Journey of the soul

All alone in troubled waters
worrying about sons and fathers
remembering mothers and daughters
like lost treasures
it sails along
looking for solace

where can I anchor
this ship -my soul
friends are far away
who understood me the most

with money and a car
and a house to live in
my soul lost home,
its hollow within

I cry for peace
and freedom and love
all loved ones nearby
telling me: " you are not alone"

They stand by me
But they too are alone
deep inside
looking for respite
in travel to the east and Hinduism.

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 Photography : Self

Erster Schnee

Es kommt,

      es kommt endlich.

Kinder froh zu machen,

mit Freunden zu lachen, 

Weihnachtszeit zu decken. 

Es kommt.

Es kommt endlich.

Habe ich lange gewartet

für diese schöne Zeit zu leben.

Alles weiß zu sehen. 

Alles schön, alles schön. 

Es kommt,

Es kommt Endlich.

Mich zu beruhigen,

mich zu unarmen,

Mir warmes zu geben,

Selbst kaltes zu bleiben, 

es kommt,

Es kommt Endlich.

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 Photography : Self

Thought of the day

Every little effort is an investment for future.

Jeder kleine Aufwand ist eine Investition in die Zukunft

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 Photography : Self

Beautiful ULM

The largest Protestant Gothic Church in Germany is in Ulm.

With 768 stairs which go up to a height of 143 meters i.e. 469 ft,

Ulmer Münster is the highest Church in the world.

Ulm is a beautiful city, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is situated on the banks of the river Donau, which is also known as Danube. It is the longest river flowing through ten countries in today's European Union . It originates in Black Forest in Germany and flows into the Black Sea. It used to be an important trade route. At one point of time Ulm was among the richest cities.

Not only the Church , Ulm has many old buildings intact and as beautiful as ever. One such old house is the crooked house known as Schiefes Haus. This house was built in 1400, and acquired its 5- Storey structure in 1443. At the southern end it is tilted as river Blau flows by it. It is one of the oldest buildings used by shipmasters to dock their boats directly at it. It was turned into a hotel in 1995. It enjoys the reputation of being one of the most sought-after and expensive hotels in Ulm. Flowing by Schiefes House, river Blau meets the great Danube river .

Another striking feature of the city is

Ulmer Spatz. 

As you roam around in the market near the Church you witness a big sparrow structure hanging from almost all the shops. There is a story behind it.

The legend goes like this: As the Church was under construction, big logs of wood were required to be brought inside the city gates but because of the height of the logs they could not be passed through them vertically. As people sat outside the gates thinking what to do they noticed a sparrow who was making a nest and using long twigs by shoving them in horizontally. They worked on the idea and could bring in the tallest of pieces without tearing down the gates. These structures are a sign of gratitude to the little sparrow. 

Ulm is a city of people. The people here have always strongly believed in the freedom of thought. That is the primary reason that this particular city is multi-cultural and international at the core. Everything is governed through well-placed rules and regulations which keep the city's beauty intact. The concept of cleanliness is such that before any fair is organized in open the first things to reach at the spot are mobile toilets. It is a wonderful city with a very modern outlook and ancient architecture.

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 Photography : Self / Sarah

आईना

वो शक्स आज क्यों मुझे
बुझा -बुझा सा लगा
जो झांक रहा था मेरी ओर
आईने के उस तरफ से

आईने से झांक के
मेरा अक़्स बोला मुझसे
कितना वक्त गुजर गया
मुझको मिले तुझ से

 ये तो कम होता है कि आईने में

बस अपना अक़्स नज़र आता है

जब झाँकते हैं
एक नया शख़्स नज़र आता है 

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थप्पड़ का महत्व

जब भी बचपन में कोई गलती करते थे तो सबसे पहले थप्पड़ ही पड़ता था और हमारी पीढ़ी तो बिना बात के भी बहुत पिटी  है। कभी टीचर से, कभी पापा-मम्मी से। मुझे मम्मी के थप्पड़ उतने याद नहीं जितनी उनके पड़ने की धमकियां। 

मम्मी का डायलॉग- " एक थप्पड़ पड़ेगा तो  सब ठीक हो जाएगा " , यही है इस निबंध का मूल।  

