Misophonia

Melodic music and soft sounds,

gentle voice and calming silence,

how we love a moment of peace,

in the world of cacophony. 

Even in the things we hear,

there are ones we desire to listen,

then are the triggering noises,

which generate repulsive emotions. 

There are many of us suffering,

with this annoying condition,

where the noises that are irritant,

feels intense, exhausting to our ears. 

Like an intense spine-shuddering feeling,

when someone scrape nails down a chalkboard,

or feeling trapped and helpless in places,

with exposures to loud chewing, slurping noises. 

Even heavy breathing is distressing,

frustration of hearing snoring is unspeakable,

this negative feeling occupies our mind,

forcing us to escape the situation. 

And we wonder, Is this a disease,

for our response is in excess,

this feeling of guilt and shame,

prevent us from having many interactions. 

Worry not, it's not an individual experience, 

many of us are in similar stage,

still we find ways, try to adjust,

with a relief...that we are not alone.

Our evolution

How did we arrived...

to be where we are now,

what path we had taken,

when faced with problems,

Who are we? 

An intelligent species, 

have the knowledge to succeed, 

with an insatiable hunger,

to possess, take a lead.

Sharing of the informations,

creating communities and a nation, 

working for constant growth, 

and establishment of supremacy. 

The advancement of civilization, 

from gatherers and cultivators,

is far ahead of the cave people,

that arrived from the African jungles.

May be there were multiple migrations,

from Homo habilis, erectus and even sapiens,

giving rise to subspecies and racial features,

like the extint Neatherthals and Denisovans. 

But millions of year ago,

we had common ancestors,

even more back in time,

we shared ancestry with primates.

The primates were the mammals,

that could only flourish underground,

for, the reptiles and dinosaurs,

were anhilated into extinction. 

Reptiles too took their time,

after coming out of water,

as fishes, amphibians predominant,

with land not having lifeform.

For, life had only prospered earlier,

in the womb of our oceans,

the sponges, trilobites and cephalopods,

it's Paleolithic earth after Cambrian explosion. 

Yet, it could have only been possible,

some billion of years ago,

from the collisions and exposures,

with comets and space asteroids.

It brought the necessary ingredients, 

becoming the building block of cells,

then the miracle of photosynthesis, 

expands the biological food chain. 

From being the elements of universe,

and the molecules within the cells,

indeed we have come a long way,

as a children of the evolution. 

Still I wonder about the direction,

that this road would lead,

what does the future holds,

in the next step of our transformation. 

Multitaskers

They are the multitaskers, 

and proud to be one too,

be it work, read or play,

they manage effortlessly every time.

With a smug face,

use both of their hands

with their eyes and ears,

keep shifting the focus. 

It's an achievement, 

to carry out different tasks,

planning their time management, 

adding into list of completions.

But will they remember?

Exhibit the skills on demand,

if ever the need arises,

for having their utilization.

The illusion of multitask

that are available on demand,

make us lose sight,

with our short attention span.

Being floating on the surface,

never reach the real depth,

become the jack of all trade...

While being master of none.

The forgotten alley

There lies a shabby alley,

at the outskirts of the city,

where no one normally ventures,

a reminder of forgotten history. 

The pavement of cobblestones, 

with brick wall on either sides,

though abandoned, have signs of life,

weeds, climbers, and undergrowth. 

And I visit, once in a while,

an escape from my busy life,

to have moment of peace and quiet, 

savoring the sunset in evenings. 

The place has another secret,

ready to be unveiled in special days,

when the site becomes alive,

with the advent of darkness. 

Shadows appear on the walls,

from trees, animals and people,

that move in a rhythm side to side,

from walls to road, then opposite side. 

The movements are graceful and fluid,

be the sway of the trunks of the trees,

the capricious walks of shadowy cat,

or hop and skip of the children. 

Yet, my gaze was transfixed, 

to shadow of couple holding hands,

as they swirl and twirl around each other,

in this darkness, having a silent waltz. 

there movements have an elegance,

never touching, but never apart,

as I witness their display of love,

filled with awe, in the deserted alley. 

