As life has accumulated history of merged years, decades and now straddles a brink almost half a century old, a wonderful development unfolds before me...even as I watch, the world grows younger, in days, weeks, months and years. As I watch, I am surrounded by a growing populace of the immortally young, effervescent, energetic, of booming laughter, bouncy step, a glow that belongs to gods...young men and women surround me everywhere and fill me with hope that this shall always remain, or hope - as long as they remain, or at least a germ of hope that this renewal carries a hope of future redemption, salvation from ills that we have bequeathed them...for they care not for blames, complex analysis, imposition of past, but will carry life forward on the buoyancy of their laughter, the surge of their chorused songs, the sparkle of their many billion eyes.
And what am I? as this world grows younger? I am as an ancient tree, in an ancient forest, watchful, indulgent to the seasonal surges of renewal bursting around me in young neons and luminescent greens, to the splendour of new and the pull of the young - attracting the bees, butterflies, birds into a wild chorus of overspilling life... I am that which watches through silent spaces- neither young or old - just eternal.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
What Gandhi Said...
The recent bloody and violent crises in Gaza strip have had many of us watch, read, follow with incredulous horror and helpless impotence the fate meted out to the civilians of this region. At such a time, words of Gandhi on the Jewish presence in the middle east hold a special relevance. Thanks to Windmills for posting this important document.
Friday, January 16, 2009
A New Year's Resolution--Kept!
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! I know we aren't much into New 2009 at all - and yet, I have very successfully and resolutely kept this year's resolution- in fact, I have a guaranteed winner this time - I am fully certain. If the world, family, near-and-dear ones don't cross my path, impose outdated values, provoke guilt; if the venomous sting of jealousy does not impinge....etc. etc. then I do believe I have discovered a winner amongst resolutions! In fact, this year's resolution is blissfully and wonderfully easy to keep, good for my body, my mind, my spirit, my soul-it is a perfect recipe for improved motherhood, sisterhood, wifehood, neighbourly-hood, worldhood...in fact, I can bet with great certainty that the world, as well as me, will benefit greatly by my NYR! I can further add that this could easily become the most popular and beneficial R for the world to keep... no, no...I really don't mind, at all! No copyright laws, no patenting, no such bullshitting from me... let the whole world enjoy the benefit of my accidental discovery, and thus discover bliss!
It happened like this...I was being a really grumpy person, for many a good reasons ( and probably some bad) ..but lets not get into that now, that can be another story..so, as I was saying, bad humour had become my constant companion- my husband was harrassed , kids unhappy, workers sullen, neighbours distant, friends disappeared- who could blame them - I was not a happy person to be around...I myself felt crappy - often. Please be patient, this is my story, ya? Then let me tell it my own way... ya, ya I was coming to what I decided, but after that will you want to listen anymore to me? So let me tell you before hand, why it is that you should listen to me, and why this is the best way to help the world..
Ok, no lecture baazi, what occur-ed to me is this... if people need enough food to carry on with their lives, then they surely need enough sleep too. So my NYR is to sleep as much as I feel like on a daily basis - and THAT REALLY HELPS. No more improve myself type of Rs... what I have is feel better kind of R. How about responsibilities, duties and such likes? you say - well it helps to have accommodating husband, responsible children, otherwise, get back to bed after they leave home, or sleep on bus, in classes, while at work, sleep with your eyes open (I have heard it can be done!), or whatever it is that you do... one thing I can guarantee, it will add a glow to your skin, a spark to your eyes, a laughter in your voice, as no love has ever done before @!
It happened like this...I was being a really grumpy person, for many a good reasons ( and probably some bad) ..but lets not get into that now, that can be another story..so, as I was saying, bad humour had become my constant companion- my husband was harrassed , kids unhappy, workers sullen, neighbours distant, friends disappeared- who could blame them - I was not a happy person to be around...I myself felt crappy - often. Please be patient, this is my story, ya? Then let me tell it my own way... ya, ya I was coming to what I decided, but after that will you want to listen anymore to me? So let me tell you before hand, why it is that you should listen to me, and why this is the best way to help the world..
Ok, no lecture baazi, what occur-ed to me is this... if people need enough food to carry on with their lives, then they surely need enough sleep too. So my NYR is to sleep as much as I feel like on a daily basis - and THAT REALLY HELPS. No more improve myself type of Rs... what I have is feel better kind of R. How about responsibilities, duties and such likes? you say - well it helps to have accommodating husband, responsible children, otherwise, get back to bed after they leave home, or sleep on bus, in classes, while at work, sleep with your eyes open (I have heard it can be done!), or whatever it is that you do... one thing I can guarantee, it will add a glow to your skin, a spark to your eyes, a laughter in your voice, as no love has ever done before @!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
When the World Sleeps....
