Series of Micropoetry-V

I

----

A little lonely

A little happy

A dash of solitude

In a crowd of loners

II

----

Men with many faces they are-

Show something to the world,

Yet plotting something else,

Something sinister all the time.

III

-----

Every day is to rejoice,

Knowing there's no other choice!

Life is short and sweet,

Enjoy every day as a treat!

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This was dated 7/1/2015. Publishing today - 25/7/2020.

Bunny and Freedom

Bunny on your back,
Take me where I ask.

Do what I say,
Fulfil every task.

Love and rewards will pour,
Happiness will open doors,
And I will be your bunny,
No more......

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This was dated 24/12/2014. Publishing today - 25/7/2020.

Green Mountain in Munnar

It was a green mountain in Munnar. The place was called Echo Point and U could do pedal-boating there. The lake was green as well, and looked serene and secure amongst all the high mountains and clouds. Maybe the lake was reflecting the colour of the mountains. Maybe that's Love. U can see Ur reflection in the Loved One. Or maybe, the Loved One is just mirroring your qualities and gradually, U both become so alike that U become ONE......

Ok fine. I didn't set out to write about this. I set out to write something which awed me, as much as it pleased me, and covered me with a blanket of green. Now, whenever I want, I can see the trees of that mountain. Tall, coniferous, deodar-like trees, waving and dancing happily in the wind. They were one happy Brotherhood, rejoicing and celebrating Life. They were waving out to me and shouting out to me and showing off their dance and their extreme happiness. Some were not dancing- they were just staring at me. But the others were having a jolly time- like real roly-poly people, ready to bounce off from there any moment. Shouting and being playful to each other as well as to me. Inviting me right inside their party- their eternal party with the wind through them, the Sun playing Hide and seek with them and the water almost tranquil.

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*This was dated 2/9/2013. I was probably copying from one of my many notebooks where I keep writing stuff. So this was about my Munnar Trip with my Wipro office colleagues in 2008. I couldn't finish copying my entire writeup and the last line was "water almost tranquil at the". I don't know where is the rest of the writeup. For now, we have to suffice with this much, and think that this itself is complete.

Isn't every incomplete, complete in some way?

Paisa Vasool

Paisa vasool:

1) In India, Grandmas' jewellery, sarees, toys, utensils, sweaters, shawls and so on are passed on to Moms. These are given to daughters which in turn are given to their children. So this is full paisa vasool with special and fond memories!

2) India is the original home of sustainability. Instead of uncomfortable synthetic diapers for babies, the first choice is to reuse Mom's and Grandma's old cotton sarees for making diapers. Paisa vasool!

3) I have used old NCERT books first used by my siblings. Now my niece uses them!

4) Essay: joke goes like this:-
Once Raju submitted essay about 'Cow' to his teacher. Irritated, the teacher asked, "Why have you submitted the exact same essay that your brother had written ten years back?" Raju replied, "But Ma'am, the cow is the same one!" Even for an essay, it is paisa vasool!

5) At the sabziwala, paisa vasool is seen in full force! People invariably say, "Put in some curry leaves and mint in the bag!" at the time of paying the vegetable vendor!

6) We love to innovate. It is called 'jugaad'. No wonder so many people have created new products.

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*This article was dated 11/6/2015. I am revisiting my blog after long, hence publishing this today - 24/7/2020.
Such a coincidence! Today only our #Odisha #handloom #brand @Utkalamrita did an Insta Live with @chetnasart on the topic of "Upcycling and Sustainable Fashion"! Watch it here!

ତୁ ଫେରିବୁ

ମୋ ଜୀବନକୁ ଶୂନ୍ୟ କରି ଯାଉଛୁ କିମ୍ପାଇଁ?

ତୋ ଜୀବନ ଶୂନ୍ୟ ହେବ-

ତେବେ ଫେରିବୁ ମୋ ପାଇଁ । 

English Translation:

Why are you going leaving my life in emptiness?

Your life will be empty-

Then you will return back for me.


*This was in my draft, dated 2015. I have published this today - 24/7/2020.

How my New Life Starts!

Every time I attend new events and talk/interact or listen to new people, I feel I have started a new life! Each of them are bold steps to refine me and add value to my life! Especially this year, my plate has been full by God’s grace! 

In January month I attended two Literary Fests back to back in Kolkata- The #AKLF- Apeejay Kolkata Literary Fest 2015 and the Tata Steel Kalam 2015. Both these were held in the sprawling and extremely beautiful premises of the Victoria Memorial. I felt rejuvenated! 

At #AKLF!

How I will Rebuild the World

Rebuilding the World is certainly not a simple task. It is not like erasing the sand art canvas with a brush of the hand...

