The road had been very long
and a long segment still remained.
A tired traveler walked ahead.
He saw the lonely road ahead
and saw the fallen leaves.
He stopped to catch his old breath
and saw the lonely bird sitting
on a barren solitary tree.
And then the bird came a little near,
as if to tell him what they shared.
They shared the loss of
the only hope
of company on this road.
The wind swayed the tree a bit
and the last leaf fell off.
The man and the tree sighed together
as the last relation was also gone.
As he took another step
the leaves beneath rustled,
the old brown memories
making the last call.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Thursday, November 03, 2005
conductor from punjab
I usually avoid sitting next to the conductor but since there was no other option, I took the risk. I bought the ticket for Rs 10 and made myself comfortable yet maintaining my distance on a small seat of blue line local bus. The usual rattling with the coin and continuous call to the prospective passengers was on and I was relishing the fact that finally my exams were over and freedom lay ahead. And then I heard him calling,”Chandigarh ludhiane hoti Hui Amritsar jayegi”(going to amritsar via chandigarh and ludhiana.) smiling I thought, these people are also creative performers, always trying to catch the attention of people. Competition even in this field!
Then another interesting call, “do ke sath ek free”, disrupted my rail of thoughts. (1 free with two) I was almost chuckling and he must have noticed my broad smile. He said,” is it not better madam to have fun while working, otherwise the work becomes drudgery.” At this my mind got abuzz with all kinds of warning signals. A conductor was trying to
Make friendly conversation. I nodded little without even looking in his direction fearing
Another question and trying to discourage it in my own way. But the next question came
And then another one. He was asking harmless questions so there was no reason not to
Answer them. He told me a lot about himself. He was from a village in Punjab and still
Missed it. He repented the fact that he did not pay attention in school. He was fascinated
By the dtc student pass and wanted to somehow get them to the villagers then they could enjoy dilli darshan. He lived somewhere near my house and this bus also rested there only at night. The conversation was intermittently paused for passenger calling. Though
many a times I felt like asking some questions but my intelligence warned me not to. I feared. I feared his innocent queries. I secretly wished to meet to meet him somewhere but I feared what he might say. I wished to board the same bus again but feared friendship with a conductor. Above all I wanted him to tell me more about himself but feared what the fellow passengers might think.
I got off the bus with no goodbyes .5 months have passed and I haven’t seen him again and even if I see him I am sure ill not recognize him but he is still there in my memories wrapped up in irrational fears.
Then another interesting call, “do ke sath ek free”, disrupted my rail of thoughts. (1 free with two) I was almost chuckling and he must have noticed my broad smile. He said,” is it not better madam to have fun while working, otherwise the work becomes drudgery.” At this my mind got abuzz with all kinds of warning signals. A conductor was trying to
Make friendly conversation. I nodded little without even looking in his direction fearing
Another question and trying to discourage it in my own way. But the next question came
And then another one. He was asking harmless questions so there was no reason not to
Answer them. He told me a lot about himself. He was from a village in Punjab and still
Missed it. He repented the fact that he did not pay attention in school. He was fascinated
By the dtc student pass and wanted to somehow get them to the villagers then they could enjoy dilli darshan. He lived somewhere near my house and this bus also rested there only at night. The conversation was intermittently paused for passenger calling. Though
many a times I felt like asking some questions but my intelligence warned me not to. I feared. I feared his innocent queries. I secretly wished to meet to meet him somewhere but I feared what he might say. I wished to board the same bus again but feared friendship with a conductor. Above all I wanted him to tell me more about himself but feared what the fellow passengers might think.
I got off the bus with no goodbyes .5 months have passed and I haven’t seen him again and even if I see him I am sure ill not recognize him but he is still there in my memories wrapped up in irrational fears.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
ghettoes of education
{This poem is based on my experience of block teaching in M.C.D. School Andrews ganj.on this day temperature suddenly fell down and I saw a new side of, obviously a sad one of the education system.}
It was a very cold day
Sun I think was on holiday.
Wind was at its best,
As if taking our endurance test.
Gathering my shawl I entered the room,
Saw Renu with the broom.
Wondering what the sweeper does
I stepped out to avoid the dust
While teaching about different places
I noticed various listless faces
There were some open windows
And no means to close
I was all loaded up with clothes
Still cribbed the weather was cold
But there were students with just one sweater
And no one to complain against the weather.
