Stopping by the woods! – From the Oeuvre- Dated:- 12.4.1999- 13.4.1999

Pictures taken during my “walkathon” from Gyalshing to Pelling/Pemayangtse to Sangatsholing.

The picture below is in the vicinity of the old palace. The old palace is the inspiration behind this poem.

A day comes.. which comes in life,

Once or more but not so often,

When the thirst of a man..

A man yearning for peace and solace,

Finds resort in the mystique…

Where the wings of freedom and joy leaps unbound,

Perspiring thoughts of Pride and Prejudice…

And chimney soots…

So did I feel when I trod past Pelling Woods!

“The land of hidden paradise”..they did say,

And unbelievably so,

So much explored yet so much to be!!

The trees of the deep have much to relate,

These silent spectators to the great happenings,

Of great kings, people and dynasties,

Of War and Peace…

And above all – Of love and lovers of late!

The once saddled roads- witnesses of the forgotten past,

Are still but an open book…

Shifting our thoughts down memory lane,

Now of unknown fame!!

The beats of beatles and the singing birds,

In the wrath of Autumn, with free falling leaves…

Echoing in tones unknown,

Add melodies exquisite for atmosphere requisite!

The ruins of the palace standing atop in free spirit,

Looks upon the hill…

The woods and the settlement below!

Now all alone against tides of fury and ice,

Whispers in pure delight…

Encroached upon are weeds, grasses, ferns and thorns,

Alone- Moaning calm and quiet…

A saga retold!!

Once gone through the phase,

A bliss of solitude is encarved,

Deep- Very Deep in the heart and soul,

Beckoning once and more,

And one can’t help but visit again….

THE GREAT PELLING WOODS!!!

I thought I had lost this poem and sadly, I knew only one stanza by heart. So, I used that verse in my short story “The Bet”.

In the story, for a realistic flavor, I have quoted that the stanza is from the poem “Impeccable” by a Nobel Laureate Peter Scotch.

Technorati Tags: Poems,Pelling,Sikkim

Appeal from Darjeeling: In Support of the people displaced by Darjeeling Landslides(Darjeeling Press Guild)

Dear Friends,

Cyclone Aila left a death trail as it whizzed past through Bengal, early this week. Our Hills, too, have also been battered and maimed and is today housing hundreds of inconsolable souls who have lost their near and dear ones.

Darjeeling recorded 240 mm of rainfall within 24 hours. Given our poor planning and lack of proper expertise in disaster management our infrastructure has crumbled so have the dreams of many families.

500 houses have been destroyed and more than 1400 people are currently staying in 41 government relief camps. Many families are still searching for their dear ones hoping to find their bodies even after four days. Till date 26 bodies have been recovered, mainly from Darjeeling and Kurseong while two more are missing at Haridashatta and the villagers have not yet given up on the search.
Nature’s fury has spared none. Six people who were trying to save the family of Pooja Gurung, at Haridashatta, have been buried alive. None could save the saviors who saved 14 lives. These people had come from as far as Soom tea garden to help the victims in Darjeeling.

Three year old Tashi Doma Sherpa, died on her way to the hospital. Forty one year old Mohan Kumar Rai and his eight year old son Manish Rai from Bara Pattabung were found underneath the debris clutching each other for one last moment.. Siksha Tamang and Yogesh Subba, from Cutlary, Kurseong, had just been married but the slides snubbed their lives in a blink of an eye. Almost every village, every locality has a similar story.

We can only pray for the departed souls but for those who are homeless we can and we will make a difference.

The Darjeeling Press Guild has been moved by the devastation it has witnessed. Following request from the residents of Darjeeling we have decided to undertake a project to rebuild many a dreams.
We cannot construct 500 houses but we want to make a difference in the lives of the underprivileged residing in far flung areas of the district by constructing at least 20 houses- maybe more if can generate more funds.

We have already started our groundwork. The administration has promised us to provide land for reconstruction and we have already formed a team comprising of journalists from all newspapers to identify the beneficiaries. We have made provisions to print every penny that we collect and spend in leading dailies for we want to justify the faith reposed on us.

Given your love for the place, we would also like to appeal for help from your end by mobilizing support among our community members out there. We have also started a thread in Facebook titled: In Support of People Displaced by Darjeeling Landslides. Please browse the thread as well.
Thank You,

Vivek Chhetri.
President,
Darjeeling Press Guild
Principal Correspondent,
The Telegraph
+91 94341 41985
vivek.chhetri@gmail.com

Technorati Tags: Darjeeling,Landslides,Donations,Relief

The gamble called World Cup T20 2009!

Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers Bangalore- the bottom two teams of the last IPL were in the finals of IPL 2 held in South Africa this year. In 2008, it was Rajasthan Royals minus Shilpa Shetty routing the formidable CSK in the finals. So, what message does this version of the game send? T20 is the newest form of unpredictable gambling, glorified by renowned multinationals, celebrities and the richest cricketing board.

