Monday, 6 February 2017

हृदये चित्रम् । -meheralok



हृदये चित्रं ते आलिखितम् , आयासि द्रष्टुं न वा ?
मन्येऽहं पर्याप्तनिमित्तमिदं, त्वामानेतुं न वा !

पुरा यदा त्वां दृष्टवानहं चित्तं मे प्रहृष्टम् ।
त्वद्हृदयानुगतभावदर्शिस्मितं मुखे तव दृष्टम् ।
किं क्षणमेकं यावत्पुनश्च शक्यतेऽनुभवितुं न वा ॥१॥

व्याकुलितं मे जातं हृदयं रोचते न किञ्चिन्मे ।
त्वद्विरहदुःखं न सह्यमाशु आयाहि प्रियतमे ।
किं प्रेरयते गीतमिदं मे त्वां मा मिलितुं न वा ॥२॥
~मेहेरालोक~

-meheralok


Photo By:
Submitted by: meheralok
Submitted on: Thu Dec 15 2016 11:50:58 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Original
Language: संस्कृत/Sanskrit


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Saturday, 10 December 2016

The Rring -हरेकृष्ण आचार्य



The Aeroboard was not as fast as the imagination, so it took some time to reach the places.
That it did not touch the ground but floated a feet above, gave the advantage of moving much faster than just walking.
For walking such a distance would take so much time that the motivation to reach itself would die considering the increasing impatience with slower modes of transport.
The distance also would appear so much, only to allow the imagination to work its way, in constructing what was desired to be reached.

The city seemed far, but the distance melted due to the speed reached by the Aeroboard.
The rocky desert stretched far enough for the heat to work its way through me.
The heat became tolerable only due to the wind speed generated by the Aeroboard.
The desire was to reach the city skyline but not enter it, so the Aeroboard stopped accordingly.
The aeroboard understood my contemplation and squared off my desire with it to arrive at the perfect place of tranquility.

from here, where?

and then i saw the rains coming to the forests in the distance which kindled the desire to see the downpour on the trees.
The aeroboard sped towards the treeline. the desire was not to get soaked, so the Aeroboard stopped only to jump up high into the clouds - which was what the desire was.

The sea of cotton clouds hid a rainbow beneath and the wish to get a shower increased, thereby lowering the Aeroboard under the clouds for a brief moment till I saw a sunlit garden of flowers.
While the clouds did not disappear, the opening in them, made the Aeroboard lead me to the garden where the trees rose humongously into the sky, reached perhaps only by a Brontosaurus.

The Aeroboard learnt to stay still, for me to hear the chirps of the various birds feeding their children in the trees, when a roar aroused fear, and the birds flew in fright arriving at the tree again after a doing circle. the Aeroboard too rose in height carrying me with it to ward of any danger. It reflected the caution in me though there was no fear.

Interestingly there were no people around. did that reflect my desire too?
I also did not see any cars or people in the city. That was strange!
and this was a truly fantastic world.

That said, a faint ring was heard in the distance. the slight sound grew louder - slowly reaching a level causing pain in the ear and an, abhorrence intolerable. The Aeroboard suddenly disappeared and the only thing that could be heard was a loud Rring.

The "Aeroboard" video game was programmed to end the immersive reality with a "Rring" to push the gamer out into the real world. Anything greater than 10mins would make the gamer irrecoverably lost to the other world. Physical death though, had never been reported. That the gamer's conciousness played in the other world while his body rested in deep sleep was something to research about. Better ways to get the consciousness associated back with the body were being studied. Meanwhile, the 10 min immersive reality game "Aeroboard" was becoming a hit and a new source of revenue for entertainment giants.




-हरेकृष्ण आचार्य


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Submitted by: हरेकृष्ण आचार्य
Submitted on: Mon Sep 05 2016 00:00:00 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Original
Language: English


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Friday, 18 November 2016

Dead -देवसुत



Ram Kishan Sharma was a typical example of a poor teacher.

Underpaid and exploited by the school management with work overload but at the same time, his name and great qualifications used by the same management to enhance the name of the school to garner more fees from the next batch of students.

Ram Kishan Sharma was poor, not because of his incapacity of thought or work, but simply because he pardoned many who trampled over his aspirations, and did not take offence when someone just usurped his achievements and put his own name on it.

Ram Kishan Sharma was a typical nice guy, as well as a great teacher - to his students who just adored him, for his teaching of complex concepts would be done in a most simple way. That he was popular with his students, gave another reason to raise the fee by the school management.

