Today is the day

 Today is the day…..

We fight like there is no tomorrow 

For the very sand we play upon 

We pass with our hands held firm 

Steadfastly holding every dream we’ve wished upon 

We set with our heads held high 

Looking over all the haze we gaze upon 

We spike with all of our might 

Using all the strength we can call upon 

We fight…. But this is only a game

Laugh, enjoy and play in your name

The overcooked idea

 It was something that flit by

that gave me pause in my thoughts

creating much chaos, I do not lie

refrain do I from connecting the dots?

Disturbed I am by something physical

but drawn to return to speculation so whimsical

A break in links often disturb my plans

if it wasn't for those pesky eyes

I would conjure those thoughts in shallow pans

and enjoy the newly made curry with some rice

but now I can do only little but weep

having been shaken from thoughts so deep

This is another moment lost

to a sound vibrating within my ears

I would have the idea on a roast

marveling it's taste with some pears

but it has been sadly sabotaged

by something so hopelessly camouflaged

I have lost the pattern in my thoughts

to a weird smell that reached my nostrils

I would boil the concept to a froth.....

but alas why do I feel so nasal

There is a sight that open my eyes

and a dry hiss pulls my ears

sitting on the cooktop in front of me

lies the burn remnants of nothing nice

smoke so strong it bring me to tears

and now I have no evening meal.

Note: This poem is about daydreaming while cooking. and not noticing that the food getting burnt is trying to pull you from your reverie, until it is too late

Releasing some magic

 Traditions have passed from generation to generation

Some recent and many from sources unknown

Elders say it is from the beginning of civilization

while their faces crease heavily with a frown

Warnings galore of pricks not unlike that of a cactus

until you follow and put those lores to practice

Some of these are carefully worded caution

but averse to letting others go scot-free

many of these are probably a compulsive rendition

no thanks to some person buried deep within the family tree

Generations later have been unwilling

to change something that has been supposedly there from the beginning

Realization dawns that we are all different in nature

but we have taken important traits of one we consider greater

therefore we end up being a little caricature

our fantastic capabilities duly lost to dear mother nature

Sure, we are birds of the very same feather

but there certainly is no need to peck as we flock together

History has several fiery examples at a large scale

Subjugation has been a lesson very hard to learn

Consider this an opportune moment to use a chute to bale

Those things that hurt us- they are better left to burn

All these years have gone by with little logic

The time is high to release some magic

Note: This talks about how customs that are considered unbreakable by the current generation are most probably an elaborate play by someone in our culture's history; probably in order to impose themselves on others around. The only person that we have control on is ourselves (as an individual), and for us to reach our maximum potential and to actually make a difference, we need to work only on our selves and hence get the best out of us.

Swim to String

Few thoughts have been a swimming

in my mind for the past year or so

I want to do some swimming

but dreaded COVID has a mind of its own

Now there is surely a lull

and I can't allow these plans to go to null

No! I cannot believe it has happened

one fell swoop and all is lost

This was something unimagined

to COVID I have become an unexpected host

That wish of mine had been barely afloat

but now I have a pain in my throat

Recover I have from that ghastly malaise

weeks of my life lost in inhalation

Realization came to me when I was in a daze

swimming is not practical for a duration

then what do I do to pass my time?

maybe play a guitar string a twang at a time?

I still am sitting by the pool

my hand hits a rhythm as a rule

With no chance of being infected with other's drool

hearing the water lap over the edge acts as fuel

It all has worked for the best, please do note

the previous ordeal is over, and so, now I gloat

Letting Go

It could be part of our incredible human culture 

to hold onto something that we find so dear

Hovering around it like a vicious vulture

Never do we leave it alone only out of fear

Why do we cling on to it with such bonded attachment

when it signifies our own entrapment?

Mundane it is to have become a habit

Stuck are we to it through thick and thin

Comparable it is to a carrot dangling in front of a rabbit

Sickness we experience up to the brim

Guaranteed it is we have many a sneeze

Can we put an end to this please?

Many a fraud make a wealth of money

Magic is amiss in their queasy potion

Advices are abundant, we feel so loony

Saying is simple, but it's a difficult solution

Scythe through the hay, it feels too much trouble

A needle is surely found at the end of this struggle

This feeling we have is of our own creation

realization of which will lead to immediate liberation

Pain will be a companion for a variable duration

Enduring this temporarily a cause for celebration

Being in the present, we no longer feel hollow

Incredible joy surfaces at the point of letting go

The comforting discomfort

 A feeling so familiar

reminiscent of days gone by

It leans towards a thriller

Anguish forgotten as time has flown by

This could be another day

when my thoughts hold me in sway

Has it been a few years or a decade

when I last had this pleasure?

