Wednesday 21 October 2020

Recipe To Finish A Nation!

  

 To finish a nation

Just attack it’s education

Lure the kids away!

The nation  will  be under your sway!

Turn them into addicts ..

Drugs, alcohol, TV or porn

You ‘ve successfully turned them into Morons.

The peace of the nation is  your’s  to take

Without firing a single bullet,

 you would have  won the war!

 

 

Saturday 17 October 2020

Don't Take Cudgels With Power!

 

Don’t Take Cudgels with Power!

A child well disciplined

Of an army personnel

Brought up with  care

Share, love and dare.

Grew, up-right

Always stood for the right!

Like his Papa wanted to fight

And serve his motherland without might!

Decided to write.

... to be a whistle blower,

To weed out the ills found all over.

But that was not to be!

His Media House he did  start

Treated workers like friends at that.

Carried out a Sting operation,

Where he knew was rampant corruption.

Alas! He locked horns with the rulers of the land

Who decided to teach him a lesson .

 Happily married with a lovely wife and daughter

With film star looks along with grey matter,

He caught many a women’s fancy.

However he couldn’t fathom

The extent of mischief afoot!

 

The rulers of the land

Sent a “Menka” of sorts,.

To entice and ensnare him with  her charms!

Mission accomplished!

He was finished!

His career fell,

Like the house  of   cards.

Damned and  defamed,

 all because he dared to dare,

The rulers of the land!

 

 

 

 

*Menka …a celestial  beautiful nymph  in Hindu mythology.

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 9 September 2020

The Morning Walk

 

The Morning walk

The old lady

On a solitary stroll

Everyday a young person

Watches her, and reasons

Why so lonesome

Little knowing

She’s just a little girl

Hidden in her soul

Enjoying the Koyal bird’s beat

That uplifts her heart!

Yes, it’s just that

And pray

That it’s there

The coming morn!

And the next and next…

So that she can text

To her old friends

All young at heart

So easily tickled ,

They laugh

At the drop of a hat!

The young person

Cannot fathom

Thinking   her as so naïve

Following a routine

Trudging so very slowly

With all her aches and pains

But with a spring in her being

With an unsatiated hunger

To catch the dawn

Before it’s gone!

 

 

Wednesday 15 July 2020

Relative Happiness!



Sniffling nose,
Eyes spilling tears…
Sometimes I have a good cry.
Opening my sluice gates of accumulated cares.
Suddenly While indulging and enjoying the cry
The “Theory of Relativity “dawns on me.
Fervently I pray to God quickly,
O!  please  don’t push me down Almighty
And make the present sad state seem best
A relatively happier one in the moment next,
...by a discord, ailment or a text
So quickly before he catches me
I smile through them  
Signaling HIM, “be unmindful of them..
for god sake if you  can’t  remedy them” 

You see! I certainly don’t want him to drive home
the SAdness theory of relativity by jove!





Monday 6 July 2020

sound on the roof!


