अयोध्या

 

 

The honorable Supreme Court of India has now given the verdict on the much awaited Ayodhya Ram JanmBhumi case. And, as believed by millions of Hindus worldwide, the court has declared that the disputed site was indeed a Temple, destructing which another structure was erected and was called Babari Masjid.

This structure was again destroyed in Dec, 1992 in an attempt to reclaim the original Temple site.

Proceeding through the hierarchy of Indian judiciary, the case has been finally given a conclusion after 27 long years of countless hearings and apparent detailed study of history and geography by the personnel involved.

I don't intend to dissect this very sensitive topic/verdict. Although, it does bring lots of emotions and memories back. My heart and eyes can tell.

This topic strikes a personal chord with me as the very first memory that I can recall is the image of my father performing aarti(prayer with diya) wearing crisp white dhoti and later walking in khadau(wooden slippers) on an unpaved road. Another glimpse, I remember, is of a couple of monkeys running close to where we were setting up our bedding for the night and pulling the stop cork from our khaki air-pillow!

Maa tells me this place was Ayodhya, where my parents took me when I was around 2.5 years old!

Today as I turn another year older, I reflect on the happy moments of my life, the places I have visited and the influences that have shaped me as a person.

( I am sure all of us, at least once, have tried to recall the earliest clear memory from our life; haven't you?)

Naturally, one of my most treasured memories is the glimpse of this first travel/pilgrimage experience cum historic site visit.

Now, I am not a very religious person. Ritualistic, even less.

Still, today I lit a Diya not just for its aesthetics but also for the beautiful memories it connects me to.

 🙏🏼

Role

Who are you?

The ma, the wife, the sister n' daughter - all that you see

 in the Lady next door.

The Poet, the Quant with hunger galore.

A passionate whole.

A wandering soul.

Who am I?

Your next Read.

My next Role.

Game

LET US PLAY TO WIN

After all -

There is 
so much to enjoy,
so much to learn,
so much to grow,
so much to rise to,

so much to say,
so much to hear,
so much to

    fall in love with,

so much to fight
        for and with!



~ SD

पंख

नन्हे चूजे ने पंख फड़फड़ाये 

और फिर 

वो भी उड़ गया

घोंसलों में घर 

बन तो जाता है

बस नहीं पाता | 

सागर

कुछ बूंदें,
यूँ कह कर के
मत मांगो;

मैं देता हूँ
लो तुम पूरा सागर ले लो |

मैं विष पीकर जीता आया हूँ

......फिर जी लूँगा 

ले लो,
तुम अमृत की गागर ले लो

कुछ बूंदें क्यूं

सागर ले लो | 

घोर अमां आई है ?
आई रहने दो

ओह, कालिमा छाई है ?
छाई रहने दो

चांद नहीं है आसमान में ?

अहे, चांदनी से क्या होगा ....

अहे, चांदनी से क्या होगा ,

मैं पी लेता हूँ अंधकार भी

लो, तुम प्रखर प्रभाकर ले लो

कुछ बूंदें क्यूं

सागर ले लो;

कुछ बूंदें क्यूं

सागर ले लो | 

~ SD

Red

Red- his favorite color.
I don't remember how, over the time, it has become my favorite color as well. There was a time, not too long ago, when all I had were Blacks/Whites/Grays or their combination shades in my closet. Now, whenever I shop in the mall or online, Red is the one color I look for and instantly approve.
The other day I was looking at my wardrobe and I saw some 4-5 clothes in the same shade of Red. Given that I am someone who only keeps around 8-9 clothes at a time for regular/seasonal wear, it was quite a share.

And not just clothes, general stuff around my house (kitchen utensils included), the decor etc is like a theme- of him. It conveyed something so strongly.
I realized how I am trying to compensate his absence by keeping him with myself all the time in my mind/heart where I am subconsciously doing smallest/subtle things the way he would have liked- choosing colors he would have picked.


Love shows up in so many ways and Longing - even more.

होना, ना-होना

मेरा होना
तुम्हारे ना-होने के साथ
ख़त्म होता जा रहा है |

कितनी बार
पगलायी सी उम्मीद करती हूँ -
तुम्हारे हाथ आकर रोक लेंगे
कि बस
अब समेटो ख़ुद को
उठो और जियो


मेरे बिना ही |