THAT WHICH IS BEYOND OUR REACH

Islands of loneliness we are

islands of loneliness we remain

unlike you, human beings, on earth think

we are not neighbours, even.

But to you, watching us

from deep down

it might seem we are close neighbours

living adjacent to each other

always living in peace, love and harmony.

But you know truth is stranger than fiction

and you might be feeling envious of us

and feeling pity and sad on yourselves

crossing swords against each other

blood spilling over to

the streets and warzones non-stop.

We, up above are lonely islands

each living far away from

each other, each living apart from each other

since times beyond remembrance.

Distances always enamour you

enamour everyone

tempt you all

sorry, tempt us all, compelling us

cry for something beyond our reach.

You haven’t cared to listen to our deep sighs

of loneliness and tears we shed while you lay

under the thick cover of darkness

unlike the showering burning kisses of the Sun

upon you all.

THE LADDER

Like a hilarious mountaineer

engaging in his first

mountain expedition

clearing all obstacles along his path

one day on a hilarious mood

I commenced climbing up

a top ladder with umpteen rungs

dreaming the sole aim of

reaching atop the top-most rung

on my way atop

neither did I care to turn

back, nor did I wish to

turn back

my one and only aim

being the topmost rung of the ladder.

Upon reaching the topmost rung only

did the enlightenment dawn on me like a

bolt from the blue

that never could I continue to

be at the top as long as I wish

that I too would have

to step down the rungs of the ladder

and be like an ordinary

mortal on earth one day

I would have to melt into the crowds……

THERE WAS A TIME……………

There was a time

her very presence was

electrifying to me.

There was a time

her cool, tender touch could

make my hair rise with

a rush of emotions  

overwhelming me.

There was a time

her nectar dripping lips could drown me

in the ocean of

joy and delight.

There was a time

her cool breath

on the back of my neck

could create ripples

in the reservoir of my mind.

There was a time

my heart and soul craved to

melt into her.

That electrifying presence

that tender touch

that nectar dripping lips

that cool and warm breath

that overwhelming desire

to melt into one,

all stories of yesterday

now replaced by

a sense of vacuum…..

HALLMARK OF OUR TIMES

With the springs of love

fastly getting dried up

the world is evolving

into an uninhabitable place

with mankind turning into a huge factory of

manufactured love

often at exorbitant prices

that too in small doses

in these times of

manufactured truths

manufactured morals

manufactured ethics

manufactured tears

there is no reason for

surprise, amusement or alarm.

It is the hallmark of our times.

TUNELESS TUNES OF A KID

Reclining comfortably in her chair

wearing a beaming smile

she was watching her

kid, with her instinctive motherly care and affection.

Sitting alone in the portico

looking outside humming a tuneless tune

meaningless to the elders and to himself.

Talking to himself or to nobody

which was meaningless or with a

meaning known to him only

indecipherable too it was.

At times, gifting smiles to

the strangers passing down the road,   

she tried in vain to recollect her childhood memories

while she too was a kid

with her eyes full of tears

she recalled her parents

who were no longer by her side

who must  have nurturing

memories of her childhood.

She threw her eyes to the chick

sitting outside humming a tuneless tune

or talking to himself

she saw her childhood through him

with her eyes to the brim…   

OUR WORLD

Sunrises and Sunsets

sweet and delightful though

have no takers here.

Fountains of love and

harmony are found nowhere here.

Curses of identity-crisis

rule the roost here.

Fragrance of camaraderie and bonhomie

is just a polished word here

deafening roars of mechanised beasts

frighten no one here

since they are part and

parcel of existence here.

Train of life screeches past

all hurdles ahead

in the process knocks down

lives and lives, hopes and hopes,

dreams and dreams

ruthlessly cold-bloodedly

where life is a barren land

like that in a vast desert…………

STRANGE TIMES

These are times of

melting glaciers of arrogance

broad smiles reflecting familiarity

boundless treasures of humility

unlimited politeness

abundant promises

of bringing heaven to earth

 ‘sincere’ welfare seekers

platitudes abound.

