किस कशमकश में अपने आप को पाता हूँ मैं...

किस कशमकश में

अपने आप को पाता हूँ मैं,

जो नहीं करना चाहता

वो कर जाता हूँ मैं.

कुछ न कहकर

खूद से मूखर जाता हूँ मैं,

हर मोड़ पे क्यो

खूद को अकेला पाता हूँ मैं.

वो हसीं लम्हें

वो सुहावना सफर

इन्हें कभी भूलाना नहीं चाहता हूँ मैं,

फिर भी उन बातों और वादों से

दूर भाग जाता हूँ मैं.

ए जिंदगी मूझे तू समां ले

मुझे फिर खूल के जीने का चाह दे,

फिर अपने भूलाये शक्स को

जिवित करना चाहता हूँ मैं,

अपने रूह और देह को

फिर मिलाना चाहता हूँ मैं.

In the land of Gandhi, what ails thee my country......By Robert Clements

A sharp cry of anguish, an avalanche of tears, head thrown back in deep torment and burly figure on hospital wheelchair, shoulders slumped, weeps, not out of pain from broken, bandaged limbs, not of humiliation undergone in ashram built by loving hands but out of remembrance of a woman’s cry that echoes on and on and on in priestly head, “Father what, did I do?”
“Father what did I do?” shrieks Rajnee Majhi as cruel hands light fire, same that have just ravished her, now fan flames that leap out to her just as their lust filled bodies did few moments ago. They watch as young girl they have gang raped now cries out in terror as yellow blaze engulfs broken bruised body and carry her away towards welcome death.
“Yes!” cries weeping priest on wheelchair in Mumbai hospital, flown in from riot ravaged Orissa, “What did she do to deserve thus? Every morning, she gathered the little orphan children from my ashram around in our little backyard and my compound rang with chants of ‘Om Shanti Om” as she prayed for peace to the gods we never tried to change her from worshipping. “What did she do, to be gang raped and burnt to death, my little Rajnee Majhi, my little Rajnee!” sobs burly, broken priest. “All she did was serve humanity!”
Yes what did they do to deserve such? The question rings on as I see other two priests, one lying still on stretcher, trembling to recollect rods of iron, gouged, beaten, bloodied, left to die in jungle. The other with still cherubic face but eyes swollen with tears of how mobs lit fire to roast him alive, then found fire too quick a way to die, paraded him half naked through village street, beating frail shoulders that till then gave strength and solace to same people who hacked and heckled as they broke and busted same bones.
“What ails thee my country?” I whisper.
These men taught love, not through “conversion” rhetoric, nor whipping words, but with hands, heads, hearts that worked with cast out tribals, villagers, educating, teaching, uplifting so they could take their rightful place in a country that world proclaimed as "shining."
Was it wrong to teach them to glow with the rest of us?
What ails thee my country? What makes a Chief Minister educated abroad, an impotent bystander, not lifting a finger to protect, but hiding like a Nero behind political apathy?
If today you and I read and write this foreign tongue called English, not so foreign to us, it’s because same men and women labored to teach us in school and college, we, or our fathers attended. Why have we started turning on them, why are we allowing a Rajnee to be raped, burnt, why?Such attacks don’t stop with Christian bashing, Muslim bashing, Hindu bashing, they lead on to Brahmin bashing, non- Brahmin bashing, and ah haven’t we seen…North Indian, South Indian, Marathi, non- Marathi bashing!
And in some list they’ll find your name.
What ails us? Isn’t it time we stand, we shout “Enough?” Before we find haunting voice crying “What did we do?” is ours!

A rendezvous with…

One day as I stood at the bus stop a guy came up to me. The man was disheveled, had a coarse beard with mud streaks across his face and stains over his clothes. However, there was one thing quite astonishing of him. When he approached me there was a strange feeling, a cold n soothing sensation within my entire body. It brought about a sense of calmness and equanimity that I had seldom experienced before. The conversation that we had was as follows:
The Man: Could you direct me to this place? (Handing what seemed like a visiting card).
It read:
Above yourself, within your Heart
Beyond the worldly pleasures,
Can you tell me the place where
You will be mine, solely to treasure.
- The Almighty

I surmised this man had a spiritual inclination and asked him.
Dandy: Do you think God loves me and everyone else so much, that he is bothered about when I will find time for him?

The Man: My dear, He loves you beyond that you could ever imagine. His heart is always thirsting for his creation. Though a mother may leave her own child, He won’t forsake you.

Dandy: But why, I don’t worship him like the priests do, chanting his name and spending their time in pious acts. I hardly make it to the temples, churches or mosques.

