Glass Half Untouched

  “Maa… Maaaa! I am making tea. Will you have some now or later?” Maa sometimes shared a cup of tea with me in the late afternoon. I shouted this question while already holding a vessel under the tap. There was no response. The vessel was filling fast.  "Maaa" "..." "Maaaaa" "..." "Mummyyyy" "..." I reluctantly shut the tap and left the vessel on the countertop to see what my mother was doing. It was unlike of her to sleep at this hour and especially such a deep sleep which didn't get disturbed with my first call. I went to look for her and checked the washroom first. Perhaps, she was not able to answer because she was inside. She didn't like answering her name calls while she was in the washroom. Apparently, the ‘whole building’ need not know that she was in the washroom! Not finding her in the washroom, with peaked interest, I went to her room and there she was!. In a corner, with her back towards...

  This article is neither about the god nor about the literal meaning of the god complex. The god complex that I want to talk about today can be understood through the concept of the pedestal (the base or support on which a statue, obelisk, or column is mounted, as per Oxford Languages) on which the god is kept.  Pedestal What I have observed so far about the relationship between the god and a devotee is that it consists of majorly two components – offering your faith and seeking power or strength from the god or from the faith that you offer to god. You can offer your faith or seek strength in whatever shape or form, of course. One cannot deny the power dynamic there. Two distinct levels where the god always stands tall. And funnily, even though the question often arises - whether the god exists, nobody, for a second, questions the existence of the pedestal on which the god exists. This pedestal is built with our faith and expectations. And you know what I am talking ...

I am standing in the middle of the street in water. Not a puddle of water. Seemingly unending spread of water covering the land as far as I can see. It is moving. It is rising. I don't know where it came from. I don't think it was there a moment ago. Or was it? I can't be sure. Everything looks grim and gray. Not the black and white gray but gray of uncertainty and chaos.  Everything is out of order. People are running in all directions. Seemingly trying to save themselves. And I wonder if this is how the end looks like.  It is barely drizzling now but every droplet comes with a promise. It comes even if it knows it isn't welcome. There is already plenty of it; on our streets, in our homes, in our eyes. There is nothing we call ours that could welcome these droplets. Yet the droplets come with an unwelcome insistence to take over and I feel numb all over. I know I have to join the chaos around me soon. I will have to run in some direction to get somewhere where I will f...

I am going to an unknown destination  I am not sure I will know when I have arrived I walk with a firm belief  that this journey is all I have This journey is all I wanted This journey is all I will get I may scream and cry Or my feet may get tired But the road won't give up And I won't leave the road I passionately desired I don't know how long the walk will last Nobody in sight to inquire  But the walk is mine, so is the struggle And I will create a place of mine before I retire I look ahead, I look back Sipping on my ginger tea The quiet of now, the chaos I crossed And the anticipation ahead sets me free I learn I tumble I fall I create And no joy surpasses that I am walking but the pace gets slower I urge to make this last I don't know if this is where I stop If I was the first one to arrive But a truck full of happy, young kids just passed Nodding at me And the flame continues to thrive ------ Attended Rupikaur's poetry workshop recently. It was refreshing ...

  Glass  half  overlooked Link to Part 1 -  https://glasshalfuntouched.blogspot.com/2020/08/overlooked-series-parts-0-1.html Link to Part 2 & 3 -  https://glasshalfuntouched.blogspot.com/2020/09/overlooked-series-parts-2-3.html Link to Part 4 -  https://glasshalfuntouched.blogspot.com/2020/09/overlooked-series-part-4.html 5.  Let go (December 2017) Today was the day. There was nothing particularly special about the day. It started out like any other day except maybe she woke up a little bit happier and lighter. She could not think of any particular reason behind it. Maybe she was just tired of the haunting shadows, maybe she had consumed an extra pill of courage last night, maybe she just wanted to end this year unapologetically, or maybe a combination of all of the above. Who cares about the reason! What mattered was that she had a good feeling about today. Almost 19 months had passed since Charu had suggested that they become friends. It was ...

  Glass  half  overlooked Link to Part 1 -  https://glasshalfuntouched.blogspot.com/2020/08/overlooked-series-parts-0-1.html Link to Part 2 & 3 -  https://glasshalfuntouched.blogspot.com/2020/09/overlooked-series-parts-2-3.html 4. They meet (May 2016) Charu rushed to get to the office. Why is the t rain so late today? Bus…bus is late!! I am standing near the bus stop. What is wrong with me today? She glanced at her watch again and again, without actually seeing the time, thinking about what she will do once she reaches Seva Sadan. What is the time? She finally glanced at her watch to actually register the time. She smiled to herself thinking she will go mad one day juggling all these chores. But whom was she kidding? Though she was flustered, she definitely wasn't frustrated with it. Instead, she was ecstatic. All she ever wanted was to be self-reliant and encourage others to do the same. Now, she had it all. Her simple yet not so simple life was bliss. ...