HERO

My heart breaks seeing you break
Please do not I pray for my sake
Just get going, sit up & wake
Flutter your wings & just give a shake
I have seen you maneuver
A diligent cruiser
Navigating the vehicle of life
In happiness & in strife.

Life is a puzzle of some happiness
Enhanced with bits of dreariness
Don’t let the momentary despair hurt your sentiments
Move ahead dear do not be hesitant
Be optimistic & persistent
When gorges make you feel disheartened
Look towards the sky
And just fly high, high..

You are a smooth rider
Moving ahead amidst hardships & danger
Do not let the bumps & pits
Drive away your everlasting grit
Spread your wings & surge ahead
Cheat on all your fears, do not dread
Be carefree, leave all your doubts
Hang on to your faith & all about
Living it up & loving what you do.

Do not let other’s views,
Or opinions bother you
So do away with the blues
Start all fresh anew
For all to find a new, better you.
You are a fighter, my hero
The most wanted, never a zero
Life is a game of ups & downs
Smile; do not let in the creases & frowns.

Be deft and agile
The moment is delicate & fragile
Rediscover your dreams
Let your eyes gleam
With the abundance of success
In your heart you possess
The will & the strength
To retouch, reinvent
All that is within your reach
Nay dear! I do not sit here to preach.

I want to marry your dreams too
Share all & see them come true
Let’s bid farewell
To any thought abominable
Draw out new parallels
In this life ephemeral
You have to leave behind a heritage
For generations to narrate
And to bravely follow
When we aren’t there tomorrow
A path of dreams, intelligence
Courage, perseverance & diligence
I know you can & will
Succeed, braving the heat & chill
Win, get over it all & be victorious
Be remembered as a fighter laborious,
Meritorious & glorious!!

-Madhumita

MISSING….

This is the stage of missing
When it’s time to fly out for fledglings
No more fun-frolic, laughing & dancing
No time for the wonderful bonding..

This is a stage of missing
When there is no more love & caring
It’s just, ‘Ohh! Will you stop cribbing?’
Or the softer ‘Please stop nagging’..

This is the stage of missing
The lovelorn looks, the hands holding
Each other, the youthful stroking
And just pure, selfless love engulfing..

This is the stage of missing
The comforting & solacing
The murmurs & the whisperings
The mute dialogues & eye to eye conversing..

This is the stage of missing
The shared hot cuppas of the morning
The meaningful strolls in the evenings
But alas! Now this holds no meaning…

This is the time of missing
The childish bantering
The chitter chattering
The little feet pitter pattering..

This is the time of missing
The playfulness & new beginnings
The learnings & fresh findings
The immense pure love & misgivings…

This is the time of missing
But also the time for fresh tidings
Of new mornings & happy evenings
So I try to change into something full of meaning

This is the time of missing
That I am trying & changing
To fresh painted memories endearing
Egging me on to a fruitful living
Guiding me on to a path treading
Forward loving, caring, trusting, hoping
And giving, giving & happily giving.