The Man: (He smiles) When did God say to just keep worshiping his idol and chanting his name. Let me tell you a story (and He began to narrate one)
Once there was a priest who spent his days chanting the Lord’s name and worshipping him. He would do nothing else, but praise the Lord. One day God appears before him and the man in curiosity asks, “Who is your greatest devotee?” expecting his name as the answer. The lord tells him, “My son, go to the village called shrampur, ten kilometers to the north, there you would find him. “ The priest set off instantly. On reaching the village, he saw a farmer, about to begin his work early in the morning. The farmer took the Lord’s name once, recited his prayer and started his day. He toiled hard ploughing and watering his land. At the end of the day, he again invoked the Lord’s name and set forth to his home.
Now the priest returned back and asked God, “This farmer takes your name just twice in a day, then how do you call him your devotee?” God said, “Now you take this pot full of water and travel ten kilometers to the east. However, remember that if you drop even a single drop of water, I would never listen to your prayers.” The man obeyed without saying a word. He diligently, held the pot and made sure that not even a drop spilled. On returning back, God asked him, “Did you remember me when you were carrying out this task?” The man replied in the negative. Then God said, “The farmer remembered Me even when he lives a hard life, trying his best to meet ends and support his family of five. He began and ended his work by My name and you didn’t even think about it. That makes him a special devotee for his sincerity in worship.

Dandy: Hmm.. I get your point. What does God want from me?

The Man: It’s simple, God is love and all he wants in return is Love. Love for everyone, people you know and whom you don’t. Those who matter and those who don’t. He wants you to see him in the poor, the needy, the down trodden, the afflicted, the shambled, the broken, the lonely and the oppressed. The senile, the deprived, the disabled and the dejected. God doesn’t distinguish between skin. For him the black, the white, the yellow and brown are all alike. They all hold the same place in His heart. He has carved each of our names in His hand and loves each one dearly. The reason he made one poor, the other rich, is not by chance but for a specific purpose. Look son, have you ever thought about it, you were born healthy into a well to do family. You never faced situations like not having your meal to eat, short of money for your education or had to sleep on the streets. Now look at Madhav, on the other side of the road. The bloke is 14, and there hasn’t been a day he has had two proper meals. He is sharp but doesn’t have the resources to make it beyond the 4th grade. He toils day and night to support himself and his little sister. Now do you think God doesn’t love him? God didn’t give him that life because Madhav had sinned in some other life of his. No way. He gave him such a life because God in his infinite goodness believed that He balanced it by creating someone like you. Yes, that’s exactly the purpose for which He created you with all the well being you enjoy, to share your joy and multiply it. What good is it in being good to your friends who themselves are well to do. Goodness blossoms only when it is directed towards those who don’t mean anything to you. Think about it.

Dandy: (with moisture…) I don’t have words to say. Well I hope I realize all that’s due from my side to this beautiful world. And one more thing, when can you say that man has attained salvation?

The Man: Like I just said when you love everyone, including your enemy, without even thinking twice. For a test, if you are able to clean the wound, feed the hungry and bathe the broken, you will see what you have never seen before.

Dandy: hmm…(And till date, I have never seen myself close to paradise than when I was blessed to clean , feed and bathe a very old man who was almost on the verge of his death in the temple centre of Kalighat in Kolkota.)

Having said that, the man’s face changed into the most angelic one I had ever seen. There were birds literally singing and the sun was brightly shining on Him. No disheveled clothes, no mud - all gone. All I saw was the most radiant face I had ever seen (the moment can’t be worded). And I knew this was not any ordinary person….it was HE!!!

ये ज़िंदगी...

ये भूख, ये महामारी

ये छल, ये कपट;

ये घटती हुई दिलदारी

ये नीच दिखाने की झपट.

आन्सुओ से भरा ये मुख

अकेलापन का ये गहरा दुःख;

किसका हाथ थामे हम

किसकी आड़ मैं छिपाए गम.

वक़्त ये चलता ही जा रहा

ख़ुद को चाह कर भी रोक नही पा रहा;

ये मैं किधर जा रहा

किसे मैं तलाश रहा.

कभी आंधी चल जाए

कभी खुशी की लहर आए और घट जाए;

कब कोई बिन कहे रूठ जाए

कब खुशियों की बौछार आए.

अनोखी है ये ज़िंदगी

हँसती भी, रुलाती भी;

जैसे भी है ये मस्त है

थम गया ये, तो मज़ा उध्वस्त है.

The Oriyan Plight

This poem is written in the wake of the atrocities being committed on the innocent missionaries in Orissa during the past few days.

The fanatics, the bandits
All in cahoot
Depriving the Oriyans of dignity
And destroying the peace pursuit.

The terror, the torture
The annihilation of homes
The burning of missionaries
And the widespread gloom.

The rape, the murder
The harboring of hatred for one another;
And the rise of the maverick brother
Who proves to be the only succor.