The shadow dance in the rhythm, 

to the music of the soft breeze,

slowly other shadows start to gather,

to cheer the  couple as an audience.

In their graceful dance, I could visualize, 

former prosperous and vibrant alley,

filled with life from diverse places,

with smiles, laughters and chatters 

They are the spirits of the night,

the guardians of this forgotten alley,

that would show me their memories,

inspiring me to have a good time.

Let the game begin

Let the game begin,

between the clashing team,

and the spectators cheering,

for their side to win. 

With planning and preparations, 

making some of the predictions,

opponents gather in the field,

for taking the initiatives. 

Pressures are felt,

it's an important event,

the mood of the nation changes,

as it is being broadcasted. 

People watched with bated breath,

as they fought for achievements,

out of two, facing each other,

only one would attain the glory. 

They had fought many battles,

with teams from around the world,

finding success, where many failed,

by infusing their blood and sweat. 

Pride collides, the valiant clashed,

the challenge was big this time,

but the favorites have their chance,

for, they have the home advantage. 

And the stadium is stuck with awe,

when final announcements were made,

the host clinched the victory,

from the jaws of defeat. 

.

..

...

Ah, my wishful thinking !!

In my silence...

In my silence... 

I spoke,

of innumerable thoughts,

left untouched,

in crevasses of heart.

Engulfing proximity, 

bringing agony,

flare-ups coming,

ready to burst. 

In those whispers,

emotions do rise,

swelling of the stream,

from the dried eyes.

Difficult to calm,

this turmoil inside,

memories come flooding,

from past untied. 

In my silence... 

I have my protest,

of unfair circumstance,

the unfulfilled desires, 

bringing disappointments. 

In the anguish,

feeling of hopelessness, 

I stopped caring, 

surrendering to my fate.

Courtesy

Being respectful and polite, 

don't harbor scorn or pride,

when interacting with fellow person,

learn to have a heart that's kind.

It's like a gentle art,

having a wonderful impact,

on the flow of conversations, 

of forming trusts, building connections. 

Not a mere pretense, 

you have to make some sense,

by displaying sincerity and care,

while being truthful and be fair. 

Lot of disagreements and discontent,

could be dispelled by this magic spell,

with the manner of your engagement,

making sure that feelings aren't hurt. 

Regardless of wealth and class,

treat equally your fellow human,

you don't need any reasons for behaviors,

it should be embedded in your very nature. 

So, let's learn the tact and chivalry, 

become decent in our diplomacy,

it's a skill signifying good upbringing, 

blessing us success in every dealing. 

© Dr. Manish Rout 

Be my lighthouse

Lost and alone,

looking for the directions,

a place of comfort,

to keep me safe in this darkness.

Towards the horizon,

I would gaze...

No end of confusion,

surrounded by the haze. 

Overshadowed by the clouds,

being dull and gloomy,

in this obscurity, 

feeling so lonely.

So, hear my call,

become my hope,

guide this ship,

through the shrouded night. 

And I would brave the storm,

swim towards your location,

when you shine your lights,

as a beacon on the shore.

Hold me in your arms,

warm me with your heart,

for, you are one and only,

my personal lighthouse.

I am... Am I?

I am,

the culmination of experiences, 

from upbringing and learnings, 

with imagination and creativity,

emotions, feelings and desires,

assimilated within this heart. 

I am,

as an individual,

being part of a family,

with its class and beliefs,

their aspirations and needs,

influencing my every action. 

I am,

what I perceive, 

through other's eyes,

their opinions and advices, 

molding into an illusionary image. 

Am I?

The person of their thinking,

with commitment and responsibilities, 

that governs the directions taken,

for the decisions to be made. 

Am I?

The one that was meant to be,

being blessed with a beginning, 

exposing these stimuli to my senses,

developing connections with the surrounding. 

Am I?

Truly answering to my consciousness, 

not swayed by the pretentiousness, 

while building these bonds over the time,

by sacrificing the freedom...of my soul.

