"..
I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?
I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride
A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us, "No"
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming
A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here
It's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with you
Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky
A whole new world (don't you dare close your eyes)
A hundred thousand things to see (hold your breath, it gets better)
I'm like a shooting star, I've come so far
I can't go back to where I used to be
A whole new world (every turn, a surprise)
With new horizons to pursue (every moment, red-letter)
I'll chase them anywhere, there's time to spare
And then we're home (there's time to spare)
Let me share this whole new world with you
A whole new world
That's where we'll be
A thrilling chase (a wondrous place)
For you and me
.."
When Aladdin asked Jasmin, "Do you trust me?" and helped her on to the magic carpet, did she know that the ride would change her life forever? That, like a shooting star she cannot go back to where she used to be?
She did not know about the song, back then. But the question "Tell me Princess, now, when did you last let your heart decide?" was familiar. He was the only one who asked her that (not so much in the same words) At that time it had made her uncomfortable. After all, her life was going exactly as planned and she did not like bumpy rides.
He did not have an old carpet, but did have a battered old bike. It was a legacy, used both by his father and his uncle. Eventhough his father had wanted to get him a new bike, and now with his job he himself could afford one, he proudly stuck to the old one. She was very hesitant at first to mount it, but once she trusted him and got on, she was in for a surprise ride.
He took her to the best dosa joints in Bangalore to Thindi Beethi where he would introduce her to 'masala cola' and 'congress bun', to dingy second hand bookshops where she found many gems which she was searching for a long time, including Linda Goodman's Love Signs that they both read with embarassment and chuckles that Leo Man was the best match for Aries Woman! To climbing the highest peak in Karnataka to treks to hidden caves. To the trending masala Tamil movies to Girish Karnad's plays. To the screening of 'Romeo and Juliet' at Alliance Francaise, to every play screened at Ranga Sankara. Depending on what she wanted or what she was in the mood for at that point in time, the magic carpet would take them there. Through his eyes, she saw a the shining, shimmering, splendid new world.
He taught her that no one could tell us, "No" or where to go or say we're only dreaming.. Once he took her up the hill to the Sun God temple. They both sat there at the top of the hill, without saying anything to each other. It was crystal clear to her when she was up there. She knew she could not go back to where she used to be. There were a hundred thousand things to see, which she wanted to see with him. The wonderful new world that he wanted to share with her, she wanted too.. Would she have the courage to fight for it?
Years later, they're both still on the magic carpet ride.
_ Taking wonder by wonder Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling Through an endless diamond sky
..every moment, red-letter.. _
From Giant's Causeway to Lockness to London to Paris to New York, to Chennai Marghazhi festival, to learning to Tango - A hundred thousand things to see (hold your breath, it gets better)
She just has to tell him where to go. He would take her there. Even if they didn't reach, it would still be a thrilling chase and a wondrous ride.
_~ Her_
© 2019 Shenuja Subhash