HAPPY NEW YEAR

POEM

An eventful year

has bid goodbye

paving the way for

the dawn of another New year.

The eventful year was

like any other New year

and this New year

is no doubt different.

On looking back we are

supposed to recall the

by-gone years

and even a nostalgia

is far far away from us

since each year is like

another year

all eventful

as also fateful years.

Hence,

we do not have anything

to be cheerful and

we need not be prophets

to forecast 

another developments

whether it is good or bad.

Still, we the onlookers

nurse and nurture our dreams

closer to our bosom.

Anyhow for namesake we

await the approach

of heart-warming developments…

SIGNALS

POEM

Held up on the tracks of life

I am waiting for the

red signal turn green

for the train of life

proceeds ahead to reach

my destination in the

peak hours of the morning.

The boss would remind me,

once in a while its okay

but whenever I evolve into a chronic absentee

as punishment I will have to

suffer loss of leave.

The gentleman or for that matter

the gentle lady who is

seated conveniently in the chair

in the air-conditioned cabin

need not find out

the reason for one

to reach the office.

I often wonder

the gentleman or for that

gentle woman doesn’t seems like

experiencing the hazards

of travelling if and when purchasing ticket for the

first class compartment

early in the morning by

catching the train or own car

arrive at the office.

On the whole a

human-being’s

commuting start from

faraway station and often

I have lost counting how

many red and green signals

are to be obeyed for the

train of life to reach

the destination…

THE WELL

POEM

Drawing lessons from

the well of knowledge

I keep on drinking

the elixir of knowledge.

My quest for

drinking knowledge is

incredible and inexplicable.

The depth of the well of

knowledge, is so deep that

I often draw lessons

from the well of knowledge

and more and more lessons

keep the well of knowledge

and information and remain vigilant.

Even under the blazing Sun

which lasts for a long time

the well of knowledge

prevents the drying up

never ever as long as

the world exists. 

MASKS

POEM

With no malice

towards each other

he/she parted ways after spending

as husband and wife for almost ten years

like a river

in the course of time

keeps flowing in two directions.

Though it was a divorce

both he/she

didn’t keep ill-feelings

towards each other.

Neither she nor he

continued to live without

falling into any other love-affairs.

After the divorce

she began to live with her parents

and despite their constant

persuasions she didn’t

want anybody tie a nuptial knot.

She practised

as an IT consultant

in a faraway IT hub in a metro.

On getting fed up with her job

she wanted to join the tinsel world

during her leisure moments

she derived satisfaction

by creating masks

some pretty, some frightening and horrible.

Nobody knew what prompted

her to indulge in

going on with her hobby of making masks

even after she grew up as a young lady….

FALLEN FLOWERS

POEM

When I saw you in the morning

you were happy and pleasant

keeping your head held high

like a man/woman who is elated

excited and fearless.

When I saw you in the noon,

you were bowing down

unable to hold your head high

and was looking sad and painful

which also made me sad and gloomy.

When I opened the gate after my office hours

and on my way home I was certain

that you wouldn’t be

at your place and your petals

already fallen down on the soil under

your pensive mother plant.

Our life too does have a closer

similarity like the fallen flowers….

END OF THE ENDLESS ROAD

Days are running fast

like a horse without 

anyone to rein in aiming

the end of the endless  road.

Whether anyone among us has

accomplished the mission of

surpassing the obstructions 

and obfuscations, we are totally confused.

Nobody, anyone among us

has never ever reached our goal, thus it seems.

Still hoping against hopes

we run fast

and the endless road runs faster and faster

and to accomplish our long-cherished

dream of reaching the

end of the road like

the mountaineers

conquering the summit,

and emerging victorious
is a herculean task
to run along the road faster and faster.

WARM, SERENE AND REFRESHING

Rays of hope are like

the warm rays of the

morning Sun.

While the rays of hope

are warm, serene and refreshing.

With time ticking by rays of Sun get

hotter and hotter

forcing the human-beings

sweat, leaves and flowers of trees

getting faded and plain lands

turn into deserts.

And time continues to keep on ticking

faster and faster

the rays of sun once again

turn warm, serene and refreshing

the flow of warm rays, serene and tranquil.

The only exception being rays of hope

make us continue to

exist as long as we exist on the face of the earth. 

US AND NATO WITHDRAWING THEIR FORCES FROM AFGHANISTAN

With the forces of US and NATO almost withdrawing from Afghanistan, many of us apprehend Taliban militants are poised to get ready for another round of wreaking havoc in the war-torn country, until capturing power there. The hydra has already begun to bare its tentacles by murdering hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians. The people across the hapless country have already begun to experience nightmares. For them another round of Taliban rule means the return of the Sharia law which could commit murders, mayhem and destroy properties worth millions of dollars. The Shariat law will lay hands on anyone who are found to be their enemies and after summary trials are punished by hanging them before the public or stoning them or whipping them be it he/she especially the women who are considered as the violators of the ruthless Sharia law. Even for any issue which the laws of Shariat apply those who commit anything which are not to the liking of Taliban which is waiting in their wings to capture power. The worst sufferers are the women of Afghanistan who will be forced to confine themselves indoors which deprive their ambition of continuing their education. Furthermore they will have to wear burqua and are not allowed to even cast a smile at a man, leave alone speaking to a familiar person whom she sees since years. A woman accused of adultery is awarded the blood-chilling acts of stoning to death or hanging in public or whipped ruthlessly and parade her down the streets for terrorizing the public.