These are times of folded palms

friendship, sympathies and empathies.

These are wonderful times

sorry, wonderfools’ times.

Nothing surprising

elections are a stone’s throw away…..

With begging bowls they come

not for donations but for invaluable votes.

Don’t be amazed

if they prostrate before us…..

  

WHITHER THE TWO LOVE BIRDS FLEW AWAY?

Know not why

the empty concrete chair

on the sea-shore

still leaves my heart aching for two love-birds

whom I used to watch every morning

leaning over the balcony of my flat at the sea-face

savouring the exquisite infinite blue of the sea

engrossing in the cool and warm embrace  of sea-breeze.

From the very day I started residing in the flat

I began watching them sharing sweet dreams

touching, feeling each other’s lips

pinching each other cracking jokes

and after spending sweet, honeyed moments

each holding other’s hand

bidding bye to the Mother Sea for the day.

Where they flew in from

where they flew away

I know not.

Deep in the very depth of my heart

I only wished them a

bright, colourful, delightful future.

To my shock and embarrassment one day

I saw their permanent seat  

empty for the first time

as I wished to see them together everyday

on the sea-shore

hence keeping a flame of hope in my heart

I waited for them daily morning.

It was an infinite wait……

they never flew into the sea shore from

that very day I missed them

whither they flew away I know not

yet my heart aches for the two love-birds

why I know not

might be human nature….

DESPITE UNDER HER WINGS……….

Like a hen protecting her

chicks under her wings

from the preying hawks

the mother was sleeping

with her three year-old innocence

on the pot-holed verandah of the

street-side dilapidated building

in the thick of night

covering the kid with her arms

unaware of the sex-starved monster on the prowl

closing in on her kid.

The monster approached the

child slowly, silently, stealthily

and lifted up the sleeping innocence

and vanished in the darkness within no time.

On waking up from her sleep

In the midst of a nightmare

with shock-waves running down her  spine

she cried aloud for her missing kid.

Like a woman gone insane

she ran hither and thither frantically

looking for her kid

beating her emaciated chest with all her force .

Meanwhile,

 the three-year old innocence

was writhing in pain in a pool of blood  

screaming for her mothers proximity  

somewhere behind the thick bushes.

Neither the loud cries of the

mother nor the screams of the child

crushed under the

heavy weight of the

sex-starved monster

fell on deaf-years…

  

HER ENDLESS WAIT

His shooting glance

like a pointed arrow

pierced her heart

sending a tsunami of

emotions deep on her face and wide eyes.

She like a sea gone violent,

went mad after him

compelling her to

dance violently, drunk with love.

Defiling the flowers of

otherwise musical silence of deep nights

she goes on moaning

for a glimpse of her invisible lover……………..

LAKES AND RIVERS

Time is a frozen lake

in the sylvan settings

along which life

walks on silently, smoothly

peacefully, sometimes monotonously.

Time is a fast flowing polluted river

where life swims along

moving with the current like floating logs.

Now in this age of

rape of earth and  corporate revelry

the thin line dividing lakes and muddied rivers

is fastly getting blurred………………..

DOWN THE LIFE-LANE

Walking down the Life-Lane

his arm around her

cracking sweet jokes

there were moments

she lapsed into memory lane.

Though he could read her

tormenting memories of unrequited love 

he never tried to compel her

to share with him her disturbing thoughts

instead took care to lift her from

her disturbing thoughts by

recalling some pleasant moments

both shared in the course of their honeymoon and after….

In the frozen silence of

thick darkness lying  glued to her

there were moments

he too lapsed into memory lane

while she was immersed

in pleasant, peaceful sleep

his mind often flew faraway

where his first love was lying nursing her sweet

moments with him in his mid twenties…..

turning his eyes moist. 

ON WATCHING HER MOODS CHANGING

Watching tear-jerkers

makes her cry like a child

tears flooding down her eyes

often getting  identified

with agonies, pains and dilemmas

being undergone by a

character in serials and films.

