Why we need mentors

A mentor is a friend, philosopher and guide,

Who's always by your side;

Whatever secrets you have, do not hide;

Keep your eyes open wide,  

So that no one can take you for a ride!

A commuter's tale (Central line)

 It's a Herculean task to board trains from farflung areas like Kasara and Karjat ,

To reach their workplaces on time everyday, commuters are stuck in a rut,

The two slow branch lines  meet at Kalyan ,

Thereafter the trains are fast, but it's not easy to get in, even for Shaktimaan!

There's only a halt at Dombivali in between, 

No one is spared in the dense crush load, not even a teen,

The Parsik tunnel is crossed-it's so dark that nothing can be seen! 

Bypassing Kalva and Mumbra, people who push others are so mean,

That you would not be so keen,

To board or alight at Thane;

Where many commuters fight to get out with those who wish to get in-this happens everyday.

It's worsened by the influx at Mulund, what else can we say? Ignoring Nahur and the unruly beasts who enter at Bhandup, 

You feel you've landed in a soup;

Zipping past Kanjurmarg,you can breathe a sigh before Vikhroli,

As those who wish to change to the metro at Ghatkopar , move to the door sincerely,

Students get off at Vidyavihar and scores of others gather,

To disperse at Kurla, the harbour line junction, they fight at the platforms and bridges with one another,

One is thrilled to see the train skipping Sion,

After Matunga, everyone gets ready to pounce like a lion

Towards the exit at Dadar,

Changing to the Western line, it's so crowded, who cares except your father.

Then onwards it is less crowded ,

Skipping Parel and Currey Road, now you know you're not dead;

As you approach Chinchpokhli,

You can move freely;

And then comes Byculla, an undeserving fast local halt ,

Not for any man worth his salt;

The harbour line joins again at Sandhurst Road;

And at Masjid there is less load,

As you finally chug into Victoria Terminus,

You travel like this everyday, but don't create  a fuss!

An unforgettable journey

I have fond memories of train journeys from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s. In May 2004, my mom and I were travelling from Ahmedabad to Bangalore. Our fellow passengers were a couple and their kid(7-8 years old). He was very naughty. I interacted with him and got to know he was a Shaktimaan fan (just like me). So he pestered me to sing the title track now and then.

I remember singing 'Shaktimaan...Shaktimaan', while the train crossed Vadodara, Surat and Valsad. He tried singing but couldn't get the lyrics. After that it was time to have dinner and go to bed. 

The 'jamming/jugalbandi' session started again the next morning, once the train crossed Satara. He woke me up 'Bhaiya utho, Shaktimaan ka gaana please!' ('Brother, wake up, please sing the title track of Shaktimaan'). I did not want to sing but he threw tantrums. 

He had a toy mobile phone playing an off-key version of 'Chaiyya Chaiyya' from Dil Se! His parents said that he was bored. So the session continued till the train reached Sangli (their destination). Once they alighted at Sangli, my mom breathed a sigh of relief! 

That brat's name was 'Kovid' and I called him 'Kovid Shaktimaan'. Little did I know that 16 years later, both ' Kovid' (or rather COVID!) and Shaktimaan would be back!

P.S. Shaktimaan was back on Doordarshan, once the nation-wide lockdown was imposed because of the COVID pandemic.

Introspection: One's inner drive

सोनचिड़िया की उड़ने की क्या मकसद?
केदारनाथ की यात्रा या काशी में जन्नत?

तुझसे है राब्ता, ये क्या जाने छिछोरे ?

मेरा दिल बेचारा हो गया, 

शुद्ध देसी रोमांस के बारे में सोचते सोचते!

(Sonchiriya ki udne ki kya maksad?
Kedarnath ki yatra ya Kashi mein jannat?

Tujhse hai raabta, yeh kya jaane Chhichhore?
Mera dil bechara ho gaya,
Shuddh desi romance ke baarey mein sochte sochte!)

An outsider's struggle

We realize the importance of something on losing it,
So why should it be the same for a gem of a person, when he was fit?
Being physically fit doesn't always mean being fine,
'I'm fine' is the world's biggest lie!
It was all in the mind,
Neither yours nor mine.

Why did he die?
Unlike cats, he didn't have lives which were nine.
It was a wake-up call for all but his contemporaries who didn't give him his share of pie,
No recognition in this big bad world and insiders who didn't care, this is what we hear through the grapevine.

Justice delayed is justice denied, for such an innocent guy,
Unlike materials, emotions we cannot buy.
Action is necessary, as the culprits shed crocodile tears,
The biggest challenge is to face our fears.

What can we say in these tough times,
A tiny organism can claim many lives!
But not in his case;
A big devil is depression, which doesn't show its face.