O pen up…

Am I the body
the hands and limbs
moving randomly
Am I the act of a playwright
Am I the script
that is neatly woven with the
thread of emotions
by the needle of memories
Am I a part of the play
the play that maketh life
Am I the audience
the eye
that sees that hears
that experiences fully
every twist and turn of the play
Am I the spark behind the eye
that glows when it meets the eye
Am I the mirror
nature has created for itself
to reveal itself
to itself
Am I the mindless explorer
exploring himself
Am I the thoughts that maketh the mind
the mind of the explorer
Am I the abstract
the answer to all the questions
Am I the question itself
the question that seeks an answer
but needs no answer
that knows but shies
that knows what it doesn’t know
Am I the mystery that hides it all
and smiles in ecstasy
Am I the love
the love that smiles
the love that hides
from the explorer
the innocent one
who reserves his smiles
in search of the truth
and travels miles
as the truth smiles

Eyes closed I was
Middle of the night, the light was off
the show began
colours sprang in my thoughts
dull was the day life
filled with strife
my soul came alive
saw the drama
the drama of life
as it never was lived
but can only be dreamed
in the dream
dream uncolored by the reality
the reality that fails to recognise
to recognise what is real
that fails to see with eyes open
that fails to hear
the deafening silence
silence that is deafening
the license
to open up, to forget self
to jump
to sing and dance
to soak itself
in the colors
the colors that fill my dreams
dream I will
the colorful dream

aaj mausam..mmm.. bada beimaan ha.i.. bada (try to forget all your worries)
beimaan ha.i.., aaj mau..sam
aane vaa..laa.. kO..ii toofaan ha.i.. koii
toofaan ha.i.., aaj mau..sam

Lakhon Hein Nigaah Mein, (roll your eyelids and sing dreamily)
Zindagi Ki Raah Mein,
Sanam Haseen Jawaa…a..n,
Hoton Pe Gulaab Hai,
Aankhon Mein Sharaab Hai,
LEQkin Voh Baath Kaha..an..?

And the final Kishore da touch…

Mere sapnon ki rani kab aayegi tu (remember Rajesh Khanna looking at Sharmila through the rearview mirror)
Aayi rut mastaani kab aayegi tu
Beeti jaaye zindagaani kab aayegi tu (Just chill out)
Chali aa, tu chali aa

Mere sapnon ki rani kab aayegi tu
Aayi rut mastaani kab aayegi tu
Beeti jaaye zindagaani kab aayegi tu
Chali aa, tu..u chali aa

Pyaar ki galiyaan (pippipippipiou.. pippipippipiou),
baagon ki kaliyaan (pippipippipiou.. pippipippipiou),
Sab rang raliyaa.an poochh rahi hain

Pyaar ki galiyaan, baagon ki kaliyaan,
Sab rang raliyaan poochh rahi hain
Geet panghat pe kis din gaayegi tu (tarampum)

Mere sapnon ki rani kab aayegi tu
Aayi rut mastaani kab aayegi tu
Beeti jaaye zindagaani kab aayegi tu
Chali aa, tu chali aa
Chali aa, haan tu..u chali aa
Chali aa, tu.. chali aa
Chali aa, haan tu chali aa

Are yodley..hee.. yoodley..hee.. ho..hoo.. yoodley.. hi.. yodley.. hi..hO
yodley..hee.. yoodley..hee.. ho..hoo.. yoodley.. hi.. yodley.. hi..hO
yodley..hee.. yoodley..hee.. ho..hoo.. yoodley.. hi.. yodley.. hi..hO
yodley..hee.. yoodley..hee.. ho..hoo.. yoodley.. hi.. yodley.. hi..hO

I love Rafi and Kishore…

yodley..hee.. yoodley..hee.. ho..hoo.. yoodley.. hi.. yodley.. hi..hO (volume fading)
yodley..hee.. yoodley..hee.. ho..hoo.. yoodley.. hi.. yodley.. hi..hO

Jungle Road

I rode the cities, I rode the towns
I rode the streets, the ups and downs

As I reached the edge of the human abode
I drove my wheels to the Jungle road

Jungle road the magical road
my heart kept beatin’ as a whirlwind blowed

Jungle road the magical road
the ground kept thumpin’ as the elephants strode

The song of the birds, the whistle of a train
the dance of the trees to the tune of the rain

the kiss of the breeze, the mist in the sky
caressed my soul as I whizzed past by

the Jungle road the magical road
my soul kept dancin’ as the wheels just rolled

Jungle road the magical road
the mystical abode of stories untold

Hi,

I was standing on the banks of Godavari in between two of the longest river bridges in Asia. It was a beautiful sight. To my left was the oldest bridge connecting Rajahmundry and Kovvuru, which was built by the Britishers, standing rock solid in spite of the wear and tear it has accumulated over 70 odd years. To my right was the newest bridge constructed 10 years ago, made of concrete, with beautiful arches adding aesthetic appeal to it. Both the bridges were separated by not more than 15-20 metres. I was standing in the middle and I had a look at Godavari water which had calmed down after showing its fierceful side 3-4 days ago hitting lots of villages in Konaseema with floods. The water had the calmness and serenity marked by the cool breeze blowing over it, but it still looked ugly because of the lives it had ruined. I looked up and saw the converging parallel lines (quite paradoxical), the two bridges (more than 3 Kms in length, that is how wide Godavari is at my place) running parallel but giving you a view as though they are converging at the other end near Kovvuru. There, at the other end of the bridge a dim light showed as a train was getting onto the new bridge, at the same time a lightning flashed in the sky and I so badly wanted to capture that moment in a photograph. But they say a picture is worth 1000 words. Let me see if a 1000 words can give you the experience the picture had given me. Below is an attempt at poetry (bricks n bats welcome)

Stood I with my feet sunk in the godavari river
froze I as the breeze touched me as cool as ever

To my left stood an old bridge solid like a rock
to my right was the newer bridge that carried the track

As I looked towards the horizon where both of them kissed
the dim light of a train showed, as the river below hissed

Beauty filled my eyes as lightning filled the skies
and I sang a song in praise of the river on the rise