This situation could be a dangerous grenade

that explodes for good measure

then why do I feel so much traction

when bells signal a negative reaction?

It is my beloved, I hear it's appeal

The thoughts clearly a wonderful bait

It's recognizable, I want it for real

miss this chance, it's too long to wait

Time has been lost for us lover's estranged,

pay heed to my instinct, it's so deranged

I feel drawn towards it, be it night or day

Therefore ensnared in it's wily jail

Tempted towards it, I think I could be happy today

tune in to my mind, it is a lovely fail

persuaded by it, I have made an infraction

embraced am I in this fatal attraction

Note: Read it again? Some background about this poem. It talks about one repeating one's mistakes knowing that good will not come out of it, only because one is comfortable with it.

The ache

This could possibly be a thought to complete

or an excuse for writing's sake

but before I submit myself to defeat

It's a chance that I prefer to take

I have long been deep in thought

and many a mental war I have fought

I've had this feeling before

my memories don't lie, they serve me right

There have been many a fantastic lore

and with a cry, they shed some light

No worries, this is no fancy bake

for I definitely feel an odd little ache

This pain is often underrated,

and castaway into the outer shores

This pang is occasionally dramatized

and celebrated with almighty roars

It can be said with some conviction

that this is life's greatest contradiction

I've lived this torment before

if only I could hark back to the solution

a eureka moment from my mind store

could lead to a faster resolution

Tired I am, this is too much to take

How to rid myself of this giant ache?

This call from nature (submitted to farmer-ish: https://farmerish.net/)

 The day had begun with infinite time

With lots of gaps to be filled,

I have finished watching a movie on crime

It was just another opportunity to be billed

I feel so cold, temperature is only a number

Confuse yourself not, it is close to summer

There is a wonderous sight to behold

when I look out my porch window

of colors so vibrant and certainly bold

all the time basking in the sun's shadow

These gaps of emptiness get pushed to future

It's difficult to resist this call from nature

The leaves are green, the sky so blue

There are many a thing that my eyes can feast

Radiant in the sun's beautiful golden hue

the hungry trees stretch themselves due east

There is rarely a moment of lull outside

Wonder of wonders, I feel still inside

The movement is subtle, there is no trace

I tarry not and I leave with haste

Having waited long for this loving embrace

There is no longer a second for me to waste

I run outside like a young wee schooler

I only subsist through this call from nature

I hope she hears

 I need my phone to make call

There is someone out there

So, I rush down the hall

There is so much I want to share

I hope to get her when she has a slot,

because with her work she is busy a lot

I need my phone, oh! I see it there

Still seated on the sofa, lest I forget

A glimpse of it; I race like a hare

This took too long, I feel regret

She might be busy is one of my fears

But if she is away, I hope she hears

I have my phone, in my hand

unlocking it is not great mystery

I cuddle it like it is a top notch brand

Smile not, for we have some history

No one would have thought such a plot

Because with her work, she is busy alot

Without further ado, I dial her number

the ring does a sound like a snail

The time is high to wake from slumber

I pray she picks up before voicemail

It has been ringing a while, the end nears

If she is away, I hope she hears

Note: This is a generic poem that can hold true for anyone. I have used the word "she" rather than "he/she/they" as it is easier to use a singular term, but there is no singular term to cover men and women that I can think of

Over the Net

 My mouth is dry and my lips are parched,

There is some light but it’s close to dark

Towards the end of the court, I march

I turn around when I reach my mark

The wind is out of my control

My only hope is that I will rock and roll

 

Across the court, I see a couple of large figures loom

That is where my opposition lurk

Scheming and plotting my very doom

God I wish I could wipe their smirks

Majestic a threat when the game is singles

Twice over it becomes as we play doubles

 

There is complete silence as I shout the score

So great the tension that has now built

Time to bring my focus to the fore

My hold on the racket resembles a sword hilt

No thought enters of something amiss

Getting this point my only wish

 

I toss the ball up, it begins my final act

My racket goes up, there sounds a twang

As my implement and the ball make contact

All they hear is a big loud bang

They miss the projectile, that's a point I get

A shot so fine, it was decided once the ball went over the net

Note: While I personally do not have this feeling of competitiveness when playing tennis, but it was easy to harness this feeling from my younger days