It was a great hypocrisy to see plays conducted on great people by the students, encouraged by the management, during the annual day event every year. People such as Radhakrishna, Sir M. Vishweshawariah, who worked selflessly for India would be routinely portrayed, whereas living greats, such as Ram Kishan Sharma, who lived in their midst, alive and kicking, were exploited and unrecognized.

It was only many years later, that came as a surprise, that there was a play depicting Ram Kishan Sharma as a great teacher, at the school's annual day, by one of his students, who had now grown up enough to recognize the contributions to his life by his teachers. The play ended with a huge applause for the performing group and a citation by the same principal who had very well known Ram Kishan Sharma.

Why did it take such a long time to know Ram Kishan Sharma?

On inquiry it was found that, quite some time back, he left his quite easily curable Tuberculosis, untreated due to poor financial conditions. He was now - Dead.


-


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Submitted by: देवसुत
Submitted on: Thu Oct 20 2016 21:25:45 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Story
Language: English


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The suspicious thought -Shri.Ginde



The thought which every one knows.
sheepishness to believe.
suspicious why!

I m not good. We r not good.
nothing was good in our surroundings.
screwed country.
worsening humans.
No more indications,
haggard life.

The thought which every one knows.
sheepishness to believe.
suspicious why!

The stone became God.
depressed mind.
screwed people.

The thought which every one knows.
sheepishness to believe.
suspicious why!

beyond the peoples view n opinions
oh..! my heart n mind could you stand strongly.
My soul saying you that you only good for your self...
N this matter of truth irritates me daily..!!

The thought which every one knows.
sheepishness to believe.
suspicious why.. why.. why..!!!


-Shri.Ginde


Photo By:
Submitted by: Shri.Ginde
Submitted on: Thu Oct 20 2016 14:49:38 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Original
Language: English


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On natives and complacency -हरेकृष्ण आचार्य



The problem with having a lot resources, is that it makes you complacent. At the same time, makes the neighbour or an outsider covet your assets to the extent of jealousy, thereby causing a conflict in which complacency must be replaced with caution and alertness, and sometimes to the extent of taking reactively violent measures to continue to keep ownership of the resources.

If you (the native) continue to be complacent amid the growing threats of which you may be blissfully unaware, then the consequences would lead to the loss of these resources to outsider hands.

This same paradigm, when seen at an individual level, leads to a society where crab eats crab.

When seen at a collective level (akin to a state within a nation), leads to the natives losing control over their resources to non-natives who migrate from neighbouring areas, causing a reactive violence by the natives against the so-called outsiders.

When seen at a level of a nation, leads to other nations taking political control of the resources by the use of companies and using the "individual corrupt" to keep control over the resources and de-empowering the natives by introducing unjustifiable laws, citing which, the control is maintained over a long period of time - which then causes a reactive violence, called a "freedom" movement in this context.

The root cause is, however, the complacency built in the natives, which leads the outside perception of weakness and emboldens the outsiders to usurp the resources. If this complacency is done away with, then a natural barrier to outsider invasion is formed and the consequent problems over the decades is avoided.

To remove such complacency, it is important to understand this cause and effect relationship and educate ourselves to the root causes of war and peace.

Peace should not mean complacency and war must only be with the earth shattering negative forces that make all humankind regress, since a unity of ALL the other forces is essential to curb the dark forces. Without this unity, darkness will prevail.

-हरेकृष्ण आचार्य


Photo By: Unknown
Submitted by: हरेकृष्ण आचार्य
Submitted on: Wed Oct 19 2016 09:17:34 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Original
Language: English


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Thursday, 20 October 2016

The snails and the caterpillar -हरेकृष्ण आचार्य




Once upon a time there was a snail, with a big shell around his back. There was only grass around him when he started walking. After a while he met another snail and now they were 1+1=2.

They walked for a while when they saw a big green dome in the distance.

They did not know what it was, but kept walking towards it. A little while later another snail met them and they were now 2+1=3.
All of them now walked towards the big green dome which they still did not know what it was.

A little while later, they met another snail with the same big shell on his back. They were now 3+1=4. And they all started walking towards the big green dome which was now very near and they were able to touch it.

Now they came to know that this big green dome was a cabbage. They were all very happy. They kept touching it with joy with their 2 antennas each, making a total of 8 antennas since they were 4 (2 x 4 = 8).

After much fun and joy, they started eating the cabbage and made holes inside it. After a while of eating, they found a caterpillar inside the cabbage which was also eating the cabbage happily.

The caterpillar did not like the snails and he started to argue with them. A fight broke out due to this and the cabbage shook due to the commotion inside. The fight continued.

Up and far on a tree, a bird was watching the cabbage field and noticed the shaking of one of the cabbages. It flew down to this cabbage, looked inside the holes and found the caterpillar. It put in its beak inside the cabbage, caught the caterpillar and flew away with it to feed its baby.

