The Hundredth Hundred.

What a Relief!!!

 

As a citizen of a nation obsessed with Cricket, I too had great love for the game. I can't recall exactly when I started loving the game, but often spent days in front of the idiot box at home, ears glued to my small radio at the backbench in college, begging to the hostel warden to let us watch the world cup match between Sri Lanka and India (it ended rather disastrously, leaving many of us in tears) and many more... Though India had always been my favorite, and will continue to be so, I've always enjoyed other matches too... When South Africa chased down the highest score, I had cheered as if I was a South African!

Today, as India suffered a loss, despite Tendulkar finally achieving his 100th century, I feel that Indian Cricket is the loser. I have nothing against Tendulkar, and though I don't consider him as the God of Cricket, I had high regard for him as a player. But, I think slowly he is falling off the high pedestal on which he is placed. His passion for the game is never questioned. The fact that his presence and contribution to world cricket is enormous, is also undoubted. Still, I refuse to hail this 100th century.

If I am not entirely mistaken, he had stated that the only thing that was missing from his career, and which he badly wanted, was the World Cup. When he got it the last year, he should have gracefully left the stage. He lingered on and the hype for the 100th 100 got too much that, he himself admitted the pressure was too much on him. And finally, when it came today, as an Indian Cricket fan, I am not at all happy. A Tendulkar fan would be happy, but not me!

Now if he retires after the series, many would say that he had also been waiting for this milestone; so selfish of him! If he doesn't, many would again ask what more does he need to achieve!!! Tendulkar has placed himself in a rather uncomfortable zone... and might (I hope not) end up being portrayed as someone who is concerned about his records only. All his good deeds of the past would be forgotten and he would be disgraced (believe me, we are capable of that - it takes the fans no time to put anyone on a high pedestal and then pull them off it!!!)

The ability to call quits when one is at top is not an easy thing! The desire and belief that one can do better will naturally be strong, when one is at top. But it is better to call it a day with one's head held high than being forced to come to that decision. May be Tendulkar should take a leaf out of Dravid's example and spare us the trouble. I am no one to tell that but, personally, if he had retired when he had scored 99 centuries, the regard I had for him would have been a bit more high. If anything, this insipid century has deepened my feeling that he should quit ASAP. 

Let me end by saying that once upon a time, I too was awe-struck with his brilliance and couldn't have enough of his batting... Not anymore! Still, Thanks for all the wonderful times that you gave a cricket fan like me. And though would be difficult for him to think of a life without wearing the Indian Jersey, I hope that he call it a day - sooner than later!

PS: Special Congratulations to the Bengladeshi Team for showing that even mortals can win over Gods, if they are determined enough!!!

तेरे लिए / നിനക്കായ്

तेरे फरमान के लिए तरस्ते रहे

पर तेरी खबर तक न आये..

तेरे यादों के ग़म हमें सताने लगे

तो रातों के तन्हाई मैं हम रोते रहे

सुबहों की रौशनी ने जैसे

आँखों को जलाकर रख दिए...

दिल के दीवारों पर बेचैनी की

मकड़ियों ने जाल बुनने लगी;

बेबसी के पंखों पर सवार

हम उलझ गए बार बार..

तन्हाई की खामोशी मेरे 

कानों में हाहाकार कर गूंजे ...

जब अनदेखा अनसुना सा यह पीड़ा

दुनिया के मेहफिल में बेसहारा छोड़ा

अब हिम्मत जुटाके हम खड़े हैं ,

उम्मीद बस तुम्हारे आने की हैं...

 

നിനക്കായ് 

നിന്റെ കുറിമാനത്തിനായ് കാത്തിരിപ്പൂ ഞാനെങ്കിലും

നിന്‍ ചെറു സന്ദേശം പോലുമെന്നെത്തേടി  വന്നതില്ല!

രാവിന്നേകാന്തതയില്‍ നിന്നോര്‍മ്മകളെന്നെ വലച്ച-

നേരം, ആരും കാണാതൊന്നു പൊട്ടിക്കരഞ്ഞു പോയ്‌!

