There's this small time food vendor a small distance away from my office premises. Everyday i see a number of rickshaw and truck drivers making a stop out there, eating whatever the shack has to offer. Come to think of it.. dont we live the same lives?
Working all day .. feelin hungry .. stopping for a quick snack .. off to work again.
Well, there is one difference, the WADS OF GREEN $$$
But really, all life is a mirror..if u look closely enough, u'll see that all of us ultimately lead parallel lives...
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
The Gallows of my Heart
An unfulfilled dream – a crown of thorns…
Tomorrows’ desires – so close yet so far…
Tying me down, both of them,
This to the future, that to the past.
I try to make the present my abode.
Reflections of failures and shades of uncertainty
Make the present no more different –
‘tis the future I feared…will be the past I shall mourn.
I escape from the oceans of heartless sorrow
Into the drop within…
Little do I know, that the drop is an ocean –
Of endless regret, of unholy desire.
I am lost in transition, I am lost in the ocean.
I erect walls around me…
Walls of benediction; protecting me from uncertainties to come.
But the walls they deceive me, protecting me not from regrets of the past.
Nay. They are the walls of malice, of endemic ambivalence.
I look at the lines on my face…
A scar for each one on my heart.
I search in desperation, for that companionless wrinkle. I find… none.
C’est a la vie.
I wait for retribution, for that sweet dirge.
For then there shall be no regret, there shall be no fear.
For then I shall sleep… without the fear of wakening.
Mairaj Zindran
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Delusional Social Animal
We keep hearing this one -- Man is the most intelligent of all living beings, simply 'cz he can think for himself. Yeah, so do I; humankind IS at the top of the food chain.... and atop the culpable genocide chain.
But wouldnt it be fun for an instant to think of an alternative. That man is not remotely near the top of any chain at all ? That we are at the lowest of the lowest rung of every ladder possible of every concievable chain in every dark little corner of the universe?
Consider - man struggles day in and day out for that drink at the end of the day.. and all a dog has to do is lick his physically starved mistress or listen to his emotionally vaccumed master and presto -- he gets his doggy bag - FREE...... What if the dog were an unimaginably intelligent creature and knew that all he has to is to entertain his owner to get that free doggy packet.. What if he knew that and was taking advantage of that by having a little pity on a 40 yr old hag and a 30 yr old drunk emotional dimwit.
Imagine - man spends millions on building aircrafts that are more prone to crashes that George Bush's medula oblongata..but an eagle already knows how to navigate the skies.. What if the eagle could help man but wanted to keep all it's logistics to himself. What if the eagle takes sadistic pleasure in seeing a plan crash each time.. and massages it's narcissism each time it happens...
What if the entire animal race knew of it's superiority and planned an elaborate facade to act like dimwits and get the lower human race to work for it's pleasure....
What if? Yeah, what if?
But wouldnt it be fun for an instant to think of an alternative. That man is not remotely near the top of any chain at all ? That we are at the lowest of the lowest rung of every ladder possible of every concievable chain in every dark little corner of the universe?
Consider - man struggles day in and day out for that drink at the end of the day.. and all a dog has to do is lick his physically starved mistress or listen to his emotionally vaccumed master and presto -- he gets his doggy bag - FREE...... What if the dog were an unimaginably intelligent creature and knew that all he has to is to entertain his owner to get that free doggy packet.. What if he knew that and was taking advantage of that by having a little pity on a 40 yr old hag and a 30 yr old drunk emotional dimwit.
Imagine - man spends millions on building aircrafts that are more prone to crashes that George Bush's medula oblongata..but an eagle already knows how to navigate the skies.. What if the eagle could help man but wanted to keep all it's logistics to himself. What if the eagle takes sadistic pleasure in seeing a plan crash each time.. and massages it's narcissism each time it happens...
What if the entire animal race knew of it's superiority and planned an elaborate facade to act like dimwits and get the lower human race to work for it's pleasure....
What if? Yeah, what if?
Friday, April 07, 2006
The Indian Penchant
A little too early in the morning to put in a post... or maybe it's a little too late in the night. Nonetheless, who cares.
Today when I see loads of garbage strewn all over the streets of bombay and india, it compels me to look for answers - Why are we like this? Why do we do everything in our power to keep our dwellings clean, and not care a bee's hum for the world outside.