All the snails, 4 of them, went into their shells to protect themselves from the bird. When they came out they saw the caterpillar missing. Not knowing where the caterpillar had gone, they enjoyed eating the cabbage without making noise.

----
How was the story?
Good.
What did you like in the story?
The snails and the cabbage shaking.
How many antennas did the 4 caterpillars have in total?
two fourz are 8.
----

Epilogue:
This story was told to my 6 old son at bedtime. The questions were asked after the story for which he returned the given answers. The story was originally told in Kannada.

-हरेकृष्ण आचार्य


Photo By: Unknown
Submitted by: हरेकृष्ण आचार्य
Submitted on: Wed Oct 19 2016 09:42:56 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Original
Language: English


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Saturday, 8 October 2016

Experience -Shri.Ginde


"Experience is more important than Education"

-Shri.Ginde


Photo By:
Submitted by: Shri.Ginde
Submitted on: Thu Sep 15 2016 10:46:21 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Original
Language: English


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When music brings you tears... -Anthony Liccione



When music brings you to tears, you know your soul was affected somehow, the heart in unison with the spirit, as the mind goes free.



-Anthony Liccione


Photo By:
Submitted by: Anthony Liccione
Submitted on: Thu Oct 06 2016 23:02:44 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Original
Language: English


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Tuesday, 13 September 2016

सरफ़रोशी की तमन्ना अब हमारे दिल में है -बिस्मिल अज़ीमाबादी



सरफ़रोशी की तमन्ना अब हमारे दिल में है
देखना है ज़ोर कितना बाज़ु-ए-कातिल में है

करता नहीं क्यूँ दूसरा कुछ बातचीत,
देखता हूँ मैं जिसे वो चुप तेरी महफ़िल में है

ए शहीद-ए-मुल्क-ओ-मिल्लत मैं तेरे ऊपर निसार,
अब तेरी हिम्मत का चरचा गैर की महफ़िल में है

वक्त आने दे बता देंगे तुझे ऐ आसमान,
हम अभी से क्या बतायें क्या हमारे दिल में है

खैंच कर लायी है सब को कत्ल होने की उम्मीद,
आशिकों का आज जमघट कूच-ए-कातिल में है

यूँ खड़ा मक़तल में क़ातिल कह रहा है बार-बार,
क्या तमन्ना-ए-शहादत भी किसी के दिल में है

वो जिस्म भी क्या जिस्म है जिसमें ना हो खून-ए-जुनून
तूफ़ानों से क्या लड़े जो कश्ती-ए-साहिल में है,

हाथ जिन में हो जुनूँ कटते नही तलवार से,
सर जो उठ जाते हैं वो झुकते नहीं ललकार से
और भड़केगा जो शोला-सा हमारे दिल में है,

है लिये हथियार दुशमन ताक में बैठा उधर,
और हम तैय्यार हैं सीना लिये अपना इधर
खून से खेलेंगे होली गर वतन मुश्किल में है,

हम तो घर से निकले ही थे बाँधकर सर पे कफ़न,
जान हथेली पर लिये लो बढ चले हैं ये कदम
जिन्दगी तो अपनी मेहमान मौत की महफ़िल में है,

दिल में तूफ़ानों की टोली और नसों में इन्कलाब,
होश दुश्मन के उड़ा देंगे हमें रोको ना आज
दूर रह पाये जो हमसे दम कहाँ मंज़िल में है |
-------
Editors Note: This work is popularly attributed to Ram Prasad Bismil though he was not the author.

-
Category: Folklore
Language: हिन्दी/Hindi


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Saturday, 10 September 2016

ಗುಂಡಾಣಿ ಗುಂಡಾ -बे. हरेकृष्ण आचार्य



ಗುಂಡಾಣಿ ಗುಂಡಾ ,
ಮದುವೆ ಮಾಡ್ಕೊಂಡ ಹೊರ್ಟ ,
ಗಂಡಾ ಅತ್ತು ಬಿಟ್ಟಾ ,
ಗುಂಡಾ ನಕ್ಕು ಬಿಟ್ಟಾ ,
ಅತ್ತೆ ಕೋಲು ತಂದ್ರು ,
ಕೈ ಕಟ್ ,
ಬಾಯ್ ಮುಚ್ ।