Watching a devotional film or serial

with the appearance of 

a god or goddess, on the screen

being enacted by an actor

in glittering costumes and ornaments

often with a halo around his/her head

keeping her eyes half-closed

she gets up from the

chair with folded palms

and offers prayers before the screen God or Goddess.

Watching an action-thriller

makes her grit the teeth

and clench her fists

identifying herself with the hero or heroine

who reduces the villain to

a heap of pulp after a long fight.

Forgetting her identity

with clenched fists,

she hits the wind

or someone seated beside her.

Watching full time comedy scenes

in serials and films

often drives her to

burst out laughing incessantly

the entire length of

the film forgetting the surroundings.

Watching art films

which drag on like a snail’s progress

forces her slump into the chair

fall asleep like a baby.

With time for News bulletins approaching

she turns off the

TV and relaxes

comfortably throwing her

eyes to the outside world…………...   

      

PAK ELECTIONS – NAWAZ SHERIF’S PML(N) GETS A SHOT IN THE ARM

Pakistan went to polls yesterday amidst threats of widespread violence, murders and kidnappings across the country by the militant outfit Tehrek-E-Taliban. The voters defied the threats and exercised their franchise with unprecedented enthusiasm. On completion of polling, counting of votes began to the 272-member Pakistan National Assembly. It was the first time in the history of Pakistan, a National election was held under a civilian dispensation. As expected by the political experts and observers Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) led by Nawaz Sherif, established a comfortable lead over the other two main rivals Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) led by Asif Ali Sardari and cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan’s Tehreek-E-Insaf with both of them locked in a neck-to-neck race for the second position in the National Assembly.

Anti-incumbency factor contributed a lot to Pakistan Peoples Party’s poor performance in the elections. Ranging from wide-spread violence let loose by militant outfits, rampant corruption, frequent black-outs, unemployment, sense of insecurity – a number of reasons are cited for the exit of the Pakistan People’s Party led govt from power. His govt’s open confrontation with the judiciary too played a significant role in its defeat at the hands of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) led by Nawaz Sherif.

For Nawaz Sherif it is a god-send opportunity to lift the nation from the morass it finds itself in by initiating several measures and the most important one being forceful handling of the hardcore militant units with an iron fist and establish a peaceful law and order situation across the nation. Most of us are aware of the sad fact that it is easier said than done. Anyhow by leading a people –friendly govt and with courage and determination he could bring a qualitative change in the long run if not soon. While Retd (General) Pervez Musharraf was in the saddle, he instead of rooting out the menace, covertly contributed to their growth by providing funds and logistical equipments. The authoritarian President of Pakistan’s motive was to bring India to its knees raking up the ‘core-issue’ of Jammu & Kashmir. General Musharaf instead of rooting out the menace from the soil of Pakistan actually nurtured the militant outfits by helping them sneak into India from across the border under the cover of darkness and extolled them as “freedom fighters”. In the course of time Musharraf found himself in a catch-22 position when the same militant outfits evolved into Frankenstein monsters and turned against him. The Pakistan Peoples Party which came into power had to inherit his legacy found itself in a piquant situation with the militants ruling the roost. Now the Ex-General after years of self-imposed exile in London and Dubai finds himself imprisoned under the orders of the Court with which he did have a policy of confrontation.

The first and formost thing towards the betterment of his country Nawaz Sherif need to have to strive hard to root out the evil of hard-core militant outfits otherwise he too will have to follow in the footsteps of Pakistan Peoples’ Party govt. Radical steps should have to be ushered in, the earlier, the better.

"FLYING DUTCHMAN"

Carrying a tumultuous sea inside

did he fly into India.

Neither did he come

in search of Absolute Truth

nor did he wish to take a

dip in the sacred Ganges

to wash off his sins.

Neither did he wish to

get drowned in sensual pleasures

nor did have the intention

of undertaking a research on any subject,

Neither did cultivate an

everlasting friendship with anyone

nor did he want to cement a relationship

with anyone.

