Dr. Parmar: Around the world, and back home

 2006.  12 year old me was looking intently at the slideshow Dr. Chiranjit Parmar was showing me on his computer from his very many foreign trips. A fruit scientist, he had worked and taught in several countries in all the continents of the world. 

How I know him:  He was the chief guest of a small event organised by the local library in Mandi. He was an eminent scientist in my home state. He had presented a small award to me for... the most visits to the library in the calendar year (lame, I know)! Since we lived few meters away from each other, he had invited me to his home afterwards, I was sitting in his study, listening intently to his stories. Additionally he gifted me a one year subscription to a Kids' Magazine, Balvihar, of which I still have very fond memories reading.

He surely had very many things to do, but he chose to inspire a young girl that day. I feel this was a very important experience for me. I have been around the world today for work, study, love and more and somehow I keep going back again and again to this afternoon as the point where the seed was sown - to experience the world. I carried on with my school, while staying connected to him. I looked up to him and wanted to be like him. Even this blog I have is an outcome of me reading his blogs on facebook, where he published short stories 'Around the world for fruits, friends and new experiences'. 

I went to college. On my bi-yearly visits home, I would visit him. He would always have some time to chit chat with me - listen to me worrying if I chose the right study course for myself, or in general how my studies are going. He would always give me his perspective which he gained through a wealth of professional and life experiences. I appreciated this wealth more and more as I got older, as a 12 year old I could not fully comprehend the depth of what he said to me, but I made sure I made a note of what he said in my small diary.The words were always oscillating in my mind and kept making more and more sense the more life I lived. As a bonus, I would always get great book recommendations whenever I visited him. So this visit once or twice a year was something I would always look forward to. 

So life went on and I set foot outside of what was familiar to me, but with open arms. Months and years passed, I kept an open mind and immersed myself in the new surroundings. I gladly shared my experiences with him, we both discussed our Europe travels. I even asked for his autograph on the travel memoir he published, like a little fan girl. I got inspired to do it myself one day.  

Further life went on and I learned that he had developed liver cancer. Through his brave fight through all this he had a very positive outlook. He would still update his blogs, with humorous tales about life and treatment. If the movie Anand, had been modelled after a real person, he would have come very close, I thought.

Fast Forward to October 2023. I went to his home to talk to him and give him an invitation for my wedding. He was bedridden and was in so much pain. It was very obvious that this would be our last interaction. I found it really hard to say something but I at least wanted to remind him what an impact he had on my life and the decisions I took. I tried my best to convey that. On finding out my to-be husband is a German man, he mentioned some sweet random sentences about his travels to Germany, before blessing me with all his heart. But I couldn't focus on anything. I had a lump the size of the Earth in my throat. 

I went back to Hamburg after my wedding. A couple of weeks later, I received the news of his passing away. I read what scores of people wrote on the internet for him. They were, like me, touched in their lives from his presence. I read all of this with tears flowing non-stop. I was regretting my last interaction with him. 'If only I could mentally prepare myself and have a better last conversation with him, instead of being choked in my throat'... but these thoughts were pointless now, I had to live with it like it was. 

It's been two months and I fleetingly think about him, how different my life would have been had the 'scientist uncle' had not invited me to his home 18 years ago. I don't know. 

But in those fleeting moments, I get emotional thinking, can I make something so good out of my life that I could play his role for some other little girl one day?

Thank you for bringing so much positivity into this world.

From one of our yearly meetings.

How I Learned to Ride a Bike (again)

Recently I have been drawn to my bike more than usual. So much biking around: In my city, across my city, in the neighboring country, by the river, in the park, on the mountain, everywhere. I enjoy this activity and it feels like meditation to me, to set off in a wonderful path and pedal along. Funnily today, I saw a kid learning to ride a bike and it reminded me of the funny experiences I had while learning to ride a bike. It was not my childhood. I was 23 and I had just moved to Gent. And THAT is what this blog is all about. I have taken a long pause from this blog, so I thought, why not restart with something silly?

