THE CHASM

My life is a pendulum
oscillating from left to right
and right to left
without any rest.
Pappa and Mamma are
two different poles
mentally and physically
no meeting ground
whatsoever.
Sometimes with Pappa
sometimes with Mamma
I have two claimants
already.
Pappa and Mamma are
dearer to me
equally dearer to me.
Enjoying all comforts of
life I am led along.
But unbridgeable chasm
the widened chasm
separating Pappa and Mamma
makes my life a hell
though it’s my secret pain.
But I display not by
grief, agony and sadness
unbearable and gnawing all.
Often I ask Pappa
the reason behind him
keeping aloof from Mamma.
Pappa’s answer always
a smile and caressing and
a long pause
nothing other than that.
When with Mamma
I inquire her what
was the compelling reason
behind their her keeping
apart from him.
Mamma too displays a
tearful smile and plant
a warm kiss on my cheeks
and a long pause.
Still a pendulum
oscillating from left to right
and right to left
between two separate
poles,
I am led along
like a stringed doll.
The doll but sheds
tears when alone
and aloof.

ELUSIVE ANSWERS

In his hours of crisis
he approaches her
shares his problems, joys
and sorrows
everything personal.
In her hours of crisis
she approaches him
shares her problems, joys
and sorrows.
In their hours of crisis
both sit face to face
each searching others
eyes,
since a third party
can’t solve their
personal dilemmas…..
answers always eluding
them……

ARUN JAITELY’S ‘EXPERIMENT WITH TRUTH’

Brajesh Misra, Principal Secretary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is still alive and kicking. His pro-American attitude is widely known. N.R.Narayanamoorthy, Infosys Mentor, once said ‘I am an unabashed admirer of America.’ Narayanamoorthy is not a BJP man. He admired America for entirely different reasons. Similarly it is a well-known fact that former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh had made it well known in his book ‘A Call To Honour’ his pro-American stance of USA. His camaraderie with Strobe Talbot former US official, a great name in the corridors of Bush administration, is described in the autobiography.
BJP’s pro-American stance during the NDA regime under Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not at all a secret.
Since the last few days BJP leader Arun Jaitely’s name has been drawn into a controversy regarding BJP’s ‘opportunistic ‘ attitude with regard to its attitude towards Hindutva. In the Wikileaks cables accessed to by a National daily ‘The Hindu’, one of the secrets leaked out is Arun Jaitely’s reference to his party’s policy of opportunism regarding Hindutva which had reportedly conveyed to an American Embassy official in Delhi which was confidentially transferred to US Embassy in America. In his detailed talks with the American Embassy official Arun Jaitely makes it amply clear that as far as BJP is concerned, Hindutva comes into prominence whenever its need arises. That Hindutva is not that serious as far as BJP is concerned. We were all made to believe that Hindutva is part and parcel of BJP which is one of the many branches of Sangh Parivar at Nagpur. Be that as it may majority among us didn’t give it much of a prominence as we were all very well aware that apart from BJP’s oft-repeated talks extolling Hindutva not much seriousness was bestowed upon it while in power. While sitting in the opposition it was a different matter altogether then it was quite possible to rake up the issue with so-called ‘courage and conviction’. The picture always changes when BJP along with secular powers form an alliance be it of any time, NDA or something, the term ‘Hindutva’ is sanctioned a leave so as to enable the alliance and coalition to proceed smoothly.
As far as the attitude to USA is concerned both Congress and BJP are in the same boat and experiences in the past are shining examples.
From 1998-2004 NDA alliance was in power at Delhi, it was as close to USA as ManMohan Singh govt is close to USA. Then actually what is the difference between the two parties? Actually nothing. Each’s policies were are the same we could very well witness it in the past especially the policies on the economic front. Till attainment of power at the Centre NDA was vociferously championing ‘Swadeshi (indigenous)’ economic programmes just opposite to the neo-liberal programmes and against all policies Congress stood for. The same BJP upon attainment of power deviated from its proclaimed policies and with more vigour and intensity followed neo-liberal economic policies and more pro-American stances. Even Sangh Parivar, the parent organization sat like a mute spectator as it had not much voices in the NDA alliance. Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal etc made known their reservations and vehemently protested against BJP adopting entirely different path. That’s that.
The term Hindutva raised its head only while the party executives met or during anniversaries, Chintan Baitak for namesake.
Even before Jaitely’s statement leaked out the term ‘Hindutva’ was an opportunistic term and there need not be any hullaballoo as even a Congressman is aware of it. In fact the Congress leaders need be happy and contended on coming to know that both Congress and BJP are Siamese twins. BJP is desperately trying to keep its identity by occasionally mentioning ‘Hindutva’ that’s all.

SEA-VIEW

Flat was calm and quiet.
Lemon-yellow street light rays
peeped through the little, circular
window.
Both the Arab and she lay
huddled on the cosy bed
after a violent love-making.
In a whispering tone pressing
her lips on his ears
she giggled : ‘The sky is-
dark and cloudy.
Sea-winds like wings of
nature, blow cool breeze with a
hiss and fondle us.
A heavy downpour is
expected anytime.
The sea is a roaring giant’.
Whispering these, she burst-out
laughing like a
child laughing at the top
of his voice standing atop
a elephantine rock on the hill.
The next second, she burst
into a violent cry.
An embarrassed Arab caressing
her inquired : ‘dear what gone
wrong with you?’
‘Crush me, crush me,
like a bunch of cane-sticks
by a juice vendor
till the juice oozes out’.
The embarrassed Arab inquired
again ‘you gone mad’?
‘I was recalling my father
and mother and my first love’
she was weeping uncontrollably.
The Arab continued caressing
the child in her.
Outside the torrential rain
had already started
with rain-drops like tear-drops
thrust inside over them.
Both lay huddled and
slept forgetting everything.

A HUMBLE ADVICE

Born and brought up
in different localities.
Each moved ahead choosing
different paths.
Both studied in different
institutions
studied different subjects
and
both good at studies.
Later,
both became man and wife
joined different firms
so what?
The yardsticks both applied
varied
so what,
the answer both arrived for
life’s problems
were always correct.
As long as the answers
are correct
yardsticks never matter.
If and when the answers go wrong
both should have an introspection.

A FARAWAY NATION

A nation is burning at a
faraway corner of the world.
We feel its searing heat
sitting here and pray for cool breeze.
Spell-binding explosions in
quick-succession
penetrate our ears forcing
us to cover them with wool.
Nauseating stench of
corpses strewn around
in the faraway nation
pushes us to put lids to our
noses sitting here and spray
disinfectants.
The pains and
wails of the maimed
at the battle ground of
the faraway nation
compel us to writhe in
pain and also wail.
The grit and resolve
with which the citizens
of the faraway nation
struggle for their rights
inspire us and our
adrenaline keeps on
flowing.
In the Global Village
it is unbecoming of
me to call a nation
‘a faraway nation’.

