Film Review- Yamirruka Bhayamey....(YIB)

I am venturing out on a review in verses
review of a regional movie
review of a Tamil movie
on ghosts and the supernatural
Yamirruka bhayamey..."when I am here
there's nothing but fear!"

We have heard of the famous
 horror films, filled with suspense
thrill and fear...
Hitchcock & Dracula films, omen, exorcist..
Indian ones of Ramsay brothers
classics like Madhumathi & Bhargavi nilayam..

Of late however,ennui has set in
"So what's new?"is the question
in the  viewers'mind  with
neither the visuals or the strange sounds
failing to impact them

instead of fear, it is a chuckle
that escapes the viewers..
any suspense lost amidst
cat calls from the audience
horror movies in fact  have
turned out to be comedies!

But YIB surprises
it starts of as a comedy
nobody is taken seriously
no famous actor playing
the hero,heroine or support cast

moving from beginning in smooth
 everyday comic situations
there's of course oomph & some glamour
through the two girls who give company
to hero & friends in a long abandoned villa..

suddenly we are shook up
from slumber by unexpected
twists and turns
from light hearted to suspense
from comedy to fear...
and not viceversa!

YIB impressed...
I must confess
and I will now look out
for work of the director, Deekay
4 out of 5 is a just and fair rating
for this novel ghost movie
that could be a trend setter!

East or West RML is the Best!

           I say 'hello' on the phone -if 

           do not get the return hello

            most of the times

           how then will I know

           that I have been heard ?

            even if being heard

           wouldn't any one stop talking?

           if no return hello is forthcoming

           for a long time.. It's the same with creativity......

           In RML  the hellos from many

           gets your juices surging

           if  from no other, rest assured

           the fairy, the guardian angel will respond-

           to you, me,  everyone!

           In a century, when no time for hello

           even from spouses, siblings,
           children or parents

           RML beckons like, an oasis

           a haven in a hapless world

           which is why for many, it's home sweet home

           a home away from home.

         Yes, for sharing thoughts, for a pat & a chat

         east or west

         RML is the best!

Please Note:-

RateMyLiterature.com is a hobby site (network) for literature lovers from around the world. It provides an opportunity for amateurs to publish their work (poetry, limericks, short stories, essays & articles), invite comments / feedback and get recognized. It also provides an opportunity to network with like minded people who share your passion of writing.....

reference made in the poem to the'Guardian angel' is paddy who not only writes in the blog but keeps it running with administrative support from her son, etentacles.



            Toddler turns Two

Two years!  -  A wonderful landmark
Two years of joy, creativity
Two years of opportunity
support to many-
to blossom, make friends
leave a mark

Greetings to the B'day babe!
Salutations to the parents!
It's celebrations time..
joyous time for us all
the creators, the created
and all those who visit the home
the home away from home!

Trap

One by one they were trapped
seduced by the glitz & glamour
They moved in only to be enveloped by the
swamp from which there was no escape

even if some manage
 to come out
can they be the same
carefree selves again
be the natural spontaneous
 people they once were?

yes, It is sad to be
caught in a swamp
particularly when creativity
is the victim

Yet, many years ago
Kunjan Nambiar the satirist
refused a king's directive to write poetry
on  'Deepastampam' - a temple flag pole
while many wrote for the money
he said- "Deepastampam mahascharyam
 namukkum kittanam panam"
translated it reads
"The flag pole is a great wonder
I also should get money!"

Blessings & best Wishes

In this sweet month of March
I received the good news from friends
that there was a change in their status
one had become a proud  father
while two others happy grandparents

My heart warmed up to the little ones
a prayer sprang up in my heart
may they have a  pollution free
prosperous and peaceful lives in the future
better than we  their countrymen have in 2014

May they live in an India
where all the people have opportunities
to pursue vocations of their choice
may they in their lives have leaders & statesmen
who constantly strive for the welfare of the people

May they live in an India
which has a common ethos
of being an Indian and Indian alone
with love for each other
from north to south, east to west
unity in diversity in the
truest sense of the words

may they live in an India
that is the envy of the whole world
not merely for its prosperity
but its spirituality, brotherhood
equality and love

Yes, little ones may you grow & bloom in those times
when mother India is beaming again
resplendent in all her glory!

Summer holidays (1998)

"You have two months holidays: for one and half months we are going to Kerala"said Geetha to her sons. twelve year old Arun and nine year old Varun. "No amma,we are not going"said both of them in unison. "We don't want to go.We want to play with all our friends here.Besides, we will miss all our favourite programs on cartoon network as there is no cable TV in grandma's place."