With US declaring war on Taliban and with an iron hand overthrowing the Taliban government in 2001 on the grave issue of demolishing the two towers of World Trade Centre in 9/11/2001 allegedly by Al-Quaeda elements, the militant outfit led by Osama Bin Laden, the citizens of Afghanistan heaved a sigh of life escaping fear psychosis. Osama was killed in a US drone attack at Abottabad in Pakistan where he was living in a house with his family.

On completion of US mission of killing Osama Bin Laden, US developed cold feet and Barack Obama declared his intention of withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. US’s soldiers have been flown to their land keeping 13000 of their soldiers in Afghanistan and NATO has already decided to shift 140000 of their soldiers to its respective allies keeping only 10800 of their soldiers in Afghanistan for providing training to Afghan forces.

Taliban meanwhile have made it clear that they are determined to fight until the withdrawal of last foreign soldier from their soil.

Indians who work on building up the infrastructure in Afghanistan – irrigation, education, health care, construction works by both skilled and unskilled Indians have to be protected by the Afghan govt headed by Ashraf Ghani and Abdulla Abdulla and in case Taliban captures power and occupy the saddle. Taliban’s ire will be ventilated against the Indians and it would be better with the assumption of power by Taliban (a possibility). Indian workers are brought to India. It is a naked truth that India have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in various fields like rich mineral sources and besides that India has helped Afghanistan by way of grants to that country while Hamid Karzai was holding the reins of power.

Taliban like Al-Quaeda is a ruthless militant outfit which have no qualms to forget Indian help since India is considered one of their prominent enemies.

With the withdrawal of US and NATO forces Taliban elements will roam free across Afghanistan and commit horrible crimes which are beyond our imagination. The country as a whole will be pushed to a ditch from which that nation will have no escape.           

IMPERFECT WORLD

We the human beings are

imperfect, so is the world

perfection is something

beyond our reach

like the stars glimmering and blinking

in the sky.

Among us human beings

a miniscule of us

strive and aspire to be

perfect which is next 

to impossible.

Majority among us are not

foolish enough to attain perfection.

If and when the stars

in the sky were in our

reach we would have

aimed at something unattainable.

On the issue of perfection

we always dream about

reaching it

and never ever

we would be

able to realize

our dream….

TRAP

The door bell rang

in the dead of night.

‘The door is not locked

from inside, please come in’ – she invited him.

A shudder ran down

his body.

He was shivering with fear.

‘Come inside, why this

hesitation?’ – she invited him.

‘How dare she keeps the

door open?’ – he was

asking himself.

It was thick darkness inside.

He couldn’t see anything inside.

With cautious steps he

entered the room.

‘Could you switch on

the light? I can’t see you

or anything inside’. – he pleaded.

‘Why not? With pleasure

of course’ – she answered.

Next moment, light filled the room.

He looked around.

There was nobody in the room.

And there was no furniture.

The room had virtually nothing

inside the room.

‘Where are you? I can’t

see you?’ – with thumping

heart and trembling

voice he was asking.

There was no answer forthcoming.

All of a sudden the

light went out and

thick darkness spread inside.

Summoning courage he wanted to run away.

But the door was locked from outside.

He found himself between

the devil and deep sea.

He wanted to cry aloud

but no voice came out of him.   

ALIEN

The feeling of being an alien is

like a pestering insect nagging me.

The only relief being, like I, some others

too are thinking on these lines.

In an era when human beings

are evolving into monsters

(Pardon me Charles Darwin

this is a kind of reverse evolution)

whose prayers to God

are being favourably answered

whose offerings and oblations

are kindly accepted by God Almighty

and He showers blessings

profusely over the devils

and the heart-wrenching

prayers and offerings 

are willy-nilly acknowledged by God

whose reluctance to shower blessings

over the genuine devotees is nothing but painful.

It is no wonder people

like me and others of my ilk

feel like being aliens

around the world…..

MORAL POLICING

Even in this modern age

friendship between

a boy and girl

or a youth and a lass

during walk the talk

is often mistaken for

immoral relationship

by the self-proclaimed

moral police in our land.

They are being chased

and warned

or heckled and thrashed

and even go to the

extent of beating them up

to pulp and murdered

by these ‘moral police’.

These so-called custodians

of values and ethics

never feel like

inquiring them about their

whereabouts and relationship

before taking the plunge

to indulge in beating

and lynching the

friends or brethren.

These slaves of medieval age

instead of imbibing the

true message of these times

stoop too low to the

standard of the children of

medieval age.

When will their narrow-mindedness bid

adieu to them or will

they continue to exist as such?

EVEN NOSTALGIA ELUDES

Those were happy days.

He had parents, siblings,

uncles, aunties close

and beloved relatives in

the immediate neighbourhood.

Along with the passage of time

he grew up like a

coconut plant growing up

into a coconut tree with coconuts aplenty

and his near and dear ones

including him went in different directions.

Several of his elders

bid adieu and left to Heaven.

With them departing from all,

now none is left behind

in the village where he

was born and brought up.

Those days of nostalgia too have

‘gone with the wind’.

He knew in the bottom of his heart

with the wheel turning a full circle

he finds himself in

this part of the world

with his wife and children.

This is not only his

story but the stories of

many a people are like this.

Behold

we are all ‘creatures of circumstances’

and have

no let-up from them…

PRIORITIES

Memories are like one’s

children

while some children

right from the kindergarten days

are studious

others often play truant.