YEMEN, LIBYA, SYRIA TRIO

YEMEN
With Libya flaring up on one side, Yemen too is in doldrums on the other side. In fact even before the Libyan conundrum, Yemen had started flaring up. While the spark of rebellion turned into wild-fire across Libya the fire has engulfed Yemen just a few days ago.
The demands of rebel protesters to Yemen ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down at the earliest was turned down by him which angered the civilians. His promise of quitting the post in 2013 had no takers as the rebels wanted him to get out of office within no time. The adamant attitude of rebels and their raging protests were not taken lightly by Abdullah Saleh. He went on the offensive and ordered his soldiers to take on the protesters with an iron hand gunned down 52 protesters at Taghyer Square, the mass murder instead of silencing them served as a catalyst to the already charged atmosphere prevailing among the civilians. Then it turned a do-or-die battle which resulted in 20 more killings. In the meanwhile disillusionment and dissatisfaction among the soldiers came out into the open and breaking ranks, a group of soldiers joined the opposition.
This naturally weakened the military which in turn proved a shock to Ali Abdullah Saleh.
First he renewed his offer of stepping down in the year end which was also turned down by the rebels. They wanted nothing but his abdication of power and are not satisfied with other solutions.
On Friday ten lakh protesters after performing prayer marched to his palace demanding his ouster. He put forward a suggestion in the meanwhile and that was nothing but talks with the leaders of the civilians in an ambience of cordiality. He is anxious to know who will replace him in the event of his exit as he is very much concerned with the ‘safety and well-being of the people’. Leaders with dictatorial streak often boast in public like King Louis XVI, ‘After me, the deluge’. This man also think along these lines. His misrule of Yemen landed him in such a piquant situation, still he is concerned with the safety and welfare of the country in case of his exit. As Muammar Qadhafi claims ‘I am Libya’ why these dictators behave like this is not a difficult question to answer. They are megalomaniacs, that they are above common citizens and that ‘power is their birthright’. Such people are always pushed into the hell by their own citizens in fact by themselves.
Libya
The fight in Libya has reached a flash point with NATO taking over the military actions and the enforcement of a ‘no-fly-zone’. Allies too have joined NATO and the reports about allied forces withdrawing from the scene already denied by allied forces commanders. Among the 22 member Arab League, two Arab nations, UAE and Qatar have sent F16 Fighter planes and Mirage 2000 planes to fight the Libyan forces.
It is alleged that a visibly hit Libyan forces are supplying weapons to their supporters and to prevent this, NATO has enforced a strict vigil. NATO Director General Anderson Rogh Rasmussen has declared in no uncertain terms that the intervention will continue till the Operation Odyssey Dawn is accomplished.
Qadhafi could have avoided such a frightening situation had he listened to the saner voices of United Nations Security Council. UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon had appealed to him to stop the massacre forthwith and if Qadhafi could listen to him UNSC resolution 1973 would not have come into effect leading to intervention by powerful nations.
Now that Libya has turned into a burning cauldron, how long it would take to reach a solution is a billion dollar question.
Syria
Syria too is caught in the grip of a rebellion. Lakhs and lakhs of people marched into Damascus, the capital city of Syria demanding the ouster of Syrian ruler Bashar Al Azad. In the visual media people were seen climbing atop a building kicking, tearing apart big hoardings of the ruler. Protests and processions are fast spreading against the ruling elite like wildfire the sole reason being their misrule and suppression of the masses since decades.

CITY, A FURNACE

A long walk under
the fire-spitting sun
gifted him needles of headache.
Exhausted he reached his
concrete apartment which was literally a furnace
unlocked the door
switched on the fan
stayed rooted under it
till the fan caught fire
and winds of fire blowing.
Profusely sweating once again
he entered the bathroom
to have a lavish shower bath.
Half-boiled summer water
failed to keep him cool
even after a prolonged period.
He came out of the bathroom
in haste
got dressed up and hurriedly
locked the room and walked
down the stairs.
He walked faceless, amidst
the faceless crowds, his goal
an air-conditioned chilled-beer bar.
In the air-conditioned bar
the fire in him died down
slowly, gradually
outside the bar, the
city was still burning
which he watched with
a shudder.

INHERENT TRUTHS

Many things are common
some are uncommon.
Many men are sociable
Some are unsociable.
Many persons are sane
some are insane.
Many human-beings are common citizens
some are uncommon citizens.
Many human-beings are poor
and mediocre
some are big fish
what is so special about it?
You might ask
What is so special about it?
It’s what I ask
myself often
you and I together can change
the shape of the world.
Let’s be busy with our
actions – be it fruitful
or infructous.
Inspite of all these
when we are confined to
the prisons of depravity
can there be an escape?

THE PENANCE

Strangulating own children
in cold-blood by a father is a
sign of insanity.
If a mighty force were
to prevail upon him
to stop the cruel game forthwith
and responds displaying
a defiant mood
its kind of suicide-mania.
Defiantly tightening noose
around one’s own neck
could be due to guilt-feeling.
Prize of peace is
patience, love and cordially
Just like whip-lashing
by oneself inflicting pain
on self with blood oozing from
one’s body profusely
as a penance.

ELECTIONS - INDIAN STYLE

Elections to four State Assemblies and one Union Territory are fast approaching. In all the four States, Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Union Territory of Pondicherry election fever is fast catching up. Political equations too changing fast in each State as all parties are weighing the pros and cons of changing political equations. Each State witnesses scenes of seat sharing and main parties like monkeys distributing bread among themselves are allocating specific numbers of seats to each smaller entities depending upon the strength of each entity some are pastmasters in bargaining, some not that efficient, the ones with big bargaining capacity take away with them more seats and others will have to satisfy with less number of seats. This is not the story of a particular State but of all States, please note, the States which are getting ready for elections. The interesting scenes we witness in the visual media that each candidate with folded hands, approach each voter - who is the king till the election is over – and with all humility appeal for the invaluable vote doling out promises galore.
Occasionally, arguments, clashes, squabbles too occur, mind you, there are more than one thousand political parties in India but these are all the order of the day. Graffiti, processions, slogan-shouting jeeps and cars fitted with mikes, banners, placards with pictures of candidates and leaders are present in very nook and corner of the land. Election fever is something infectious, which affects not only the parties and candidates but even the common man who watch the scenes on the sidelines. To each approaching candidate, he assures of his support and promises to vote for him actually what is in his mind is anybody’s guess.
On the crucial day of election he goes to vote, stands in the queue and silently cast his vote and returns home. More active ones, even on the voting day literally compel the ones resting in their homes and persuade them to vote for their favourable candidates.
After the voting is over claims and counter-claims are aplenty and those who keep mum are also galore. With the close of election carnival everything is back to square one till the day votes are counted.
At present in each State, election scene is in a fluid state, prediction could sometimes go wrong, sometimes turn right. But predictions always will be there, otherwise what elections?

AN ENIGMATIC GIRL

Vasundhara was our classmate
but she was not our friend.
she was a pleasant
smiling flower always.
But she kept distance
from all of us always.
Vasundhara was a miser
with words.
But she never ever wore a
pall of gloom.
She came daily
sometimes alone, sometimes
by car with her parents.
But her parents wore
always serious looks.
We always wanted to
be friends with Vasundhara
but she returned
her smile only and kept quiet and aloof
from us.
We didn’t, we couldn’t
hate Vasundhara at any moment.
Vasundhara was always a flower
to us, who deserved to
be loved and fondled.
But she was
a lonely smiling bloom.
Vasundhara was the cynosure
of all our eyes,
but nobody seemed Vasundhara’s
favourite, everyone was
equal before her eyes.
One day Vasundhara
with her smiling eyes
before leaving the college waved
her hands towards us which
sent ripples of shock through us
bled our minds,
waves of pain
passing through our
veins excruciating.
Vasundhara never came
back
whither she went
nobody knew.
Vasundhara loved us so much
still we see her
face like our inner
palms….

