Stepping Inside

At the end of a busy day 

After all the friends and lovers have left,

The mother having been bid good night

The child fed and put to bed,

With a last look at the mountains and clouds

That seem to unwind for the night ahead...

I step inside

And find myself alone with myself

The most beautiful moment of my life.

Political Plants!

Seeing a lot of Parthenium, also known as congress plant, growing all around in the hills, my mother Chandrama Anand says:

There is a sudden explosion of congress grass here recently. Perhaps in response to the new BJP government in our state!

Witty, witty!

A pair of Eyes, A Grateful Heart!

Written on April 13, 2018

Today, sunlight is sparkling in the leaves. Butterflies are coming out of bushes in hordes and leading our way. Hundreds of them. Jacoranda and silver oaks are turning the roadsides purple and golden. Kachnar flowers are reminding me that pink, my least favourite of colours, is indeed something divine when framed against the blue sky.

What a beautiful world. All you need are a pair of eyes and a grateful heart!

Written on April 13, 2017

Today, as we drove back from Palampur, I did not stop the car even once to take pictures. The beauty passing by was so breathtaking that I was almost paralyzed.

The white wild-rose creepers were in full bloom all along the way- their flowers so ordinary individually, but so stunning as a group. The large white and pink kachnar flowers would appear in clusters and overshadow everything else with their fullness. The bougainvillea flowers in red and magenta were as if pouring out from homes on to the road. Bright red and orange roses were calling my attention here and there. Pine trees had new cones, barely formed and still green, but standing upright. Bottle brush trees were more red than green. Some big tall trees had clusters of very fine, very delicate pink flowers. The green, so much green, in so many shades. And the butterflies, plain white and yellow butterflies, flying everywhere!

I don't think I uttered my famous "wow" even once. The "wow" had permeated inside me. I was mesmerized by what nature was displaying proudly.

I quietly, and very gratefully, enjoyed the show put up especially for me.

What is Truth?

I used to believe
that truth is One
Unchallengeable
Unchangeable
Monolithic
Solid
Stolid
Anchored
Safe.

I used to see truth with my trusting eyes
Feel it as a strumming chord in my heart
Express it as a firm statement on my lips
Believe it as a conclusion that made sense.
In my simple life with its simple participants
I never came across a situation
when truth was contested.
Truth was truth
PERIOD.

Now it's all changed.
Truth isn't what really happened
But what is made out to be.
It is whatever someone says
and more so, whatever another accepts.
It is facts turned and twisted like plastic wire to any shape desired.
It is falsehood added at the end of a sentence- like a scorpion's tail
Hissing, ready to strike
POISONOUS.

Truth is no longer monolithic, unchallengeable
It is a war of words
Of who can cry louder
Of who has a more convincing narrative
Of who is more believable
Of who can tug harder at one's belief systems
Of who is more articulate
Of who is readier with responses.
Winning is EVERYTHING!

Did someone say- Truth will set you free?
Then how come I am a prisoner in its ugly hold?