The old man

“A happy day would have its moments of sadness too.”

Yesterday was no different. A Play at Ranga shankara. An Auto Ride. A cup of black caffeine with grilled chicken sandwich. A pitcher of chilled beer. A rocker of a night at opus lounge. Right in-between was this old man!

I always have had this bad habit of walking fast even if I am with friends. They usually chat up and lag behind. Walking on Brigade road in Bangalore at 7:30 can be quiet a daunting task. But still, right before the junction my eyes met with this old man. He said something to me but I couldn’t hear what he said. So, I bent down closer to his mouth to understand his words. Very politely he said “sir, do you know English?” His voice was very soft and mellow like the 72 years had brushed and polished it over and over again.

I knew exactly what he was going to ask me. But this time I didn’t mind. I saw the ‘honest pain’ in his eyes. Indeed I did. It was disturbing. A man of that age inching his way through the ‘restless mob of senseless and careless party Hoppers’ and no one notices him. I use the word shameful here and I feel I am still being polite. He was in need of help all I did was ‘help’ him in whatever small way I could. I just asked him to bless me and my friends in return. His old hands lifted in prayer for us and touched our heads one at a time. It’s been long that I had felt such relief and silence in my head. I knew he blessed all of us. He was dignified, honest and humble. His story kind of affected me in a strange way. I somehow could understand all his pain but felt completely helpless because I couldn’t help him more.

The realisation of how heartless can people be is something that really bothers me a lot. Everyone is lost in their own worries and sorrows. When was the last time we made someone smile? Remember? Remember the happiness that you got in return making that person smile. I believe that I am the devil yet I understand the pain of a human being, why can’t other humans do the same?

"Where the mind is without fear....!!"

Much has been said and done with the recent controversy sparked in “Mumbai” about “NORTH INDIANS” being unwelcome and targeted in the financial capital of India. I was watching NDTV while getting ready for my office this morning. A report on how a bunch of school children have written a letter to Raj Thakrey requesting him to stop dividing Mumbai and India itself, which they are couriering to the man in the “cheap lime light”. I was honestly surprised by the awareness in the younger generation today. It was a pleasant one. Our future rests secure in such hands.

But what caught my attention was the reporter ending the report with these lines from Rabindra nath Tagore “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;”

This was my school prayer which I use to dread attending every afternoon during our lunch interval. I simply didn’t understand the meaning behind those lines. Today I just remembered each and every word from the same. I understood the meaning today itself. Also, how important it is to have as a prayer. I think the Indian Governing structure should tape these lines (Since most of the politicians are illiterate) and ask each politician to memorise it before venturing into politics. “A political must” or “The eligibility criteria”. May be then they would understand that India was envisioned not as a country but as a religion, a way of living, living the way of freedom and democracy. I am not writing this to be preachy neither do I have any political ambitions myself. Just wanted to share this simple yet appropriate composition by Rabindra nath tagore. So that whoever reads it should at least give a thought of keeping India ONE! This could do good for Raj in specific.

“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;

Where knowledge is free;

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;

Where words come out from the depth of truth;

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the

dreary desert sand of dead habit;

Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action--

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.”



Father, also let my contrymen awake...... 

ART

"Abhivyakti ki kushalshakti hi toh kalaa hai.....!!!"

- Saket - Maithali Sharan Gupt


"The perfection of expression is ART itself....!!!"

This is the closest I could get to interpreting hindi to english keeping the thought of the writer intact in one line.

Ek akela valentine

Ek akela valientine day,
Mere saath baitha hai,
Naaraaz hai mujhsey,
Par kuch kehney lag raha hai.
Nakrey sambhaloon kaisey mein uskey?
Badaa masoom dikh raha hai.
Batata hai mujhko woh pyar wali batein,
Thag lega mujhko bada chaalak lag raha
Ek akela valentine day,
Saath hi mein khada hai.

Aaya hoon ek din ko,
Yeah tanaa dey raha hai.
Kehta hai dheeth ho kitney,
Kyon ho tum aisey? Yeah batlaa raha hai.
Pagala hai yeah khud bhi,
Mujhsey bhidh raha hai.
Karney do isko aapni marzee,
Badmaash yeah bada hai.
Samheyga thak kar khud he,
Yeah mera aapna aaena hai.
Ek akela valentine day,
Saath hi mein khada hai.