DEMONS OF DESTRUCTION

Mother-Earth never ever invites
a disaster
Mother-Earth is mother hen
ever vigilant, keeps us
under her wings
at the very sight of
an eagle of disaster
flying round and round
preying up above.
We her children
often invite calamities
by mortgaging Mother-Earth’s
wealth her
invaluable treasure.
Yet she loves us
cares us being our Mother.
Mother-Earth but fails
at times when demons
of earthquakes, tsunami
and volcano strike
in the form of a
lightning in broad-daylight
unawares
and turns everything haywire .

QADDAFI DIGS HIS OWN GRAVE

Libya is a towering inferno since one month. Majority of Libyan citizens dared to take on the dictatorial regime of Col Muammar Qaddafi braving all challenges from the brutal regime. Their never-say-die attitude enabled them face all kinds of hurdles that came their way. Yes, sometimes they suffered serious setbacks since compared to Qaddafi’s forces and their weapons ability the citizens obsolete weapons were no match which helped Qaddafi to forge ahead barraging the rebel forces. Not being cowed down, they battled with all their might suffering heavy casualties which the world witnessed with shock and rage. Almost all nations appealed to Qaddafi to stop his bloody game, the mayhem his militia committed, mind you, they were given a blank cheque to slaughter the citizens but he was not willing to listen to the voices of peace-lovers. Powerful nations of the world, barring one or two insisted him to stop forthwith his ruthless game of massacring hundreds of rebel fighters. The megalomaniac that he is cared two hoots for their timely advices as he was convinced that ‘I am Libya’. Even United Nations Secretary General Ban-ki-Moon appealed and demanded him to stop the massacre the, still Qaddafi remained adamant and went on with his killing spree.
The war clouds loomed large over Libya as the NATO forces were getting ready to intervene in Libya but Qaddafi not taken aback stuck to the game.
Col Qaddafi could have listened to wiser counsels and taking into account the repercussions in the event of US led NATO forces were to intervene in his country, his king-size ego, pushed him forward ignoring all eventualities.
In fact he was challenging these nations to get ready for a war against his nation. The myopic coward that he is, has at last invited the disaster that at present we are witnessing.
United Nations resolution to granting sanction to NATO forces to land in Libya enabled US, Britain, France, Canada and Italy join hands and their forces pounded Libyan capital Tripoli and Benghazi next biggest city and enforced a no fly-zone. The coward got caged in his palace with a strong militia acting as human-shields and ‘safely’ entrenched there the man is talking at the top of his voice ‘we are determined to take the fight to Europe’.
True. Intervention in a sovereign country is wrong and against all international conventions. But during exceptional cases such as we have seen intervention in Libya is believed to be a correct step. While a genocide is being committed taking into account the sovereignty remaining mute spectators is something unpardonable.
CPI(M) Communist Party of India (Marxist) yesterday vehemently attacked the US led NATO forces pounding Libya and it has listed out a few reasons for taking exception to the steps taken by US, France, Britain, Canada, Italy, such as those countries under the pretext of rescuing protestors are actually eyeing the oil of Libya. Blindly believing such accusations are quite absurd and meaningless as ever since Libya landed in turmoil with protestors on one side and Qaddafi’s forces on the other side and Qaddafi’s forces started barraging the rebel protestors, UN Security Council including US, Britain, France, Italy and Canada among other countries tried to prevail upon Qaddafi to backtrack and come to terms with the rebels so as to avoid massive loss of lives where was the dictator then? Even defying United Nations resolutions – was it a correct step on his part? As a writer once put a confidence resistance would force a thug run away from the scene. It is the same with Qaddafi.
India’s concern over NATO forces intervening in Libya is understandable. We need not read too much into it and India abstaining from voting in Paris Summit must have something more than that meets the eye.
When majority of helpless citizens are being cold-bloodedly massacred, by any leader be it Muammar Qaddafi, Sudanese ruler Omar-Hasan-Al-Bashir and for that matter any such wicked thug as a person who watched all these from a corner of a country, militarily intervening is justifiable. Human life is precious and it should not be at any cost be allowed to be tossed up and down like football.

RAW MATERIALS

Experiences,
the raw materials
of human life
produce
a molten mixture of
human emotions
joys, agonies, sadness, anger,
sympathy et al
which could sometimes
burn our fingers
warm our fingers
cool our fingers
freeze our fingers
depending upon our
state of mind
which fluctuate
as the life surges
ahead.

TO UNCLE SAM WITH LOVE

If he can go this far
can I be far behind?
What he does in public
I do it in private.
Before the public
both he and I
move along different
wavelengths.
And in private both
I and he move along
same wavelengths.
Known by two names
both preach different doctrines
and ideologies.
Both I and he have to
protect identities
despite no differences
exist between us.
Hence our so-called
enemy, Uncle Sam
don’t read too much
into our utterances
they are just eye-wash
meant for the gullible public
they are our puppets
you know
and they should remain
puppets for ever
for our safe and prolonged existence.
We are all birds of the same feather.
I, he and you…..
‘Uncle Sam you know better….
and
that is our consolation, relief
and solace everything…
Won’t you feed us
bread, milk and ‘hardwares’
Umma…..’

WIKILEAKS AT IT AGAIN – MANMOHAN IN TROUBLE

Now that it has become clear that what all many of us had expected in 2008 was correct. That the UPA I govt of Prime Minister Dr.ManMohan Singh had in order to win confidence motion bribed a few MPs have Wikileaked to the shock and surprise of all. Shocking because as Sitaram Yechury, Rajya Sabha member and CPI(M) leader mentioned the UPA govt’s act was an instance of ‘gross degeneration of political morality and crass opportunism’. Crass opportunism because with the departure of CPI(M) from the UPA alliance over the issue of Civil-Nuclear deal with USA the govt which got reduced to a minority used unfair means to canvass fence-sitters by paying lavishly and as per Wikileaks estimates Rs. 50-60 crores. All these informations were sent by US Embassy in India to USA the information which landed in the hands of Wikileaks which ultimately leaked it to India’s respected daily ‘The Hindu which is widely acclaimed for its credibility. CPI leader Gurudas Das Gupta who initiated the discussion in Parliament yesterday wondered whether ‘Our control room is USA?’. The Indian Prime Minister’s love-affair with USA, particularly the then President George W Bush, still widely known and that led the gentleman to mortgage the interests of our nation to USA. His ‘famous’ utterance to George Bush Jr. that ‘Indian people are very fond of you’ created much of a ruckus among a major section of Indians once and that utterance is still etched on the walls of our minds.
The revelation that Dr.Singh the ‘so-called honest’ man did try to win the confidence motion over the civil nuclear deal has virtually demolished his image of a man of integrity and like the proverbial child one is tempted to declare ‘see the king is naked’.
First Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) turned out to be his soft target, then Shiromani Akali Dal was targeted with the help of controversial Padma Vibhushan winner Sant Chatwal but the attempt failed. Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi Party (SP) was won over, remember Amar Singh ji was part and parcel of SP then Shibu Soren’s JMM was won over then our PM’s attention turned towards the main opposition party BJP and with the help of close confidents tried to drive a wedge in that ‘cadre-based’ party attempt failed but at last with a short margin the govt survived. Satish Sharma still a Minister in the UPA II govt and a confident of Nehru’s family played a crucial role in roping in smaller parties and his Secretary Nachiket Kapur reportedly showed a suitcase containing Rs 50-60 crore to an American Embassy official to bribe the members. Civil-nuclear issue was a prestige of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and they wanted it to be passed in Parliament, come what may.
Now that skeletons have tumbled out of the closet and that everything has emerged a public secret the demand to either deny the Wikileaks revelations or resign from the post of Prime Minister have put Dr.ManMohan Singh in a spot. All parties outside the UPA like SP and Janata Dal (U) have unanimously demanded the govt to come out with facts and figures to clear all doubts in this regard.
But no. The so-called trouble-shooter in the UPA alliance, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherji has intervened with a ludicrous logic that since the incident had occurred in 2008 ie. during the UPA I govt and now that this is UPA II govt dragging the issue now is out of question. Really laughable. But sir, the 2G Spectrum issue arose during the UPA I govt but all related incidents happened during UPA II and going by the logic of Pranab Mukherji the Spectrum issue should not have been probed and it should have been closed then and there.
Yesterday our Prime Minister made a funny argument in Parliament about the ‘unverified and unverifiable’ leaks and also argued that while BJP came out with 138 seats and Leftists down to 24 his party alone wrested 206 seats in the 15th Loksabha elections and that itself was a show of sterling performance by the UPA II. Dr. Singh should not forget one reality, a stark reality that ‘paid news syndrome’ was ruling the roost while the 15th Lok Sabha election campaigns were around. The vulnerable fell to the temptations and it became quite easier for the rich contestants to romp home.
Owning up moral responsibility our Prime Minister should show the courtesy of resigning his post rather than clinging to the post.

