The Rain Fell

The rain fell,
And it washed the green leaves covered with dirt.
It also took away the colors from my tie-and-dye shirt.

The rain fell,
And it cleared the air of dust, smoke, and pollution.
It also took away the scent of the roses in the garden.

The rain fell,
And it brought forth saplings from the earth.
It also took away lives when the rivers overflowed.

The rain fell,
And it whispered constantly with a low pitter-patter.
It also took away the tranquility with the roaring thunder.

The rain fell,
And it cooled the heat of the summer nights.
It also took away the twinkle of stars and the moonlight.

The rain fell,
And it made the peacocks sing aloud and dance.
It also took away the solitude by kindling romance.

The rain fell
And it changed everything –
Life itself… and how we live it.

Ganesh Chaturthi-A Story

‘Twas the most awaited time of the year
As the fourth day of Bhadrapada neared.
And everywhere, the believers prepared
For the advent of the God they so revered.

For Ramu, it was a special occasion, too.
He needed blessings to give an interview.
Lord Ganesha’s idol sat in his puja room
With flowers, dhruva, modaks, and laddoos.

At the prescribed auspicious moment,
He performed the Aarti and sang bhajans.
Then, at night, as he fell into a deep sleep
Lord Ganesha appeared in his dream.

Ecstatic he was, and he fervently prayed
For the Lord to remove obstacles from his way.
Lord Ganesha smiled and said that would be,
And for all success, He would give him the key.

“In the morning, when you get up from your bed,
With closed eyes, eastward, take five steps.
Then, open your eyes, and you will clearly see
Your biggest obstacle, and, to overcome it, the key.”

With that, Lord Ganesha vanished away.
As the Sun rose on the morning of the new day.
Excited, Ramu did exactly as he had heard.
And, he soon found himself in front of the mirror.

As he kept staring at his own reflection,
He pondered over Lord Ganesha’s instructions.
“My biggest obstacle – Me!
My key to overcome it – Me!”

That day saw the birth of a wiser Ramu
As he went on to prepare for the interview.
Yes, he succeeded and grew in life
With Lord Ganesha’s blessing by his side.

Om Gam Ganapataye Namah!

A Navratri Tale

Tucked away in the hinterland,
There once was a little village.
As the month of Ashwina neared,
The villagers prepared to welcome the Goddess.

The houses were cleaned till they shone.
New dresses were stitched to be worn.
The markets were busy as people flocked
To buy the Puja items from the shops.

Soon, the excitement reached fever pitch.
On the Shukla Paksha at Pratipada Tithi.
The Puja started at the designated time.
But what’s this?! The diya refused to light!

They tried replacing the ghee and wick.
They tried another diya and every trick.
Yet, the tiny flame refused to ignite.
O! They were all in a state of plight!

But that was not the end of their woes!
The Puja flowers wilted and fell on the floor.
The sacred Bhog offered turned stale.
And this happened everywhere in the village.

That was when they all realized
That the Goddess did not arrive.
Together, they rushed to the main temple
To consult the head priest about the events.

Meanwhile, the head priest was equally confused
As the Goddess had not arrived in the temple, too.
When all the villagers gathered in the square,
In all her glory, the divine Goddess appeared.

In a booming voice, She spoke to them
Saying She wouldn’t grace them with Her Presence.
“But why?,” they asked with tears in their eyes,
And this was what the Goddess replied.

“In this village, little girls were indecently assaulted.
And, in some homes, the husbands beat their wives.
In some others, mothers were disrespected.
And yet, in others, women were ill-treated.

Your houses may be spick and span
But, about your hearts, can you say the same?
In the idols you worship, you search for me.
Why can you not see me in the living and breathing?

Why, then, for nine days, should I accept your invitation,
When all year round, I am subject to this degradation?!”
And, these were the words that the Goddess spoke.
And these words pierced the hearts of the village folk.

Then, the people realized their mistake,
And to appease the Goddess a pledge they did take.
And only when She saw that they had changed
Did She visit their houses and temples with Her Blessings.

As the story of the little village ends,
Let us all learn from their experience,
And let this Navratri be an awakening
Of hearts and minds to righteousness.

Om Jai NavDurge Namah!