These questions take me to the days of the Non Coop movement, where MKG urged the Indian citizens too completely boycott British goods. I get the feeling that somehow the masses misinterpreted what MKG had to say. MKG wanted to drain out as much of the British income as he could, he wanted the people to realise that they too can stick it up to the British, no matter how insignificant that sticking up would be.
As I look at it, the masses misunderstood MKG as saying that India was better than the UK. He said - 'Boycott their clothes' They heard - 'Khadi is better'. He said - 'Boycott their schools' They heard - ' English education is evil' . He said - ' Love your nation' They heard - ' Hate the UK'.
From there on came avout a feeling of 'HOLIER THAN THOU' in the minds of the people.
Then, it was 'India holier than UK' .. Some years later 'INDIA HOLIER THAN PAK' .... now sadly, it is ' ME HOLIER THAN THOU'.
This compels me to theorize - is it this very feeling of HOLIER THAN THOU that is responsible for the garbage strewn streets we see all over the place?
Something like --
My colony holy
the footpath i despise
So that's where the garbage goes,
Come rain or sunrise.
We are so self indulgent that we just dont view ourselves in a holistic sence anymore.
We're so self obsessed that we believe that we are responsible only for our own selves and not for the aire around us.
People go around throwing their personal shit all over the place,
Industries arrogantly release affluents in erstwhile pristine lakes and streams
Nuclear waste is scattered all over the oceans and sees - who cares about the brooding salmon?
Ye, Im convinced - doubt if there can be any other explanation to this..........
Today when I see loads of garbage strewn all over the streets of bombay and india, it compels me to look for answers - Why are we like this? Why do we do everything in our power to keep our dwellings clean, and not care a bee's hum for the world outside.
These questions take me to the days of the Non Coop movement, where MKG urged the Indian citizens too completely boycott British goods. I get the feeling that somehow the masses misinterpreted what MKG had to say. MKG wanted to drain out as much of the British income as he could, he wanted the people to realise that they too can stick it up to the British, no matter how insignificant that sticking up would be.
As I look at it, the masses misunderstood MKG as saying that India was better than the UK. He said - 'Boycott their clothes' They heard - 'Khadi is better'. He said - 'Boycott their schools' They heard - ' English education is evil' . He said - ' Love your nation' They heard - ' Hate the UK'.
From there on came avout a feeling of 'HOLIER THAN THOU' in the minds of the people.
Then, it was 'India holier than UK' .. Some years later 'INDIA HOLIER THAN PAK' .... now sadly, it is ' ME HOLIER THAN THOU'.
This compels me to theorize - is it this very feeling of HOLIER THAN THOU that is responsible for the garbage strewn streets we see all over the place?
Something like --
My colony holy
the footpath i despise
So that's where the garbage goes,
Come rain or sunrise.
We are so self indulgent that we just dont view ourselves in a holistic sence anymore.
We're so self obsessed that we believe that we are responsible only for our own selves and not for the aire around us.
People go around throwing their personal shit all over the place,
Industries arrogantly release affluents in erstwhile pristine lakes and streams
Nuclear waste is scattered all over the oceans and sees - who cares about the brooding salmon?
Ye, Im convinced - doubt if there can be any other explanation to this..........
Thursday, April 06, 2006
The irony of it all
Hmmm Just another today.
I really feel odd when people say that they're here in this world to get to an end. To achieve something big. Come t0 think of it, the 'end', if veiwed in conjunction with what the world is really about is an irony in itself.
Take a long distance runner - he completes a lap, now - he could be happy that a lap has ended, or just plain pissed off 'cause he's got to run another one all over again! and another one, and another one, and another one.
And what about the days and nights! One ends, only to start 12 hours later. pfff!!
Yep, the end is nothing but a prelude to the beginning.....
Talking about days and nights.. have you ever wondered why people have this cruel fantasy for destruction ??? Think about it. People love watching an eclipse - what the hell is an eclipse, the suns overcoming, aint it boy??
We love watching a failed businessman immolate himself on the streets, but whos gonna watch a documentary on his life where he's wondering why he has to were nappies all day as a child?
We end up watching Nat Geo investigates -- and the best part of it is the Kill Score - 300 fall to a veritable mud slide (Slide - invariably brings out the Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee from within)
And what about agony aunt. She don't want to sort out your life maaan. All she wants is to laugh her head off on your destruction when you think she's gonna sort it out.