THE OLD MAN

The old man died yesterday.
Relatives, neighbours and
old friends came to his home
spent some time, talked
to his kith and kin
and then left to their
abodes.
In the sunset years of
his life
the old man led a vegetable
existence
bed-ridden throughout.
A breathing skeleton
blank eyes conveyed empty
messages
mouth kept shut
his wife, children and
grand children once in a
while
reached by his side
attended to his unsaid needs
their looks indifferent
neither did he open his mouth
eyes often dry.
Whether he heard what
they asked him, talked
to him
his was a vegetable existence.
Somebody in the house
often played music by his
side
it flowed outside the house
to the delight of neighbours.
Bed-ridden for years
a vegetable existence
a breathing skeleton
the old man died yesterday
but none was there to
shed tears.
The graveyard silence of one
day gone by.
Today music started flowing
outside
the voices of children playing pranks
on each other
elders talking, neighbours
started visiting once in a while
life following its normal
course once again.

THE MIND

Never judge all laughs,
signs of delight and fun.
It could be out of sorrow,
frustration, anger
out of hypocrisy, even a psychotic
laughter.
Never judge all cries
signs of sadness or depression
could be out of happiness
or ecstasy.
Never judge all monologues
signs of insanity
could be the ventilation
of pent-up emotions.
Never fathom the depths of
all oceans using the
same yardstick
it could vary
depending upon the oceans.
Never judge a man/woman
using any criteria
depth of his/her
mind, far deeper than
an ocean
so far no one
being succeeded in fathoming
its depths.

THE JOURNEY

In the course of a
long distance journey
both of us met.
In the course of the
long distance
journey our friendship
grew buds and bloomed.
As the train chugged
past strange
lands our strangeness
lessened and lessened.
Both of us with a
heavy burden in hearts
we bid adieu on reaching a station
and parted
through different routes
in the course of the journey.
Before parting ways
we forgot no to exchange
our contact details.
Distance pained us both, friendship
cemented and intensified.
As the snail of time
crawled along
both took a vow to
meet each other and
once in a while
then quite often.
Dissatisfied with living at two places
we entered into an
unwritten contract to
lead a live-in relationship
but not to tie nuptial knot
and exchange rings.
As the days trudged
along,
dissatisfied
with the live-in relationship
we entered into wed-lock
before the sanctum-sanctorum
of the temple to give it
a divine touch
but decided
not to have off-springs.
Both of us being selfish
we disliked a third person
entering our life
and rob off our attachment
towards each other.
Upon both turning man and
wife
both changed decisions
and mulled having
off-springs one, two, three, four……..
Now that we have evolved into papa
and mamma
fun, laughter and squabbles
turned order of the day.
What next is the question
tormenting both now is
a divorce perhaps or spending
nights in separate rooms?

CHINA’S ARAB HEADACHE

Chinese Premier Wen Jia Bao has again turned out to be ‘an apostle of individual freedom’. Comrade Wen last year in an interview given to CNN had vociferously talked about sanctioning individual freedom to the citizens. Almost one year has elapsed since he made that comment. In the hierarchy of leaders Wen is considered to be a moderate leader in the Communist Party of China. During that time there were rumours prevailing across the world that on the question of individual freedom a chasm of difference was developing among the leaders particularly between Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen-Jia-Bao.
Be that as it may, up till now, the Status quo ante prevails. In the backdrop of Arab revolutions Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya et al, the freedom loving citizens of China grouped under a single umbrella to display solidarity with the rebels in those countries. Before snowballing into a major crisis, a vigilant and shrewd Chinese leadership took immediate measures to restrict the people from turning violent as a pre-emptive step. That step proved successful and a possible violent demonstration averted. In the meanwhile, the leadership slapped restrictions on the people from coming to know with updated developments going on across Arab countries.
Now that Comrade Wen has again come up with talks of extending individual freedom to citizens along with economic freedom. Economic freedom being already there, the talk and campaign for individual freedom is so far an anathema to leaders.
Now that Wen has in no uncertain terms stated that without individual freedom, economic freedom alone is insufficient and that both should go hand in hand. He has further stated that it should be a gradual process. First at the village levels, from village levels to township levels and in the end across the country as a whole. The Premier however has not ventured to declare a time-table rather a time-frame for the successful completion of the programme.
I don’t doubt his sincerity but I very much doubt his timing of the statement. A spark of rebellion in Tunisia has within no time engulfed the Arab world as a whole and the fire has not been extinguished rather flames of revolution have been spreading affecting more and more countries. Wen must be apprehending repercussions in his country since the citizens of China frankly speaking are a suppressed lot. Their pent-up emotions could burst out any time especially with the developments and progress on the internet. Internet revolution is one of the hallmarks of this century even a minor development would reach any corner of the world within seconds.
Hence, China too can’t prolong with suppression of individual freedom for a long period about which Chinese leaders are very much aware of. Mao’s China is not today’s China, today’s China won’t be tomorrow’s China, further progress and developments on various fronts will follow, ultimately China will transform into a democratic polity.
The dictatorial streak is very much evident in Wen’s words when he declares in no uncertain terms that if at all an election is conducted in future it would surely be under the auspices or supervision of Communist Party of China. As he had mentioned surely a step by step approach. The coming generation of leaders would go many more steps further that too is a gradual progress…..

“ATLAS SHRUGGED”

The vehicle of life
wheeled along a
rough surface,
a sudden violent jolt
turned everything topsy-turvy.
The vehicle, the travellers
the surroundings
all crushed under the
impact with the sudden
shrug of Atlas.
The fictional ‘*Atlas Shrugged’
of late has
turned a prophecy come
true
otherwise what logic
is there behind a
nation turning to a
shambles within seconds
when the burden of weight over
the shoulders turn too
heavy, the only thing
left is just to shrug.

