खुलली कळी

थकूलं मन हळूच
कळीत जावून लपलं
सूर्यासवे उमलायची
वाट पाहू लागलं

सूर्य आला वर तरी
कळी काही उमलेना
किती केली आर्जवं तरी
फूल काही फुलेचना

तिकडून आला माळी
घातलं ख़त पाणी
खूप घातल्या शिव्या अन्
खोचक टीका टिप्पणी

शिव्या खूप बोचल्या
टीका खोल रुतली
कळी अशी घाबरली
घट्ट मिटून लपली

मनाने मनावर घेतलं
भ्रमरावर सवार झालं
कळीच्या मनात शिरलं
अलवार तिला थोपटीलं

खुदकन कळी खुलली
अंगांग रोमांचली
हात पसरून नाचली
फूल होऊन बहरली

Shell of a Snail

when I was a small child
on grass I was rolling wild
there I saw a quiet snail
with a bright shining shell

in warmth of morning sun
sparkling with beads of dew
it sparkled its shining smile
from beneath the shining shell

sun rose, went up the sky
snail only wondered why
its so quiet and blissful here
why then rush here and there

in wonder and in awe
snail took a tiny step
with wonder and with awe
its mind grew a zillion way

a dot and the universe
really there is no difference
wise was the quiet snail
smiling inside its shining shell

Be Good

A man spent a busy life

all his life he created wealth

a zillions in wealth

didn’t  waste a moment

didn’t waste a smile

did not shed a tear

 

after his ultimate death

he donated all to charity

to build temples and

to run many schools and

to feed a thousand hungers

to a benevolent earth

 

After his such a deeds

he was well remembered

his statues were erected

schools were named and

awards given in his name

he was conferred a saint

 

he went to God

to take him in heaven

God asked him why.

he had a long list

of charity done unto others

after his divine death

 

God looked  the whole list

top to bottom, bottom to top

He could not see his name

whole world was there but

not even a bit of self

God refused him in

 

to his agony He answered

I am you and you are Me

how can you be good

 when you ain’t good to self

its not enough to do good

if you aint be good

नाचे म्हातारा

घेर कळेना, ढेर कळेना
बम्ब नाचायाचे याला
अरे कुणीतरी थांबवा
या माझ्या म्हातारयाला
ओ माझ्या म्हातारयाला ।

नाच नाचूनी पाय थकले
झिजलेले गुडघे सुजले
आणखी तरी नाचायाचे
या माझ्या म्हातारयाला
ओ माझ्या म्हातारयाला ।

झुकले जरी याचे तन
मस्त आहे हिरवे मन
त्याची ही हिरवी धुंदी
या माझ्या म्हातारयाला
ओ माझ्या म्हातारयाला ।

हरले तन जिंकले मन
थकलेले उथले मन
वाजवू किती तालया
या माझ्या म्हातारयाला
ओ माझ्या म्हातारयाला ।

Who Is The Deadliest Terrorist of them all

These days there is heightened level of alram for terrorist bombs. People are alert towards suspicious objects, there is supposed to be a toll free number in case of terror attack, high pitch speeches are heard all around, there is very high security checks etc. Apparantly all these are focused on one type of terrorists, i.e. islamic terrorists. No doubt these people are a big threat to our peace, safety and security. But is it happening that focusing on this we are neglecting other terrorist? 

"Other Terrorists? Who are they?"

Yes. They are not only 'who', but also 'what'! Let me offer you some data (this is not an official data, is not varified and is indicative only):

• Between Jan, 04 to Mar, 07 there were 3675 deaths in attacks by islamic terrorists.
  
• Between Jan, 06 and Mar, 07 there were 1221 people killed in maoist attacks.
• A study indicates that smoking account for 90,000 deaths in india every year
• Government data indicate that end Aug, 06 there were 14325 reported cases of AIDS in Maharashtra and 124.995 in total India. Prevalence of AIDS in maharashtra in 50-06 was estimated to be 0.62% of population. This means that if Pune's population is taken as 40 lakh then there may be nearly 25,000 cases of AIDS.
• Only on Pune raods there were 324 accident fatalities in 2004 and 172 in 2005.
• There are number of deaths in North Eastern states by insurgents there.(I could not get figures)

If you take all these figures to a common denominator, you may notice that there are causes, other than islamic terrorism, that account cause high number of deaths. The number of deaths from terrorist attacks may have been low because of all the efforts being put by security agencies. This is like arranging all the fielders on off side because the batsman is strong on off side. 