C'mon now. Just the other day there was a whole section of a newspaper dedicated to Bjorn Bjorg - his career, his liaisons, and YES his destruction - in that he wanted to sell off his Wimbledon trophies for a secure financial future. Take a guess at part what i read :#
Talking of liaisons, i feel the most profitable business in the world today is the business of marriage - After all you can't spell Alimony without mon(e)y.
MONEY aaah yes money.... green wads sticking out of my pocket. Now im really serious about what i'm about to say - Money has truly messed up the world .TRULY.
......to be continued
I really feel odd when people say that they're here in this world to get to an end. To achieve something big. Come t0 think of it, the 'end', if veiwed in conjunction with what the world is really about is an irony in itself.
Take a long distance runner - he completes a lap, now - he could be happy that a lap has ended, or just plain pissed off 'cause he's got to run another one all over again! and another one, and another one, and another one.
And what about the days and nights! One ends, only to start 12 hours later. pfff!!
Yep, the end is nothing but a prelude to the beginning.....
Talking about days and nights.. have you ever wondered why people have this cruel fantasy for destruction ??? Think about it. People love watching an eclipse - what the hell is an eclipse, the suns overcoming, aint it boy??
We love watching a failed businessman immolate himself on the streets, but whos gonna watch a documentary on his life where he's wondering why he has to were nappies all day as a child?
We end up watching Nat Geo investigates -- and the best part of it is the Kill Score - 300 fall to a veritable mud slide (Slide - invariably brings out the Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee from within)
And what about agony aunt. She don't want to sort out your life maaan. All she wants is to laugh her head off on your destruction when you think she's gonna sort it out.
C'mon now. Just the other day there was a whole section of a newspaper dedicated to Bjorn Bjorg - his career, his liaisons, and YES his destruction - in that he wanted to sell off his Wimbledon trophies for a secure financial future. Take a guess at part what i read :#
Talking of liaisons, i feel the most profitable business in the world today is the business of marriage - After all you can't spell Alimony without mon(e)y.
MONEY aaah yes money.... green wads sticking out of my pocket. Now im really serious about what i'm about to say - Money has truly messed up the world .TRULY.
......to be continued
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
next poem - Ten Thousand Desires
I look at my reflection,
The other side I desire to get on - touch my soul, feel my heart
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending the body, one of them.
I stand atop the world,
Jump down I desire to - then sour up, touch the heavens,
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending gravity, one of them.
I look back at the doors of the past,
That border I desire to cross, look back at the present; bemused? mocking? I do not know
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending time, one of them.
I hold on to the follies of the past,
That soul, I desire to hold - just one more time. Then, let it go.
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending love, one of them.
The riches of this world I behold,
I choose the wilderness instead - under His aegis
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending the world, one of them.
The dearly departed - I love them so,
Come hug me mother, just once...
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending death, one of them.
My desires, I look back on
How beautiful life would be without them !
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending desire, one of them.
Mairaj Zindran
The other side I desire to get on - touch my soul, feel my heart
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending the body, one of them.
I stand atop the world,
Jump down I desire to - then sour up, touch the heavens,
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending gravity, one of them.
I look back at the doors of the past,
That border I desire to cross, look back at the present; bemused? mocking? I do not know
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending time, one of them.
I hold on to the follies of the past,
That soul, I desire to hold - just one more time. Then, let it go.
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending love, one of them.
The riches of this world I behold,
I choose the wilderness instead - under His aegis
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending the world, one of them.
The dearly departed - I love them so,
Come hug me mother, just once...
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending death, one of them.
My desires, I look back on
How beautiful life would be without them !
Ten thousand desires,
Transcending desire, one of them.
Mairaj Zindran
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Fairy Tales
This was written on the night that Liverpool lifted the Champions League trophy in Istanbul in 2005, right after the epoch-making moment.