He did undertake travels

across the vast land of diversities

he did visit famous and infamous landmarks.

Ever since his prime days

he wishes to be peripatetic.

He goes on flying from

land to land, nations to nations

around the world non-stop

carrying the tumultuous sea inside. 

He flies incognito like a free bird….     

     

HER SUN

Her Sun ripped apart

the dark clouds of

despair and gloom

and illuminated her path ahead

blessed her with the boon of

a new vision of a

world of harmony

after a long spell

in the darkness…..

THE BEGGARS

Disunited and disjointed

they remain

disliked and discriminated

they remain

desolate and discontented

they remain

deprived and despised

they remain.

They are an accursed lot

they are a condemned lot

left in the lurch

their entire life…..

INFINITE LOVE

Seeking pleasure and pain

the same time

I come to you every morning.

Seeking your cool,

warm breaths and embraces

I come to you every morning.

Seeking your serene,

tranquil presence

I come to you every morning

‘cause your serene

tranquil presence

cools my heart and mind

my otherwise strained nerves and tension

in the city of monotonous existence.

Seeking the proximity of my mother

full of care and affection

unlimited patience

who is faraway from me

keeping deep down in the

inner recessess of her heart

her hidden sorrows and pains

needling her

like you keeping  deep down,

I come to you to share your delight and pain every morning.      

PALESTINE-ISRAELI CONFLICT – JOHN KERRY’S PLANS DERAIL

US Secretary of State, John Kerry was visibly happy when Israel agreed to have negotiations with Palestine Authority Chairman Muhammad Abbas to find a lasting solution to the more than six decades of conflict between the two countries. With 22 member Arab League extending all support  John Kerry could prevail upon Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu to sit across the negotiating table to chalk out a peace plan by swapping lands between the former and Palestine Authority.  

The genesis of Israel-Palestine conflict dates back to 1948, to be exact sixty five years.  Both were on a collision course since then and with the passing of time the intensity of the rivalry instead of cooling down got aggravated and frequent wars and occasional skirmishes between the both rivals were the sad results.

Their rivalry grew intense not because any mediatory efforts were forthcoming from any quarters. Earnest efforts from the part of dignitaries like Jimmy Carter, former US President, at Camp David, US and from United Nations had no takers on either side. When it came to the crux of the matter both Israel and Palestine were found crossing swords against each other as a result of which scores of Palestinians and hundreds of Israelis had to pay dearly with their lives resulting the perennial conflicts. In 1967, Palestine with the support of nations like Egypt, Jordan and Syria fought a fierce battle against Israel which lasted for six days resulting in Israeli annexation of a major chunk of enemies’ territories like West Bank, Golan Heights and Sinai Peninsula.

It was a major setback for not only the Palestine but the entire Middle-East countries. In the course of time countries like Egypt and Jordan became friendly with Israel under US pressure is a historical fact.

While Palestine Liberation Army Chairman,Yasser Arafat was alive, he by forming the Fatab Movement which was not to the liking of a major group of extreme Palestine elements who wanted total decimation of Israel from the picture clinched a deal with Israel with Yitshak Rabin, the leader of ruling Likud partry mediated by Jimmy Carter, former US President.  Yitshak Rabin whose modest approach towards Palestinian cause resulted in his murder by a disillusioned Israeli assassin is also a part of history. 

The extremist Palestinians formed separate group called Hamas by choosing their base at Gaza strip which was/is absolutely against the Fatah Movement now being led Muhammed Abbas who rules the West Bank.

In the elections held in West Bank and Gaza while Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah emerged victorious and at Gaza Hamas group led by Khalid Mishael emerged the ultimate winner with a thumping majority where Ismail Haniyeh is in the saddle as Prime Minister.

