South Westerly winds once carried
forth
my Phalguni days
down Mumbai
traversing long distances
from the faraway land.
My Phalguni moments
immerse me in enormous pleasure
indescribable my ecstatic moments.
The long slender stem of her
body her frock, jacket, jinka
bangles and jingling anklets
innocent looks and smiles, photographed
in my mind
and her present and future
features, expressions and costumes
all imaginary.
Beaches and parks, crowds,
sands and flowers
together with her family
still being cherished and
relished in my lonely moments.
The day destiny decided
my parting with the teenaged
lass
was something unbearable to
me
too unbearable to her.
Destiny decided the other way
train carrying me blared
horns and hooted past
serpentine tracks
my heart aching terribly
to meet the pretty lass.
With South Westerly winds
ending its mission of
Phalguni moments,
I left to the city with
a burdened heart
reached the destination
and found her flat
occupied by another family.
My heart broke
inquired her whereabouts
only to come to know
of Phalguni’s family’s
departure to
her native Jamnagar…
With pain still lingering
in me
south westerly winds carries
no news of Phalguni
moments these days.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
INDIAN RULING MANDARINS’ SELECTIVE AMNESIA
“What is in a name”. This is not Shakespeare asking. This is Nirupama Rao, India’s Foreign Secretary asking. She was speaking to media persons on being queried about the future of composite dialogue. She doesn’t believe in that terminology and therefore the answer “what is in a name’?
Sir, the memory of our top bureaucratic as well as political leaders especially ruling leaders are seeming to be short. Otherwise they are suffering from selective amnesia.
26/11 Mumbai carnage is two years old. The fretting and fuming on our part is a thing of the past. 166 died, many maimed, properties destroyed leaving a black mark on the psyche of not only Mumbayits, but the average Indian citizens like us. Hemant Karkare’s family, Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s parents. Vijay Kamte’s near and dear ones similarly many other family members lost their kith and kin in the carnage which shook the financial capital of India, so what, many similar explosions, deaths and injuries took place, many commissions of enquiry instituted but nothing came out of them.
Two years after 26/11 carnage even after our Home Minister continued to keep his eyes on Pakistan’s balls, the story is back to square one and the heat and dust already subsided. Pity. Really pity. How many times dossiers presented to them and when each dossier presented, Pakistan asked for more dossiers nothing other than that took place. Pakistan was taking India for a ride, still taking India for a ride, the culprits still scot-free and roaming freely in Pakistani soil. David Coleman Headely, the notorious double agent of both Pakistan and America on being questioned by Indian Intelligence officials spilt out the beans and we Indian citizens came to know about the nexus between him, LeT and Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence Agency, its acronym being ISI.
On the other hand, see the ‘audacity’ of Pakistan, in their words the guts in arresting a so-called American ‘diplomat’ for gunning down to Pakistani citizens ‘in self-defence’. Soon after the incident US State Dept snapped its ties with Pakistan Embassy in US. Furthermore in spite of US demanding the arrest of the man named ‘Raymond Davis’ the dispensation in Punjab has not cowed down to anybody’s pressure. US State Secretary Hilary Clinton on the sidelines of a conference in Munich, evaded talking to Pak Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
However both nations continue to declare before the world that both are on good terms ad both do not have any problems outstanding which need a solution. The gunning down of two Pak men in ‘self-defence’ so he claims and since being a white man hailing from US is entitled to have a gun to protect himself from attacks, thus the argument goes.
As long as this man named ‘Raymond Davis’ – the identity itself is of doubtful nature – who reportedly claims diplomatic immunity the US-Pak relationship is set to be in doldrums. In addition to it the widely talked about trilateral talks between US, Pakistan and Afghanistan scheduled to be held at month end seems doubtful.