Arun and varun are living with their parents at the National games housing complex in Bangalore.Being a huge complex with number of families, they had many friends to play.Naturally they did not want to go to Kerala which was also a hotter & sultry place.

"This time we are not only going to Perunbavoor to see grandma & Grandpa.We are also going to Pudukad."
"We are not coming"
"But everyone will be there.Abhishek and abhinandan are coming from Mumbai. Swetha from Vadodara,Ramesh & shyam from Chennai, Akhilesh & malathi from Ernakulam......"
"Abishek will be there?"asked the younger one falteringly.
"I am certainly not going said Arun firmly."

Geetha was mentioning the names of all her cousins'children hoping that her sons would change their minds about going to Kerala for the holidays.However she found that they were not budging an inch from their stand.She was reminded of the summer of 1969 when she herself had refused to go to her mother's ancestral home in Pudukad during the holidays.But her mother had simply ordered that "she jolly well had to go whether she liked it or not!"
Pudukad was not a big town but it had a couple of cinema theaters, shops, green fields and tiled factories with long chimneys.Geetha's grandfather owned a tile factory and was engaged in agriculture near his big ancestral home.

Amidst protests,Geetha landed up in Pudukad to be greeted by her many cousins.Her mother had six sisters and one brother.Her uncle was only nine years older than her and the youngest aunt just six years older.And what a summer that had turned out to be ! A summer holiday packed with so many lively incidents that she was actually sorry she had to return to Perumbavoor after the holidays.

Geetha called both her sons "When Amma was 8 years old, I also refused to go to Pudukad" she began......   "Since your uncle Ramesh and I were the only two kids in our house and Ramesh studied in a boarding school, I grew up mostly alone.So I was shy & uncomfortable with people, even with my cousins."
"Did Ramesh uncle come with you on that holiday?" asked Varun
"Oh yes, he had come directly from the hostel for the holidays.In fact he was making fun of me for all the protests"
"What happened on the first day?" Arun was curious
"On the first day I kept mostly to myself but by two days I was enjoying the games with my cousins.During the mornings after breakfast we roamed about in the fields,climbed mango & guava trees."
"Did you pluck mangoes?"
"Oh yes! we liked it raw with salt & chilly powder.We also ate the ripe guavas. At 11 o'clock we girls used to come back and help our aunts and the servants  with the cooking. Oh, it was such fun,so many of us sitting in circles and shelling peas. Leela  aunty was a great cook.She enjoyed feeding us with different delicacy each day.While in my house, we prepared only vegetarian food, here there was mouth watering fish, meat and special veg dishes to choose from."
"How about Radha Grandma? "
"Oh she used to love fun & entertainment.In the evenings at 7 she would make all of us sit in a big circle.Then one by one we had to sing, dance or mono act. She also liked story telling.We children used to go behind her and wait patiently until she was ready to begin her wonderful stories of kings, queens, princes and ghosts.....
But Kusuma aunty would not let us start the evening entertainment until all of us washed our face,hands & feet and sat down to recite prayers for at least half an hour. She also arranged two visits to Guruvayoor Krishna temple during our stay of two months."

"Did you have fun all the time Amma ?" asked Varun

"Well, it was mostly fun but we got in to trouble as well.One day four of us children wanted to bathe in the pond. Prema aunty who is normally quiet by nature offered to come with us. Apart from 8 year old me,there was 7 year old Asha and , 5 year olds Unni and Rajesh. Prema aunty sat on the steps leading to the family pond and watched us  with her one year old baby in her lap.
All of a sudden. Asha started going down.Unni who was the nearest tried to catch her but he also started sinking.There was panic all around and all of us started crying loudly. Prema aunty left the baby on the ground and jumped."
"Then what happened?!"asked both the boys in unison
"She managed to pull both of them out.She pressed their belly and a lot of water came flowing down from their mouths! "
"And then?"
"And when we went home , all of us got a solid scolding for being careless. You know, Amma got in to another trouble during that holiday.....
There was a pet cat kitty who was very cute & liked by everyone.One day after playing with her I put kitty in a wooden cupboard upstairs,locked it and took the key with me.After that I forgot all about kitty and was playing with the cousins.After about two hours grandfather was asking,"Where is Kitty? She seems to be not around." Suddenly I remembered.And boys, was I scared! I was looking frantically for the keys but could not find them.I had lost it somewhere!Grandpa was getting more & more angry and impatient.
slowly, with faltering steps, I went to Kusuma aunty and told her the whole story.As the cupboard could not be opened ,Grandpa called a carpenter who broke open the door & rescued Kitty.But Grandpa was very angry.He turned around and gave a stinging slap to my youngest aunt, 14 year old Rema. I felt very bad and sorry for her.It was as if Grandpa had slapped me. I went out to the terrace and wept inconsolably..."
"Amma, you were a very naughty girl!" said Varun
"And a little bit of a buddhu as well. You know, our uncle Govind was the pampered one, being the only brother among so many sisters.And he often played pranks on all of us.One day he asked us to look closely at the smoke coming out of the chimney of the tile factory.As we looked, he said  "The smoke is coming from the cigarette of a rakshasa (demon) who lives below." Being a simpleton, I believed him for a long time, although now & then doubts would arise in my mind  as to whether this was really true. "
"Ha. ha ha you were tricked Amma.you were tricked!" said Varun