പ്രഭാതത്തിന്‍ വെട്ടമെന്‍ കണ്‍കളെയെല്ലാം 

ചുട്ടു കരിച്ചീടുന്നതെന്തിനിപ്പോള്‍ എന്നറിയില്ല...

മനസ്സിന്‍ മച്ചകത്തില്‍ എട്ടുകാലികളാമെന്‍ 

അസ്വസ്ഥതകള്‍ മാറാലകള്‍ കെട്ടി നിറച്ചീടവേ

നിസ്സഹായത തന്‍ ചിറകിലേറി ഞാന്‍

അലഞ്ഞു തിരിഞ്ഞു വലഞ്ഞുഴറിപ്പോയ് ;

ഏകാന്തത തന്‍ നിശബ്ദതയെന്നുള്ളില്‍   

ഒരു കാഹള സ്വരമായ് കാതില്‍ പതിയ്ക്കവേ...

ഇതുവരെയറിയാത്തൊരു നോവിന്‍ അലയടി-

കളെന്നെ നിരാലംബയാക്കി മാറ്റിയതെന്തേ???

ധൈര്യമല്പ്പം സംഭരിച്ചു ഞാനിവിടെ നില്‍ക്കുവാന്‍ 

ശ്രമിയ്ക്കട്ടെ, നിന്‍  കാലടിയൊച്ച കേള്‍ക്കുവാന്‍ മാത്രം!

Again, I have tried to translate the essence of the poem into Malayalam... especially for my friends who are not comfortable with Hindi.

Love!!!

As I awoke into Bliss,

A smile stayed on my lips,

My heart missed some beats-

Ever Happy to be his...

Where true love blossoms,

You and Me became US...

The world changes its ways

To encompass all in its realms...

Love has bestowed wings

To fly high in the skies...

Lighter, I float, as a feather

Along the blue clouds yonder...

Love stays on forever -

Renders us stronger...

Completing each other,

Never does it disappear!!!

Image Courtesy: Google Images

गुज़रे कल

जो खो गए उस के ग़म में

जो रह गए उसे भूली मैं;

एक दर्दभरी याद को सीने लगाकर

हँसी को मिटादी अपने होंटों पर ।

आँखों से जो आँसू टपक पड़ी

तो खुशियों को भी मैंने मोड़ी

गुज़रे हुए कल की यादें हैं दर्द भरी

उस में उलझी, आज को जीना भूल गयी!!!

one of my friends who is not fluent  in Hindi wanted me to translate the poem in Malayalam... though a word by word translation is not possible, I've tried to capture the gist of it...

കഴിഞ്ഞ കാലം... 

നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടതിന്റെ  ദു:ഖവും പേറി ഞാനെ-

ന്നരികിലുള്ളതിനെ മറന്നു പോയ്‌ ...

ശോകത്തിന്നലകള്‍ ഹൃദയത്തിലേറ്റി,

യെന്‍ ചുണ്ടില്‍ നിന്നും പുഞ്ചിരി മായ്ച്ചു...

കണ്ണുനീര്‍ത്തുള്ളികള്‍ പൊഴിഞ്ഞു വീഴവെ

ഞാനാനന്ദത്തിന്നു നേരെ മുഖം തിരിച്ചു...

കഴിഞ്ഞകാലത്തിന്‍ വ്യഥകളിലുഴറി-

യിന്നില്‍ ജീവിക്കാന്‍ ഞാന്‍ മറന്നേ പോയ്‌!!!

    

The Lost World

 

It must have been around 2 O' clock in the noon... All the people around me were enjoying their mid noon siesta... I was waiting with baited breath among the foliage... Soon, I could hear the voices...and the stealthy footsteps coming closer. I remain hidden behind my favourite mango tree. My heart was thumping... What would happen? Will the plan backfire? Will someone find fault with me? A thousand questions seem to crop up in my mind in a matter of seconds... With the heart beats sounding like drum beats, I waited for the right moment. As soon as the stealthy steps sounded near enough, I darted out from behind the tree and shouted at the top of my voice (believe me, I can be heard by the whole village when I shout!) "Who goes there?'' 

