LEARN

Learn,

From being knocked down;

from rising up.

From being denied;

from being the chosen one.

From losing chances;

from winning opportunities.

From mistakes;

from the right things.

From bad luck;

from good fortune.

From recurring failures;

from seldom & thrilling victories.

Learn,

from Life.

A Passing Thought

Wandering amidst a slew of memories,

remembering someone, missing someone.

Time that was spent, time that is now lost.

Reminisce, stir feelings, and then let go.

It’s just a passing thought.

Rugged Morning

Numb toes flicker beneath the sheets,

eyelids squabble to unfurl.

The body loathes to give itself a start.
The alarm beckons,
and you shut it up with a tap of a finger.

Not now, not yet - you scream.

The sun's out,rising and shining,

I say - f**k you.
The bed is all I need,

my sweet paradise of comfort.

STATE OF MIND

To err is human.Even for Him.

The smoldering sphere of leather swivels and stares hard,

the willow looks back, well-known of its sly intentions.

The same piece of wood that has had the reputation to glide, clobber and tear the leather apart,
now slips to defend against it.

Tricked and castled,

and the ball wins the battle.

Critics say, it’s finally time to put it to rest.  

Become a memorabilia may be,

go down in history as the weapon of destruction wielded 

by one of the all-time cricketing greats. 

A new game begins.

It makes a walk to the pitch,

tensed but still breathing belief.

The bat that once spoke with elan, 

now stutters.
But, it hasn't yet lost its voice.

Wait for it.

You never know when it might resurrect,

with a strong baritone or may be even with a roar.

Because 23 years of cricket archives tell us

of what it’s truly capable of.

It ain’t over yet.

What if it's time...

What if the sea spits fire,

And the sky turns pale.

What if butterflies sting,

and flowers stay stale.

What if trees cripple soon,

And the wind stops its sail.

What if the world is no more like it has always been,

But is what seems to be now.

THE KING’S FAREWELL

HE. The one who is around us. The one who is within us.

Ganesh Chaturti – The Elephant God fiesta has always been one of the major highlights of Maharashtra. It’s that auspicious phase during the year where Lord Ganesha makes his grand arrival into homes and pandals to grace his devotees with his presence.

In Mumbai, the Lalbaughcha Raga unarguably rules the roost, being the most worshipped and celebrated Ganpati idol across the city. Call him the King of all Gods, the Legend, the Brand. Masses, classes, hotshots, celebrities, media all cling to Him to bask in His supreme glory.

The last day of the festival is the most crowded and the loudest as the whole city buzzes with the chant of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya..Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya’. People dancing in visarjan processions, the bystanders, the onlookers from windows and terraces, the infants, the young, the middle-aged, the old, the cops, the photographers, the reporters, the street vendors, families, couples, loners, the abled, the disabled. The hysteria that circles every individual’s mind, body and soul is emphatic. For the naked eye it’s just a porcelain idol but for believers it’s much more deep within.

The grandeur with which the Lords are celebrated across the 10 day spell is phenomenal. And the farewell is equally poised with great thrill and exuberance. For some it’s like experiencing a spiritual high of sorts. 

And as the God bids adieu and descends over the distant horizon, we continue our lives with new hope.

Stills of Lalbaughcha Raja and Girgaum Chowpatty on the last day of Ganesh Chaturti