Editor's Note: The above poem is a play on the popular children's poem in Kannada below.
ಉಂಡಾಡಿ ಗುಂಡಾ ,
ಮದುವೆ ಮನೆಗೆ ಹೋದ ,
ಹತ್ತು ಲಾಡು ತಿಂದಾ ,
ಇನ್ನು ಬೇಕು ಅಂದಾ ,
ಅಮ್ಮ ಬೆಣ್ಣೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟರು ,
ಅಪ್ಪ ದೊಣ್ಣೆ ತಂದ್ರು ,
ಕೈ ಕಟ್ ,
ಬಾಯ್ ಮುಚ್ ।

-बे. हरेकृष्ण आचार्य


Photo By:
Submitted by: बे. हरेकृष्ण आचार्य
Submitted on: Fri Sep 09 2016 00:00:00 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Original
Language: ಕನ್ನಡ/Kannada


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Sunset -Divij


Sunset

-Divij


Submitted by: Divij
Submitted on: Fri Sep 09 2016 00:00:00 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Original
Language: English


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Monday, 5 September 2016

योपाम पुष्पम् वेदा ... -Mantra Pushpam




योपाम पुष्पम् वेदा ,
पुष्पवान्, प्रजावान् पशुमान् भवति |
चंद्रमावा अपाम् पुष्पम् |
पुष्पवान्, प्रजावान् पशुमान् भवति |
----
yopaam pushpam veda
pushpavan pashumaan bhavati
chandramava apaam pushpam
pushpavaan, prajaavaan pashumaan bhavati

य एवम् वेदा, योपा मायतनं वेदा आयतनवान् भवति |
ya evam veda, yopa maayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati

अग्निर्वा अपामायतनं, आयतनवान् भवति
यो अग्नेर्वा आयतनम् वेदा, आयतनवान् भवति
अपोवा अग्नेर्वा आयतनम् , आयतनवान् भवति |
agnirva apa mayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati
yo agnerva ayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati
aapova agnerva ayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati

य एवम् वेदा, योपा मायतनं वेदा आयतनवान् भवति |
ya evam veda, yopa maayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati

वर्युरवा अपामायतनं, आयतनवान् भवति।
योवा योरायतनम् वेदा, आयतनवान् भवति
आपोवै वायोरायतनम्, आयतनवान् भवति |
vaayurva apa mayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati
yova yorayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati
aapovai vaayoraayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati

य एवम् वेदा, योपा मायतनं वेदा आयतनवान् भवति |
ya evam veda, yopa maayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati

असोवै तपन्नपामायतनं, आयतनवान् भवति।
यो मुश्यतपत आयतनम् वेदा, आयतनवान् भवति।
अपोवामुश्यतपत आयतनम् वेदा,आयतनवान् भवति।
asovai tapanna ayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati
yo mushyatapata aayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati
aapovamushyatapata aayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati

य एवम् वेदा, योपा मायतनं वेदा आयतनवान् भवति |
ya evam veda, yopa maayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati

चंद्रमावा अपामायतनं, आयतनवान् भवति।
यस चन्द्रमस आयतनम् वेदा, आयतनवान् भवति।
आपोवै चन्द्रमस आयतनम् वेदा, आयतनवान् भवति।
chandramava apa mayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati
yas chandramasa aayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati
aapovai chandramasa aayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati

य एवम् वेदा, योपा मायतनं वेदा आयतनवान् भवति |
ya evam veda, yopa maayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati

नक्षत्राणिवा अपामायतनं, आयतनवान् भवति।
यो नक्षत्राणां आयतनम् वेदा, आयतनवान् भवति।
आपोवै नक्षत्राणां आयतनम्, आयतनवान् भवति।
nakshatraani va apamayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati
yo nakshatraanaam aayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati
aapovai nakshatraanaam aayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati

य एवम् वेदा, योपा मायतनं वेदा आयतनवान् भवति ।
ya evam veda, yopa maayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati

पर्जन्योवा अपामायतनं, आयतनवान् भवति।
यः पर्जन्यस्य आयतनम् वेदा, आयतनवान् भवति।
आपोवै पर्जन्यस्य आयतनम् आयतनवान् भवति।
parjanyo va apa mayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati
yah parjanyasya aayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati
aapo vai parjanyasya aayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati

य एवम् वेदा, योपा मायतनं वेदा आयतनवान् भवति ।
ya evam veda, yopa maayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati

सम्वत्सरोवा अपामायतनं, आयतनवान् भवति।
यः संवर्त्सरस्य आयतनम् वेदा, आयतनवान् भवति।
आपोवै संवर्त्सरस्य आयतनम् आयतनवान् भवति।
samvatsarova apa maayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati
yah samvatsarasya aayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati
aapo vai samvatsarasya aayatanam, aayatanavaan bhavati