The guts that Pakistan does have, India doesn’t have and now after the talks held at Thimphu, Bhutan on the sidelines of SAARC Meeting between Nirupama Rao and her Pakistan counterpart Salman Basheer which lasted for 90 minutes in a press release came out with a decision to go on with the bilateral talks. Her plea to the media in this connection was not to ‘kill’ the decision which was taken on a cordial atmosphere and she continued with the plea to ‘let it breath’. No one has taken any objection to the decision, cordial talks are needed otherwise as somebody put it, it would lead to a damaging vacuum which will be filled by enemity. Agreed. But this should not lead to the closure of 26/11 carnage and related procedures, it should also go on with equal vigour and see to it that the culprits are booked and brought to justice even after a prolonged dithering. Both countries do have many agendas and they are Kashmir, peace and security, terrorism, cross-border infiltration and LoC trade.
Nobody would question the good intentions behind this, all welcome it but we shouldn’t forget the dark events of the past at the hands of Pakistan. The most heartening thing being India unlike Pakistan never tried to intervene in the internal affairs of Pakistan and such reciprocity India also expects from Pakistan’s part at least in future. True, a stable, prosperous Pakistan, India always want and for that Pakistan should extend the generosity of being friendly with India always. Let this be a good beginning covering all matters of concern and here begins as Nirupama Rao told the busiest days in the coming months since Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is set to land in India in the middle of 2011.
Sir, the memory of our top bureaucratic as well as political leaders especially ruling leaders are seeming to be short. Otherwise they are suffering from selective amnesia.
26/11 Mumbai carnage is two years old. The fretting and fuming on our part is a thing of the past. 166 died, many maimed, properties destroyed leaving a black mark on the psyche of not only Mumbayits, but the average Indian citizens like us. Hemant Karkare’s family, Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s parents. Vijay Kamte’s near and dear ones similarly many other family members lost their kith and kin in the carnage which shook the financial capital of India, so what, many similar explosions, deaths and injuries took place, many commissions of enquiry instituted but nothing came out of them.
Two years after 26/11 carnage even after our Home Minister continued to keep his eyes on Pakistan’s balls, the story is back to square one and the heat and dust already subsided. Pity. Really pity. How many times dossiers presented to them and when each dossier presented, Pakistan asked for more dossiers nothing other than that took place. Pakistan was taking India for a ride, still taking India for a ride, the culprits still scot-free and roaming freely in Pakistani soil. David Coleman Headely, the notorious double agent of both Pakistan and America on being questioned by Indian Intelligence officials spilt out the beans and we Indian citizens came to know about the nexus between him, LeT and Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence Agency, its acronym being ISI.
On the other hand, see the ‘audacity’ of Pakistan, in their words the guts in arresting a so-called American ‘diplomat’ for gunning down to Pakistani citizens ‘in self-defence’. Soon after the incident US State Dept snapped its ties with Pakistan Embassy in US. Furthermore in spite of US demanding the arrest of the man named ‘Raymond Davis’ the dispensation in Punjab has not cowed down to anybody’s pressure. US State Secretary Hilary Clinton on the sidelines of a conference in Munich, evaded talking to Pak Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
However both nations continue to declare before the world that both are on good terms ad both do not have any problems outstanding which need a solution. The gunning down of two Pak men in ‘self-defence’ so he claims and since being a white man hailing from US is entitled to have a gun to protect himself from attacks, thus the argument goes.
As long as this man named ‘Raymond Davis’ – the identity itself is of doubtful nature – who reportedly claims diplomatic immunity the US-Pak relationship is set to be in doldrums. In addition to it the widely talked about trilateral talks between US, Pakistan and Afghanistan scheduled to be held at month end seems doubtful.
The guts that Pakistan does have, India doesn’t have and now after the talks held at Thimphu, Bhutan on the sidelines of SAARC Meeting between Nirupama Rao and her Pakistan counterpart Salman Basheer which lasted for 90 minutes in a press release came out with a decision to go on with the bilateral talks. Her plea to the media in this connection was not to ‘kill’ the decision which was taken on a cordial atmosphere and she continued with the plea to ‘let it breath’. No one has taken any objection to the decision, cordial talks are needed otherwise as somebody put it, it would lead to a damaging vacuum which will be filled by enemity. Agreed. But this should not lead to the closure of 26/11 carnage and related procedures, it should also go on with equal vigour and see to it that the culprits are booked and brought to justice even after a prolonged dithering. Both countries do have many agendas and they are Kashmir, peace and security, terrorism, cross-border infiltration and LoC trade.
