Photo by Amit Misra
I have four room-mates sharing my quarters. Lizards. They possess such high level of expertise in Tiger Leap that even Akshay Kumar has not been able to accomplish. That means, if some delicious looking insect comes within their field of view, they do not hesitate to take the jump in mid-air. Once in a while one of them would crawl on my laptop and peep from behind the screen as if trying to see what is going on there. Continue reading
लीजिए हम आ गए। आपको बहुत प्रतीक्षा करनी पडी, इसके लिए मुझे खेद है।
आपका हिन्दी के प्रति आकर्षण एवं प्रेम स्तुति-योग्य है। आपने जो मुझे उक्त भाषा में लिखने के लिए उत्साहित तथा प्रेरित किया है, उसके लिए भी मैं स्वयं को कृतज्ञ अनुभव करता हूँ। किन्तु एक सामान्य व्यक्ति के रूप में मेरी भी कुछ सीमाएँ हैं। अपने प्रदत्त कार्य की अवहेलना करके मैं यदि साहित्य रचना कार्य में समय निवेश करूँ, तो शायद इसका अनुमोदन आप भी नहीं करेंगे। इसके विपरीत, सभी सांसारिक कार्यकलापों तथा दायित्वों को तिलांजलि देकर, एक प्रकार से संन्यास ही लेकर, सरस्वती-आराधना में मनोनिवेश करने के लिए अत्यधिक परिपक्वता की आवश्यकता है, जिसका दावा मैं नहीं कर सकता। Continue reading
Guest poem by Ritesh Kumar Mishra
photo credit: gmeador Tree at Eufaula Pond via photopin (license)
I propose that for one full year, all newspapers should change their emblems. Even the electronic media could do the same. All of them would have the same emblem — a skull and two bones — the usual representation of death. Let all people wake up in the morning, and before opening themselves to their daily dose of news and analysis come face to face with the skull, be reminded every morning of the inevitability of their end. All is going to end, all are going to end. In the conclusion, all is either ash or dust. Nothing else matters. Continue reading 
I expect the bones of an individual to be stronger and in better condition than the rest of the body constituents. How less effort is involved in vitamin D intake! Just lie down in the sun. You do not have to work out, sweat out, not even make the little effort of eating. Just keep lying there. If anyone tries to agitate you, rebuke you, and interrupt you in your occupation and urges you to do something else that is considered to be more important, you may simply protest — ‘Can’t you see? I am making my bones stronger!’ Continue reading
A man purchased a car, took care of it very well, cleaned it, washed it, kept it covered lest dust should accumulate on it, had built up a garage for it so that any cricket ball or stone from the kids playing in the garden would not damage it. He requested one of his friends having an expert knowledge in vehicle maintenance and hardware to visit him Continue reading
Some childhood memories never fade. I was then 4 years old. Every year during Navratri, Ramleela was played in the community ground. Two brothers — Suraj Kaushal and Pavan Kaushal, then about 18 and 16 years of age, used to play the roles of Ram and Laxman every year. Their selection was obvious, because they were very good looking, handsome, of appropriate age (which ensured their presence on stage for another 5-6 years), and of course, because they were real brothers, so had similarity in facial features. They were widely admired and very popular. Continue reading
Pradyot 