English Literature – Poetry – ☆ Poetry ☆ – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

(We are extremely thankful to Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji for sharing his literary and artworks with e-abhivyakti. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Capt. Pravin has served the country at national as well international level in various fronts. Presently, working as Senior Advisor, C-DAC in Artificial Intelligence and HPC Group; and involved in various national-level projects.

We present an English Version of Shri Sanjay Bhardwaj’s Hindi Poetry “कविता ” published in today’s ☆ संजय दृष्टि – कविता . ☆ We extend our heartiest thanks to Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji for this beautiful translation. )

☆ Poetry ☆

Very fragile are the

fingers of poetry

Extremely soft are the

palms of poetry,

Too balsamic are the

feet of poetry,

Velvety milky are the

Soles of poetry,

So milky that when they walk

Impressions of silky

couch-grass emerge on them…

You know,

Poetry is like a

-very delicate

-very charming

-very tender

Astoundingly beautiful

Amazingly voluptuous woman,

Was so teaching the teacher

In the adult education class…

That labourer woman

Kept watching silently

Her rough palms,

Bruised fingers,

Soiled feet,

Ulcered soles,

She felt like erupting and shout loudly-

Poetry lives in its time,

Converses with the factualism

Look, Mr Teacher!

Dealing with reality

is also a poetry!

© Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

English Literature – Poetry – ☆ Moon’s hide and seek with the metropolis ☆ – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

(We are extremely thankful to Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji for sharing his literary and artworks with e-abhivyakti. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Capt. Pravin has served the country at national as well international level in various fronts. Presently, working as Senior Advisor, C-DAC in Artificial Intelligence and HPC Group; and involved in various national-level projects.

(We present an English Version of Ms. Nirdesh Nidhi’s Hindi poem ☆ महानगर की काया पर चाँद☆ published in today’s issue . We extend our heartiest thanks to Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji for this beautiful translation. )

☆ Moon’s hide and seek with the metropolis ☆

Moon obsessedly floating above

corporeal frame of the metropolis,

Often loses to its glitzy glare…

Pulls out its silver sheet,

Keeps hiding behind

the towering skyscrapers

Afraid of human intentions,

it keeps running away…

It doesn’t want to inhale that

smoke of the inferno of envy

It can’t see the hot human blood

dripping on its innocent palms

Doesn’t want to endure the hurt

of a young innocent damsel’s

dignity being ripped apart,

on its soft chest…

Probably knows about its

own weaknesses of getting

snared in human falacies

Still, wants to live in endless euphoria of man’s madness

about its charming face…

That’s why it keeps wandering

endlessly all over the sky

to learn the art of demolishing the **Chakravyuh* …

© Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

* Chakravyuh – A mythological multi-tiered defensive formation that looked like a disc (chakra) when viewed from above. The warriors at each interleaving position would be in an increasingly tough position to fight against. The formation was used in the battle of Kurukshetra in the Mahabharat epic, which was considered as an extremely maze to crack

Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 11 – A butterfly woman ☆ Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra

Ms Neelam Saxena Chandra

(Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is a well-known author. She has been honoured with many international/national/ regional level awards. We are extremely thankful to Ms. Neelam ji for permitting us to share her excellent poems with our readers. We will be sharing her poems on every Thursday Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is Executive Director (Systems) Mahametro, Pune. Her beloved genre is poetry. Today we present her poem “A butterfly woman”.)

☆ Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 11☆

☆ A butterfly woman ☆

Let them

Keep looking at your bodily beauty-

The luminous colour of your skin,

The pretty patterns on your wings,

The magnificent gait while you fly!

You should concentrate

Only upon your wings

And its innate strength!

One day,

You will have touched the sky

And that’s what

A butterfly woman

Is meant to do!

(All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without prior written permission of the author.)

Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 10 – The blindfolding of Gandhari ☆ Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra

Ms Neelam Saxena Chandra

(Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is a well-known author. She has been honoured with many international/national/ regional level awards. We are extremely thankful to Ms. Neelam ji for permitting us to share her excellent poems with our readers. We will be sharing her poems on every Thursday Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is Executive Director (Systems) Mahametro, Pune. Her beloved genre is poetry. Today we present her poem “The blindfolding of Gandhari”. This poem is from her book “Tales of Eon)

☆ Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 10☆

☆ The blindfolding of Gandhari ☆

O lord! I blindfold myself!

That my husband was blind I knew not

Never had I thought of such a union

But together, the destiny has brought

O lord! I blindfold myself!

As I learn of my future and fate

What is ordained, cannot be modified

I shall suffer, as does my mate!

O lord! I blindfold myself!