Nobody would question the good intentions behind this, all welcome it but we shouldn’t forget the dark events of the past at the hands of Pakistan. The most heartening thing being India unlike Pakistan never tried to intervene in the internal affairs of Pakistan and such reciprocity India also expects from Pakistan’s part at least in future. True, a stable, prosperous Pakistan, India always want and for that Pakistan should extend the generosity of being friendly with India always. Let this be a good beginning covering all matters of concern and here begins as Nirupama Rao told the busiest days in the coming months since Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is set to land in India in the middle of 2011.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
THE STOREHOUSE
Dismembering the elongated
serpent of history
is an exercise in futility.
The dismembered parts
join together
within seconds of
dismemberment like
a mythological demon character
who after eras of
penance blessed with such a
boon by God Almighty.
Events, past, present
and future
a long chain, otherwise
the elongated serpent
refuse to be disjointed
so is history
so are memories.
History after all is
the permanent storehouse
of memories…..
serpent of history
is an exercise in futility.
The dismembered parts
join together
within seconds of
dismemberment like
a mythological demon character
who after eras of
penance blessed with such a
boon by God Almighty.
Events, past, present
and future
a long chain, otherwise
the elongated serpent
refuse to be disjointed
so is history
so are memories.
History after all is
the permanent storehouse
of memories…..
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Thankachan David Thadathil
the bespectacled gentleman
aged 62 in long white robe
pepper-salt moustache
long flowing greyish beard
the obedient shepherd of
Jesus Christ.
Thankachan David Thadathil
with a hard bound Bible in hand
seen on TV screen
heard on Radio
before the crowds or no crowds on the
street sides preaching
the sermons of Jesus Christ.
Thankachan David Thadathil
once a factory worker
a fitter by profession
drew as emoluments
peanuts per month.
Thankachan David Thadathil
a reformed man now, the
obedient servant of
Lord Jesus
confesses thus before the
whole world.
I, Thankachan David Thadathil
in my younger days
was an atheist
a rebel, gambler
drunkard, womanizer
in short the very
harvest ground of
venomous crops.
One day
in the wee hours of
the morning
Lord Jesus appeared in
my dreams
I was struck by
the halo around
his head
he sat near me
his magical touch
his gentle, kind, loving
face
all changed entire approach
towards life.
In his soft, gentle tone
the Lord preached me
the purpose behind his
coming to me
the secret behind my
incarnation on this earth
exhorted me to
follow in his footpaths
strive to root out
all evils from this
world.
Thankachan David Thadathil
since then learnt the
Bible by rote
then plunged into his
mission
preached sermons
like a good shepherd
and
by the grace of Jesus
being covered with gold
currencies and cheques.
Alas, the shape of the
world getting worser and
worser.
And Thankachan David Thadathil
continues his mission,
full of hope
Praise the Lord. Amen.
the bespectacled gentleman
aged 62 in long white robe
pepper-salt moustache
long flowing greyish beard
the obedient shepherd of
Jesus Christ.
Thankachan David Thadathil
with a hard bound Bible in hand
seen on TV screen
heard on Radio
before the crowds or no crowds on the
street sides preaching
the sermons of Jesus Christ.
Thankachan David Thadathil
once a factory worker
a fitter by profession
drew as emoluments
peanuts per month.
Thankachan David Thadathil
a reformed man now, the
obedient servant of
Lord Jesus
confesses thus before the
whole world.
I, Thankachan David Thadathil
in my younger days
was an atheist
a rebel, gambler
drunkard, womanizer
in short the very
harvest ground of
venomous crops.
One day
in the wee hours of
the morning
Lord Jesus appeared in
my dreams
I was struck by
the halo around
his head
he sat near me
his magical touch
his gentle, kind, loving
face
all changed entire approach
towards life.