Madhumita

QUEEN’S NECKLACE, THE MARINE DRIVE

The extreme forms of nature have always fascinated me, be it the majestic hills, the golden sand of the deserts, the gurgling, milky rivers flowing down like quick silver or the vastness of the sea. Nature withholds such a lot of beauty & everything about is so captivating, enchanting & attractive. Although nature’s bounty can be felt & experienced throughout the length & breadth of India, but Mumbai, its glamour, chaos, the cultural diversity and its diverse landscape has always enthralled me & called me back again and again. The Mumbai experiences have always enriched & enlivened me specially the sea & my visits to the Marine Drive or the queen’s necklace as it is also known as, is always looked forward too.
Marine drive is the best place where you can just sit and relax or take a stroll & get an idea about & understand Mumbai. It in itself defines Mumbai which in Marathi is derived from goddess Mumba (Mumba Devi is said to be patron deity of Koli fishermen, the original residents of Mumbai), with water all around. It holds a special place in my heart not only because of the beauty but because of the moments I have spent there in the company of my beloved & my family, and also because of the feeling around it , the entire experience teaches & shows me so many facets of life.
Actually it is an upturned C shaped six lanes concrete boulevard running up to three kilometres, joining the Nariman point with Malabar hills. It is a natural bay with the vast grey Arabian Sea forming its coast line. It’s a stark contrast in settings here with the domesticated land on one side, with buildings built by rich Parsees, hotels, offices etc. At the same time being one of the most busiest roads in Mumbai & the rough bashful waves of the sea playing with gay abandon on the heaving chest of Earth, hitting against the land as if romantically anxious to behold its beloved in an embrace. It’s a perfect place for relaxing & enjoyment with, nature, people, food & fun.
I have never seen the place empty or vacant. It is always streaming with tourists, office goers, residents & college students etc. It is a viewing gallery offering panoramic view of the sea, the distant landscape & the sky. The entire place is a hub of activity & is always hustling & bustling. Scores of people come to breathe fresh air and view sunrise & sunset. People can be seen sitting there in groups, as couples or all alone, in the company of nature oblivious to the chaotic world around. The visitors can enjoy the wonderful views of the setting sun at twilight, or begin their day watching the sun come out bringing with it all sleepy forms to life. Palm trees are lined up along the road, presenting a picturesque view and is a nice walkway to take a stroll, so you will always find couples, old people & even ladies in groups just taking a stroll or coming for their morning & evening walks as children play around & stray dogs run around after the crows who are eager to get a peck of the crumbs of food. Such is the beauty & enigma of Marine Drive.
Marine Drive can be termed as the only best causeway for a refreshing saunter, an energising walk, next to the sparkling waters of the Arabian Sea, with the cool breeze blowing that caresses with a mild & gentle touch making everyone feel at home & welcome. Many a hearts have united here, shared grief & happiness, taken strong decisions with the sea serving a background focussing on change, stayed on, moved ahead, solved problems & got back to being one, to share & care, to love.
Known as the Queen's Necklace, Marine Drive, when viewed at night from an elevated point anywhere along the drive, looks like a radiant string of pearls, forming a necklace. The title of queen’s necklace was conferred to it because the picture presented at night with all the glittering street lights is like a big strand of imperious jewels, or a necklace studded with diamonds. The beauty of the sight is breath taking & ethereal, always embedded in your memories.
Sitting there you feel as if you are talking to the sea, the sea also responding by coming from far to you & in return kissing you with the refreshing drops of water it sprinkles on you. The splash of the water, the breeze everything mesmerizes & one can sit for hours & hours together holding hands, or sitting all by oneself, talking to & experiencing the wonderful solitude in the hustle & bustle around. If one wants to experience solitude & the super power it is here that you get to do, while watching the earth & the sky melting into each other at the seamless, limitless horizon, and wonder at the wonders of the world & heaven. It is here that you see the diverse Indian culture & the unity in this diversity as you see all kinds of people rubbing shoulders without knowing any limits or boundaries. The rich, the poor, the Hindus, the Muslims, Parsees, Sikhs, the fair, the dark...all kinds of people at this place which showcases an amalgamation of the diverse, a beautiful mix all woven into one.
It is here that one can see how easy it is to adjust, adopt & accept when one sees the bhaiyya from a remote UP or Bihar selling bhel or singdana or balloons, or an office goer from the southern , northern or eastern part of the country jostle together in a pool cab ( share taxis). It shows us how easily they have adjusted to the changed topography, the weather, the tastes, and the people. And also clearly gives an insight into how well they have been accepted into the common thread. It is on this path that many a feet, very different from each other has treaded & traversed together. Marine drive is a wonderful place giving an insight into our unity & solidarity which is as strong as the waves & as united as the entire promenade that unites & joins the jungle like concrete of Nariman Point to the beautiful, green & leafy habitats of Malabar Hills.
One feels childlike as one is in unison with the boisterous waves & sees the small children play around with gay abandon. One can sit & have a feel of the romantic as the golden yellow sun bathes the horizon into a vermillion red & plunges into it, while couples in love sit there looking into each other’s eyes whispering nothing. Or have a feel of years of long companionship, of keeping promises made of togetherness as the sun rises again to bask the earth in a golden glow & warmth as old couples sit on the benches, sharing the solitude, years of togetherness with unspoken words.
As I sit here on this visit, surrounded by the waves sounding so much like naughty children trying to beat each other I am reminded of Khalil Gibran’s “But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.”
I would rather say “create a bond of love with the moving sea & the calming wind connecting the shores of your souls”. The entire surrounding is all of a sudden changed as the small little raindrops fall on the earth below leaving a wonderful earthy smell in the air, create music by dancing on the sea bed & soothe my skin with a wonderful satiny cool touch. I am totally in awe of the sensation the entire picture is creating. Nature, the sea, the sky, the earth, the overlooking palms, the magnificent buildings, animals & birds, the heavens & humans all interlinked & entwined together imparting a glorious beauty & wonderful feeling.
The feeling of love is epitomised & symbolised at this landmark of Mumbai, where love flows in all its form, love that is beautiful & full of desires, mercy and compassion. Love for God , love for humans & all living forms, love for nature & the ever giving, forever loving love of God; love for solitude & rejuvenating joy, refreshing & energizing happiness . As I get up to walk on ahead ( a part of the journey of my life ), to soak in this feeling into myself, to partake of the wonderful experience & freeze the picture in my heart before I come back for more, I leave with a bagful of treasure with gems like beauty in the form of nature, solitude in chaos, companionship, friendship, attraction, longing, romance, belonging, affection, friendship and over all Selfless Giving & much more which is inexplicable & can only be experienced by the self, by only me or you!!!