*ATLAS SHRUGGED – AYN RAND’S MASTERPIECE

A REFUGEE PROBLEM

Cooling his heels,
the ousted General sat
in his country of refuge.
Once, an iron-fisted,
iron-hearted, wicked
figure,
thrown out of his saddle
by the citizens thirsting
for freedom and
democracy.
He watched with a sense of
loss and self-pity
the reactions of rulers
the world over
who once treated him
with utmost respect
welcomed him unrolling
red carpets
sometimes donned the role
of Guest of Honour
those were glorious
immemorable golden days.
Now licking his wounds
he pulls on
in a country which
provided him a refuge
out of sympathy.
To his shock and angst
he witnessed his fiefdom
of yesterday
being accorded recognition
by establishing diplomatic relations
by his friendly nations of
yesterdays
while in power
also passing resolutions
applauding the new democratic
country
as also condemning the
autocratic
rule of
the wicked General.
The helpless ruler heaved
deep sighs
unable to come to
terms with the emerging
reality.
He gritted his teeth
in impotent rage
hitting the wind.

SPLIT-SECONDS

Watch,
the child building
a castle in sand
on the sea-shore
giving it variety of
shapes,
all his attention centered
around it
his eyes bright and wide
lo and behold, a strong
wave in the garb of
a magician
washes away the
castle
the child with tears filling
his eyes
not taken aback
starting building
a new one
watch
a man in the
appearance of a sage
building castle of dreams in air
its shapes vary each
moment, all depend on his will and pleasure
continuing the game
non-stop,
Watch,
people constructing
homes, flats and
multi-storeyed buildings
giving them the final
touches
making them fascinating
an earthquake
and a tsunami
simultaneously crushing and
washing them away
not only the homes,
flats, multi-storeyed buildings
and its occupants as well.

EARTHQUAKE, TSUNAMI, RAVAGE JAPAN

Friday, March 11, 2011, Japanese time 2.46, Indian time 11.27AM. Busy office hours. A black friday in the history of Japan. A black day in the history of the world.
A massive earthquake showing 8.9 on the richter scale, followed by a mind-boggling towering tsunami ravaged Japan. Giant Tsunami waves rose more than 20 metres lashed Japan, drowning even multi-storeyed buildings cities as a whole washed away vehicles caught in the Tsunami waves even boats and ships and small planes could be seen floating, three to four trains disappeared, communication and electric lines snapped, the entire world watched aghast all flashed across the visual media. Breaking news flashed across televisions showing the minutest details, a whole nation being devastated by earthquake and giant tsunami waves.
Refineries caught fire and tongues of flames and smoke billowed out into the sky, it was a difficult task to douse the flames at a critical juncture like it. Nuclear power plants were closed to reduce the damage due to radiation to the minimum and at first the news spread out that everything was okay with the nuclear power plants. Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s statement bore testimony to it.
A day after compounding the miseries a closed nuclear plant exploded in Fukushima and of late more meltdowns followed nuclear radiation spread out reportedly injuring more than sixty persons uptill now. In order to minimus radiation deaths and injuries, more than two and half lakh people were evacuated to safer places and a nuclear emergency was declared in the country by Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
It is reported lately that approximately 10,000 persons have been killed at a particular place, more than tens of thousands of persons are missing. These are official estimates and we can very well estimate and come to a conclusion of the number of lives lost will cross lakhs and lakhs of deaths.
The nuclear plant disaster reminds one of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Soviet Union 25 years ago the intensity too might match the Chernobyl blasts, coming days would reveal the clear picture. Moreover the Japanese nuclear disaster is a warning lesson to countries like India which do have nuclear plants and which are eagerly in the pursuit of installing more and more nuclear plants in the nook and cranny of the respective nations without adopting safety standards. Furthermore before nature’s fury even safety standards seem limited, disaster management could only help reduce the calamities.
The Japanese developments have overshadowed many other issues of importance across the world and that’s natural.
Nature strikes unexpectedly, when it strikes, it strikes hard anywhere no device worth nullifying earthquake calamities discovered so far and if such a device were discovered, much of the disasters due to earthquakes could have been taken alleviated.
What all we know about is that Japan like Indonesia is a seismic prone area and earthquakes and Tsunami can ravage it anytime the only corrective measure worth taking is in case of such disasters, maximum remedial measures anticipating such natural fury need be taken. Japan already must have taken such steps the Japanese people are dynamic, enterprising and hard working and in spite of taking all measures, before nature’s fury anything could happen anytime.

UNCERTAINTIES ALL THE WAY

Cricket is a game of
glorious uncertainties.
Jigsaw puzzle is
a speculative game
of identifying faces
hidden behind numbers.
Circus is an amusing
adventurous entertainment
which holds our breath throughout
swimming across
a wide straits
with strong undercurrents
is something dangerous
as also an adventure
chess is a game of
intellectual gymnastics
involving two persons
playing with pawns, knights
rooks, elephants
queen and king.
All the above constitute
what we call life.

COLOUR OF REVOLUTION

Sometimes to the right
sometimes to the left
sometimes straight
obstacles umpteen
obstructions umpteen
obfuscations umpteen
‘one step forward,
two steps backward’
colour of revolution is often red
colour of victory too,
Road to freedom is
far away
overcoming obstacles
obstructions
obfuscations
we move ahead
with all our might, vigour
and strength.

LIBYAN UNDERCURRENTS

As per the latest reports streaming in from Libya, tyrant Col. Muammar Gaddafi, the tyrant is sensing victory over the rebel forces. Contrary to our expectations, the tyrant with the support of his powerful militia and sophisticated weapons pound the rebel targets forcing the rebels to retreat. The sad truth is, though united in their battle against the dictator they are ill-equipped with obsolete weapons and after the initial strong offensive they gradually get exhausted and loss the stamina. Gaddafi is a wicked ruler with no mercy or sympathy left for his people instead he loves himself and his kith and kin.
The megalomaniac went to the extent of calling himself. ‘I am Libya’, we can very well imagine the arrogance with which the man proceeds.
The fight is going on.
The tyrant’s forces are virtually barraging the protesters and nobody knows for certain the number of persons lost lives in the ongoing battle, it is presumed thousands have already succumbed to the artillery shells, aerial bombings and grenade attacks.
It is a matter of pity that expect proffering sympathy in abundance the nations the world over are sitting mute spectators.
True. Militarily intervening in a sovereign nation is something against international conventions and it could lead to violent repercussions. For instance another country intervening in the internal affairs of our nation or for that matter any nation, nobody can take kindly to it, all true, but how long other nations continue to watch hapless citizens being battered like anything?
Apart from intervention why can’t the powerful nations air-drop weapons to the rebels so as to help them to kick the rascal out. Western nations are thinking along intervening militarily but that could lead to another Iraq or Afghanistan. That apart providing the rebel forces sophisticated weapons to take on a brutal regime is not much of a crime. Furthermore, like a Zine-ul-Abidin-Ben-Ali of Tunisia and a Hozni Mubarak of Egypt let a Col.Muammar Gaddafi too be overthrown from the saddle paving the way for a democratic govt.
At least extending moral support by the developed, developing and least developed nations during such moments, would help boost the morale of the fighting citizens of Libya in the long run.

FLOWER OF LOVE

I was once a beetle in the
garden of love flying all around
and sucked out the nectar
of love from each flower
of love.
With time ticking fast
my love centred around
a single flower
I learnt what is pain
and pleasure of love.
Whenever my flower of
love fell into gloom and
sadness,
I too sensed the
gloom, sadness and pain.
I was learning a new
lesson gradually
and that was nothing but
true, sincere love
is both pain and
pleasure.
Possessiveness and attachment
always breed pain
together with pleasure.
But the fact remains
in the beginning days
of once’s love life
often the beetle in each
develops wings
and sensuous moments of
sucking out nectar of
love from each flower
too develop…..
only for a short while.
True love is pain, agony
separation, reunion and pleasure.
Where there’s no pain and
agony there’s no love too
but infatuation.

