The perfect puzzle

My dear sunshine, I realized just now,

Something's not right, somewhere, somehow

Is it the age, the peer pressure or the social websites?
I am probably confused, impatient and stressed
Or may be its all just in my mind..

May be I need to calm down and silently unwind!!

Imperfections I see, both inside me and out,

The world shouts out loud,

"You are not perfect, you are not strong"

But your love to me whispers,

"Trying to be one, is not wrong"

In the kitchen, I try to serve a variety on the plate,

But a little extra sleep, gets me going late!

I end up with my curry or upma tasting salty,

Sometimes its even a slightly burnt roti.

And then The world shouts out loud,

"You are not perfect, you are not strong"

But your love to me whispers,

"Trying to be one, is not wrong"

To break the myth that girls cant drive,
Behind the wheel, I try my hand,

To share your load on the highway, I strive,

I make mistakes, some big  some small and then

The world shouts out loud,

"You are not perfect, you are not strong"

But your love to me whispers,

"Trying to be one, is not wrong"

Am not the girl who can walk the ramp,
But I am the girl who can walk the talk,
Am not the girl  with the perfect pedicure,
But I am the girl who knows her drapes for sure.
Am not the girl who can rock at concerts,
But I am the girl who knows her hymn recitals.
Yet a minor mistake in one and then

The world shouts out loud,

"You are not perfect, you are not strong"

But your love to me whispers,

"Trying to be one, is not wrong"

My life seems to me like a jigsaw puzzle,
I feel so lost as I begin to lose my pieces,
The morning rush, the daily routine, the fancy job -it all tires me out.
Like an injured bird, with tattered wings, I hit the cot!

Unable to cry it out in the night
 nor shout it out loud in broad day light
You cuddle up next to me, to show you care,
Your gentle caress protects me from all night mare!!
I sit back and listen to the silent whispers that have been there all while
Bingo!! within seconds my answers were found lying in a pile!!

Whoever said I lost, I had always won,
Little did I know, the answers were not many but one..
I win!! when you finish your breakfast plate
and text me a msg saying the food was great!!
I win!! when you drive me to the license test
and pat my back with pride when I clear the test!!
I win!! when you admire each of my attire
and shop with me without a crib or a satire!!

I win each time you stealthily catch my eye,
I win each time you give me a naughty smile,
All the puzzle pieces but one now fell in place,
I have almost won, I am not part of the rat-race..

I wake up next morning reborn like a phoenix
I fly up high,I got my puzzle's final piece!!

It was but your love, what else could it be,
To complete my puzzle, my soul and me.
Now let the world shout out loud,
I may not be perfect, I may not be strong,
But I know its true, I am perfect for you!!

Celebrating 69th Indian Independence Day!!

Janani janma bhoomischa swargadapi gariyasi,
Body and soul of my country I will narrate,just the way I hear and see...

15th august is a proud national day,
We got our freedom is wat we lik to say..
The tricolor gets hoisted  at the Delhi red fort,
So is it at the schools colleges n high n supreme court..

A 100 yrs ago, the situation wasn't the same,
No freedom to read,write n talk nor the laws to clear out an accused name.
But today we have the constitution in place,
The supreme court being the highest in its race.
The judgement is top of all the 3 estates,
You ll definitely get justice though it may be a little delayed.

Thr is no sati,untouchability or caste system now,
You can proudly say tat and take a bow.
Education is now every child's fundamental right,
Tats how we aim to make India shining,and shining bright!!

We have laws lik RTI, which gives media its freedom of expression,
Whereas before communication was only by word of mouth or lately through radio transmission.
The govt is now a ppl's one,
Not forcibly ruled by a family of one.
United we stand today by a democratic rule,
The power to vote is taught to kids right from school.

We accomplished mangalyaan n put our names on the global map,
Under the british raj, it was hard to even get a peaceful night's nap.

But are we taking this freedom for granted?
With no fear of losing it again or being targetted?
Thr is no single leader no common aim,
With a Population crossing 120 crs, isn't it a shame?

Thr is more belief in western culture, western food and western medicines.
Dumping our banana leaf food,khaadi attires and Ayurvedic sciences.
We are leading a stressful life,
Trying to match time zones.
Running to keep pace with our western clients,
Without a thought abt our kids or our parents' aging bones.

Somewhere somehow we are slowly losing those age old Indian values,
Its our heritage that kept us grounded and true to our roots.
The early it is the better we realise,
Before it gets to late to return to Swades.

United we are today but with a foreign language,
But that's wat helped me to put across this message.
Our heritage, our culture are the gems of our motherland's tiara,
Isiliye saare jahan se achcha Hindustan hamara!!