It is not known John Kerry while planning to plunge into the venture of brokering a peace deal between Israel and Palestine led by Mahmoud Abbas whether Hamas was taken into confidence. On going through the reports emerging before the world is any indication we have to arrive at a sorry fact that Hamas was not taken into confidence. Hamas, it is learnt that, still sticks to its oft repeated stand that nothing short of wiping out Israel from the picture would do. Its leader and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has angrily come out with a statement that any kind of softening the stand is immaterial and has not hidden his ire at certain Arab countries - a veiled attack on 22 member Arab League countries.

If that be the case, how is it possible for John Kerry to come out with a negotiated settlement between Palestine and Israel? 

In the meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu too has made his intention clear that any kind of negotiation will be put to a nation-wide referendum only after that a settlement if any, would have to be arrived at.

It seems that perennial enmity between the two nations is there to stay. There is no sign of silver-lining emerging in the horizon.             

THE DOLLS

Like a child fondling her/his dolls

it is my pastime fondling

my memories whenever I feel

lonely and bored to death.

During such moments

to wriggle out of the

clutches of boredom

I turn the keys of the

dolls of my memories

with which I often

identify myself with.

Laughing dolls, weeping dolls

singing dolls, dancing dolls

the list is endless.

In the spacious hall of my mind

memories get piled up keeping no order.

‘Remembrance of things past’

is like an elixir in my moments of monotony.

Memories often play hide and seek game

throwing me a challenge of

“catch me if you can”.

My dolls of memories

are a treasure trove to me,

the more they pile up

the more delighted I am

even though a big chunk of them

makes me feel like

crying or agonizing.

AS YOU LIKE IT

It is in you

it is in me 

it is in everyone

it could be colourless,

or it could be of any colour simultaneously

blue, green, red, yellow, rose,

black or white, or black and white or

full of colours like in a rainbow,

for that matter any colour you or I like to choose

it could be tasteful,

sweet, bitter, sour,

and for that matter any taste you or I like to choose

it could be of any odour or odourless

like that of the

rose, hibiscus, chrysanthemum, jasmine, lilac,

and for that matter anything you or I like to choose

it could transcend boundaries

it could jump hurdles with or without wings

it could swim across

rivers, lakes, seas or oceans

it could reach continents, stars

and moon within no time .

and for that matter you or I like to choose

to be more apt.

It is in you

it is in me

it is in everyone.

Here I mean, we the human-beings.

  

LIKE GRAND ITEM NUMBERS

With the moon and stars

playing the roles of voyeurists 

besides occasional passers-by

with the hooting and tooting city

basking in the froth of milky light

the ‘children’ of the streets of Mumbai

for whom privacy is a luxury

which they can’t afford

for whom roofs over their heads have no place

even in their dreams

engage in shameless sex

playing ignorance and innocence

the moon, the stars playing voyeurists

the shows performed along the

street sides and railway-platforms of Mumbai

everyday

like grand item numbers

performed in an open-air auditorium.

SARABJIT SINGH’S UNENDING WAIT ANSWERED FINALLY

Death, like the proverbial ‘Sword of Democles’ was hanging over him for a prolonged period of 22 years. In spite of the earnest appeals of both, Indian and Pakistan human rights activists to have mercy on a human being who was languishing in a condemned cell at Kot Lakh Pat prison in Pakistan unfortunately went in vain. Despite the daily prayers to God Almighty by, his beloved sister Dalbir Kaur, wife Sukhbir Kaur, daughters Poonam and Swapandeep whose hopeful and anxious wait, everything went infructuous. Their repeated appeals with folded palms to the Pakistani ruling ruling establishment had no takers. That Sarabjit’s tortuous and unending wait, be it for some mercy from the side of Pakistani rulers or an early ending to the trauma by blessing him with ‘salvation’, his agonizing wait was finally solved by two Pakistani prison inmates whose dastardly attacks on him with iron rods, bricks and sharpened weapons resulted in the rupture of his skull led to him getting admitted to the Jinnah Hospital at Lahore, Pakistan where he fell into a coma or even before being admitted to the hospital has resulted on an expected end.