In his soft, gentle tone
the Lord preached me
the purpose behind his
coming to me
the secret behind my
incarnation on this earth
exhorted me to
follow in his footpaths
strive to root out
all evils from this
world.
Thankachan David Thadathil
since then learnt the
Bible by rote
then plunged into his
mission
preached sermons
like a good shepherd
and
by the grace of Jesus
being covered with gold
currencies and cheques.
Alas, the shape of the
world getting worser and
worser.
And Thankachan David Thadathil
continues his mission,
full of hope
Praise the Lord. Amen.
YET THE MEMORY STAYS……
While my grandma was alive,
I had seen her opening a
box rectangular in size
bluish in colour opening
once in a while
stealthily taking out a beautifully
woven multi-coloured bag
a cap and well-stitched
olive-green uniform
her eyes going wet
looking around
all I noticed
and even felt the scent
emanating out of it
hiding under a cot
inside the room
she couldn’t espy me.
Why her eyes welled-up
while keeping a close watch
on the glittering multi-coloured
beautifully woven bag, the
fascinating olive-green uniform
and the
attractive little cap.
I never inquired Grandma about
them
lest it should hurt her
neither did she tell me
about them
but I was sure,
a story lay behind it.
Grandma died keeping it
a secret to herself
I felt pained and I cried
with her bidding
farewell to the nether world.
Later my auntie one day
happened to open the box
took out the bag, cap
and little uniform.
Her eyes also went wet
I went near her
inquired her the story behind
keeping
it inside the box
like an antique property.
Hesitated for a while
she looked straight into
my enthusiastic eyes
her eyes glistened
caressed me and unraveled
the hidden story behind
the three fascinating
attractive properties.
Taken by shock and surprise
I stood motionless for a
while
she told me about my
eldest uncle
who had to flee the house
before I was born
as the police was
following him
for getting involved in a
banned revolutionary party.
A loving and caring heart
he kept always
simultaneously had a
hot-tempered nature
with flames of revolutionary
spirit in eyes.
Following Grandma’s advice
he fled to the distant
city
where he got involved in
a murder case
and went hiding and
that was that.
Never did he come back
but my middle uncle
getting to know about his
hiding place
stealthily visited him
but never did he agree to
come back.
That day my eldest uncle
bought a beautifully woven
multi-coloured bag, cap
and olive-green uniform
and entrusted
it with my middle uncle
which he upon return
kept inside the
rectangular box
for the little baby
myself.
Grandma died with the
thoughts of her eldest son
till the last breath
her life had already
turned melancholical
drawn into herself.
One day my little uncle
who remained a rebel
in his younger days
took out the bag, cap
and uniform and
donated them to a passer-by
while myself
standing a mute
an helpless witness, tears covering
my eyes.
I had seen her opening a
box rectangular in size
bluish in colour opening
once in a while
stealthily taking out a beautifully
woven multi-coloured bag
a cap and well-stitched
olive-green uniform
her eyes going wet
looking around
all I noticed
and even felt the scent
emanating out of it
hiding under a cot
inside the room
she couldn’t espy me.
Why her eyes welled-up
while keeping a close watch
on the glittering multi-coloured
beautifully woven bag, the
fascinating olive-green uniform
and the
attractive little cap.
I never inquired Grandma about
them
lest it should hurt her
neither did she tell me
about them
but I was sure,
a story lay behind it.
Grandma died keeping it
a secret to herself
I felt pained and I cried
with her bidding
farewell to the nether world.
Later my auntie one day
happened to open the box
took out the bag, cap
and little uniform.
Her eyes also went wet
I went near her
inquired her the story behind
keeping
it inside the box
like an antique property.
Hesitated for a while
she looked straight into
my enthusiastic eyes
her eyes glistened
caressed me and unraveled
the hidden story behind
the three fascinating
attractive properties.
Taken by shock and surprise
I stood motionless for a
while
she told me about my
eldest uncle
who had to flee the house
before I was born
as the police was
following him
for getting involved in a
banned revolutionary party.
A loving and caring heart
he kept always
simultaneously had a
hot-tempered nature
with flames of revolutionary
spirit in eyes.