चेतावनी : इस निबंध को केवल आनंद प्राप्त करने के लिए पढ़ें , 
इसमें बताये गए उपायों का इस्तेमाल आज -कल वर्जित है। 
ऐसा करने पर परिणामों के जिम्मेवार आप खुद होंगे। 

थप्पड़ का महत्व

किसी महान आत्मा ने कहा है-

"थप्पड़ खाये तो ज्ञानी बने
पिज़्ज़ा खाये तो मूर्ख,
डांट पिये तो ज़िंदगानी बने
कैम्पा पिये तो धूर्त ।"

आज का युग मार -पिटाई का युग है । इस काल में थप्पड़,लातों , मुक्कों और गालियों का बहुत महत्व है। इनमें से सर्वाधिक महत्वपूर्ण स्थान है- थप्पड़ का। रण - क्षेत्र हो या गृह-युद्ध क्षेत्र, थप्पड़ सब ओर ही समान रूप से प्रचलित है। जब पति या पत्नी एक-दूसरे पर हाथ उठाते हैं तो जबड़े पर पहला प्रहार होता है, थप्पड़ का। जब कोई लड़का किसी लड़की को तंग करता है तो उसका भी जवाब होता है- थप्पड़। फिल्मों में भी इसका भरपूर प्रयोग होता है। इसकी लोकप्रियता का अनुमान, ऐसे सीन पर थिएटर में बजने वाली तालियों की गूंज से, लगाया जा सकता है। इस प्रकार हम देखते हैं कि थप्पड़ एक मजबूत स्थिति में खड़ा हो कर अन्य अस्त्रों-शस्त्रों को ललकार रहा है।
थप्पड़ के कई रूप प्रचलित हैं। इन में सबसे ऊंचा स्थान है चाँटे का। चांटे के बारे में दार्शनिकों के अलग-अलग मत हैं । चाँटा कमेटी के श्री चाँटू लाल का मत है- 
" जब थप्पड़ गाल पर पड़ता है तो उसे चांटे का नाम दिया जाता है.. " 
दूसरी ओर, श्री थपेड़ूमल के अनुसार -
" जब कोई स्त्री पुरुष को थप्पड़ मारे, तभी उसे चांटे का नाम देना चाहिए । "


चाँटा शब्द सुनने में चटपटा - सा लगता है और जब यह गाल पर पड़ता है तो गालों की  रंगत देखते ही बनती है। चाहे कुछ भी कहिए थप्पड़ या/और चाँटा है बहुत काम की चीज़। किसी को भी पीछे से मार कर भाग जाइए, पिटने वाला ढूँढता रह जाएगा पर पीटने वाला नहीं मिलेगा।
यदि आज सेनाएँ और आतंकवादी बमों और स्टेंगनों को छोड़ कर थप्पड़ को अपना लें तो प्रदूषण की समस्या काफी हद तक हल हो जायेगी। थप्पड़ किसी की ज़िंदगी बना भी सकता है और बिगाड़ भी सकता है। किसी बच्चे को गलती पर थप्पड़ मारो तो वह सुधर जाएगा और यदि बिना बात के मारो तो वह बिगड़ जाएगा। कान खींच कर थप्पड़ मारने से बुद्धि चैतन्य होती है, यह एक वैज्ञानिक सत्य है।
आज इस संसार में फिर एक क्रांति की आवश्यकता है जो ‘थप्पड़वाद’ के नाम से जानी जाएगी। विश्व की कई समस्याएँ थप्पड़ मारते ही हल हो जाएँगी। आज जरूरत है एक ही नारे की-
'थप्पड़वाद – जिंदाबाद'
'थप्पड़ खाओ और खिलाओ,
मारते-खाते ज़िंदादिल बन जाओ'
विश्व में क्रांति तभी आएगी जब थप्पड़ खाने- खिलाने के लिए पार्टियां होंगी, पाँच सितारा होटलों में।
संक्षेप में इतना कहा जा सकता है कि विकट से विकट समस्या का हल है- थप्पड़।

