परवा दादर स्टेशनवर...

परवा दादर स्टेशनवर एक मित्र दिसला
मला तो खुप खचलेला वाटला, विचारपूस केल्यावर
लखलखत्या दिव्यांसमोरही अचानक अंधार पसरला

तो म्हणाला, परवा महालक्ष्मीला चाललो होतो
बायकोला पोरासोबत लेडीज मध्ये चढवून
स्वतः जेन्ट्स मध्ये चढलो

अचानक मोठा स्फोट झाला
हसता खेळता माझा मुलगा
काळ्या धुराआड लपला,
मी आणि बायकोने त्याचा शोध घेतला
लाल चिखलातुन त्याला अक्षरशः खेचून काढला
जरा थकलेला दिसला म्हणून
बायकोच्या कुशीत विसावला
सुजलेले डोळे किलकिले करुन मला व बायकोला म्हणाला
देवबापाने माझी आठवण काढली आहे,
बाबा मी पुढे जातो पण तुमची आठवण खूप येणार
रात्री झोपताना मला गोष्ट कोण सांगणार?

शांतपणे डोळे मिटलेल्या माझ्या मुलाकडे बघून
स्टेशनचा खांबन् खांब द्रवला
भूकंपाने धरणी काय हादरेल असा स्टेशनचा वासान् वासा कापला

पोराने पदर घट्ट धरला म्हणून
तीही सोबत गेली... दोष नसताना दु:खाचा डोंगर हाताने उकरतो आहे
त्यांचा स्म्रुतीसागरातील एकेक शिंपला भरल्या डोळ्यांनी जपतो आहे...

अचानक मित्र समोरच्या गर्दीत नाहीसा झाला
तोबा गर्दीतही तो पूर्णपणे एकाकी वाटला....

- सौजन्यः गिरिश सोनार व अर्जुन देशपांडे

Franchois Gautier says "Arise Again, O India!"

Not very often we come across a good forwarded email. But today I got an email message containing an article titled "Where is Shivaji of Modern India?". The article is thought provoking and the subject struck cords with my interest which is History of India. Although the article discusses the terrorism faced by India it has got many indirect relevance to the history of India, the history that is taught and the history that is being studied and revealed by some European authors.

I had attended a lecture by French atuthor Michel Danino at IIT Madras three years back. There he explained how the theory of Aryan Invasion is imposed on India and how the theory is wrong. He has authored a book also "The Invasion That Never Was" on this subject. His lecture at IIT Madras on Sindhu-Saraswati valley civilization was an eye-opener where he not only claimed but supported his claims with archaeological evidences.

Now this time the article mentioned earlier is written by another French author Franchois Gautier. Out of curiosity I visited his official website and came to know his authority on the subject. I was simply amused by his study and his revealations. His website hosts many of his articles and books which are written in English and one can download any of them in .rtf and .doc format. I have just started reading his books "Arise Again, O India!" and "Rewriting Indian History".

A few snaps taken at Vedanthangal

These snaps are taken on June 12, 2005.

The Fish and the Chick

Thirukalukundram is also known as Pakshi Teertha.




The purpose of posting these photographs is to bring to everybody's notice that even the holy places like Pakshi Teertha are not spared by the pollution of ponds that is posing danger to the natural habitat. Dead fish is the result of the pollution. The sache of shampoo is an evidence (one among many) of carelessness shown by people that leads to deterioration of water quality leading to death of the aqatic vertaebrates.

My Machismo reaches Khar-dung-la

Just thought of sharing my joy with you.

On 1st July, my Machismo successfully rode past Khardung La, the highest motorable road in the world, as a part of an expedition named 'Himalayan Odyssey' that is organised by REL every year. As I have written in one of the postings, my friend Vijay is participating this ralley riding my bike.

This was the best present I could get on my birthday!

ओम् भूर्भुवः स्वः तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम्
भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि धीयो योनः प्रचोदयात्
(गायत्री मंत्र)
May there be peace on mortal, immortal and divine planes. I meditated upon the most brilliant splendor of the Sun God. May he stimulate our intellect (so that we are inspired to take the right action at the right time).



वक्रतुंड महाकाय, सुर्यकोटि समप्रभः
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्व कार्येषु सर्वदा