Following Grandma’s advice
he fled to the distant
city
where he got involved in
a murder case
and went hiding and
that was that.
Never did he come back
but my middle uncle
getting to know about his
hiding place
stealthily visited him
but never did he agree to
come back.
That day my eldest uncle
bought a beautifully woven
multi-coloured bag, cap
and olive-green uniform
and entrusted
it with my middle uncle
which he upon return
kept inside the
rectangular box
for the little baby
myself.
Grandma died with the
thoughts of her eldest son
till the last breath
her life had already
turned melancholical
drawn into herself.
One day my little uncle
who remained a rebel
in his younger days
took out the bag, cap
and uniform and
donated them to a passer-by
while myself
standing a mute
an helpless witness, tears covering
my eyes.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
‘WHISTLE-BLOWING’ LAND AND SEA
Sitting in the balcony
in the night
enjoying the ‘whistle
blowing’ faraway sea
her motherly caressing
and whispers of
secrets hidden in its
basement
also
the unknown waves of secrets
of the city
under the golden
sodium-vapour lamps,
men and women crisis-crossing
the serpentine roads
as also
vehicles hooting and tooting
the ones roaming around
the city
must be media men
with hidden cameras
to capture
hidden dealings
behind the curtains
not knowing the suspected
culprits are
being followed
just imagine, the moment
these wheeler-dealers
appearing on the TV
screens at the earliest
reflections flashing across
as if in a mirror
their hearts pounding
the frenzy of denials
with the invented statement
‘all doctored’
‘all doctored’
‘all doctored’
denials after denials
amusing drama really.
in the night
enjoying the ‘whistle
blowing’ faraway sea
her motherly caressing
and whispers of
secrets hidden in its
basement
also
the unknown waves of secrets
of the city
under the golden
sodium-vapour lamps,
men and women crisis-crossing
the serpentine roads
as also
vehicles hooting and tooting
the ones roaming around
the city
must be media men
with hidden cameras
to capture
hidden dealings
behind the curtains
not knowing the suspected
culprits are
being followed
just imagine, the moment
these wheeler-dealers
appearing on the TV
screens at the earliest
reflections flashing across
as if in a mirror
their hearts pounding
the frenzy of denials
with the invented statement
‘all doctored’
‘all doctored’
‘all doctored’
denials after denials
amusing drama really.
THE FUTURE AWAITING AFGHANISTAN
Homa Khaleeli has penned an authoritative article regarding the uncertain future of Afghan women in the wake of US-UK decision to pull out of Afghanistan in the face of mounting resurgence of Taliban elements. The impending withdrawal of US-UK forces from Afghanistan has been a hot topic of discussion among a section international observers especially diplomats. Their opinions vary in this regard, I happened to go through an article of a former foreign diplomat of India, who is very much in favour of America and allies extricating themselves from their clutches giving way for Taliban to rule Afghanistan. Though he is a commentator par excellence on foreign issues, especially Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and Russia in some of which he had served as an ambassador for years and in that capacity an expert on the internal as well as external affairs my mind lingered on the brutal rule by Taliban since 1990s to 2001.
Taliban ruled following Shariat rules in letter and spirit they ruled brutally and many had been done away with by slapping medieval age practices. A number of them including former rulers hanged in public, stoned to death, whiplashed and women were disallowed to work for earning a living and when caught with suspicions of adultery were dealt by stoning to death, caning or hanging. They were always confined to their homes and their only responsibility lay in surrendering to their men, deliver their children and nothing other that. Education was denied to them, illiteracy among women grew, their jobs in various departments snatched away by Taliban rulers and they were hubristic of their method of rule. Homa Khaleeli writes about a lady who was confined to her home and the lady noticing her child starving to death went out into the streets to sell the hats she had woven and upon finding her in the streets Taliban’s moral police caught hold of her and with her pair of shoes they slapped her left and right and forced her to flee to her home. Only after Taliban rule, that was after 2001 attack of US-UK-NATO forces in the aftermath of 9/11 she could breath the fresh air of freedom. Since then she could climb up the ladder formed an organization for women and now with the news of Taliban being handed over power by US allies as they are already fed up with ten years of war ie. 2001-2011 with no positive results emerging. Now a face-saving formula is being chalked out, a trilateral talk including US, Pakistan and Afghanistan is said to be in the offing. America must be missing Af-Pak envoy Richard Holbrooke badly as a result of his untimely death at a critical moment like this.