Some people say riding a bicycle is one of the things you cannot unlearn. But not only I had unlearned it but also grown scared of doing it. And then I moved to Belgium. And what did I see all around me? People, bikes, people riding those bikes, people walking their dogs while riding their bikes, and my favourite one - people dragging their luggage to the train station with one hand while on a bike. But I couldn't do any of that. Determined to change that, I went to a store one fine day and rented myself a bike. Only I couldn't ride it yet. At the store I met an interesting man, also starting at the same school as me. We lived in the same area, around the university in Gent. He asked if we could go together and around the campus. ''SURE'' was my first thought. ''SILLY BIKE INEXPERIENCED WOMAN'' was my second one. Feeling insecure and not wanting to look stupid, I went in the other direction, so that we didn't have to bike together. I walked my bike for 3 kilometers to my home. And that was that for the week. Every morning I saw my shiny bike parked outside my home. I felt really bad. It's like when Ross said to Phoebe, ''This bike wants to be ridden. You're killing the spirit of the bike''. So I picked a night - both lovely and lonely- to try it out in the park in front of my home. Only I couldn't. Of course everything has to be perfect - the luminosity, the temperature, the stars, how else can I ride a bike? 

Determined to complete my mission the next day, I went out. The sun was shining. People were minding their own business. The weather was perfect. There cannot be a better time. So I rubbed hands like a makkhi and unlocked my journey for adventure. I remembered the lovely tricycle I rode in my childhood. Time to make you really proud, buddy. I tried to take off like a smooth criminal. Only I couldn't. With wobbly hands I gave my dream another try. There I was .. trembling, but moving forward. Gaining confidence, I picked up speed. I tried to frame my very own success story that was to be shared generation after generation. The stories of the bravery of the bicycle girl. Until I stormed into a park bench. But I didn't fall down. That's a good start! I moved further, regained balance, and moved over to an empty street. 

I shit you not: I got better exponentially.

I rode with a smile. I rode with grace. And then  I was gliding through the empty street with open hair and wind passing through it. I loved to feel the wind in my hair. The sun was shining on my bike rear. The birds sang songs when I rode past them. Artists were mesmerized by the beauty of that bike ride. All men wanted me. All women wanted to be me.

And then my wheel got stuck in the tram line and I crashed hard and welcomed some bruises. The seat of my bike rotated 90 degrees clockwise. And let's say I was thrown into a position from where I could REALLY appreciate the beautiful day. And if that was not enough, a tram came from behind and hit me. Okay, not the last sentence. But imagine if it really happened! With my bruised elbow, I walked my bike back home and it remained untouched for a long time. 

Eventually I did get better. And managed my way in the tiny Gent and huge Hamburg. When I am not sure about my day, it is now always an option to take my bike and ride away into a beautiful path. Or get to know a new one. Leaving the mundane behind and pedaling away without a care in the world - whether in the next street or miles from civilization. And I have never been disappointed. 

Out of Sight...?

 ''I have checked-in my luggage and walking to the security now. Are you on your way back already?''
''No, we will stay until you take off.''
''That won't happen for the next 2.5 hours.''
''So?''
''Okay, FINE.''
My anger started to cool down, and I wanted to go back and hug my family and my dear friend. To this day, I regret walking angry into the airport, to start the journey, which had started this incredibly long vanvaas. If I had the chance, I would have done it differently. I would have not fought with them on our last day together before I left for Belgium. Typical tiny family nok-jhonk. Two years later, I still crave for the departing hug and recall the tears as I boarded the plane that brought me into the most exciting years of my life. Who knew I had to stay away for that long at a stretch
How can time seem both fast and slow, depending on the case? 

• I started my master program. I blinked. And it was all over. It involved a monstrous bite of learning, getting to know a handful of people, and free expansion process of the mind. 

• I started living away from my family. It feels like 20 years. All the plans to go back crashed beautifully one by one. 

