Feeds

Seven years old Raghavendra ran away from the temple and stormed inside his room in deep agitation. He was very disturbed by the sight of his father's men pushing away Gopal bhaiyya and thrashing him because he had crossed Raghvendra- Zamindar's son's way towards his first temple visit!   When Raghav tried to protest, his grandmother silenced him saying, "These shepherd's kids are stinky and uncouth villagers! May God protect my Lalla from the dark complexion of these cowherds!" However, once inside the temple he was shell-shocked to see grandmother prostrate in the feet of another cowherd- the dark-skinned village-dwelling Krishna!

Children come running as she returns from the textile-factory, Entangling their tiny arms around her neck In that split second, the efficient seamstress becomes mother- solely When the door-bell rings a few hours later like harbinger of breezy purple dusks With pink clouds floating in her heart she sprints to the door with a spring in her step  For him, like a lovelorn teen  When life throws tantrums of thunderclouds and rains She shines like lightening, showing the path When seasons are calm with sunshine spilling golden She flows as poetry on paper, effortlessly...   Wearing her bright chintz sarees from local flea market  After bidding goodbyes to her loved ones; seeing them off to school and workplace As she locks the door, she pauses for a moment, near the flower garlands hanging for sale at her door,  To admire tiny blossoms smiling, relish the feeling Of meeting the challenges each day holds, of toiling hard to nurture her world, her soul,  And she feels content, Rapt... in that moment at the threshold.      

Existence without life Ubiquitous concoction of mirth and pain Chequered-boxes of joyful colours shadowed dim by woes, Enmeshed with cobwebs of aspirations, nitty- gritty of life Monochrome pall over sun-kissed rainbow hues Mind-forest burning in red flames of emotions Texture of rugged bark of palash trees under tiny feet Buds cracking open like volcano erupting, the day burns Gossamer dreams dissipate like mist in propitious sunshine candid Doubts insecurities and eccentricities lurk in shadows silhouetted by sunlight Nourishing within a phantasmagoric world of illusion and reality All merge amid oranges of ethereal luminescence Changing shades of darkness in nature's palette Transcending hours impregnated with hope Existence gets life

Existence without life Ubiquitous concoction of mirth and pain Chequered boxes of joyful colours shadowed dim by woes Enmeshed with cobwebs of aspirations, nitty- gritty of life Monochrome pall over sun-kissed rainbow hues Mind-forest burning in red flames of emotions Texture of rugged bark of palash trees under tiny feet Buds cracking open like volcano erupting, the day burns, Gossamer dreams dissipate like mist in propitious sunshine candid Doubts insecurities and eccentricities lurk in shadows silhouetted by sunlight Nourishing within a phantasmagoric world of illusion and reality All merge amid oranges of ethereal luminescence Changing shades of darkness in nature's palette Transcending hours impregnated with hope Existence gets life

Babu's pickpocketing skills were unmatched. That day, talking amiably with a client weaving applied-psychology trap, he reverently touched the gold shiva-pendant in chain around his neck before the final stealth of hand, and done! The wallet exchanged pockets. He didn't jump-off the train, instead, like a master artist chatted-on helping the client with route-directions. The stop arrived, Rupesh the suited-booted unsuspecting client got down and flashed a grateful smile before being engulfed by the crowd. A trifle disturbed by the friendly smile, Babu's hand creeped to his neck to pay gratitude for the loot, his pendant and chain were gone.

Years of being married yet same abuses and insults. The very things he once called virtues -her charm, intellect, unbridled laughter, unaffected behaviour were humiliating vices now! She had tried walking-out but he would stalk her begging for mercy, another chance ...for the sake of their daughter. Empathising she tried to make him happy. Marital-rape and abuses followed. Life became a dump-yard of stinking filth. Then, she planned a surprise-trip to Nainital where he 'accidentally' drowned to his death in Bhimtal! She hugged her daughter. One day changed what years of patience and loving loyalty couldn't. Life smiled with hope.