KASAULI

After living life on the (super) fast lane for almost an year, there was this urge of slowing down & getting away from the time schedules, the daily routines & grinds. I needed break free of all this & wanted to live life in the slow motion, without any pressure, no deadlines to remember, nothing to rush for. I wanted to have time at my will so that i could live my days , my way.
That’s exactly what I did. Packed the family bags, coaxed & cajoled the “Oh So Reluctant Hubby” & sped off to the most sought after, the most loved , sleepy hamlet of Kasauli.


I was anticipating life in awesome solitude, watching butterflies & birds, clicking away beautiful pictures of the hills & nature ,which I hardly get to do in Delhi. Walking up the market, trekking to Manki point or just lazing around, soaking up the sunshine, hanging out in the small Tibetan shops buying trinkets or just lying in my bed in the hotel watching TV or just doing nothing.
Will this heat end? The weather was kind of tropical, humid. I really can’t remember the last visit when it had rained because , the rains have been scarce but Kasauli in during rains is heavenly.
I think Someone up there really heard me this time , because by the time we reached Jabli ,I saw intense lightning outside. I heard threatening thunder in the far distance & the roaring of dark clouds as they welled up in the sky above us.
All signs of the rains rolling in?
Will it bring in some much-needed relief to the thirsty & parched up hills, will it quench up the trees, the plants & the forests & make all nature dance in tune & derive pleasure?

The wind picks up, the clouds sound more powerful & the lightning became more frequent and more intense. Lo there is a lovely drizzle which surprisingly within minutes turns into a heavy downpour. Sanjeev , my hubby is delighted, because loves the rains. In his eagerness to be in one with nature he drives faster & we reach Kasauli, bathing & drenching in the torrential (at that moment it looked like) rains.
I love nature & I love to watch the streams of water flowing down to the ground below as if uniting the heavens & earth. I often wonder how something as natural as the rains can be so amazing.
It was kind of a thunder storm. It was a little scary, because the Ladakh tragedy was very fresh but fascinating too. I loved the intensity of what’s happening outside. It was in a strange way very comforting & soothing. The more nature got intense the more the inner calm engulfed me.
Of all the feeling that was overpowering was, I have time now..
To breathe, to think, to take in the beauty & the serenity, take every day one hour at a time, to enjoy,recharge & relax and to just sit and read .
To be silent, stand still and listen to all the sounds of the birds, animals, insects etc & get enveloped in the silence of that sleepy cantonment.
I was eager to take in the breath taking experience, so as soon as the downpour turned into a drizzle all four of us took umbrellas & went out. The place is not so sleepy because we found all the shops open & some people still out enjoying the rains. There were very few tourists. It was very pleasant with the cool wind blowing bringing in the much needed relief to the warm people around. Moti & Shera our four legged friends who seem to be eternally there in the market , came running to us wagging their tails , as if always cherishing the bond of love between humans & animals. We get a few packs of biscuits from the Fatafat stall & share with them. Leaving them enjoying their treat we walk further towards Arhat bazaar & stop at the way side tea stall near Anchal hotel.
It’s a typical hilly stall, smelling of everything possible but a warm host & the tea at that point of time really welcome. The warmth & the pleasure from the greasy, oil oozing bread pakoras & the overtly sweetened tea was wonderful & inexplicable. It was like going back to childhood, enjoyment without any care or precaution. The clean, pure air was cleansing all the dirt & grime of the city from my lungs & refreshing me, filling me up with a zesty energy.