The shock and terror on the face of my unsuspected victims were inexplicable. They screamed to each other 'Rrruuunn...' and scampered here and there. Soon, most of them were not to be seen, except a small boy, who wasn't fast enough to escape my grasp... He looked baffled and ready to break down. Looking around for help from his partners in crime, he found himself all alone with me. I was happy that my plan worked out and soon began questioning the boy, who began to answer me, even before I finished my questions.

As I had suspected, he and his friends had come to pick (and pluck) mangoes from our compound. As all were taking their afternoon naps, no one would know about their rendezvous, or so they thought. Soon, I gave him a lecture on how he should not jump over the fence and steal the mangoes, but some straight through the gate, ask permission to pick the mangoes. I assured him that if they ask, no one at my home would say no. But if they try to steal them, next time the consequences would be real bad... I send him packing... Soon I could see him beaming up to his friends (who were watching my cross-examination of their friend from a safe distance) and showing the mangoes which I had allowed him to take with him...

Come mango season, this was a regular event at my ancestral home. The kids from the nearby school never lost an opportunity to jump the fence and to take off with the delicious mangoes. Many a times, we turned a blind eye... But sometimes, there were some mischievous fellows who throw stone at the tree and ends up breaking the roof tiles of our house or of the cattle shed. We were fed up with these and it was my plan to catch them unawares. Soon the word spread that we were permitting anyone who asks to pick mangoes  from our compound, the few condition were that they should ask one of us in the family for permission and that they should not throw stones on the tree. They could pick all the mangoes that fell from the tree, but felling them by throwing stones was absolute no- no. And peace prevailed...

I've spend many a summer lying at the shade of the mango tree (the one named 'Chakiriyen', my favorite) with nature as my soul mate. I often talked to the tree and each time I felt like eating a mango, it would drop one or two on the ground. I never bothered to wash it or cut it... All I had to do was to rub the end of the stem on a stone to get rid of it and lo! the fruit was ready to be eaten... Such delicious, fibrous, sweet ripe mangoes that even today when I think of it, my mouth starts watering! 

As the world around me was napping, I spent the hot summers under the canopy of the grandfather tree, sometimes writing my stupid thoughts in my diary or scribbling something in the name of a poem, or even trying to sketch the nature around me. I talked nonstop to the trees and plants; the birds often fell silent to listen to my ranting... the butterflies danced around me and teased me that I can never catch them. The squirrels sometimes tried to steal my mangoes from me and scampered hither-thither on my slightest movements...As I lay on my bed of dry leaves, the ants and mosquitoes made merry...

The family pond was another favorite hiding place of mine... Many happy days were spent on the steps of the pond watching the kingfishers in action. The frogs, tortoise and the fish were skeptical at first, but soon discovered that I meant no harm... Many birds like the Golden Oriole, Black Drango, Cuckoo, Owl, Seven sisters, Myna, Tree-pie, Common Coucal, Parrots, Crane and Magpie Robin came there to quench their thirst. I became an avid birdwatcher soon... 

Other times saw me wandering through the bushes and wild growths that surrounded the home (It was often called a mini-jungle). As the rains poured in, I smelled the unique fragrance of the earth and watched the muddy water gushing through the grounds like a river breaching its banks. I loved splashing in the muddy water and was chided many times for playing in them... As the drizzle turned into torrential, I used to go out in the open to feel the raindrops... as the cool drops hit the body, the mind danced of joy and a wonderful feeling of peace encompassed me... Oh! How I miss those good old days!!!

Evenings invariably saw me catapulting into the cool waters of the pond, and many a hours were spent swimming, diving and splashing in the pool often causing the inhabitants of the pond a headache (if they can have headaches..) 

As night sets in, certain calmness also sets in... Lying in the quadrangle of the house I had gazed at the stars, and often got lost in their twinkling beauty... On moonlit nights, the moon charmed me to no end... As the night progressed, I sat at my window and got lost in the sheer beauty and calmness of the night. An occasional hoot of an owl or song of a nightingale reminded me that I was not alone. If I was too depressed, even the crickets tried their best to give me company and cheer me up...