Well I did expect to ''miss out'' on a lot, but with only 3.5 hours time zone difference, high speed internet and video calling, you have immediate access to everything and everyone, it's practically like you're there, right? Right?

In the years, came small and big celebrations where I was always missed. People I was REALLY waiting to have kids, had kids. Some people made my childhood really amazing and I was always looking forward to being a cool Aunt or cousin to their kids. I simply can not. No amount of video call could make me play guguthi with them but that's a compromise. Okay. Things happened in an around my tiny town. I mentally walked around Mandi, recalling each tiny detail, eventually ending up in my peaceful place - by the river - where many hours were spent playing and sitting and thinking on the way back from school. It feels like a dream. Something that wasn't ever real. I expected some of this when I decided to go to another country to study. But due to the twist of events, it has been so long that I haven't got a chance to go back yet, nor does it look good in the near future. Close friends apparently started disliking me. I wish I could explain that with a reason. As stupid as it sounds, I have no clue. Maybe distance doesn't beget affection in all cases. Maybe in some cases the brain transfers the distant thing into the Fort of Forgetitude. It's of course, not entirely black and white - like everything else in life. I am somehow communicating regularly with few. Sure, the knot there is a bit frayed. But it's still there. 

Feeling being phased out slowly from the life of all my loved ones is a strange experience. There is nothing too big I can do about it. It took me this long to realize but for me, physical proximity matters in sustaining a relationship more than I thought it would. My thoughts are no longer the daring ''Always close. No matter what. No matter how far''. 

This is what makes me write again after two years. This is what makes me complain again. Yes, this promises to be a personal blog and the reason is simple:  Sometimes I am doing great, and I want to document an overwhelming happy experience. Sometimes I am not doing great, and I have to ventilate a bit. About everything. But mostly,  I am confused about everything in my life. This little blog has been transferring emotions from my head to the ''outside'' for ten amazing years. Having said all that, I feel I can go back to my work with a blank mind again. 

xx

 

A Home in Heaven

Far from the madding crowd, a visit home has become a craving nowadays.
A sojourn at home clears the mind from all the clutter and the toxins accumulated during the stay at Delhi.

Greeted by half a dozen species of birds in the morning, I realized that it is the best alarm to wake up to. I never realized the worth of this chirpy alarm in my school days. It's only now that I find it so special because I can't find even crows in the place I now live in.

Speaking of the place I live now, Quick Update :D The last six months have put me at the threshold of a new phase of life. Standing on the shore, with arms wide open, the world yet to be explored. Some major and minor changes have come up. The cab-waale bhaiya calls me Madam instead of the regular gudiya now, which felt awkward in the beginning. I have two white hair that I no longer pluck from my head and no longer make a big deal of, or write poetry about. Numerous circumstances gave me a taste of affection, betrayal, serendipity, cruelness and unconditional love as well. All in all - the sweet taste of life.  Having understood the importance of love and human connection, I have held my loved ones who still wanted to stick with me a bit tighter than before now.



Coming back to the topic, back here at home, the days are slow and light. The myth of a "productive day" is gone. We are immune to meaningless numbers and never-ending deadliness towards again, more meaningless work. The time, though not productive by accepted standards is very fulfilling for the soul. The morning is spent with the brother roaming around and being reminiscent of the memories of a dear childhood.

Remember we used to gather here and share ghost stories?

Remember there used to be a tree over there which we used to climb?

Remember that girl who lived in that house who used to cry a lot?

Remember you were stung by bees beneath this tree?

Remember you fell from there while flying a kite and broke your bone?

Remember after your foot was burnt in Diwali, I used to push you around on bicycle from here to here?

Remember how we used to hide up there and throw flowers and leaves on anyone who went by?

The sweet sunshine gives respite from the ice-cold winters. An afternoon nap under the blue sky is therapeutic. Falling asleep watching the romance of the clouds and the snow-capped mountains in the distance is a luxury.  No honk honk of the cars, no slam slam of anything else. You wake up from a deep sleep, totally relaxed, with an uncluttered mind. (But you have to be careful, the nap is susceptible to interruption by  monkeys, dogs, kittens, and occasionally mongooses.)
This is a place where I will be lovingly offered paranthas and I can lovingly refuse them and ask my brother to bring a new one for me because it had gotten half a degree colder while bringing from the kitchen. 