My dad's Incredible!! My daddy strongest!!

I walked back from school wit my dad each evening,
Walking was for me ,Ohh! so boring!!
My eyes wandered here and there for some entertainment,
And oops! I fell flat on the pavement !!
"Get up, you are fine, nothing happened", I heard him say,
"watch your steps from now on and keep all your thoughts at bay"
He taught me to pay attention, to learn from my mistakes,
to forget what happened and look ahead to wats at stake!!
My dad's Incredible!! My daddy Strongest!!

I finished school and was in a pool of confusion,
"what should I take up next?" was my biggest Question?!!
My friends had their uncles, brothers and neighbors advising them,
but my dad said,"everyone is unique, no two snowflakes are the same;
"Follow your intuition and it will guide you through,
no matter what you decide to take up, I am with you";
My dad's Incredible!!My daddy Strongest!!

I finished college and now had a job in hand,
A 6-month training was scheduled in a not-so distant land;
My first stay away from home, away from family, away from dad,
I packed my bags feeling awful and bad;
"Opportunities don't knock twice, go ahead and you ll do fine",
Rest assured he let me go and live those dreams of mine.
My dad's Incredible!!My daddy Strongest!!

It were the chilly days of December where my joy knew no bounds,
I had found my soul mate and my ears yearned for the wedding bells' sounds;
The D-day had arrived and my dad beamed with pride,
As he saw his daughter walk, draped in a sari as a cheerful bride;
The garlands were exchanged, the vows taken, the knots tied,
Dad was happy as he smiled and his sorrows he tried to hide;
My dad's Incredible!!My daddy Strongest!!

Three years from then, I was in the hospital for delivery,
My husband anxious and my parents' eyes were teary;
My dad walked in and held my hand, assured me that things are gonna be fine,
"Remember the almighty in times of distress!" he said,
Amidst the pain and tears I nodded obediently while lying on the delivery bed..
Things indeed  went fine and I was wheeled out to a ward,
I saw my Dad holding the newborn with such pride, like it was for him an Oscar Award;
He gave me strength, the will and the faith at such a crucial time,
to move on like a  river, cos for him being stagnant is a crime..
My dad's Incredible!!My daddy Strongest!!

My son is now 1 and is as naughty as he can get,
Makes everyone run around using his cuteness as a bait;
One morning I wake up with  high fever and a bad headache,
My son is jumping on the bed and almost hits my face by mistake;
I am not able to open my eyes and try to reach out to his dad,
He comes in with a glass of hot milk and finds out that my fever is really bad;
"Stay at home and take some rest, you can afford a sick leave", he says,
"Don't disturb amma! let her sleep, we ll play outside", to my son he says;
It makes me smile and I say to myself,
His Dad is Incredible too!! His daddy is Strongest!!

Motherhood - the pride of being a woman!!

Two years of our marriage had passed in total bliss,
And now was the time when I wished for God to bless;
Like the monsoon showers brought greenery to the farms,
Shower us with love and place a little bundle of joy in our arms;

No sooner had I said this, that December arrived,
Our wedding month had brought this joy in its stride;
The doc's confirmation was all that we awaited,
And with her nod our happiness doubled undoubted!!

The first trimester was harder than I thought,
Tiredness, body aches and new challenges was all it brought;
I broke down on the couch  after work each evening,
unable to move a toe like a bird with a broken wing!!

At the end of the third month was a scan scheduled,
Awaiting my baby's video, to the CRT screen I stayed glued;
There!! Came my baby!! And Whoa!! U wont believe what he did,
Hanging onto mommy's chord, a full-on somersault indeed!!

"A naughty baby in there", were the doc's words I remember,
I giggled in my mind, I anyways hadn't expected him to be any sober;
The second trimester started with the decade's hottest summer,
With each passing day, the temperature only soared higher!!

The next three months were a happy-go-lucky!!
No aches, no pains, just that my stomach grew bulky;
At the end of it was another milestone waiting,
The best part was here, yes!! yes!! I cud feel my baby kicking!!

The third trimester was here and so was my baby shower,
Wow!! it felt so good to grab all the attention and pamper;
The ladies loaded me with sweets, savories, gifts and what not,
Their blessings of course were abundant which I can forget not.

It was time for the final scan, the time to tell if all was well,
"the baby would be here on-time", was all the doctors wud tell;
How do I tell them, I wanted to know about the baby more,
I had nothing to do with your boring APGAR score!!