It was often the song of my favorite Robin that woke me up in the mornings... Soon, I could hear a hundred different chirps and songs. The sun was slowly coming up in the horizon and the dew drops glittered on the colorful flowers like diamonds!!! The peace and tranquility of the mornings are best enjoyed in the company of nature..... Soon, I found myself on the steps of the pond, gazing into the waters and lost in my own world with only nature as my company, until someone came in search of me and took me back to the daily routines.

And I awaited for noon to start all over again...to spend my time with nature (after getting rid of the kids in search of mangoes), on the lap of mother earth, in my own world with only birds, butterflies, squirrels and my dear old Chakiriyen for company!

 PS: This is an entry for the Kissan 100%  Real Blogger Contest, a contest by Indiblogger.

Century!!!

Well, the title was reserved for a blog to be written when Tendulkar hit his hundredth ton... Seems that we will have to wait a little more for that. In the mean while, I reached this personal milestone of 100th entry in my Blog! Even though its not a historical or hyped event, but just a humble achievement of a rather unknown and uninspiring blogger, personally, it is a great achievement for me. What started as a time-pass has now become a passion. 

So, allow me to celebrate this small event. It is only proper that I express my gratitude to some important people who have helped me to reach this far.... I started out with no idea of what blogging is or how it is done. I was inspired by my friend Ranjith Menon to start a blog, way back in 2009 (I think). It was created and soon forgotten... Then for two years it lay dormant... I don't know what hit me, but in 2011 I started blogging like a man possessed ... and the result is that I am here at my 100th post today.

I learned a lot, earned a lot of friends, read a lot and more than anything else, enjoyed every moment of it. In the beginning, I was too timid and unsure, but gradually I got into the groove... I remember the times when I was disappointed to see that not even a single person has read my blog. I also remember how thrilled I was when Ashish, Dilip and Nithin became the first few to be my blog's followers (I love calling them my motivators). Thank you fellows, for providing the much needed motivation!!! And each comments that I received were like raindrops on a parched land...they helped me to go on...

I owe much to Roopa Karumarappatta for the way she has supported me and guided me... My efforts would have been really poor, had she not taught me few tricks of the trade and introduced me to hitherto unheard of avenues (believe me, I knew nothing on blogging then). So here's a big THANKS to you Roopa...

Over the time, many fellow bloggers have helped me to go on... Deepak Karthik always made it a point to leave some comment for me. Indiblogger has given me friends like Saru Singhal, Magiceye (Deepak), Rohit Singh, Rahul Bhatia, Megha Sarin, Arti, Engram, Indu Chibber, Alka, Rajkumar, Sangeeta Reghu, Rakesh Kumar, Hariharan Valady, Deepa Gopal and Dee who have always supported me. Priya Nambudiri, and of late, GK Sir have also provided me with a lot of encouragement through their words. Leo Paw is another friend who have always been a motivator with his insightful comments... I feel a bit strange that I don't even know his real name...Thank you all!!!

Ajoy Sir is an inspiring and exemplary figure for me ever since I've known him. Hence each opinion of his has been a value addition for me... My gratitude to him is boundless. Malini and Rajesh have been the greatest support back home, not only as elders, but also as fellow bloggers... A BIG Thank You! to you both.. Mohanan Moothringode is another person who has chipped in with his inspiring comments from time to time. Thank you Mohanetta!

I know that there are many others who read my blog, but have never commented on it. My gratitude goes to them as well! Just the knowledge that you are reading my blog is a motivation for me! Thank you folks!!! And to others, who have never ever read me, I hope that one day I'll be able to reach you and that you'll like what you see here on my blog...

I still don't know the secret of earning 100s of followers. Nor have I understood how people could wave magic with their words to make hundreds of people tell them what they felt on reading the post. Me, I am happy that I could at least achieve what I have achieved till now...and looking forward to many more hours of happy blogging!!!

A very special THANKS to my small band of 'motivators' for being there for me... You've all brought me great joy!!! Once again, Thank You to one and all!!! (Just in case I missed mentioning someone)

Lastly, Thanks to Google Family (Blogger, Google, Google Images) and www.freedigitalphotos.net for providing me with the tools for making my blog more interesting!!!