Though US and UK have not accepted defeat publicly they are very well aware that continuing in Afghanistan is equivalent to losing more money, expense and power. Hence they have come out with a laughable argument that the ways of Taliban ‘are part of a local culture’ and therefore they will have to find a way out to stem the threat. Taliban still controls certain parts of Afghanistan where they rule following Shariat laws even now, means rule of cruelty.
Homa Khaleeli being a woman has concentrated her full attention on the unhappy pathetic days staring in the face of Afghan women but she should have taken into the whole picture.
In the event of Taliban acquiring rule of Afghanistan, if their one decade of unbearable rule as a pointer or an indicator, Taliban with the support of Pakistan will rule more cruelly. Except in Vietnam and Iran, wherever US intervened for example Iraq now Afghanistan their last resort was and is to run away admitting the defeat.
Within the not too distant future US and UK are mulling leaving Afghanistan for good handing over power to Hamid Karzai who is still President and with the Taliban entering the scene Afghanistan is poised to come under a conglomeration of forces, one thing is taken for granted : Taliban forces would again climb the citadel leading to an internal rebellion with plethora of forces pulling in different directions.
Taliban ruled following Shariat rules in letter and spirit they ruled brutally and many had been done away with by slapping medieval age practices. A number of them including former rulers hanged in public, stoned to death, whiplashed and women were disallowed to work for earning a living and when caught with suspicions of adultery were dealt by stoning to death, caning or hanging. They were always confined to their homes and their only responsibility lay in surrendering to their men, deliver their children and nothing other that. Education was denied to them, illiteracy among women grew, their jobs in various departments snatched away by Taliban rulers and they were hubristic of their method of rule. Homa Khaleeli writes about a lady who was confined to her home and the lady noticing her child starving to death went out into the streets to sell the hats she had woven and upon finding her in the streets Taliban’s moral police caught hold of her and with her pair of shoes they slapped her left and right and forced her to flee to her home. Only after Taliban rule, that was after 2001 attack of US-UK-NATO forces in the aftermath of 9/11 she could breath the fresh air of freedom. Since then she could climb up the ladder formed an organization for women and now with the news of Taliban being handed over power by US allies as they are already fed up with ten years of war ie. 2001-2011 with no positive results emerging. Now a face-saving formula is being chalked out, a trilateral talk including US, Pakistan and Afghanistan is said to be in the offing. America must be missing Af-Pak envoy Richard Holbrooke badly as a result of his untimely death at a critical moment like this.
Though US and UK have not accepted defeat publicly they are very well aware that continuing in Afghanistan is equivalent to losing more money, expense and power. Hence they have come out with a laughable argument that the ways of Taliban ‘are part of a local culture’ and therefore they will have to find a way out to stem the threat. Taliban still controls certain parts of Afghanistan where they rule following Shariat laws even now, means rule of cruelty.
Homa Khaleeli being a woman has concentrated her full attention on the unhappy pathetic days staring in the face of Afghan women but she should have taken into the whole picture.
In the event of Taliban acquiring rule of Afghanistan, if their one decade of unbearable rule as a pointer or an indicator, Taliban with the support of Pakistan will rule more cruelly. Except in Vietnam and Iran, wherever US intervened for example Iraq now Afghanistan their last resort was and is to run away admitting the defeat.
Within the not too distant future US and UK are mulling leaving Afghanistan for good handing over power to Hamid Karzai who is still President and with the Taliban entering the scene Afghanistan is poised to come under a conglomeration of forces, one thing is taken for granted : Taliban forces would again climb the citadel leading to an internal rebellion with plethora of forces pulling in different directions.
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