The due date was fast approaching getting everyone on their toes,
My hospital bag was ready, and so was I to enter the labor ward's doors;
The D-day was here but our lil champ seemed happier staying inside,
"We got to induce", the doc said," to get your baby come outside";

Holding onto hubby's hands, looking at my worried parents,
Believing in the almighty, I gave my nod, though with reluctance;
A miracle was about to happen, and all I could wish for was his safe arrival,
I couldn't care lesser about my health, about my life or my survival.

Our belief grew stronger, the pain making the wait longer,
The docs and the nurses tried really hard to keep me calmer!!
The next 30 mins were going to be one of the longest of my life,
No wonder they said, rebirth it was,for the mother it was a second life.

In no time, the words that my ears longed for were here,
"Your baby is fine and its a boy!!" was all I cud hear!!
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I heard his first cry,
Its probably the only time a mom can smile to hear her baby cry!!

A good time occurs they say, when we lose track of what time it is,
These nine months of waiting is precisely what  a good time for me is;

A cell to a human, a dream to a bundle of joy lying in the cradle,
How it transforms is what they say must be a miracle;
Born as a daughter, then a wife and now a mother to my son,
Yes!! Motherhood of all the three is the pride of being a woman!!

Kadalekai Parishe -2012 @Basavanagudi, BLR

When someone says "Basavanagudi",
only one thing flashes across a Bangalorean's mind..
The temple of the "Dodda Ganapati" and the temple of the
"Basava" which is one of its kind.

Basavanagudi literally translates into ''The Bull Temple''
It hosts the mighty bull that can cause anyone to tremble!!
There is a legend behind why the temple was built,
It was dedicated to the bull god by the farmer's guild.

Around Basavanagudi,long long ago before the city made its way,
The temple area was surrounded by many villages they say..
The farmers grew peanuts for their daily bread..
and waited in anticipation for the harvest day ahead..

But Alas, shattered was their dream of having a good harvest,
when a wild bull raged into their fields in it's peanut quest..
They tried to shoo it away with sticks and stone,
But the strong bull was not easily prone..

They then decided to pray to the almighty and seek refuge,
Their prayers were answered and they offered him the harvest huge..
The bull no longer troubled them, they lived without fear..
and hence came the tradition of offering the first crop each year..

The bull was honored with a temple and worshiped and revered,
The fair is celebrated in its honor and the story remembered!!

The fair this year was a breath of fresh air from the city's hustle-bustle,

With tons of peanuts everywhere and toys that make a whistle..

With sugar-candies, pop corns and spicy puffed rice abound,

It's a kid's dream to stuff all these and sit on the merry-go-round..

The place is abuzz after sun-set, with colorful lights, the games and the fun,

Colorful dolls, bangles and bells can make even the stingiest of all to buy one...

We saw small kids on their father's shoulders trying to see ahead,

with eager eyes they saw the toys, the games and the heart-shaped balloons red...

There was a vendor frying chips, another baking some corn,

There was one making soap bubbles, but the moment I caught them, popp! they were gone..

One sold  helicopter toys while another told our future,

One made tattoos for people  while another their caricature..

One made fresh sugarcane juices while another roasted hot dosas, but...

It is just not done if u have gone to the fair and not had baked peanut!

Mixed with some chilly powder, some salt and some lime,

He served us the hot baked peanuts in December's cold night time...

Packing some for home, we went back relishing the peanuts,

Not to return until 2013's Peanut Fair again makes us go nuts!!

'Manasiddavaru' - for people with hearts

Last Tuesday, on my way home from office, I received a call from one of my friends asking me if I were free the next day. It being Gandhi Jayanthi, a public holiday, I had no specific plans, so I said 'yes'.

She was extremely delighted as it looked like that was something she was hoping for. She had an offer for me, an offer I could not refuse.

Two social service organizations - 'Samaja Sevakara Samithi'  and 'Margadarshi Samithi' had collaborated and arranged for a felicitation program to honor an author, Dr. B R Prasad. They wanted someone to host the event as their MC was not available for the day. There was a brain storming discussion to zero-in on the MC for the event and my name was recommended by a colleague from my ex-company.I was elated. It was a good opportunity for me and I readily agreed.

I was present sharp at 10 in the morning as I wanted to get acquainted with the people about whom I would speak. Honestly, I was under-prepared due to the short notice, so I decided to go through the book of  Dr.B R Prasad for which he was being felicitated that day. The book is named -'Manasiddavaru', which means 'people with hearts' in Kannada. 

