Farewell Mother

In your eyes

There're so many victories

Of unfought wars

You saw light

In utter darkness

Knowing You

The sooner you flew

When you saw the birds

That can reach me

I find you in

Bright mornings

Vividly living

There's a place, 

Yonder, you saw it

With wonder 

Timber, Eh?!

The mother earth was kind to her today, unlike past few months, Geetha said aloud. There was no one around, though. 

‘I think it is a season of rains and showers, the grass is silky green, if you just forget to trim even for one fortnight. The pine cones are falling occasionally, and acorns are all around. Some of the Oak pods, are just over grown galls homing the wasps. They are ok, no need to drive them out because  it is just a part of ecological harmony. Sometimes when they drop on the ground there is every danger waiting under the dried leaves. Copperheads love to eat cicadas, dropping to evolve from 9 PM to midnight under such Oak trees, it is wise to be cautious than be sorry,’ Geetha continued to talk aloud to herself as she was sorting some open corners that needed care, as she was working on the lawn that evening. 

Hello, how are you, a neighbor was wishing her as she was doing some yardwork in the front. 

Hey neighbor, howdy! Geetha answered loudly this time, not chatting within her mind.

Chatting within her mind, mumbled to herself.

Why are you so pensive asked her neighbor. 

No, I am good, come let’s have a chai and chit chat said Geetha.

Both Susan and Geetha sat together watching the Bold and the Beautiful show of two competing corporate families in rivalry, vengeance, love and despair all at once.

They would comment on each scene and say been watching since past 39 years, may be it will keep going and we may need to revisit earth after we are dead and gone all over again!

Oh no. I am good, I don’t even wanna think about it said Susan. Good thinking , said Geetha.

Imagine in this wide world what is the significance of erring of any ancestors or of any human errors, miseries or thoughts, Geetha said philosophically.

Well, to me it matters, need to be somewhere in twenty minutes, or else this weekend I may not get to buy my medicine. I ought to go, said Susan. 

Well, nice seeing you then, neighbor, they wished each other a good bye. 

Geetha was going to prune the rose creeper that grew it’s long branches all over the walkway near the lawn. 

She was trimming all small edges, poking out sharply. She even thought the Oak tree is growing a little too much on the edge towards her window in the room upstairs. May be a little bit of pruning may not work,  it needs to be cut, timber.. she thought.  I will call the landscape helpers tomorrow or day after and trim the edges, and clear driveway, Geetha was thinking as she was putting away the trash. 

I need to see if Sonu Mami has returned the car jack and starter jump kit and the ladder too, Geetha remembered as she wanted to call the handyman. Their nephew borrowed it as he wanted to help her with some repair work to the car as well as gutters.  She just saw that there were birds nesting on the branch she thought of having it cut. Oh my. That would have been a Timber.. thank God for allowing me to see that’s a disaster for the protected Blue Jays.. 

In this whole wide Universe, little things, indeed matter, she thought sipping her second cup of Chai. 

prompt :I Refuse

I am going Manjula, see you all after Monday.

Where you going Swapna?

I am going to my in law’s home. Hope to see you all later.

Ok, you all take care.

Mom, where is Swapna aunt going? 

I think it is to her in law's home, she will be going.

On Monday we have an art class, can you help me with it?

Sure I can, sweetheart.  What for, were you asking about aunt Swapna?

‘Mom, will tell you later,’ Lata ran away to play as soon as she changed into her play clothes and drank milk.

****

‘What’s  the matter Emily,’ asked Lata.

I am so not ok with what they tell and what they do, said Emily. 

Whatever is bothering you?

I like to have cake, and coffee but I am never allowed.

Emily went into the restroom and wiped her eyes and lightly touched her hair and came out.

‘Emily, my dear, you are still young and coffee causes acidity in kids system. It is not about you, your sisters are all grown up, now they are going to high school and college. Why don’t you wait till you graduate elementary school?’

Emily gave a beautiful smile and said that is fine, as long as my cake is still there, I don’t mind not to have instant coffee!.