T20 has nothing to do with skills nor with class. Unknown batsman like Manish Pandey can be a hero for two games and proven masters like Jayasuriya or Tendulkar face the question regarding their age or adaptation to the version of the game yet again.This game has destroyed the existence of cricket altogether. If the T20's were to replace the way cricket is played, there will be no benchmark of identifying greats and the average. There won’t be a Sachin or a Bradman or a Lara again. One day, you will have Manish Pandey, the next day you will have a Tyagi. With so many games coming in and too many heroes for youngsters and teenagers to follow, cricket will lose the battle of popularity amongst games.

With the T20 World Cup right round the corner, I am all set to write previews on each "gamble". And definitely, it is not for my love of T20 cricket. It is because I have nothing to write on soccer before August this year, when the EPL Season 09-10 commences.

From “The Oeuvre”: Ink and Pennings- OCTAVE: “TO ATHENA OF NOW!!”: A poem I composed on 27th April 1999"

 

Meaning of an Octave:- octave n. 1 Mus. a interval between (and including) two notes, one having twice or half the frequency of vibration of the other. b eight notes occupying this interval. c each of the two notes at the extremes of this interval. 2 eight-line stanza. [Latin octavus eighth]

 

TO ATHENA OF NOW!!

There she stands,

So invincible-so colossal,

Fist clenched and will abyssmal,

Grandeur and Glamour,

Off and On the court,

Message of Youth and Vigour she totes!!

Thus does Miss. Hingis,

Bring Americans to Nemesis!!

This poem was dedicated to Martina Hingis, the lawn tennis player from Switzerland. She stood there alone and tall during the period when Americans dominated World Tennis.

The Oeuvre: Ink and Pennings: LIMERICK AND QUATRAIN: Poems composed on 27th April 1999"

 

limerick n. humorous five-line verse with a rhyme-scheme aabba. [origin uncertain]

quatrain n. four-line stanza. [French quatre four]

LIMERICK-“THE DU-ROSE”!

Dancing to the melody of the whispering zephyr,

In the vacuity of May Air,

With tears of heaven, rolling like pearls,

in sepals mackintosh,

Stands vacuously Red- THE SUMMER ROSE!

LIMERICK-“BLOOD-CUT”!

The knife brushed through the white skin,

The cut was deep,

The cut was mean.

And seconds later did it flood,

The dark crimson blood!

QUATRAIN-THE OFFICE MAN!

After a hard tough day at job(To aggrandize his boss),

He pulled his tie,

And gave a heavy sigh,

Crouched and slept off!!

The Oeuvre: Ink and Pennings: ON(E) YOUR WEDDING: Poem composed on 6th May 1999

 

I composed this poem on the auspicious occasion of my youngest aunt’s wedding. Then, I copied the same on a card and gave it to her.

This is your wedding ceremony,

A happy day- a great event for many.

Bonded by the nuptial knot,

That will hold ya’ll together throughout…

Yours is a great pair…Ganga and Junga!!

Made for each other indeed,

I am adamant of it!!

Surveying your amicable personality and lovable subtlety,

Here is me offering you love and prayers,

For the life you are to get,

And proudly say…

“Your marriage was life’s best step!!”

From the auricles and ventricles of my heart,

Sash

The Oeuvre: Ink and Pennings: PRIMA FACIE: Poem composed on 14th April 1999

 

I WONDER WHY....

I search for words,

To express myself,

And relieve my thoughts...

And encarve my leaping emotions in the form of verses,

Etched permanently in lifeless paper!

I WONDER WHY...

I fancy myself as a poet,

Whose pen speaks more than just Ink,

But speaks of rivers and woods,

Of valleys and dale,

Of dainty peaks and damsels,

And mere topographical features!

I WONDER WHY...

I search for the past,

Dig out the present,

And imagine the future,

Through the words I create...

For years to come…

Until someone tells me:-

"Farewell to thee, my fren…O poet so known, yet so unknown!!"

One of the happiest days in my life- The OEUVRE is back...!

œuvre  n. works of a creative artist regarded collectively. [French, = work, from Latin opera]

Yes!!! It is true…

I have been finally re-united with my poem book- THE OEUVRE that was supposedly “lost”! And it was like that old Bollyhood line “Kumbh Mela main Beechray Bhai” becoming a reality for me. I wrote the first poem for my Oeuvre on 31st November 1997 and today is May 25th, 2009. So, I am going 11+ years back into my late teen and early adulthood again today.

At this moment, I would like to thank these people(not necessarily in the order):-

Ruchi: For keeping the book at Garima’s place and informing me about it.

Garima: I owe you so much. Thanks for being so patient with my impatience, understanding how I felt about the poem book, informing your sister, reminding her and answering my calls.

Nidhi: Thanks for bringing the poem book from Gangtok to Bangalore.

Aunty: Thanks for keeping the book safely. Most importantly, thanks for letting me have my memories back.

Now, what next??

