The idea of JALSA

If you have read my last post on 'The Walk' , then you might have chanced upon the word 'Jalsa' in the last few lines. So then let me get going about Jalsa

WTF is JALSA all about ? 

Jalsa is an acronym for Just Another Love Story Attempt. I believe Love stories ( stories rather) are getting too cliched and routine.  Also, there are more love story attempts than the actual love stories ( again I would call them stories ). 

So then I thought it might be interesting to write about them and thus Jalsa.

Why the name 'Jalsa'?

Verve! Passion! Enthusiasm! All these are words that I love but then all these are cliched.

Jalsa In Telugu stands for enjoyment, merriment and pleasure. All these are things that a guy or gal in a love story attempt would look for.

Since I was able to come up with  a cool acronym for it, I decided on Jalsa.

Aren't Love story attempts more cliched than Love stories?

There are definitely many more Love story attempts  than love stories but they are not cliched. A Jalsa story will not have a start or an end. The story will be about the just the interesting/memorable/ touching moments that usually don't get too much of attention in a regular love story.( story). 

The focus unlike in movies or books is not on whether 'he or she finally agreed'  nor is it  'they lived happily ever after'  lines. It's just about those few moments in a love story attempt.

Aren't love stories a better option?

Let me tell you that there no love stories, there are only love story attempts.  The Love story attempt is either one-sided or mutual. That's it.

WTF?  So you think there are no love stories at all ?

Nope. There are no love stories. 

Initially, the boy likes a girl, the girl doesn't - One sided love story attempt. 

Then after a while, the boy still likes the girl and the girl starts liking  the boy - Mutual love story attempt. 

Then they fall in love. And then they get married. Yeah this is the love phase.

Now there are other things like career, children, family responsibilities etc etc that take a priority. Love disappears and the only the  story remains.

Wait! Didn't you say -A Love phase? Isn't that a love story?

Hahaha. The phase is too short and temporary to be called story. So no love stories. 

Also if this is called a love story, what do you call the story that might happen with other man/woman post this story. Another love story? You may or may not. But then there are interesting moments in the next story  as well ;)

Too many stories will be boring. So I think it is a better idea to talk about those wonderful moments in between, no matter when they happen. 

Is JALSA all about unrequited love?

Jalsa stories don't have an end. So you can never say whether it was unrequited love or mutual one.  It's about those moments with a lot of emotions. It is likely that the emotionally charged moments happen in a one sided love story attempt more often than in other stories,

Are the JALSA stories about you?

I wish I had so many stories to talk about. But unfortunately I don't have them .  There is a bit of real life inspiration in these  stories. But yeah a JALSA  story as a whole is fictitious. 

I won't be able to convey these feelings effectively when I write in third person narrating a story about a Rahul or a Rohan . I believe I am good when I write in first person and the whole thing feels so real when I do that . So all Jalsa stories will be first person.

What genre do Jalsa stories belong to?
I didn't know that there was genre for these kinds of writings. These are perhaps the male equivalent of chick-lit stories. Thanks to one of my friends , I came to know that this kind of writing is called Lad lit. That's the closest genre that Jalsa stories might fall into-  Indian Lad lit :)

What's the next thing on Jalsa after 'The walk'?

If I don't get another idea or inspiration, that might be the last one too :)

I don't have a huge list of ideas ready so I'll be taking it one by one.

But I have always been fascinated by these JALSA moments . Not everyone will be writing about them. But may be there will be many who would like to see  it as a part of a story.

So then probably down the lane, when I run out of ideas/content, I would love to get in touch with these people.

If you are one  and would like to share your JALSA moment with me and then the world , you can buzz me on kidoredo@gmail.com.

The JALSA list so far

• The walk
• The birthday gift