The three days there passed like a dream of which I was not willing to come out. The beautiful grey clouds intermingled with glimpses of blue & silver, the green clean hills, the clean cool breeze, the lovely flowers, the chirpy birds, the naughty monkeys, the squeaky squirrels all seemed to enjoy the beauty & rains with me. The “Himachali” folk tune played by the unknown boy still is ringing in my ears, so soulful & binding, as if calling the beloved to join him in the rains to dance like Radha & Krishna in the dancing water.
I had time to spend at my will but alas time flew by & it was time for me to return....
But not with a heavy heart but with new hopes & promises to return for more
Promises I made to the Morning store to come back for more sandwich & hot coffee, to Anand Dhaba to come back for a sumptuous homely meal, to the hills to come back to see them more beautiful. A promise to Shera & Moti to come back to enliven our friendship. A new promise to come back to the fresh, lovely & serene surroundings to come back & learn to live life my way in tune with them & get refreshed & rejuvenated.

So here I am sharing my wonderful experience with you, who is reading this & waiting with eagerness to fulfil my promise of going back to the calm, solitude of beautiful Kasauli to live Life a little more......

TOGETHERNESS

Last night I sat in my balcony for a very long time.
It was a beautiful evening, and intense pictures of darkness embracing light (lightening) in the most romantic way, in the tightest possible hug.
The sky was dark, a gloomy brooding mixture of black & grey, then bright silver streaks, the fiery gold flashes & the zigzag of all possible colours amidst the black and the grey.
I sat there, mesmerized, wondering about the ways of “Someone Up There” & nature, and breathed deeply, taking in the freshness & with it all whiffs of fragrance the air.
It was just me, the heavy curtain of water spread down to the parched & thirsty earth, the wonderful quietness, the swimming pool down below, colourful & flooded with lights. There was this beautiful feeling of me being in oneness with the surrounding.
It was so quiet there. Only the soothing sounds of the music, the pitter patter of the rain drops, the croaks of a frog nearby in unison with the music of water, & the oh so lovely sounds of nature around me.
This space as if of the entire universe universe; the musical, empowering silence& the pure tranquillity.
I just sat there and soaked it all up, and felt that wonderful youthful freshness.
Mamta,my cook called me before leaving, but I still didn’t stir. Didn’t even make an effort of listening to what she was saying.
I sat there instead, and drenched myself in the entire feeling as I watched the world go to sleep.
Darkness crept in step by step; a few nocturnal birds & bats started circling the open areas of the campus.
I stood up, to leave, but somehow could not just yet.
The scene was magic. I wanted to encapture the entire moment as if there was no tomorrow. The swimming pool was there last night, is there every night. But how beautiful it can be when left alone in unison with nature, I found that again.
Before I stepped inside my room, my gaze, my soul & spirit wandered across the almost dark surrounding once more. Again trying to relive the time spent together with everything and my solitude in that one moment.
“Thank you & goodnight dears” my heart said to all & everything that was with me. Thank God for making me realise that even in the so called loneliness, one has so much and so many to share with.

I am back in my big, chaotic office today.
Missing my experience of yesterday night, but still happy, cheerful & refreshed in an expectation to experience the same again , or else finding pleasure in reliving the moments again when I see a dark gloomy sky, see the colours of the night gone, hear the raindrops & the croaking frogs or see my dear pool every evening......

RAHI

I don't believe in the song JEEVAN KE SAFAR ME RAHI,MILTE HAIN BICHHAR JAANE KO, AUR DE JAATE HAIN YAADEN TANHAI ME TARPANE KO...
Instead I love to put it this way: JEEVAN KE SAFAR ME RAHI MILTE HAIN BICHHAR JAANE KO, AUR DE JAATE HAIN YAADEN TANHAI ME MUSKANE KO...
Afterall life is about meeting so many lifeforms.
Living with some, playing with some, eating-drinking with some, growing up with some, walking the road of life together with some etc.
Each an every Rahi leaves an impression in our lives in one or the other way, inturn helping us in our process of growing.
I remember all my fellow travellers in this journey of life with happiness. Their memories whether good or bad always light me up (one should learn & see something good even from bad).They fill me up up with happiness, joy & revive me with a strange kind of energy.
Whenever I am down,feeling low, just a trip down the memory lane is enough to zest & boost up.
As I write this I remember two travellers & am really compelled to write about them.