Subh Deepawali

Deepawali, the festival of lights,

the home and streets illuminating,

with rows of earthen lamps,

the ground is decorated with rangoli. 

It's a day of celebration, 

triumph of good over evil,

seeking blessings from deity,

for the happiness of loved ones. 

Cleaning houses, clearing minds,

We prepare, welcome the divine,

through our worship and devotion,

wishing for wealth and prosperity. 

In this auspicious day, 

friends and family celebrate, 

with greeting, gifts and dishes,

that pleases heart and our belly. 

It's indeed a joyful occasion,

of meetings, and working together,

and we chat, we laugh, and play, 

even crackers, provide an adventure. 

In the boom, burst and bangs,

momentary shines and radiance, 

with the sweets and snacks,

with our family, spreading the warmth. 

May we keep this light, 

even in the darkest of times,

bringing hope, lightening up mood, 

like rows of diya, in our path. 

SUBH DEEPAWALI !

Voices of nature

Beyond,

the wailing winds,

screaming creature,

cautious wildlife,

fallen in despair...

Lies,

a beautiful balance,

of prey and predators,

fighting for survival,

and become heritable. 

But,

we brought disharmony,

for our needs and pleasures,

that brought pain and destruction,

to every existing lifeforms. 

Listen,

to the masked voices,

within the rhythm of creations, 

that captivates and attracts us,

towards the magic of the nature.

Future planet

What our future would look like,

we all have wondered sometimes,

it was one of those days, 

browsing through the net,

and I got sleepy, almost drifting away,

to a place unknown, in another dimension. 

It was a beautiful place, 

with broader, cleaner roads,

different plants, scrubs and trees,

displaying greeneries at every corners.

With an absence of people and animals,

and vehicles for the navigation,

empty were the surroundings,

except for the robotic structures. 

There were cameras everywhere, 

placing everything under surveillance, 

I was a bit scared of the scene,

as if transported to post apocalypse. 

It's just an irrational thought, I reasoned,

was supported by a voice, in unison, 

there was no one to be seen outside,

just a gentle, soft voice...inside my head.

" I welcome you, dear traveller,

hope this journey be comfortable, 

let me present you future earth,

managed by us, the overseers."

I was nonplussed, bit surprised,

but my instinct said to comply,

and I followed it's instructions,

to move around around locations. 

Swiftly many robots came,

taking me to different places,

be the residential areas for people,

professional sections of artificial workers.

The city was organized into sections,

that's strictly governed with restrictions,

yet the human societies could travel,

to different continents on occasions. 

Every location had its borders, 

with continuous monitoring by overseers,

the concept of nations had been broken,

there were no race, creed or religions.

There was a central body like UN,

managed jointly by AI and human,

everyone have certain task provided,

to contribute and prevent boredom. 

I saw many people, having fun in groups,

there were also cyborgs, working in institutes,

no school or universities, information could be transferred, 

through chip attached in head, connected to internet.

Every vehicle could fly, some antigravity mechanism,

so, interplanetary travel was common, small colonies in Mars and moon,

it was such an advanced civilization, 

made me happy for our species future. 

Yet, it became a short lived dream,

for, I asked a simple question,

to show me the oceans and mountains,

the flora and fauna of present day.

The voice sound become serious,

answered me after a long pause,

by showing me the videos of past,

a planet devastated by nuclear war.

The oceans were heated, fishes died,

rivers were poisoned, animals starved,

but the AI and scientists had prepared, 

isolated the cities, and some biosphere.

Cleaning of rivers, revitalizing mountains,

saving the forests, reclaiming farmlands,

working tirelessly, ensuring the survival,

for reconstruction and restoration of life on earth. 

I was aghast, heartbroken,

rue the stupidity of us human, 

the voice comforted, gave me hope,

I still have time, to change the road.

With that, it gave me a gentle push,

I fall back, lying on ground,

opening my eyes, I stood up,

only to be welcomed by my room.

Era of learning

In the ancient times of bygone era,

kingdoms flourished on land of Bharata,

there were many gurukuls and mahaviharas,

as schools and universities, places of learning. 

