Ajay Nair's Blog
July 27, 2023
Shadows of Misdiagnosis- A Poem
In shadows cast by fate’s cruel hand,
A man stood lost in shifting sands,
Diagnosis dealt, a crushing blow,
A disease, they said, with no respite to know.
A myriad of emotions surged like waves,
Raging within, like an untamed blaze,
Hope tangled in the web of despair,
His world turned grey, a heavy air.
He grieved the life he thought he knew,
The dreams he cherished, now askew,
The plans he laid, like scattered leaves,
Beneath uncertainty, his heart heaves.
Each night a battlefield of fears,
As sleep eluded, torment nears,
Future thoughts, a relentless foe,
Mocking him in the darkest throes.
Yet, in the darkest chasm’s gloom,
A flicker of hope began to bloom,
He clung to threads of strength and will,
In search of solace, a moment’s still.
As days turned into weeks and months,
The weight upon his soul ensconced,
He trod a path through endless doubt,
Lost in the labyrinth, no way out.
And then, as if a prayer was heard,
A revelation, like a singing bird,
The news arrived, a twist of fate,
The diagnosis wrong, oh, sweet escape!
A tempest of emotions now collide,
Gratitude and anger side by side,
Relief like rain, washed over his soul,
In waves of joy, he was made whole.
A rollercoaster of emotions found release,
As freedom’s song swelled, granting peace,
In the face of darkness, hope reborn,
A chance to mend what once was torn.
With newfound strength and spirit’s rise,
He faced the world with wiser eyes,
No longer taking life for granted,
For every breath, forever enchanted.
Misdiagnosis, a bitter brew,
Yet through its grasp, his spirit grew,
A tale of resilience, heart’s refrain,
A journey through the depths of pain.
For in the abyss of life’s cruel sting,
He found the strength to spread his wings,
And as he soared beyond despair,
He carried with him the lessons rare.
April 5, 2022
A Comfortable dialogue
Blog by Aarthi Lakshmi
Have you ever been very pleasantly surprised by yourself? Isn’t that kind of very nice feeling? Of course, it very much was, in my case! This is just a small story of myself that might bring a little smile in the corner of your lips. I literally was smiling all the way as I wrote this!
Let me begin by telling you this: I have made my peace with the fact that am not very good at making conversations except for very few people that am very comfortable with! It will always begin with an obligation to speak but a very, very painfully blank mind which leads to an awkward conversations filled with many uncomfortable silences.
Not today! I went to a nice book cafe and found myself a comfortable place to sit and started reading the Murakami book that I took off the shelves. Except for the couple of annoying and loud teenage girls sitting opposite to me, I was in my own bubble. I would be lying if I told you that I didn’t let out a sigh of relief when those girls left! There was something about their shrieking voices that kept getting to my nerves.
I know it sounds like an introduction in a romance novel but I had just read too many of them to not leave a mark! So, then she came and quickly sat on the space where those girls left. I noticed she had a book written by Murakami in her hand too. I don’t know if she saw me because I was staring at her too long or just because I was sitting opposite to her couch, but she noticed the Murakami book I had in my hand just smiled instantly! She asked if I had read the ‘Norwegian Wood’ and there began our conversation. In a few minutes, I shifted to her couch so that we wouldn’t have to talk in a way that the whole cafe could hear. There wasn’t one awkward silence and our conversation was far from over when she realised she had to leave, an hour later we had started talking. We barely exchanged our names but trust me when I say that it was one small perfect conversation.
This made me realise that I maybe far from an extrovert but I still could share a wonderful conversation with a stranger as long as I don’t force myself into one. Maybe, just maybe, I am not made much for small banters. Or maybe, it would take another beautiful stranger to make me realise otherwise!
February 11, 2022
Money- A Poem
Happiness a fake stage of life
Health not a reality in life
Safety just an illusion in life
Future just a hope in life
We live now for money
Money- A curse to mankind
No time for family
No time to sit and relax
No time to call your parents
No time to take a break
No time to listen to your kids
We want to conquer all
Money- A curse to mankind
Can you give nourishment to your kids?
Can you give love to your kids?
Can you cuddle a little with your kids?
Can you enjoy the nature with your kids?
Who you are rushing to defeat?