The Clown

The clown

 

This talks about a phase during which I felt that I was only an entertainer but then was being continuously mocked at

 

Taking his time to settle down

Ready to entertain one and all

We present to you the royal clown

his nose’s as big as a crystal ball

 

Peering through all that haze

Is an ocean so vast

Hidden behind those eyes so glazed

are tortuous memories that last

 

 

At a moment unexpected

 

he is openly ridiculed

 

too strong they reacted

 

to something so miniscule

 

 

With mind no more certain

he runs through the paces

His pain hid behind a curtain

by the silliest of faces

 

 

As he moves from act to act

 

He is aware of the overall commotion

 

His mind keeps wandering back to the fact

 

That he doesn’t have invisibility potion

 

 

Cracks in the façade do appear

for it has never been a strong wall

None note the momentary tear

Being very much amused by his fall

Ninja Insect

Walking on the lawn,

The sun is bright

And I’m bursting with energy

“Can things be this boring?”

I ask myself

 

Its then- I feel something on my feet

What could it be?

I decide to sneak a peek

But see nothing

That sensation is gone momentarily

 

Again, I feel it elsewhere on my leg

What could it be?

I decide to sneak another peek

My heart beats rapidly

Confusion in my mind clearly

Finally, I see something,

Crawling up my leg

An insect unknown to me

Moving so fast

It’s easy to lose it

 

I follow its movement

My eyes refuse to blink

With no shield ready for it,

My other leg puts up a big fight,

It takes a fine stroke to get it off

 

Now, I don’t feel it any more,

Will I ever see it again?

My mind is alert

And I feel a light itch

This moment firmly imprinted in my head

 

Its name’s unknown

But I feel lethargic

Energy having been drained out

in that colossal fight

For now- I christen it the “Ninja Insect”

The Time my watch stalled in time

Perhaps the most underrated job,

Is taking a walk to the bus stop,

People move around so fast,

One wonders if it was similar in the past.

 

The movement nowhere near sublime,

When evening traffic’s at its prime.         

People give vent to their anger,

The space is filled with rowdy gangsters

 

There’s no time to stop and think,

Such a lapse could bring you to the brink,

Who would think the tiniest infringement,

Could lead to missing a bus oh so infrequent!!!

 

I hustle and jostle through this craze,

And make contact with another in a daze

CRASH!!! It felt like I hit a hill

Thank God! My arm is good despite the spill 

 

I look at my watch more out of habit

And let out a gasp at a sight so tragic

With no time for others to stop and watch,

I’m left alone with a broken watch…

In the Zone

Life – a mixture of ups and downs,

No wonder the latter makes him frown

 

Moving forward- a difficult task

Reaching his destination is all he asks

 

Weary- jaded into a sudden lull

Steers him to many protracted a struggle

Sedated- by this tedious crawl

Often pushes him towards a brawl

 

Traffic- breathing now so slow

His exuberance has become shallow

 

But then…

 

Survive – becomes the magic word

Surmounting all that he feared

 

Thrill - a catalyst for us all

Drives him to top the tallest wall

Brazen - by these exploits

Powers him ahead like an asteroid

 

Tempo- the breathing is calm

Making way for the incoming alarm

 

Life – a mixture of ups and downs,

Overcoming the latter makes him fit for a crown

World's Toughest Crossword: Life

Quite recently, I (M) had a talk (when I was having a walk) with an elderly man (U) (though he did do the main talking). I am not going into the details of how the talk started, but gradually we ended up talking about what I am about to share with you now.

U: 'Many of us have heard our teachers/ elders telling us that there is no work in life which can be done without the help of math. Though that might arguably be true, but I am not going to harp on that point. Instead, I will talk about another important aspect in our life: CROSSWORDs (puzzle).'

M: 'What is this guy rambling about? I have better things to do than think about those silly crosswords... There are surely thousands who don't bother with such an annoying waste in time!'
U: 'True. If something along those lines (the above one) is coursing through your mind, then I am on your side.'

M: 'HA! From where to where is this talk going?'
U: 'Let me explain. Crosswords have been an integral part of our life, and there is no guarantee that a person proficient in solving the crossword puzzles on the papers (that you get to see every day), will be any better in solving the toughest crosswords experienced by us- LIFE!!!'