Rewarding the studious

children and whiplashing

the truant ones are of no use.

Studious ones in the

course of their life

turn civil servants, scientists, professors,

doctors or engineers et al

the truant ones in the

course of their life

evolve into politicians

ministers, rulers or law-enforcers

who occupy positions of power

and rule the once studious

hard-working, dynamic and enterprising ones

holding the reins and command the

first category and

direct them to follow their diktats.

ROBBER

The day on which

you visited my home

together with your parents

and a few close relatives

I was all joy and happiness.

Only after you went

with your near and dear

I felt something missing within me.

While I was groping

along the dark alleys of my mind   

the light I saw at the end of tunnel

I knew you have stolen my heart.

In the night

after slumping into the bed and lay

your face started playing

hide and seek game

robbing away with my heart.

You came from nowhere in the thick of night

and entered my bed-room stealthily

and lay by my side you asked me :

‘you are still sleepless?’.

I couldn’t find words

to explain my predicament

since I  was drowned in the pond of overjoy.

Hugging me planting kisses galore

down my forehead

lips, cheeks, hillocks and my valleys

you were emotions unlimited

you lay by my side until

I fell asleep

deep sleep it was.

In the morning when

I woke up from

slumber you were not by my side.

My delight vanished and

I plunged into the abyss

of melancholy.

I awaited patiently until

the darkness got thickened.

But you didn’t turn up 

leaving me in tears

and I felt like my

senses going haywire…..

I was still certain you

would come to me one day……

PRESENT TENSE

Always living in the past is foolishness.

It is like swimming

against the river of fluid.

Even  a great

swimming champion can’t move far

and it is dangerous.

Getting drowned in the

river of fluid is common.

The more one tries, the

less one can move ahead

before he/she reaches

the finishing line.

Let bygones be bygones,

I would advise.

Future is always unpredictable 

and uncertain.

Hence weaving a dream net

is always impossible and immaterial.

True, to set an eye

in the future is good

but you may not be able to

reach your goal.

Always try to

live in the present

this moment, this second,

this minute

you could taste the

sweetness of the present.

Your imagination won’t

wander thru the forests

and it would remain  in

the present only and

that would make you

cheerful and delightful.

Be you a rich man or

a poor man living in

the present is of primary importance.

Never try to rewind,

never try to forward wind

but for something important

some thing important….

THE EMPTINESS

One day the new landlord

along with his labourers 

came by lorry from elsewhere

followed by the JCBs.

First and foremost they

removed the gate

after which four tall 

compound walls demolished.

The huge pretty house

in the middle of the property

was brought down

and ensured that

not even a  single

remnant of the destroyed

structure was left behind.

The owner who was watching  

the entire structure

saw to it that the work was in progress.

And

as per his instructions

labourers uprooted the trees and plants

in the already drought-hit garden.

The land was leveled

as directed by him and

by evening thy returned

elsewhere. 

They came back next day morning

and took up the thread of the work

they left behind yesterday.

What happened to the

occupants of the house

along with the

former landlord, his wife

three girls  and their young brother.

A emptiness left in his mind

and memories of his love-affair

with the young, cute, attractive girl of

the house for a long duration entwined him.

Whither went the enigmatic girl

was the nagging question

tormenting his mind, her face  

without being able to

erase from his mind.

His old, golden memories

of the past flowed like

a ‘stream of consciousness’.

In the meanwhile

he was asking himself

what would be the plan

of the new owner in

future who  had taken up

the mantle handed over

to him by the former landlord?   

ELECTION GIMMIKS

Riding the crest of popular wave

he was voted to power

with a thumping   majority.

From the very day

the party elected him

as Prime Ministerial candidate

he plunged into the fray

six months before the

elections were scheduled.

He went on a whirlwind

tour of election campaign

across the country

and conquered the minds

of majority of electorate

with his oratorial skill.

The D-day approached

within six months

during which time he had

delivered rousing speeches and

upsetting everyone’s expectations

his party  emerged victorious hands down.

While he was on a

whirlwind tour around the nation

highlighting the plight

of poor people

and vowing to lift them 

above poverty line

he could capture the hearts

of suffering millions.

Upon assuming the charge of Prime Minister

within two –three months

contrary to the expectations

of the poor

he and his party sided

with the industrialists

and businessmen  

caring two hoots for

the dark plight of poor people.

The gap between the rich

and poor got wider and wider

and the sinister game continues

leaving the poor

and middle-class in the lurch.

All parties while taking

the plunge into the

election arena

always swear by the welfare of them

by ameliorating

the pathetic conditions of the suffering millions.

He and his party are no different.

A MAN’S PLEA TO A STAR

Allow me to come out of the

shell of the star

in which I spend my lonely days

to come out and stand on my legs,

take a prolonged sighs of relief

and look down on the

vast sprawling Mother Earth

who gave birth to me

and jump with joy

and exhilaration

when I find out my residence 

among thousands of

residences belonging to various guys.

I can very well stand

erect and look upon

them - my wife and children

while they take a

walk down the courtyard

in the moonlight

looking around cracking

jokes, playing pranks

and occasionally looking up

they happen to see me

watching with delight

from the sky.

The amount of joy and pleasure

they enjoy

singing, dancing and jumping up frequently

are immeasurable.

Such are the feelings

I too enjoy

when I feel assured

that they still recount

the love and fondness I proffered on them 

all still etched on the soft

walls of petals of a red rose

I get elated.

