Lord's Master

A Tear

2011-04-11T01:30:00.001+05:30

PS: an attempt in Concrete Poetry (Visual poetry)

கண்டீரா பரம்பொருளை?

2010-11-24T03:00:00.003+05:30

நெற்கதிர்களின் அலைகளில்
உழைப்பின் உருவம்,
பூக்களின் புன்முறுவலில்
குழந்தைபோன்ற களிப்பு,
அகண்டும் குறுகியும்
அயராது வளைந்தோடும்
ஓடைகளின் ஒலியில்
சளைக்காமல் உதவும் உள்ளம்,
அவை சேரும் நதிபதியில்
இனம் புரியாத ஆழம்,
குளிர்ந்த வெண் பனித்துளியில்
சமநிலையான அன்பு,
அது படரும் உயர் குன்றை நோக்கி
திகைப்புடன் தோன்றிய மேதகைமை,
எண்ணிலா உயிரிகளில்
சிருட்டிப்பின் இரகசியம்,

பிரபஞ்சத்தின் ஒரு பகுதியேனும்
பாரதத்தில் பார்த்த பின்
பரம்பொருளை உணராதவரும்
உண்டோ ?

------

Translation:

Haven’t you seen the Divine?

In the waves of the golden crops -

a tangible form of effort,

In the smile of the blossoms -

A childish mirth,

In the swelling and tapering,

winding but incessantly flowing

brook’s gurgle -

an eternally helping heart,

In the wide ocean into which they flow -

a mystery unfathomable,

In the chilly white snow flakes -

tender Love with equanimity,

In the peaks on which they fall -

the majesty to watch in awe,

In the teeming multitude of life –

The mystic secret of Creation…

At least a quantum of the cosmos

Having witnessed in Bharat, but

Yet to realize the Divine -

is there anyone left?

---------------------------

PS: Had submitted this as an entry in a poetry competition ("Poetriotism") at office . Wanted to look at a different meaning of 'patriotism' - away from the cliched chest-thumping, proud-of-the-success-stories versions and the negative critic's perspectives. India is what it is mainly because of it's Spiritual leanings.

The Tamil piece is the original and the English version, as mentioned, is meant to be the translation.

Image: dan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Praising a Martyr

2010-11-24T02:46:00.003+05:30

Here is one

willing

a martyr
The Brave One
they said…

And he smiled
tears of selfless joy
faced the snowy summit
lofty
his ideals
and moved ahead
merging with the White

Fine, let’s get back to

Our lives
someone else is willing to be
a martyr

the brave one
they said…

----------------------

PS: Originally posted in 'A Sentinel Opinion' . Now, with a few changes.

Had submitted this as an entry in a poetry competition ("Poetriotism") at office .

With another 26/11 remembrance approaching, media will go over the slo-mo flag flying and heart-touching moments and we will call ourselves patriots for a day. But, do we really know what it means?

கவிதை... கவிதை...

2010-04-27T19:32:00.005+05:30

எட்டுத் திக்கில் ஒன்றில் இருந்தாவது

நான்கு பேர் வாழ்த்த

இரண்டு நிமிடத்தில்

ஒரு சிறு கவிதை எழுதினால் போதுமா?

inspired by: obvious need for creating readers and this

Sleepless in Sitlapakkam

2010-03-30T16:54:00.009+05:30

To start with, neither do I live in any place called ‘Sitlapakkam’ nor is this based on a place that might be called so. I picked up the name just because it sounded sort of rhyming with a Hollywood movie title. However, yes, this has got to do something with being sleepless.

The last couple of days, the weekend I was waiting for, so that I could catch up with some well-self-earned rest (read “sleep”), ended up me being restless and sleepless. Thanks to the electricity board, especially the way (Do they have a way? It is more like random experiments!) they go about doing those “power cuts”. Most part of the day on Saturday left me gasping for breath as the heat seemed to be creating a vacuum at ground level. The trees too seemed to be facing the same predicament and they remained static. Ironically, when I moved in to this apartment, the most appealing part of the option was that there are so many trees around; there is one just outside my bedroom balcony and another on the other side of the road. It was like “trees… trees… everywhere… not a hint of breeze to feel”. And it remained that way the whole weekend! The house broker had promised that this area has “a lot of important people” and so, whenever there is a power cut, the power supply would be restored immediately! Ah, they are good candidates for being Candidates. Anyway, the trees cheated me and the “important people” had mysteriously moved out from this area – the EB probably knew their movement and decided not to restore the power supply.

