Liberal candles of democracy!!

         

   

 

"Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself." - Desiderius Erasmus

      It was dark all around. Darkness was spreading at an alarming pace. The world, it was rumored, would plunge into darkness. The spirit was afraid the rumor was coming true. 

     Most candles found it wise to submit to darkness. Here and there, few candles which believed in the power of light chose otherwise.

"Why do you choose to burn?", the spirit asked.

"I choose to glow because that is what makes me a candle", it replied.

"How long?"

"As long as I can."

"What if the harsh winds that accompany darkness put you off?"

"I glow as long as I am capable."

"Like the individual liberal citizens who live by democracy!"

"What else can I do?"

"Is it not possible that the candles like you, who choose to glow, acquire the larger identity of fire?"

"What purpose will that serve?"

"So that the harsher the wind gets, the stronger the fire grows."

"But doesn't the fire burn down the world?"

25, who am I?

PC: Myself

       I remember talking to her three years ago. She had just finished her graduation in Engineering. She was my junior by a year at the college. She spoke of her plans for the future, her dreams, her ambitions. An engineer who wished to design a sustainable world, an artist who aspired to voice the voiceless through the medium of her art.
       Now when this lady claims she is the same girl, I am actually perplexed. That girl who debated with such fervor and passion for simple and frugal lifestyle is this lady who on a casual evening outing is dressed up like a burdened Indian bride on procession!? While she speaks with animated excitement of her husband's car, care and concern, I wonder where the girl, who aspired for an identity of her own, is lost. During the college days, I remember how enthusiastic and assertive she was. Eager to know, eager to understand. Has the genesis of the lady in her, killed that girl who she once was? The girl who dared to dream, who dared to question, who dared to experiment, who dared to explore avenues and opportunities.
      I have no complaints about the lady she is. It is her life, her tastes, her choices. I respect all of that. My only worry is the girl she once was. Where did that girl vanish? In which dark corner of her psyche did she bury her, if she did so? And every time she talks about her present life, why is she displaying a sense of abundance? Is she unconsciously trying to convey that the loss of her dreams is compensated by the gain of material abundance? She was an engineer, bright enough to know that the increase in y doesn't necessarily balance out the decrease in x, because they are not always part of the same equation!
     Maybe I am reading too much into the situation. Maybe it is all the pessimism within me; problem with my own preoccupied world view. I don't know the complete picture. I am probably jumping to conclusions despite lack of awareness. It is perfectly possible that her new found marital bliss and prosperity will eventually aid her dreams. Or better, maybe she can redesign her dreams. Who knows? What doesn't evolve, gets eliminated.
        But still, she was probably 23 last year, when she got married. 24 this year, about to be a mother. With due respects to the institution of marriage and the sanctity of motherhood, I can't stop wondering what would she answer herself if next year she happens to introspect - "25. Who am I?" I pray the answer this lady finds will not disappoint the girl she once was.

Confessions

 

Picture Credit: Myself!!
Person in the pic: Again myself:) !!

The angel and the devil were confessing their dark deep secrets to each other.
"You ever felt love. I have"
"I too have. How about lust?"
"Yeah, that too. Empathy?"
"Not sure how often, but yes. Greed?"
"Rarely, but not that rarely also. Kindness?"
"Something of that sort, often. Selfishness?"
"Kind of guiding motive. Compassion?"
"At times. Desire to exercise authority?"
"Usually when endowed with authority. Responsibility?"
"Whenever I have understood its significance. .....?"
"............................................................?"
"............................................................?"
...............
..............
..........
......
...
..
"If we both experience all these, then why is it that one of us is the angel and the other devil?"
"Are you really sure who amongst us is the devil and who the angel?"

Kiss me back to life!

PC: Myself!

Along the corridors of curiosity,

I wish I had remained a child.

Overlooked by time, Frozen.
All those years in pure joy,
Unadulterated anticipation.
My angel, my fairy godmother,
Lead me back in time
And kiss me back to life!!

ಕ್ಷಣಭಂಗುರ ಹನಿಯೊಂದರಲಿ

Pic credit: Myself!!

ಕಣ್ರೆಪ್ಪೆ ಮಿಟುಕಿದಷ್ಟೇ ಕ್ಷಣಿಕ
ತುಂತುರು ಹನಿ ಅಸ್ತಿತ್ವ.

ಮುತ್ತಿನಂತೆ ಹನಿ ಮೂಡುವುದು
ಬರಿ ಭೌತಿಕ ಆಕಸ್ಮಿಕ.
ಮೂಡಿ ಮಿನುಗಿದ ಆನಂತರ
ಒಡೆವುದದು ಅನಿವಾರ್ಯ.

ಮೂಡುವಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಗ್ಧ ನಗುವು,
ಬೀಳುವಲ್ಲಿ ಭವ್ಯ ಬೈರಾಗಿ,
ಬಿದ್ದು ಒಡೆಯುವಲ್ಲಿ ಬುದ್ಧನಂತೆ
ಪ್ರಶಾಂತ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಮಾನ!

ಕ್ಷಣಭಂಗುರ ಹನಿಯೊಂದರಲಿ
ಚಿತ್ರಿಸಿಹಳಾ ಪ್ರಕೃತಿ
ಸಮಚಿತ್ತದ ಸಮ್ಯಕ ಚಿತ್ರಣ,
ಸತ್ಯದ ಅನಾವರಣ!

(As momentary as the blink of an eye -
Existence of the drizzling driblet.

Like a pearl, the driblet when it forms -
Only an earthly accident.

Once it is formed and sparkles bright,
Inevitable its destruction.

In its formation, exudes an innocent smile.
During the fall, a sublime mendicant.
As it falls and breaks, like the Buddha,
Peaceful, beyond brilliance!

In the evanescent existence of the driblet,
I wonder, if has painted nature
The complete picture of equanimity
Unveiling the essential truth!)

Our solace

 

On a May afternoon, at the gardens around Qutb Minar, Delhi (Picture Credit: Myself!!)

"In a world we can never decipher to the last detail, maybe moments of ambiguity and chaos are our only solace."

अनकही बातें जो अनसुने रहगये

ये इंतज़ार के लम्हे जाने कब ख़तम होंगे ?
क्या पता अशआर के मानी कब क्या होंगे ?
कभी इन लफ़्ज़ों में मुझे तुम दिखते हो
काश कभी इनमें तुझे मै भी दिख जाऊं ।

ना हो ऐसे, लेकिन अगर वक़्त के सितम में
तुझ तक ना पहुँच पाए पैगाम मेरे दोस्ती के
हे दोस्त मेरे, इन्ही अलफ़ाज़ो में तुम सुन लेना
मेरे वो सारे अनकही बातें जो अनसुने रहगये।

(These moments of wait, who knows when will they end? 

Who knows when these verses will acquire what meanings?
Sometimes in these phrases, I happen to see thou,
Wish sometimes in these, I too am visible to thou.

Hope it doesn't happen so, but if in the tyranny of time
Is not delivered to thou my message of friendship;
O friend of mine, in these very words do thou listen
All my untold thoughts, which have remained unheard.)