Who knows!

All that appears
Barren, stark and desolate
May have
An austere and bare
Need based lush
Around.
Who knows
All that is
Perceived as such
May be
As productive.
Maybe more.
For it has
Ground enough!

Rajbir Deswal Jan 30

I couldn't reply to her question!

I reviewed Indrani Gylstian's novel "Daughters of the East" for The Tribune. Her 'last' one "Crane's Mouring" was revieved by Khushwant Singh. I had some connection with her through KS only and sent him the review. He passed it on to her in Chaibasa (Assam) and confirmed it to me. But she asked me in a letter if I liked the IPS!
I could not send her my reply since by then she had ended her life.
I rememebr Khushwant Singh lamenting the loss as one would at ones own! Be in peace Indirani whereever you are. And yes, I like the IPS!

Symbols only!

Symbols have
a symbolism only
of only that is
unavailable
unobtaining
and
unreal—mostly.
Apologies for the two
onlys/onlies/onliz.
Just a symbolism.
No, not of apology.
But only.
See,
I say
what I see only!

Rajbir Deswal Jan 9 2011

Flame

Flame I like
For its foggy glow.
Firey feelings,
Light n flow.
Ever upward
Slow n slow!
Rajbir Deswal Jan 8 2011

पल पल पल पल हर पल पल !!!

पल ठहर जाते हैं
पल फिसल जाते हैं
पल निकल जाते हैं
पल संभल जाते हैं
पल सहेजे जाते हैं
पल संवारे जाते हैं
पल निखारे जाते हैं
पल निहारे जाते हैं
पल बिताए जाते हैं
पल सजाये जाते हैं
पल बहाये जाते हैं
पल पाले जाते हैं
पल खाली भी जाते हैं
पल पल पल पल
हर पल हर पल

राजबीर देसवाल जनवरी ८ 20111

Lament!

Lament is a moment,
laid back,
or laid down,
or laid gone,
for the ones,
who missed the bus,
but regret missing it.
Premium,
to be paid,
on payment,
not made!
Rajbir Deswal Jan 7 2011

जमी कुछ बात? Hyperbole-To!

Hyperbole are used to enhance effect and exaggerate. Like the Grandpa telling us चींटी चढ़ी पहाड़ पे लेकर नौ मन तेल एक हाथ में हाथी- घोड़े एक हाथ में रेल . On this yet another chilly day I can believe the oldman telling us that “Once upon a time the winters were extreme to near freezing temperament that you had to heat up the frozen, spoken words after heating them on a grill. जमी कुछ बात? क्यूं पूछते हैं लोग ये. इतनी सर्दी में तो हर बात जम जायेगी. ये भी! कह के देखिये! अगर मुंह खोलने कि हिम्मत है तो! देखा क्या से क्या निकल जाता है, मतलब . कड़ाके कि ठण्ड में. अब जमी बात!

SEASONS' IN-THINGS

In wintery fog
pale and outlived yellow leaves
on tree tops
seem to brighten up the
otherwise
dusty, dusky and misty
horizon
as red rhododendron flowers
spread a firey treat
to eyes
in summers!
Seasons’ in-things.
Not out-dated.
But accommodated.
And updated!

Rajbir Deswal Jan 5 2011

My 2 Finds at the Solar Eclipse at Kurukshetra!

Met Saurabh Chowdhury my FB friend with reference to The Pioneer and had good intellectuall stuff to discuss with him although it was a short fling during the Solar Eclipse at Kurkshetra.

The eclipsed Sun in the pic is throug my camera.

When Vishvamitra wanted 'promotion':Hoor Meneka Stung Him!

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110102/spectrum/book7.htm
The Tribune Review of Hoor Menaka:The Seductress
Of folk theatre, tribes and communal politics
Reviewed by Randeep Wadehra
Hoor Menaka: The Seductress
by Rajbir Deswal
Pages: 48. Rs. 50
Since ancient times, there have been mutually enriching exchanges between folklore and Sanskrit texts. This is evident from the stories appearing in the various Puranas having similarities with those having plebian roots like oral literature. Haryana’s swang is a fine example of this process which involved a creative mix of history, mythology and fantasy. The story of Menaka and Vishvamitra appears, with certain variations, in different texts ranging from the Mahabharata to Kalidasa’s works. Some experts see in these stories evidence of ethnicity and caste-based rivalries. People from different castes used to become ascetics, called rishis. While Brahmins had the sole right to become devrishis (divine ascetics, the highest status an ascetic could reach), Kshatriyas could aspire to become rajrishis (royal ascetics, second-rung status). Rajrishi Vishvamitra was performing severe austerities in order to achieve his life’s ambition of becoming devrishi; but his enemies, who knew how insecure Indra always felt about his throne, decided to thwart Vishvamitra. They knew Indra would lend his ear to anyone who posed as his well-wisher and forewarned him of an impending threat. And, Indra was not above using his court’s females to seduce and destroy his potential rivals. Menaka, the celestial nymph, was the most desirable of females in Indra’s realm known as Indralok.

Thus, Indra sends Menaka to interrupt Vishvamitra’s penance and cause his fall. This slim volume explores the mindscapes of the two major characters – Menaka and Vishvamitra – when she descends from the heavens to seduce him. This work, originally in the form of Haryanvi folk theatre swang authored by Pt Lakhmi Chand, goes beyond Menaka’s success in her mission. It uses Shakuntala’s birth and subsequent abandoning by her parents as vehicle for message against female foeticide. That such efforts were on in rural Haryana even before the movement to protect the girl-child became fashionable would not have become known had Rajbir Deswal not published its English version. Kudos to him.