This is not to downplay the threat posed by islamic terrorism but to make us aware and alert to the other dangers that are threatening us.

.....participation to fight terrorism

Jayant Umranikar, the former police commissioner of Pune has written an article in Sunday Sakal, discussing different aspects of dealing with terrorism. Though I felt a lot to agree and many things to debate, I am dealing with just one point he has said. He has refered to the IA flight hijack episode of few years ago. He has said that loud demonstration by relatives of abductees forced the government into knealing in front of the terrorists and has opned doors for future abductions as tools in the hands of terrorists. Looked in isolation this point may look very impressive, but an officer of his stature should deal with broader understanding. (Or i dont know if it is deliberate). Let me remind that Kandahar was not the first instance. I remember atleast one instance when a politicians keen was freed in exchange of terrorists' demands. Wasnt that a precedence that need to be talked about first? People today have so much faith in politicians and high officials that they know for sure that unless they should loud and hoarse they will be mercilessly made sacrificial lambs while politicians and officials make merry. What might have enabled those people to stake the lives of their abducted relatives and stand united behind the country would have been a solid affidavit or declaration by the President, Prime Minister and all his ministry stating that if such an incidence were to occur with their relatives they would not ask for any negotiations. If this was to be followed by all high politicians and officials including the respected officers like MR. Umranikar then, probably, those people would have acted differently. 

Mr. Officer, Sir, it is so easy to offer big statements from high dias. Let us see higer ups acting even a part of what you are preaching. Let the Lords lead and commoners will follow.

Have you seen the movie 'Farenheit 9/11'? When in Amrican Senate and Congress there were big loud speeches asking citizens to participate in war on terror, urging youngsters to join army to fight in Iraq, these same senators and congressmen were asked to sign a statement asking their urging their own children to join the army. Not a single one, I repeat not a single politician, signed such a statement. And we see what has happened of that War on Terror and of those young americans who lost their lives or limbs in that same war on terror.

Stones of heart

Do not pelt thy stones
for they carry your God

put them in gold
they carry your ornaments

feel them all around
for they carry your river

put them on one another
see them make your house

put them alongside other
they chart your path

give them to your kid
see world of play evolve

share them with beloved
and create loving monuments

stones ...  Read Moreare not mere things
they are loving beings

hit them hard
they will hurt you

caress them with warmth
a world of love will emerge

touch them to your heart
they will in turn touch your heart

श्रावण

श्रावणाचे मन तुझे
हळूच एक सर पड़े
काळोख्या मेघांतून
हळवे तिरके ऊन पड़े

घनसावळे प्रेम दाटले
सस्मित किरणे मनी पोचले
मनभूमीवर हरीत उमलले
वार्यासंगे लहर नाचले
ghanasaavele

दंगल वि. दंगल - प्रताप रामराव बोर्डे

Poem by Pratap Ramrao Borde, Pashan Road, Pune
Published in 'Muktapeeth' edition of the daily 'Sakal'
Reporduced here without permission:

Title: दंगल X दंगल

एक भित्तिपत्रक फाडलं, दंगल उसळली
नऊ ठार नव्वद जखमी, चौकशी सुरू झाली
एक शेळी पकडून आणली, तिनं फाडलं होतं
हे भिन्तीपत्रक
शेळीला विचारल, 'बोल तू हिंदू की
मुसलमान?'
शेळीनं जबाब दिला,
'जन्मले हिन्दूच्या घरी, पोसले मुस्लिमाने।'
पोलिसांनी विचारले,
'तू निधर्मी आहेस तर भिन्तिपत्रक का
फाडले?'
शेली म्हणाली,
'भूक लागली होती, कारण मीही आहे
दारीदरया रेशेखाली,
शासनाने मला शेतीच्या जोड़धंद्यात टाकले
तेव्हापासून !'
पोलिस म्हणाले, 'पण असे दुसर्याचे
भिन्तीपत्रक खाने गुन्हा आहे,'
शेली म्हणाली, 'मी अशिक्षित आहे, भुकेपोती
खाल्ले। तुम्ही तर चैनीसाठी लाच घेता'
पोलिस म्हणाले, 'गरीब असून चराचरा
बोलते। कास्टदीताच कापून खाऊन
निकाल लावू हिचा!'