Who you want to prove?
Money- A curse to mankind
Pause, rewind a little to see what you left behind
Your happiness, your health, your kids
You bank is full now, but no use for you
No money can buy you health
No money can buy your kids love
No money can buy you companionship
Look around and cherish what you have
Pause a little, live a little, enjoy a little
Money will one day make you lonely
Money will leave you one day
You will leave this world as you come
Money- A curse to mankind
A realization I learned by observations
I am free now and content
You can also be free and content
Once you realize Money- A curse to mankind!
January 24, 2022
Maya- An Illusion
“What is Maya?”, One day Narada asked Lord Krishna. Krishna knowing Narada, he knows simple explanation will not satisfy him. He needs explanations with experience. Lord Krishna said.
“Narada, walk with me. I will explain what is Maya”.
They both walked for a long time. Krishna did not talk a word. Narada got puzzled by this behavior. However he did not ask Krishna what he is doing. They kept walking. Soon they could see desert land.
Krishna stopped and said
“Narada, I am parched. Could you please go and fetch some water for me? I cannot walk not even a step with out some water.”
“Lord Krishna, Don’t worry. I will got and get water for you.”
Narada left looking for water. He walked and walked. In desert land, he couldn’t find any well or water source. However, after two hours, he found a village. He quickly went towards village. He saw a beautiful young lady by the village well.
“Oh beautiful young lady, could you please give me some water” Narada asked.
“Sure sage. I can.”
Narada drank water as he enjoyed her beauty. He couldn’t take her eyes away from her. He decides to follow her home. He watched her walking in to home near the paddy field. He walked in and saw her father outside cleaning the front verandah.
“I am Narada- celestial sage. I wanted to marry your daughter.”
Knowing Narada who he is, the father did not say anything. He agreed to give her daughter to Narada. Only one condition he put forward.
“One who marries my daughter should stay here and take care of my land and agriculture. I will not live long. Do you agree, then you can have her.”
With out any hesitation, Narada agreed to this condition. They got married. Years pass by, Narada had two kids. He took care of land and agriculture. His business grew and they lived happily. Soon one monsoon, the flood came and took away all his possessions. Narada tried to rescue his wife and kids. Flood current took them away from him.
Narada started crying so loud “Oh lord, how can i live now. My kids, My family, My house… All gone.” he couldn’t stop crying. Soon he felt some one touch his shoulder
“Narada Look around, nothing happened. What you just experience is Maya. It is an illusion. You never left this place. Look, I am here, you are here. You never got married. Nothing happened. Hope you understand now. What is Maya…”
January 19, 2022
Future of Arranged Marriages in India- Thoughts to Ponder!!!
Blog by Lakshmi.
What is the future of arranged marriages in India?
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What does the future of arranged marriage look like in India? With a younger generation becoming more and more involved in the decision making process, is the future of arranged marriage something that will be fading away?
With globalization and the internet in our lives, things have changed. People have become aware of the world and the culture of other countries and they are now much more open to the idea of love marriage. With the rise of social media and the changing tide in the country, a lot of people have started questioning an arranged marriage’s relevance in the modern day. In fact, a recent survey suggests that over 90% of the youth today would not be comfortable with an arranged marriage. Why is that? The survey says that the reason why today’s youth would not be comfortable with an arranged marriage is because it leaves no room for love to blossom. The survey has been out for quite a while now and it seems that it has sparked a lot of debate among the Indian youth.
Are arranged marriages really as bad and unacceptable? I don’t think so. Anyway, I’m not here to start a debate on arranged marriages. I’m here to talk about arranged marriages in today’s world and their relevance in the lives of millennials.
What does modern society say?
If arranged marriages are really bad for modern society like the survey suggests, why is there still so much talk about arranged marriages around us? Why is it still so much in favor? Why it is still widely practiced in India?
Well, for starters, it’s a tradition and we all should respect it. It’s not a bad thing. One thing I’ve noticed is that the youth of today is more understanding and open to the concept of arranged marriages. It’s actually pretty thoughtful of your parents to want to make a good match for you and to try and protect you from heartbreak. A lot of my friends are open to the concept of being introduced to a stranger and getting married to him or her. I’ve seen a lot of positive feedback from the people of my generation.