Know not what speaks is protest or disgust

My exploitation, I shall not permit!

O lord! Let me disable myself first!

(All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without prior written permission of the author.)

English Literature – Poetry – ☆ Mahanavratri Special – Listen ladies ☆ – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

(We are extremely thankful to Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji for sharing his literary and artworks with e-abhivyakti. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Capt. Pravin has served the country at national as well international level in various fronts. Presently, working as Senior Advisor, C-DAC in Artificial Intelligence and HPC Group; and involved in various national-level projects.

(We present an English Version of Ms. Nirdesh Nidhi’s Hindi poem ☆ सुनो स्त्रियों ☆ published in today’s issue . We extend our heartiest thanks to Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji for this beautiful translation. )

☆ Listen ladies ☆

Today is the auspicious

day of *Mahalaya*

And today your

eyes will be embellished…

As you were told

Right in the early phase of civilizations that

*Yatra Narayastu Pujyante Ramante Tatra Devata*

(…where women are worshiped, there deities visit…)

You were assumed to

be that goddess

Whose entire body

was molded

in her most beautiful form

Except that

the eyes were left

The eyes that could see the casting of someone’s

ominous eyesight on you…

Could show you the pitfalls on the road

Also, could sense the

good and bad for you,

And, why wouldn’t they show after the embellishment!!

Even the huge stones

—always stumbling block in conquering the summit…

Would now make the journey safe…

For your unmade eyes

Consider the end of millennium long Pitrapaksh* today

Today is the auspicious day of *Mahalaya*

And, today only your eyes will be embellished

So that you can see all that which is good, and

Has been in your interest for centuries…

The perilous pits will now be negotiated safely,

in which you used to fall repeatedly,

being vision-less…

And, the huge stones,

always a stumbling block,

dare not venture anymore against your steely resolve

to reach the destination…

Today is the auspicious day of *Mahalaya* and

Today is the day of embellishment of your eyes…

© Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

**Mahalaya* —The sculptors complete the idols of the Goddess Durga during the festival of Durga Puja, except the eyes, which they leave, to be installed after the Pitra Paksha. The eyes of the goddess are installed in *Mahalaya*, so that the statue of goddess is completed and installed in pandals for the worship.

**Pitra paksh* lunar day period in Hindu calendar when Hindus pay homage to their ancestor, especially through food offerings.

English Literature – Poetry – ☆ Prisons ☆ – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

(We are extremely thankful to Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji for sharing his literary and artworks with e-abhivyakti. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Capt. Pravin has served the country at national as well international level in various fronts. Presently, working as Senior Advisor, C-DAC in Artificial Intelligence and HPC Group; and involved in various national-level projects.

We present an English Version of Shri Sanjay Bhardwaj’s Hindi poem ” बंदीगृह ” published in today’s ☆ संजय दृष्टि – बंदीगृह. ☆ We extend our heartiest thanks to Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji for this beautiful translation. )

☆ Prisons ☆

Open all the doors

of the prisons,

Prisons have become grossly irrelevant…

Huge locks hung

on the strong gates

Have now been shifted

to human minds…

Handcuffs are

meaningless on hands,

As now they grow, nurture

Tighten their vice-like grip on nerves…

Fetters are born and

grow every moment

with the fetus,

Never age, with the

passage of time…

The noose of incongruous absurdities

Tenaciously tighten every moment,

Maverick animals wandering here and there

Feel pity for mankind,

tied to the peg of money…

In the realm of globalization

The whole world has

turned into a prison

That’s why I say-

Open all the doors

of the prisons

Prisons have become

meaningless now…

© Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 9 – Drona and Drupad ☆ Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra

Ms Neelam Saxena Chandra

(Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is a well-known author. She has been honoured with many international/national/ regional level awards. We are extremely thankful to Ms. Neelam ji for permitting us to share her excellent poems with our readers. We will be sharing her poems on every Thursday Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is Executive Director (Systems) Mahametro, Pune. Her beloved genre is poetry. Today we present her poem “Drona and Drupad”. This poem is from her book “Tales of Eon)

☆ Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 9☆

☆ Drona and Drupad ☆

“O Drupad! My childhood friend!

Your promises I come to remind

Do you remember our oaths to share

Wealth of all kinds?”

“O Sage Drona! Blessed am I!

My kingdom your presence bestows

A learned man are though

And before thee I bow!”

“O Drupad! My childhood friend!

Married I am, and have a son too

Distinguish he can’t between rice water and milk

And I have come to ask for a cow from you!”

“O Sage Drona! O learned man!

A cow I present thee in alms

Friendship stays only between equals

To state that, I have no qualms!”