The helplessness of khakis
The impotency of the system
The innocuousness of the elected khadis
And the fading wisdom.

Where is the secularity?
Where is the law and order?
Why breed contempt and polarity?
When one skin aint different from the other.

Wake up you sleeping Dal,
Wake up you aam aadmi,
Enkindle once again in you the human fire,
And build a vigilant citizen army.

Why should a few wandered minds
Dominate our lives,
Weaken the Indian cord by which we bind
And spread animosity and strife.

An appeal to the soul – Indianess
To come together,
wipe out this mental illness
And stand up for the other.

Nowhere on the globe
Can such diversity unite
But only in my sweet India-
The world’s eternal bride.

So let’s stand up and be counted
And show them who we are
For when the masses rise in unison
Peace aint very far.

Adios Beijing...

Phelps: What a great show!!!
You did what no man has done before.
And Bolt you pushed beyond human limit,
An inspiration for every flagging spirit.

Yelena your poise
Did it once again;
Maarten - the grueling cancer
Didn’t stop you from conquering the marathon swim
Fighting all odds and enduring pain.

From swimming to basketball
And gymnastics, athletics to football
The games were a treat
I hope, it brings the world closer
The reason for which we meet

Georgia-Russia-guns may be used in your backyard
For a different cause
But on the podium (air-pistol win), the hug and kiss
Confirmed that life is much more than petty wars.

Kudos to China
For hosting the games
Ramping their infrastructure
And gaining world fame

Twenty four years of exile
Has done wonders to your game,
All your perseverance and guile
Has put the US to shame.

Beijing - Its time to say good-bye
Admist global uncertainty,
Hoping at London
World prosperity and serenity!!!

Bambai Meri Jaan!!!

Dedicated to the Spirit of Bombay. Some raise questions about it, but you need to be in it and be with it, to experience it.

O Bombay, why are you so incomprehensible?
Your mornings never be the same,
If today is smooth, tomorrow is a rough game.
Your pace, the sense of urgency,
The squalor, your ephemeral tranquility.
In spite of all these,
What is that bliss, that doesn’t extinguish your flame?

As I wake up to trod on your chest
And compete with the nation’s best;
I wonder but it aint a concern,
What beckons me to pursue
And not fly to pastures
Where I can begin life anew.

Well I know the answer
But it can’t be put to words
For it’s a feeling- so very real
But still inexplicable.

The blood you have shed-
In the bombings, the floods and riots;
The ignorance you have borne-
By the politicians, the authorities and the powerful;
You still haven’t pressed the breaks,
For if that happens
India’s future would be at stake.

Your undying Spirit,
Your enviable charm,
The way you leave back the past
And embrace every migrant with open arm.

Your language of simplicity,
With the humblest of souls
Being addressed as Boss
Brings the much needed equanimity.

Your air, your water,
Your shelter and your warmth,
Engulfs all sorrow
And prepares the millions to brave tomorrow.

O I need to stop-
For I have reasons-a million
Before I can sever our ties
And that aint possible
Till I bid the final good-bye.

With you beside…

As the sun bids goodbye
And the moon glows
All I remember
Is of being with you.

Your voice, your words
Your soothing touch,
Cause me to think
Why I aint with you.

Those moments by the waves
Admiring natures wonderful ablaze,
With your hand in mine
Making each trial sublime,
I wish u were beside
All the time.

You seem so close
So close to my heart
But I dunno why
Time and distance
Keep us apart.

Mornings would be brighter
Devoid of blue,
If I were able to catch a glimpse
Of your smile so true.

And now as life takes another turn
All I yearn
Is to break out
And find a way
To bell the tide
With you beside.

My Lovely Sis :)

Dedicated to my sis on Rakshabandhan.

You were there
When I took my baby steps;
Cuddling me and following
Wherever I went.

With clay we would play
Jump in the puddle
Water we would splash
Leaving Mom and Dad puzzled.

A knock at the door
And I would look for you
To hide behind;
O thank you for being there
And helping me unwind.

When I fell from the bicycle
And hurt my little bone;
You gave up the ice cream you were relishing
And handed me the sweet cone.

You would cover up my inequities
But take me aside
And teach me the right path;
O how much I need to thank the big BOSS
For making you my life’s integral part.

This rakhee you aint here
But that makes your presence
Even more real;
For in spirit we are now bonded
And that’s something
The world can’t steal.

India - Remember who thou were and when thou art restored to thy Glory!!!

