कली मेरी संतान

ओस की बूँद पर,
स्पर्श सूरज की पहली किरण |
सज्ज उठी प्यारी सी कली,
इस रंग भरी ओस से ||

है सीना तान के,
आँच न आने देती, लड़ती वो हर तूफान ||
लगाए उसे छाती पर,
पोषण देती अपने खून से,
कहती यह मेरी संतान ||

               फैलाओ अपनी बाहें 'ओ इंद्रधनुष,
               नाचे तितली, गाए मेरी सखी |
                        नमन करती मैं निर्मिति को,
                        "सुन वायु, ओ मेरी धारा,
                         मैं धरती, करती विन्नति,
                         बरसो आसीस इस कली पर
                        यह मेरी संतान, यह मेरी सन्तान ||"

जन्मे तू मेरी कोख से
या उज्ज्वल करे किसी का आँगन,
मैं तेरी माता, तू मेरी संतान |
मैं तेरी माता, तू मेरी संतान ||


Poet's Interpretation: I attended a poetry session with a group called Book Exchange Group - Mumbai. I learnt it's good to provide the poet's interpretation for the reader to connect his thoughts with that of the poet's. So here it goes:

Kali Meri Santaan - is about a Mother, the Earth, looking after her child like a flower bud - Kali.
                            A mother fights the odds, protects her child - "आँच न आने देती, लड़ती वो हर तूफान ||"
She feeds her child her blood in the form of breast milk - "पोषण देती अपने खून से". The purity of mother's love is defined in her prayers, here she calls vaayu and dhaara to bless her child. The unconditional love of a mother is portrayed in the last stanza where she says, 'Even if you are not born in my womb, even if I have adopted you from someone else's, I am your mother, you are my child'.

 

Who is it on your bed?

It is believed in most parts of India that a baby in the womb of a pregnant woman, learns from the practices of the carrying mother, her interaction with self and the outside world. And this learning forms a part of one's behavior and thought-process.
Assuming the Indian belief is true, there are numerous questions racing in my mind, when I see a carrying woman, who seemed needy of a comfortable seat in the crowded bus, off on a bumpy ride, leaning on the pole near the seat reserved for ladies and none of the women, indulged in make-up and gossip, ready to leave their seat for her. Saddened, I stood up, paving way for her, with the thoughts lingering 'What would the child in, learn? Why don't these women comfort a needy? Is it that they have learnt the same from their parents or is it that they have chosen to be this way?'

If I look at it this way, the people around us are drowning in their own world and there's no hole to glance out to see the world outside, it makes sense. But.... this is contradictory to what The Honorable Supreme court says in Section 377!

Here it goes:

Chapter XVI, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code dating back to 1861, introduced during the British rule of India, criminalises sexual activities "against the order of nature", including homosexual acts.

 Unnatural offences: Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation: Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offense described in this section.

When one has no business in looking upon the fellow people, why has one got to peep in the bedrooms of others? If two adults indulge in consensual safe sex, how does it harm the society?

 For the fact remains that the deadly sexually transmitted diseases are epidemic in the business of prostitutes, for which, it is men who are responsible.

(read: http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/living/men-according-to-prostitutes).

From child rights to women safety, we raise our voice. It is high time we wake-up for the rights of transgenders, homosexuals, queers. If Section 377 succeeds in stopping the so-called "unnatural sex", will it succeed in stopping the hearts?

Like the bedrooms and affairs of heterosexuals are private and personal, so shall be of the homosexuals.

The womb from which a heterosexual (read 'straight') is born, from the same womb is a homosexual / transgender born (read 'gay / hijada'). When nature (and the mythologies) accept the bonding of same genders, who are we to criminalise? It is not by choice or by force that decides one's orientation. It is fixed while in the womb.

PS: Co-incidentally, while writing this, my best buddy called up to say he's blessed with a boy. Should I congratulate him for his son might be straight or should I ask him to disown this gift of nature for he might be gay and the society will criminalize him?

Left Over

Are you a foodie? Ever spoken to the yummy delicacies before relishing them? Lets take a sneak-peek at the conversation happening at the Grand Table of the Darbar of the riches:

"Can you please stop smelling? My nose is burning because of your smell!", rubbing his nose Kheer pointed. "Who are you?" it questioned. "I am the sweetest, healthiest and most tempestuous on this table. I am Kheer. " he announced in pride. "Say you are the fattest, fatty!" winked Makke-di-roti. "Ah! Who is it sticking on with you?", "Sarson. She is my best-half." he smiled. "Like my Korma! I am Mr. Mutton Briyani and accompanying me is my wifey - Mrs. Korma!". They are interrupted by a gang shouting, "Hello!.. Hi!..I am Pasta, Pizza, Dosa, Sambar, Salad, Brownie,....." and the conversation continues.

All dressed in the colorful garnishing and seated in the lustrous silver utensils. Their introduction  is immediately followed by a rush of hungry guests.

"The people plunging into action seem hungry for ages" exclaimed Phulkas, while Caesar, the Salad bid "Bye! I am the first to go. I am for the health conscious people." As the evening proceeds, each one keen on leaving the containers for the plates, sooner, Kheer still in high spirits, hearing people say - "Keep little space for Kheer, the King of all eats."
As the bowls empty, Kheer feels heavy and sinking as the guests uttered - "Wish I had a little space left over in my belly to have Kheer..Wish I could have one bowl, I should have left over some space.. "

Kheer thought to itself, "When the evening of the feast began, all spoke of me. I seemed everyone's favorite. They wanted to taste everything else and relish me completely. But, by the time it was my turn, they had eaten so much that there was no space left over for me... no space left over for their King of all eats!"

Even humans feel the same, when we know that they are special to us and we don't take time and efforts to be with them, thinking that we'll anyways meet or speak over the phone at convenience. It never happens because there remains no time, energy, excitement, left over.

Are you postponing things and communicating with your special people and making them feel a Left Over?