Anger and Love

When my son was very young - perhaps around 2 years or so, he used to throw temper tantrums often. So one day I told him, "I know why you get angry. Jab hamari pyaar ki battery down ho jaati hai to vo khali jagah gusse se bharti hai. Come, let me recharge ur pyaar ki battery."

And I used to hug him tight after that. At first, he was zapped. Then, he started hugging back even when he was angry.

Today, we recharge each other's "pyaar ki battery" often. When I am mad at him, he remembers to ask me, "Aapki pyaar ki battery low ho gayi hai na?"

And then I realised, its true for adults too. When the heart is full of love, anger finds no place. When love diminishes, then anger appears - in small doses at first. If we do not recharge the batteries of love, the empty space is taken over by anger.
 

Poetry/ शायरी

शायरी
जैसे मलीहाबाद  के आमों का रस..... 
तुप्का तुपका
ज़बां पर टपके

बूँद बूँद
मीठी हुई जाए है 
वीरानगी
 

I want to talk abt
crushing pain
the kind that
falls on ur head
and u die.
unfortunately
it hasn't been invented yet.
we seem to be able to
breathe
whether we want to
or not.
 

Charity Tourism

Is when you want to visit an orphanage or old age home or blind school to do some good work.

Sometimes

Sometimes
the only one
who knows
how you feel
is a piece of
poetry.

पीड़ा

हमारे सब से कठिन रास्ते
नहीं लाते अपने साथ
अंकों का सिरहाना
 जिस पर सर रख कर
हम सो लें कुछ देर

न मील के पत्थर
जिन से
जान लें
कि सुकून
कितनी दूर है अभी

बवंडर कहाँ लाते हैं
अंक
अगणित ही होती है
पीड़ा
साक्ष्य से परे , निर्णय से दूर। 
 

Happy Birthday with Hava Nagila!

It is July 1. Normally, at this time, I would be up, looking frantically at flowers and guessing which will be good for him to get. Mentally imagining his voice saying "Why do you waste money on flowers?"

Today, there were no flowers to order. I called up the blind school and requested them to let us sponsor the food for the whole day - breakfast, lunch and evening tea (dinner was booked).

It is his 13th day. Also his 65th birthday.

I have been very sad the whole evening, and most part of the day. Suddenly, a song pops up in head. And a minute later, I smile. That's classic dad. Asking me to not be sad. To "Hava Nagila" (Let us Rejoice)

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the Birthday Greeting that my dad prefers - Hava Nagila.

I have spent the last hour listening to at least 50 renditions, and this one finally made me smile. Even from up there, dad knows exactly what he wants.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKllzotdpM4



Here are the other good ones:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VCU6PfBoBM

Harry Belafonte:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTCmKmofaKA


One more:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSTOcyevIOE


 

hindustan!

ये न सोचो 
के हिंदुस्तान आखिर कर क्या रहा है 
ये सोचो 
की अगर हिन्दुतान वो कर गया,
जो वो कर सकता है 
तो तुम क्या करोगे?
 

Trishanku

तुम 
कविता में 
पढ़ना मुझ को 
मैं बस वहीँ 
समझ आती हूँ
****************
पकड़ना चाहो,
तो यथार्थ में 
मिलना 

समझना चाहो 
तो कविता से  
समझना मुझको 


Read me
in a book of poetry
that is the only place
where I can be
understood.