There, that’s my girl. Lata patted Emily and let her to go play. 

Lata, can you go with me this evening, we are going to town and watching movies tonight, Dinesh said to Lata as she was returning from her tutoring class. 

Oh, sorry Dinesh ji, I am busy and have no interest to go out tonight.

It is ok, jeered Saloni. We are better off without you my dear, saying sarcastically. 

Salon is very grown up looking and always in her mini skirts or jeans and T shirt and keeps playing shuttle cock or jump rope.

I think she is been watching too much of teenage shows and Sabrina shows, thought Lata.

You seem to be upset, asked her dad. Yeah. No, nothing Lata faltered.

Oh you seem to be having a rough time, was it the boys, who upset you?

No, I mean not really, but my own friend who was good with me, suddenly changed to someone I do not know.

Why, what happened, what did you do? asked Manjula.

Major Nallappa will be visiting our school tomorrow to make selections, for weeks we were working hard, marching, parading, practicing daily at least an hour during morning, and once in the afternoon, missing lunch and breakfast, at least until recess and get refreshments. 

Oh, what you got today, her brother asked pouring a cup of Orange juice in his glass. 

So why are you so irritated, father asked again. 

I do not like the way some girls go around caring neither studies nor norms to be followed.

Is that all or are you jealous of Saloni, akka, asked brother Manoj.

Manoj! Yelled Lata.

She is very responsible with etiquette,  Manoj, don’t talk to your sister so rudely. That kind of behavior is not encouraging  advocated grandma Pushmataha amma.

Alright naani, don’t support your namesake so much, and took a laddoo from her plate and ran away. 

Manjula, you must take care of your lalla, complained grandma Pushpalatha amma garu.  

Guys, it is time to have personal time, take care, father went to the living room to watch national news, lighting his triple 5, and in a corner, watching it all, Lata was quietly doing her homework as she was listening to the news, read by Yoshika Ratnam. I need not worry, if I refuse to follow some peer pressure, thought Lata, and realized, she has higher goals.

The Vision That Gave Sight

‘Mondays are particularly not enjoyable in the morning’ thought Prashanthi.

‘Oh, why amma?’ Asked Gopi moushi.

Gopi moushi has been their household helper, for two generations at least.

She is at home most of the time, what with the hot Summers and flooding rains or cold winters, Moushi quickly does her chores, and keeps a nicely made paan, and keeps watching TV, spreading her spare saree in the corner and stretches her feet and toes as she watches the geetmaala songs show in the evening.

‘ I think, it is so because, you pamper us over the weekend , Moushi’ , said Arjun, Prashanti’s husband.

‘Oh, quiet. Arjun, I am not that pampered, not when you know how we were extra pampered in our hometown, back home’.

Oh, you are treated as Maha Rani even today, well that I a your mother’s home. You are now, only a guest there!’ Reminded Arjun.

‘Achcha, achcha, you both, allow me to watch TV Sahib, said Gopi moushi.

Gopi moushi does her work meticulously and enjoys life, since she is not too greedy, to work in every neighboring home.

Even though it was a single bedroom studio-apartment, it was kept quite neat

That evening, everything was going on as usual. However, Gopi moushi was not really present. She prepared roti, alu pallia, and raita for dinner. She did not join them since she said she had some ‘ghabrahat or premonition.

Arjun asked her, if she cared to visit anyone in the city or take a break. She simply said, ‘nahi Sahib, dil nahi maanta.’

Prashanthi came home with lot of papers to correct, but picked up some fruits and milk, for Gopi moushi. It is Gopi moushi’s vrat day as it was a Monday, she goes fasting. That morning as Gopi moushi was watering Tulasi mata, holy Basil plant, she said she was going to have a visitor.

It looks like the visitor brought some news from their village, the distant neice has a son, who developed some eye problems recently. Gopi said, that she had some sort of vision that all was not well back home. Now that the cousin’s grandson needed eye care, she told the visitor to let the parents bring the kid and have the eye test done. The boy and his parents came within a week, and meanwhile Arjun and Prashanthi made sure they keep the eye doctor’s appointment within a day. It was the Sarojini Devi Eye hospital, and the doctor was well known eye surgeon. There some complications developing as some sinusitis was pressing optic nerve.