JUST GUESS

It’s just luck, sir,
just guess and luck.
Familiarity, memory, intelligence
all play supporting actors only, sir
mere supporting actors……
It’s afterall guess and luck, sir
just guess and luck.
We unnecessarily
rack the brains, sir
nothing but racking
brains, sir
like a child crying for
the moon
trying to trace out
the persons hiding behind
the curtains of numbers.
It’s mere guess and luck, sir
just guess and luck
luck is the hero.
Is this game
a way of teaching us
the absurdity of pursuing
unwanted things in life
everything kind of jigsaw puzzle,sir
Everything….

TONGUES OF FLAMES

The ‘wild fire’ spread
thousand tongues far and
wide
swallowing all that
came in their way
even not leaving
the last remnants
depositing a huge
heap of ash.
The poor slum dwellers
cried loud beating
their chests
finding nowhere to
go
some remaining mute
helpless spectators
as such incidents
visit like a demon
often
making a bonfire
of everything.
The little girl child
sat alone in a
corner watching the
pile of ashes
her tears welling up
over the loss of
prizes she kept like
all she had held close
to her bosom daily
her invaluable treasures
all eaten
away by the demon.
The memorabilia
she was gifted in
the presence of an
august audience of a foreign nation
will be etched on
her walls of memory for life.

WOMEN’S DAY – MAJORITY STILL AT ROCK- BOTTOM

Yesterday was International Women’s Day. It was celebrated across the whole world with much fanfare, gaiety and pageantry. Many seminars held, debates conducted, discussions too held the world over. At the same time a stark reality stares us in the faces. That is nothing other than a large majority of women were not even aware of a day called International Women’s Day. They are as always those at the lower rung of the society.
They are the ones who ought to be aware of such an important day and they are the ones who ought to be aware of their rights and the needs of snatching away from those at the helm of affairs their rights and they are the ones who ought to be aware of breaking the glass-ceilings and reaching the stature of those already at the top. But the unfortunate factor remains. They are always a neglected lot. And except mouthing platitudes by the responsible lot, the vexed issue remains as such like a difficult nut to crack.
Delhi, Indian capital where the ruling mandarins, political leaders, both, ruling and opposition all do have nice times where the citizens are supposed to live peacefully especially women and girl children especially without fear, our capital city is notorious for lack of security even under the broad-day light. Compared to Delhi, the financial capital of Mumbai is far, far better than Delhi in the matter of law and order since time immemorial. Don’t be mistaken that I have deviated from the very subject of International Women’s Day about the rights and needs of women. While discussing women’s day naturally our views and attention come around Delhi for obvious reasons.
Yesterday in Delhi, on the important day of International Women’s Day itself Radhika Tanwar, aged 22, a second year student of Delhi University was shot to death by an unidentified assailant while she was crossing the road over foot overbridge after alighting from a bus at Ring-Road around 10AM. The assailant shot point blank from behind, she fell down taken to hospital and she was pronounced dead by doctors.
The girl reportedly had no history of any love-affair and the reasons for gunning her down still remain a mystery. The attack was not intended to rob her of her ornaments as they were not taken away by the assailant and the police suspect her shadowing a one-sided love-affair. Yesterday her two friends near her house were not with her, hence she went alone and she was travelling to the college by bus. Her fateful death under broad-day light raises many questions naturally. In the capital city under the very nose of our authorities such a dastardly thing happening where security needs to be beefed up for the gentlemen and women in the saddle – whether their lives have more value compared to the citizens’? – please note the case of Radhika Tanwar is not an exceptional case, such cases are common in Delhi and its outskirts, no remedial measures, no follow-up measures, at all being taken by those entrusted with it what guarantee a human life has in Delhi?
The ladies are badly hit under broad-daylights and in the nights imagine the status of law and order condition in our capital city.
On the day of International Women’s Day Radhika Tanwar lost her life to the bullets of an unidentified assailant. How many such wild deaths must have happened the world over on the fateful day?
We, often celebrate certain important days like a ritual. That apart nothing fruitful seems to take place. That is our destiny.

AN EXTROVERT

Unbearable, lonely moments
throw himself into the
midst of faceless crowds.
Loss of identity never
pains him
instead fills him with
kind of inebriation.
His aimless travels
often find himself
end up in bars with his friends or
in the company of
call girls
or multiplexes
with any girl friend of his choice.
In the city of many
things there’re no dearth
of opportunities to roam
about to enjoy to
derive pleasure of any sort.
The creative energy he keeps
within him cries
within him to express itself
in paper
due to his
reluctance to scribble.
Hope one day he would
put in his experiences
on paper for
us to go thru.

SUMMER RAINS

In the searing heat
of a summer month
a summer rain to the
accompaniment of thunder and storm
lashed our land one day.
The profusely sweating
people of the locality
especially the newly wed
couples rejoiced
in the gentle, cool, ambience
and with the arrival of
night listening to the
rustling leaves with
rain drops dropping one by one
the couples got immersed
in conjugal bliss.
The next day the blazing
summer bounced back with
renewed vigour and intensity
forcing the people
complaining to each other
about the scorching heat
burning sun rays piercing their
bodies like thorns
thrust into the skins
of one’s body
turning one totally
exhausted.

CONGRESS-DMK SQUABBLES IN TAMILNADU

Tamil Nadu is one of the examples of regional chauvinism in the category of such States in India. Regional chauvinism came into being there with the birth of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in 1949 till then Indian National Congress was in the saddle for decades. Naturally a question arises. Why then a regional party mushroomed in the State of Tamil Nadu. We need not dig-deeper into the discovery of its reasons. When a State is constantly neglected, particularly when its citizens feel like an ignored lot, particularly when their immediate problems are not being attended to properly, its infrastructure too remains unattended, poverty, unemployment, malnourishment etc turning gigantic problems, the party ruling the State loses popular support. The people turn elsewhere for help and that help comes in handy from a party be it a regional entity or not, they flock under it and catapult that party into power. Such a thing happened in Tamil Nadu, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was formed under an able leader C.N.Annadurai.
Under the leadership of such a great man the party came into power easily and the govt formed under that party worked for the welfare and well-being of the poor.
Later after his tragic demise, DMK got divided into many Kazhagams like AIADMK, PMK, DMDK variety of them. When DMK failed to come to the expectations of people AIADMK under M G Ramachandran aka MGR came to power of course forming alliance with parties of lesser influence among regional parties. Even today Tamil Nadu is being ruled alternately with Congress holding only a marginal influence.
Of late the Grand Old Party cherishes the dream of winning more seats and by winning more seats it aspires for a partnership rule either with DMK and AIADMK.
Now that preparatory works are in full swing in Tamil Nadu as this is election times seat-sharing talks are too are in full swing. Each party’s demands are being discussed, adjustments also made, some parties stake claim for more seats, demands are agreed or not agreed upon depending upon the situation.
For instance Congress in its talks with its long term alliance partner of DMK this time it has struck a strident posture demanding 63 seats and in the case of the alliance winning power it demands to be a partner in the govt. DMK on the other hand is not willing to provide 60 seats to Congress, not any more and in the case of winning power Congress demand for a place in the Ministry is not at all possible.
Both are on a collision course as per the latest news streaming in with the DMK deciding to withdraw its six ministers from the Ministry and provide issue-based support to Central govt from outside. DMK’s pressure tactics do not seem to have worked this time since the Congress steadfastly stick to its position.
Samajwadi party of Mulayam Singh with 23 seats have come forward with the claim that UPA govt doesn’t suffer on account of DMK backing out it is certain that he too eyes plum posts in the govt at a critical moment like this.
Whether a last minute patch-up with DMK is possible or not is anybody’s guess, if so who will be making a climb-down, either Congress or DMK?