Sound on the roof!
I snuggled into my bed, and no sooner my head touched the pillow ,I was in deep slumber. Suddenly I was wide awake! I looked in the direction of the  watch, it’s neon light flashed 3 a.m.it seemed I had just closed my eyes. So many hours since 10.30 pm!
There it was again!  I could hear the distinct sound of soft measured footsteps on the roof! In that span of few seconds my mind fed me with a million possibilities, one worse than the other, if I get down to write them it could take voluminous proportions! I realize what an amazing thing is the human mind…mind boggling! Well it was this sound indeed that had disturbed my subconscious mind.
 Somebody definitely was up there, I quickly slipped out of bed, wore my jacket, went downstairs .I drew away the blinds, through the spotlessly clean   French windows I could see  my well- lit wooden deck. It was such a pleasing sight to watch all my potted plants peacefully asleep. The grapevine twisted artistically on the far end of the deck making a natural boundary, the unripe grapes looking so picturesque, out of a Greek picture book! Nothing looked amiss.
I checked my CCTV footage, there moments ago –there was a family of Raccoons . They made such a pretty picture…Mom, with two cubs following her playfully, one dodging the other, smilingly clutching each other’s tails …it was like watching the discovery channel of the wild .i watched fascinated forgetting the noise? sound on the roof,? Predators?...what ?
I switched on the powerful light on the roof, it looked ethereal .I felt so proud of it ,the reason I had recently changed the tiles . it was the envy of my  neighbors, and a couple of them had followed suit. It is called the “Demonstration Effect”, I think. The crescent moon just above my roof looked like the celestial swing! I stretched and yawned ,shut  the windows and was glad everything was fine climbed the stairs and...a stray thought hit me .I had heard stories about raccoons  making attics their homes!
Aghast I decided to do a quick check. I opened the attic door, it was pitch dark in  there .I used  my flash light , three pairs of pools of light reflected from the far end !O No they had decided to park in mine !I shut the door and got off the footstool, my head whirling in calculations of unnecessary expenses…that I would’ve to incur this month. Such as repair s of the damaged roof, attic, and calling for the services of the city raccoon catcher to get them out…a whopping sum ! So much for the trip I had planned for my family outing to the beach…Sugar beach, Wasaga, the coming long weekend in the Caravan . The kids were so delighted so was my wife looking forward to the prospect of camping out for the long weekend. every day so many plans were chalked out and changed …had already got the tents…I could picture the disappointment on their faces which is so depressing!
I calmed my jangled nerves, ran a few options in my head, the easiest one was to light up the attic and play some music. These nocturnal creatures didn’t look the kinds to enjoy this. I painstakingly managed to put my music system with heavy duty speakers up in there and worked up some psychedelic lighting in the attic.
Tired I went downstairs , the clock showed a good two hours had gone by .I stepped out in the porch to witness the blessed daybreak in all its heavenly glory. The orange sun peeping through my apple tree! Quickly took a few pictures…I miss out on the dawn everyday..the pure gentle breeze, darting squirrels chirping birds in the orange light in the backdrop of blue skies with wispy white clouds …too good! Captured some great pictures of mine against the backdrop!
Exhausted after the ordeal, I showered-as the warm water cleaned my body ,it cleared my mind! Breakfast was ready, I ate the oatmeal with my hazel nut vanilla coffee, ruminating on tackling the problem at hand-all other work had receded in the recess of my mind.
I stepped out once again with the long stepladder to view the problem from the outside. There it was a little hole in between the main roof and the lower one. it looked like a work of art, so artfully clawed out. To me it looked too small for them to have got in. I decided to plug the hole with a large  sheet. The idea was to create a panic of being trapped in . I went inside and put on a psychedelic pandemonium  ,lights, blaring jazz music on , I think I put Pink Floyd’s Time  in a loop .
The raccoons didn’t much care for it and must’ve realized they were trapped as the hole was blocked.
Excited I went out and climbed the ladder slowly pulled the never ending sheet, and waited with  baited breath. Sure enough my surmise was right. ..they had had enough of the jing bang deafening music and blinding bright  lights .They scampered out as if someone was after their lives. It was so comical. I was so absorbed in the whole thing that I was just saved by the skin of my teeth , I ducked in time the onslaught of  the mother, who angrily snapped in my face. I nearly fell off.
I saw them   leave , not  happy. I was happy and relieved ,money saved is money earned…as I was reversing the car from the garage my son shouted, ”where  to Dad?’” I asked him to hop in and on the way to Hard -ware store to get material for repairs for the hole..i related my tale all he said was ,”why didn’t you wake me up!”
To make good his disappointment, we together shortlisted  the motorboat we’d take along, surfing equipment and the Caravan .Excitement rife for the coming long weekend we drove home.







Friday 26 June 2020

Obsessive Fears!


Obsession!

Life itself is an obsession with me.

I forget, death will not come in my lifetime,

And yet I die so many times over.

Wasting my precious life

Reading … books on Lessons of Life,

Watching …lessons of life by some Guru,

Listening…to the real life experiences of friends,

All with a view to “righting their wrongs”

In the mêlée, I’ve lost the flavor of life!

I’m on tether hooks

When it comes to my dear ones…

The phone call not received on time,

I chew my nails off!

A dear one not reaching on time,

I’m done!

No sound from the bathroom

I’m doomed!

To compose my jangled nerves

I deep breathe.

Not for me to take joys and sorrows in my stride.

Scared of God

Pray to Him with all my might

Just to please Him.

