Adhoorapan

sitam na ho kam

yoo tadapte rahe

kuch parinda deewana

kuch mehtaab zalim

adhoori raten dher sari baten

kuch mai adhoora tere bin

kuch tum aur tumhari yaden

Fish Inside

never realized I glitter in sunshine,
but forced to think which is mine,
never thought breathing fresh air,
and someone taking so much care,
I am dying, aah, dying,
this was not me.......
but I will be out of this sea
I am glad, you caught me

Salaam Bombay

If any place in this world rises on occasions and from ashes, its Mumbai.

Though initially I found this place a bit rough due to traffic congestion, humid weather and soaring prices apart from food, I will be blessed if I eventually settle down here.

Patience and perseverance, you inherit it within two months of stay here. When I feel I drop down from bus and start running as traffic is really slow during office hours, people just stay calm, listening to music, reading newspaper or watching Sanjeev Kapoor's recipe show. When I feel like taking a rest or slowing a little I see people walking, walking like emperor penguins during storm.

Unlike Delhi, people do not go especially to eat somewhere. Time and space, people know here what it means that's why Mumbai is far superior relative to other places in India. Time and space, theory of relativity!!!!

I have heard how Mumbai resist changes from external situations like terrorist attacks, strike, blasts and calamities. But the all India strike on this Monday was life time experience.

Officially and unofficially, all establishment were closed. But I decided to go to office because my boss would be reaching there. In Bandra and Ghatkopar, hooligans making mess were being reported. So the buses of my route were canceled. I waited for more than an hour before a decent guy offered me a lift and look, he dropped me in front of the gate!!

Security was tight and the office was in darkness, only 4 have turned up including me. At 11:30, news spread that situation is worse now and hence buses will be cancelled.

I wrapped up my work and started walking no where, I couldn't decide what to do.

Buses came in batches with extra protection and almost 3 times normal speed. They wouldn't stop between stations.So I decided to walk up to Andheri station. There was a short cut, but playing safe, I opted for normal bus route, 40 min walk.The road was empty, only two sounds could reach ears, ambulance and police. Boys were enjoying cricket and all the news stall were permitted to open!

Reaching Kandivali, I hunted for food..but it was exhausted inside station stalls.Now another marathon walk. On reaching highway I almost decided to wait for next day, I could not walk anymore. I had walked distance what we pay Rs. 10 for roadways bus!!

I could not decide whether the empty stomach was giving pain or my injured leg.

However, someone on Activa sniffed my position and he dropped be to place from where I could walk. A medical store was open where it was written "perk with extra glucose".

I ate 2 of them, ran to home, cooked "bread poha" which is unauthentic and unethical to cook, ate and just went to deep sleep. At evening, shops were still closed but mobility was increasing. Tomorrow, things will be back on track and with more thrust, I predicted. And today, traffic was at peak, my office was decorated with red balloons, the roadside upma wala was more agile and lunch at canteen was even more delicious. Bharat Band can stop Bharat, but not me and Mumbai.

Salaam Bombay.

Tonight!

something flexes inside
others in access outside
sweats, thirst, healing pains there

lungs fight for space
veins swollen by adrenaline rushes

eyeball small to capture enough of you
words restricted by senses

cannot get enough hold of you
cannot wait another day to see you

I need you tonight! oh baby!
rolling in satin, piloting heaven
I need you tonight! oh baby!
frictions smoothen by moonlight, warm before sunlight

I need you tonight! oh baby!
talking sane when mind insane
I need you tonight! hmm baby!
sip of liquid and gulps of passion

let us stop clock and create rhyme
stretching out and filling prime
touring universe just in time
and for that...................

I need you tonight!
oh baby!
I need you tonight!
hmm baby!

Alibi

I dance with people because it was party.
I share cookies and stories because it was journey
..
I burn because it was passion
I am lonely because it was romantic..
I am happy because it was festival..
I am tired because it was a game....
I draw because it was beautiful..
I cry because it was heavy .
I laugh because I was confused
I love aimless
because it is you and me.