Bataaon kya isko mein aapni kahani,
Jaanta hai khud bhi par bhola ban raha hai.
Milaa hoon ussey 5 baar saath kisi key,
Who haath hai kahaan? Mujhsey poochta hai.
Tum hi bataoo, bataoon kya usko?
Jawaab hai yeah bhaari,
kyon akela usko kar diya hai?
chedeyga muhjko thoda aaj hi,
karney do jo kar raha hai.
hans kar mein miloonga ussey,
kyonki akela who bhi pad gaya hai

tootey toh roye,
bikraa sa hoye,
hastaa khada hoon,
mein zid pey adaa hoon,
kyon atkee hain saansein?
taney deti hain aahein,
bas sunn ho raha hoon,
dekho,
mein gum ho raha hoon.

mein kya cheez

lo sajaa lo toh mujhko,
mein sach dikh raha hoon.
khareedogey mujhko?
lo mein khud bik raha hoon.
sasta hoon, hansta hoon,
kaheen par bhi basta hoon.
yoon rasta kato na mera,
mein khuda ho raha hoon.

lo hatalo tum khudhee,
mujhee ko hatalo,
maro toh dhakka,
lo sabhi shiqwe gira do.
bas lafzon mein lapetee,
meri inn baton ko rakh lo.
kagaz ke panno mein,
dabaa kar inhein dhak lo.
hata lo yeah aankein,
mein gum ho raha hoon.
sambhalogey kya mujhko?
lo mein tum ho raha hoon.

ghar ki deewaron ke paar

guroor mein na janey hum kya kiya kartey hain,
ghar ki deewaron ke paar rishtey tatola kartey hain,
ghatey se, phatey se, ghistey se jiya kartey hain,
girtey giratey, phir bhi har baar uthtey woh haath raha waheen kartey hain.

kattha hai ghar har jakhm par, deewarein choya kartey hain,
libaas odhey har gumaan ka khudhee ko thapeda kartey hain,
uudh jayeingey har baadal ke paar, yehi umeed udaya kartey hain,
dekho, pakdo, sambhalo usko, hum ko, hum sabko,
ghar ki deewaron ke paar rishtey tatola kartey hain.

hato hataoo, uthaoo usko, hum sab ko,
tamachey kuch toh lagaoo hum sab ko,
utho uthaao, thoda sa jag jaoo,
karwatein kuch toh odahoo mujhko,
soo loon thoda thakney wala hoon shayad,
jag jaoonga kuch lamjhon mein thahro,
uthoonga apney hi bistar apney hi ghar mein,
Kyonki neend bhi waheen aati hai.

Ek savera

Subah ki pehli kiran ka meri aankon ke darwazey par dastak.
Aaj ka ujaala bhi kuch accha hoga, accha hi hoga na?
Phir daudtey se log dikney lageingey, phir koi naya silsila hoga.
Bichaa doonga taat sa khud ko phir sabkey saamney,
Phir shaayad kisi mathey ka ghar mera kaandha hoga.

Pichlee raat phir kinhi jabzbaaton ko udhela kisi ne mujhpar,
Sochta hoon uska ujaala aaj kaisa hoga? Dua hai meri ki accha hoga.
Mere kurtey ka kona atka kisi ki soch ki kundi par, chudaaoon usko?
Ki kaheen na kaheen mera daaman bhi phata hoga.
Udhadtey se mere kapdon mein se koi zakham dikh gaya hoga.

Pallu odey ek suhagan ka sringaar karta sa ujala,
Kisi beva ki bhi maang bharta hoga, rang sunehri uspar rangta hoga.
Choom loonga har dard, har gam ke honton ko jabran joothi moothi.
Dar unko bhi mujhsey thoda toh lagta hoga.
Honsley mein mere issee ujaala bhi ram gaya hoga, mujhmey hi gum gaya hoga.

Playing with my madness!!

Intoxicated on speed

From the moment I turn on the ignition of a car I am transcended into another world. The sound of a running engine is fascinating every single time I take on the wheels. A good habit nurtured since my early days of driving is to wear a seat belt. It’s like the belt hugs you tenderly besides the seat reassuring safety. It’s a nice cosy feeling for me. First few seconds inside a car just before the wheels go for a spin.

The first gear is like a soft yet aggressively timed push towards 4500 RPM. The second gear, more reassured drags to kiss 5000 RPM. The engine begins to yawn a bit. The third Shift – my favourite, opens the vocal chords of the engine and like a lion it roars louder by every passing notch on the RPM meter smoothly shaking hands with 6000 RPM. Now the ride becomes intoxicating. The fourth shift where I flirt with danger. 6500 RPM not even bothered to look at the speedometer. Final shift, my licence to freedom. Obnoxiously fast yet cruising serenity is what I feel within me. For the shortest span of time I have a glimpse at the speedometer. It proudly boasts and displays out loud the job that it’s cut out for. Its loud silence! It’s silent to the world outside. Yet a playground for my thoughts. All those moments of pure speed has been intoxicating for past 7 years. My intoxication of speed gives me peace that I shall always seek.