The power cut actually starts with a taunting game of phase-switching (or whatever it is called).

“Since you anyway have three phases, you can live with power on only one or two of them, right? So, we decide to play around with them. Ok?”

And so, it starts with making you move from room to room to sit under the one fan in the house that would work. And then, suddenly, there will be a complete shut down. You sit patiently doing more than one of the following: wondering “what is happening?”; cursing “them”; commenting that this is all due to the changing climate (“you know that Kodaikanal is very hot now? The silver falls has become dry?”); wondering if you could call the EB and enquire (I googled and found that they themselves had asked, quite interestingly, “During Power failure, whom I should complaint?”);searching for all the magazines to fan yourself; busily scratching and slapping yourself as a result of the mosquito bites… yes, that brings us to the mosquitoes...

Mosquitoes come in the complete package deal when you opt for Chennai. No amount of burning those coils all around you or switching those Rani Mukherjee’s those-that-even-work-with-open-windows mosquito repellents will help you. I missed to contribute the last time we organized a blood donation camp in our organization. The gods probably decided to punish me! If not for the eventual loss of blood, your arms and biceps would be well developed due to the frenetic fanning and slapping and scratching routine. Mosquitoes are supposedly attracted to sweaty bodies. Here is the uncomfortable equation:

(1) Chennai -> Welcome, mosquitoes

(2) Power cut -> no fans -> sweat

(3) Sweat -> Welcome, mosquitoes (as proven already)

(4) Sweat -> open windows hoping for breeze

(5) Open windows (sounds paradoxical, right? ;) ) -> Welcome, more mosquitoes (based on (1) )

(6) Sweat -> Welcome, more mosquitoes (based on (3), (4), (5))

(7) Power cut -> not even the marginal help from Rani Mukherjee’s mosquito repellents -> Welcome, more mosquitoes

(8) Power cut -> irritation

(9) Mosquitoes -> irritation

(10) Power cut -> #@^%#$ (based on (1) to (9))

Nothing more to prove! Q.E.D.

Ok, back to the taunting game. Just when you sit furiously fighting nature in the various forms as described above, you suddenly find light at the end of the tunnel… or rather in some room. With an exclamation of “Ah! Thank God!”, you pick up the mat and pillow and walk sleepily to a room where the fan has started rotating with a moan and as the light bulbs keeps flickering due to the low voltage. But “they’ decide to continue the game… a few minutes, and that phase looses supply. Move back to original step of waiting patiently... cursing…scratching… till some other phase lights up, only to go off again in a few minutes.

Well, I had to go through this stuff for hours (and days)! In between these phases of phase-switching, there were a few moments when I could not even utter the “Ah! Thank God”. The power supply would go off even before I could acknowledge it!

There I was, waiting for the heavenly power to arrive! A few dogs were barking here and there. Are dogs too the target of mosquitoes, I wonder? The sound of the ubiquitous “mosquito bats” from across the street. They sound like diwali sara-vedi’s. A child crying somewhere in the neighbourhood. And then silence. Not sure how the mom forced the kid to sleep. How do people manage to sleep in this condition anyway? I wonder, as I wait sleeplessly. Lost in all this, I suddenly realized that it’s been well past 2 in the night. And no sign of power being restored. May be this is how the sailors in the past felt during their long trips on sea: “Where is the land?”

God’s delays are not His denials. So, finally the power supply was restored, though it was past 5 in the morning and already bright outside. Not sure if the Sun woke up early due to mosquito bites. Slumber sweet….. WAIT. It is not the end of the story. A couple of hours of sleep, and then, yes, the power cut again! This time, instead of the mosquitoes (which had fortunately gone to sleep after a mega feast) it was the blazing sun that added to the discomfort. So, I remain, sleepless…

Disclaimer: Any resemblance to any area called Sitlapakkam is a coincidence, but not unintentional. No animals were harmed during the making of this blog (coz mosquitoes are not considered ‘animals, right? :) )

How to become a famous blogger?

2010-03-10T15:14:00.002+05:30

There are many ways to do it and many references are seen around. But found this toon at We Blog interesting!

