Open-minds open hearts

ఓ అరూపరూప సఖీ బండరాళ్లను సైతం కదిలించి కరిగించే నీ సొగసుతో, సౌరసౌవర్ణ  కాంతి తో తళ్ళున మెరుస్తూ, నన్ను అలరిస్తూ, కదిలిస్తూ, పట్టు చిక్కని బెట్టువై, చల్లటి నీ వొడిలో నన్ను సేద తీరుస్తూ, క్షణకాలం లో నిద్రబుచ్చుతూ, నీ నయనానంద ధార నా నొసటన చేరి నా పెదాలపైకి జారి నీ హృదయానుభూతిని నాకు తెలుపగా మరో క్షణం లో మేలుకొల్పుతూ, నీ శ్వాసను నాలో ఐక్యం చేస్తూ, నాలోన ఓ చిరుపదఝరిని కదిలించిన నీకే  ఇది అంకితం.

విరిసిన మల్లెల్లో పరిమళమై కురిసిన జల్లుల్లో ప్రతిబింబమై చిగురించిన ప్రతి మ్రొక్కలో ప్రాణమై ఆమని కోకిల వాణివై నా ఉశ్వాసవై, నిశ్శ్వాసవై, ఆశవై, కాంక్షవై, హృదయమై, హృదయభావనవై, వేదనవై, నివేదనవై, శోధనవై, మనోకీర్తనవై, నిద్రవై , మెలుకువవై, గతివై, జతివై, క్రియావై , ప్రతిక్రియవై, నా చలనమై, రుధిరమై, శోధనవై, మనోమథనమై , గానమై , ధ్యానమై, ప్రాణమై, నాలోన ఈ భావాలని పులకించి పలికించిన ఓ తన్వీ నా ఈ రచన నీకే అంకితం

వర్షాకాలపు తొలి జల్లుల్లొ తడుస్తూ, నీ వెంటే నడుస్తూ, నీ ఒక్క చూపు కై ప్రతీక్షిస్తూ,  నా హ్రుదయ వేదనను మౌనంగా భరిస్తున్న నా వైపు ఒక్కమారి ఓరగా చూసి, పక్కున నవ్వి, నీ కంటి సైగతో నా మదివీన పై ప్రేమ తోడి రాగాలని పలికించి నన్ను పులకింపచేసి,  ఒక ఉరుములా ఉరిమి నన్ను కదిలించిన నిన్ను నాలో పదిలంగా నిలుపుకోనా? నీ కాళ్ళ అందెల సవ్వడికి మేల్కొని, నువ్వు చల్లే నీటి జల్లుల్లో ప్రతి ఉదయం తడిసి, నీ ముగ్గుని మస్తకంపై ధరించే నీ ఇంటి ముంగిలిని కానా? పాలల్లో తడిసిన నీ పెదవి రుచికై పరితపించే తుమ్మెదను కానా? నీ దర్పనమై నాలోని నిన్ను చూపించుకోనా? నీ చే స్పర్శకై వేచిచుసే నీ పెరటి మల్లెతీగను కానా? తలగడనై నలిగి నే నీ వెచ్చటి కౌగిలిలో ఒదిగిపోనా? నా మనోభావాలహరి నీ నయనానంద తీరలకై పయనించదా, నీ పాదాలను తడుతూ, నెడుతూ, తడుపుతూ నా ఆశలను నీకు వల్లించి నీటి బుడగై కనుమరుగవదా?

उन यादों का सहारा लेकर हम चल रहे हर दम, वो वक़्त जो गुज़रा है कैसे भूल पायेंगे हम? कभी तुम्हारे हाथों में हाथ लेकर चले, कभी तुम्हारे नरम केशों में अपना मुख छुपाते चले, कभी तुम्हारे कोमल गुलाबी होंठो को चूमते चले, कभी तुम्हारी साँसों को अपने में समाते चले, कभी अपने प्यार की दास्ताँ को आखों से सुनाते चले, कभी तुम्हारे पैरों तले पिघलती बरफ बन चले,  कभी पेड़ों की परछाईयों में चले, कभी नदी की लहरों में तैरते चले, कभी लहराती गुनगुनाती हवाओं में चले,  कभी चांदनी रात में अपना परिचय ढूँढते चले, कभी फूलों पे चले, कभी काँटो में चले,  कभी धूप में चले, कभी छाँव में चले,  कभी दर्द के ज़हर का घूँट-घूँट पीते चले  कभी बेवफाई की आग में अंग अंग जलाते चले  कभी तुम्हारे प्यार की प्यास में दम दम घुटते चले, कभी तुम्हारी याद में हर दम मरते चले, मगर सदा अपने दिल की बातों की वरमाला तुम्हें पहनाते चले, तुम्हें पहनाते चले|

Stoked was I at a mere sight of those vintage oculi, and seized to respond to any stimuli. What ocular jutsu is it that you trapped me in? Is it genjutsu or even mangekyou sharingan?    Numb was I and lay motionless, in a world that feels so timeless. These words not intended to dally, but are rather marked by solemnity. Her ever mesmerizing kajal adorned eyes have once for all hexed me to submission when I found myself in her eyes for the first time. The thin lining of kajal around those shyful, charismatic and bright eyes resembling dark clouds surrounding a bright red sun has showered happiness in my heart with colors of joy resembling a rainbow. I no longer feel claustrophobic!