य एवम् वेदा, योप्सुनावम् प्रतिष्ठिताम् वेदा, प्रत्येवा तिष्ठति।
ya evam veda, yopsunavam pratishthitaam veda, pratyeva tishthati

राजाधि राजाय प्रसह्य साहिने ।
नमो वयम वै, श्रवणाय कुर्महे।
समेकामान् काम कामाय मख्ह्यम्
कामेष्वरो वै श्रवणो ददातु ,
कुबेरायवै श्रवणाया, महा राजाया नमः |
raajaadhi raajaaya, prasahya, saahine
namo vayam vai, shavanaaya kurmahe,
samekaamaan kaam kaamaaya makhyam
kaameshvaro vai shavano dadaatu
kuberaaya vai shravanaaya, maha raajaaya namah.

-Mantra Pushpam
-मन्त्र पुष्पम्

-


Photo By:
Submitted by: Mantra Pushpam
Submitted on: Sun Aug 14 2016 12:15:13 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Ancient Wisdom
Language: संस्कृत/Sanskrit


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तुम्हारा टेलीफून -देवसुत



प्यार की बातें बोलकर मुझे बहलाओ मत ,
अभी बोलो तुम आओगे कब ?
बच्चे रोते हैं, पर पूछते नहीं हैं तुमको ,
हँसकर मैं भी जवाब नहीं देती उनको ।
तुम्हारे पैसों से खाना बनता है, ख़ुशी नहीं ,
बिन बाप के बच्चे, बढ़ेंगे कैसे? पता नहीं !
मुझे पैसों की भरमार नहीं , ख़ुशी चाहिए ,
तुम्हारा हाथ, तुम्हारा साथ चाहिए ।
पैसे अब काफी हैं ज़िन्दगी काटने के लिए ,
बच्चों की देख-रेख और पढ़ाई के लिए ।
बाकी जो बचा, वह कुछ कर लेंगे इधर-उधर ,
अभी बोलो, तुम आओगे कब ?

-देवसुत


Photo By:
Submitted by: देवसुत
Submitted on: Mon Sep 05 2016 00:00:00 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Original
Language: हिन्दी/Hindi


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सड़क, जोकर - हिंदी बाल कविताएँ -देवसुत



सड़क
------

सड़क बनी है लंबी चौड़ी
उसमे जाती मोटर दौड़ी
सब बच्चे पटरी पर जाओ
बीच सड़क कभी न जाओ
जाओगे तो दब जाओगे
चोट लगेगी पछताओगे

जोकर
---------
सरकस में है आता जोकर ,
सबका दिल बहलाता है ।
सिर पर लम्बा टोप पहनकर ,
नकली नाक लगता है ।
रंग बिरंगा चेहरा करके,
हँसता और हँसाता है |

-


Photo By:
Submitted by: देवसुत
Submitted on: Mon Aug 01 2016 22:03:54 GMT+0530 (IST)
Category: Story-Folklore
Language: हिन्दी/Hindi


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Saturday, 3 September 2016

Happy Holi -Dr. B. Devadas Acharya

Dear All,

See (in the attachment) me in HOLI colors...!!! 
It's a photograph (through a mirror) I took this morning from my mobile...!!!


I wish you and your family a 

        VERY HAPPY AND
      COLORFUL HOLI
 

I may vanish 
From this world
In just one tick
Of eternity, 
Thou shalt see,
That's natural.
But, I shall
Enjoy forever
My colorful
Existence
In your hearts
As long as they 
Are throbbing!
I shalt then
Awaken in you
A thought
That giveth
A new idea,
To make you
An immrotal
If you shalt
Care to flip
Its wings
To flutter
And make it
Fly free
From you
In the world
Of knowledge
That would
Signal glow
And glitter
Of brand 
New knowledge!
New horizons
Shalt thus
Emerge ever 
For all to 
See with glee,
Fleeting glam 
And wonderment!
My soul shalt
Then briskly
Be hovering
Around you,
Waltzing in
Steps with you,
To join you in
That ecstatic
Memoryless
Wonderment,
Every time
That shalt
Occur, with
Lots of hue,
Song and dance,
Splashed with
Frenzy, frolic,
Freaky Fame 
And Fantasy
All in one tune,
Rhyme and rhythm!
 
With lots of colorful love and greetings for a VERY HAPPY HOLI, I remain
yours as ever,
Belmannu Devadas Acharya

Editor's Note:
We could not separate the poem from the text of the message without losing meaning and context.
So here the poem is presented, in its complete form - together with the context and the colorful letters.