The book is one of its kind, a rare contribution made to the field of Kannada Literature. It is not a collection of poems, plays or stories, neither is it a biography of a great personality. This book is a collection of details about people with hearts, their inspirations, its about people who cared for the society and looked forward to do something for people beyond their kith and kin. 

Dr. B R Prasad took up this project last Ugadi and decided to complete it in one year. His dedication and faith helped him reach his target in spite of his hospitalization due to an accident. He has traveled across the city of Bengaluru to collect information about NGOs who work selflessly for the betterment of the society.

His book features 83 such organisations, their contributions towards the society, their livelihood, their aims and objectives and contact details for those who would want to extend a helping hand.

The most voluminous data of the 83 NGOs is that of Smt. Susheelamma, the Chief Guest of the day who runs 'Sumangali Sevashrama'. Unlike other ashramas, where the person in-charge is addressed as a guru or Swamiji, Susheelamma here is addressed as 'amma' for the motherly love that she showers upon the desolated women and children who stay here.

The guest of honor for the event, Dr. Narayana Sawanth runs a trust called Hari Om trust. He is a homeopathic medicine practitioner. He gives free medicines to all who visit his ashram-'Tapovana'. Located near Tumkur, the count of the daily visitors to his ashram ranges from 800-1000. A religious person by nature, Dr. Sawanth  beleives that what he receives from God,  he gives to people. He believes that God gives him only how much he needs to help his patients. The best part of 'Tapovana' is that there are no paid servants in this ashram. Everyone of them is a volunteer, a true display of selflessness!

There are many such mentions in this book which accounts for the valuable contributions made by so many not-so-famous people. They did not give the details to Dr. Prasad to gain an entry into his book. In fact, many of them were not even aware that Dr. Prasad was planning to write one. 

I was especially moved to read about a lady who had no kids of her own. She decided to start an orphanage. Soon she was blessed with children of her own and her joy knew no bounds. Her husband, now a father of two, wanted her to close the orphanage as she now has her own responsibilities to address at home. She denied and was forced to choose between the orphanage and her husband. The brave lady chose the former and runs the orphanage till date.

Such brave stories are an inspiration for people who want to do something but don't know where to start. Dr. Prasad says he has not done anything great by writing this book. He says that the characters were already there and enacting their roles. He played the role of a playwright and wrote the script, connecting all the characters and giving life to their roles and bringing to light their low profiles lives.

But in my opinion, to play the playwright and write the script, it requires a person with a heart. A heart to contribute, a heart that goes out for the betterment of the society and not just within the thresholds of their houses.

Dr. Prasad's felicitation ceremony was a grand success and I came out that day as a changed person. I must have been destined to host the event that day. My 'Gandhi Jayanthi' celebration just could not have been better. 

This blog post is a tribute to all those manasiddavaru, the people with hearts....

Book is available for online booking at www.sapnaonline.com 

Book id -KAN0027939

Just A Click Away..

Say cheese, and the word itself automatically brings a smile,
Even on a face that has been sad and in pain for a while..
It is for this reason that I find,
The camera to be a modifier of the human mind..

No matter how sad, how worried , how irritated you are,
The moment a camera faces you, the frowns wander away too far..
The lens looks straight into your eye and says,
You better put up your best looking face..

This wonderful invention comes in different forms,
small-big, slick-thick to suit various norms..
Different colors, different brands, different shape
They come with but one intention- to capture and to drape..

I don't know if Kodak had this thought,
when for commercial sales the camera it brought..
that it's bringing a gift to the common man's reach,
Who now could relive moments of joy that once he cud only beseech..

It brought him more joy as he could now click,
Scenes of nature, street or anything he chose to pick..
With time came a revolution with cameras more advanced,
He learnt, he revised and now to click, his fingers danced..

There are manual modes to adjust the shutter speed and aperture,
and there is flash too, so that the pictures come out brighter..
There are automatic modes for beginners and novices,
To first get a hold on to the various photographic devices..

There are various lens- one to shoot wide-angle, other for macro,
another called a standard and another a telephoto..
Like the different flowers that combine to form a beautiful bouquet,
These lenses are all there to capture life and make it stay..

A bird's flight, a tiger's roar or may it be an insect's crawl..
A road-side vendor, a beach-side scene or just another street side brawl..
A child's sweet smile or a sleepy yawn, a doggies pup or a kitten's play..
It leads its lens to seal for us, moments, that have passed away..

A good camera they say is a photographer's delight,
Also the subject, the surroundings and the light..
SMILE.. Cos no one wants to click a thorny bush or a deserted town..
A moon less night nor a face with a frown..

The little joys of life and unforgettable moments of yesterday..
If you come to think of it, were just a click away..