M: 'OKaayyyyyy!!!' -__- 'What does a dumb crossword have anything to do with Life?'
U: 'EVERYTHING! I neither know as to who introduced crosswords (the ones on the paper) nor why, but there can be a lot of similarities drawn between Crosswords and our lives.
Similar to crosswords, our life:
- Isn't a fairy tale (with smoothly curving paths, where one good thing leads to another with little or no worries).
- Has various blank (black) spaces which are outside our control.
- Has various clues as to how we proceed.
- The way we go about solving it determines as to whether we attain success or not.
- Once one is solved, there is always another to face the next day/ time.'

M: 'So, you say there are multiple crosswords in our lives, not just one symbolizing Life as whole?'
U: 'Yes and No. Yes, because as you said there are multiple crosswords we come across our lives, and no, because we can also consider our entire life as one huge crossword with all the smaller crosswords forming words as rows (across) and columns (down), something which arguably none have been able to solve. Therefore, solving few problems or overcoming certain obstacles, do not in any way guarantee a happy or successful life, as there are many more words/ crosswords to be solved. This is where, we have to prioritize, but I do not intend to discuss about priorities.'

M: 'Where else are these crosswords applicable?'
U: 'There are few other attributes which have the basis of a crossword, such as
Our DNA: There are innumerable researches working in this direction, in order to understand the importance of our DNA, though there is a general understanding, but to get a more in depth understanding, we try to make use of all the clues available.
Our character: All of us are unique in our own way, and in order to get a good understanding of an individual, once again we need to comprehend the clues we sense present in the individual.
Similarly, there are various other places where we have Crosswords ingrained.'

M: 'But we have heard similar lines, such as our life being full of puzzles...'
U: 'I agree. Crossword is only a type of puzzle and hence the same holds good. Life is a big puzzle, and those who take pains in solving it are the ones who taste sweetness at the end of their journey (even though if they haven't solved the whole thing).'

As I came back near my house, I finally said:
M: 'This has been a nice talk with you and I have learnt a lot'
While saying this I turned towards him only to find that he wasn't there...

Knowledge- The Limiting Factor?

Here I start with a very small anecdote about my friend, his name was Knowledge. All respected him because of his easy grasp of all information. All seemed fine with him until one day he came to know that people behind his back were all calling him by different names (barring me), as days passed by he became aware of all the names he was called by:

Kooky
Nerdy
Oddball
Wobbly
Lackadaisical
Empirical
Deranged
Gauche
Egregious

These names were invented to explain his actions with some finding him isolated, boring, crazy at times, careless and shy. Till now he had always been aware of what only he thought of himself, but now hearing what others think of him, he was worried.

We have so often heard that Knowledge is perhaps the most important thing to all of us. There are infinite places that you will find having written about the importance. I am not going to contradict that ever, but is it all green grass on this side of the fence? Does knowledge have some limitations? Yes, I do feel it has.
You might have seen during your younger age, cartoons which showed that, the lack of knowledge of gravity, allowed one to walk high in the air with no physical support, which is actually not possible, but still, in a similar fashion knowledge does draw some unexpected boundaries...

Am I going to put knowledge in new light? No!

Knowledge can sometimes be inconvenient. For example: In my country, it has been common to eat fast/ junk food sold near the road-side for at least many decades, but of recent this has been reducing. Partly it's because people have come to know that these foods are unhealthy in various ways. This has caused people who used to eat the same food near the same road side shop/ cart to stop eating that anymore, or even if they eat their stomach's have become more sensitive to these foods due to these occasions becoming rare occurrences.

Knowledge leads to a confused state of mind as we are spoiled for choices. These days, there are innumerable sources for gaining additional knowledge, but many end up being contradicting. This does not mean that knowledge should be put away by all. It only becomes the job of the receiver to sieve through them (the choices) and decide which path to follow. For example, some say dieting helps in reducing weight but others say it does not. At the end, this has been argued about a lot, but at the end it is hard to argue the basic fact that exercise can healthily bring down one's weight or at least keep it constant.

For those of you reading this article too, some might find it in contradiction to what they believe in, but in places like this it becomes important to know that though there are many ways to interpret information, there are only some ways which actually give out the intended meaning. In this case, I am not castigating knowledge, but just approaching it from a slightly different viewpoint.

As can be seen here, knowledge can become a limiting factor unless properly chosen, used and interpreted. This knowledge molds all of us into what we are, and hence knowledge becomes all the more important and is the deciding factor making each of us unique in what we are. This topic though hasn't been given its due as it will require pages upon pages to describe its true effect but I hope I have done justice with this minimal space that I have used.

