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Go on

In spite of all the follies, go on. We create the follies. The road is always open...

Emerging

This is a gate that neighbours the Rurban gate that I showed in the last photo.  This belongs to a private owner.  The land behind this gate may soon become 'Rurban' - the religious cult has been buying up all the land in the neighbourhood!

Rurban

Rurban is my portmanteau word for rural-urban. This is a scene from the outskirts of Delhi.  The gate you see is one of the many numbered gates of a religious cult that occupies kilometres of land just on the outskirts of Delhi.  What do they do with all that land?  Nothing but use it as parking space for the vehicles that come tri-annually carrying pilgrims!  That's one aspect of Rurban.

Slow hurry

We are all in a hurry (except me, the small girl who smiles). We are in slow moving vehicle unlike those cars parked beyond because cars have bored us.  But we are in a hurry. We are tourists, you see.

Leader

The dog is indeed a faithful animal.  This dog was leading the way.  Is the dog a leader too? No, if you look at the human leaders.  The human leaders bark a lot.  They also lead from the front.  But not the way this dog was doing.  It was clearing the way for the cart.  Clearing the way for the follower - that's what leadership is about.  A leader should be a dog.  Faithful.

Happy Diwali

Wish you a Happy Diwali. Let your light shine. Do not hide it under any religion ism political party ideology strategy...

Home

My home where I was born and brought up It has given way to concrete ceiling and marble floor Memories linger longer than marble and concrete!

Bakra

Oh Bakra Yours is the kingdom though you are tied down by the rope of your own politics your villainy Because you and animals like you have converted the world into Bakra Kingdom

Deadend

life

Life can grow anywhere at any time.

The politics of growing up

Growing up does not necessarily mean learning politics Growing up can be a simple natural process If only politics didn't exist!

Pie in the sky

Pie is a ratio between the circumference and radius of a circle Pie equals 22 divided by 7 Pie is infinite

Advani's Last Yatra

Courtesy: The Hindu (12 Oct 2011)

Kill the Poor - again

The Planning Commission of India thinks a person in India can live on about $0.6 (in rural areas) or $0.7 (in cities). But look at what people in power are earning. Who drives India's economy? For whom, for what, are they driving it?

Kill the Poor

This is part of a report in today's [21 Sep 2011] Times of India .  According to the report, the Planning Commission of India has recommended $0.7 (in cities) and $0.6 (in rural areas) as the cut off for determining the level of poverty in India. India is supposed to be the Superpower in 21st century. Who makes the rules of Superpowers? Who decides who is poor? Do you have a boss who sits in an air-conditioned room and gossips the whole day while he pays you Rs32 per day (the recommended rate?)

Take Off

Take off, dear. I never could. Religion clipped my wings, first. EVM did it finally. Now, the bosses are at the same job of clipping wings with a crude grin on their lipstick-smeared lips.

Resplendance

It's just another cloud in the sky. Yet!!!!!!

Clouds

Enjoy the beauty Without my comments Without yours either

Clouds

Every cloud has a silver line. I went on the terrace this evening to pick up clothes put on the drying line. These clouds made me rush downstaris to pick up my camera.

Lock and Key

There are locks There are keys Finding the right key is what matters

Out of Place

Some objects (even subjects) like to stay put there totally out of place

Gates

Some gates remain open, and some shut. That's their choice. Which one to choose? That's our choice

Enigma

Some things remain beyond our understanding, simple though they may be. Simple things are often more complex than complex things.

Stain

Stains come whether we like it or not. Stain is part of nature. Constant polishing is the only solution.

