Celebrating Lohri

All dey people walking this way that way
Shaking their heads, mumbling happy Lohri
Dey drummer beating dey drums loudly
I closing ma ears so I hear it softly
Women dey dressed in ethnic shiny clothes
Dancing with their friends in muddy naked toes
Me I dey ask aunty will she tango with me
Uh uh..
But bIg mamma, she never listen O

Friend pulling my arm, asking me to stand beside her
Long queue look like centiped rope
Everybody in queue holding paper plates
Hungry people waiting patiently for dey turn
There is pulao, bread, bhajiya and mix vegetables stew
Big mamma telling me
It is free food
fill your plate, eat till you drop dead
Me I dey ask aunty who paid the bill
Uh uh
But big mamma she never listen O

In the centre of the compound is the burning flame
With red orange tongue wagging as in a game
People going round, round, round the flame
throwing popcorn, til laddoos on the ground
Too much food stuff on the floor
More people come with more popcorn, laddoo
Me I dey ask aunty why people wasting so much food
Big mamma say that they are praying to dey God of flames
Me I dey ask again why they wasting food
Uh uh
But big mamma dey never listen O

Everybody pouting and clicking selfie
Everybody busy on their phone
Nobody hearing the phone conversation
But people l chatting on the line
Texting is better than talking aloud
Me I dey ask aunty why people use their phone
They should be praying and praying to God alone
Uh uh
But big mamma dey never listen O

Big mamma she dey want to sit by herself now
Me I dey ask aunty can we go home
Big mamma say fun has just begun
Uh uh
Me I dey no answer nothing O

April Challenge - day 5- Mumbai

Dear heart, its difficult living here
People pushing, running, as if to reach an event
But, its my Mumbai, my city, my love, my dear

At red, orange, green light, you may turn a deaf ear
To honking that go non stop, your patience spent
Dear heart, its difficult living here

Lip-smacking street food at every corner in high gear
See, he is eating Pani-Puri, now that's evident
Hello! My city, my love, my dear

Pity! I see pockets of slums, behind high rise in clear
Garbage, filth, naked children beg in neglect
Dear heart, its difficult living here

Strangers in local train may share their beer
At the click of a button, Uber, Ola are present
It's my Mumbai, my city, my love, my dear

A city that's bipolar with colourful headgear
People here are friendly, happy hundred percent
Dear heart, it may be difficult living here
But, its my Mumbai, my city, my love, my dear

April Challenge- day 4- Gifts

#napowrimo #April #day4 #gifts

Gifts bring smile on every face
Though we know not if its for keeps
They may lay unopened in some corners of a room
Or lie hidden inside our purse
Forgotten from the memory for days and months
Till upon a chance we find its use

What values are the gift of selfish motive?
A promotion, a favor, a preferred friendship
In exchange for a favorable seat?
Had we toiled hard with steady mind
Success is a gift we are sure to find

What values are the gifts given out of compulsion?
Bridal showers, dowry deeds
If you cannot afford must
you give?
Every penny earned with respect, honor
is a gift we can truly own.

Gift have a hidden heart
Wrapped with much love and concern
Covered with ribbon of joy, gratitude, happiness
Expecting zero returns

Everything we achieve
Everything we are
in life
is a gift

April Challenge - Artist

During the hour of painting
I see you in pensive mood

Clothes lay scattered at your feet
begging for a laundry spin
Used utensils crowd at the kitchen sink
Phone off the hook, no social calls
a stained apron on your chest, your uncombed hair falls

Dressing of canvas is always on your mind
Brushes and easel set upright

It's an hour for you to be
in meditative mood
Does every stroke, tone, shade
clear the cobwebs off your mind?
Worries, heartaches tensions
Have you brushed aside?
Red blue green mingle in a story clips
I see you completely relaxed
The clock silently ticks

The calmness of your mind
shifts upon the canvas
Vibrant colors string a playful tune
There is magic in the air
Woah! My friend artist
Your painting is alive