Those who have been following this blog know the reason why I started this blog. The headline for “Of Ink, Pennings and Pittoresco’s!” since 2004 was as below:

This blog would have never come out, given the fact that I LOST my entire collection of 26 poems composed during the period 1997-2000.

However, I managed to bury my sorrows and with the left-overs of my literary aspirations, I am waking up to a fresh dawn of cognition, sentience, consciousness, idea, and imagination.

I removed the above header recently after hearing that the book was still intact at Garima’s place.

I have now decided that in the days to come, I will publish one poem a day in this blog of mine for 28 days. :)

Last but not the least, for the curious, here are the first pictures from the poem book:-

The first poem: “Tale of a luvlorn” The date when the poem was composed: 31-11-1997

FINAL REVIEW OF ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, GAME WEEK 38- PREVIEW VIS-A-VIS FANTASY PREMIER LEAGUE.

 

It is sad, isn’t it? 38 weeks of action packed extravaganza coming to an end…

Manchester United have been already crowned as Champions , Benitez is still refusing to acknowledge this fact and Tevez will not be back in Manchester United colors next year. In addition, West Brom Albion have been relegated and Newcastle United, Hull City and Middleborough will play the game of their lifetime this week. As for promotions, Wolverhamton Wanderers, Birmingham City and either Sheffield United or Burnley will join the elite league next season. But, there is the still some more action left and something to play for, both for players and for us, the FPL managers.

In my last article, I had mentioned why we need to keep maximum players from Chelsea and Arsenal for the final game week, subject to United drawing or winning their game against Arsenal. Certainly, United will field a second string side against Hull City, ignoring “fair-play” pleas from Newcastle United and Middlesborough. And we can't blame United either because for United, Rome will be bastion of their phenomenal form and performance this year. So, is Ronaldo playing for the full 90 minutes this game-week?

Well, that is a tough question! The Golden Boot award beckons and he knows Anelka is right there rubbing shoulders with him for the coveted prize. Ferguson always sees “the bigger picture” and might want to rest him for the Hull City tie. But, he might also be wary of how Ronaldo will react.

As for the other players from Manchester United, O’Shea was the first player to be selected by Ferguson to play in Rome. Ferdinand is still nursing his injury and is doubtful for the May 24th tie. Though he has admitted his willingness to play in order to prove his fitness for the CL final, yet, Ferguson is cynical about his presence in the starting line-up. So, if you were to ask me, I would “rest” or substitute most players from Manchester United this game week.

As for Chelsea and Arsenal, they have nothing more to lose. Trust me when I tell you to retain Frank Lampard as your “Captain”. And even if he doesn’t repay you well this game-week, forget what I have said and offer it as a tribute to the contribution of this wonderful midfielder. Arshavin is back and boy, what a find he has been for Arsenal this season!! I am pretty sure he will end his first season in EPL with some fireworks.

Liverpool should have an easy last match as well and will imperatively sport their best side.

The other "Do or Die” matches in EPL will be interesting to watch but in terms of FPL, it will hardly be of significance. You simply don’t know whom to trust!

As an end-note, I made three changes to my squad in a last-ditch effort to climb into the top 15 of HSL. I am happy at the way am ending this online game, considering the fact that I joined in Game Week 7.

Last but not the least, here is my pick for the week:-

Schwarzer, Evans, Arbeloa, Cole A, Nasri, Lampard©, Gerrard, Benayoun, Fletcher, Bendtner, Anelka

Substitutes: Tristan, Figueroa and Taylor R

Adios, friend, till we "read" again!!

Technorati Tags: EPL,Soccer,FPL,EPL Review

IPL 2 champions…Chennai Super Kings or Delhi Daredevils?

Chennai Super Kings Logo(Courtesy:CSK website)

Long before the tourney had started, I had vouched for Delhi Daredevils to win IPL Season 2. Sehwag and Gambhir in the same team surely sends shivers down the spines of opponents, bowlers in particular. And if this wasn’t enough, Abraham Benjamin de Villiers, Dilshan and Karthik were to follow. The bowling lineup also looked menacing. I thought Mc Grath would play a crucial role backed by Nannes, Nehra and a quality spinner in the form of Amit Mishra. Mc Grath isn’t playing but the Daredevils have no regrets- they are pretty perched at the top of the IPL table and look fine to run away with the IPL trophy.

However, having said that, as the tournament has progressed, I am slowly changing my mind. And my bet is on Chennai Super Kings. Runners-up last year and doing exceedingly well, CSK might just turn the tables on the Daredevils. These two teams have met twice and have shared the honors. But, if you look at runs, you will see that DD, irrespective of their batting prowess have failed to chase a decent score like 145 whereas Chennai, batting second have scored 180 in a lost cause.

My instinct tells me that we are going to see another “Kings11 versus CSK” match whenever DD and CSK clash again. And remember, let us not to discount the MSD factor. He might just revive his T20 World Cup winning memories in South Africa again!!

Technorati Tags: IPL2,Chennai Super Kings,Delhi DareDevils,DD,CSK