Golden Invitation

Some handles invite you to touch to open... The same handles can deter you... To open or not to open That's the question

Imprisoned Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal seen through the wall of the Agra Fort. Through the prison of the heart. For a historical story of mine related to the Mughals and their horrifying ways: http://matheikal.wordpress.com/2010/05/29/the-saga-of-a-warrior/

Life and Death

Politician-Thieves

Baba Ramdev, Anna Hazare, thousands of their supporters (i.e., thousands of Indians) are demanding a corruption-free India, corruption-free politics in the country. How many of these thousands of Indians trying to save the country from corruption have paid bribes to get their job done?  Is paying bribe an act of helplessness?  Or is it an act of convenience? The above cartoon is from The Hindu [11 June 2011]. The Sunday Magazine of the same issue of The Hindu carries an article by Harsh Mander on the cover. Mander tells the story of a young DM who tried to rid his district of corruption.  He faced staunch opposition from the politicians of all levels including the local sarpanches.  Finally when he was about to win his war, he was transferred and all his efforts were scuttled. You can read Mander's article here: http://www.thehindu.com/arts/magazine/article2090149.ece Corruption is deeply rooted in the Indian psyche, in the collective unconscious of the country. That's why

Telescope

When we climbed back to the top of the hill we were met by a young boy who offered us a peep at the Kanchenjunga Peak through his telescope.   The charge was Rs10 per peep.   I must add that his telescope was indeed of good quality; the glory of the Kanchenjunga came alive through its lenses.   For the full text please log on to http://matheikal.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/mamata-in-action/

Kanchenjunga

The Kanchenjunga as seen from the top of a tea garden in Darjeeling For the text on this: Please log on to http://matheikal.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/mamata-in-action/

Darjeeling

This is a view from the Darjeeling Railway Station The people of Darjeeling have been fighting for a separate state because the West Bengal government had been neglecting the Gorkha-populated regions for too long.  Finally Mamata Banerjee, the new Chief Minister of the state, has signed a pact with the Gorkha leaders for some autonomy to the Gorkha regions. I hope to take a better picture of Darjeeling during my next visit. For the full text on this issue, please log on to: http://matheikal.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/mamata-in-action/

Darjeeling Railway Station

The Darjeeling Railway Station For the full text on this: please log on to http://matheikal.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/mamata-in-action/

Success

Ha!

Energy Saver

Cycles save energy - they don't use fossil fuels or any other fuel, except human energy.  Cycling is a good exercise too.  It builds up your energy. But these cycles belong to people who use them for travelling to their workplaces every day and back home.  And then once a week they come to a place of worship riding the same cycles.  Even if the religious service is in the dead of the night, after their whole day's tiresome work.  Were the cyclists building up their muscles/energy? Cycles are toys for some!

Gates

Some gates are closed Some are open Where do they lead to anyway? Isn't it that what matters?

Holy Cow

Waiting for worshippers?

A Place to Sleep

Both these pictures were taken last night at about 11 o'clock.  If you take a ride at night through the capital of the world's largest democracy, a country whose multi-billionaires are rising in number with generous assistance from the government in the form of tax exemptions and so on, you will find hundreds of homeless people sleeping on the roadside.

The Burden of Beauty

This morning [17 April 2011] the Bhatti village in New Delhi woke up to an overcast firmament.  The clouds brought home a majestic guest, this peacock.  It sat on the wall below my quarters giving me food for thought.

Couple among Ruins

The history of majesty lies in ruins beneath your feet. That's the fate!

Bird on the Tree

A bird on the tree is worth many in the cage. Worth to whom? The bird, of course. Or the potential bird-catcher and bird-seller?

World Cup Mania

Even the public road can be taken over by the World Cup mania. Some craze is necessary in life. A scene from Connaught Place, New Delhi

Ripples

I'm trying to create ripples in darkness A student of mine wrote a shairi recently that he was rowing his boat only to find that there was no water

Friends

No comments Friends don't need any

Red Road

A Red Road is cutting through the green globe. Have you seen it in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Algeria, Baharain...?

Wings of Nature

Beauty does not necessarily belong to the high realms. It can spread it wings on the ground too. Bloom where you are born.

Grounded?

Having wings does not necessarily mean flight! Sometimes we have to be on the ground. Food is a basic need.

Fly

Spread out your wings and fly. Having conquered certain heights, you cannot descend! [Wisdom from Richard Bach]

Lead, Kindly Light

Lead, kindly light Amid the encircling gloom... But we have encircled you!