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वो तालाब गुम हो गया

हमने की थी जहाँ

पिछले साल

छठ- पूजा

वो तालाब गुम हो गया।

कुछ लोग कहते हैं

कि वो है अभी भी

उन ऊँची इमारतों के पीछे

जिनको बनाने के लिए

पाटी गई थी तालाब की जमीन ।

वह अब सड़क से दिखता नहीं

मैंने भी जा कर देखा वहाँ

बिखरा पाया कचरा

जैसे बिखरा है हर जगह

अरावळी में ।

पर फिर भी कुछ ळोग कहते हैं

कि वो तालाब अब भी है

वहीं कहीं ,

छुप गया है शायद

बचाने  के लिए अपने अस्तित्व को।

कुछ लोगों ने उसे जिंदा रखा है

कागजों में,फाइळों में,

और  कुछ ने

अपनी मीठी यादों का

हिस्सा बना कर।

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मैं तुम्हें खोना नहीं चाहती

PHOTO COURTESY: FLICKR

बचपन

मैं तुम्हें खोना नहीं चाहती

इसीलिए अभी तक स्वयं में
समेटे हूँ
तुम्हारी आवाज़ , क्रियाकलाप 
किन्तु अब इन भावनाओं को बाहर लाना
मुझे शोभा नहीं देता
जानते हो क्यूँ ?
क्योंकि तुम्हें मैं बहुत पीछे
छोड़ आई हूँ
तुम्हारी पावन धारा को
एक अंजान सागर में मोड़ आई हूँ
वह अंजान सागर और कुछ नहीं
वही है जो वर्तमान है
जो सागर सा विशाल है
फैला चक्षु सम्मुख
किन्तु इसमें तुम्हारा
कोई अंश नहीं
कोई उमंग नहीं
कोई लहर नहीं
किन्तु फिर भी
मैं तुम्हें खोना नहीं चाहती ।

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When it Rains

Photo:Self

When it rains

It brings along

Adorable sights and smells

Lovely childhood memories

All bathed, all green with

Puddles on muddy streets

Street vendors selling

Snacks and sweets

Air full of flavor

of samosas and challis

Or pakoras cooked at home

By Mummy, Chachi and Auntys

An evening tea extra sweet,

Spiced with ginger and Tulsi

When it rains

it brings along

Nostalgia and sweet memories.

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I received this tag from Zainab at https://slimexpectations.com/ . It’s my pleasure to pass on this tag to  Tulika at https://beataboutthebook.wordpress.com/2019/09/08/chai-and-a-book-with-a-dash-of-nostalgia-wordsmatter/.
 There are 42 of us on this Blog Hop and it will be spread over 3 days – 6, 7, 8 September 2019. Do follow the #WordsMatter Blog Hop and prepare to be surprised! 

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SAUCES

Picture courtesy: Flickr

He has left again
for a land unknown.
The keys handed back
came along with
a number of things he was using.

To be given away to somebody
who might need them.

The bounty comprised of
worn out
curtains, carpets, bed sheets
and some furniture.

But the most striking feature was
a collection of sauces-
Asia Sauce, Asia Hot Chilly Sauce,
Simply Hot,
Maggie Hot and Sweet Chilly Sauce,
Mother's Hand, Heinz, many more.

Not one each, but many
of the same kind.

Some just opened,
Some opened and consumed...
a little left in jar, 
Some sealed and expired,
Some yet to be opened and consumed.

In an alien land
Flavors are lost.
It seems Sauces
are the only things
which remind one
of own country's flavor.

https://jonaatbest.blogspot.com

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THE TOASTER

It was going to be the first day of the office after she had shifted to the
new locality.The eternal question facing the ever running modern
human race which always got late in some way or the other,
faced her too.

 THE BREAKFAST! 

As she rummaged through the blessings of her old aunt, in the carton,
she encountered a number of things as old as the aunt herself.
She raised her hands in exasperation and bent on her knees to look for
something that would solve the problem at hand.

“Oh, it's a Toaster.”

She exclaimed and started observing the black thing closely.
She jolted it above her head, near her ear, to hear for any possible
noises.No noise? It seemed impossible. But having hardly any time to
lose in superficial investigation, it was time to put the only hope to test.
She plugged it in, put the bread inside and slid the button down. 

“Whoa!” 