The evenings are pleasantly full of love and chit-chat, head massages, old Hindi music, teasing, and laughter. The nights are silent and shiny. Life slows down its pace. You have a lot of fun, do a lot of things. And still, it's only 7 pm. Whaaaat? Running out of things to do, you take out the old photo albums and take a walk down the Nostalgia Road. You discuss for hours the small, big, bittersweet events in your life captured in those pictures. That's how a regular day goes by.



Just like that, one of the nights, I boarded the bus back to Delhi. Waking up just in the time to directly reach the office, and finding myself robotically entering the metro surrounded by people on all sides, I tried to digest I was no longer in the mountains. No slow life, no playing with monkeys today, no limitless sky to lie underneath. Moving my neck in all the directions possible, the only and exact words that came out were:

"Yeh kya ho gaya mere saath Bhagwaan!"

Bro!

It so happened while talking to my little brother today on his birthday that I was wondering how old he is now? 12-13? When I performed a little calculation in my head and counted the years gone by since December 1999, I gasped a little realizing that the little boy is not so little any more!
Eighteen. I started to remember how I had felt when I had turned eighteen although it looked like a long time ago now. That time, 18 felt big, while now even 24 feels small. I was so busy growing old so fast that I didn't pay attention that my loving brother was growing up so fast.

It's quite hard to imagine how time has flown so fast and he has grown into a 6-feet person. Whenever I hear "brother" my mind instantly switches to the picture of the little fat lump that my parents brought home one fine day. He had eyes so big and belly so round and fingers so tiny I could cry. I marvelled at the little creature in awe. I remember asking my parents, "Is it ours?" and them smiling back oh so lovingly.

He has grown through the time of pushing me around the house in my shiny bicycle to driving me to temples on the top of small hills now. He has been a very crucial part of my childhood, a subject to my experiments, the bearer of my atrocities as the tyrannous elder sister. (Maar pitaai, kharoche etc). I had also convinced him that he was not a part of our family and was dropped at our door in a basket by aliens.

In the last many years, I have never heard him say anything good about me. Still, he has always always ALWAYS made me happy whenever I had a tear in my eye (Even if some of the times, he was the reason). Being his sister has developed me as well over the years and a good part of my qualities has developed while performing this role.

I had such an overwhelming feeling of affection and lots to express that it tangled up and I ran out of things to tell him and that's when my awesome friends came to my rescue and gave me some words. Golden words from some fine men that I have known.
On this note, I'm leaving some of the shimmer of the gold mentioned above for you to read as well in case it makes you feel good or smile. They range from "Don't get into relationships" to "Learn from your sister" (Extra points to you man!)

Here is your "Virtual Card" Birthday boy. The one you won't be able to lose out of carelessness :P

Troy Bolton: It's never late for a change. Looking back always helps to introspect. I will say these words to myself if I can go back in time

Coolie Coolerson: 😎 Well my lesson to him would be "Don't get into any serious relationships, keep it cool"  (He obviously means tell your sister everything :P )

Genny Gennerson: Hello young friend. Welcome to the Just-Hatched-Into-Adulthood club! I know this birthday seems to be worth a lot more celebration, because, you know, the "18+ factor" and the complementary "will to fly into your freedom" perk. But on a more realistic note, I hope this birthday not just brings you lots of celebrations and memories but also a sense of responsibility, maturity, accountability and discipline. All for the betterment of yourself and your family. Make your efforts count. The end of the school days marks the exposure to a big, 'DIY' world where despite the so-desired freedom, the only person who can do good for yourself is you! The closest example of a good blend of all these virtues is your sister herself. (Blushing) Aside the mutual teasing and bullying, try learning a thing or two from her.😋 She can fluidly teach a bunch of coarse villagers, so you can be sure to receive the best if you're at her receiving end! 😇I guess that's enough of the "gyan" from my side! Wish you a good day with joy and togetherness! Happy birthday🎂

Draco Malfoy: Accept no one's definition of your life..! Define yourself..!

