most of the times.
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This is such a beautiful post, such a wonderful post that I have no words Parul… Just want to applaud you for this one 🙂
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Thank you so much Nabanita! Feels wonderful hearing that 🙂
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There is a lovely lilting, poetic feel to the whole writeup, Parul! Enjoyed reading it. You took me to your apartment and that friday evening.
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How sweet of you to say that! Thank you, Beloo. Come over to Bangalore and you can sit in my favorite spot 😉
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Rainy days getme to introspect too. I like to sit in a similar fashion in my balcony and close my eyes and dream… of bygone days.. of school and generally stay at peace within. Sigh!!! Its been a while since it rained in Delhi!!!!!
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My parents were in Delhi and were talking about how hot it was. Guess now is the time for monsoon to set in. Thank you, Ramya.
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It is such a lovely post. And the Bangalore rains are so wonderful.
I was there for a very stay but enjoyed them each and every day. Hope it was a relaxing weekend for you.
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Thank you, Lovey. Even I love Bangalore rains, the clouds, and the lightening. In June, we hit a 20.
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Lovely post . Reminds those moments watched by u . Really how time flies away . But good we can visualise those beautiful moments by simply closing our eyes
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You are right, Mum 🙂
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Lovely post! I so love Bangalore rains. And I felt as if I was there with you, experiencing all of it. Beautifully written. 😃
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Thank you for saying that Ramya 🙂
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Beautiful and evocative…loved reading this, Parul! Your post reminded me of my diary writing days in college…makes me so nostalgic!!
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Glad you found the post relatable. Thank you, Esha!
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Sounds like a blissful Friday evening. I love Friday evenings too…there’s a sense of calm of what’s yet to come. Love the vivid descriptions interspersed with thoughts from days gone by.
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Thank you so much!
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There was a lyrical quality to this post that evoked some incredible nostalgia. Really glad I began my morning with this post 🙂
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Thank you so much. Means a lot, Shailaja. 🙂
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For me, Friday’s are a bliss – as i get to listen to my favorite Bollywood songs and sleep later than my usual time!
If it rains, it is like icing on the cake 🙂
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Good for you, Alok! Thank you for stopping by!
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And I am looking forward to this Friday evening. You brought back many memories of life in India. Nice post
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Thank you, Suzy. I am glad they brought some good memories.
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Nice post Parul. Congrats for being a featured writer this week. ☺
I love Friday evenings too when i can relax watching a movie with family during dinner and waking up till late night without worrying about the next day.
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Thank you, Ramya! Ah, I am glad we are approaching another one tomorrow. 🙂
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Amazing write up. No line is without a projected image in mind.
The lunch box of a rainy day was the best cooked meal, wouldn’t you say. But to me, mornings of those rainy day offs were far better than the rest of the same day itself. Lasted just an hour or so. It’s in the same essence that I find Fridays’ evening much better than Sunday night. The thrill & hope of an approaching weekend is better than the weekend itself. I find so.
Last para & some parts – I can take it all backwards. Giggling of friends is now a new assigned project, The Shakespearean romance has now converted to chores; And the boy who was at home and not answering his father’s call cannot ignore the office on Monday as it would result in pay cut. Bliss of those unexpected school offs have been suppressed by pressure cooker whistles!!; And characters like hook, stuart little, moghli have now lost their battles to the CNBC guys.
Glad that fried fish is still there.
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What a lovely post Parul! This one is now my new favourite among all the ones you’ve written. 🙂
And this is my favourite thought: “If I keep my eyes closed and don’t see my own house, it feels like I am in my grandparents’ house…”
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Thank you, Gowri. These days I don’t know from where these Koels are singing. Or maybe I am observing now 🙂
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Friday evenings are too relaxed…nothing to wind up. I love lazy Friday evenings rather than Bashes. Reading your post on Monday Afternoon and its making me wait for Friday again. Feeling relaxed after reading your soothing write up, Parul.
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Such a relaxed and heart-warming read, Parul. Brilliant imagery! Wonderful usage of senses.
I am a stay at home person, so weekdays don’t bother me. Actually, I like weekdays better. Sounds odd?
But, you have captured this Friday evening really well.
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You know I quite like the way you have described so many things happening all around you. Reading this, I can actually feel and visualize how a rainy Friday would look like. Superbly done! :).
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