When the world sleeps
from inky darkness deep
spirits emerge to creep
and softly begin to weep
awakening the ghosts of the dead
wispy forms, eyes smoldering red
floating silently to approach my bed
and begin a dance around the head
startling me from blissful slumber
with stomping feet and cracking thunder
to have me walk and follow them in wonder
leading me to land of death and plunder
rockets streak and bulldozers stomp
men with careless machine guns romp
looking for young or old to tromp
with flamboyant show of bravery and pomp
a bloody theater of foreign intrusion
orchestrated show of world collusion
of power, hate and direct elimination
of people, culture- a radical manifestation
I walked through streets of charred remains
blown body bits and bloody drains
hungry children, mothers tear stained
to steady drizzle of bullets rained
something inside me withered and died
and my spirit in inky darkness cried
following the line of ghosts to decide
on the next slumbering person they spied!
from inky darkness deep
spirits emerge to creep
and softly begin to weep
awakening the ghosts of the dead
wispy forms, eyes smoldering red
floating silently to approach my bed
and begin a dance around the head
startling me from blissful slumber
with stomping feet and cracking thunder
to have me walk and follow them in wonder
leading me to land of death and plunder
rockets streak and bulldozers stomp
men with careless machine guns romp
looking for young or old to tromp
with flamboyant show of bravery and pomp
a bloody theater of foreign intrusion
orchestrated show of world collusion
of power, hate and direct elimination
of people, culture- a radical manifestation
I walked through streets of charred remains
blown body bits and bloody drains
hungry children, mothers tear stained
to steady drizzle of bullets rained
something inside me withered and died
and my spirit in inky darkness cried
following the line of ghosts to decide
on the next slumbering person they spied!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Gaza Conflict
It is with horror that I have been following the most recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza strip. Enough has been said and written that resounds within with anguish and pain, and yet as John Berger wrote two years back in the Guardian, "We must speak out"!He reiterates this message again, now, responding to the latest crisis-(I discovered these links here through Natasha)
The Inside Story on the conflict covers both the Palestinian land loss and also interesting video interviews.
Here are some photos of human suffering that really call on all of us to do something - at least look and not turn away.
The Inside Story on the conflict covers both the Palestinian land loss and also interesting video interviews.
Here are some photos of human suffering that really call on all of us to do something - at least look and not turn away.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Flying Kites, Flying Dreams
On Jan. 14, over many states in India, people take to fields, open grounds, rooftops, every square bit of space that views a bit of sky above, holding square scraps of color, fat spools of thread, ready to let their dreams fly - and with these dreams a bit of themselves.
Preparations begin weeks in advance with making a frame in a bow-arrow shape, fixing paper, attaching a tail, correctly orienting tiny holes for thread. Stacks of kites are got ready in each family and threads prepared painstakingly smeared with a paste of powdered glass. Kites, thus armed, fly forth upwards to ultimately rule (by defeating or 'killing' competitors) the vast blue sky!
We, at IISc, celebrated this festival, yesterday - a glorious day of blazing sun, cool breeze, fluffy clouds and high spirits. A morning - just to fly kites and feast! Young and old participated with equal gusto - kites flew till some where just floating dots in the sky, others - uncurbed, challenging beauties that whirled in amazing swirls, loops before diving for the ground, or inexplicably soaring straight up for the skies.
I watched, taking pictures, then giving up on my camera, ran to grab a kite!
Preparations begin weeks in advance with making a frame in a bow-arrow shape, fixing paper, attaching a tail, correctly orienting tiny holes for thread. Stacks of kites are got ready in each family and threads prepared painstakingly smeared with a paste of powdered glass. Kites, thus armed, fly forth upwards to ultimately rule (by defeating or 'killing' competitors) the vast blue sky!
We, at IISc, celebrated this festival, yesterday - a glorious day of blazing sun, cool breeze, fluffy clouds and high spirits. A morning - just to fly kites and feast! Young and old participated with equal gusto - kites flew till some where just floating dots in the sky, others - uncurbed, challenging beauties that whirled in amazing swirls, loops before diving for the ground, or inexplicably soaring straight up for the skies.
I watched, taking pictures, then giving up on my camera, ran to grab a kite!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Poetic Preludes
The year has started well,
with a poet of the ancient dead,
wandering into my hearth,
with a voice of cheery mirth,
to sing to me once more,
and regale me with lore-
of lusty girls and strappy youths
absent spouses, lovers uncouth,
pretensions absent,no room for shame,
modesty tossed,it was all a game;
jealous wives driven insane,
bored maidens escaping mundane,
cheating on husbands - just for fun,
or pining lovers on the run,
thus men and women played,
and frolicked till the end,
in the oldest of poetic anthologies,
from 2nd century CE
the Gathasaptasati.
-----------------
I have just finished 'The Absent Traveller-Prakit Love Poetry from the Gathasaptasati of Saavahana Hala' that compiles some of the oldest secular verse from 2nd century CE.What astonishes me is how puranitically repressed the modern human has become in sexual expression compared to our very much more liberal distant ancestors who sang, joyously, uninhibitedly, about the intimate relationships between men and women.
with a poet of the ancient dead,
wandering into my hearth,
with a voice of cheery mirth,
to sing to me once more,
and regale me with lore-
of lusty girls and strappy youths
absent spouses, lovers uncouth,
pretensions absent,no room for shame,
modesty tossed,it was all a game;
jealous wives driven insane,
bored maidens escaping mundane,
cheating on husbands - just for fun,
or pining lovers on the run,
thus men and women played,
and frolicked till the end,
in the oldest of poetic anthologies,
from 2nd century CE
the Gathasaptasati.
-----------------
I have just finished 'The Absent Traveller-Prakit Love Poetry from the Gathasaptasati of Saavahana Hala' that compiles some of the oldest secular verse from 2nd century CE.What astonishes me is how puranitically repressed the modern human has become in sexual expression compared to our very much more liberal distant ancestors who sang, joyously, uninhibitedly, about the intimate relationships between men and women.
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