zindagi hai pattey ki tarah

Trying my hand at hindi poetry for the first time.... :P

yeh zindagi hai pattey ki tarah,

hawa na ura le jaye, dekho zara

jis tehni pey hai leh raha rahi,

uska daaman na chhootey dekho zara.

thandi tez hawa chali lubhaney,

aur mohh mey patta bhi chatpatane laga,

rookhi sookhi tehni mey kya hai rakha,

socha nayi zindagi dekhu toh zara.

phir chorh diya jab us tehni ka aanchal,

aur tez hawa mey mast behney laga,

na koi bandish, na khushi ki seema,

na kisi ki chinta, na khayal zara.

phir tabhi hawa ka rukh badla,

aur diwaar se takra tab patta gira,

besahara, tarapta aakhir ye ehsaas kara,

kyu na rakha astitva ka mol zara

yeh zindagi hai pattey ki tarah,

hawa na ura le jaye, dekho zara,

jis tehni pey hai leh raha rahi,

uska daaman na chhootey dekho zara.

The Turmoil in the Sea

The sea sees it
again and yet again,
the turmoil that occurs
within and the pain.

The sea that rests
in a corner lonesome,
sometimes expresses,
with storms gruesome..

The storms will subside
again and yet again,
not the turmoil within
and neither the pain.

The Role Model

It’s not everyday that you come across someone totally strange, whom you meet for just about five minutes and who leaves a lasting impression on your mind. An impression which makes you believe something quite opposite of what you had always ‘known’ as a fact. Such was one fortunate winter day when I was out shopping with family, hunting for jackets and coats, in one of the popular, hip South Delhi markets. My brother and I had been trying different shops and had bought a jacket each, but finding good coats was proving to be a pain in the neck. My father, as always, was in the lead, guiding us from one shop to another. Just as that, we followed him inside one of the shops with relatively larger floor area, the whole of which was, curiously enough, occupied with just blazers and coats. There was this huge variety of them and we did not know from where to start. Just then a young guy, smartly dressed in a neat suit, approached us. His kempt beard and left-ear stud added to the rich look he already possessed. He could well have been the owner of the shop or some ramp model; such was the personality he reflected. But as he spoke, I realized that, in spite of his calm, courteous manner, he was an attendant. A look around the shop and I realized that the shop kept the same high standard with its other employees as well.

Dad checked the price tag on one of the coats that caught his eye and asked my brother to try it on. My brother put on the coat, while my dad approvingly said that for 4k it seemed a coat worth the price. And then something happened which felt as if a bomb dropped. As my father spoke, the attendant was quick to point that the correct price was Rs. 40k!!! Apparently, dad had overlooked one zero. Embarrassed, my dad explained that he had misunderstood the price and frankly told him that it was beyond our budget. My immediate instinct told me that there was no need to have given the guy this honest an explanation. I was now expecting him to turn into one of those typical, high-nosed, spoilt salesmen who give you an unrelenting ‘you-don’t-belong-here’ stare in such situations. But something quite different happened. Seeing my dad uncomfortable, he spoke quickly again, but with a genuine smile this time…

“It’s perfectly fine, sir. People like me can’t afford even a 4K coat!”

And to top it all, he sounded apologetic. I was surprised. No, I must say I was pleasantly shocked.

Well, he had had many options. He could have kept quite or he could have behaved in a manner that my instinct told me he would. Or he could have gone overboard by taking sadistic pleasure in making us feel more uneasy. But he did none of these. Instead he preferred to put us at ease. And he did it in such a respectful and friendly manner, that it made it possible for us to make a decent exit from the shop a few minutes later.

I realized that there are still some people in sales business who do not just carry out their duties in a perfect professional manner but also take extra pains to ensure that the pride and honour of the customer is preserved. I don’t think I would ever forget the remarkable humility on part of this person. And yes, although not a ramp-model, he is certainly a role-model for thousands of other salesmen like him.

Kudos to you buddy!

Nothing Less, Nothing More

A Passing Thought...

Standing here, i see,
just many a door,
which one to choose,
which one to ignore..
and when i choose,
and open a door,
then i realize,
that to the fore,
lies yet another door.
This way the life,
may seem to bore,
but fun lies in
making the choice sure,
that i guess is life's core,
nuthin less, nuthin more!

Connecting with Nature

I remember as a kid, papa would sometimes stop the car at a particular intersection-island near our home (one of those triangles that we see at signals for pedestrians) and buy me daana to offer to the birds. I would be scared at first but as I threw the grain on ground, birds mostly pigeons would come out of nowhere, neatly land and much to my relief without hurting me, would quickly consume all that was offered. They say it's a good deed to feed birds, but back then I was oblivious to this. I would only be amazed by the huge number that would descend, each taking in one daana at a time in it's little beak. In a minute or two they would clean up the whole place and would look around, as if waiting for some more that might be in the offing, their throats still moving trying to digest what all they had gorged. And then suddenly they would all take off, scattering themselves happily in the sky. At this point I would realize the pleasure and the freshness that spread within me.

All this was long forgotten until one recent vacation when I came back home, maa told me we have started putting daana to pigeons on our building's roof. At that time I could faintly recall my childhood experience. I decided I would bring them their breakfast the next morning, but could not manage to wake up on time. The entire vacation passed and I completely forgot about my resolution.

I have again come home for a few days, and today, although wanting to sleep till late, somehow got up early. I was looking for something to do, turned on the computer, and just as I was settling down in my chair, a whiff of fresh air made it's way through the window and hit me. I could not resist going out on the terrace. I appreciated the potted plants with beautiful flowers lovingly nurtured by maa. I then decided to go on the roof to have the city's view. I climbed up and as I was observing the city's skyline, I saw some pigeons come one by one, and perch on the roof's ledge. It then occurred to me that these hungry creatures were mistaking me for papa, who had yet not returned from his morning walk to feed them. The daana container, a tightly sealed jar, was on the roof itself. I opened it unsure of how to go about it. I took out some daana in my hand, and threw it on the floor. The pigeons that were waiting hopped down from the ledge and started eating it. I threw some more and then some more.. and then all of the sudden the whole sky above me seemed to be filled with the pigeons.. This blue blanket was soon on the floor, busy juggling the grains in their beaks, competing with each other and so unmindful of my presence. Or maybe they just did not consider me a threat. So there I was, standing so close to them, mesmerized by what I saw. I had never imagined that these little birds would make such a fascinating sight. And the childhood memories rushed back, reminding me of the same delight I felt then.

I guess nothing is more serene and beautiful than watching the nature's less privileged creations living with equal zest and determination as we humans do. And this experience is certainly an humbling one.