O my darling! (Face 3)

Distinctly admiring you were
That I cared to keep a big black dot
On your left cheek everyday
To ward off evil eyes that fell on you
O my darling! Are you tired today?

Mischievously wonderful you were
Messing up the house as a toddler
Singing ‘Mama’ ‘Mamaaaaaa’
‘Maa…’ and ‘mmmmm…’ the whole day
O my darling! Do you want to have anything?

A great story teller you are
Your expressive blabbers on pictures and
Innovative adventures with footwear
Are captured in frames in thousands
O my darling! Will you put your head on my lap?

The cars and bats, bricks and books
Lamps and plants, crayons and paper
All have a touching incident to narrate
The intelligence of my boy wonder
O my darling! Have you slept already my dear?

There is never a dull moment
In my life since your grand arrival
For God hath blessed me to be your mother
Though I am not the best you’ve got
O my darling! Will you remember me for ever?


P.S. I am shocked to read the following news item in today’s (10/03/2008) Gulf Daily News:

A newborn baby was found abandoned in a cardboard box next to a municipality garbage bin in Hamad Town, it emerged yesterday. The boy, believed to be a few days old, was discovered near Roundabout Seven by garbage collectors in the early hours of Saturday.

Bahrain is a place where pregnancy preventive measures are available whereas abortion is not. This news is highly disturbing for me because such incidents are a rarity here. Hence incoherent thoughts cross my mind…

• How will the mother be able to lead a peaceful life after abandoning her baby? Let us not ignore the fact that she took great care in keeping the baby in a cardboard box in spite of her compelling situation.
• How did she manage to hide her pregnancy and subsequent delivery?
• Is illegal abortion far better than abandoning the illegal new born baby?
• So many couples are dying to have a baby and are ready to undergo painful processes of artificial insemination, test tubes and surrogacy (in the extreme level). But accidental conceiving and abandoning are also happening side by side. Strange is the law of life….
• Why is the baby punished for no fault of his?

Urged by the overflowing emotions, I penned down the third part of ‘O my darling’ in haste. It is a sweet talk of a mother to her adopted child.

Maha Shivratri

The image of Shiva was never a part of our altar. One probable reason could be we were Vishnu followers. It doesn’t mean that our parents worshipped only Vishnu and the many avatars. The irony was Durga, Ganesha and Muruga found their places in our home whereas neither Shiva nor Linga could. No Rudram or Chamakam were chanted at home and I had never heard them until a few years ago.

But our visits to Shiva temple were quite regular and abhishekams were conducted from time to time. In fact, my parents conducted nagar pratishta in Shiva temple only. I remember how much I liked going to the temple to enjoy the ambience of the big area covered with trees, the big Nandi, Linga, Nayanmars etc. We were advised not to carry even vibhoothi from the temple as it is said, “Shivan sothu kula naasam”. As a young girl, how fascinated I used to be seeing the small idols of nayanmars kept in the line and wondered what on earth they were kept there and why they were the only privileged ones to see Lord Shiva. Well, when I think about them, I could only chuckle.

When we visited Murudeshwar temple near Udipi last July (2007), I was stunned by the beauty, grace and poise of the tall Shiva statue. The temple is constructed in the sea and it is a wonderful sight to see those waves lashing on one side and the Shiva on the other side (see picture above).

Shiva is an embodiment of compassion and love. Whenever I see His picture, I become so humble. The whole universe is at His mercy yet His simplicity makes me realize how petty I am. So, today being Maha Shivratri, I wish to spend my time more usefully that generates positive energy in and around.

Om Namashivaya!

Moods of pain

My teary eyes and burning heart
Fired up the cool autumnal pond
Sending waves of failures of love
Pain was infectious…

Those fresh lotus petals turned together
To see the elegant lady who was charring
Their lives of beauty to ashes
Pain demanded attention…

One dared to touch my red eyes
In a bid to soothe my flaming being
And asked for reason with compassion
Pain expected sympathy…

Brought home the pink flower
To narrate my story of baseless love
That bent my will beyond imagination
Pain had tall tales…



Looking at my face on the mirror of no magic
I decided to disintegrate the radiating beauty
And merge in the blue canvas of cosmos
Pain could not be erased…

From behind the curtains of rainbow memories
His handsome face emerged effortlessly
That thrust me in the corner sobbing
Pain yearned to brood…



Like a single leaf left alone in a storm
I shivered upon those besmeared words
That boiled my brain only to end in swoon
Pain was unbearable…

Woke up with the tap of lotus
That wanted me to smile awhile
And feel the purity of love around
Pain stood aside…


P.S. This is my contribution for 'Express Yourself Contest Week 16'
Picture courtesy - reflector

The ultimatum

Ruptured window of my car
Testified the storm outside
And a glimpse of ferocity

Touching the lines of partition
My eyes noticed water lines
Dripping near my feet

Shifting my gaze to the glass
I extended my vision to the sky
In a limitless velocity

Refusing to erase or get razed
My past mocked in unison
To claim a seat of beat

Reasoning my being of presence
I realised my body in shackles
That became my goal of pain

Held up in the land of known
I raised my voice for help
To avoid the cruel death pavilion

None saw the storm raging inside
As my deeds were mistaken for
A stain in my life of vain

Piercing those solid glass pieces
My soul succumbed to the ultimatum
And flew joyfully towards the oblivion


P.S. This is my contribution for Poetry Contest Week 15
Picture courtesy - Supriya