Today as India grows a year older in her independence and takes a step forward to brave the future, there are a billion hopes pinned on what the crystal ball reads of this great nation. Well the answer aint defined, but yes it aint that hazy too. India began its sojourn to reinforce itself on the world podium just 61 years back. The journey hasn’t been rosy in any regard. There have been moments of pain and anguish, bloodshed and violence, broken homes and communal divides. The nation also had its bit when it came to the current account deficit crisis. But all said and done, this very young beauty has still kept the light shining. India doesn’t believe in taking giant strides and in keeping in line with its great diversity, it can’ leap that far with the drop of a hat. Slowly and steadily, however, India has begun to leave its foot print on the sands of time.

A millennium ago, to be precise in the first millennium there wasn’t any economy as large as India, contributing close to 30% of the world’s economy. And as late as the 18th century, India was still the largest economy contributing 25% of the world’s GDP (more than 8 times of its nearest competitor, the United Kingdom). Today as per IMF, India’s contribution stands at 4.6 % in 2007 (revised from 6.4 % in PPP terms) while China is at 10.8% and the States at 21.4%. However, none has been able to match the contribution India enjoyed. 200 years of colonial rule brought down its contribution. India didn’t retaliate as much to ward off the British, just as it always has been passive. A lover of non-violence and a believer in ‘Live and let Live’ or else how can you expect a country with all major religions, a million castes and communities coexisting. The diversity is much greater than the entire Europe put together. In India, at the change of every district, some times kilometers away, the language, the custom, the way of life changes, however, the Indian ethos of warmth still remains intrinsic to the very being of an Indian soul.

In just 16 years of opening her self to the world, India now stands as a power that is forging ahead in every sphere. A trillion dollar economy and still counting, second fastest growth rate, 4th largest economy (in terms of PPP), burgeoning middle class, ever increasing foreign reserves….the list may go on. Even the more recent report by Grant Thornton in the wake of a global slow down hails India as the optimistic economy to look forward. (On carrying out a survey of 7800 privately held firms in 34 nations, India tops the chart with the highest optimism-pessimism balance of 95 %, while Japan is at the bottom with -49%. The optimism-pessimism balance represents the proportion of firms reporting that they are optimistic minus those saying they are pessimistic. Not sure how its exactly calculated). Add to this, India is home to the fourth largest billionaire population as per Forbes. The NSE is the world’s second fastest growing bourse in terms of listed firms highlighting the spirit of entrepreneurism. Also India has toppled US to become the world’s no.2 cell phone market after China with 29 crore subscribers. Another feather in its cap is India never had a 1929, averted the South east Asian crisis and is not responsible for a Sub Prime mess.

But is this sustainable?..Do we have it in us to become the SuperPower in 2025 as foretold?...What’s stopping us?..Who is stopping us? Well the answer lies within. Needless to say that India lacks the infrastructure, which has become a cliché. It would be apt to describe it in Jeff Immelt’s (CEO, GE) words, “The entire rung of Indian ministers should leave all their portfolios and concentrate on Infrastructure development. Then there would be no stopping of India”. But the problem that would stall our growth could be much larger. The problem stems from the very foundations India has been built on. The communal divide. As we usher into a new era, we still have our brethren fighting in the name of God. The classic example of Godhra and now off late Kashmir, can rip off the country on what it is deemed to achieve. Internal fighting was not enough, that we have terrorists showing up their face and instilling fear. And when all this dust settles, the average Indian has to cope up with the corrupt politicians cashing into increase their vote bank by the classic strategy of implementing reservations. What would reservation, terrorism and communal divide lead us to? A fragmented nation, who doesn’t want to commit itself to its tryst with a glorious destiny.

All in all, the issues highlighted are though grave but that isn’t the essence of the common man. India still fosters the love and warmth of a family, cherishes the joy of being together and accepts the next door neighbour of another race with a warm smile. When it contributed 30% to the world economy it didn’t ail the world with wars, deaths and hunger nor does it now, as against US that thrives on it. O my India your destiny to return to the top, is in the making, but thou remember that happiness is what a man strives for, so don’t devoid the world of it when thou becomes a Super Power !!!

My Young Beautiful INDIA

I grew up here in thy arms
Wooed by your grace and charm
Times I’ve bitten the dust
Yet you embraced me with your irreplicable calm

On thy lap I have played, wallowed
Roughed it out
Fallen, smirked at and disciplined
I owe a lot to thee for transforming me

The smell of thou earth,
The clear blue sky
The refreshing air
All have kept me alive and kicking

Thou art so diverse, deep and intricate
Yet so happy and joyful
A billion smiles emanate from thee
All for a future so hopeful

And now as you charge on
To transcend from a mere existence
To a force to be reckoned with
The world stands in awe of you
Looking forward to its sustenance

O my young beautiful India
There aint any haven as
Serene and refreshing
For the world may have comfort
but replete with emptiness
Thou have the heart and soul of a child
Always learning and yearning to bloom from the wild!!!