Printemps

A purple sky, a ginger sun, reflections on a placid lake
A random tiny waiflike drop, with it wrinkles in its wake
Tousles restful ether’s gleam falling from the flaming west
A million shining orange petals gliding on each ripple crest

Blatant trees no leaf no life, phoenix up from ice and rime
Hint of soul on ashen twigs standing ravages of frosty time
Infant leaves not yet green cleave onto descending dew
Tender grass molting from a sheath of frost, born anew

Blinking stars, aeons apart, sequins athwart a cobalt dusk
Wild hawthorn, buds newborn, blooming from their peeling husk
A southern breeze, smell of sea, wafting in as nights descend
A full bright moon, swathed in glow, of a colour incandescent

Lilting chords charming prose of flamboyance, love and fond
Vivacity, exuberance in every branch, fern or frond
Poincianas flower forth setting the whole foliage afire
Blazing, vivid, crimson hues of an eternal love affair

Surreal shadows of twilight

There they come and thence are gone
Shadows of violet dusk and dawn
Unending seas of grainy sand
Of love unrequited are they born

The high blue sky of desert noon
The turqoise graying none too soon
Seared grains of heat and dust
Thunderstorms for which they lust

Minute hurricanes rise in vain
To touch the first few drops of rain
As pining bodies of lovers rise
The longing never does disguise

It’s surreal, unreal, the falling rain
Rising tornados, the sense of pain
For they turn to nothingness
At the very first love caress

The touch of love kills it all
Eagerness for showers pall
The supple earth with smell so sweet
Rippling trickling streams beneath
Vanish into grains of sand
Where now the violet shadows stand

Once more the whorls of dust
Grains of thirst, a lust for rain
Haunting violet shadows of dusk
Rise to meet the clouds again

In retrospect, my days of endless travel in India and elsewhere have truely opened my eyes to the endless wonders of my country, having touched obscure lands one might not chance upon as a tourist. As I said while resigning fom my first job, "my work has made me a congnoscent of the treasure that is India". Unfortunately, on most of these occasions, I traveled without a camera. However ,there have been sights and people who shall remain etched on the canvas of my memory forever. This is my attempt to chronicle, a trifle anachronistically albeit, and revisit my multifarious experiences to places visited and experiences which have touched me.

NANDYAL, July 2005:
The Mahanandi Temple in Nandyal about 270kms from Hyderabad. This place is close to a major industrial area in the region which explains my visit. Nandyal is surrounded by nine temples of Lord Shiva (called Nava Nandi). Nine Temples includes Mahanandi, Shivanandi, Vishnunandi, Somanandi, PradhamaNandi, Garudanandi, Suryanandi,Krishnanandi,Omkaram What's amazing is the lush greenery of the place with an acre-large lake, choc a block with white and lilac lotuses, rushing out to meet smoky hills dotting the horizon. There is a small pond right in the middle of the Mahanandi temple premises, which was the only one I visited in between a series of meetings, with water so clear one can actually see each stone at the bottom of the pool. The water is believed to exude from the main Shiva linga in the temple - my guess is that the water tables are naturally high in the region - that figures, given it's considered the most fertile land in Rayalseema, Andhra Pradesh. The architechture of the temple is fabulous enough o take one's breath away. The place is sure to keep one captivated, reluctant to leave.

I vividly remember a scene
3rd Floor, next to room 34 Raja Banerjee, fresh after having just lost his bachelorhood (i mean just married – please no other ideas) at a safe distance from a gang of 3rd year hons students (that is , us) lead by me & Boris (what a disparate combination) – eyeing us in fear and apprehension.
Reason – not having invited us to his wedding.
Suddenly, Debeshi darts towards him “How could you not invite us to your wedding?”
Raja trying to offer an explanation………
Boris catching hold of Raja & saying…..

“Bhoy peyo na raja dada , amra tomay marbo na
Shotti bolchhi tomar shongey kusti kore parbo na
Korley kichhu hobo suspend, amader ki buddhi nei?
Tomay amra chibiye khabo emon moder shaddhi nei
Jete cheyechhi biyete tomar, khabo khali pet bhorey
Kobey theke achhi boshey, Raja kobey biye korey
Invitation card ti dekhe elo moder jibhey jol
Bolley na tai gelam na chhai, monta korchhey tol mol
Ebar dekho na moja tomay dekhabo kemon amra shob
Shobai mile carbylamine er test korar – ei tulbo rob
Idur pocha gondho jokhon porbey nake tomar
Ulto dike beriye ashbey biyer joto khabar
Ami achhi, matu achhey, lattu achhey jene rekho
chimti katbo, kamrabo jodi na next onushthaney money rakho!!!!”

Ami, Raja o Carbylamine

ekti kotha mone pore amar baare baar
primary amine test korchhi dhore ghonta chaar
ekbaro to futlo na uthey doodh e alta rong
fustru khelam dekhe moder raja dada'r dhong
bolle shedin "khabardar, keu kore na jeno"
"carbylamine test er gondho chhorabe na kokhono"
bhablam ami dara beta moja dekhai tokey
carbylamine test kortey kaun mujhko rokey
primary amine korlo tokhon cooperate zabardast
carbylamine er gondho chhoralo hoye mast
test tube ta rekhe elam rajar pechhoney
pagol holo raja boshey nijer ashoney
bollo "chhi chhi idur more pochey achhe bujhi"
tarpor shey shob kichhu tey hoy chot pot raaji!!!!

Joydeep o Helium Gas

joydeep
e seijoydeep
je deep jwole sudhu helium gas e
je beshi khele bayumondole hydrogen sulfide er poriman bere jay
e sei deep..
sei joydeep..!! 

Subhashis

Pratham Derivative

ami mugdho holam
he bondhu, tomar lekha porey
mon ta ure giye boshe porlo
shei room number thirty four e
gallery'r char number bench e...
jekhane sharbari roy hothat eshe
thot kamre muchki heshe chhilo
honeymoon er porey

ekhono money achhe shei gondho
acetyl derivative banatey giye
raja banerjee'r naak hoechhilo bondho
khepe giye tara diye bolle shedin 
"ami ki notun bou?"
"dur hotey dekhchho je amay?"
"derivative bananor shahosh dekhaley na to keu?"
shei chhilo amader prothom poth hata
ekhono cholchhi shei pothey
chemistry amader modhye ekta adhesive force
emon bhabe kore diye gechhe shristi
jeno surface tension er diagram e
shudu dekha porey acute angle aar acute angle

Baishali Kanjilal