On Onam

 

As the sun rises, another Onam comes

& I nostaligize an Onam, 23 years ago

When my non-Malayali classmates 

Traversed the breadth of town

In search of a sadhya

& was forced to make peace with fried rice,

For that was a time when all Malayalis

Were busy spending time with their families

& at home were floral carpets, swings, Onam music, the awaited homemade sadhya & finally the TV movie with a 100 interrupting ads.

Maveli too I suppose must remember those times

All too well

For today there is home-delivered sadhya with all 27 items

& OTT to watch whatever movie whenever 

As well as Amazon purchases

So that each family member can sit in a corner

& forget about connecting this Onam with family

Well unless you mean the virtual kind.

As Maveli looks at a sadly digital Onam

Does he miss those days too when we saw faces not screens?

Will his rule ever happen again amidst such virtual chaos?

I see him leaving with a sigh

Unable to greet his people locked into their screens

& locked out from good times past. 

Happy Onam again he says as he leaves with a tear

Wondering whether there will be a next time 

Unless digitally.

Existence

 

This is the way the world works- cheat lie steal

This is what the world wants- falsity acting glamor

This is how the world treats the righteous- shun shame isolate 

This is how the world treats the corrupt: exalt glorify role model

Is it any wonder that we call it kaliyugam?

International Blunder

 

Muntezar & Muntedhar -

Such confusing names!

Who are you & who is he?

Oh! Woe is me!

You said you would certainly be

A peaceful tenant of mine,

but peace I have never known

after you reached this house of mine.

First the water, then the electricity,

Then the air conditioner as well:

Every day you would complain

till all was well contained.

I finally sat in my chair

Thinking – it’s all over now.

But the phone rings,

It’s the immigration officer!

“5 years I’ll put you in jail”

“But why sir? Why?”

“You submitted their documents late.”

 “But within 24 hours I did sir!”

“No! You were 5 minutes late!

 Pay the 50,000 fine or go to jail!”

I collapsed.

Now I wonder from up in the clouds,

Did my wife pay? Or was it my son?

Ode on the Nighty

 Nighty dearest, nighty dearest

how wonderful art thou!

You - the lifeline of every Mallu woman

who lived in Kerala and abroad.

From bright pink to pitch black

there wasn’t a color you didn’t know

and every woman cherished secretly

the space and freedom with you

away from the male roving, prying eye.

With enough space to house an elephant too

while covering her neck to toe,

you would be accompanied by

an old, worn, clean, whitish thorthu

to hide even the smallest of flaws.

But alas! By 2024, you seem to be

facing the brink of extinction

as globalization brought in replacements:

pyjama suits, sleep lingerie, bathrobes and what not.

As with everything else – you seem to be phasing out

yet with a hint of nostalgia let me tell you

Nighty, you will always be mighty!!!

Heart Healer

 

When Brownie dear

Crossed the road

And died

She broke our hearts completely.

The silent agreement

Was no more dogs

That is until one morning

We heard a puppy's yelp

Coming from our overgrown yard.

That's how Achoo entered

Our home and our hearts,

Freely roaming both.

Her favorite sleeping spot

Is on my bed

(did Brownie teach you that?).

She shifts between house and yard

And while she's definitely not Brownie

I think we all know who sent you here

To repair the hearts she broke.

The Road to Success

They burned the midnight oil

tried and tried and toiled;

drenched in the mind's sweat

they worked till night became dawn.

Herculean tasks were undertaken

by miniscule men & women 

as they tried their hardest

to meet the deadline

and impress the spectator

who would briefly analyze

in a fleeting moment

the relentless toil of months.

To what purpose and to what end 

they wondered,

till at last they were recognized

as an institution of excellence.

Their hard work finally paying off

Success was theirs for the taking.

The 7-day Experience

 Dejected they came

Inspired they left

It was all part of the 7-day camp.

7 days of tolerance

7 days of hard work

7 days of camaraderie

7 days of grueling routine.

There were seniors and juniors

But at camp they were simply volunteers.

Visitors and food galore

But what endured in those 77 hearts

Was the simple joy of sheer friendship.