A girl was nauseatic
And another had headache
A boy had fever
Another stomachache
I cursed the god
Coz government couldn’t be
I cursed the weather
Coz the management couldn’t be
How can there be any education
In these ghettoes of education
Which are created just to fool the people
To create an illusion of teaching the pupil.
It was a very cold day
Sun I think was on holiday.
Wind was at its best,
As if taking our endurance test.
Gathering my shawl I entered the room,
Saw Renu with the broom.
Wondering what the sweeper does
I stepped out to avoid the dust
While teaching about different places
I noticed various listless faces
There were some open windows
And no means to close
I was all loaded up with clothes
Still cribbed the weather was cold
But there were students with just one sweater
And no one to complain against the weather.
A girl was nauseatic
And another had headache
A boy had fever
Another stomachache
I cursed the god
Coz government couldn’t be
I cursed the weather
Coz the management couldn’t be
How can there be any education
In these ghettoes of education
Which are created just to fool the people
To create an illusion of teaching the pupil.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
poverty of smiles
I was waiting on the bus stop
In blue jeans and expensive top.
Of my riches I was fully aware
but didn’t know my soul was bare.
What was he asking that I couldn’t give
in spite of the knowledge
that on this cart he would forever live.
Let me first introduce him to you.
He was a beggar and leper too.
His pain obviously I couldn’t share
but was it necessary to give a cold stare.
he gave me a smile and said “ namaskar”
I turned my eyes to a speeding car.
At this he giggled
and made me shiver
he laughed as if to mock me.
his laughter then said to me
” I am poor and know this fact
to hide your poverty you put up an act.
if I begged for money I might have got
but I did not.
I begged for smile
which you did not.
I am a rich man I own smile.
You are poor, with poverty of smile.
In blue jeans and expensive top.
Of my riches I was fully aware
but didn’t know my soul was bare.
What was he asking that I couldn’t give
in spite of the knowledge
that on this cart he would forever live.
Let me first introduce him to you.
He was a beggar and leper too.
His pain obviously I couldn’t share
but was it necessary to give a cold stare.
he gave me a smile and said “ namaskar”
I turned my eyes to a speeding car.
At this he giggled
and made me shiver
he laughed as if to mock me.
his laughter then said to me
” I am poor and know this fact
to hide your poverty you put up an act.
if I begged for money I might have got
but I did not.
I begged for smile
which you did not.
I am a rich man I own smile.
You are poor, with poverty of smile.
Monday, September 19, 2005
tubula
High up in the sky, on a clear night, you can see a very bright star called Tubula.Not many people know about it and it’s wonderful inhabitants. Tubula is the land of tube lights yes, the same tube lights that we use in our homes. All of you must be thinking how come those tubes living on a far of star come to our land and light our houses. So today I will tell you why tube lights come to earth and who brings them here.
Centuries ago when people used to fly in the sky with the help of large beautiful birds (somewhat similar to fairies) they used to visit far off stars and planets. They made friends with the inhabitants of those planets, learnt their knowledge and invited them to our land. On one of such expeditions our ancestors discovered tubula .it was very difficult to land on that star due to it’s extraordinary brightness. All the inhabitants there shone so brightly that the explorers initially were unable to see anything but gradually as there eyes got used to that light, the scene they saw was unforgettable. Everything on that star emitted light and was extremely thin. People emitted white light, trees emitted brown and green light and flowers emitted yellow light. There were innumerable butterflies in as many colours and all shining very brightly.
The people of tubula, as you must have guessed by now, are called tubes. They are not only very good-looking people but are very friendly too. They welcomed the earthlings and showed them around their beautiful planet with great zeal.
After staying on tubula for around a week, earthlings bid farewell and sat on the birds to start a journey back. When they landed they were shocked to find that a baby tube had escaped from his planet by hiding in their baggage. The tube was hungry and very scared of the darkness. Like all young children this tube needed love and affection. So Zebecca, a lady explorer, picked him up and patted him gently. Then in a voice full of concern and love she asked, “dear little tube, what is your name and how did you manage to travel this far without any food?”
“My..my name is Bube and I had a fight with my mummy .she keeps scolding me for no fault of mine .she does not love me. Not at all.” and poor Bube started sobbing.
“Bube are you hungry, would you like to eat something. Tell me what shall I give you?”Said Zebecca. She knew it very well that a hungry child is never able to understand the right from the wrong. But she had no clue as to what would Bube eat.
“Ma’m I eat energy.” he said plainly.
“But energy has to be consumed in some form .you can’t be taking pure energy”
“But yes madam we the tubes take in pure energy.”