“O Drupad! My childhood friend!

It is not daan that I seek or ask

Listen to your heart and the love

In your glory, do not bask!”

“O Sage Drona! O learned man!

Pray do not claim cow in friendship’s name

Upholder of Dharma am I and in charity believe

As such, you have no claim

“O Drupad! Ashamed I am

I ever called you my friend

One day, greater than thou I shall become

But, from my ideals, never bend!”

And thus were sown the seeds

Of disillusionment and revenge

His ambitions soared high and high

Drona had forever changed!

(All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without prior written permission of the author.)

English Literature – Poetry – ☆ Dreams ☆ – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

(We are extremely thankful to Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji for sharing his literary and artworks with e-abhivyakti. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Capt. Pravin has served the country at national as well international level in various fronts. Presently, working as Senior Advisor, C-DAC in Artificial Intelligence and HPC Group; and involved in various national-level projects.

We present an English Version of Shri Sanjay Bhardwaj’s Hindi poem ” स्वप्न ” published in today’s ✍ संजय दृष्टि – स्वप्न ✍. We extend our heartiest thanks to Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji for this beautiful translation. )

✍ Dreams ✍

Sometimes frightened me,

Sometimes tried threatening

Sometimes crushed me,

Sometimes tried pressing…

Sometimes battered me,

Sometimes tried breaking

Sometimes abrased me,

Sometimes tried twisting

Circumstances tried everything possible

But in vain…

Grouchingly exhausted

They started panting…

Knoweth not what my dreams are made of

They never seem to die..!

Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 8 – Pandu’s end ☆ Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra

Ms Neelam Saxena Chandra

(Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is a well-known author. She has been honoured with many international/national/ regional level awards. We are extremely thankful to Ms. Neelam ji for permitting us to share her excellent poems with our readers. We will be sharing her poems on every Thursday Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is Executive Director (Systems) Mahametro, Pune. Her beloved genre is poetry. Today we present her poem “Pandu’s end”. This poem is from her book “Tales of Eon)

☆ Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 8☆

☆ Pandu’s end ☆

A young man that he was

Difficult it was for Pandu to restrain

Tried his best to desist

But could not adjust to a life of pain

Life futile made by Kindama’s curse

Roamed he like an ascetic though

Evening the bearing of sons by Dharma

Could not bring back his glow

One day, the stunning Madri he saw

And his vision turned lustful

In his moment of yearn, touched her

And in his arms was his wife beautiful

The opportunity to mate had come after long

They caressed each other in delight

Completely lost they were in love

For a moment forgot, what is wrong and right

The curse soon came calling

And Pandu was no more

Reduced to flames was he

Who had been the mighty king of yore

(All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without prior written permission of the author.)

Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 7 – Pandu’s sons ☆ Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra

Ms Neelam Saxena Chandra

(Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is a well-known author. She has been honoured with many international/national/ regional level awards. We are extremely thankful to Ms. Neelam ji for permitting us to share her excellent poems with our readers. We will be sharing her poems on every Thursday Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is Executive Director (Systems) Mahametro, Pune. Her beloved genre is poetry. Today we present her poem “Pandu’s sons”. This poem is from her book “Tales of Eon)

☆ Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 7 ☆

☆ Pandu’s Sons☆

Cursed by Rishi Kindima

Into the realms of the forest, Pandu retired

The news of pregnant Gandhari

In him, the desire to have a son fired.

Seeing him desolate and murky

His dutiful wife, Kunti consoled

“For his wife to bear another man’s child,”

She said, “The law of Dharma allowed”.

“Let me call a Rishi,” said Pandu

“Let us call a Deva,” Kunti stated

Blessed by Rishi Durvasa, she had a boon;

The knowledge made Pandu elated.

Pleased by Kunti’s solution

First to be invoked was Lord Yama

She gave birth to Yudhishtra

Who would be the upholder of Dharma

Next to be summoned was the God of wind

Of all Gods, most powerful and mightiest

And thus was born courageous Bhima

Who, one day, would be the strongest

And then, blessings were sought

From Indra, King of all Devas, who ruled the sky

Arjuna, the valiant archer was born

He became Kunti’s favourite by and by

And then, Kunti could invoke no more

Four were the maximum allowed

Pandu thought for a few days and then

For Madri, his second wife, implored

The Ashwini twins were invoked for Madri

The Lord of morning and evening stars

Nakula, the handsomest man was born

Along with his twin, with knowledge of near and far

Pandu, thus had five sons

Together, they came to be as Pandavas known

Had the wisdom of ‘King perfect’ collectively

Honesty, strength, skill, beauty, and wisdom they honed

(All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without prior written permission of the author.)