3 wise men

This story is set in the old world. 3 men were travelling on horses, armed with swords, knives and bows and arrows, in search of (in this case) someone. There was something unique about the three; one was deaf, second was blind and the last was dumb. The weather was at its gruesome worst, with the lands all around snowed in, hence making it difficult to see. As they pass a few dead trees, the one last, hears the twang of a bow, and immediately takes avoidance action, hence saving himself. All 3 of them then set in the direction of the attack in search of the elusive foe. Due to the poor conditions, they were still in search a few hours later. Hungry and tired, they finally reach a log cabin and see some smoke coming out of the chimney.

Though it is dark inside (with just a same light source, probably a candle), they are comforted by the sight. They knock on the door, only to find an old woman being the lone resident of that cabin. The warm hospitality of the old woman leads them to lower their defenses as they enjoy a good meal and get ready to take rest. The old lady is bemused as all but one of them had not spoken a word yet. When she does ask one of them, if they are ready to sleep, she doesn’t receive a prompt response, except for a curt nod from the same man, giving her the feeling that the other 2 do not have their listening and talking senses. Seeing that they are making themselves comfortable, she assumes that they are all along the same thought pattern. After they seemingly go to sleep, she waits an extra precautionary 10 minutes before advancing to the back door and opening it. Standing in the cold outside, is none other than her son, and the same man whom the 3 were in search of. Ready with an axe, he advances to the man who supposedly had spoken and heard (pointed out by the mother), considering him to be the greatest threat. All lights are off as he raises and brings down the axe only to hit a pile of pillows. From the darkness, the twang of a bow is heard and then he falls down dead.

This story is an analogy. The 3 men depict 3 wise men that are in search of knowledge. Knowledge is not always the easiest thing to find. Many times there are obstacles to obtaining that knowledge, in this case the old lady. Sometimes, it is even tempting to forego the search, as is indicated with the comfortable ambience. At the end though, we need to learn to master the knowledge, not make knowledge the master of us, as happens at the end.
They might be the first, but not certainly the last (as seen in image)...




claim token CM5DR6UYPPGX 

Retrospection

There is a thought that comes naturally

And that’s to worry, worry and worry

 

Slouching in the past

Flitting through the present

For the brain is in a muddle

Sluggish to all life’s riddles

 

No more is the present a gift

Cause your mind's quite adrift

Busy creating a rift so wide

Forcing all relations to collide.

 

Then why we move to something so polluted

when it causes all sensibilities to become diluted?

Perhaps intoxication in that fabled drink

Causes self-pity to remain distinct

 

Learn from previous events they say

But with thoughts so bogged, we can only pray

For until will power is regained

We will never learn to live again.

 

The easiest thing at any moment

Is to consider the past and only lament

But the best solution is to be adamant

And wear your present as your favored garment

Change Hypocrisy

The questions I aim to put out are something along these lines

•           Are changes from generation to generation destined to happen at this rate?
•           But is the body able to cope with these changes?
•           What is happening to our culture then?
•           Does common sense always prevail these days?
•           Has the virus infected only select individuals?

Have you ever felt that you are increasingly being surrounded by Hypocrites? Perhaps you too are one. Don’t be alarmed cause you aren’t alone, this is the mania gripping all of us. As many of us say- “Easier said than done”.

The most recent example can be when people were baying like hounds when the anti-corruption movement came up. Thousands joined in but how many of them can actually say that they are corruption free. “Ok”, it is nearly impossible to be corrupt free these days because one is forced at some point to not toe the line when they have something to be done (considering all the corruption all over) , but still, how clean those people thronging the protests were themselves? The media too keep bawling about corruption, but it doesn’t mean that they are free of it themselves. We are asking for change without realizing that change needs to come from within first, this is where hypocrisy creeps in.

Forget about these major changes; let us think about those small changes occurring among us from generation to generation. People are becoming a lot more modern, but at what cost? Is the body able to cope to these changes? In general, the answer is a simple “No”. You might wonder “what is this guy talking about?” I am talking about small changes in lifestyles that are happening gradually but perhaps more so over the last one or 2 decades. This is leading to increased amount of stress levels, which is leading to lot more suicides and killings too. People have become very jumpy, and the phrase “on your toes” comes to my mind, but sadly that too has its limits after which we lose balance.