#napowrimo #dailymeme #April #day3 #30dayschallenge

April Challenge - Sizzlers

When friend makes sizzlers
Just stand and watch
There is technique to master
You wont learn if you talk

The carrots and the beans
Chopped just right
Broccoli mushrooms tomatoes
tossed and blanched slight
Deep fry sliced potatoes
Crispy and brown
Dress the sizzling plate
with cabbage and rice

Wear kala chasma
Hold fork and spoon
A napkin on your collar
Hungry smile in your eyes
Pour barbeque sauce
Wave at smoke in the room
The drama will happen
When you hear the sizzling tune

Sizzle sizzle sizzle
Waste no time
Chomp away the veggies
Gratitude with every bite
Its hot, its spicy
A dribble with a rhyme
Finish every morsel
With a cool glass of wine

#napowrimo #dailymemes #day2 #april

April Challenge - April Fool

She reads

00:08 · 

She could not read, but she knew how to flip the pages of a book, She had seen her mother do so many times. The graphics in the book caught her attention. She knew there was magic in there. She ran her fingers over the printed page, slowly tracing the curves on the design ..she smiled 

#shortstory#children #microfiction #55words #reading #bookstagram

Don't Mention

Fingers

Holi

House Help

Missed Turn

My Visit To Beas

Last week I went to heaven
"Deposit your mobile before you enter the gates"- they said
It seemed unrealistic to me
to survive without any contact with outside world
hundreds of message would go unread
videos and forwards, jokes and chats
What if there was an emergency?
would the day follow night and the night proceed?
I thought I was indispensable, orphan, lost.

But the choice had to be made
to select the best
with heavy heart, I peeled off my android, I shed my fears

bare and unprotected, I entered gates of heaven

The air was crisp, weather cold
sun peeped sometimes behind heavy clouds.
Dressed in layers I walked alone 

through long, wide roads, not a speck of dirt
clean empty streets, manicured trees
beige lacy walls, red and white bricks
uniform architecture as far as eyes could see
dotted with different shades of greens

Positivity and praise of lord on every leaf
there is in universe just one theme
call him by Allah, Ram, or any name,
All sermons said - search within
see the light, follow the sound
drop off cloak of ego, anger, pride
walk with confidence and with faith
To reach your goal
cleanse your soul

Days were spent on long green bench
listening to stories, some mystics, some sad
people, young and old, from all walks of life
each bend from heavy cross on shoulders of their own
no man is perfect, nobody spared
happiness and stress, health and wealth
uneven distribution of karma in life that is fair

Days continued to follow night
Messages in my mobile must lay in pile
I was free, like a stream, I went with the flow
no distraction, no detours
not a minute was I bored
As a special guest, I imagined some chimes
Miracles happened each time
comfortable bed
Tasty food
systematic management of every kind

This was the heaven on earth, a spiritual respite.
Beas, a gated colony
where my spiritual Guru resides

Addiction

Teacher's Day

We learn
Every.moment of our life
a new lesson

There is always 
a new beginning
A new guide crosses
our path each day
some are easy to follow
some are tough
some we follow unconditionally
because we love them so..

Patience
gratitute
tolerance
we built each day.

Teacher
Mother
Guru
A friend
A foe
A stranger
all are the stepping stones
to a greater knowledge
that we gain each day

Happy Teachers Day.l

Feelings

Loyalty
a responsibilty
you show to one
who taught you to stand on your own feet
or else
you would have been crippled for life....

Gratitude
a respect you show
for acknowledging the one
who never expected anything
in return but was happy at
your success

Selfish you were
to take all the credit
for yourself
knowing
that you could do nothing alone without any help

Even the tree 

that bears fruits and flowers

 needs sunshine and rain 

to bloom....