पोलिसांनीच कायदा हातात घेतला, पुन्हा
दंगल उसलाली!

Modern thinking in Bhagavad-Geeta

For marathi readers there is an excellent book published recently titled नवपार्थह्रुद्गत (NavPaarthHrudgat) written by Rajeev Sane (Published by Pratima Prakashan). NavPaarth is Arjun in present times. Who is thinking and questioning Krushna on what he said and how and why. His thinking propagate action based on thinking and philosophy.

There is a book-review on this in today's daily 'Sakal'.

I am currently reading it. Will post more once I am through.

If anybody interested but could not get the book in store, let me know and I will try to arrange.

Most Patriotic Indian

Three indians were arguing on who was the most patriotic of them all. One was a soldier who had staked his life to avert an enemy attack which would have killed hundreds of people. Another was a industrialist who had set up a big industry in famined region and had helped hunderds to get over starvation. The third one was scoialist who had intervened in a communal cleft and averted major riots which would have killed hundreds from both communities, apart from creating a permanent rift and place for future riots. As true indians each of them felt that he was superior than all other fellow indians. So they could not resolve the argument. So they went to goddess Bharatmata. They pleaded her to give her judgement and they also threatened her that if any injustice is made they would not want to stay in such a religion and would find a better one. The goddess got scared. She was already bombarded by her hardcore devotees that rempant forced and voluntary conversions and desertions are taking place and if something is not done fast they would be erased from the face of the earth. The goddess did want to fruther reduce the already depleting population. But she had a tough task to tackle, which she could not refuse. She wondered and pondered, she looked here and there, she asked hims and hers. Nobody could help her. Finally, she dived into the great indian tradition. And ahoy, there was a answer ready for her. Immediately she convened the three patriotic indians. And told them, "All three of you are really greates of patriots. To the soldier I bestow the greatest honour for heroism The 'Param Veer Chakra'. The Industrialist is greatest in the economic empowerment of those starved people. I bestow him with the 'Pram Artha Chakra'. The socialist was truest to his 'dharama' and I honour him with the ultimate 'Param Dharma Chakra'. 

Each of them three went home happily feeling he was the greatest of them all.

Dance of love, in time and space.

It  was a cool summer evening on the northern tip of Norway. It had been a day of bright, warm sunshine. Now heavenly green lights had spread across northern skies. Earth and sun and sky were mating in exhilarating ecstasy. They were presenting a dance of lights. Green light with all its shade and al its mingling with blue was dancing in magnificence.

At the same time near northern tips of Antarctica, a snow storm was raging. On hundreds of feet of ice, engulfed in all white, white at feet and white all around, were penguins brazing the steely white storm. They were huddled together to keep themselves from freezing and to give as much warmth as possible to the eggs between their feet, They were taking turns to face the icy splashing of white on their backs, so that the rest can have some relative warmth. It was a battle between life and white. White was dancing a war dancing and was roaring a battle cry that was gushing sound of stormy winds and flakes. Maybe, it was not a battle but a fiery mating of great tigers. Life was a tigress, sitting idle in tender wild anticipation and white was the tiger wild with eagerness. Ecstatic love-roars were filled all around. Dance of love was manifesting all its prowess.

Over the thick green jungles of Assam, clouds had let all their hair down. They were dancing to loud music. Hard rock had filled all skies. With lightening their arm, clouds were dancing a frenzied staccato.  Elighted with such a dance, river Brahmputra had spread her wings. She was dancing full speed through thick trees and elephant-high grass. Rain was rushing down all the way from skies to meet his beloved river and river was running full speed towards her soul-mate sea. Once again love was dancing one of its special dance.