The red light flashed! But then went out...as she released the button.
She tried again , yet again ....another time... but, the Toaster refused
to understand her situation.
Just then she noticed that the bread got done.
She understood this was the only way to handle it.
As she stood there, pressing the button with one hand and feeling
useless not being able to do anything else, the door-bell rang.
She released the button reluctantly and went to answer the door.
As she peeped through the ‘eye', she noticed the two girls from the
nearby refugee camp, standing side by side with a placard in hand.
They had been to the building several times. She always felt that
she resembled them in some way and liked to talk to them as they came
to ask for donations in kind and cash.
As she was to leave for office in the next thirty minutes,
she grabbed a 50 rupee note and held it out through the door .
That day, a small boy was accompanying the girls.
His smile mesmerized her and at the same time a sharp awareness
of loss struck her. She saw her pain get reflected in the boy's eyes.
As she was closing the door, the boy raised his hand a little and
showed her an old rusted spring as if sharing a secret with her.
She smiled back holding the door. He placed it in her hand. 

Once back in the kitchen, she resumed making toasts,
putting the spring on the table. 

Just then an idea struck her and she tried to clamp the button
with the old spring. 

It worked! She smiled to herself thinking,

“They are right..... Two negatives make a positive.”

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The Town is Painted Red

The Town is Painted Red

The town is painted Red,
There are Sales all around,
Salesmen wearing Red T-shirts 
And sales girls wearing Red Lipsticks, 
Guide the customers to spend more, 
to be Greedy , 
to buy more,
for the simple logic:  spend more,  save more.

Everything is on Sale,
just bread costs the same,
for which we earn and save, 
save and earn .

In the streets bustling with people
On the occasion of sale, 
A woman sits in the City Center
Singing a sad song with a very sad tone.
Hears like a song of longing , 
a song of times past,
a song of happiness bygone.
Like the song of the solitary reaper,
it's too in an alien language.

I hurry up past her 
each time,
for the fear
her sadness would engulf me...

Then I won't be able to buy anything...
Hence, won't be able to save anything!

WONDER

WONDER

I wonder at the wonder of this child, 

who plays with bubbles all around, 

wondering where they came from,

 when the source is just at hand. 

I wonder if we were just the same ,

in that age of innocence,

when pebbles were more precious than stones, 

when sketches more precious than notes. 

In that age it seems 

were inherent all the joys of life. 

When love was not conditional,

When we were away from toils of life.

Like a Leaf

Like a Leaf


Be like a leaf,
Leave everything
That has passed.

What was Said,
What was Did.
Evaluate-
Be honest to your own self.

Be like a leaf
That travels on
Troubled waters of
Swollen river
Till the time
It can keep its balance.

Keep it
Maintain it
Strive for it
Keep on.

Don't let yourself drown
for some silly mistake.
For once a leaf drowns
it can never resurface.

Extrapolate

Extrapolate

The ocean churns
And heart burns
leaving scars on the face.

It looses lustre,
 glamour and shine
Burns like Pyre till it dies.

Cannot we extrapolate?
 Learn from others' lives
Or our very own mistakes.
Thus taking clues from the past
Make arrangements
To light the future.

Oh! Come dear heart
Let me listen to you,
Let us spend some time together.

Till now
We have never really been together!

Today let me hear
Why you burn
And
Why does the ocean churn?

Rainbows Are For Real

Rainbows Are for Real

When it Rains
and the Sun shines
i know
Rainbows are for real .


When the world is at War
and Soldiers come home
i know
Rainbows are for real .

When i am sad
and you come home
i know
Rainbows are for real .

It takes a Life Time

to Love with all Heart
When it comes back
i know
Rainbows are for real .

Life Moved On

Life Moved On

I stopped somewhere 

And the life moved on.

Since then 

Witnessing it,

Confessing it,

Living it.

Living it?

Or trying to do so?

Trying to submerge into it

or

Letting it seep within me.

I never met it again

Since the day it left me.

I trace back my steps

in the life past.

And try to catch hold

of the moment it left me.

But I find no particular day,

no particular moment,

no hour, minute or second-

for it left me in parts.

Yes!

It is still moving on-

Moving ahead of me.

And I, try to catch it-

Everyday.

Published in Neelambra, P.G.D.A.V College (evening) Magazine ,2007