The first one who brings a smile & a strange sense of wonder is TANI SINGH. I met her at her parent's shop (In & out) at a PETROL PUMP enroute to Shimla.We had some problem with our vehicle & while my husband got the problem rectified I walked into the shop & was looking up for small lil things to carry &just pass time.
"Aapko kya chahiye", was the enquiry I responded to with my gaze. There she was a small, tiny structure,9-10 years old,a special child. I was smitten by the lovely smile.I told her I was looking for something, nothing special & walked ahead.
"Aapke bachchen nahi hai"?
"Hain", I replied in the affirmative.
"To aap ye le lonaa", & she handed me a lovely book, followed by colour pencils, chocolates,& all that she could possibly think of.
Like a dedicated follower I received her advice, the happy gaze in her eyes was wonderful as she was being listened to.Her ways, her smile,her care & affection was very special for me.Everything about her was so infectious. Her mother tried to take her away but I insisted on her being left with me. "No she is not at all troubling & bothering me. You have a lovely child,"was my response to her mother getting a little worried about her customers being troubled by her small lil girl.
What still amazes me is the small lil selfless girl, who seemed to know me since ages, giving me motherly & friendly advice, treating me like a small girl. I learn from her memories to be responsive, to care & of all to have a lovely heart. The thought of Tani Singh always livens me up. She must have grown now but her memories stay with me & will continue to enrich me forever.
The other life form is of a wayside dog,but did not seem like one( let me name it Happy).He was cute & fresh.He was a bundle of energy & joy with lovely cheerful eyes & very playful ways.
Happy came across me in Mashobra, came jumping to me & started tugging at my T-shirt. An animal lover that Iam,I could not just resist the teeny weeny pup playing with me. My entire family was drawn to Happy. We got some biscuits for him.He started nibbling but as soon as he saw me take out the camera, oh my my...
to the utter dismay & disbelief of everyone ,Happy started posing for pictures. He turned his face, changed his posture & did everything possible to ensure that I get a good shot.Every tourist, every passer by was enthralled & captivated by his charming ways & stopped to have a look & give a lovely pat or a stroke.It was an experience in itself. At the end of the so called photo shoot Happy would not let us leave & coaxed us to continue playing with him. It was as if we shared some invisible bond & he filled my heart with love & joy. But sadly we had to part ways.
Like Tani, Happy will remain in my memories forever & will continue to enrich me with love & happiness.
Tani & Happy have taught me how to care,& impart love & happiness to everyone selflessly, even to strangers. They have taught me to be happy in any situation & will continue to fill my life with happiness & pure love through their memories forever & ever.
So I say happiness is everywhere, one just needs to see it &embrace it.
Three cheers to evergiving, ever enriching happiness.
Isn't this Lifeamrit

lovely morning

People say that due to the sky rises.... oops!! Imeant because of the high rise buildings the beauty of the mornings is gone...
But no.... its our vision and outlook that has changed , not nature, nor the sky, northe birds nor the flies.
I love going out in the mornings, taking in the air, breathing in the freshness into my lungs, viewing all the green and lovely colours of flowers all around ( be it in the park near my complex, the garden in my complex,or even in houses). The chirpy sound of birds, early in the morning is music to my ears , its so mesmerizing!!!. You really don't need to travel to a faraway hillstation or a village to experience all this. All you need to do is just leave your bed early , pull on your socks and get into your shoes. To enjoy life more, carry a few leftovers and a few grains / corns if u can, for all the tailed and the winged friends you are going to meet enroute, and move.
I promise, you will love the experience then. The red , yellow, orange hues of the big red ball of fire coming out from behind the stray scattered clouds will catch your gaze and vision like a magnet .And to top it all you will love the wags of the four legged creatures , and the birds( you are sure to find them everyday, and i assure you gradually you as well as these friends will identify eachother) and the love shown by these small lil creatures will overwhelm you, and with each new day your longing for all this will increase manifold. Moreover your proximity with nature outside will always enrich you and will give you more to look forward to.
After all this is what is lifeamrit
So chao till next time.