26 November

It was 26th November, my son's birthday
we were celebrating in a restaurant as usual
suddenly the news flashed on the screens
And we sensed something unusual.

Mumbai had been attached by terrorists
who had entered from the sea route
at various places in the city, did they carry out the deadly shoot.

Since then not a single day has gone by
When we haven't felt the pain
By taking so many innocent lives
what did those people gain?

I condemn the mindless killing
It was a cowardly act
Our uniformed officers were martyred
and their families have to live each day with the fact.

We talk about universal brotherhood
and that the world has become a small place
then why can't we live and let live with peace,  dignity and grace.

So I urge to the new generation
to be courageous and change their fate
And have no place in their hearts
For envy malice or hate.

Sweet Tooth

I am not a foodie

I don't live to eat

It's just that strong craving I feel

To have something sweet.

There may be a simple khichdi

Or a spicy biryani

But my eyes are set

On a nice cool firni

When so many things are laid on the table

Roti, subzi, daal, chawal, kadhi

Still why do I get drifted

Towards malpua and rabdi?

Because I'm not a foodie.

I don't live to eat

It's just that strong craving I feel

To have something sweet.

In parties they start with

Whisky, rum or wine.

Hot gulab jamuns served with ice cream

Is a combination divine.

Trifle pudding, caramel custard

You just name the sweet dish

To gorge on a bowl or two

That is my only wish.

I'm often tempted to ask the chef

What's there for desert?

Is it rasmalai, roshogulla

Or the sweet yogurt?

Even when I sleep

I get this sweet dream

That I'm watching a match at Wimbledon

And having strawberries with cream.

So I have a sweet tooth

By now everyone knows that

And please don't worry about

The calories or the fat

Because I'm not a foodie

I don't live to eat

It's just that strong craving I feel

To have something sweet.

But it's a humble request to all of you

Please get it noted

Whenever you talk to me

let your words not be sugar coated

And yes, too much sugar is not good

I completely agree

But I am open to the other options

Like honey, dates and jaggery

Because I'm not a foodie

I don't live to eat

It's just that strong craving I feel

To have something sweet.

देव दर्शन

डोळे भरून तुला पहाण्यासाठी आतूर झालो होतो मी.
तुझ्या दर्शनाची लागली होती आस
हार, नारळ, पेढे घेऊन
रांगेत उभा राहिलो तासन् तास.

गाभाऱ्या पर्यंत पोहोचताना जीव मेटाकुटीस आला
भाविकांच्या गर्दीत गुदमरला माझा श्वास
या पुढे घरूनच हात जोडेन तुला देवा
इथे येण्याचा करणार नाही अट्टाहास.

हल्ली मुक्या जनावरांच्या अंगावरून मी मायेने हात फिरवतो
आणि छोट्या अनाथ मुलांना प्रेमाने भरवतो घास.
आश्रमात जाऊन व्रुद्धांची खुशाली विचारतो मी
कारण या सर्वांमध्ये मला लाभतो तुझा सहवास.
जेंव्हा डोळे भरून तुला पहाण्यासाठी आतूर होतो मी
आणि तुझ्या दर्शनाची लागते मला आस.

तुझ्यामुळे बहरतात हिरवीगार झाडे, लता आणि वेली
फुलपाखरांत तूच उधळतोस रंग आणि फुलांमधे सुवास
तूच तर या जगाचा निर्माता
मग नद्या, डोंगर, जंगलांमधे नसेल का तुझा वास?
जिच्या कणाकणात तुझे अस्तित्व
अशा धरती मातेचा होऊन देणार नाही र्हास
मी निसर्गाच्या सानिध्यात रमतो
जेंव्हा तुझ्या दर्शनाची लागते मला आस.

आई वडील आणि गरूंना तुझ्या स्थानी पहातो
त्यांच्या सेवेची कधीच सोडणार नाही कास
जेंव्हा तुला पहाण्यासाठी आतूर होतो मी
आणि तुझ्या दर्शनाची लागते मला आस
फक्त डोळे मिटून तुला नमन करतो
कारण माझ्या ह्रदयात तुझीच जागा खास.

Special experience

Teaching came naturally to me.
Interacting with young minds was the perk.
I never felt that I was doing a job
As I thoroughly enjoyed my work.

After a few years' experience I thought
That I could teach anyone.
That's when I came across this boy
Who had come to me to learn.

Initially I was a bit hesitant
As I wasn't trained to handle this case.
But the teacher in me had accepted the challenge
Looking at his eager face.

I guess he had a lot to say
But his stammering came in the way.
So I had to be a little patient
Till his fears were wiped away.

Counting numbers wasn't easy
So we started with building blocks.
He went on adding to the structure
And that's how we learned maths.

Though balancing the pieces was a task for him,
His face never reflected the pain.
Every time the tower collapsed
He started building it again.

At times I felt like quitting
As the road wasn't easy at all.
But one thing I learned from this student
That was to get up after every fall.

As far as English was concerned,
The letters jumbled up in his head.
So we gave a different colour to every alphabet
Where O was orange, G was green and R was painted red.

Slowly and steadily he leaned to make words
Which turned into a beautiful sentence.
It gave a new meaning to his life
And to his whole existence.

Now as I look back upon the journey,
I hope I have played my role.
The experience of teaching this special child
Will remain close to my heart and soul.

Connecting people

Recently at the airport, waiting for my flight

I was generally observing people, walking from left and right.

They were pushing their trollies loaded with luggage

And walking to the counter, to check- in their baggage.

But one thing was common among them all

Almost every one of them was busy on a call.

Some were desperately trying to charge their phone

While the others were looking for the Wi-Fi zone.

It’s so important to stay connected these days

Clicking and uploading pictures is the new craze.

I have seen people updating their status every hour

Why the world has to know when you are in the shower.

Couples, who post romantic photos and are hungry for people’s comments,

In reality can’t get along with each other for more than a few moments.

If you visit a mall on weekends and see a group of teenagers hanging out

Their favorite activity is to take selfies making duck face, sparrow face and pout.

Today we wonder how people managed without Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp

But they didn’t need internet then for bridging the gap.

Technology has brought the world closer. Now one has access to so much more

But we are unaware of the neighbor who stays just next door.

When a person meets with an accident or when a mishap takes place

Some people are busy shooting videos rather than helping the victims in that case.

So friends, give it a thought what will happen at this rate…

Let’s mend our ways before it’s too late.

The Common Man

He often travels in a crowded train
Carries an umbrella
Still gets wet in the rain

Works in the office from nine to five
To keep himself and his family alive

He is the one who never breaks a rule
Attends every meeting in his child's school

Worries about his parents' health
Makes sacrifices to accumulate wealth

In every election he casts his vote
Stands in a queue to exchange a currency note

Without fail, he pays the tax
Yet can't find a moment to relax

While the officials are busy travelling to
London, Tokyo and Rome
There is no guarantee of him safely returning home

He too has emotions, a dream and a plan
Ask me who's he, he's the common man