Saturday, 20 August 2016

Jai Hind -Divij

 
 Jai Hind 
-Divij 

 Photo By: Submitted by: Divij Submitted on: Sun Aug 14 2016 12:15:13 GMT+0530 (IST) Category: Original Language: English 

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The Roadshow -Dola Dutta Roy

The Roadshow

Word count – 2942


The lights were blazing in his eyes. Nikhil began to blink. But he liked what he heard. It was a piece of comedy being enacted by two men whose acting skills were pathetic and who laughed before the audience did. But nevertheless, it was entertainment and had attracted a sizable crowd that clapped and cheered surrounding the shabbily raised platform with no props to create the backdrop.
It was Saturday night and the right time to put up a show for those who would otherwise roam the streets or take a pint of local booze with a friend at some odd joint to kill time. Basically, nowhere else to go to but home, and that was not always an exciting idea for most young and old. Home was often a hole where wives nagged, children whined and street dogs barked at moving vehicles and shadows on the wall.

When the clown appeared with the heroine in her hot pink outfit studded with sequins, the crowd swooned. There were whistles and sighs and the heroine didn't wince but did her bit berating and chiding the crooked clown who took a few somersaults and flips, shedding tears to prove he was mortified. There was laughter all around. Nikhil remained unimpressed and thought that the girl was no patch on Kumari Urmila who did such roles with panache.
He looked at the time. It was past nine and the show would continue for an hour longer. He had already seen it once with Manoj, his buddy at work and his neighbor. But he was in no hurry to go home tonight. His wife Preeti left to be with her parents for some time before she could return with the baby. After all it was their first child. She needed proper care by an experienced woman and who could be better than one's own mom. He rubbed his tired eyes stifling a yawn.

Suddenly he felt at a loss. There was nothing much to do really. Loneliness was gripping him. He took out his cellphone to give a call to Preeti even though she had told him to call her late at night when she was free to talk. But the crowd around him gave him dirty looks as he tried to speak to her. No cellphone during the show, he was told by a viewer. So he decided to saunter out of the makeshift tent that had a platform for a stage and the viewers squatted on mats on the balding grass in the open. Behind the blank backdrop there was stark reality enveloped in darkness with cloth-made partitions for the performers for privacy.
Nikhil quietly came out in to the clear field with city lights all around. He walked a distance and stopped at a nearby chaat shop and asked for a plate of aloo-tikias or light fried potato cakes. Later he ambled along the row of shacks selling toys and a bit of everything -- checking out things for Preeti and the baby. Then he stopped at a Punjabi dhaba, a little diner by the roadside, with a neon sign that glared. He needed to grab some real food for his meal for the night. Looking around he decided that he was done for the day.
*****

It was a windless night. The electric bulb flickered for a while before it decided to stay on as it did every night when he returned home. It was stuffy inside and the fan did not do its job properly either. Not its fault. There was too much moisture in the air to cut through. The air was thick and heavy in the room. He went and splashed some water on his face and body as he changed from his work clothes to a lungi and a vest. He turned the TV on and sat on the bed to watch it with a glass of water in hand. He thought of Preeti, her slim and lithe body now heavy with life growing inside her. A smile played on his lips thinking of her and their future together with another breathing being in this suffocating room.
He slid down reclining on his bed, his head resting on the pile of pillows behind him. He was not aware of what was happening on the small screen of the TV but his eyes remained locked on it while his mind wandered from Preeti's tearful goodbye and his growing fears of keeping his job at the factory as a welder. Times were bad. Any day things could come crashing down on the factory owners who had been trying to compete with big names in the country. This could tantamount to the workers losing their jobs and livelihood.

It was first a whisper and then a nudge that woke Nikhil up from his stupor. He could barely keep his eyes open and saw the faint figure of a lissome woman in a red and yellow sari in sequins covering half her face to hide the fact that she was laughing at him. His eyes opened wide and he thought he saw Kumari Urmilla, the alluring girl of last year's roadshow. She was standing there and swaying with laughter in front of him. He rubbed his eyes. Yes, it was her and he saw her uneven front teeth behind those luscious red lips as she partially unveiled her face.

'How did she manage to find me and come here?' was the first thought that struck Nikhil. Yes, the year before when the theatre group had come over with their roadshow, Manoj and Nikhil had both broken all rules to visit the tantalizing prima donna surreptitiously in her dressing room behind the tent, courtesy Brijmohan, the local organizer of the roadshow and Nikhil's acquaintance. On the third night of their visit in a row to the show Manoj had admitted he was completely smitten by her and had to see her again. He had taken flowers and gifts for her that Kumari Urmila accepted but flung over the metal suitcase that lay at her feet. She gave a mechanical smile that was wide but didn't reach her eyes.
It was evident that Manoj was besotted with this enchanting beauty and did not waste time to tell her that he had good intentions of marrying her. The next few days found Manoj in a state of euphoria. One evening he begged her to elope with him after the show, promising to give her the world. Urmila's smile was constant but her eyes moved back and forth from Manoj's face to Nikhil's. Nikhil stood there tongue-tied while he could also feel the sudden rise of a desire to grab her when she looked at him longer than she should have. But he had his Preeti and he was a happily married man. He did look away.