Mother River

My eyes are wide open
never observed you from this height
View is scary, at times delight
Inside is beauty to feel
Seen from outside, and, here
I see you have been hiding the fact
Swift you are- aggression level highest
Rocks standing there know you more than me
Lame they are in front of you, as if you
Dislike disturbance even the slightest



You never let me know the frothing white,
Tigress grabbing cub, color has been blue
So soothing, caring, assuring and true.
Far, one of those banks, I see,
I see myself getting dirty a hundred times,
You sanitizing me hundred and a one times


For hiding best pebbles in places I knew,
For holding me up when I was drowning,
For taking my share of tears and inflating my joys,
For being cool in summers and warm in winters,
For teasing intimacy by sprinkles, whenever I was with her,
For making me feel special when you have many others

I am short of words, you know short of worth.



I tell you the world outside are dry.
Hunger, health, love, despise,
Money, faith, expectations
Whatever and any how they just cry.
No one out there to listen, no one live enough to feel.


Thank you for teaching me how to be alive and float,
For making me realize time is best when present,
Enabling me think the way living ones are ought to.


Noon is scorching, bright is even brighter
When I know this is the last light.
Angry with you-
You never taught, I never realized,
People see papers, not persons
Love sees fame, not eternity
Friends seek competition, not sacrifice
Growth sees opportunity, not patience
Success sees force, not passion
Money seen by everyone, itself is blind

Manhunt moreover, extinction of mankind

Before your splendor push me away from the sight
I, your son, protest and request my right
To be in continuum, as you are
And make my self free, you are!



I am not here to struggle, mother, it has been a lot
Soft bed of grains and shells, I deserve some slot




I know there will be pains; it was there when I was born
We about to share the pain second, last time
I assure you there will be joys; it was there when I was born
Again I will be safely cuddling in the womb
My soul being free, with a promise-
To sleep, sleep and sleep
Giggling, as when, you like teasing

An ode to my teachers

Through out my school I do not remember any single day where I demanded not to go to school. Preparations started as soon as the night before itself, I found immense satisfaction in polishing my as well as my father's shoes to mirror.I even bunked my school bus back to home when I was in UKG once, just to get more ride of my favourite toy horse. And I was in big trouble because my school was in between Raebareli and Lucknow. In my childhood I was troubled by bullies and as they say, evolution, I grew faster than peers so all things were stable soon.because other were not sure what this tall chap can do as I did nothing to hurt.

If someone asks me what were your building blocks I will say 3 teachers, several books and my own ability to question things as well as to take things at face value itself, in decreasing order of priority.

The first teacher was an old white woman, mother of our principal, Mrs. Rodrigues. She wore single piece with flowers all over and always threatened to break the knuckles with stick. And such was her influence that we were writing essays by the time we were in class 2!.But after class 3, some other teacher started coming, she was young, beautiful and charming but she was not Mrs. Rodrigues.
We got a chance, we were told that today ma'am will not teach, and we were so happy that we did not listen to what the old lady was saying sweetly and calmly. Next thing I remember is visiting graveyard.

The second teacher is Mrs.Sinha, I call her Manorama ma'am.
Hindi teacher, so nothing relates to academics.But I still do not know what made her believe that I as a silent backbencher was fake.She made me into full fledged artist, sportsman, monitor of class and finally house captain.Though introducing to dramatics is credited to the 3rd teacher.and they fought for me because I was as good as english general fighting jhasi ki rani as shouting blood as in tatya tope.The last time I remember Manaroma ma'am, she was shouting at me, for being a bad finisher. I miss her a lot, she is in no contact after that and I just wish that someday she comes to know that I still remember her, her words and my strive against my natural self.

The Third teacher is Mrs. Namita Aiyer.
She came into my life when I was in class 8.
And this time I found a person who has done homework.She started spilling beans, calling me "split personality".
At that time I could not Imagine more beautiful living being. And when imparting knowledge, she always gave extra which will continue to help and guide.

Lessons learnt in hard way, I still talk to her, she is in Ahmedabad, though stopped teaching.She is my oldest friend, others are there, but we never appreciate hibernation mode.