Gunther CentralPerk: Live in the present.. Travel a lot.. Make new friends.. Don't care about what others think of you

Shatabdi Express: I'm not a learned man but just sharing what I got to know(may be right may be wrong) Happy each and every day. Enjoy not only your b'day but each and every day of your life. The only day your problems will end is when you die. Don't worry about them. Never stop learning till the end moment of your life.

Ben Geller: Choose a good adviser, the who just tells you what you want without adding his/her opinion in it. He/ she will guide you to success. Trust me.
Listen to everyone's opinion, but do just what you want to.

Now you are 18th..so here's some word from Latey Laterson -
" Be passionate about what ever you do.. give your 100% always and have the child inside you alive always, there's less fun actually being grown up😛.. Care for the ones who care about you and whatever situation might come in life, always carry a smile
with you bcz ups and down are part of life but smiling in ups and downs is art of life...."
So take care, enjoy your birthday and have a great year ahead.

The Last Act

"This had to happen sooner or later, you should have been prepared." she said to herself as she wiped away a solitary tear drop sliding across her left cheek.
Today. After all this time, it happened that the will power gave up and the lingering fire finally famished, devoid of anything to feed upon now.

Now that she's having it, she despised this feeling absolutely. Yet it came with a satisfying tinge of its own. Satisfying because knowing that this is the finale. It all ends here.
Why is it satisfying, when it's wrenching your heart completely, you may ask.
You are secretly wishing for something to happen, with all your intention: Something which may, or may not happen. Knowing that it is never going to happen can be a blow in the beginning. But it gives you the permission to abandon all your desire for that thing, and get along with the pace of life, and leave the flowers of false hope to rot.
It is official now that the doors have been sealed by fate and it's time to move ahead and look around, there is nothing for you here now.

Now this is something unusual to hear from an obstinate person like me. Even I didn't expect this. But what can we say. It took way too much time for me to realize.
The time has come. The act is over. The heart and mind had to accept it now. They did. It's time to think of a beautiful life, without this false dream now.
You must have felt this kind of feeling at least once in your life, which is a perfect balance of agonising pain and enervating sadness.

And that, my friend (as Rachel says it) is what we call c.l.o.s.u.r.e.

Fare thee well, dream unfulfilled.

13 Reasons Why..

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, witches and wizards, you are about to read the last blog I post from NIFTEM's awesome internet facility.
Yes, this is finally happening. Today is my last night in this college as its student. I have been having mixed feelings for the past 6 months, but after yesterday's mass extinction of my batch, there's just pure sadness. No no no I'm not a gloomy kind of person. But as John Green says, some pains demand to be felt. It is also necessary to feel the heat of tears when it is required.

I am not too good at controlling emotions. It has been very tough for me to part ways with a bunch of people who had become a part of my family.
I know it's not the end. I know it's a small world. I know we will meet again. But I am human only. Bound to feel things. There is a reason and purpose these feelings emerge and I don't see anything bad in it.

All said and done, this post is not at all about me. Or my college experiences. It's too boring and who would want to read too much about a person?
Rather, this is about  all the people I met here who touched my life. Quoting my friend, these people have taught me more than the curriculum could. So this post is all about the people I love. Since I am short of time, and need to pack and go house hunting, I am going to keep it in bullet points. Please identify yourselves. No order is followed, everything is random including the pictures.
Hence the name:- 13 Reasons Why leaving NIFTEM is hard.

• 3 idiots:

I cannot write about them separately, as we consider us three as a single unit. I could write an entire book about them. But I won't. Since the beginning of time, I had always wanted to be a part of an exclusive group, have my "gang"
Not only did I find my "gang", it also got named as 3 Idiots by our professor. They carry two-thirds of me wherever they go. My openness with them changed from 30% to 100% in a matter of months.
The most accelerated response ever.