River Narmada is called Holy Mother in central and western India. Her tender love embraces one and all that meet her. She was feeling that that her heart was shrinking, her emotions were running dry and she could not embrace her children with love and grace as she wanted to. She invited wind and clouds and rains to come to her assist. They responded almost immediately. It was a call of love they would not stay away from. It was this mother that had taught them tenderness of love. She had shown how you could be wild or you could be calm, but be loving in any case. So wind and clouds and rains came to her hand in hand. They started showering love. It was a showering different from the wild rush of emotions they were experiencing in Assam.  Here was a mild drizzle that was slowly wetting Narmada’s body and her heart. She felt the love filling all her self. Her heart started widening again and touching her children. Trees were happy with their mother. They got greener to express their happiness and love. Mothers hugged children to their own hearts. Their hearts widened too. Wet emotions showered by wind and clouds and skies went into their hearts and expressed out through their eyes. These mother looked and Mother Narmada, they looked up at clouds and they looked all around towards wind and rains. Appreciation and love started flowing out of their eyes. This wetness merged with the wetness of rains and Narmada. Tender love was filled all around.

 In the vast land of USA, thousands of acres of farms were sprouting. All sprouts were looking alike, exactly of same size, of same color and will give out exact grains. Man had made machines out of life. But he had succeeded in making machines out of the physical bodies. He could not touch souls. These souls had put hearts in these plants. These hearts each had smile and a tear. Each smile radiating different sparkle, each tear going different trickle. In this dance of smiles and tears arose those sprouts, though all of same size and shape and color, each with individual character. As these sprouts grow up, every sprout will put a different character in each of its grains. In time, man will be baffled to see diversity emerging out of his manufactured uniformity. Hearts know that in the symphony and harmony of its music, each instrument, every chord, each tune, every beat is unique. They are separate in togetherness. 

we tend to call it 'same time different places'. But are these really different places. They are mere manifestations of dance of love. Dance with time and space, and expressions.

Beware, elections are acoming

We Indians are renouned for acting from heart and not to rationality. We refuse to be slaves of rationality and listen to our hearts. I don't know about other people, but we surely and proudly listen to our hearts. Our Gods and demigods are the ones who touch our emotions. 

Elections are fast approaching. The time to think or discuss is gone and now is the time to act, the time to rise to the occasion. So flames are rising ferociously all over the country. As the flames rise, so does smoke. Vision gets blurred, you can not see afar. You eyes get wet, you can not see of near either. Cries and wails of burners and burned deafen your ears. You can not listen, not even hear. All your senses are blocked. You have no help but to listen to your scared heart. You search around for more such scared hearts. There is solace in togetherness. Together you can rise, form the burned ashes to become burners. Such is the power of emotions.

I could never have imagined that colors could fight. Green vs. saffron, red vs. yellow, blue vs orange. All colors fight, in all permutations and combinations. When there are no other colors fight then colors fight among themselves. The shades of saffron fight to prove their might. Greens fight to prove who is greenest of them all.  There are more shades in blue than any other color and all those shades keep merging and seperating. If you love love and peace then denounce colours and embrace white. White is colorless. White is uniting of all colors. White is color of peace. 

Elections are coming. Politics is like commerce. Each brand tryingto prove superiority. To prove superiority one has to focus on differenciation. Harping on differneciation may lead to hatred. Denounce differneciation and embrace similarities. Similarities bring togetherness.

देवा, कुठे कसा तू

शंकरपाळ्यामध्ये नाही महादेव
मारुती गाडीतही नाही हनुमान
देवळातही नसतो म्हणतात
शोधू कसा कुठे हां भगवान

गाभा-यात असे तेली
पारावरती तोच शेंदूरी
प्रेम असे तो मनमंदिरी
आवासी तो हर हृदयी

Irena Sendler and Rescuers

I must start with heartly thanx to Abhijit Thite for his article in Pune's marathi daily 'Sakal' on Irena Sendler. He reminded of the time when I had walked out after watching Schindler's List with tears in my eyes and smile on my lips. My head was bowed in respect to what a single man could do, my heart was standing high with a newfound awareness of what a campassioned heart could achieve. Today I relived all those moments and all those feelings.