THE OMNIPRESENT

It never waits for
anyone’s convenience.
It’s omnipresent
It doesn’t have a coma,
semi-column or full-stop
unlike a river it never inundates
it never gushes forth, never dries-up.
It’s omnipresent
It neither has a past nor a present
or future
unlike we think it never
runs fast, never runs slow,
never stagnant,
it’s omnipresent
It is invisible, invincible.
Never can we hold it by force.
It is God. It is TIME.

HIS EVOLUTION

The very day my friend
bought a measuring scale
he evolved into a
different person.
At the very outset
he tried to experiment
it on me
later on others.
I noticed his eyes
turning doubtful
as he became the proud
of the measuring scale.
But the distance between
us grew
as also the intensity of my
anger and hatred
toward him.
His next step might be
the purchase of a
weighing balance
I very much suspect.
The measuring scale
and weighing balance
do go hand in hand.
When would he start
forcing others to be
weighed in his balance?
Sans a measuring scale
and a weighing balance,
I can very well measure
and weigh the pros and
cons of our relationship.

INDIAN CHILDREN AT THE LOWER STRATA

‘Unfortunately, we are often confronted with a lack of sensitivity among adults about the rights of children. Children have never been regarded as an important constituency by the political system and society. They are seen only in a patronizing manner. We have to talk to people and tell them that children need to be treated with dignity and as equals. It is not enough that you give them love, it is equally important to give them dignity. The moment you start treating them as equal, you give them dinigty.’ – Santha Sinha, Chairperson NCPCR and Magsaysay Award winner (Courtesy : The HINDU)
My Mumbai life was replete with several experiences, both good and bad, some never to be forgotten because of the pleasure and pain involved, actually I do want to share with the readers, but here I am compelled to touch upon only one subject and that is everything to do with children. As a youth who was fortunate and unfortunate to live at different places, here I mean suburbs as a paying guest I could witness many instances of hardships and sufferings undergone by children and elders alike. Furthermore the chances to travel by local trains, buses, taxis and autorickshaws along with my friends or single-handedly provided me with much food for thought especially about the street children and their hapless parents. Lakhs and lakhs of slum dwellers, their children’s wayward living, their lack of opportunities even to join schools or kindergartens, no cloths worth wearing, no slates, books, pencils or pens, all made me ponder over their future. Many people even live in make-shift tents on the streets which could be blown away if a strong wind were to visit the city.
A govt basking in the glory of high growth trajectory (nice word) and the country with 667 millions of people with no sanitation facilities, an equal number of citizens without even roofs over their heads make pathetic as also wonderful reading.
As a man who did have the opportunity of living close to a place near Dharavi I `could witness elders and children living under pitiful conditions. With the elders leaving slums to faraway places for work the children are left with nobody to care these children often land in the hands of paedophiles, there are no dearth for them, some children getting involved in thefts and pick-pocketing sometimes caught in the act and beaten up mercilessly by people, they do not even get the luck to even visit the door-step of school or kindergartens. The girl children are the most exploited in such a tender age, mind you, ‘the save girl child’ advertisements and campaigns are seen on the TVs and heard on radios only. Platitudes abound, no visible action however not taken by the rulers. The elders who go to work reach their slums in inebriated conditions with no paise left to spend for the family, the entire responsibility falls upon the hapless, emaciated shoulders of the women members of the families.
These are the state of affairs of a cosmopolitan city like Mumbai. These are the predicaments of the children of Mumbai. Most people keep a mistaken notion that in the cities everything is fine, only in the interior parts of India only children lack educational facilities and other amenities.
I think in the remote interior parts of our nation, as far as the conditions of the children are concerned they are one step ahead.
Today I happened to read an interview with Santha Sinha, head of NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Children’s Rights), the Magsaysay award winner titled ‘Our living adds to the sufferings of poor children’.
She dwells upon many aspects of children’s education in the remote corners of the nation. The roles of Anganwadis in villages play a great role in the growth of children, like mid-day meal schemes etc.
She also dwells upon the corporal punishment being awarded to children by various institutions and as an instance she points towards a haunting fact that 98 children had to undergo corporal punishment in Tamil Nadu alone in the year 2008 and such punishments often lead the children to suicides. Instances of child abuses even by government and non-governmental organizations especially due to the apathy of the political parties. Girls, for the sake of their siblings sacrifice their education looking after household chores. Their parents too go to works leaving girl children alone at homes. Similarly, a number of issues she has pointed out as the Chairman of NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Children’s Rights) and a long list of remedial measures.
She has noted that child labour is a perennial problem and stresses that there is a need to sensitize the plight of working children in the country. At the age of going to schools they are forced to work in textile factories, brick kilns, salt pans etc.
It is really a matter of pride for all of us Indians that a great lady of Santha Sinha’s stature has devoted her whole life for the better education of our children.

THE GLORY

As he walked
step by step to the
heights of knowledge
that led him to glory
the very last vestige of
ego in him melted away
and filled him with humility.
Think of a charlathan
who carries with him
an inflated ego, and
compare him with
the man with no ego or
arrogance.

THE BLOOMS

In the garden of
her thoughts
there bloomed flowers
of different variety.
Each day little, little
little, little blooms
which in no time
grew bigger and bigger
prettier and prettier.
One day a group of
wanton boys stealthily
entered her garden
and mercilessly plucked
away the pretty flowers of
thoughts.
Disheartened not
she waited for new
blossoms of thoughts to grow
as she knew
as long as she existed
the process of flowering
would continue
a truth which everyone
would agree.
Garden of thoughts is
a sign of life
like a Pipal tree
with each leaf falling
down
a new leaf takes its
place
if the pipal tree is
a garden tree of life
so is the garden
of thoughts.

A MERRY RIDE

How come you drive the
car?
How come you handle
the steering,
I mean, the ease with which
you drive?
Literally you make the car
fly over the road
your style, your speed
all surprising and breath-taking.
How come you learnt
driving,
you were an illiterate in
driving?
Unbelievable, incredible
wonderful, my dear.
How come you turned
so young and handsome,
any magic?
Me too!
What the hell are you speaking?
Kidding?
Cracking jokes were your
forte, I know.
I’ve turned old now my dear
see the snow white hair, wrinkles,
still you speak such nonsense!
Okay, agree, its not
easy to argue and
win over you
I’m cute, satisfied?
My lush dark flowing hair
soft skin….agree, agree
you in the shirts and
slacks look like a macho
so young
like an eligible bachelor
I’m not joking
remember the day you
and I first met
literally you felled me
with your smiling eyes
that mischievous smiling
like a magnet….
You looked asquint at me
I saw, I saw.
How far we have come,
Wow, wonderful
we have reached the
starting point!
the same spot.
Can’t believe it.
What you said?
Need water?
Okay I’ll bring it now
Oh my god, whither you
disappeared with the car?
Naughty you, as always.
- She came out of
her dreams and looked
around,
no one nearby
she closed her eyes
tears running thru the
corners of her eyes……