Ever since Afzal Guru being led to the gallows, the fate of Sarabjit Singh was almost sealed. Even otherwise the sword of Democles was hanging over him. If the earnest appeals of Indian and Pakistani human rights activists who were hoping against hopes had no takers in the Pakistani ruling establishment. Justice Markandeya Katju, Press Council of India Chairman and V.R.Krishna Iyer the former Supreme Court advocate including others tried their level best by appealing to Asif Ali Sardari, Pakistan President repeatedly fell on deaf ears.

From a country like Pakistan which is in the throes of internal strife and conflicts, which is the hotbed of terrorism, it was our fault to have expected a generous gesture by the ruling establishment of Pakistan where the army, the ruling establishment and terrorist outfits are pulling in opposite directions.

If one is led to believe that the attack on Sarabjit Singh had the overt or covert support of Pakistan’s Intelligence and others’ connivance, he/she need not be blamed.

A few months ago another Indian death row convict Chamel Singh was fatally attacked inside the jail premises, by a few Pakistani death-row convicts which is a true pointer to the sense of insecurity being undergone by other Indian convicts. Without the jail authorities not being aware of the planned attacks on Indian prisoners, how come the Pakistani convicts inflict brutal attacks on Chamel Singh and Sarabjit Singh which was pre-planned and pre-meditated by the Pakistani death-row convicts who nurse blind anti-India sentimentl, on going thru the arrangements and precautions they had taken. Sarabjit’s tragic end underlines the sad fact that Indians in Pakistan are a helpless lot, be they Indian High Commission officials, journalists or for that matter anyone who nurtures a pro-India sentiment.

RIVER OF MUSIC

Keeping the doors and 

windows of her flat shut

falling flat on her bed

with her eyes and ears  shut

under the speeding fan running at its peak,

she made a futile attempt

to escape from the

ear-splitting wild music rocking the

metro 24X7.

She lamented to herself:

“Tormenting and agonizing

this city life

 – could I ever get

accustomed with this city life

“full of sound and fury

signifying anything”?

-          she inquired her husband

with fright in her eyes one day.

“You will have to learn to live with it”- he responded with a smile

“How come the citizens

enjoy this wild music

rocking and shaking the city each day?

who needs the  smoothly flowing river of  music 

of a new comer like her coming from

from s faraway village...................?

with butterflies in her stomach

she was asking herself……………………         

THE CEMETERY

With the veil of,

darkness enveloping the,

village,

with the village,

falling into deep slumber,

with the ambience,

plunging into deadly silence,

with the owls hooting, bats flapping  wings,

with eerie music of,

crickets engulfing the entire village,

it is the place where ghosts of,

departed souls,

irrespective of age and gender,

start roaming, dancing ,

and burst out into roars of laughter,

frightening the passers-by.

   

THE GERMAN COUPLE

It was a pleasure

enjoying the visual feast

of the German couple

strolling along the beach,

hand in hand

getting drunk with

the joy of watching

the infinite beauty of the sea

occasionally splashing the

waves rising to the sandy beach

exchanging warm kisses, once in a while

lips locking lips

caring two hoots to the hungry eyes of the voyeurists.  

It was like a romantic thriller

beautifully weaved on the celluloid

like a rich tapestry

or like a couple celebrating their honeymoon

in the backdrop of the sea.

The gathering dark clouds in the sky

clashing against each other

sending thousands of long slender golden arms

descending on the earth

followed by thunder and drizzles

went unnoticed by the hilarious love birds

or both seemed unperturbed

over the clash of clouds

followed by

ear-splitting roars of thunder.

Instead

they seemed like enjoying

the long, slender golden arms of light

embracing them.

As they strolled briskly along the beach

hand in hands

in a split-second death in the guise

of golden arms of light

struck down her German lover

claiming him instantly

with her standing spell-bound

unable to scream

unable to raise an alarm

unable to even………….

She was seen falling on her lover

tears trickling down her cheeks

planting kisses unbound over her lifeless mate

drenched in the heavy downpour

coupled with lightning and thunders

staging a death dance……………………..