An ode to Udaipur

A spec in the dust
raises a storm
of its sand.

Carries with the wind
a whistling whirlpool
of dying roots
and staple citrus rind.

An arid land,
thorny bushes and cacti.
Changing hues of the sky,
from blues to grey to tan.

Topography changing hands
where past and present blend.
Mirages of civilization
in the narrow alleys of palaces
tourists smitten by eerie fascination.

Copper pots and pans
women adornd with silver embellishments
men with overt masculine demonstrations
a culture entrenched in rich tradition.

Srinagar Days

On countless occasions I have wanted to be inspired,
Twirled a pencil,
Doodled on paper,
Stared at the laptop,
and just when I wanted to send a “wassup?” sms I could not stop the flow.
Inspired in the parking lot… on a mobile.
There I was reliving my stay in Srinagar!

An ivy covered bungalow,
icicles off its roof.
Mulberries, cherries, apples, apricots, almonds, pears and many other fruits.
French windows with a panoramic view.
A bed of strawberries,
A slope covered with wild lilies.
Pebbled backyard,
Lush green front lawns with brick boundaries.
A turquoise swing,
and wanting puppies.
A magnificent Chinar tree,
generously lent its golden leaves to the entry.
The glass room with bukhari,
Overlooked the Pehelgam, Gulmarg pahadi.
The view of Shankracharya from the driveway,
A kilometer from the gate which kept the militancy away.
A ninety degree drop over which I saddled over soldiers bikes.
Sworn to never cross the sacrosanct boundary,
Sneaked a glance at boat-houses on Jhelum
and its breathtaking vicinity.
Frisked at school as a part of security daily,
Our favorite friend’s corner- a pipe
along which grew bichu butti.
Two daily-needs markets,
the owners and their kith & kin one knew by name.
Our only associate from the Valley,
a Kashmiri shawl vendor Nur-u-din.
A small town cantt theatre
with an even smaller gentry.
Huffed and puffed paddling in
triple knit handmade woolens.
A troop of soldiers made our lives easy.
A neighborhood where we knew everybody,
A gardener’s family held to ransom
to cause explosion within army premises
A life where entertainment was sans devices

Some stray thoughts on a random day
Of childhood memories, in Srinagar
the year I turned eight.