God above beamed

To me  said He

“I blessed you with life,

And you’re obsessed with it”,

"Snap out of it,

Let go

The leech like obsession

For the uncertainty of life!"

 

Thursday 18 June 2020

Memories!


MEMORIES!
Memories are such good cushions to relax on!
Every present well spent,  is a basis for sweet ones!
People dream and make big
 I,  for one dig  my  memories .
Good or bad I indulge in them and why not?
I’m flooded with childhood memories, teenage memories ,
 youth memories, middle age memories: ludicrous, happy, melancholic.
So many summers have gone by,
So many latent memories in me,
Spring roots as soon as a person
Just opens up a conversation
 My mind’s screen springs alive with connected memories.
I must say I have a way with them.
I latch on with them
Much to the chagrin of the unsuspecting person.
He could be talking about an accident,an earthquake,floods,
Cuisine,Eateries, soirees,fashion shows,movies,music concerts, plays, theatre,
Or games in the Stadia
You name it
And I have it.
Views on politics, religion, health, any anecdote or emotions
Mummy’s love ,Daddy’s pride, sibling stories, friends and foes,
Spouse, kids, in-laws and relatives
You name it
I have it!
Travelogue ?   well  the other day
Someone returned from the Alps,
Enthusiastically describing to us the  snow covered peaks
Guess? Yes! I latched on and my memories came cascading out
My walk on the great Athabasca Glacier in the Canadian Rockies  ,
The snow coach, the skywalk , the jasper snow field,
Banff  Rocky Mountain Resort where we stayed for a week
Dousing him,  drowning him with every detailed account.
Not meaning to, but stealing his thunder!

Many a times
I do meet my match
Who loves to latch
Onto my present with his memories.
Good Grief!
Is all that I can think
I shut my mouth
And close my mind.
Roll my eyes heavenwards!
Willing him Stop!
Making a silent promise
In future will be more careful
of latching onto memories!

Such memories certainly are short lived,
with me!






Tuesday 16 June 2020

Marigold Flowers!


Marigold Flowers!



Walking through the meandering back lanes of a temple,
I’m assailed by the sweet smell of the Marigolds.
Suddenly surrounded by a riot of different hues of yellow,
Garlands, flowers and petals heaped up in huge baskets,
Seemed  the sun  taking it’s afternoon siesta!

Five line Gogyokha  (Japanese short poem)




O To Rise Early!


Early Riser.
To catch the dawn, I wake up excited…
…to hear the orchestra of the chirping birds,
…to see the slumbering   neighbor hood languorously opening up,
…to experience  the ethereal  quiet amidst the morning din.
…to expect it as a prelude to a perfect day!

Wrote  a  sample poem of Gogyokha.


Tuesday 9 June 2020

Gogyokha!


GOGYOKHA
Gogyokha style of poetry writing has been recently formalized in 1983.it was recognized and named by Enta Kusakabe.
She originated the idea in 1957,while studying at the Tokyo University of western Literature.
The form has root with in the Tanka,which also has 5 lines.Spearheaded by Kusakabe,a Gogyokha society was formed in 1994.In 2008,the first  American chapter of the Gogyoka Society was establishedin New York.
Five Rules of Gogyokha
1. A new form of short p[oem that is based on the ancient Japanese Tanka and Kayo.
2. It has Five lines in all.
3.Each line consists of one phrase…
4.it has no restraint on the number of words or syllables.
5. one can write on any subject.

A

Thursday 4 June 2020

Sexagenarian!


SEXAGENARIAN
On the eve of my sixty status
Bidding farewell to my golden decade
Each year has slipped into the other
Ever since  I’ve taken to my senses.
I’ve always wanted to be an awesome  healthy  centenarian!
But without getting old with all it’s baggage.
Here I am in my birth month once again
A senior citizen!
The words hit me hard.
Time to beware about slips and falls,
Retirement   and all.
Quickly I told myself Baah!
Let me enjoy the next phase
Reset myself on the enjoyment mode
Set  aside hatred, anger, regret  sad.
slow down and view everything from all angles
Front, rear, from the side,  down and under, up and yonder.
Put in all efforts to kindle the  lamp of childlike  curiosity !
…And Dwell on …
Every breath I breathe
Every step I walk,
Every syllable  I speak,
Every note  I sing,
Every sight I see
Every thought I think,
Every letter I write,
Every meal I cook,
Every prayer I pray,
Every day morning ablutions I do
Every wink I sleep,
Every move I dance,
…as  a gift of God
And enjoy the present!
To transform the sweet sixteen heart
Into a wonder full of sixty!

