He was right there, staring at me, when I walked into the compartment.I could sense it almost immediately, a finicky fellow traveller.The rest of my train journey from Vizag to Hyderabad, was well taken care of.
Intrusions from fellow travellers are ordinary,but never fail to surprise me.And so it was when this man asked"where are you going?". I spent a few minutes on the question, I was engrossed in observing the contours of his face.All bald men attract attention in seemingly humorous way and his case was peculiarly so.His eyes I noted where nearly round, the left slightly bigger than the right and I wished he wore blinder on an eye, he was those pirate types.
His girth and colour of clothes (bright red with black dots), reminded me of a tribal warlord.I was just beginning to feel that I was being too cruel to him, when I heard my cousin reply to his question.
"Young ladies these days are always lost in their dreams", he noted and the guy next nodded his head vigorously, ready to make him his moral guru.The 'guru' himself I saw was not that old, he was being too pedagogic in his thirties.I looked at him with disdain.My cousin who is smarter than I am saw what was coming and buried her head in a magazine.He then turned to me with a most soliticious smile and said,"you must be fully aware and always on-guard while travelling, being a girl you know....." taking heed I stopped listening midway and took out a choclate.It was sweltering hot outside and my choclate was nearly liquid. "These days kids have no value for money, they spend on such things", the disciple nodded,"yes,yes"
"go and exchange this, there is time for the departure", he said, "you spent so much on it".
My cousin was chuckling,when she saw I wasnt too happy about it, she pointed to a joke.I left anyway.
"These things are not good, they do not give money's worth", he started.The next half hour he continued with his moral bickerings and his faithful listener only grew too fond of him.I was already bored.My cousin only added to my unhappiness with her intermittent laughter.After the discourse on money saving, wise living and a briefing on his life got over,I felt relieved.
The train stopped at a station, a petite lady came in and sat beside me.Needless to say the men gawked at her.She waved her hand as if brushing them aside,turned to me and said,"I got married recently", I was confused and just nodded."I am going to my in-laws' place", I nodded again."how do you cook brinjal?", she asked, before I could recover she went on with a detailed recipe of hers.My cousin was chuckling, I had no such luxury.She then commenced with her mother-in-law saga, my head was reeling with all those gory details of love and animosity, when thankfully, the 'guru' bailed me out."never wear so much jewellery while travelling",he told her.my cousin laughed.I got up walked to the next compartment, sat by the window, and stared into the open space in thoughtless state.The conversations went on.
Friday, June 09, 2006
The many faces of my fallible mind
I seek some silence.
The sound of unruly cars, grating tyres and incessant horn is pounding my heart. I move into an inner lane and I now hear the sound of a hundred lips, lisping mundane tales. I dont want to listen to them, I dont want to be voyeuristic, but I cant seem to help it.I move away and the cell begins to ring.Sometimes mine, but sometimes others' and I cant do anything but listen as the words waft everywhere , except reach a listener.I shut my ears tight.....I still hear sounds. The songs played last night still ring in my ears. I seek some silence.
I shut myself in four walls, plug my ears and wait. Is this silence...I can slowly discern the rasping movements like the soft sounds inside an overgrown shell . I am vexed.
Images begin to flood my mindscape, randomly seize fertile space and grow. The scaffolding builds rapidly and overwhelms me. I need some quiet..I need some silence.
I look into the mirror and I seem to know it. It is right here, in my mind.
The sound of unruly cars, grating tyres and incessant horn is pounding my heart. I move into an inner lane and I now hear the sound of a hundred lips, lisping mundane tales. I dont want to listen to them, I dont want to be voyeuristic, but I cant seem to help it.I move away and the cell begins to ring.Sometimes mine, but sometimes others' and I cant do anything but listen as the words waft everywhere , except reach a listener.I shut my ears tight.....I still hear sounds. The songs played last night still ring in my ears. I seek some silence.
I shut myself in four walls, plug my ears and wait. Is this silence...I can slowly discern the rasping movements like the soft sounds inside an overgrown shell . I am vexed.
Images begin to flood my mindscape, randomly seize fertile space and grow. The scaffolding builds rapidly and overwhelms me. I need some quiet..I need some silence.
I look into the mirror and I seem to know it. It is right here, in my mind.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
A POEM I TREASURE
Some muted expressions gain wings in verse.So I chose to start off with a poem that I wrote,for which I won the DOM MORAES PRIZE for poetry at 17 and was elected as one of India's promising young poet.I know I am bragging a lot,but just cant seem to help it.Here is the poem,
THE CHARWOMAN
The thin film of water over her iris
Mirrored the dark grey floor she violently swept
The whiteness of her palms was camouflaged by dirt
The wetness of her palms wrinkled her fingers.
In her rising and falling movements her vertebrae jerked.
The sonic sounds of tinkling water hitting the vessels
The smearing of soot on her poplin frock,she bothered not
Her kiss curls indulged in an altercation with her eye
Not condescending she went on
Letting her eyelashes do the peacemaking
When all was done and her eyelids drooped
Her eardrums reverbrating with the mouthful by the mistress
Threw her out of her blissful sleep
Not resenting she dipped and wringed rolls of linen
Allowing the cross on her bosom to be drenched by foam
When the dusk brought with it the crimson hues
She let once more,her coarse leathered slippers
Bite and chew the callus of her feet
And undoing the strings of her apron dirty
She scurried into slimy lanes that smelt of burnt rubber
Her visage grew aglow with warm fondness
As the air was enriched by the affections of theine
Cherubins two hugged her tight as doors flew open
Ushering her in with song of their whispers
They treated their mother to the favours befitting a queen.
THE CHARWOMAN
The thin film of water over her iris
Mirrored the dark grey floor she violently swept
The whiteness of her palms was camouflaged by dirt
The wetness of her palms wrinkled her fingers.
In her rising and falling movements her vertebrae jerked.
The sonic sounds of tinkling water hitting the vessels
The smearing of soot on her poplin frock,she bothered not
Her kiss curls indulged in an altercation with her eye
Not condescending she went on
Letting her eyelashes do the peacemaking
When all was done and her eyelids drooped
Her eardrums reverbrating with the mouthful by the mistress
Threw her out of her blissful sleep
Not resenting she dipped and wringed rolls of linen
Allowing the cross on her bosom to be drenched by foam
When the dusk brought with it the crimson hues
She let once more,her coarse leathered slippers
Bite and chew the callus of her feet
And undoing the strings of her apron dirty
She scurried into slimy lanes that smelt of burnt rubber
Her visage grew aglow with warm fondness
As the air was enriched by the affections of theine
Cherubins two hugged her tight as doors flew open
Ushering her in with song of their whispers
They treated their mother to the favours befitting a queen.
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