Batasia Loop, Darjeeling

With loftly mountains on either side

We seat ourselves to take a ride

In the toy train and it tug its way,

Through tall trees on a sunny day...

It chugs along the lush tea grounds,

Up, then down, over the meadows and mounds,

Very slowly it winds it's way, through the wood,

And to places the cabins once stood..

And then it makes a grand wide loop...

Around the tribute of Gorkha troupes.

An ascend to sight a splendid view 

Of snowy mountains and skies so blue. 

As we awe at this nature's scene

the little train makes a joyous scream.. 

This a routine it takes each day 

But for us, it's an experience in every way...

A Journey of Life Ends (Poem)

(This poem is dedicated to my mother-in-law who passed away ... 
as she looks upon us from above... 
with her usual calm Smile...)

You may put my picture upon the wall
And look at me as teardrops fall..
I am not there, I've filled the void
I am not dead, I'm around you all.

When you awake, the morning rush....
I am in the swift uplifting hush
I am the chirpy bird that took a flight
I am the little stars that shine at night.

I am the wind that gently blow,
I am the glitter on the fluffy snow
I am the sunlight on every grain
I am the dewdrop of the rain.

Do not stare there upon the wall
And look for me with tears fall...
I am not there I've filled the void
I am not dead, I'm around you all....

Child Brides Of India (Poem)

Marriage is a celebration to most of us unless you are one among the 64 million girls in the world forced into marriage before the legal age of 18. Imagine the life the girls endure as young as 7, 10 or even 16 years. Our country, India tops 3rd world wide in child marriages, snatching these young girls from their education, their health and at times even risking their lives to physical abuse and early pregnancy.
Many organisations have been working towards this abuse and when someone asked me to write a poem on it ..

Here it goes ...

Child Brides Of India

She let goes her dolls,
her toys her treats and all.
Her books are torn,
and her friends must go.
They've snatched her dreams,
her joys and all she deeply holds.
To wed a man whom she hardly knows....
She' 
abandons her childhood in a Palanquin.....

The Stream (Poem)

Home ward bound by road one day,

From a seat by the window bay,

My eyes peered towards the sunlit beam 

glittering over the turquoise stream..  

It drifted thro' the grass and hay,

Chasing crabs that lazily play...

Dancing over those tiny stones,

Making music, in many a tones...

The fallen leaves all went a-floating

One by one in rows like they were boating!

The fishes popped their heads out to greet,

To me and all.. Oh! what a lovely treat!

It gushed and splashed o'er mighty rocks,

And made me wonder where it will finally dock?

It climbed it's way, a little to the top,

And then, it sped down never, ever to stop.

Our life, it makes me think and wonder,

I'm sure, you all too will now ponder, 

Is just like this, sparkling blue stream,

Full of nice things which we later dream...

An adventure we meet at every turn,

The odds, new lessons, for us to learn.

"This unknown journey", we all do take,

Unaware till when or what's at stake!! 

Why Nag? (Poem)

It's a real quizzical gag

Wives always nag the husband(the dad)

When the hubby is around

He is always in the way,

Or spoils your day.

Forgets to do things,

Or the stuff you ask him to bring

The kids he does spoil 

After a hard days toil,

Do you have to do that?

You ask with a snap.

Then work calls and away he goes

For 30 days in all, maybe more!

You have your work cut out

And no time to sit and pout.

The stores today, shopping tomorrow 

The bank and the doctor all

in one go!

The kids keep crying 

And you won't stop sighing.

When will Dad get back they say 

Hey kids even I'm counting days,

Today's the day - here's dad back to stay,

With you Dad, no more days will go sad

dad - he smirks and asks 'was it that bad?'

And his grin gets you mad!!


(this was one of the first poems I had written for a Airforce magazine... now posting it on my blog, hope you like it.. )

Little Bird

One little bird chirping on a tree

It looks like it's calling to me...

I look at the branch and try to see

Where the little bird could ever be?

It seems that it saw me looking

Through my window, where I was sitting

With the tea in hand which I was sipping

Without a blink to see him chirping.

This little bird kindled me to quest

 To leave my seat I usually rest...

Setting down my cup I felt a fest

The little bird which chirped its best.

Peering closer through the leaves 

I saw something red, blue and green!

It was the prettiest I must have ever seen

With a wink of my eye it flew off like a dream......

