Last few days of the year...

* Stars descend on earth
* A sense of calm envelopes me.
* Many tasks accomplished.
* House becomes home.
* Biting into the moist plum cake from 'All Saints' Bakery.
* Decorating the mini christmas tree.
* Having chai in my new balcony and watching the bright winter sun warm the city.
* Eyeing those lovely unread books piling up on the windowsill.

Hope all of you are enjoying these last days of the year in your own sweet ways....

Wishing everyone peace and happiness this Christmas and New Year!

Pushp Ki Abhilasha...

....A Flower's Wish.

* Mallika skipped around the balcony collecting fallen Bougainvillea flowers.
* She showed me a handful of papery magenta treasures.
* My mind raced back to my school days when we learnt a hindi poem by Pt. Makhanlal Chaturvedi called Pushp Ki Abhilasha.
* In those days we just mugged it up because it was part of our course, but somehow these lines have got etched in my mind.
* Why should it suddenly come back to me so clearly word by word.
* So overwhelming at a time like this, when so many of our heroes have given their lives for our country.

Read the poem~
Chah Nahin Mai SurBala Ke Gehnon Mein Guntha Jaaon.
Chah Nahin Premi Mala Mein Bindh, Pyari Ko Lalchaon.
Chah Nahin Samraton Ke Shav Par, He Hari Dala Jaaon.
Chah Nahin Devon Ke Sar Par Chadhon, Bhagya Par Itraoon.

Mujhey Tod Lena Banmali, Us Path Par Tum Dena Phaink,
Matra Bhoomi Per Sheesh Chadhaney, Jis Path Jaayen Veer Anek.

Translation by Prashant
I don't want to be a part of the necklace of the beautiful girl,
I don't want to woo the lady love,
I don't want to be spread over dead bodies,
I don't want to act snob, after someone offers me to the Gods

Just pluck me Gardner and throw me on the road,
which is taken by the brave soldiers to give away their lives for the Motherland !

I pray for the flower's wish to be granted.

*Peace*