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

அவ‌ன்

2009-11-17T17:26:00.001+05:30

Laptop in front

2009-10-21T00:28:00.000+05:30

Bright full moon smiling above
Breeze caressingly flowing across
Favourites on FM floating around
Road unusually silent beyond…
Targets ahead
Laptop in front
Restless mind within

Test mail post

2009-10-12T16:19:00.001+05:30

Testing mail post…

Whatever you can do or dream, begin it.

-Johann von Goethe

Chasing the Dots...

2009-05-04T04:15:00.000+05:30

The hand strives to print

A dot.

With the hope it would be a

Period or an end of one.

But used to verbose writing

The scroll

Makes the dot dance

A small tear and it becomes just a pause,

Or shows unexpected excitement, not really a stop!

Sometimes it questions the pen, doesn’t it?

The pen still persists

The scroll accepts, but wily as it is,

Continues to fakes the stop to a continuum…

The mindscape filled with these dots

The pen tries to connect them

Chasing the dots

Lines criss-cross

In search of the stop

To rest.

Many Paths

2009-03-31T23:21:00.000+05:30

Too many roads forever they meet

In each are the prints of my wandering feet

And into many the same roads diverge

With each, the routes on my map merge

Wish it were possible

To travel the roads

All at the same time

A sudden melody rings across the stillness

2007-06-19T04:54:00.000+05:30

The whole world rolls in slumber

Could be in a sleep deep

Or a nightmare...

Even the restless river

Relaxes for a slower journey home.

In the midst of barren vastness

The traveller's footsteps

Hide from the waning moon shine.

But the wanderer

Too weary to sleep

Is not alone.

A solitary instrument plays

Favourite notes dancing on still air

A whiff of chillness as the melody meanders.

Cold dew covers the ragged stone

Gems shining with the sparse stars.

Myriad rainbows in the middle of a desert.

The sauntering song seeps through the sifting sands...

A scientific guide to... grab a seat in a train/bus!

2006-09-26T19:00:00.000+05:30

An interesting and absolutely usefule article for helping u, yeah, the title is right, to get a seat in a train/bus. Picked up this great practical guide from no other place than CNN.com! The article talks about the London Tube. I've never been to the London city, leave alone traveling in the Tube. I dont know if its so crowded to necessitate such a guide. All that I've heard about it was the last time some deviant-minded-cracker-lover tried some of the stuff there with some very bad results. The unfortunate equivalent, I know better about, is the Mumbai train! It sure is crowded. Maybe the Mumbaikars could use this. Not that they need this :) Ofcourse, I know there are some tips for the Chennai MTC traveller. Even there, there are better alternatives: hang from a window-bar looking like some amphibian creature...

Heres the content... Njoy!

Preparation: The key to a successful commute is routine and, since you've likely been making the same dreary journey for the past 10 years and will continue to do so for another 10, there's no excuse for not knowing your territory. Spend any time on the London Underground, for instance, and you will notice that the doors always stop in the same place. Make that spot your second home. Every station has its patterns of congestion depending on the position of exits and entrances but, as a rule, trains tend to be busier in the middle than at either end so you need to do your research. Of course, if you're really desperate for a seat you could always move to the end of the line. That's the only way to guarantee yourself an extra hour's sleep in the morning.

Queuing: As Japanese author Hajime Yorozu, author of "Sit Down on a Commuter Train!", says, "the mastery of the art of sitting down means first mastering the art of queuing." Even assuming you've positioned yourself in line with the doors to stand a chance of getting a seat you've got to treat the arrival of a train/bus as akin to the start of the 100 meters Olympic final. Successful commuting is an Olympic sport and you are Ben Johnson. Remember that departing passengers are likely to push you aside as the doors open so duck for cover by the doors and then slip into the carriage as soon as possible. As Andrew Martin, expert on London Tube manners, writes: "When the doors of a bus, Tube or train open, you must of course allow time for the passengers on board to disembark. The correct amount of time to allot is one second. Thereafter, it is good etiquette to board the train, Tube or bus using only as much physical force as is absolutely necessary while quietly swearing."