This was a problem, how can she give pure energy to Bube. Which energy would be suitable? How would the transfer of energy take place? And then she remembered having seen plugs at everybody’s house in Tubula. She had thought of asking what was it used for but due to lack of time she couldn’t do so. The most probable reason could be that they used it for transfer of energy, maybe electricity. Hurriedly she checked Bube’s tail it seemed suitable to be put in a socket. She made the necessary arrangements and was about to put him in the socket, suddenly she realized if all her speculation was wrong, baseless imagination and it somehow hurt Bube. She had no right to hurt an innocent child and also a guest from outside world. With uncertainty Zebecca looked towards Bube, with every passing moment he was growing dimmer. It seemed that this risk had to be taken. So she put his tail in the socket. And turned the switch on.
Yes, it worked. Bube started to shine again.
Days passed and Zebecca nurtured Bube like her own child. Bube also entertained himself by looking at other children but time and again he missed his family .his sadness was visible to Zebecca but she couldn’t do anything except to wait for another expedition.
People started flocking in zebecca’s house to see bube and his light. Her house was the only house in the whole wide world where tube gave light. She became famous but was also concerned about Bubes privacy.
And one night when zebecca was telling bube a story of unknown land, the sky suddenly started filling with unknown light. Oblivious to the outside light Zebecca and Bube kept talking. Then they heard a loud noise of glass being thrown on the ground. Then more and more such sounds started coming Zebecca looked out of the window and saw that the glasses were falling from a bright circle of white light. This continued for several days and the whole world was scared. As zebecca was worried for bube so she did not allow him to go out to play, but how long can you confine a child so he escaped and out of curiosity went a little near to the white circle, suddenly the throwing of glasses stopped. A few minutes passed in silence this silence seemed unusual after this noise of two –three days so people started peeping from their windows.
Inside the house zebecca looked for bube but couldn’t locate him, scared she ran out but what she saw was a known but unexpected sight.
The bright white circle had changed into a spacecraft and coming out
from it were tubes.”Aeho yo hi hi yo bhf hi hof ehwop “ shouted bube and started running towards the tubes zebecca also ran after him she was excited by having extra terrestrial guests but something was going on at the back of her mind” Surely they had come to take bube back but what was the need to create all this fuss” she thought. By the time she reached the spacecraft bube had told them the whole story of how he had reached earth, all the tubes greeted zebecca and thanked her profusely. They all seemed to look very apologetic. Then a senior tube came forward and said” dear zebecca on behalf of all the tubes I beg apology for the destruction we have caused it is all result of a hasty decision taken by us. We thought that you stole our bube and so we decided to teach the earthlings a lesson. We are all very sorry for our behavior.” Zebeeca smiled and invited them to her house.
After a short stay tubes went back to their planet.bube also went with them. though he was happy that he would meet his mummy again. But he was equally upset about leaving zebecca. She had loved him like a mother for so many days.
After a few years a spacecraft similar to the earlier one landed and from it came out a huge parcel. it was full of tubes. Though they looked like real tubes but they were artificial. after every few years a similar parcel comes from tubula and they provide us with a fresh stock of tubes.
Centuries ago when people used to fly in the sky with the help of large beautiful birds (somewhat similar to fairies) they used to visit far off stars and planets. They made friends with the inhabitants of those planets, learnt their knowledge and invited them to our land. On one of such expeditions our ancestors discovered tubula .it was very difficult to land on that star due to it’s extraordinary brightness. All the inhabitants there shone so brightly that the explorers initially were unable to see anything but gradually as there eyes got used to that light, the scene they saw was unforgettable. Everything on that star emitted light and was extremely thin. People emitted white light, trees emitted brown and green light and flowers emitted yellow light. There were innumerable butterflies in as many colours and all shining very brightly.
The people of tubula, as you must have guessed by now, are called tubes. They are not only very good-looking people but are very friendly too. They welcomed the earthlings and showed them around their beautiful planet with great zeal.
After staying on tubula for around a week, earthlings bid farewell and sat on the birds to start a journey back. When they landed they were shocked to find that a baby tube had escaped from his planet by hiding in their baggage. The tube was hungry and very scared of the darkness. Like all young children this tube needed love and affection. So Zebecca, a lady explorer, picked him up and patted him gently. Then in a voice full of concern and love she asked, “dear little tube, what is your name and how did you manage to travel this far without any food?”