A hug and a Wink

Just your hug and your wink
can put you
in stupidest happiest mood
You fold your arms around 

the soft flesh of your child 

and hear a chuckle
of delight

a hug and a wink
is the most attractive things to do
when you are with your love
you slip your slender fingers
into his trouser pockets and

 extract the plastic cards for 

entertainment and fun..

a hug and wink
a magic gesture
can't share with your maid
nor the watchman
nor the fruit seller
who you see everyday
nor the errand boy
nor the kinara man
nor the policeman
they might hiss and cause you pain

a hug and a wink
between man and man
between woman and woman
takes the weight to a different plane
private or in public
don't care a damn
few eyebrows are raised
to break the spell
of same sex friend
to give it a special name

A hug and a wink
in a corporate world
a candid selfish motive
an insult to the chair
only a silly would dare
such an outragious betrayal game
by fate, by fortune
a shallow convergence
collects eyelashes on paper planes

Hunger Pangs at Midnight

In the middle of the night, 

hunger pangs set in

Dinner was six hours ago
It was light and crispy
It was quite filling
But that was six hours ago

Its dark night out there
No vendors on the street
Dinner plates washed and dried on the shelf
Where do I go
Who will cook for me
All friends asleep
In wrinkled pajamas or nightie

Empty tummy simply roars
Food, give food, it groans
Bare foot I slowly walk
To the kitchen
To scan for mid night snack
Behind the door

Roasted peanuts with salt and pepper
A stale garlic bread in the fridge
Oh, and there is kurkure, onion chips
And also there is cold Jalebi
There is cheese
There are chocolates
Some hazel nuts
Oh there is cake
with cream and walnut
There are eggs
There is bread
There are left over shreds
There are apricots
There are dried berries
There is tomato juice
Also ole wine

Its middle of night
Soon there will be twilight
Should I eat
Should I drink
Should I cook
Should I feast
Or simply
go back to sleep

Trapped Outside The Door

Its a crazy feeling
when you get shut out
from your own house
Ten seconds after you bang 
your main door 
You realise you don't have the door key

You repent 
why you never trusted 
your neighbour with an  extra pair
Now you sit 
outside your home 
with your face 
buried under your hands

What to do
What to do
Should I break the door
Spoil the facade
Of my perfect door
There will be stains
There will be cracks
The damage will ruin my door

Oh why did I forget
The main keys of my door

Brave Chef

I will cook today

says he 

rolling up his sleeve
Oh no I scream
under my breath
Soft prayer pass
Gently through my chest
Are you serious
Are you free
Have you finish reading
The paper
That arrived this morning

Move woman
Says he
Need no sermons from you
Kitchen is my forte
I will churn out tasty lunch
He puts on the sports channel
Cricket come alive
Sharpens all the knives
Apron by his side

Happy I am
To be free
to attend to other chores
Wardrobe needs
rearrangement
Book shelf needs a shine
Should I
Check my e mail
Tweet or blog
Update my profile picture
Or maybe just relax

Where is bottle of chili sauce
The walls vibrate with his whine
Will you help with peeling
Rest of work I will do it fine
I hear the loud thud of fridge door
Something dropped on the floor
Oh man
He has no talent
Such simple task
Wont perform
Chopping peeling washing
None done with free twirl of hand

I enter strange kitchen
Napkins spread on the floor
Onion peels everywhere
Slippery greasy door
Oh god
He just added
Tooth paste
into the pot
Floride
Mint flavor
he chirps
His eyes begin to roll

He is bold
He is brave
Cooks like adventurer
Into the taste unknown
Exploring new flavors
Of sweet , sour, bitter
Uses strangest ingredients
Cooking on his own
Toothpaste, orange squash
Coffee powder
Lemon leaves or gourd
Used spoons dipped into pot
Back in his mouth, he holds

Stew may turn out
good or bad
But recipe
he must tell
Willingly he set the table
Maybe invite a friend
Plates neatly arranged
We seat to share
Ears plugged to
Food stories
Of his travel that be stored
He will rant about his skill
Of how he learnt to fry

He watches my first bite
Traces my act with his eyes
smile glows brightly on his face
Deepens his forehead lines
Hows that
You like it?
This is the best dish you must have ever had