Nobel peace lauret and holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel has said, "Memory is a passion no less powerful or pervasive than love". I would like to add that some memories can transgress time. I wasn't even remotely connected to holocaust, I was born much much later. But memories of what I have read about the heartless horrors and heartflowing compassions stir same emotions in me even today. Schindlers, Sendler and many others! We have come to know of their acts. I am sure, there were many many more who had acted small and big to do whatever bit they could. Risks were torture and death, but the call was from deepest of depths of heart. May those calls ring in our ears, may those depths fill our bosoms, may our hearts expand and fly with courage and compassion.

Holocaust survivor Dr. Viktor Frankl has said, "A man who has a 'why' can get over almost any 'how' ". May Compassion-and-Courage be the Why of my life!

Note: One of web sites to know more about the Rescuers: http://www.auschwitz.dk

Art of Laziness

Laziness is an art of taking rest even before cotemplating to work. 

Be wary of Competition

Its advisable to be wary of competition. Competition grooms on differences. Excessive focus on differences, differentitation may lead to hatred. Focusing on commonalities encourage hearts to come together.

Politics and commerce are largest breeding grounds for differences. How can I ask for your vote, your money unless I show I am better, more promising, more desirable over others! Media and sports are children of commerce. Religion may be classified as sub-class of its own. 

All these are able to breed on differences because there is a potent culture readily available within human mind. Human mind is all willing to catch on differences and clobber into seperate herds. Probably human brain has yet to evolve over this tendency.

Thats why some say that all the progress that humans claim is only supreficial. Within there is still a lot lot to evolve.

'ते' आणि आम्ही

मशिदीसमोरून जातो तेव्हा
डोकं अगदी सडकून उठत
पहाटे चारला लाउडस्पिकरवरून ओरडतात
राजरोसपणे चाराचार बायका काय करतात
गोमातेचं मांस काय खातात
अचकट विचकट दाढ्या काय वाढवतात
दणका द्यायलाच हवा साल्यांना

रणरणत्या उन्हातला मोर्चा
थंडगार एसीमध्ये साहेब
आमच्या घट्टे पडलेल्या हातांनी
गुबवलेत ह्यांचे गोरे गाल
हातांचा हिसका दाखवायालाच पाहिजे
ह्यांना खाली खेचायलाच पाहिजे

माझ्या खांद्याला खांदा लाउन लढतोय
तो मशिदीतला दाढीटोपीवाला


खच्च भरलेल्या फलाटावर
गच्च भरलेली गाडी
आत शिरायला मी आतूर
सगळे दरवाजे बंद फितूर
आत कुम्भकर्ण ढाराढूर होते
कोणीतरी ढोसा, कानाखाली लावा
कसेही करून दार उघडायला लावा

कोनालातरी उतरायला एक दार उघडलं
मी आत घुसलो, मागून लोंढा
अनेक चपलांखाली माझे पाय होते
आणि अनेक श्वासांमध्ये माझं डोकं
बरं झालं कोणीतरी दार लावलं
नाहीतर बाहेरचे आत शिरले असते
आत जागाच कुठे अजून यायला



फूटपाथवरून अनवाणी चाललो होतो
लख्ख काचांमागचा झगमगाट पाहात होतो
एवढ्या तट्ट फुगलेल्या ढेरया
त्यांसमोर पक्वान्नान्च्या ढेपा
आमची खपाटीला गेलेली पोट
त्यांना फक्त चार दोन शित
देवसुद्धा गरिबांचा वाली नाही

भिकार्यान्नी अगदी उच्छाद मांडलाय
जिकडे तिकडे सूळसूळाट माजलाय
खंडीभर पोरं काढतात कशाला
स्वतः उपाशी तरी मणभर पोसायला
चार घास सुखाने खाता येत नाहीत
लव्हलव्हनारया जिव्हा वेडावत रहातात
छाटून टाकल्या पाहिजेत दरिद्री जिभा

ते आणि आम्ही
आम्ही आणि ते
एकाच नाण्याच्या
दोन बाजू
की
वर्तुळाला असते तशी
सगळी एकच बाजू