“My..my name is Bube and I had a fight with my mummy .she keeps scolding me for no fault of mine .she does not love me. Not at all.” and poor Bube started sobbing.
“Bube are you hungry, would you like to eat something. Tell me what shall I give you?”Said Zebecca. She knew it very well that a hungry child is never able to understand the right from the wrong. But she had no clue as to what would Bube eat.
“Ma’m I eat energy.” he said plainly.
“But energy has to be consumed in some form .you can’t be taking pure energy”
“But yes madam we the tubes take in pure energy.”
This was a problem, how can she give pure energy to Bube. Which energy would be suitable? How would the transfer of energy take place? And then she remembered having seen plugs at everybody’s house in Tubula. She had thought of asking what was it used for but due to lack of time she couldn’t do so. The most probable reason could be that they used it for transfer of energy, maybe electricity. Hurriedly she checked Bube’s tail it seemed suitable to be put in a socket. She made the necessary arrangements and was about to put him in the socket, suddenly she realized if all her speculation was wrong, baseless imagination and it somehow hurt Bube. She had no right to hurt an innocent child and also a guest from outside world. With uncertainty Zebecca looked towards Bube, with every passing moment he was growing dimmer. It seemed that this risk had to be taken. So she put his tail in the socket. And turned the switch on.
Yes, it worked. Bube started to shine again.
Days passed and Zebecca nurtured Bube like her own child. Bube also entertained himself by looking at other children but time and again he missed his family .his sadness was visible to Zebecca but she couldn’t do anything except to wait for another expedition.
People started flocking in zebecca’s house to see bube and his light. Her house was the only house in the whole wide world where tube gave light. She became famous but was also concerned about Bubes privacy.
And one night when zebecca was telling bube a story of unknown land, the sky suddenly started filling with unknown light. Oblivious to the outside light Zebecca and Bube kept talking. Then they heard a loud noise of glass being thrown on the ground. Then more and more such sounds started coming Zebecca looked out of the window and saw that the glasses were falling from a bright circle of white light. This continued for several days and the whole world was scared. As zebecca was worried for bube so she did not allow him to go out to play, but how long can you confine a child so he escaped and out of curiosity went a little near to the white circle, suddenly the throwing of glasses stopped. A few minutes passed in silence this silence seemed unusual after this noise of two –three days so people started peeping from their windows.
Inside the house zebecca looked for bube but couldn’t locate him, scared she ran out but what she saw was a known but unexpected sight.
The bright white circle had changed into a spacecraft and coming out
from it were tubes.”Aeho yo hi hi yo bhf hi hof ehwop “ shouted bube and started running towards the tubes zebecca also ran after him she was excited by having extra terrestrial guests but something was going on at the back of her mind” Surely they had come to take bube back but what was the need to create all this fuss” she thought. By the time she reached the spacecraft bube had told them the whole story of how he had reached earth, all the tubes greeted zebecca and thanked her profusely. They all seemed to look very apologetic. Then a senior tube came forward and said” dear zebecca on behalf of all the tubes I beg apology for the destruction we have caused it is all result of a hasty decision taken by us. We thought that you stole our bube and so we decided to teach the earthlings a lesson. We are all very sorry for our behavior.” Zebeeca smiled and invited them to her house.
After a short stay tubes went back to their planet.bube also went with them. though he was happy that he would meet his mummy again. But he was equally upset about leaving zebecca. She had loved him like a mother for so many days.
After a few years a spacecraft similar to the earlier one landed and from it came out a huge parcel. it was full of tubes. Though they looked like real tubes but they were artificial. after every few years a similar parcel comes from tubula and they provide us with a fresh stock of tubes.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
my ideas
My ideas
I Love my ideas
So I try to convince people.
I love my ideas
So I fight with people.
I am proud of them
So I don’t hide them
I am sure of them
So I exhibit them
They are like a baby
So I try to nurture them
They are like a bud
So I try to protect them
I know soon they will grow
I know soon they will flower
You may like them today
Or you may hate them.
You may like them that day
Or you may hate them.
But I love my ideas
And I am proud of them
I Love my ideas
So I try to convince people.
I love my ideas
So I fight with people.
I am proud of them
So I don’t hide them
I am sure of them
So I exhibit them
They are like a baby
So I try to nurture them
They are like a bud
So I try to protect them
I know soon they will grow
I know soon they will flower
You may like them today
Or you may hate them.
You may like them that day
Or you may hate them.
But I love my ideas
And I am proud of them
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