Identify your target: If you've used your elbows, laptop case and briefcase tactically you should now be comfortably settled into a seat. Failing that, the key is to get yourself into the best position to take advantage of any imminent departure. Once inside head for the middle of the carriage. If you hang around the doors you'll be bounced around like a ping pong ball in a Jacuzzi. You can spot a passenger preparing to leave by their general fidgeting. Hajime says: "Watch people's eyes very closely. Glances at a watch or station name are promising signs. People about to leave their seats will generally tend to uncross their legs, move their bags upright on their laps, or search in their pockets for a bookmark." He also points out that Japanese women also tend to fix their hair just before they are about to leave. This may not be culturally specific behavior. As soon as a target is identified you have to move in for the kill. Position yourself at an angle to channel them out of the carriage while leaving the way clear for you to sit down. Any pause will be interpreted as a sign of weakness by rival seat-snappers, but if you are closest your claim should be indisputable. Only good manners can thwart you.

Defend your seat: Once you've won your seat, the next step is to retain it. Avoid eye contact at all costs. Jealous passengers coveting your seat will stare, attempting to use mind control to force you to your feet. Hide behind a large newspaper or, better still, feign sleep and clamp a giant pair of headphones over your ears. Even sunglasses are acceptable. It is particularly important not to pay attention to the comings and goings at each subsequent station. The last thing you want is to spot some old lady or a pregnant woman with their face squashed up against the doors messing with your karma.

To Rhyme or Not To Rhyme

2006-08-25T15:36:00.000+05:30

As a friend commented, 'behind the post-it, a haiku' !

Google & VW !

2006-03-17T09:16:00.000+05:30

What can Google and VW do together? Well, they can get you a “virtual reality travel information" system…

Inspiration

2006-01-05T11:06:00.000+05:30

I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled [poets] to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean.
- Socrates

The Knight

2005-12-30T15:55:00.000+05:30

Picture takes time to load...

2005-11-13T21:36:00.000+05:30

Getting to blog something after quite sometime. Lot of happenings all around, since the last post. A water-logged Chennai, Indian cricket's astounding re-awakening, and all those blasts all around the globe... Chennai's stagnant rain water in and around the houses seems to be drying up, though a bit slowwwwwwwly... We had asked for rains and we got more than what we could handle! Before the recently concluded ODI cricket series began, Arjuna Ranatunga had commented that the Indian Board must have had their reasons for spreading the game in the hinterland but it does not do justice to the status of the number two team in the world.
Well, SriLanka is no more No2! Now, SouthAfrica is No2 and they are coming... Dravid wants to maintain the standards :) Hope so...

Rain rain...will you come to Chennai again?

2005-07-12T19:51:00.000+05:30

Its raining all over India. Somebody remarked that if its raining in many places, and if its raining 'cats and dogs' in some places then its raining 'wild cats and bulldogs in Mumbai'. Thats the story about the current Indian climate. Well, India is a land of diversity, and to maintain that, Chennai (and the rest of Tamil Nadu) sweats! Lord Indira, the rain god seems to have forgotten these areas(its been like that for some time now...). May be he is inspired by google products and the host of open source stuff. He seems to make beta releases of rains in Chennai. One suddenly gets to see dark crowds hovering over the Chennaite's hot head (no puns intended) and it even starts to drizzle. And there it ends. A message pops up on the sky after a few minutes saying "The trial period ends now. thanks for serving as a testing ground for our new sprinkler system.". Unofficial news from the state's education board is that the kinder-garden schools across the states have been told not to teach the rhyme "Rain rain go away....". Hope it helps!!

All Stars * * *

2005-06-27T21:14:00.000+05:30

People either want to be stars or want to admire stars. In India, film actors and cricketers are the big crowd-pullers. (Not neccessarily in that order). The Aussies are trying to get back into their slam-bang form by forgetting the ghosts of the past and hoping to live up to the hype they created charging towards yet another Ashes victory, but Indians are more interested in what the big man Chappel will do to their (once-again)sleeping great heroes. What will happen to the banned Saurav and dull Sachin?
Also, once in a while, we do forward mails about how certain 'wonderful' event is going to happen in the skies that night. Tonight, three of the four visible planets can be viewed in close proximity to each other i.e., from our perspective. Or so the mail says.... Today also marks the transition of planet Saturn across the astral charts of Indian astrology. Blame it on the polluted sky and the (not to be blamed, but welcomed) rain-cloud strewn sky, none of the celestial objects are visible!

Hello World

2005-06-14T10:15:00.000+05:30

What better place to realise the effects of procrastination than when trying to create a mail id or as I have just experienced, to create a spot in blog-world. I have just spent more than 30 mins to create my account. So many people seem to have already thought about and have already used the usernames that I comeup with!
So here I am finally......