In this manic society, even culture is being sacrificed and lot of common sense too. No one is saying “no”; to adopting western ideas… but to what extent do we adopt them? Let me give you the latest example- Recently after a particular film was released, there was a hue and cry for adopting “Tomatina” festival into our lives, which was ridiculous considering the spiraling prices due to food shortage, increased consumption, etc over here. Luckily people with common sense in that respect decided to quash any such ideas. Our basic inner core varies for people from region to region, and our tendency is astonishingly begun to take in things from other cultures but only keeping the wrong things of our culture in mind. Hence the discrepancy in the so called clones.

Now I too am babbling about things outside my control, but I do realize with change within myself, things will get better. It doesn’t mean that we need to stop our demands, but we need to demand things of which we know we are clear and aware of.

Most of this writing might seem pertinent only to a particular region, but actually it is true all over the world with only the situations and events changing.

Crazed Stranger

We have all heard of small towns having a man commonly termed as a Town drunk (or village drunk in case of a village). Have people ever tried to get into those persons (or similar people) lives and find out what is it that makes them tick the way they do? I have… Just once… After that I decided not to try it again.

I come from a little known town so I wouldn’t want to delve into names. There was one such man abhorred and shunned by all. No one seemed to know who he was, or perhaps no one cared to know.  Most people would look with fear at him, children were pulled away from him whenever they moved close to him, and ladies passed him with fear stricken glances. Very rarely though did he approach people himself, many times he was heard screaming loudly in a voice even he might fail to recognize as his own (due to the lack of use of his voice box).

 I was a curious youngster and whenever I saw him I would pester anyone near to tell me as to whom he was. I would usually get one of 2 responses – either they don’t know or some said that he was thrown out of his house due to his raged drunkenness.

There was a time in my life when I was going through a rough phase, and found a lot of solace in his company as he would generally be quiet when someone around him (irrespective of the contrary accusations). Gradually, I found him as good company and felt an invisible connection form between us two. I used to get some things to eat. After some more time, I began to leave a bit for him on the ground near him before walking off, not looking back as to what he was doing, but was happy to see it gone the next day I would pass by him on my way to work. Finally, one day I drew some courage and asked him about his past life. Not expecting a reply, I wasn’t disappointed in anyway when I didn’t get one. Seeing that he remained a silent spectator, in the coming days I began to pour out my own problems to him, and it gave me a soothing feeling being with one who was ready to listen without saying a word of neither admonition nor argument.

Things went on like this for some time, and then as things got better I became more engrossed in my own personal and professional life and hence didn’t have much time for him. After 2 weeks of not having met him, I made up my mind to go and check as to how he is. I was shocked to see him sprawled on the pavement with a high fever. I immediately got him admitted into the hospital, but it was too late… He soon passed away after telling me the first two coherent lines I had ever heard from him. The doctor did give me a small pad, telling it had been written by that man for me. I was very surprised as I didn’t know that he would be able to write, and curious too as to what he would have written for me.

In it I read things which I will be briefing to you now. He had noticed me for quite a few days and had begun to write this quite early. He had been an educated man with a decent family background from a village about 120kms away. He was a hardworking person and hence had earned quite well. With many in his village and many relatives too being poor, he put in lot of time and money in their lives, caring for them as his own. Sadly for him, he began to realize that there was no return in that love and no appreciation from all those people that he cared so much for. Things started getting worse and worse, and he began to feel depressed. His 2 sons got married and they went away to nearby cities. His crops began to fail and hence he became poor. After a few years his wife passed, leaving him alone. His fellow villagers had no pity on him (despite the help that they had received earlier), and left him as he was, even his sons ignored him as they felt that they had been ignored (but they had been well taken care of with them getting whatever they had wanted) by the father due to his constant thought of others too. Forced to sell his house and farm, he was left with nothing and nowhere to go.

Finally, he trudged all the way to this town 20 years back in shame along with the hope of something better happening. Being hungry and weak, he arrived in the village poor, unshaven and weak to the bones. Hence, right from then on, he was ignored and shunned. With no money for medication and food, his suffering did not ease, with only some people giving left over drinks and food for him to take, hence leaving him if at all drunk. He was forced to scrape for food leftovers from garbage bins.  This continued for long until he met me, and after I was giving food, he began to feel strong.

That’s all was written in the pad of his, but the rest anyone can surmise. Have you wondered what he told me on his death bed was. It was just 2simple lines -

“I am neither a bad nor a mad man …,

I liked people a lot once but got no return”