With my dream of a straight spine
I realize my constraint of time
I pledge no more lethargy and procrastinations
 And Smile away all my guiles!





Tuesday 2 June 2020

Equity and Development


EQUITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Leafing through the World Development Report 2006, it raked up issues in my mind.
Economic Development means increase in the country’s GDP along with increase in the citizen’s quality of life, that is measured with the H.D.I.
H.D.I is Human Development Index , a statistic composite index of life expectancy,education and per capita income indicators which are used to rank countries .
In short any development that is planned in an economy should have the well being of the people at large.
Why does equity and well being matter?
The concern of any authority should be development  with Equity.
Equity is so pervasive across cultures. The  philosophical  traditions suggests that a fundamental preference for fairness is deeply rooted in human beings. Complementing this evidence are data from Opinion Surveys ,suggesting that higher inequalities in incomes is on an average is associated with lower aggregate levels of subjective well being.
Perhaps the oldest manifestations of concern with equity and the avoidance of deprivation comes from religion. Several major world religions endorse the  notion of social justice and a duty towards the poor. In  general,it has been found all cultures and religions share a concern with equity and fairness.
Self interest is the most prominent underlying emotion of humans. In a sense we are all selfish for our  own well being, come what may.
People’s view on fairness is based on many variables such as material condition ,age, circumstances, knowledge, ethics…
Plato argued that “if a state is to avoid civil disintegration …extreme poverty and wealth must not be allowed to rise in any section of the citizen body because lead to disasters”. Which we have often seen in developing countries.
Inequalities should be reduced .This will help bring greater efficiency and prosperity in the society in the long run .Equity should be viewed as dignity and worth of a person. Moral values too will be strengthened in society.
Development in its wake will bring about a reduction in poverty and inequality .The cake should be shared by all the citizens . It is the onus on the government to see that every citizen should get a fair share of the fruits of growth and development. That would be a meaningful progress of the human race!

Monday 1 June 2020

Delivery!


DELIVERY

Laboring to push it out of my tummy,

Yelling hoarse for my Mummy

A hundred miles away from me.

I lay in excruciating pain that Friday

After the Doctor broke my “waters”.

White voices urged me,

 Push! push!!Push!!!

Tried so hard ,

Tired I cried,

Let me go.

A voice rasped,

“if you’re done,

We’ll begin the C section”

That did it!

I deep inhaled and whale exhaled…

Amidst cheers out slid baby bathed in my placenta!

Pain vanished.

The most tuneful  cry filled my ears

That sounded like alla…allla.alllaaa

Happily I prayed “Shukriya…”

They showed me an adorable doll like bundle

For all these months was in me cuddled!

I gazed amazed at the wonderful God’s creation!

Someone drew the curtains...

Suddenly the O.T. was flooded with sunbeams…

…beaming at my sunny boy and me!

Exhausted I snuggled in His arms.

Thanking Him once again for His lovely gift!

On that New Year’s Eve!

 