Watching them sharing happy moments

for hours together until I

return to the star

with agony and sorrow enveloping us

is unbearable.

FIRST PRIZE WINNER

In the early hours of the morning

I woke up at 6 AM sharp as usual.

My wife had already woken up 

and after her routine chores

she entered the kitchen

and prepared a cup of

hot black coffee

and brought it to me

I woke up from the bed and she

handed over the cup of black coffee.

Like a person sipping

liquor in an air-conditioned bar

I started sipping the

sweet black coffee

enjoying each sip 

praising my beloved wife

for preparing such

a nice cup of

coffee silently.

I threw my hands

in to the air followed

by a deep sigh of relief.

I unlocked the door to the verandah

where the  day’s newspapers

one in vernacular language

and the other in English were left behind

by the newspaper boy.

Picking up the newspapers

and reclining conveniently

in my easy chair

and began leafing thru the page.

Though  the newspapers

convey the news of tragedies

be them regional, national

and international

the newspapers have

already evolved into

opium  which easily enslaves us.

‘Hello good morning’

the lottery vendor Chakkappan

unexpectedly was standing

infront of me with folded hands.

‘Sir, have you kept the

lottery ticket safely

in your possession’?

- he was asking

‘Certainly’ – I answered him.

‘Then go through the paper

and verify your ticket

with that of the newspaper’ – he implored.

I went inside within no

time and brought the

ticket and verified my number

with that of the newspaper.

Overwhelmed with joy

and pleasant surprise

I glanced again and

again at the ticket

which has won first prize.

My joy knew no bounds

and felt like jumping

again and again and called 

my wife and divulged

the happy news of winning first  prize

amounting one crore rupees.

Chackappan too was delighted

and pleaded with me to

go to the bank with the

clock at the stroke of 10AM.

As told by Chackappan

to go straight to the bank

I rushed to the bank

where I had opened an

account a year back.

I went direct to the

cabin where the manager

was seated who looked

serious and on seeing me

and my wife he frowned

at us which we didn’t care. 

I took out the ticket

from my pocket.

‘Sir I am so and so

I have won one crore that

is the first prize’ and

handed it over to him for verification.

Manager shed his arrogance

and exasperation and glanced

at us respectfully.

He asked me to sign 

on the back of the

ticket and complied with his request. 

In the meanwhile

two cups full of

Nescafe, one for me

and one for my wife

I was wondering

whenever I came to

the bank in the past

he was not even willing to

even listen to

my grievances and one day

in the past he even went

to the extent of ordering

me to get out.

‘The same idiot is

full of smiles and

praises towards us’

Money is power, you know.  

THE FATE OF ABOOBACKER-AL-BAGHDADI STILL A MYSTERY

It is rumoured that Aboobacker-Al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed Caliph of Islamic State (IS) is no more as per  unconfirmed reports floating in the air about which even US is not sure. On the fateful day, across the rough terrains of Mosul, a large gathering of Islamic State militants assembled to chalk out future strategies about how to respond to the massive bombardments by the forces loyal to US and its allies and also to condole the killings of hundreds of thousands of civilians and militia who courted martyrdom who dedicated their service to protect the Islamic State (IS) which was formed by the annexation of parts of Syria and Iraq.

US which has already declared an offer of $10 million to whoever points out the whereabouts of Mr.Baghdadi who is more popular than Aymen-Al-Zavahiri who occupies No:1 position in Al-Quaeda after the assassination of Osama-Bin-Laden by the forces of US at Abottabad in Pakistan who was residing comfortably with his wives, children and  grand children in a spacious house. Who pointed his finger at him and passed on the hot news to US is still a mystery. And now after more than one year news emanating from US points towards a different story. That the man who was supposed to have pumped bullets on Osama-Bin-Laden and ensured his ‘death’ was not Rob O’Neill who we were told to believe but by who did the job is still unknown. Mr Laden, it was reported, was later carried away by the US and thrown out into an ocean which too is a mystery since US has not revealed to the world for reasons best known to it.

Now that new versions of the story has come about – all contradictory whether Laden was actually killed and if he was assassinated who was the ‘hero’ who performed, no one knows anything for sure.

So be it. Now that US has shifted its mission to Iraq for tackling the menace of the Islamic State led by Aboobacker-Ali-Baghdadi and his forces. Whether Baghdadi succumbed to the injuries after the massive bombardment of Mosul where assembled a number of Islamic State militants, whether he was very much present in the large gathering, whether he has been injured in the attack all are distant possibilities. Being the unquestioned leader of IS who must have had a protective wall provided by his followers, it is not that easy to finish him off.

With even Pentagon is keeping its fingers crossed how could we the outsiders reach a conclusion of his death?

The billion dollar question remaining unanswered is how long the war is poised to last, whether US will be lucky to emerge successful in its crusade against the destruction of Islamic State (IS) which if allowed to grow tall, it is US which is bound to suffer the worst of its kind in the end, US is unlikely to spoil an opportunity.

It is something funny on recalling that the former Nobel Laureate for peace, Mr Barack Obama has been put in a piquant situation. As defence strategist Brahma Chellany points out Barack Obama has seized a rare victory of intervening in the internal affairs of seven nations. How’z that?

PERVADING EVILS ACROSS THE WORLD

Shed your baggage of arrogance

in a deep pitch of unfathomed depths.

Throw away your

overbearing nature in the Arabian sea

or for that matter any sea or ocean.

Love you can, hate you can,

but never try to destroy a person

out of personal vendetta

or for nurturing a grudge

you keep with since a long period.