Fairy tales. How stereotypical can they get? They begin off on a happy note only for the scene to turn miserably, gut-wrenchingly sour. But then things roll and the end is again always just as sweet so that everyone can live happily ever after. Obviously, real life doesn’t exactly follow the Hans Christen Andersen script. Or does it? I saw VVS Laxman inspire India to an unfathomable series victory against Australia in 2001. I saw India perform uncharacteristically out of their skins to almost win a test series in Australia in 2003-04. I saw Greece redefine the phrase ‘fairy-tale ending’ at Euro ’04. And then I saw Liverpool pull off something similar last night in the Champions League final. Perhaps something greater(?) if not similar. Liverpool is a team that needed a Gerrard screamer against Olympiakos with 5 minutes left on the clock to keep them in the Champions League a few months back. A team that overcame that hiccup to play unbelievable football and overthrow Juventus and Chelsea (both, who have won their respective domestic leagues this season). A team that finished dismally below their reputation in the EPL (even below their Merseyside rivals to make it worse). A team that managed to score 3 goals in the space of 6 minutes against an Italian defence to level things when all seemed down and out. A team that lost one of its greatest icons, Michael Owen, at the beginning of the season. A team that might just manage to salvage their greatest remaining icon, Steven Gerrard, now that they’ve managed the unthinkable. So did the best team win the crown for the Champions of Europe last night? No. Harsh but true. But, that Liverpool, as of this moment, are the Champions of Europe, has been etched in stone. Such is life. Completely deviant from the normal, a dream and a romantic dream at that… but life nonetheless.
Makes me wonder. What really is the formula for scripting fairy tales in flesh and blood? Is it dedication and application? Or perhaps, focus and/or sound leadership. In Liverpool’s case, all the above should have added up to a better place in the domestic league along with their newfound European glory. Is it the ‘Underdog’ phenomenon? OK, so I’ve been a fan of the ‘underdog’ phenomenon for quite some time now. It’s so much easier to participate as an underdog. The expectations on you to perform are lower, all you have in mind is a dream and even if you lose, you win… sympathy. We have been all been labeled underdogs at some points in our lives. But has the fairy tale proven to be an accurate forecast in all those cases? Where’s our glory? They say luck favours the brave. But that too has been proved right and wrong an equal number of times to be judged conclusive either way.
I wonder if I’ll ever know what it really feels like to be a part of a fairy tale… especially the end. The romance of unwarranted success, the thrill of a victory against all odds. I want it all. At least once. I can only dream of a day, sometime in the ‘ever after’, when I can sit back and recall those better moments, “Once upon a time…”
Fairy tales. How stereotypical can they get? They begin off on a happy note only for the scene to turn miserably, gut-wrenchingly sour. But then things roll and the end is again always just as sweet so that everyone can live happily ever after. Obviously, real life doesn’t exactly follow the Hans Christen Andersen script. Or does it? I saw VVS Laxman inspire India to an unfathomable series victory against Australia in 2001. I saw India perform uncharacteristically out of their skins to almost win a test series in Australia in 2003-04. I saw Greece redefine the phrase ‘fairy-tale ending’ at Euro ’04. And then I saw Liverpool pull off something similar last night in the Champions League final. Perhaps something greater(?) if not similar. Liverpool is a team that needed a Gerrard screamer against Olympiakos with 5 minutes left on the clock to keep them in the Champions League a few months back. A team that overcame that hiccup to play unbelievable football and overthrow Juventus and Chelsea (both, who have won their respective domestic leagues this season). A team that finished dismally below their reputation in the EPL (even below their Merseyside rivals to make it worse). A team that managed to score 3 goals in the space of 6 minutes against an Italian defence to level things when all seemed down and out. A team that lost one of its greatest icons, Michael Owen, at the beginning of the season. A team that might just manage to salvage their greatest remaining icon, Steven Gerrard, now that they’ve managed the unthinkable. So did the best team win the crown for the Champions of Europe last night? No. Harsh but true. But, that Liverpool, as of this moment, are the Champions of Europe, has been etched in stone. Such is life. Completely deviant from the normal, a dream and a romantic dream at that… but life nonetheless.
Makes me wonder. What really is the formula for scripting fairy tales in flesh and blood? Is it dedication and application? Or perhaps, focus and/or sound leadership. In Liverpool’s case, all the above should have added up to a better place in the domestic league along with their newfound European glory. Is it the ‘Underdog’ phenomenon? OK, so I’ve been a fan of the ‘underdog’ phenomenon for quite some time now. It’s so much easier to participate as an underdog. The expectations on you to perform are lower, all you have in mind is a dream and even if you lose, you win… sympathy. We have been all been labeled underdogs at some points in our lives. But has the fairy tale proven to be an accurate forecast in all those cases? Where’s our glory? They say luck favours the brave. But that too has been proved right and wrong an equal number of times to be judged conclusive either way.
I wonder if I’ll ever know what it really feels like to be a part of a fairy tale… especially the end. The romance of unwarranted success, the thrill of a victory against all odds. I want it all. At least once. I can only dream of a day, sometime in the ‘ever after’, when I can sit back and recall those better moments, “Once upon a time…”
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