Jayanti, moushi’s niece, was weeping as she saw her son suffer so much. Fortunately, the eye doctor told them to visit the ENT hospital and, in few minutes, the doctor levitated the seed that was in the nasal passage, it got pushed out with thin jet water flow.

One time during the winter, there were red ripe jujube fruit and Hari had plenty not only to eat, but something else too. It was during Sankranthi at that time of the year, and the ladies did the evil eye removal ritual for little children, they pour small seeds, rice granules, sweets, pennies, jujube fruit, grapes, etc. and pour them on the heads of the children and they are collected and thrown away to feed birds, these days.

At one such time the jujube seed got deposited in the nose. No one imagined it or saw that.  

Jayanti was weeping and narrating the story to Gopi moushi, and meanwhile the boy was released.

After removing the growth due to inserting a jujube seed in his nose during play, that got settled in the nasal passage and no one knew why it was put there:  they said it was lodged in that passage for over six months.

Gopi moushi asked if they did Bhogi pallu, the ritual of removing evil eye for kids, Jayanti said they did.

Almost after Sankranthi the kid was unwell, she said.

Arjun was mumbling, ‘that was insane!’

Gopi moushi said, ‘we don’t say that. You just need to say that we got to be careful’.

For now a big burden is gone away from weighing my heart, said Gopi moushi.

Long after the kid returned to the village with parents, it was time for him to start another phase.

‘Hari , you have exam results today, wake up, quick!’  Jayanti, Gopi moushi’s niece was waking up her son. Sure mom, I am glad my eye sight is restored, Hari said, this time I do not need to go to hospital for eye exam or to visit ENT doctor.

‘No, you will still have to attend hospital for your clinical rounds.’ Hemanth, Hari’s dad, said.

Arjun made sure the parents would save money for Hari’s studies. He said he will be matching it as they keep saving each month.

Gopi moushi wanted her salary to be saved, since she was earning nourishing food, accommodation and decent clothes, just as any member of the family would. She kept them with Arjun, and both Prashanthi and Arjun saved by matching it three times.

Gopi moushi said, one may never know how things may change, in her conversations. Arjun and Prashanthi raised their children too who were grown, with their own little ones to take care. They were living in USA, raising their families with good values and decent education.

 

 

“Grand-pa Arjun, why would you help our dad, for his studies?’ asked Pyari, Hari’s daughter.

Well I was always first in my games in the neighborhood,  playing Badminton,  Shuttle, Cricket, Basketball and Tennis. Our college had good sports department and my professors made sure we are competitive and win at national level. I even was expert in cross country races and hurdles. However, I could not do one thing. When I took my entrance exam to medical school in my second year, I had to wait and meanwhile my second-year college fees had to be paid. My mom said I continue with my studies. For a want of just a ₹980.00, I was unable to secure my seat in medical college, that I was selected in wait list.

I did not want that to happen, to moushi’s grand nephew, that is your dad!” Arjun said.

It was couple of years since he moved into Hari's bigger home. A decade or two passed away, since both Gopi moushi and Prashanthi left.

He spent some time with his grand children, but the call to get back was very much, he had to return, so he may visit places he visited with kids and family, to see Ganges to Godavari rivers, Kashmir to Kanya Kumari rock, and western ghats to Himachal hills.

Hari is treating villagers, with bringing in medical community, with modern facilities

Arjun’s own children and family are there in different parts of the world, but breathing the fresh air in the motherland is more soothing than the air-conditioned apartments, abroad.

It was a surprise for Hari, that morning to see his grand children. Hari’s daughter was married to her classmate in Stanford, after a year or two years, going steady. That was a blessing or miracle, they had no idea, since he was Arjun, grandpa Arjun's grandson!

Grandpa Arjun’s picture is smiling on the wall, as the team of doctors from Stanford are visiting Hari’s village as their external clinical training as well as study abroad in cool atmosphere without pollution. Ananthapur sanatorium was shining in the bright day, and river Muchikunda water is flowing purely and pristine.

