A short poem by Rajinder Arora, 13 April 2025
Author: RA
A human
Tree-node named Shafa
How quickly they heal and how elegantly reshape their scars and wounds. Around the same time last year a severe storm and bludgeoned a large branch node off this tree leaving a gash which felt dreadfully painful. In less than an year it has strongly shaped itself to a lion?, a bear? or maybe a large faced monkey or even a dog. Whatever the shape be, it has fascinated me every morning. The walk is never complete without cupping it in my hand each day, like a live pet. It has been christened Shafa. How is the name? – 08 June 2025
Mohan Upreti – Pahadi theatre
<Remembering Mohan Upreti on his death anniversary> I have never tasted ‘Bedu’, the fruit, but for some inexplicable reason its taste lingers in my mouth. I have even dreamt of it during climbing or trekking season, I can’t think of a single evening in the tent high up in the Himalayas when a bad/good day would NOT have ended with two fabled Kumaoni folk lyrics. One was बेडू पाको बारामासा and the other was जिला नैनीताल, अल्मोड़ा, पिथोरगढ़ की बचपन की .. Tucked in our sleeping bags these lyrics, coming from Pahari friends, would warm up the cold dripping tents. The fruit has stayed with me long after I first heard of it from Mohan Upreti at the Parvatiya Kala Kendra, Delhi. He is credited with setting to tune the lyrics of this romantic and fabled verse and making it legendary and so popular that this song is played as first and the last number in traditional Kumaoni festivals. I have also wondered if there is any fruit, any, which would grow all twelve months. Mohan Upreti, was one among the finest theatre directors, playwrights and music composers. Why I have not tasted or eaten Bedu, despite my hundreds of visits to Kumaon is because the fruit is never there when I am, i.e. Sept to December.
Cheers Comrade.
Thunder, storm, and rain last night
That’s the beauty of life, of nature, of procreation, and of the food chain. One night of rain, storm, thunder and lifeforms erupt. <घोंघा परिवार> Mrs & Mr Snail with family journeying to the other end of the garden wall.
24 May 2025, Gurgaon
Without Permission
स्मिता सिन्हा जी द्वारा हिन्दी में लिखी असल कविता बिना
आपकी इजाज़त के आपकी दिल छूने वाली कविता का अंग्रेजी अनुवाद करने की गुस्ताख़ी की है ।
निर्विकल्प
उस एकान्त में
अब एकान्त जैसा कुछ नहीं
उस शोर में भी
अब शोर जैसा कुछ नहीं
वो फिर भी रहती है
उसी एकान्त में
उसी शोर को सुनते हुए…
My English translation
Tranquility
In that solitude
there is nothing like solitude anymore,
in that noise too
there is nothing like noise anymore,
still she stays
in that solitude
listening to that noise…
Ankahi. Unsaid. 
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