Never stab your friend

or well-wishers in the back

like Brutus did to

Julius Caesar forcing

him to utter ‘Ye tu Brutus’ in gnawing pain

of both of body and soul.

In this world

even in the first half of 21^st century

arrogance, overbearing attitudes, destruction spree,

rampant deception etc etc

we are left  with no other option

but learn to live with all evils……

spreading across the world….. 

IN SEARCH OF…………….

On the look-out for

my friend

who went missing since an year

I have already traversed

long distance

rivers, streams, hills,

mountains, villages

and cities…..

and despite all my search

I couldn’t fish him out.

But on reaching this holy land

I had an intuition that

he must be somewhere here

immersed in meditation

and I vowed to find

him wherever he was

and with that intuition

in my mind

I spent a long duration

searching him on the

nook and cranny of the land

inquired about such a man

whose features I explained

to each man in detail

and I could get the stock reply

which was that all

of them are recalling

such a man

but none could point out

where he was…

Caressing and embracing

such a dream

I couldn’t feel like

leaving this land

and I am very much

here since a long period

often pondering about

the possibility of

someone from my village

roaming and roaming across

this land in search of myself…

Still,

I never nursed and nurtured

the hope of leaving this land

and return to my village….

AWAITING HIS ARRIVAL……

The sky was thick dark and cloudy that night

with  the moon and stars went into hiding

he was riding the bike tooting the horn to his house

where his wife and son were waiting for his arrival

with their hearts pounding

since they were apprehending danger to his life

by his enemies for quite sometime then

who had taken a vow to blow out the flame of his life.

But a fearless he roamed thru the

streets in broad day-light  

and thick and dark nights alike.

Thru the rear view mirror

he saw approximately five or six

two wheelers following him.

The fearless young man

sensed the approaching

danger about to knock him down.

Still he rode with uniform speed and

cared two hoots to who were following him.

The sky opened up unexpectedly

and a heavy downpour resulted

drenching him and those following him.

Since they were riding

their vehicles with maximum speed

and surrrounded him.

Within no time

they hacked him several

times with lethal weapons until they ensured

and confirmed his death

and disappeared from the scene. 

The mother and son were

still awaiting his arrival while he

was lying in a pool of blood

in the middle of the road. 

HEAVEN AND HELL

It is often said that

the route to hell is

wide and safe

with no steep hills or

hillocks and unfathomed depths

and the route to heaven is narrow

with cracks and potholes

along the way and with occasional

hills or hillocks.

The souls of

evil and blessed ones

believing the dictum

passed over to them

by  their predecessors

rush to the so-called

heaven to which both the

blessed and accursed sinners

rush past each other.

The route to the hell

as already mentioned

doesn’t have any

takers and the path is

always deserted with

not even a single

soul choosing the

path apprehending that

it would lead to hell

and not even a

single soul blessed or accursed

knows not which route leads

to heaven and which

route leads to hell

with obfuscation ruling the roost.

In these strange times

not even a single human-being

cares not and believes not

whether heaven or hell does exist.  

BEGGARS

Beggars never strike work,

since it is they

who are the ultimate losers.

Like the beggars

roam about the sidewalks of towns, cities and villages

when an impoverished nation

falls into a poverty-trap

it seeks assistance  to lift itself

from the clutches of hunger.

Begging after all is an art of living

like any other profession.

THE SPRING

Another advent of

spring in our country

after a gap of three

spring  seasons of drought.

The drought hit fields

with cracks developing all around

as if in a magic have disappeared

plunging us into a sublime feeling

with our jasmine fields

full of blooms

spreading scent

have spread far and wide.

The evil spirits of

wickedness and witchcrafts

suffered by the neighbouring nations

with the scent

of jasmine blooms acting

as catalysts

have been banished and erased

many a dictator from history.

Still a few

like leeches are bent upon continuing

and sucking blood

of many persist.

Still we hope against hopes

and with cautious optimism

one day the jasmine

fields bearing jasmine blooms

would spread the world over one day…..

VICTORY

With the suspension

of three members of staff

from the institution

the officers and

manager were in a jubilant mood.

‘The trouble-makers

are out’ – one officer  mused

after the remaining members of staff

left the office

with dark, clouded faces.

After the suspension of

three members of staff

all hell broke loose

contrary to the

expectations of higher-ups.

If the slogan shoutings were

outside the office until then

it was slogan shouting inside

disturbing the very

peace of the authorities

who held a party

on the very day the

three members of staff

were thrown out

and the ultimate victory

went to the

employees with the

management signing on the dotted line.    

ALONG THE WAY

Countless babies are born

and countless babies die per day

with happiness and sorrow

mingling with each other

across our land.

Celebrities,

common men and

poverty-stricken people die

across our land each day

with gnawing pain, tears 

and relief mingling with each other

and photos and

reports in nutshells 

being printed filling

a full page or two newspapers.

Once in a while we happen to come

across the photos

along with reports in a nutshell

and are either flabberghasted

or feel indifferent.

i often wonder how many familiar faces are

omitted by the newspaper

for no fault of theirs.

Such informations

pay visit to us from

somebody whom we

come across after a long spell in our life,

along the way. 

THE GIFT

The gift of

a new dawn is

a precious, priceless jewel to

both of us.

The gift of a

smile is sweeter

and immemorable to us.

The gift of a ‘kiss of love’

is ecstasy  to  us

and if it is a first kiss in our life

the memory of which would remain eternal.