 

 

 

Message From Some Distance

Tonight, you sleep tight!

Alas! Winter is at it’s heights

Disarm your mind of worries

They hold no cover from the shivers

As you think of them artists and singers

Living until yesterday,

Until the days turned gloomy

Nights were solitary

Room mates and mates

Turned into strangers

Leaving one with loss

Of never ending word of

Ever finding even their shadows,

As the Sun is sinking,

Leaving One with a cloudy

Starless, no moon night

Not even a bird cried that night

Still, 

In the mind, a ray of hope

That, dawn will be nearby

Spring will clear the mist

All the mystic abandonment

May one day lead to

Songs of choir

Singing His grace 

O divine travellers

We trail behind singing

In Chorus

Will meet you there!

Until then

Carry the torch you lit

To the future

And more!

My Viewing Series Comments

1. Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix, series

How some people write screen plays and create series with such perfection? Perfection, is not same as gaudy sets, great make ups or dialogues of King George's English.

Perfection, with no extra vocab, settings clean and neat,  close to reality (decent urban, healthy, with a strong story line, action and direction).

Just starting to watch Lincoln Lawyer, what a great start of the story! Nothing superhuman, nothing that categorizes them to have any mystic characters. Story has a great starting, with story line of a lawyer, waiting on bench, once successful, but personal life was, yeah right, actually in shambles, if not totally wrecked. A reformed one at that, for now.  So here you start, how he regains his career, and comes back and stories and challenges associated. It is on Netflix, if you like the movies and TV series (network series)

Have a great time watching it.

On This Women's Day Things That Matter to me as a Woman

I am writing a note

To myself, on occasion

Of Women’s Day, international

I am not creating

Anything new

Nothing artistic

Only plain talk with

My being, still here.

Am I sad that still,

On this day of the year

In the twenty first century

I am washing vessels

From yesterday and

A day before, may be..

That I am looking like

I  need a lot of personal care

Yet to stay afresh and afloat

Decades since I ever gave a care

To the stuff I could never part

Or does it really matter

That I am alive and living…

Each year, I do the same

Wash every spoon or plate

Lying in the sink from before

And I get tired and would want to rest, but have to just

Restart all over again

And again, everyday as I as m alive

Why bother, you ask

If all I do is toil

As if I know nothing at all

I may not have to say

That I am cleaning them

Bowls and dishes, that

Very kindly soaked and stored

Batter for idlis for some needy

Families that local charities care

And I just did my civic duty

To volunteer as they take care

Of the families visiting the city

Perhaps to take care of them as they may be waiting for a change, that may bring about

A shining new day and spirit

A bright new morning while that night

They do not need to go hungry,

If they can care for the ones at home,

In distress or need or seeking help

So they can wake up strong

In their commitments and

Efforts in creating a stronger bond

With society and people

Knowing that they gave a new life

And hope to live, strive and see others thrive,

As their needs are addressed

As if they are theirs own,

They are giving life even to the ones, who give them their time,

Because life is all about interdependence,

Even if I am discarded, or not,

I still want to belong to someone in helping them heal their heart

Who may need me but then

I need them more to make a reason

For me to claim the air I breath

Every second I stay alive,

As though given and not even

Thinking or thanking

The mother and earth that bore me

I realize, I owe more than

What I can ever offer anyone

Without a blessing from them,

Nothing ever would!

So, all my mothers and mother earth

Have a Happy Women’s  Day!

You make the world possible

Each day and every day hence

Many thanks to you,

My friend, for reading and listening!

Nyla my friend, again,

Thanks for asking me to read and  send,

So these simple things,

Matter to me most,

Because it is them

Not me, that matter most

And give me life,

I do not take time,

They give me life and meaning

To strive, exist and learn and inspire! May your muse always glow in your creation!

Oh yes, my Muse, is all of you,

This beautiful morning or day,

Night or this pleasant evening!

Happy Women’s Day y'all!