Second Thoughts, Pebbles and Ripples

  October the 16th, 2019 the day I can never forget. I found myself teetering on the edge of death until something miraculous intervened, granting me a fresh lease of life. That morning, I made a routine trip to the nearby canteen to pick up some household items. Even today it sends jitters down my spine when I think how close I came to skip wearing my helmet that day. After all, it was just a short ride, barely a kilometer from home. It seemed unnecessary for such a quick errand, and I almost convinced myself to leave it behind. But something compelled me from within to put on the helmet.    On the way back, with my mother riding pillion, our lives took an unexpected turn. Out of nowhere, a speeding car crashed into the back of our bike, and suddenly, everything went dark. The impact was devastating; the car struck us and dragged me along the road, trapping me beneath its weight. Amidst the chaos, I remained conscious, painfully aware of being mercilessly dragged under t...

Back in 2013, on my way drive  back from a wintery morning walk i stoped at my favorite pass time electric electronics gadget store,  in a unilateral decision as a surprise to family I booked and got a steam-powered dishwasher delivered, and installed at home the same day, from the new arrivals section of Electro in Riyad. My wife thought I went crazy as usual in my retail therapy. That was a historic episode in our family dish-cleaning soap but a runaway success. I was literally waiting for dishes to get soiled and adding them to the wash cycle every night sans pre-wash. My wife used to shop for various flavored rinse aides each month to enrich the olfactory experience with the fragrance of cleaned shining dishes. We got enough eyeballs and steamy quips from our desi Indian expatriate friend circle for setting a precedent to the extent that one witty gentleman and a family friend asked me if I was asked to do the dishes as my wife joined the teaching staff of a school and all...

From:  Indee Nemani   < indee4u@gmail.com > Date: Thu, Mar 24, 2016, 16:17 Subject: entha varaku, evari koraku, gamyam To: indee4u < indee4u@gmail.com > enthavarakU endukoraku vintaparugu ani aDakku gamanamEdi gamyam ayitE bATalOnE bratuku doruku praSna lOnE badulu undE gurtu paTTE gunDenaDugu Ask not where to and what  for this  weird run When thy  journey is thy goal,  the path becomes life and living. Answer is nested in the Quest,  ask thy heart that can spot. prapancham niIlO undani cheppedAkA A nijam telusukOvA telistE prati chOTa ninnu nuvvE kalusukoni palakarinchukOvA Know  the world is a projection of thyself Having known this you meet and greet thyself  in everyone kanapaDEvennenni keraTAlu kalagalipi samudramanTAru aDagarE okkoka alapErU manakilA edurAina prativAru manishanE sandranakeraTAlu palakarE manishi anTE evarU When  the  name  of  each  wave  doesn’t  matter   togeth...

From:  Indee Nemani   <indee4u@gmail.com> Date: Mon, Oct 24, 2005, 18:47 Great Song by Seetharama Sastry Garu  chinuku taDiki chiguru toDugu puvvammaa evari kanula chilipi kalavu nuvvammaa Are u the flower  that blooms with the damp of the rain droplet?   Whose eyes' pranky dream are thee? muvvale manasupaDu paadamaa oohale uliki paDu praayamaa Your feet are the ones at noorpur (ghunguru) love to dangle from   Are u the prime of youth that awakens fantasies.   hindOLamlaa saagE andaala selayEramma or The brook that flows mellifluously like the raag Hindolam(malkauns in Hindustani) aamani madhuvanamaa aa  aamani madhuvanamaa Are thee orchid in spring? pasiDi vEkuvalu panDu vennelalu pasitanaalu paruvaala velluvalu kalipi ninnu malichaaDo Emo brahma did the creator mould  you with a mix of golden day breaks, ripe auro around moon, childishness, and tides of youthful lusture.   pachchanaina vari chEla sampadalu a...

An attempt to unveil the richness  Seetarama   Sastry ’s Telugu poetry to those who cannot relish in its first breath, thought it lacks direct beauty Telugu* has to offer, it is original sweet strength;  To global readers  with a different native languages but who transact in English (the melting pot/broth of global thoughts) this translation will try to ‘export’ the emotional waves (for which language is no bar) invited to relish the fresh perspective of  the poet,  inspiring words to  the struggling.  to those of us (displaced native Telugu speakers) who are loosing touch with the language and some  next generation for whom it’s their Grandparent's  language 'back home'. The limitations makes such translations make'em prosaic  but nevertheless it can trigger subtle thought waves in the reader that resonate with those of Poet's: Inspiration to the Struggling Never ever succumb to defeat,(eppudu oppu...

On the Depth of Heights #leadership lesson in poetry in English for non-Hindi-speaking readers and leaders spread globally. (My bold Attempt to translate a poem retaining the rich ornamentation of the poet-statesman, a very oxymoron of a name #AtalBihariVajpayee Atal Bihari = Inert Wanderer former people’s prime minister of India self-made) Heights oft mistook for greatness Are nothing but prisons of isolation Neither trees nor shrubs Capped by the frost cold as death, Draped in the shrouds of snow. In their stonecold embrace Bubbling laughing river begins her descent Trickling down drips as if in tears. Heights whose touch turns water to stone Whose attainment Minds to narrowness Yet heights command respect Challengingly inviting explorers "Scale if you can!" Where one can post only flagstaffs But not a sparrow can make a nest Nor let a tired passerby take a nap in her shady lap Reality is: it isn't enough to reach heights, Separated from others, Disconnected from ...