Sunday 31 May 2020

Padam Shri Bhai Nirmal Singhji


Padam Shri Bhai Nirmal Singhji
When it comes to success,   one looks back at a lot of things  people  are  happy about .Those baby  steps that only you know of!
Out of those have known you ,there are people who know  the price of your success, for the rest you’re plain lucky!
Padam Shri  Raagi Bhai Nirmal Singhji Khalsa in an interview with Khushdav Singh in Khaas Mulakat Sangat T.V. in U.K.this is what I unraveled from this interview, other posts on the Youtube …and first hand information from his random fans ,and my favourite  Ragi, I was shaken when the Pandemic snatched him away.
His parent’s certainly didn’t know that he was an uncut diamond in need of cutting and polishing !
From very humble beginnings in a village mother Sardarni Gurdev Kaur, father Sardar Chanan Singhbrought him up with the only hope that he’d contribute to the meager income. That was not to be as he was not interested in his father’s trade, which he proudly professes he knows so well. Much to his father’s chagrin he was neither interested in other options.
Even as a young boy he was fond of  good music. After the day’s work he’d sit in front of the radio and listen to Pakistan music programmes consisting of gazals, songs, shabads…what he liked best was Gulam Ali’s style of singing and he says he adopted it . The style remained with him even after he underwent training and learning in music schools by maestros of Indian classical music.
He attributes his renown to his mother who had faith in him.  She parted with her gold band which he sold for Rupees 30 . She unshackled him from his attachment towards filial duties, and  encouraged him to run away from home and pursue his passion.
He managed to get admission at the Shaheed Missionary College Amritsar.a prof. there nicknamed him as Tansen in recognition to his lovely voice modulations.(Tansan a great singer in the court of the Mughal king Akbar)  Here he set his heart and mind to  accomplish his dream of becoming the top Ragi  at the Golden temple.
He did become the Hazoori Ragi at Darbar Saheb! His silky voice resonated all over the world and soon he became a household name. His Asa Di Vaar  started the day for many a devout Punjabis. He worked hard and sang the Gurbani  mellifluously in their stipulated 31 ragaas.
His hard work didn’t go unnoticed. He was awarded the Padam Shri the highest civilian award in India.So humble in his stance,he wondered who had nominated him. he had never imagined such an honour.In the course of a conversation he discovered it was none other than  the  then P.M. Dr. Manmohan Singh who had suggested his name.  He is  the only Raagi who has been conferred with the award. However, the   most important award he confesses is the faces of his audience who bless him with their expressions!
In his address to the Punjabi youth in a college ,he said there is no end to learning.He talked about his keen desire for knowledge. He would even read from the paper in which goods were wrapped and sold . He couldn’t study beyond class 5 because of poverty. In  all humility he stated that he has written 2 books well researched based on his experiences in Ragas , Gurmat classical saangeet, which are prescribed as text books for post graduate students!His message to the young musicians is that they should learn and render the shabads in the specified Raagas in order to get the real essence of the meaning of the word(shabad).Guru Naank was a mystic who along with Bhai Bala and Bhai Mardana mesmerized the ‘Kayanath” with his melodious teachings. Music resonates with everyone.
On a serious note,he recalls with extreme sadness being an eye witness to the attack on Golden Temple in June 1984.It was so frightening. He was on duty in the precincts of the Gurudwara. The mayhem of thousands of innocents is inexcusable.
He enjoyed his foreign trips .which provided him the opportunity to explore the world.He has been to 71 countries .Enjoying each one’s culture ,flora , fauna marveling God’s creation.
He  related an interesting anecdote about his meeting his  creative inspiration ,his guru Gulam Ali.In one of his trips abroad to England he learnt that he was there.It was a great moment for him,off he went to meet him .It was an ecstatic  moment ,when the Ustad told him that he knew him as an admirable Hazoori Raagi.His respect was reciprocated and the two became family from then on.
Such was his simplicity, love for learning and spreading the message of God , having the good of all at heart. His calling was singing and his endeavour was to compose good music and sing God’s praise for the people.  He was a rustic, straightforward perhaps that is why he won the hearts of one and all!
His was a singleness of purpose to popularize singing God’s praise in the classical overtones.This is no small part of his greatness.It has been his ability to inspire and rediscover the greatness of the verses in the Guru Granth Saeb that are written with the length, metre and beat in keeping with the Ragaas. He believed that we are fortunate to have inherited such wealth of  knowledge. This tradition of Gurmat Sangeet  should be carried on!