The monks, sages were so wise, 

students too eager for mental exercise, 

coming from different walk of society,

and far away from their homeland. 

To acquire the knowledge present,

written, memorized within great minds,

and find their path of enlightenment, 

by understand mysteries of the universe. 

There were no wars and conflicts,

rather debates about nature of reality,

different sects like Jain, Buddhism and Veda,

or the materialistic philosophy of Charvaka. 

How great would have been that period,

eminent thoughts clashed with their reasoning,

involving arguments and many convincing, 

in their journey of seeking truth of life. 

When genuine questions were raised, 

sincerely listening answer being responded, 

instilling curiosities in the masses,

making them mindful of their existence. 

So I wonder about that historical era,

which had positive effect on its people,

for, it was during those times,

intelligence was not considered divine... 

Neither the fear of judgements, 

nor relying on lies and foolishness, 

we could have found wisdom in everyone, 

from revered sages to the common man.

Chiranjivis - the immortal beings

Let me tell you a tale,

of Chiranjivi, an eternal being,

legends that had been passed down,

woven in stories of ancient scriptures. 

The number may varies,

some say eight, and others nine,

the one who were blessed or cursed,

to remain alive till end of yugas (era). 

Ashwatthama, Mahabali, Vyasa, Hanuman,

Vibhisana, Kripacharya, Markandeya, Parshurama,

Jamabavan, of the itihasa Ramayana,

are being proclaimed as immortal men...

And I wonder about the belief,

are they indeed real personalities,

or part of human characteristics, 

that are conveyed through stories.

Ashwatthama, the son of Drona,

the cursed being, born out of anger,

King Mahabali, ruler of asuras,

got the boon for his pious action.

Veda Vyasa, composer of Mahabharata,

represents knowledge and wisdom,

Lord Hanuman, devotee of lord Rama,

given the responsibility to look after people. 

Vibhisana, brother of king Ravana,

granted boon to guide people towards dharma,

Kripacharya, royal teacher of Kuru Dynasty 

would become the leader of rishis in kaliyuga.

Sage Markandeya, symbol of great devotion,

that lord Shiva himself protected him from Yama. ( God of death)

The avatar of Vishnu, lord Parashurama, 

given the role of martial guru to the final avatar. (Kalki)

So, let's inherit these qualities,

and avoid the negative entities,

by seeking knowledge and wisdom,

be pious, have love and devotion, 

being courageous and brave in action,

while following the path of dharma. 

Rich man and his friend

There lived a rich man who loved gold,

He adored the beauty of glorious color,

from yellow painted home or cars,

to the multiple jewelries that he wore.

He was thoughtful and cared others,

and had become an inspiration, 

for, many of his friends and families,

looked up to him with an admiration. 

He organized many parties,

fund all the expenditures,

as he had plenty for spare,

that he just loved to share.

Having friends brought him happiness, 

so, it was a small price he paid,

everyone had fun and made merry, 

while enjoying each other's company. 

But one day he was called,

by one of his close friend,

to visit their home for the dinner,

his wife had requested a get-together. 

And rich man obliged to his desire,

brought extravagant gifts as a gesture, 

driving in his most expensive car,

displaying the costliest of jewelleries. 

Rich man arrived at an abandoned lot,

that was shown as his friend's home,

but he started doubting friend's intention, 

finally asked to reveal the reason. 

Friend's wife got jealous of his riches,

desired the gold for her greed,

so, the friend hatched a plan,

to kill him and loot his possessions. 

The rich man felt sad, disappointed, 

his trust on others had been broken,

for, money do make anyone blind,

some do fall for evil kinds.

He did some quick thinking,

told his friend that he was faking,

original gold jewelries kept in his house,

so, requested him to take him home. 

His friend accepted the proposal,

blinded by greed, took him back,

he knew the rich man never lied,

and there was some guilt he felt.

Rich man went inside and locked the door 

warned his friend to never return,

if he ever showed his deceitful face,

would get locked up in prison for his heist. 

Inspired by Indian folktale Panchatantra story of " Monkey and Crocodile"