"Hey, just a minute, looks like Achan has returned from the office"said Arun.
Both the boys ran to the front door to greet their father. "Acha... our holidays will begin soon.Please book our tickets to Kerala immediately.Otherwise the tickets for the Kanyakumari Express will get sold out!"
Their father Rakesh smiled  and asked in surprise "Hey, why this sudden excitement boys for going to Kerala?"
"That's our little secret, isn't it boys? said Geetha and winked at them. 

Fear

The other day in a spiritual program
the speaker declared .....
our natural state is peace & tranquility
It is just that we tend
to move away from
our natural state
and wallow in negative emotions
like fear.....

Today fear appears to be
for most people , the natural state
the student fearful of strict teacher
employees fearful of boss
spouses fearful of one another
managements fearful of unions
and viceversa...

We know that fear
is a negative emotion-  it's
 false education appearing real
comletely immobalizes & weakens us
yet we tend to give in to it
enjoy creating it in others
like the moth that cannot resist
going after the light & fire
in spite of knowing that it will die...

As for reclaiming our natural state
we may need to step back
and look at fear in the eye
and call the imposter's bluff
yes. it can be done
but asks for lot of courage

So the majority of us prefer
to accept fear, create fear
and believe that it infact
is the natural state
and not peace & tranquility
as claimed by the spiritually inclined.....

प्रगति

बहुत हुआ है 
प्रगति भारत देश में 
टीवी में बार बार इसी की चर्चा हो रही हैं, आज कल 
शहर के बहुत लोगों के पास 
मोबाइल फ़ोन हैं 

बूढ़ा हो , महिला हो ,नव जवान हो 
या तेरह साल के बच्चे हो 
सब के पास हैं मोबाइल 

आज सुबह ,मेरा दोस्त खोया सा नज़र आया 
"मैंने पुछा भई क्या हुआ "
वह अपना शोक भरी कहानी सुनाया 

"कल रात दस बजे  मेरे तेरह साल के लड़का मोबाइल में खेल रहा था 
मैं ने उसको डाँटा - जा कुछ पढ़ो
नहीं तो सो जाओ ,कल सुबह उठना है 
वह चला गया  बेडरूम में - और मैं  अपने बेडरूम में
रात साढ़े तीन को जब अचानक उठा 
सोचा कि देखूं कि वह क्या कर रहा है 
जब मैं उसका बेडरूम गए 
तो देखा कि कमरा बंद है अंदर से 
मैं आवाज़ दिया , मारा दरवाज़े पे 
पर दरवाज़ा बंद ही रहा 

6 बजे दफ्तर निकलते समय 
भी दरवाज़ा बंद था 
मैं ज़ोर से मारा ,ऊंची आवाज़ दिया 
पर दरवाज़ा बंद ही रहा 
दफ्तर पहुँचने पर 8 बजे फ़ोन पे खबर किया 
दरवाज़ा तब भी बंद ही था

अब मुझे 'पैनिक'( panic) सा लग रहा है 
क्या रात भर वह खेलता रहा मोबाइल पर 
और अब उठ नहीं पा  रहा है सुबह ?
ऐसा न हो कि मेरे डाँट  के वजह 
वह कुछ अनर्थ न कर बैठे ?"

दोस्त की कहानी सुनकर
मैं ने सोचा .....  कि आज 
प्रगति बनाया है जीवन आसान - पर 
क्या इस केलिए हमें बढ़ी कीमत चुकानी पड रही है ?
हमारे मन  शान्ति नष्ट हो रही है ?