Painted in blue were my eye lids. Purple and green color was all over my cheeks and dyed in yellow were my hair. Those were the colors that explained my feelings when I saw her for the first time in my life, as her white chunni blown away by the wind got stuck on my right palm. It was holi. There was color everywhere.  Guys and girls engaged in fun dying each other in colors. Water balloons were being shot at each other. One hit me hard on my forehead as I watched her walking towards me with hands beautifully decorated in Mehendi waving at me and walking towards me to  fetch her chunni. My forehead was hurting but I felt my heart was aching even more. Water drops dyed in blue and green dripped over my cheeks as if trying to reach her with my feelings of first love, as I watched her walk towards me. My yellow hair swayed in the thin air and dying it as if welcoming her with all the warmth in my heart.  "Who is she?" was what my heart was yelling.  As she was abo...

Spinach dal is one of my favorite recipes, served best with rice or chapathi. I like slightly less dense, and less strong version of it, which I shall present here. Ingredients: Fresh spinach, chopped, rinsed with hot water. Frozen spinach could be used, but takes longer cooking time.  A small cup of prewashed red dal (though I prefer cooked toor dal over red dal, red dal makes it easier to cook) One small split chilli A pinch of turmeric powder Two pinches of dry mango powder or quarter teaspoon of tamarind paste mixed with some warm water Salt for taste For Indians who like tadka, (a teaspoon of mustard seeds, a teaspoon of jeera(cumin seeds), a teaspoon of urad dal, and/or a teaspoon of chanadal A table spoon of oil Method If frozen spinach is used, unfreeze it first.  Keep spinach on a slight boil separately for about 5min Keep some boiled water ready  Take a pan, and heat it up until sprayed water begins to hiss out as steam Add some oil to it...

I, a firm believer of existence of "the only one", omnipresent, eternal, and pure, often encounter the question from my fellow students, and researchers who are not convinced enough to accept this idea. Which in certain ways transforms into questioning the scientific legitimacy of for instance Bhagavad Gita, or Srimad Ramayana. Without pursuing the idea of the only one, I wish to explore the legitimacy of such epics as follows: As an aspiring scientist, and reasonably inquisitive student, I can establish it objectively, that text books, and journal publications among others provide reasonable source of information, and ideas that one could rely on, albeit subjective reservations, to further science. So, loosely put, one would "bank" on existing ideas to prove, disprove, extend, expand or generate new set of ideas in the process of scientific study. Phenomenology, and reproducibility of observations, form major aspect of credible scientific innovations or disco...

On the last weekend of ski season at Flumserberg, I among a few others, sought the opportunity to hone snowboarding skills further on a bright sunny day. Turning, and gliding are two aspects of snowboarding that form the crux of the sport. Turning taught me control while in motion, while I understand that gliding helps to accelerate between turns. As a beginner, learning to turn either way posed the bigger challenge than gliding, for turning involves actively shifting body weight from side to side causing the snowboard and hence oneself to turn. While for an observer, this might seem seamless and simple, for a snowboarder it involves maintaining a delicate balance between either leaning backward or forward during the turn and keeping a reasonable pace. I, a fledgling, constantly struggled to keep a good balance and pace while turning, which are essential for consistent and smooth motion. My line of sight stayed glued on the area of slope near my board, with almost negligent view of ...

Prologue: Naruto is a well known Japanese animation series, and is also the name of protagonist. Naruto, at birth is infused with a 'bijuu' or a large amount of self-conscious energy. This energy is such that, it manifests as a being within its host or 'jinchuriki', with its discrete identity. It constantly questions and rejects the acknowledge its host to whom its tied with life i.e., both the 'bijuu' and the 'jinchuuriki' cease to exist without each other.  The host draws energy from the hosted in times of need as a temporary boost leading to a constant clash between their personalities to dominate one another. The 'bijuu' seeks to seize every opportunity at hand to takeover jinchuriki's mind. While jinchuriki has to learn to tame the bijuu with reason, and not force, to not only preserve his identity but also to seamlessly access the unlimited power of the bijuu with its consent. Therefore, a delicate and lasting balance has to be...

Having worked in subsea oil and gas industry during its heydays which enjoyed over $100/bbl,  I realized that the inflow of projects and their execution resembled a flood that carries any and everything that comes its way, which upon receding leaves a vast area of destruction waiting to be restored. Floods (in India) and heydays in oil and gas industry are periodic occurrences that thankfully can be planned for ahead of their fateful occurrences. However, leaving the planning to happen during or after the allocation of projects resembles adding salt to a dish ahead of anything else, which leaves 'correcting',  'catching-up'  with other ingredients as contingency.