Sunday, February 26, 2006

Home

Home. The very word conjures up an image so evocative of a secured feeling. A feeling surpassing most other feelings. A place where one can be just himself, no pretensions, no affectations.

Home is not merely four walls. Home reminds me of my mother, the kitchen her domain...the smell of food…its all permeating flavour of the spices and condiments….all those deeply ingrained aroma. Home is also a place, which makes me think of my father, his table, his books and his ever-familiar spectacles. Picking up his books, I feel nostalgic going back into time when he used to teach me. His no-nonsense attitude, his firm voice all invade my mind and heart it ceases to matter that he is no more. His very thought wherever I am, feels home.

My corner, my bed, my books, my music and all those silly stuff collected over the years bring back sweet memories of the times gone by. Certain music playing in the background, certain books, those familiar books read long time back, the feel of it these and the old musty smell of the olden golden books of bygone era induces such feelings of familiarity. My art paraphernalia, those canvasses, those sketches charcoal pieces and stubs of pencils are all my domain and home for me wherever I am.

Those lanes and by lanes where I used to play with my siblings and friends; on hot summer days or cold wintry ones, sharing secrets, fighting for supremacy. And now, drinking endless cups of coffee or tea, or just hanging out doing nothing, gossiping to no end or just silences, which speak volumes. Cool winds during summer evenings, cooling the heated skin or the warm sun on a cold winter day are so welcoming. The feel and smell of nature…its beauty, filled with joy and laughter, filled with memories, sharing, caring….are all home for the restless soul residing within me.

Children running to you, touching hesitatingly, hugging with gusto and their sweet smiles, their innocent chatter, giving us a purpose and security. And isn’t that feeling akin to home?

Love is home and home is love. After a long day of work, long leisurely bath, dinner with family or close friends. Can any feeling compare with that? And does it matter where we are? Home is when all of us….sister and brothers…get together with our respective families, at the drop of a hat, just like that, having an impromptu session of card game or board game with not a care in the world. Laughing, getting across each other understanding, anticipating perfectly the others’ move and preparing for it accordingly.

A blissful dreamless sleep after a hard days work, waking up fresh, rising and shining is home.

Home too for me is open spaces, open minds, open thoughts and letting those thought infuse me. Being with friends, talking about those times long gone just chilling, relaxing with them. My family, my friends, and all the love I have for them and all the love they have for me is indeed home for me. They are the ones who love you unreservedly. Wanting the best for you, encouraging you. The are there at the times of need, at the time of adversity and are there to share your happiness too. Their very presence soothes you; their very thoughts calm you, giving one a sense of belonging and feeling of being at home.

Not a big house, material possessions, mere thoughts of those who are so close bringing a smile to our faces and those who touch us in some way or other, is what is home for me.

We search for roots but we are by nature, wanderers how can we have roots? Home is where the heart is. It can be anywhere: inside a house, a movie hall, open spaces, under a tree or just a tiny corner….does not matter where.

Sense of freedom, unadulterated by material possessions, breaking those shackles of bondage and being one with our maker and us is home in the truest sense.

Friday, February 24, 2006

No One Killed Jessica Lall

In a roomful of people
She was playing bartender
Serving all with a smile
Midnight comes bar closes
Someone asks for a drink,
she refuses to oblige

In a fit of rage
he shoots her dead
Putting a bullet into her head
Hundreds of people
But none saw, none heard
She fell on the ground
Pool of blood wiped clean
Before the police comes in

Seven long years of trial
Who killed her no one knows
After the ordeal none too wise
What could have happened
Why justice was denied
Will we ever know?
Two laws of justice
One for the rich
Another for the poor

There was a bullet
Where was the gun?
Who really killed
The daring woman?
Maybe it was suicide
She killed herself

absolute death

they are always prying
even in the womb
which should be sacred

while you are living
you don’t escape
they film while spying

no getaway after you die
they dissect your bones
digging your grave
analysing your genes

