I am asked by a reader “What does “3 am” connote? Apart from its 3 hours past midnight and its early morning does it have more meaning? ”
3 AM seems to be caught in a cusp. From the time my parents could no longer force me to go and sleep at a particular time (and forcing me was a tall call anyway!), the time I go to sleep has often determined the quality of sleep. Certain nights, when I stay up late, sleeping before 2 AM qualified as sleeping a “bit late”, and sleeping after 4 AM meant “night-out”. Determining a longer laze or waking up late morning.
But 3 AM? Neither a late night nor a night-out. Sleeping at 3 AM especially if it’s not because of a dangerous dangling deadline (pardon the aliteration), is inching towards insomnia and lack of company. The various forms of night and morning appear to vanish at the cusp. The cone-shaped cusp that holds the map to sleeplessness.
This may or may not answer the question. But it helps me articulate the time that is 3 AM.
PS – I just noticed that India Uncut is having a 3AM moment as well.
nehamaami 
Cusp- love that word.
Could go either way but we don’t. Keep lingering at 3am somehow.
Nice piece.
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I was born around that time of night/morning. Oh! The stories I could tell you! The Horror! The Horror!
(Quickly dies)
PS: Sorry for all the inky mess in your comments area..blots and spills et al
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3AM!! Its the start of “divine time”. Time to contemplate….
As Kabir says – pahela prahar (6PM-9PM) har koi jage; Dusra prahar (9PM-12PM) Bhogi (people who look only for enjoyment); Teesra prahar (12PM – 3AM) kaskar jage (robbers, i believe); Choutha prahar (3AM-6AM) Yogi! (Saints wake up!)
BTW – Love your blogs. You think very deeply for a person so young!
-ashok
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Heh. You apparently “think deep” and all.
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Your post on ‘3 AM tales’ made me think of this most famous line on the subject:
“In the real dark night of the soul, it’s always three o’clock in the morning.”
That was F. Scott Fitzgerald in his near-autobiographical novel, ‘The Crack-up’. So, 3 AM is a brilliant metaphor as well.
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This is from a song “as if i hadn’t slept” by Idlewild.
It’s always 3am in your world,
so I’m drinking this as if I hadn’t slept,
telling stories which tell their stories them self,
you didn’t even hear them,
our thoughts are somewhere else,
Its making me very curious
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The only 3 AM tale that i’ve heard about is, as ashok commented, that 3 AM is the start of ‘brahma muhurath’, the time when the mind is supposedly, at its sharpest.
Ideally, people born in the brahma muhurath are(again supposedly) deep thinkers and philosophers.
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Inkblot and Ink Spill: What a beautiful combination! :)) This makes me happy!
Ashok: So basically if I am up at 3 AM and then go to sleep – I am a robber, but if I stay awake I am a Yogi. Maybe a Yogi is nothing but a very tired robber? 🙂 Thanks for coming by.
Nilu: Stop being jealous would ya?
Kalyan Raman: Yep. That lines sums up so much beautifully. Thank you dragging out an ancient memory.
Thinks Heyz: Maybe it just sounds nicer than 2AM and 4AM??
Sumz: I’ve heard this other tale about ghosts walking about at 3 AM. Hhmm. By your theory Ink Spill is a deep thinker and philosopher! :))
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3 AM indeed. Can vouch for a variety of 3 AM moments. Nicely put. 🙂
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I like screwing the trees at 3am~ comsi consa?
tubes come in all sizes and shapes like the one at the nurse’s office, the dosa place in chennai and the petrol station.
Like your posts Neha 🙂 Now om to you, please come and welcome me to your circle of imaginary friends.
Oh yes I am a bozo sometimes.
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