Hope – A Story

The train started from a tiny village
Deep within the Indian hinterland.
And, in one red and black carriage
Sat Ami with a brown bag in her hand.

The train was bound for the big city.
The journey was of a night and day.
Soon, the whistle blew, and it slowly
Moved with a chug-chug on its way.

Along with Ami in the compartment
Were a bunch of old men and women.
She did not have to give any explanation.
They could see that she was pregnant.

The women smiled and gently asked
Her about her family and her baby.
In casual conversation, the time passed.
Then night fell, and they all went to sleep.

Sometime before dawn, Ami awakened.
The pain had started like ocean waves.
Her wails woke up the men and women.
They realized the baby was on its way.

The news spread throughout the cabins
As the women rallied around her to help.
Water, towels, bedsheets, and curtains
Were all arranged around her small bed.

After hours of the painful contractions,
Ami delivered a beautiful, pink baby girl.
Everyone wished her with congratulations
As she kept weeping with joyful tears.

Slowly, she revealed her life’s story.
Her husband was martyred recently.
All that was left of his love was the baby
Whom she named “Hope” in his memory.

The Hues of Love

Love’s first hue is Harmony.
Just like the colors
Of the sky’s palette in the evening
Or a bouquet of flowers
Create a vision so appealing.

Love’s second hue is Acceptance.
Just like the colors
Of a rainbow arching in the Heavens
Or the butterflies in the bowers
Come together in perfect balance.

Love’s third hue is Sacrifice.
Just like the colors
Of Fall give way to Winter’s white
Or when the Moon’s silver shimmers
Come alive after the Sun sets at night.

Love’s fourth hue is Purity.
Just like the colors
Of the Lily of the Valley
Or the blue firmament in summers
Stay spotless in their eternal beauty.

Love’s fifth hue is Love itself.
Just like the colors
Of the blood that pulses in veins
Or the ink in the quills of lovers
Run deeper than the ocean currents

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!

My Notebook

My
Notebook.
My best pal.
My confidante.
Keeper of secrets.
It’s blank pages invite
Me to pour out my feelings.
As I write, words flow with the ink.
The abstract takes form and gets a life
Revealing something new about myself.
It is where a confluence takes place.
Where the real and unreal combine
To bring alive a new world
Where all is possible.
A realm made by me,
For me – to delve
Deep within
To find –
Me.

PS: This poem is a Syllable Pyramid.

Know Thyself!

Know Thyself!
Not in the “what the mirror reflects” kind of way!
Not in the “what riches you possess” kind of way!
And surely not in the “what people say” kind of way!
But know yourself like the still, clear waters of the ocean
Reveal everything in their purest, unadulterated versions.
Know yourself like the eagle gliding in the blue expanse
Never misses the slightest movement in the grasslands.
Know yourself like the map of a thick tropical forest
That has every bush, every tree, and every dirt path plotted.
Because only if you seek to know your self from yourself
Will you be able to traverse the maze of this worldy existence,
And, only if you are aware of all aspects of yourself
Will you be true to your life and all you expect from it.

I Pedal Towards Hope

If I could, I’d cycle around the globe
To break the silence around suicide.
With my words, I pedal towards hope.

As the wheels turn on the road,
I call upon people from far and wide.
If I could, I’d cycle around the globe.

This plague has the world in its scope,
But we can unite to make it subside.
With my words, I pedal towards hope.

Across all boundaries, let this be told.
It’s okay to speak your mind; to confide.
If I could, I’d cycle around the globe.

Emotions, events, people, and workload –
You can win it all with Life on your side.
With my words, I pedal towards hope.

Silence is not always akin to gold!
Raise your voice! Let nothing be implied!
If I could, I’d cycle around the globe
With my words, I pedal towards hope.

PS: This poem is a Villanelle.


The Light of Hope

The Sun may set in the west
Leaving behind a trail of darkness.
And if this weighs heavy on your chest,
I’ll be the one to ease the sadness.

For all that remains unexpressed,
I light a candle at dusk with earnestness.
And through its glow, I suggest
Let’s talk to end the hopelessness.

Many-a-times in life’s quest,
There are moments of unsureness.
Let this little flame put your mind to rest
With it, you are no longer directionless.

Just like the flame flickers with zest,
Let hope chase away the gloominess.
And if you need to choose for the best,
Choose life with all its meaningfulness.

My Greatest Might

As my cries fall on seemingly deaf ears,
And dawn doesn’t dispel the dark night,
In You, I seek refuge from all my fears.

Sadness engulfs and hope disappears,
And words cease to express the plight
As my cries fall on seemingly deaf ears.

With the pain come the rivers of tears.
My heart silently screams to see the light.
In You, I seek refuge from all my fears.

I take Your Name till the storm clears.
People don’t see beyond the messy sight.
As my cries fall on seemingly deaf ears.

As I keep praying, a beacon appears.
You steer my life onto a path that’s right.
In You, I seek refuge from all my fears.

In gratitude, my heart rejoices and cheers.
Your words give me my greatest might.
As my cries fall on seemingly deaf ears,
In You, I seek refuge from all my fears.

PS: This poem is a Villanelle.

Permanent Impermanence

We are all paper boats.
On Time’s River, we float.
As each second ticks away,
Nothing in permanence can stay.
Seasons change and also hearts.
Endings lead to new starts.
These moments are like gossamer –
Here now, then gone forever.