• The Poetic Heart

He who has been caring like a parent at times. I can always turn to him for completely honest advice.
He's ready to help without a second thought. So much that he is ready to spend his birthday house-hunting with me. We have a secret blog together. Some day it shall see the light of the day. I have had uncountable skype dancing sessions with this person. He has been the unbeatable person in wishing me for birthday before anyone else since November 28, 2013
He has made me start my tradition of giving surprise visits to home :D

• Flash

He is the person you see only glimpses of, vanishes like flash. However, our bond remains the same regardless of how much we talk. First two years have been very beautiful with him. He is also the person who irritates me the most. But I like getting irritated by him.
He always mystically appears only when I am low and gloomy and flips it, and then disappears again.

• Girl group

Being the misogynist that I am, it is hard to imagine me being the part of a girl group, but I had few girls I could gossip with at times, do mawkish girlish things with.
Hug bear-
You probably know the feeling you get at the end of the day when you're tired,  or angry, or hungry and you just long for to bone-crushingly hugging someone. I have a friend I do that to a lot of times. Reason or no reason, I simply like to cling to her stomach. She has been there since the start (plus or minus a fight or two :P ) She has the homely feeling in her.
Pleasant Talker-
She has been a pleasant person to be around. Most importantly, she has taught me topics of a subject a day before the exams. She gives sensible advise. She is the person I love watching Shakira the most with.
The girl with endless stories-
Another buddy, we have been inseparable for an entire year. Time and circumstances changed us, but somehow the hearts still remained connected through all these years. This girl had lots of stories to tell and I totally loved listening to each and every one of them. She was the girl I saw the first movie in my college with, which was Dil toh Pagal Hai, by the way.
Miss Fairy Dust-
Then there's another who has been a new acquaintance, but is a very talented and positive person, spreading fun sparkle wherever she walks.
I have enjoyed cribbing about people and things the most with them.

• Incessant Talker

Here is a person who can talk endlessly about anything, and I mean ANYTHING.
Soft-hearted and extremely ticklish, this guy will be missed.

• The illegitimate ex

There are no ex, y or z about this person. Unlike these variables, he has been a constant since first year. Been my partner in embarrassing dance on stage, we have a pact of marrying each other if both of us are single by the time we are 35! Kind of like Monica and Chandler.

• Chhote Meow

A handful of juniors who have been so loving all this time. Well, since I'll be working near my college I can see them a lot. I love the "elder sister" feeling. Loved being with each of them, whether it is Himachal Trips, VAP outings, or celebrating little little happiness together.

• Bade Meow :P

These people ceased to be a part of the college an year ago, but had the most significant effect on my learning curve. Each of them has given me wonderful life lessons and free-flowing love. We had less time together. But what can we say, time together is just never quite enough! I saw myself change the most during the time I was with them.

• Kaem cho Buddies

A girl who appears mostly when my day is not good and never fails to make me happy, and who gently strokes my head like a puppy because I like it a lot.
And another guy  whom I misjudged a lot of times, but is quite good at heart. In the end I feel guilty for hating him so much in the beginning. Please don't hate me too. I am not that bad :D
Both of them have been sukh-dukh ke saathi for 4 months.

• The Red Velvet Ladoo Makers

This group is the BEST example of the situation where six bright minds come together, and still nothing gets done :P
Jokes apart, had fun each and every of the five days we worked for our semester project. :P I think all of us are going to cook Ragi Ladoo for our kids some day or the other.

• 17th October 2014

This is another adorably irritating and fun person I have had in my life. Enjoyed the limited time spent with him, he has grown to be a dear friend. Fro Ganesh Chowkdi, to Rawalwas, to Sending ugly voice messages before exams, he has always been there. Golden at heart, though sometimes not so golden in words :P
I have written an entire blog about him :P

• Gem 

She is the gem in my life because the love that she offers me is unconditional. I love her. My brother loves her. My whole family loves her. She's that good. She is brutally honest most of the times, which can sometimes put her as rude to people. But this is the quality about her that I admire the most.
She never says anything just because! We both love the same people and our hatred is concentrated on the same kinds of people.