Manoj was determined to meet with her every evening till she agreed to accept his proposal. She was the woman for him, he told Nikhil. Nikhil had laughed and slapped his back telling him that women like Urmila were not to be taken home but enjoyed. But surprisingly Manoj didn't falter in his determination to win her over and when he threatened to speak to the theatre-group owner if Urmila didn't promise to give him an answer, she relented. She reminded him of the contract she was bound by and sighed and finally with eyes that danced with every syllable she uttered and the movement of her glossy lips, she coyly agreed to accept his offer. Manoj got a 'yes' for a secret rendezvous soon with Kumari Urmila to discuss further matters on their plan of action. She promised to see him at a secret spot behind the tent while the show would run on that evening -- of course, courtesy Brijmohan. The day and the time to elope was to be fixed just before the theatre group moved out of town and she got her money in hand.

However, there was only one hitch. Manoj had night shift to take care of for a few days and begged Nikhil to pick up the details from her on his behalf as a good friend. That particular night, Nikhil kept his word as Manoj was busy at the factory.

Kumari Urmila was waiting with a hand written note for Manoj. From behind her dark shroud that covered her from head to toe, she gave a luscious smile as Nikhil came closer. Before he knew it she took his hand and told him flatly that she would like to run away from it all with him instead. Nikhil stood there thunderstruck for a while as she begged him to take her away that very moment.
When he found his tongue, Nikhil stuttered saying that she was mistaken. It was Manoj who wanted to be with her and that he himself was a married man. Kumari Urmila broke down crying and pleading with him saying that she only had eyes for him and not Manoj. She begged him to rescue her from the hell she was in where she performed just to entertain others. Nikhil stood still. A few moments seemed like eons. It was when the bell rang loud and clear that Kumari Urmila woke from her trance. She left his hand and tore the note she had written for Manoj and flung the pieces on Nikhil's face. Her eyes glinted like burning embers. Two days later the troop left town.
Every bit of this flashed through Nikhil's mind and he wondered what made Urmila return and that too to him. Manoj never spoke of her again since she left with the theatre group to some unknown destination. He drowned his hurt pride in bottles of local booze that made him vulnerable but belligerent.
*****
"What are you doing here?" Nikhil could barely hear his own voice. In the faint light in the room Urmila looked devastatingly alluring. She laughed and moved a step closer. "Nothing," she said. "Just came to see you."
"Me?" Nikhil felt fear rise through his spine. He gave her a scornful glance, as if she was a witch. "Do you know what you've done to Manoj?"

Urmila stopped midway. Her eyes were pinned on his angry face and were filling slowly with tears. She stood there and shook her head. "I didn't want him. I wanted you," she whispered. There was still a subdued recklessness in her tone.
"But I didn't want you." Nikhil sounded cruel.

He sat up and looked at Urmila's soft and sad face. How strange, suddenly he felt pity for her. He got on his feet and tried to move towards her. But Urmila moved away.
"Look, I didn't mean to hurt you. I mean, Manoj is my friend and I….I am a married man. My wife has gone to have a baby." She gave a quick look at him with a blank expression that verged on contempt.

His conscience flared up again. "Anyway, how did you find me here?" he asked in a monotone trying to maintain a cordial distance to avoid misunderstandings.

"I can find anybody if I want to," Urmila flashed an enigmatic smile.
Nikhil said nothing. He knew some wounds are very slow to heal. Has Urmila gone mad to come looking for him from wherever she had been!
He looked at her face in the light and shade of his dimly lit room. His gaze wandered over her. He found the door shut behind her. He was slowly getting consumed by a feeling of inadequacy creeping up inside staring at this intoxicating and colourful blend of fantasy and reality. He was not sure if he could trust himself.

"Has she really come for me?" He thought to himself. "Does she really want me that much?" He took a step forward. Urmila studied his moves with feline watchfulness. She waved a hand daintily at him but her eyes wore a mournful look. Half scared of the predicament he was in, Nikhil stood still. He reverted to his sullen mood and with the wave of his hand, told her to leave.