There has been a huge evolution in the process of arranged marriages. There are different and innovative approaches today for groom/bride selection, engagement parties and marriage ceremony. A lot has changed from what an arranged marriage was in our grandmothers’ times. Today, it is more of a mutual decision between families, than an outright arranged marriage.
I’m sure the traditional arranged marriage is still very much alive in India. It still exists in Indian culture and the younger generation are pretty okay with it too.
When people think of arranged marriages, they often think of a marketing gimmick for matrimonial sites. But it is much more than that. An arranged marriage is a serious commitment and it will stay strong in the future, too.
The idea of arranged marriage is as old as time itself. In the Indian subcontinent, they are still a popular practice, and it is only getting more popular with the passage of time.
There is no doubt about the fact that arranged marriages are here to stay…
In conclusion, be it love or arranged marriage, all that matters is the life ahead of the couple. So, as long as you stay together refusing to give up on each other, all marriages will end up being perfect…
January 4, 2022
Reminiscing Home.
A Blog by Aarthi.
Doesn’t festivities filled with colors and joy scream home generally, even to those who aren’t pretty sentimental? This made me wonder, what do we actually miss when we say that we miss home? The building made of concrete, cement, marbles and what not? The building that gave a roof to our closest relatives for most part of growing up, irrespective of whether they were beautiful, kind, mean, loud or straight up annoying? The sheer abundance of tears, fights, joys and secrets it has witnessed does baffles me!
But, isn’t there more to it? When you plan a change, you prepare yourself to bid adieu to the things you love. You bring your yourself to come in terms with the big things. For instance, how small / big the new house relatively is or how congested or quiet the new city is! But, we forget to prepare ourselves to missing the kind neighborhood woman who always remembers to specially make you a piece of eggless cake during Christmas and how her baking fills the whole neighborhood divine!
I once read an intense poem in my school about a poetess visiting her abandoned ancestral house where she had lived with her grandparents as she was growing up. That poem stayed with me but I still dread to even think of my home as an empty, abandoned place where snakes moved! Maybe am the one who is too fragile or too attached to those pieces of bricks and mortar!
Every place that I have ever been to, has always given me a piece of itself to carry forever in exchange for a little piece of me. But, trust me, home remains special despite the imperfect shared history. Do you want to know the irony? I don’t like the concept of borders and believe that the sense of patriotism is overrated! How comfortably hypocritical! At the end of the day, what can I say except that am just a human being with highly intellectual ideals yet with a sloppy grip of them in real life. But, aren’t we all just flawed? Aren’t we all grappling to find a balance between what we consider ideal on paper and how we actually choose to live our lives? At least that is the belief that lets me sleep peacefully at nights.
I sometimes tell myself that the home is not what I miss but the people who lived there and memories of them. That I could have met that neighborhood woman anywhere. But, the fact remains that I didn’t meet her anywhere else and no better food at Christmas makes me crave less for the piece of bread she always made! Also, whenever I pass through her house , it still reeks of her warm baking smell that she had let the entire neighborhood bask in, long after she had gone.
If there is one thing that I could wish for, I would love to be a warm memory in the mind of at least one stranger, who adores telling the story of me repeatedly to people who are already annoyed at how many times they’ve heard of my story!
Travel back to roots… Home
A Blog by Aarthi.
Doesn’t festivities filled with colors and joy scream home generally, even to those who aren’t pretty sentimental? This made me wonder, what do we actually miss when we say that we miss home? The building made of concrete, cement, marbles and what not? The building that gave a roof to our closest relatives for most part of growing up, irrespective of whether they were beautiful, kind, mean, loud or straight up annoying? The sheer abundance of tears, fights, joys and secrets it has witnessed does baffles me!
But, isn’t there more to it? When you plan a change, you prepare yourself to bid adieu to the things you love. You bring your yourself to come in terms with the big things. For instance, how small / big the new house relatively is or how congested or quiet the new city is! But, we forget to prepare ourselves to missing the kind neighborhood woman who always remembers to specially make you a piece of eggless cake during Christmas and how her baking fills the whole neighborhood divine!