s












Thursday 7 May 2020

SUPER MOON/BUDH PURNIMA


SUPER MOON/BUDH PURNIMA
On the terrace admired  the very bright, round moon . Today is super moon and it has coincided with Budh Purnima.   It is Buddha’s birthday observed by Buddhists all over the world as an important festival. It is believed three important events  of Buddha’s life took place :his  birth, his attaining enlightment, and his death, Paranirvana. This day is Thrice Blessed Festival.
It is celebrated in the Asian countries mainly by lighting lanterns ,candles, floating them on a lake.
China, South Korea, North Korea, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia Japan ,Malaysia ,Mongolia ,Myanmar, Nepal Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Vietnam.
Also it is celebrated in Australia as “Vesak Day”. In Brazil it is celebrated largely because of the Japanese Community. Vesak Buddha’s Birthday  in Toronto,  Canada. In the U.S.A the celebration differs from community to  community depending on ethnicity and nationality.
We Indians celebrate the day .It’s a public holiday , it was initiated by B.R.Ambedkar, who drafted the Indian Constitution. Buddha’s teachings are intertwined in our social fabric. His tenets of’ middle path ‘and ‘non- violence , Three Jewels about living an ideal life, so well known to all.  
 Its an important day in our family because my Dad and Mom tied the knot on this auspicious day!
The Super Moon has  lit up the sky and it is going to be the last Super moon of 2020.
The term Super moon is coined by the astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979. It occurs when the moon reaches it’s closest point to the earth which is known as Perigee.
It can be 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than the usual moon. That is why it’s so breath -taking. The Full Moon in May month is referred to as Flower Moon because of the spring season and abundance of flowers. It is indeed an ode to the flowers blooming in Northern Hemisphere.
There is something deeply enchanting about the silver suffused with yellow , pink blue grey colors!
Today the super Moon looks Magical in the night sky . it seems like a lovely poem written in this Lockdown  of hope and joy …


Tuesday 5 May 2020

HAIKU


HAIKU
Today I attended a Haiku workshop organized by Delhiwallah Collective Poetry Group .It was led by Gina Gallyot,  along with Rajeev Narang and sponsored by an online magazine” LitGleam”.
Gina explained the basic rules of writing Haiku. It the Japanese art of writing tiny poems of 17 syllables!
It is simple   poem of three lines only.
The first line has five syllables.
The second line seven syllables.
The third has five syllables.
It was such a delightful experience reading these short and sweet poems, with punch!
Even in this wee little poem there is a cutting point/word to how contrast or similarities, termed as   “Kirje”. The subject matter could be seasonal reference to nature elements   “Kigo”.
She shared some Haiku’s from the great master Matsuo Basho.
She encouraged us to write Haiku .I scribbled this one
“The cherry blossom
Lit up my being in smiles
Made   me so happy!”


Monday 4 May 2020

FOMITES


FOMITES
I was a young girl, when my doctor  aunty was given charge of the Infectious Disease Hospital.
I used to find her behavior strange. She was obsessed with washing her hands with soap and water.
She would treat her garments as if they were infested with virus . As  soon as she would park the car in the garage and walk  in ,we had to clear the way for her. Anyone who crossed her path got a blast of her vitriolic tongue, as if we had caught the virus .I always felt she was out of her mind.
She had a beautiful house with marbled tiles and all. Curtains and Carpets an absolute no no for her.
Once she offered me an apple as I extended my hand to take it she said, ”wait a minute”.
Horror of horrors she lathered it with the Lifebuoy washing soap! I angrily declined. She didn’t like my outburst and lovingly explained fomites. It didn’t make much sense then .But today in this day and age of Corona virus it is her lesson of that day comes clearly to my mind.
She told me that any inanimate object becomes a vehicle to carry infection such as clothes, wallets ,hair, skin,  bedding, bags utensils key chains ,bangles etc and transfer the virus to a new host.That is why its so important to wash hands with soap .
 In short it is an inanimate transporter of the pathogen .e.g. Corona virus can be transmitted by money exchanging hands,or even  touching the tiny  button of  the lift which has been touched by an affected person.
VECTOR, is a living organism that transmits a parasite to another living being. e.g .mosquitoes are the vectors of malaria.
Basic difference between Vector and Fomites is that of living and nonliving vehicles of transferring pathogens onto the other body.
Believe me I've gone out of my mind washing my hands since the past month. Lady Macbeth comes to my mind when I feel that all  the waters of Arabian sea can't seem to get this pathogen off my hands!