The gift of a warm and long hug by

both is something which

lifts our sagging spirits.

And the gift of a

sunset overwhelms us

with its charming, colourful 

appearance beyond our imagination

which though painful is

a magnificient  scenery

before he goes down

the horizon for the day.  

THREE POEMS

Steps and Missteps 

Though not all steps are
missteps.
But missteps are
missteps.
Hence you should have to
start from the beginning.

Thoughts and Meditation 

Thoughts must not
get distorted and wander along
through unchartered territories.
They should
move along a straight line.
Meditation is
the only remedy for
the thoughts to walk ahead
along a straight line
in order not to get them distorted.
Otherwise learn to live with it.

Realties and Fantasies

Realties are realties.
And
Fantasies are fantasies.
Still both are inter-related.
When realties and
fantasies play together
a beautiful invaluable an creation
come into being.                

BILAWAL BHUTTO’S ENTRY INTO PAKISTAN POLITICS

It seems like Bilawal Bhutto, leader of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) is, stepping  into the foot-steps of Zulfiker Ali Bhutto who once announced ‘one thousand years of jihad’ against India for annexing Jammu & Kashmir with Pakistan. The same Bhutto came to India and met the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and held a meeting at Simla which is widely known as Simla Agreement. Just before deposing Zulfikar Ali Bhutto due to ‘alleged disorder’ in the country under the leadership of Zia-Ul-Haq who proclaimed himself as the defacto leader of Pakistan who met with an air crash while flying aboard an airplane which to a section of Pakistanis believe that it was a case of sabotage. Bhutto did a favour to him and declared him a four star General superseding senior military officers. Still the General had no moral prick to arrest Bhutto and imprison him and Supreme court issued a verdict sentencing him to death. A famous work called ‘A Case of Exploding Mangoes’, a comic novel by a Pakistan journalist Muhammed Hanif secured instant fame. General Zia entered and implemented Islamic tenets in the constitution which made Pakistan an Islamic State. The laws were ruthlessly implemented by announcing Sharia laws which came into practice under which punishments were carried out to those who were alleged to have committed blasphemy which were equivalent to the punishments meted out in the Middle Ages. Mr.Bhutto was made to suffer in isolated cell for a long period and later put on trial and was sentenced to death in spite of pressures not to kill Mr.Bhutto by countries around the world especially those nations which were under democratic rule. After suffering harshly inside the isolated cell Mr.Zulfikar-Ali-Bhutto was led to the gallows and thus came to the end of an era.
His wife Nusrat Bhutto and daughter Benazir Bhutto who later married Asif-Ali-Sardari, former President of Pakistan under the banner of Pakistan Peoples’ Party. With PPP winning a comfortable victory and the new dawn of democracy shone once again but had to pay a heavy cost, ie the fateful and her violent death by the so-called ones owing allegiance to Redt General Pervez Musharraf who pumped bullets on her while she was on a whirl-wind tour of Pakistan to canvas votes in the elections. Mrs Bhutto had a premonition that murderous elements were after her and apprehended death. It was a pre-planned and pre-meditated handy work of those owing allegiance to Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf, it is alleged by a cross-section of Pakistanis.
With the victory of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), the Retd General Pervez Musharraf’s term as the self-declared President of Pakistan came to an end and the ‘courageous’ man fled Pakistan with his family and sought asylum in London and repeated his assertions that he would fly to his home country and join politics. Until he flew to London and Dubai All Pakistan Muslim League, the political party which he had founded was to some extent in a state of hibernation. The man however flew back to Pakistan after a prolonged period mustering courage and arrogance and on the moment he stepped down on the soil of Pakistan from the airplane he was arrested and put on house arrest. Citing many reasons, the govt under Nawaz Sherif, leader of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) filed cases against him and as of now Musharraf is in a catch-22 situation.
Bilawal Bhutto, the UK educated handsome youth on completion of his studies whose sole aim is to assume leadership of Pakistan Peoples’ Party and to make known his intention to capitalize on the situation prevailing in Pakistan, he declared in London that he was ready to fight against India to capture the Jammu and Kashmir at any cost. And to sideline other parties of Pakistan he along with his followers declared to hold ‘one million march’ to 10 Downing Street, the official residence of David Camaron,  Prime Minister of Britain.
The other day while leading the march to President’s official residence, he was heckled, booed and empty plastic  bottles by those belonging to various political parties of Pakistan since they were not invited to join the march alleging that he was cashing in on the situation single-handedly. Britain had however made it clear that the issue has to be solved between the two countries in a cordial atmosphere and PPP’s plea to Britain to play a third party rule was rejected.
The announcement of one million Pakistani’s march by Bilawal was nothing but a ploy to let the world come to know that he has going to be playing a pro-active role in Pakistan politics.

UNKNOWN CITY, UNKNOWN DISCOVERY

Driving down the

straight road in a strange city

he saw her walking ahead

without looking left or right.

But for the crowds

he could have applied the brakes

and come to a halt

or call her at the top of his voice

due to the hustle and bustle of the city.   

After completing their

studies in the same

college and in the same classes,

for years together

they parted ways with

hopes and assurances

of meeting again someday, somewhere

in future.

But contrary to their

expectations, contacts

between got snapped at an unknown junction

in their life.

If he could

find her in a village

along the way he could

not only have fished her out

and shared their feelings past, present and future

and that would have

been a pleasant and refreshing experience.

But in a city it

is almost impossible these days

maintaining friendships for long

is nothing but wishful thinking.