they rifle your
absolute nakedness
the supra nakedness
of the skeleton

divesting you of dignity
rightfully yours
after your demise

crematory fire is
absolute death
only way to flee

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

World without the NET

BEGINNING 00:00 HRS ON THE 18/19TH THE WORLDWIDE WEB WILL BE OFF CYBERSPACE FOR SEVEN DAYS FOR MAJOR CONCEPTUAL, INTERSPATIAL, INTERDIMENSIONAL AND TEMPORAL CHANGES. ALL SERVERS EVERYWHERE WILL SHUT DOWN, AND WILL REMAIN SO TILL 00:00 HRS 25/26TH FEBRUARY. SINCE WE WOULD BE INCORPORATING CERTAIN RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN QUANTUM COGNITION AND UNIFIED FIELD STUDIES INTO THE UPGRADED VERSION OF THE INTERNET ALL CYBER DEVICES REPEAT ALL DEVICES MUST REMAIN UNPLUGGED FROM POWER SOURCES, AND MUST ON NO ACCOUNT BE PLUGGED IN OR SWITCHED ON TILL 00:00 HRS 25/26TH FEBRUARY. THE EMBARGO INCLUDES ALL HAND HELD DEVICES.

FURTHER, FOR REASONS AFOREMENTIONED ALL HUMAN THOUGHT MUST REMAIN SUSPENDED DURING THE CRITICAL INTERVAL LEST NEURAL ACTIVITY INTERFERE WITH THE UPGRADATION PROCESS. VIOLATIONS COULD, NEEDLESS TO SAY, HAVE COSMIC REPERCUSSIONS, AND WOULD THEREFORE ATTRACT SEVERE PENALTIES.

YOU HAVE 72 HOURS TO SHUT DOWN BEGINNING NOW.


ADMINSTRATORS



I had stopped enjoying small things of what makes life. The net had become my world...Could not imagine life without the net....

Was it good? Bad? It did take some time to sink in. Thought it was some kind of a joke....Called up my friends, the media....all sources said it was true....

Only then the enormity of the situation hit hard....Imagining it...I could not imagine it....How was I going to survive?

As far as I could see, I had become a net addict. Sitting in front of my computer, chatting away to glory to my virtual friends. I had neglected my home, my work, almost uncaring. Who cared, anyways! Not me, not me. The virtual world had become my real world. Wake up, log on and get going the whole day till midnight....sometimes beyond! That’s what it was now.

Anyways, No need speculating over it. No doubt it will be a problem but I was not the one give in to anything. It was going to affect the whole world and I was just a tiny speck in there.

There were things to be done. Which I had been neglecting lately. But that too couldn't be done. No human thought! Did it mention, I quit thinking too? Yes...How was it possible?
But it had to be done....no matter how....but how?


The notice couldn't have come at a better time. I really needed a break. From it all.

On the eve of 00.00 hrs 18/19 Feb, I suspended all activities. Went into my room, called out my friends, family...and then just lied down on my bed. Willing away my mind to go empty.... slowly I felt my thoughts receding.... just a calmness and then nothing...nothing.... absolutely nothing...my eyes were open but my mind was blank...completely so...

For how long I do not know.... I did not care. Just a vacant mind, with no thoughts.

I never realized when I fell asleep. And did not realize that there were no dreams/nightmares either. Just sleep, mindless...
My body so light.... my mind so light...Have I ever known this state? Not till date. Will I ever again? Who knows?

And when I woke up, the world was normal. Back to its usual business....

So here I am hitting away the keys, surfing the net, chatting away to glory and back to my virtual world.

But I am thankful for its closure. That way I discovered myself..if you can call it that. Unplugged from my power sources helped me energize myself, just being with myself.....with a mind without any thoughts. It sure does wonders for our well-being. May this happen every year.


Wrote this too for a writing exercise!

Monday, February 13, 2006

Writers Block

I know exactly how it feels
but do not know how to deal
Words not coming into my mind
oh my muse, please be kind!
Let those flow, let thoughts glow
It's too long now, too slow!

SMS Poets for valentines

SMS poets are so much better
Fewer are words or letters
one line msgs to valentines
and he/she falls in line
only one protesting is the mad hatter!

Sunday, February 05, 2006

HAYWIRE

Dark mystical eyes, bronzed skin.
Silk sari with shades of green,
Draping it around, she did preen.
Encircling thin golden chain
on her waist added to the sheen

Movement graceful, fluid and flowing.
Hair: dark, wavy and cascading,
Amber sunset lights flickering;
Richness of her sari, magical and reflecting;
Happiness within her bubbling and spilling.

Suddenly her joy was under attack.
Every plan of hers went awry and off track;
She slipped, almost damaging her back.
She lay on the bed, her mood so black,
Chewing her lower lip, looking at the almanac!