A Rainbow (Poem)

Once I saw A Rainbow

Across the sky so blue

Where clouds floated slow

And birds flew in few.

The different hues of nature

Most beautiful sight to see

A painter's perfect picture

And a poet's scene to dream.

As I stood, gazing yonder

Breathing the air, so clean,

It made me but to wonder

And note, what it could mean.

A message for us to unwind

Long lost .. And to renew

That it takes both Rain and Sunshine

To make a lovely view".

As we travel on life's highway

A lot of rain sure will fall,

But we'll find our pretty rainbow

When Sun shines over it all.

So when you feel a bit low

And wonder what to do,

Just trust and let sunshine

Bring A Rainbow Over You...

The Waterfall (Poem)

I know not where you come from…

I know not where you go…

Do you come from frozen hill tops,

Or from hot springs down below?

Are you from the raindrops,

Or the brooks that flow?

Is there a path that leads you,

Or do you pave your own?

I wonder how you cut through,

The hard and mighty stone.

Do the birds and trees Thank Thee?

When you feed and make them grow.
Who trained and helped you dive here?

As a Cascade, in a place unknown.

Seashore (Poem)

I sat by the seashore on the sand as my seat,

With the wind on my face and a wave at my feet.

Looking at yonder and the changing marine blues

Never even knew that there were so.. many hues!

The tides keep rising, bringing new ones near,

Washing the sandy beaches with waters sparkling clear.

The sounds of the waves – a music to my ear,

Are they, songs of the mermaids for me to overhear?

Children are playing with the fine trickling sand,

 Building moats and castles on the sun drenched land.

Shells and pebbles lie scattered on the shore,
Brought by the oceans as treasures to adore.
The seagulls keep teasing the everlasting wave,
And the clouds go a sailing all through the day.  

 I walk away home, but these memories linger on…

 Long after, my footprints on the sands are gone.

                                                                                                      (Picture from Google images)

The Surya Kirans (Poem)

People congregated big and small 
To view the spectacle over the bay,
An act to entertain one and all
And mark the twin cities’ tourism day.


Commentary began amid loud applause,
Making heads look up, to the sky,
At the jets that flew without a flaw,
Motionless-not even a wink of the eye.


The crowd roared with claps and cries
Greeting the Kirans as they flew by
Coming from nowhere- in three and threes,
Nine red air-crafts, up above were seen.


They formed a neat square that turned
To a diamond- a wine glass and to a letter ‘T’.
They looped and rolled and painted 
The Heaven - saffron white and green.


The ladies were completely elated,
When two from them-shaped a heart,
And when the third darted a cupid
Dumbstruck- we all could only applaud.


Criss-crossing and signing off
The flights ended their show.
But the heads still looked upward
With words that wouldn't flow….

The Surya Kiran Acrobatic Team (SKAT) was disbanded in 2011, they are likely to fly back into the skies in 2014 with the Hawks air crafts. The only other military acrobatic teams that fly a nine aircraft formation are UK Royal Air Force (Red Arrows) and Royal Canadian Air Force (Snowbirds). 

This poem was written after witnessing the air show, conducted over the Hussain Sagar Lake, Tank Bund, Hyderabad in 2003 to commemorate the State tourism week. In spite of seeing the airshow about a dozen times (at AFA, Hyderadad) it is something I would love to watch again. Hoping they come back soon to 'Touch the sky with Glory' in their safer machines. 

Dad And Daughter (Poem)

                                                   ( from google images)

It seems like only yesterday

A bundle in my arms you lay..
 with a whimper and a cry,

 bringing a tear drop to my eye.

The days flew to weeks,

Weeks to months and years,

And every time I kissed your cheeks

I had teardrops in my eyes.

Your little feats made me proud

And you did grow up very fast.

But deep in heart I knew and feared

Your innocence will not long last.

The years took its twists and twirls,

Growing with you memories I hold

Along life's path whatever swirls
My Little Girl I will always behold.

Female Foeticide (Poem)

A dormant life in a mothers womb

Unaware it’s the treacherous tomb,

Awaiting to inhale  the worldly air

And to live a dream that no one dares.

Defenseless and with innocence

She awaits; her first kiss, and embrace.

Unaware of the plot to end her day;

By the traitor in whose womb she silently lay.

What wrong did she do -to meet her death?

Even before she could take her first breath?

To be murdered by her own beloved mother,

Except for her being a girl child and not the other.