After the car reached

in the outskirts of the city

where crowds are virtually absent

he parked the car on the street-side and

he sat with his drooping head

for a long time, drowsed

for sometime with thoughts

travelling down memory lane.

He switched on the

ignition key with the sadness

of having lost a golden opportunity,

a rare opportunity.

Life craves for many

invaluable things but gets

back a miniscule of

what we wish, hope and pray….

THE CAMARADERIE

Yesterday

watching a drunken brawl

between two friends

inside a bar

I was sitting alone

in a corner of the

bar in the dim light listening to wild music.

With anxious eyes and

drum-beating heart

when the brawl went out of control

I called one of

the waiters clad in white with a turban

and asked him to call

the security to throw them out

since they were getting on his nerves

and let peace prevail

inside the air-conditioned bar frowning.

The security advised them to cool down

which both were not

in the mood to oblige.

Today

at about the same time

I saw both of them

coming  out of the bar

joining hands

and laughing aloud

showing no sign of enmity

and in its  place 

intimacy was reigning supreme

between the two.

I laughed to myself

thinking about the

role being played by liquor.

Strange are the ways of liquor …

I told myself. 

A LONG JOURNEY

Each year in the course of a long

journey down the tarred road

he used to sleep

in the shade of the

colossus of a tree

for a few hours

in the blazing sun.

One day

while sleeping under the tree

he saw a dream which

to him was nightmarish

about the disappearance of the tree

from the street side.

Within a few years

upon waking up

he was wondering

how come he happened to

see the nightmare

which to him was something appalling.

Hence, while passing

along the village

with his heart pounding

he recalled that dream.

He happened to see

and on noticing the tree

from afar

and

he heaved a sigh of relief.

A tired he, due to long journey

he slept under the tree

enjoying the warm breeze.

Before falling asleep

he could listen to the

rumblings of its

leaves which were music to his ears

which were like a lullaby.

After one year while

walking down the tarred road

he looked afar

and true to his nightmare

the tree had disappeared somewhere.

Unable to bear the shock and sorrow

he never came along thru the way in the future years…

NEW YEAR DAWN

Post midnight after

celebrating festivities on New year eve

heralding the dawn of New Year

with other participants huddled together

in the city’s well-known restaurant.

The Australian  lady was

returning to her room

at Oberoi Trident

along the sidewalks of Marine Drive

which lay under the

yellowish- greenlight of sodium vapour lamps.

She was silently singing a love song

which she happened  to

listen at the New Year party.

The sea was on a hilarious mood

with waves after waves

flurrying and returning

she felt it like

the sea was making merry

under the starry, moonlit sky

dancing and singing

with the merry-making infinite sea.

The rejoicing and delighted

lady  was caught from behind

by an unknown figure

with all his force 

and dragged her to 

a police chowky

who was clad in a khaki dress

and when she was about to cry aloud

the man roared with

an order to shut up.

The weeping lady pleaded with the man

not to torment her

and free her from his grip.

But no -

the man was not in a

mood to listen to her pleas.

He was in a hurry to undress her

and defile her

crush her like an

elephant crushing a rose flower.

After celebrating his New Year

he let her free

and commanded her to

go to any hell

she wanted to go….

HIDE AND SEEK

From dawn to dusk

I am very much with you.

In between I play

hide and seek with you all.

Before dusk engulfs you

it is my hobby playing

pranks on you.

Before I bid farewell to you

I promise and assure you

after twelve hours

with disappearance of the dusk

for waking you up

I would appear again

and welcome you all

and elevate you sky-high

and make you joyous and  ecstatic. 

The more I discharge my duties,

the more vigorous I become

and will be on duty 24X7…..

BOKO HARAM, ISLAMIC STATE, TEHREEK-E-TALIBAN PAKISTAN SOW THE SEEDS OF MILITANCY

It was a fresh lease of life for more than two hundred girl children kidnapped and hidden somewhere in Nigeria for the last several months by the ultra-militant outfit Boko Haram. It is certain that the Nigerian govt had to bow down before the leaders of Boko Haram for freeing the children in return for a huge ransom by the govt. Otherwise such a gesture wouldn’t have extended towards the govt by the ruthless terror outfit which went on a killing spree of tens of thousands of lives with the sole aim of establishing an Islamic fiefdom in Nigeria.

It’s determination to form a govt of their own is still unchanged and hence we could very well accept the truth that they would run roughshod  across Nigeria killing innumerable Nigerians in future also. Likewise the kidnapping. The ruthless terror outfit nurtures a belief that girl children should be married off to the Nigerian men as per the principles of Islamic religion. How come they came out with such an absurd belief from the Holy book of Quran? According to them education is being denied to the girl child and women and it is only the prerogative of man. The first and foremost step is getting them married off and producing  as many children as possible. The Islamic women are even forbidden to come outside their houses and talk to other men since that too is against the Islamic principles. Similarly they should wear burqa 24 X 7.

Whether Nigeria is likely to fall into the hands of Boko Haram in the not too distant future? Let us leave the billion dollar question to time.