Wednesday 29 April 2020

Fire and Resilience


Fire and Resilience In the Lockdown
I hear me walk
Measuring  my pace on the crunchy leaves.
I look over my shoulder
To see this eerie ,empty street
Bereft of people’s stream.
In a brick and mortar jungle
Tutoring my thoughts to be in
A + frame of mind
A difficult proposition indeed!
I trudge along in the midst
Of silence, dead leaves and mistrust.
Suddenly my nose through the secure mask
Smells something cooking and coaxes
My forlorn, woebegone being to be alive
And sure smell takes a happy dive.
I toss off the mask that has made me nose-blind
Spells freedom to the nostrils
to take in  the whiffs of gulp full of aromas that thrills !
the tummy juices growl
hungrily I inhale
it whets my greed
what a treat!
My prying nose deciphered every simmering dish
Be it the curried fish
Potatoes with onions frying
Zukini with garlic and ginger
In jiffy I catch the
Unmistakable sizzling of omelet’s!
Every few paces the
Wafting aroma changes
Happily I relish the culinary skills
In a  variety of curries
The freshly made Rotis, Parathas, Puris.
Beverages brewing
Teas …ginger, cinnamon, clove ,Tulsi
The intoxicating coffee ,hot chocolate
Boiling milk, rice lentils
Such delicacies assail my senses!
I feel I’m in a Royal Banquet
Sampling out of surfeit of exotic dishes!
Each aroma buttered
 My mind  with memories
Of people that mattered.
Strains of ‘Fires burning bright’
By the ‘Brotherhood of man’
Brings me back to my walk.
I salute the resilience  of the lady of the  house
Who measures up to the recurring demand
Of the taste buds and stomach.
No matter what
Day in and day out
Always keep the fires on
Even in the lockdown!

Sunday 26 April 2020

IMPRRISONMENT


Imprisonment
Comes June
My lighthearted heart hums a tune
To see my old folks back home

The annual ritual
Is like a carrot on the stick
That gives me the incentive to go on
And on…over the hills and vales
Thorns and Roses.

This time  Corona, the  king of the Globe
With its unmistakable crown and scepter
Pronounced a verdict
Lock down !stay put!!
Keep distance!!!quarantine!!!
Trespassers to the order
Will be done with.

And here I feel so cheated
A plaintiff seeking justice from Heavens.

Waiting to fit into my mother’s heaves
Giving her my comforting heartbeats
I’ve never ever felt so enchained.
Angry weary
Dark and dreary
Like a caged lioness!




Saturday 28 March 2020


“Mein Tenu Pher Milangi”
By Amrita Pritam
Translated into English by Dr Jasbir Kaur

“I will meet you again"
Where and how I don’t know
Perhaps I’ll become an inspiration for your imagination,
And will descend on your canvas.
Or I’ll be a mysterious line on your canvas,
Silently admiring  you.
I’ll meet you again
Where ?
How?
I don’t know.
Perhaps I’ll be the flame of the sun
And melt into your colors
Or I’ll sit in the arms of the colors
And spread  across your canvas.
I don’t know how in which way, where?
But I’ll surely meet you.
Perhaps I’ll be a waterfall
And as the water sprays from the fountain
I’ll rub the droplets of water on your body
I’ll spread my balmy coolness
On your bosom.
I don’t know anything more
But I do know…
That whatever time might do,
It’ll walk with me in my present birth.
When the body perishes,
Then everything will finish.
But the threads of memories,
Are like ions of memory bits.
I’ll pick up those tiny memories,
Thread them,
Then I’ll meet you again.











Sunday 22 March 2020

COVID-19 Pandemic

O God on top
Please stop!

We’ve learnt our lessons
That You’ve angrily sent in . 

Though we know the soul is immortal,
We’re extremely happy to be mortal!

Let us live life,
And enjoy Thy bounties!

Dear God
Down on our knees
we beg
STOP  IT!

Friday 20 March 2020


Made in China : Horrendous Corona

Loss of crores,
with  the virus Corona
Is taking its toll
On the rolls.
Death that seemed so far away
Seems on its way.

Fear writ large on each face
Will it clear us off the world’s face?
Is the Judgment  Day on us?
Time to exit like the mighty dinosaurs?

Is the Corona a Malthusian Catastrophe_
A positive check
On the burgeoning population
Because we’ve failed the preventive checks?

Witnessing an unnerving phenomenon,
Quarantine and what not!
The reality so stark.
Envisioning perhaps God’s annihilation plan.

Yes a  silver lining,
the world has taken a sabbatical
From strife ,hate ,bullying for a while.

The itsy bitsy,teeny weeny microbe
Has taken our breath away.
Slowly realization dawning on us
Not to take for granted
God’s breathtaking creations!

In its wake it has given mankind a rueful l lesson
In  Globalisation, at large.
Learning from each other
Today we stand in unity against this invisible scourge!