Sometimes I wonder if you were here in Kalyug, how would you have felt seeing the world deteriorating day by day. Everyone talks about turning the Bharat Bhoomi to Ram Rajya again. But how is that possible when no one learns a single thing from you? Shri Ram, you are an epitome of virtue and righteousness. For you Dharma comes first. But do you know that today no one respects Dharma? To teach compassion, love and duty, you, one of incarnations of Shri Hari Narayan, had come to earth in Treta Yuga. What a personality you are! So full of love, mercy and respect for everyone! Life wasn’t easy for you as well. You were about be the next king of Ayodhya, but the moment it was declared, you were bestowed with 14 years of Vanvasa. Through your Leela you taught us that nothing is more powerful than time. It didn’t even spare you, the one who created it. Shri Ram, there was only one Ravana during that era, but today, there resides many among us. And in this crowd of Ravanas, full of jealousy, hate and insecurity, I search for you. And I have this faith that someday I will find you. As long as your name is there, at least there is a hope that Dharma is still intact in this world.

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Dear Muse,

When in this quiet, hushed evening, raindrops are knocking at my window panes, whispering gently in a symphony, I’m waiting for a story to take its shape. My pen is poised, but my brain, having been turned into a barren landscape, refrains from releasing the river of thoughts which can weave a tale through my nerves and cells, and finds its traces on a blank sheet of paper. Do you know that each drop of rain is an infinitesimal wonder, and when you bring them together, you will find a world welcoming and greeting you? However, the words remain dormant, caught and entangled in a web of confusion. The rain outside is urging me to give my voice a shape, but, I think, I have to wait for some more time, till you bestow your blessings on me.

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Three Things To Learn From Jagannath Rath Yatra:

*The Raths: The Raths of the three deities are the symbolic representation of human body. Each part of the raths has a name and each part signifies an important meaning. Just like the Raths, God resides within us as well and therefore, each human being deserves respect in society.

*Family Values: Lord Jagannath is the Lord of the Universe. He has taken the responsibility of the entire world. Whereas the Sri Khetra Dham is his Karma Sthal, the working place, the Gundicha temple is His home. Through this festival, He is giving us the message that no matter how busy you’re, no matter how much you earn, do not forget your family values and keep on visiting your family from time to time.

*Unity in Diversity: The Jaggannath culture teaches us unity in diversity. Lord Jaggannath represents the tribal culture of Odisha, earlier Lord Jaggannath was worshipped in the form of Neela Madhaba by Viswavasu, a Savara king. This shows that everyone is equal in front Him and coming out once in a year from His temple to give darshan to people of different communities and religions, He proves that He believes and practices the idea of inclusivity.

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When I look at the moon,
It reminds me of the serenity of night,
Reticent and mysteriously shy,
The night has its own story to tell,
As busy as day, but maintaining a dignified silence,
Its characters keep on doing their work,
Under the shadow of a dark, gloomy blanket when the entire world returns to its slumberland.

When I look at the moon,
It reminds me of the torrential rain knocking at the threshold of my entrance in the day ,
Which I ignored gracefully,
As I didn’t want the swarm of clouds hovering over my imagination,
Completely blocking my thoughts.

I like the tranquility of night,
Keeping me away from the throng of people,
It soothes my mind,
When I look at the moon,
My thoughts find their traces on a blank sheet of paper.

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It would have narrated a story undivulged to the world ,
A story, which lies hidden within me,
It’s existence I’m unaware of,
It might have found its way somehow and camouflaged itself with my own narration,
However I do not find the traces of it,
Still a mystery, I can feel its presence,
When in darkness, a ray of light gives shape to my shadow.

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I do not know why I like placidness of night more than the chaotic day full of unwanted crowd. Night has a unique beauty, a regal and sophisticated appearance that is adored by few and ignored by many. The blanket of darkness hides an enigma beneath it. And sometimes I wonder, is it a fortunate stroke of serendipity that is hidden beneath it?

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Reverting Back To My Poetic Self

As the rain starts pouring,
I stretch my hand beyond the railing of my balcony,
To feel its sublimity,
To let my skin absorb its tranquility,
Drop by drop it quenches my thirst,
Brings back my soul lost in pandemonium,
Wide awake, my creativity starts stitching words together,
Trying to form an aesthetic piece of art,
When I realise, I’m reverting back to my poetic self.

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Are You Becoming My Muse, Dear Lord?

The world may have turned murky,
Yes, I can see forlorn smoke everywhere,
Yet deep down I know there resides a place,
Full of gleam and radiance,
Miracle happens there I have heard,
You, the Almighty reside there, they say,
Who are you? Sometimes I wonder,
You have different names, different incarnations,
Why do I like it when you play the flute though?
Sometimes I wonder how exquisite that place would have been where you reside!
I have created such a place with my imagination,
At the core of my heart,
You stay there, guiding me spiritually,
Today while writing this I wonder,
Are you becoming my muse dear Lord?

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The Ocean of Stardust

With a feeling of exhilaration blended with a pinch of anxiety
Like an inexperienced little kid, wanting to experience that unknown world
Went near the shore of that ocean, sparkling mysteriously
With a strong desire to feel that shimmering water, let my hand out to have gentle touch of it
On the tips of my fingers; taking away my hand quickly
Fearing the unknown.

Heart being heart, governed by its strongest desire
Overshadowed the fear for unknown
My fingers gently stroked the glittery water
Serenity invaded the body
The unknown seemed known
A sense of euphoria ran through the nerves
Without thinking much
I dived into the ocean of stardust

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A Bridge of Hope

I have burnt an oil lamp,
At one of the corners of my heart,
Its warmth made up of silk rope,
I have used; to construct a bridge of hope.

I'm walking alone on that bridge of hope,
The flickering light of lamp is guiding me,
Slowly and consciously I'm walking on it,
For I fear, if it breaks,
I cannot build it again.

Ah! That fear gives me a burning sensation,
Which runs on my veins,
The fear is justified!
For I'm a lonely traveller ,
Travelling the vast realm of life.

I know the murky night is long,
But the bridge of hope is my courage,
Pushing me everytime to take a step ahead,
That's why I have vowed to walk,
As long as the bridge is strong and intact.

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