If in Nigeria it is the Boko Haram, in West Asia it is a far stronger Islamic State (IS) which was carved out of Iraq and Syria. Abubaker-Al-Bagdadi, the leader of Islamic State (IS) is in the saddle proclaiming himself the Caliph of the jihadist state. It has already claimed hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, kurds and Syrians. With Islamic State moving ahead with massacring innumerable citizens, Iraq pleaded with United States to intervene and teach the IS a lesson with sophisticated weapons and on listening to the pleas of Iraq, US has already intervened, bombarded continuously over the harshest terrains of the so-called Islamic State(IS) and killed thousands of terrorists with an aim of flushing out the leaders of IS (Islamic State) who are safely embedded inside the safest havens. US which is on the look out for so-called Caliph Abubaker-Al-Bagdadi and his followers has not succeeded in tracing out them so far but with a vow to capture him at any cost along with British and Kurdish assistance. Still, he is at large like Mulla Omar of Afghanistan. The Islamic State (IS) jihadists have already beheaded four gentlemen, two of them freelance journalists and other two aid workers, in cold-blood which were captured in videos and displayed before the world citizens with the purpose of terrorizing them. The fight is going on and so far the elements of Islamic State have not shown any signs of defeat.

Today’s newspapers  carry a news item regarding the expulsion of the Pakistani militant outfit Tehreek-E-Taliban spokesman  Shahid-Al-Shahid for declaring his support to Islamic State with which Tehreek-E-Taliban doesn’t maintain good relationship. 

Interpretation of Quran by various militant elements are confusing to a common man like me. What about others? We will have to inquire……            

QUEST FOR LIFE

War between two countries

is aggravating

killing tens of thousands

of citizens and soldiers

belonging to both neighbouring nations.

Bombardments, firings,

grenade attacks, tear gas, tanks

convert the lands to

a grave-yard.

Thousands of citizens

flee the land in their quest for life

to the border areas

and beyond with their belongings

and pitch tens reminding one

of vast areas of slums

but with no escape routes

since the enemies bombard

and trigger guns claiming

the lives of many

young, middle-aged

and old intermittently.

Still  they crave for

their lives expecting

ceasefire is about to

be declared  with

another persons or countries playing middle men.

Life, my friend in the midst

of towering inferno is precious to many

the world over…..

JANU

Janu wakes up early

in the morning

and completes her routine chores.

After awaking her

eldest daughter

who is walking along the bridge of teenage

she hurried to the

two neighbouring 

houses in the junction

before the sun appears

in the east.

She does have

a lot of works in each

of the houses owned by

two rich gentlemen.

She cleanses the house premises

first with a broom.

Then she enters the house

and takes another broom

and wipes out all rubbish things

in response to the instructions of the owner’s wife

except the bedroom

where her husband is fast asleep

along with their children.

Then cleanses the

utensils and fills the

vessels with pure drinking water.

The lady hands over a

hot black coffee in a

glass to Janu

which she sips slowly.

By this time the Sun

welcomes her

and Janu after

taking permission from

the lady goes to

the neighbouring house

and indulges in repeating

the household chores

from there too.

She gets a glassful of black coffee

together with some eatables.

On completion of her duties

she walks to her small house

covering a paddy field

and a narrow path filled

with craters and stores

reaches her small house.

Her husband wakes up

in the wee hours of the morning

and fearing him

she never inquires him where

he was heading to.

Late in the night

he blurts out

choicest expletives to no one

otherwise to himself

and arrives at the

house in an inebriated condition.

All hell breaks loose

with him repeating

his abuses not only

towards Janu and their three children

and all one by one

is forced to suffer his blows

and kicks until

the whole house and

surroundings reverberate

with their cries.

One day he didn’t come back

none knew where he went

and after one week

on enquiry it was learnt

that he fled away 

with a lady leaving

her husband and three children

Janu breathed easy 

children breathed easy

their fear  melt like ice

and continued to have good times.

The next day

Janu went to the temple

took a bath in the temple pond

and bowed before the

God thanking him for

the blessings showered

over her and her children….

And they lived happily thereafter.

WITH LASCIVIOUS SMILES

Waiting for his footsteps

she lay with eagerness

and enthusiasm on the bed.

With the clock striking 9PM sharp

and listening to his footsteps

she gets up, hurries to the door and

unlocks it and open the door.

With lascivious smiles

both lock in an embrace and exchanges umpteen kisses

and she rushes to switch off the light.

After a long merry making

and after both

deriving gratification

he bids farewell to her

and promises her he would

come at sharp 9PM

and always keeps his

promises and assurances to her.

After closing the

door and locks it from inside

she goes to her bed

and slumps into the bed. 

She always keeps

it a secret just like him

and both  ensure

that they would never

reveal the secret to anyone.

Thinking of him she

lapses into slumber  

till her husband

reaches late into the night.

THE BABIES

With her delivering

a girl child

her husband

who was a confirmed drunkard

got angry not only towards his wife

but towards the entire world.

The emaciated, anaemic woman

was overwhelmed with great joy

for being  evolving to be

a mother of her pretty baby.

But her husband’s anger

was directed not only

towards the woman but

to the new born baby too.

‘If that be the cause

you are also responsible for

the birth of the baby’.

The man who was drunk

beyond limits 

showered thunders over her 

until she fell unconscious.

In the meanwhile

the new born  gift

was crying loudly

to draw the attention of her mother

or somebody beside her.

After three to four months 

the man impregnated the lady once again

without taking account

of her ill-health due to

malnourishment and hard work elsewhere

and because of her fear

and hatred of the

man she took away

the child with her

and entrusted the job of looking after the baby

in the huts of her close relatives.

After a long wait

with anxiety and anguish engulfing her

she delivered the second baby

who too was a girl child.

By the time the man

reached the hut

she took away both

her babies and vanished in the darkness...