A Treat To Soul

I turn the laptop screen down with a slight force, it makes the ‘TAAK’ sound. No matter how much you try but you certainly cannot avoid Monday and Monday blues. However Monday seems not to be so bad when it’s the last working day of the month as it becomes the salary day.

I leave the place, slump on the couch which is few steps away from the desk, take a deep breath and close my eyes for a few seconds. I head towards the kitchen brew coffee thinking that coffee may calm my nerves. Various thoughts are knocking to enter my mind. They want to enter in my brain cells and then sit there and then they will invite more thoughts, then some more. Deliberately I am not picking any of them, continuously they are jumping and knocking. If mistakenly I pick any, my short break will become shorter. Few minutes later they become silent, because I didn’t give them a damn.

I really wish to have a way to escape from work and be somewhere, where I don’t have to think about work just after getting up until I sleep. Even after office hours I cannot think anything else other than work. How can people in companies be so insensitive that they only know how to get the work done by people? I realize I have let those thoughts in which were jumping and knocking to enter.

I open my Instagram and start scrolling. I see a lovely photo of a girl standing in the centre surrounded by variety of numerous breathtakingly beautiful flower plants with blooming flowers in such a large area. What a scenic beauty and how lucky the girl is!! The girl looks really happy I think. I see the location to see ‘Srinagar-Tulip Garden’.

My phone rings, I see the name ‘Preety’ on my phone’s screen. I receive the call because I have no other option. I can’t let it ring just because I don't want to.

“Hello” I say.

“Hi Mahima, Where are you?” She asks me as if she doesn’t know.

Obviously at home, where else I can be? Just before thirty minutes we had a Skype meeting with client right? So why are you asking me where am I? I wanted to say but I don’t.

“Preety, on a coffee break.” I say.

“I told you to send an email to client after the meeting, right?” She says.

“Yes Preety I will send now”. I say in a low voice as if I have been caught while stealing someone’s money.

“No need I have already sent. I got a call from Rishabh that no one has sent the mail with a report to the client.” She says and I feel as if someone has given me a punch in my stomach.

“Oh I was just about to come online and send.” I say in a numb voice as if I have made the biggest mistake.

“You could inform me that you are not going to send so that I could at least. You heard Rishab right? He told to send it just after the meeting.” She says.

“Yeah Preety I am sorry. I just needed a short break and making that report was taking time. So I thought..”

“So you thought you can send it whenever you want and whenever you are comfortable. Is it?” Preety interrupted before I could complete.

“No Preety I am really sorry.” I apologize.

“Mahima try to do the important tasks immediately. We cannot afford to lose the client.”

“Sure Preety” I say.

I open the laptop and login only to see the mail from Rishabh, Preety and three more person in CC, to provide the justification that why I didn’t send the mail to client. I reply and I feel a deep remorse. But I just recall how amazing the photo of Tulip Garden was. How spectacular the flowers displaying variety of colours. I forget for a while about the mail disaster.

If someone asks me which is your favourite day? I would say ‘Saturday’ because it’s the only day next to which I don’t have to attend meetings, write emails, make reports and go through much more gruelling. Worst is I cannot take even a short break to relief.

I am happy it’s Saturday but sadder that Monday is day after tomorrow.

I open my laptop and type Srinagar- Tulip Garden in google search. I read a bit then I search how to go Srinagar from Mumbai. Suddenly my phone rings and to my surprise it’s Preety.

“Mahima we have a client visit on Monday and I want you to come office tomorrow.”

“I am Sorry Preety, but I am taking leave for this whole week.”

“What? why didn’t you tell before?” She is shocked.

“Even I didn’t know that my cousin grandmother will expire.”

“Oh! I am sorry.” She says.

“I will mark an email to you and Rishabh about the leaves.”

This is the problem of companies, you have to tell such lies to take your own leaves. Why just they can’t give you leaves until someone is dead. I think.

I book a flight for Srinagar.

After returning from the trip I upload my photo on Instagram giving a caption –

The place which you can leave but your heart can’t.

The Tulip garden which boasts around sixty varieties of multi-colored tulips.

The Tulip garden also known as Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden is situated in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.

It resembles a beautiful carpet that has hundreds of colors and provides a heavenly view. Around two million tulip bulbs bloom here and proudly display their beauty in Spring.

The view is simply magnificent and has countless delicate beauties lined in rows to dance with the wind in front of the tourists.

The Tulip Garden is the largest in Asia. The majestic garden is situated on the foothills of Zabarwan Hills with an overview of the world-famous Dal Lake. The garden is open at the time of the Tulip Festival. It is an annual celebration that showcases the variety of flowers in the garden and is organized during the Spring season in the Kashmir valley.

Apart from Tulips, the garden also has many other species of flowers. The varieties such as ranunculus, daffodils, and hyacinths have also been added to the garden.

Whenever you get the opportunity, do visit Jammu and Kashmir and witness the scenic Tulip Festival. In addition to the tulips, you will experience the warm hospitality of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

I feel extremely peaceful and light after visiting Panoramic Tulip Garden. Sometimes our soul urge for such treat I think.