'The Creator's Hand' - Snapshot taken from my video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9saZI7aa1s

And then creating another glorious new sand art image on it:

Sand Art made by prominent Sand Artist and Padma Shri Awardee Sri Sudarshan Pattnaik of Odisha in a function at Bhubaneswar

Rather remaking the world is a far more complex and an onerous task, given that so much hatred, anger and non-violence has already deeply penetrated it. Simultaneously, pollution is choking people and biodiversity to death, while man's greed, carelessness and climate change is causing disaster after sinister disaster. Today, values have evaporated while killing one another in the name of God is an accepted norm. Today, brother is the enemy of his own brother while daughter is killed by her own parents. Today, lies, corruption and deception rule, while the honest, the good, the pious suffer.

Death is Beginning

What do you think happens after one dies? Bring out the best creative imagination to explain. #DeathisBeginning

 

After one dies, he/she goes either to heaven or hell based on his/her karma. And if he/she has unfulfilled wishes or dying against will or last rites are done poorly/not done, they stay back on earth as ghosts. This is the proper conventional idea that all might have heard. Also, such ghosts churn the movie, literature and serial industry with ever newer ideas, thus serving an economic purpose as well.;)

Coming to a more creative description, like they show in my favorite Tom and Jerry cartoons, an infinite escalator or staircase towards heaven emerges. 

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Learnings

A new day,

New hopes,

New feelings,

New learnings.

Open your eyes,

From the dark,

To the light.

Look forward to the day,

With cheer-

With the abandon of a bird,

The passion of a conqueror,

The innocence of a child,

The engagement of a soldier.

Just about Finding Fanny

Finding Fanny is a movie released yesterday starring five great Indian actors. It is about a quest for Love. A quest for your Self really. A mad ride of five people in a vintage car to look for the beloved of one of them. How their lives get enmeshed deeper, how they face their long-buried tragedies after their car's petrol gets over, how they find refined versions of themselves, starting from the small village of Pokoli in Goa, can be seen from the movie. One of the five, Angie (Deepika Padukone) is the narrator and tells us not to 'find Pokoli' coz we won't even get it- it's such a small non-descript village! Still I tried using 'Google Guru'- and found it looks like name of a hispanic video game...:P...with an image like this:

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Well, so it IS a fictional village, yet so real as the movie portrays it! And of course, the controversy surrounding the use of the word 'fanny'. 'What's in a name?' Shakespeare said. And I say- it's artistic freedom. Glad the Court held this verdict too!

Stefanie 'Fanny' Fernandes is a girl Fernando loved 46 years ago and still loves- he's still in a time warp- seeing her exactly the same way in his thoughts and dreams.

Z: Z marks the end of the A to Z Challenge...

Letter 'Z' is not just the last letter of the English alphabet. It also marks the end of my A to Z Challenge 2014 journey.

I have a strange mixed feeling today- I feel sad...that it's gonna be over for this year..sob sob...yet I must say I've enjoyed it to the hilt overall!

I thank @ArleeBird and his entire team! And so many thanks to each of the wonderful bloggers who read my posts and encouraged me to write more! No wonder my blog views have shot up by leaps and bounds and I am so overjoyed!!

I got a unique palindrome number too in the course of my A to Z Challenge journey: 42424!! It's only Lord Jagannath's grace that this happened while I invoked the Lord's world-famous holy, colourful and unique festivals Rath Yatra and Nabakalebar in Puri, Odisha, India! :D

Screenshot of my blog!

So here is a recap of my A to Z Challenge journey 2014! Those who missed out, may please click and discover all that I had to blog about in a very productive month for blogging- April 2014!!

Q: Queen

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I loved watching the Bollywood movie 'Queen' starring Kangana Ranaut as the soul of the movie. To top it all, this movie was justifiably released on International Women's Day and I watched it that day itself! The movie shows how a timid yet super-nice woman from a small place in India discovers herself and enjoys her liberation after going on her honeymoon alone to Paris and Amsterdam, as her fiance refused to marry her just the day before marriage.

Blogging

Blogging is an expression- of the depths of our souls. My blog is like my closed empty room- where I shout. I scream. And the echoes come back to me. But wait…isn’t that so boring? Hearing your own echoes all the time…? So no. That’s why the room was made with large windows and doors so my voice reached out to all who were near and far. Best thing is many of them cared to respond back, to tell me I am not alone, to make me feel that we are all together- in this roller coaster ride called Life.

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What Winning means to Me

Image Source

Winning is the springboard driving me to greater heights,
The only act that keeps me kicking and alive!
Winning provides the rich flow of feel-best hormones,
Alongwith glowing health, it propels me further towards stardom!

When I win, the feeling of fulfilment completes me,

The sweet fruit of my passionate efforts reinvigorate me!