I once read an intense poem in my school about a poetess visiting her abandoned ancestral house where she had lived with her grandparents as she was growing up. That poem stayed with me but I still dread to even think of my home as an empty, abandoned place where snakes moved! Maybe am the one who is too fragile or too attached to those pieces of bricks and mortar!
Every place that I have ever been to, has always given me a piece of itself to carry forever in exchange for a little piece of me. But, trust me, home remains special despite the imperfect shared history. Do you want to know the irony? I don’t like the concept of borders and believe that the sense of patriotism is overrated! How comfortably hypocritical! At the end of the day, what can I say except that am just a human being with highly intellectual ideals yet with a sloppy grip of them in real life. But, aren’t we all just flawed? Aren’t we all grappling to find a balance between what we consider ideal on paper and how we actually choose to live our lives? At least that is the belief that lets me sleep peacefully at nights.
I sometimes tell myself that the home is not what I miss but the people who lived there and memories of them. That I could have met that neighborhood woman anywhere. But, the fact remains that I didn’t meet her anywhere else and no better food at Christmas makes me crave less for the piece of bread she always made! Also, whenever I pass through her house , it still reeks of her warm baking smell that she had let the entire neighborhood bask in, long after she had gone.
If there is one thing that I could wish for, I would love to be a warm memory in the mind of at least one stranger, who adores telling the story of me repeatedly to people who are already annoyed at how many times they’ve heard of my story!
December 28, 2021
Slave- A Poem
Freedom…
My heart screams,
You have it…
My mind says.
I don’t feel it…
My heart says.
Look around…
My mind says.
Empty…
My heart says.
Try hard…
My mind says.
Enough…!
My heart says.
Live…
My mind says.
Trying…
My heart says.
Slaves of modern age…
We live…
Really, we don’t.
Slaves of life…
Enjoy a little.
Follow as it comes…
Slaves still a reality…
New forms…
One day you break free,
Door to heaven or hell…
Still a mystery…
Till then a slave…
December 17, 2021
Pain- A Poem
Try…
Experience…
At least once.
Love someone,
To know the pain.
Of existence…
Of longing…
Of loneliness…
Love hard,
To know you.
Your boundaries.
Judgement…
It is not yours.
You live with others.
To write stories.
To rewrite the ones…
Already said many times.
Mistakes create and forget,
To make more mistakes.
Love is poison…
Pain is pure…
You live to enjoy the pain.
Of love and loneliness.
Love an emotion…
Yet to conquer…
Thirst to love always linger.
Pain is like labor pains,
You forget once you find love.
Again to create more pains.
Passionate love quench thirst…
Thirst returns in time…
Wander again to find love.
The pure pain.
In everyone’s life….
December 15, 2021
Re- Birth – A Poem
Dear bird, will you come to me with love notes
Where is my love bird to sing my heart notes
Words I noted from my heart with heartbeat rhythm
Tears filled eyes ready to overflow
My songs and my life songs slave in pain
Will you fly in to me as thousand petals
Temptations flare in me alone with out restrictions
All dreams shatter in time with pain
Far away nice breeze move away with out touching me
Body pains with out experiencing calmness
Heart shivers with out any peace in sight
Tear petals slowly caressed my cheeks
Searched all over to find calmness in life
Hoping to feel a breast with milk
To feel again as a baby with no pain
To sleep one more time with out stress
To feel once more that loving touch of mother
Lullaby from neighbor house marked a scar on pain
Tear soaked pillows gave some coolness for burning heart
Fell asleep to see the bird in dreams filled with kisses
Danced to my tunes for me in dreams
Heaven, I felt for a while just to realize
Not my life
Just fantasy we see in social media
Realize people, social media paints only fake scenes
Life, a complex phenomenon
Open your eyes wide and see around you
To realize life is beautiful for you
Tears dry up once you see through
Live your life, not others.
Heart will melt and sooth you in time
Like a mother, nature will embrace you
Lullaby from neighbor house will enhance you
Love bird will fly in as thousand petals
Breeze will touch you again to re birth as human.
Silence around you will become mystical tunes
Start to live again…. Heaven.
If you love my creativity, Please give a chance to this fiction novel full of twists and surprises. Journey of a woman who fought against societal pressures of low caste and upper caste divisions. Her struggles to stay alive. Her fight against injustice…. Enjoy reading.