• The perfect girl

She is the one I have interacted the least with out of all these. despite going on 2 trips together. But she personified the image of the perfect girl I had in mind. The qualities I like in her are many. She's a no-drama, no-nonsense girl, an avid reader, a good person at heart. Stays cool in tough times, unlike me. There's so much I have secretly learned from her while secretly admiring her.

• The longest live-in partner

Before getting the luxury called the single room, we used to have room partners, She is the non-family person I have lived the longest with. I really think I couldn't have lived with anyone else. Seeing her on the first day of college, my mother had a sigh of relief. My buddhu ladki is going to live with a nice girl. There are many things that my mother wanted me to learn from her. But I was too lazy to do it.

The night is young and so are we
Time to pack bags, it's almost three
Here are few photos, going to update more soon as I am short of photos and time right now.:D

I am going to miss your presence a lot. But this post is being written by a girl who is going to shamelessly prick you all for the rest of your lives. So yeeehaw:P
This is Agent Tikki FINALLY signing off. Keep the love going.
Ending one more post with Mohammad Rafi:

Ehsaan mere dil pe tumhara hai doston,
Yeh dil tumhaare pyaar ka maara hai doston! :')

O Children (Interpretation) - Harry Potter

If you have seen Harry Potter, and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, you will definitely remember the scene where Harry and Hermione dance to O Children by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. If you haven't heard it, you can play it here while reading the rest of this post! :)

The song is intense and makes you sway to the rhythm. This was a powerful scene depicting that the bond they shared wouldn't allow either of them to break even in this plight.

So what happened today is I came across this song and since I found the lyrics very intriguing. Now let us see how it relates to the war in the movie. First of all, the lyrics are from the point of view of the adults: adults who failed to protect their children from the war and its horrible consequences. It's the same in Harry Potter, the adults have failed to protect the younger generation from Voldemort and in the end they are the ones who have to fight something beyond them (it started before they were even born and is so much more powerful). Plus, the adults in this song apologize for failing at protecting them, addressing themselves directly to the children. In the movie, the children (Harry and Hermione (yes they are children, remember they are only 17)) heard the song on the radio, so it's like the adults were talking to them through it.
More than just an apology, the lyrics also encourage the children to 'rejoice' and 'lift up their voice'. There is still hope in the children, even when the adults have failed. This is the case in the movie : adults couldn't destroy Voldemort, their children did. Harry, Hermione and their team were the last hope of the wizardry world.
At the end of the song, it talks about deportation (Hey, little train, we're jumping on. The train that goes to The Kingdom), however they don't seem to lead people to their death but to a certain happiness and freedom, which is weird at first, but then, remember the adults are talking to the children : they give them an illusion because even though they cannot save them, but they can try to keep them happy and hopeful. (I'm hanging in there, don't you see in this process of elimination)
In the movie, during this scene, Hermione is heartbroken and Harry is also pretty sad, but they dance, in a way escape the reality of the war around them and their friend leaving to find some comfort and end up smiling. The adults are lulling them into an illusion to make them feel better (both in the song and in the movie (if you replace the adults by the radio)). However, the illusion doesn't last forever and when the song stops, they are back to reality and it's still horrible and sad. That's why Hermione stops smiling pretty fast, because she is back to reality. The illusion didn't make the war disappear.

The song in itself is pessimist: they can't do anything to avoid what's happening to them, and that's exactly the same in the movie. Adults can't save them, they can just send them a moment of peace, but in the end the children are truly alone and without any help. Just like the situation of Harry, Ron and Hermione during the entire movie. It just perfectly fits and completely emphasizes what they are feeling in this moment.
Having heard it earlier paying lesser attention, I had never realized how appropriate this song was for this moment. This song is very sophisticated and soulful. What do you think?!