It is to experience this ecstasy that I work ever harder,

Winning to me is panacea- both a healer and propeller!

My win happens due to my blood, sweat and toil,

Sacrifices, plans and preparations for a long time!

And of course sending out signals to the Universe,

And attracting towards myself its most positive vibes!

Image Source

So that it can conspire in my favour,

So that it can write my victory chapter, 

So that it can be one with my burning desire,

                                             That it can make me win surpassing all barriers!

                                        Winning makes living my life worthwhile and meaningful!                                         My every win brings pride to all my life's beloved people!
                                  Winning enthuses me to work more passionately and ever better,
                                        It infuses me with renewed vigour to be a winner forever!

Recognising Beauty

Her eyes shine,

With a glint of hope,

A glint of happiness,

A glint of sweetness.

She has no despair,

No hint of sorrow.

She is free from pain,

Liberated from worldly bonds.

Think about it

We live with our demons,

As well as our dreams;

And die with our secrets,

Our lost loves,

Our unfulfilled wishes.

Our life starts in a line,

Ends with a full-stop,

And all the crests n troughs in 'tween,

Make it a lively graph.

It takes a lifetime,

Still we can't confront our demons,

And live a free bird;

So in chains,

We live all our lives,

Unable to break the shackles.

And finally,

Death- the great leveler- descends,

Breaks the chains,

And liberates.

How does it matter,

Who cried for you,

When you are not there

To witness...???

Metro Pace: Latest Office Updates

I

-------

This mega office complex,
Bustling with vivacious youth,
Will get replaced as years pass,
By a fat aging populace.

This mega food plaza,
Serves junk @ exorbitant rates,
With these young lavish executives,
Busily, happily, lappin' up every bit!

Yes, I can see the impending onslaught,
Of fierce lifestyle diseases,
Coming to envelop our vibrant shores,
A' la' tsunami waves!

II

--------

I can see the singletons disappear,
In the bliss of wedlock;
I can hear the colour changing,
Of animated conversations!
From about 'boyfriends', 'nagging moms',
'Hip bars 'n' parties', new 'weekend getaways';
To about 'husbands', 'in-laws',
'Cooking', 'holiday plans in exotic locales';
And then about 'maids' & 'kids'- their 'tantrums',
About 'bigger cars'; 'super-luxury homes'; 'smarter gadgets'.

All in the 'piling money' race,
All stuck in the metro pace.

Then one day they become old,
They momentarily slow down,
And wonder- "Did LIFE just pass...
Before our very own eyes...??"

ON@CC

"One, a medium amount of intelligence, & two, a bit of imagination."
"Third, is self-confidence."
"The fourth ingredient is the most painful one. And it is something all of you still need to learn. B'coz it is often the most important thing", God said.
"Failure."
"To be really successful, you must face failure. You have to experience it, feel it, taste it, suffer it. Only then can you shine", God said.

"For, once you taste failure, you have no fear. You can take risks more easily. Then you don't want to snuggle in your comfort zone anymore- you are ready to fly. And success is about flying, not snuggling."
"So, here is a secret. Never be afraid of failure. If it has come your way, it means I want to give you a real shot at being successful later", God said.




P.S: Forgive me if U can't understand what exactly is ON@CC. Even I can't! I got this From My Treasure Trove (back of old engineering notebook). My memory fails to expand the title. Surely it would be having a very meaningful expansion, relevant to those times. Or maybe timeless.

What is it about music that it makes U remember things U prefer to forget?

I turned my face to look outside. The breeze felt cold, particularly along two lines on my cheeks. I touched my face. Damn, I couldn't believe I was crying.

Tears flooded out. Automatically. Effortlessly. But why? The music playing far away in the background. It took me to one of the days in my past that I abhor. The deep sense of hurt, loss, dejection, regret, despair, resentment- all came flooding back to my heart. And tears flooded out. Automatically. Effortlessly.

I've realised this over time. The songs I've loved the most, I've later started detesting. Coz they started to be associated with resentful memories. Coz they held the key to opening the door to those painful, helpless moments. Coz they zapped, sapped away the positive energy of my present. And then I am left with only my tears.

So I preserve MySelf. I detest those songs so much that I gradually forget its lyrics, then its tune. I liberate MySelf from the shackles, the chains those songs have with the deepest fathoms of my soul. Of course, these chains clink again when out of nowhere, the same music starts playing again.....

I n the deep, dark woods,

H ope to find your home.
A bhor the cruel city life-
V icious cycle of strife, where you,
E legantly live

A nd

D rown in your elegance;
R emember despite it all that,
E xquisite living,
A nd lust for materialism-
M ake no substitute for a: Life of Service.....