Suddenly the sari that was covering her face dropped and in the faint glow of the capricious light bulb, charred remains of her facial skin and body, neck down, caught Nikhil's eye. He gave out a cry and fell to the ground. Urmila was stupefied to silence and staggered backward resting her back on the door. She stood there for a moment like a bodiless, weightless being giving out almost inaudible moaning sounds. For a second Nikhil thought he saw her stretch her arm where bangles dangled and before he saw anything else, he lost consciousness.
********

Nikhil woke up to a roomful of people. Manoj was slapping him hard and when he opened his eyes, he scowled.
"What happened to you?" Manoj sounded worried. "I was returning home from the night shift and thought of swinging by your place. The door was ajar and you were lying on the floor. You sure had too much to drink last night, didn't you?" He frowned. An elderly lady took a mug full of water and splashed it all over Nikhil's face wetting his clothes.

"She was here." Nikhil gave a blank stare at Manoj as he whispered.
"Who was?" Manoj squinted.
"She…." Nikhil looked at the crowd in his small room where the night light was still on.
Manoj looked at everybody and requested them to leave them alone assuring them that he would take care of the situation. He made Nikhil sit on the bed and faced him sitting on a broken armless chair. "Now will you tell me the truth?" Nikhil seemed still in a daze. Slowly he recounted what had happened the previous night. He broke down to tell Manoj the facts about Kumari Urmila's passion for him.

"I couldn't believe that she would find me here and at a time when I was alone and feeling lonely. And that face and body burnt up on one side -- that was terrible." He covered his eyes to wipe out the memory of it. "Why did she come here?"
"She wasn't here." Manoj sounded gruff.
"What do you mean?"
"Just that. She wasn't here. She couldn't be here. You just dreamed her up."
"I saw her, Manoj." Nikhil sat up.
"Look, she left long time back with the troop." Manoj stretched himself in the broken chair.
"Perhaps she came back with the roadshow this time too. We just haven't seen her."
"She hasn't and she cannot." Manoj looked angry now.
"How do you know?"
"Because I do."
"How, Manoj, how can you be so sure?"
"Because I know she couldn't return. That bitch died some months ago."
Nikhil's eyes were wide open. "What are you saying? Died? How?" Those burnt patches on her face and body, those woeful eyes! Suddenly Nikhil wanted to puke. When he came back from emptying out his stomach, Manoj sat quiet and sad for some time looking at him. Then he looked up and said, "Well then, if you really must know, she died exactly three months ago. She was charred to death." There was a cruel grin on his face." Even in death that bitch longed for someone else when I promised her the moon."
Nikhil gave out a gasp of horror and covered his mouth.
Manoj got up and turned off the light that was burning with shame as the sun streamed in through the window.
"When….. Where and how?" Nikhil took time to spell these words out.
"There was a fire in her tent when they took the show to Ramnagar. It was a hot month and the air was dry by the highway. Something caught fire and that was it." Manoj gave an indifferent shrug. Nikhil just gave a blank nod of understanding. He couldn't take his eyes off Manoj's grim countenance.
"Who told you that?" Nikhil asked after a pause.
"Nobody did, I was there." He gave a wry smile. "Remember I took leave for three days in the middle of summer? That was when I decided to go looking for her. I kept track of her moves…. wherever they were performing." Manoj got up and took a glass of water from the pitcher left in a cool corner. He wanted to know if Nikhil wanted a drink of water. Nikhil just shook his head even though his mouth was going dry.
Manoj came back and sat next to him on the bed. Very confidentially and with much conviction he said, "She was sleeping in her cot when the fire broke out and before she could do anything, her side of the tent fell on her and she was consumed by the hungry flames."
"Then?"
"Then what? The police came and some people were taken to the nearby hospital. She died on the way." Manoj helped himself to a cigarette from Nikhil's packet on the bed. "The bitch never came to me. Even in death she wanted to be with you." He gnashed his teeth as he struck a matchbox.
"Do they know what caused the fire?" Nikhil stuttered.
"Don't think so. They blamed it on the lamps burning low and the stormy winds." His big belly jiggled as he laughed mirthlessly.
"How do you know all that?" Manoj gave a scathing look.
"I should….. I caused the fire on her side of the tent." He blinked. "No more roadshows for her….. no more betrayal. " He caught his belly and roared with laughter, his body shaking with ripples all over.
******************* THE END ********************




Submitted by: Dola Dutta Roy Submitted on: Thu Jul 21 2016 21:16:16 GMT+0530 (IST) Category: Fiction-An Imaginary Story Language: English - Read submissions at http://abillionstories.wordpress.com - Submit a poem, quote, proverb, story, mantra, folklore, article, painting, cartoon or drawing at http://www.abillionstories.com/submit [category Fiction-An Imaginary Story,English,Story]