PAKISTAN – SHAHBHAZ BHATTI’S BRUTAL MURDER

Tehreek-E-Taliban and Al-Queida have virtually held Pakistan to ransom. Within two months of assassination of Punjab Governor and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) leader Salman Taseer the terrorists have struck again. This time the victim was Pakistan’s Minister for Minority Affairs and Pakistan Peoples’ Party leader Shahabaz Bhatti, 42, a Christian, by three unidentified assailants while coming after meeting his mother. While visiting his mother, he never allowed security men to be with him, the prime reason being he was nervous about the presence of security guards after his colleague Salman Taseer was gunned down by his own security Ali Mumtaz Khadri.
The reason behind murdering both is the same, that of their antagonistic attitude towards blasphemy laws. There are several others who are on the watchlist of Tehreek-E-Taliban elements in Pakistan who have spoken against blasphemy laws. Sherry Rehman, Pakistan Peoples’ Party legislator is one among them.
Pakistan actually is in doldrum’s with hard-core terrorists running helter-skelter. And Pakistan govt in fact remains a mute spectator to the mayhem these terror elements commit. It is a kind of implosion in other words. Wherever and whoever the terrorists aim at, they commit the brutal acts with utmost precision.
Pak democracy is being replaced by Islamic fundamentalism. Mumtaz Khadri who assassinated Salman Taseer was showered with rose petals by the advocates of blasphemy laws and he is now celebrated as a hero by majority in Pakistan.
Not only Pakistan remains shell-shocked but the entire world writhing in anger since it is a violation of human rights.
Pakistan’s Human Rights activists have condemned the act in the strongest terms possible. Similarly Human Rights watch and Amnesty International too have joined hands with Pakistan’s human rights activists in condemning the violent act.
Shahabaz Bhatti, a Christian by birth had in fact apprehended a certain violent death at the hands of terror elements for holding anti-blasphemy laws. He was always under the watch-list of terrorists which he knew, but he continued to speak out fearlessly for the cause of minorities of Pakistan. In fact with his murder, the minorities are like a rudderless boat, in Pakistan and they apprehend more trouble. The one who always stood as a vanguard is no more and it is quite natural that they suffer from kind of existential angst.
It is worth pointing out here that apprehending death at the hands of Islamist terrorist he had handed over two tapes containing his messages to be aired both to BBC and Al-Jazeera and the contents have now come out.
Pakistan is our neighbouring country. Let’s forget the term traditional enemy. Now is the time to extend our sympathies to that nation which is virtually in the grip of hard-core terror elements.
Before totally falling into the hands of Islamist militants, it is in our interest to see that democracy flourishes in Pakistan.

MICHAEL GORBACHEV AT 80

Age has caught up with him. Even at 80 – he turned 80 today - apart from his physical features his attitudes remain the same.
A man acclaimed and celebrated abroad is not much loved in his own nation. The reason - he was instrumental in the withering away Soviet Union – a conglomeration of States. He brought down the Iron Curtain and presided over the collapse of Soviet Union. In other words a misfit in the Communist nation.
Michael Gorbachov will be remembered in the years to come as the former President of Soviet Empire, he was the last one to preside over and he will be remembered as the architect of Glasnost and Perestroika – total restructuring - which led to the crumbling down of Soviet empire. Through Glasnost – the open debate - and Perestroika – total restructuring – he invited many critics and enemies in his own nation which ultimately led to his removal from the prestigious post of President. The Communist party turned more bitter, Boris Yeltsin with the support of two States Ukraine and Belarus occupied the saddle who passed away four years ago. The Communist party even tried to topple Gorbachev from power through a coup, but was unsuccessful. Gorbachev’s plan to form his party met with failure as he was not allowed to get it registered on being isolated in his home country the outside world was all praises for him and still held in high esteem. The reason behind celebrating his 80th birthday at the Royal Albert Hall with Gala concert on March 30 is very much understandable while in his home country the celebration is limited to a photo-session including only his family members.
In the year 1985 he assumed power as President of the Soviet Union and within no time dismantled the country’s nuclear arsenal, which was a great instance of his love of peace. Though his action was not acclaimed inside the country, the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi followed his example. But no, expect for Ronald Reagen, the then American President expressing surprise, US decided not to follow Gorby as he is fondly called.
Vladimir Putin, Russia’s Prime Minister and then President called the disintegration of Soviet Union as a big ‘geo-political catastrophe’.
One high official of Putin govt even called Gorbachov a ‘demagogue’ and a ‘traitor’. One Marxist theoretician in India went to the extent of writing ‘I have not a drop of tear to shed for Gorby’, in fact Gorbachov felt isolated and ostracized with critics and enemies around.
Recently in an interview Gorbachev called Putin-Medvedev tandem as ‘imitation democracy’ and ‘a bad copy of Soviet communism’.
In his official as well as personal life Gorbachev had to face many tragedies still the great man remains confident and determined and goes ahead with his Gorbachev Foundation.
The 1990 Nobel Prize for Foreign policy went to Gorbachev and now he moves ahead with the Gorbachev think tank and the ecology of Green International, he is fountain head of both organizations.

Courtsey : Vladimir Radyuhin

MAHASHIVRATRI – DEPARTED SOULS VISIT EARTH

Today ‘Mahashivratri’ is celebrated with religious fervor and gaiety across India – a day on which departed souls of our forefathers, near and dear ones are believed to be visiting us from heaven. This annual Hindu festival is widely celebrated across the nation and is celebrated along the banks of rivers especially sacred rivers, believers throng Shiv temples and offer obeisance to the departed ones for their blessings in abundance and also for their eternal peace.
In North India on the banks of river Ganga, especially at Varanasi and in Kerala along the Banks of Periyar river, Bharata puzha et al, thousands throng to offer obeisance to their departed forefathers and kith and kin after taking holy dip in rivers. Mahashivaratri day is believed to be a divine day by the Hindu devotees. The devotees are obliged to spend sleepless nights chanting ‘Om Namasivayya’ invoking the name of God Shiva before offering obeisance to the departed souls.
This annual ritual is being traditionally celebrated with gaiety and religious fervour since time immemorial across India.

THE DISTANCE

The distance between
You and I is the same.
The distance between I and
You is also the same.
The amount of love
or hatred
between you and I
need not be the same.
It could vary depending
upon the attitudes
of I and You.

THE HURRICANE

Your sharp, witty tongue
Your pointed, piercing comments
Your acid pen
Your never-say-die attitude
and
Your calm, serene, tranquil mind
in the face of hurricanes,
our pride

ELECTIONS ANNOUNCED IN 5 STATES OF INDIA

Election Commission of India has announced dates for elections to five States of India today – Kerala, West Bengal, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Assam. As per the notification elections to Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are scheduled to be held on April 13. In the State of West Bengal elections are to be held in six phases apprehending trouble from the Maoists. Tight security measures are to be taken to avoid untoward incidents in Bengal – where CPI(M) led Left Front and Trinamool Congress – Indian National Congress combine are the main contestants. In the State of Assam, elections are to be held in two phases where the main contestants are Indian National Congress and Assom Gana Parishad. In Tamil Nadu, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam alliance led by M.Karunanidhi is locked in a fierce contest with its bête noire All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam alliance led by Kumari J.Jayalalitha. In Kerala, it is CPI(M) led Left Front versus Congress led United Democratic Front. Coming days are crucial for all main players and seat sharing arrangements, changing political equations and political calculations are poised to be in full swing. The counting of ballots is fixed to be held on May 13.
Then only a clear picture would emerge and let’s wait with fingers crossed.

THE MARKET

His art of manufacturing
lies
has a lucrative market.
In a world where
truths are just
trickling down
the art of manufacturing lies fetch
rich dividends.
Behind the façade of
smiling faces
wolves loiter around
preying victims.