Message Rangolis

 I have come across beautiful or meaningful paintings, sand sculptures and photographs conveying socially relevant messages. My childhood friend Sadhana (Sadhana Rajhans Tembhekar) is a very sensitive lady who believes in social commitment immensely. She is an excellent artist and possesses a hidden talent of which we all friends became aware recently.

The culture of drawing a Rangoli or making a Rangoli pattern in the front yard of the home is an integral part of Hindu culture and tradition. These rangolis are a creative art and showcase the mastery of the artist in colour combination, symmetry, neatness, fineness and drawing. The lady of the house, whatever may be her social status or strata of the society, gets up in the morning,  cleans the courtyard and sprinkles it with water and at times, smears it with cow dung. Then with fine rangoli powder, she makes a rangoli pattern. The size of the rangoli does not matter. (As I write this article, in my mind's eye, arises a graceful lady, like the one in Raja Ravi Varma's portraits ,squatting down on her haunches and drawing a rangoli). Then she fills it in with colour or at times, puts a pinch of red vermilion and turmeric powder in it. On festivals and on the occasions of celebrations, huge colourful rangolis adorn the court yard. Now due to changes in the lifestyle of the people and work culture, the number of women drawing these rangolis has decreased. The flat culture or apartment culture too has affected this age old art due to space constraint. With the passage of time, the patterns of Rangoli have changed or new patterns have emerged. Free hand Rangoli is in vogue due to its adaptability and ease. Another noteworthy factor is that in modern times, the art of  rangoli has become gender neutral.

I don't know if my usage 'Message Rangolis' is appropriate or not. I believe Rangoli with a message, as it is described, gives prime importance to Rangoli and a little less  subservient status to the message. A message rangoli is drawn because of a felt need, out of social consciousness and a sense of commitment, to make people aware of certain social ills, stigmas and problems. Here the message is in the forefront. 

So going back to the topic with which I began this essay, my friend Sadhana should be appreciated and applauded for her excellent craftsmanship. In these ten days of Ganesh Puja, Sadhana has each day drawn a Message Rangoli and has uploaded its photo on Facebook as well as on What's App to spread her message among people at large. Not only this, she has elaborated upon the importance of each day of Ganeshotsav in her write ups. Her attempt to take people back to their roots is laudable. 

She wished all her friends on day one of the puja through the medium of rangoli and as she had done it in the past, this year too decided to depict ten different facets of Lord Ganesha to highlight ten social issues. The idea itseif was so exhilarating that after the day one, at least some time in the day, would be spent discussing her that day's  rangoli with other friends and the theme of the next day's message. 

On day one, her Ganesha arrived dressed up gorgeously in a red purple sovala and blue purple uparana and with a kamandalu in his hand and a chhatra overhead, walking elegantly, and bestowing upon the devotees the confidence and trust that the Rain God would accompany him to bless all his devotees. It was simply breathtaking.  In her next effort, Ganesha arrived with the message of water conservation. At this time, when most of the Maharashtra was grappling with acute water scarcity,   her message of 'Jal hai to kal hai' and 'Save water' was significant. Very aptly she projected a bucket overflowing with water, the scorching sun, cracked land surface and dry clouds. In the midst of all these, were palms holding a drop of water.  A lot of previous planning, consideration and thoughtfulness must have gone into the execution of this rangoli. The next surprise was on a rare kind of donation-the most noble donation-blood donation.It gives one the satisfaction of giving and saving some one's life. God has the ability to give us life. All we can do is to save it. The rangoli conveyed the message that blood donation done once, can save up to three lives. Blood transfusion, the red colour of blood and blood being supplied to three human beings went on to complete this message.

Mahalakshmi Pujan or Gauri Pujan is done for three days during Ganpati. Adishakti has always been worshiped in our culture. In the same culture, female foeticide and infanticide is very common. It is a misconception that female foeticide is common in illiterate, uneducated, rural, poor classes of the society. Women's Studies reveal that the percentage of both is more in educated, urban, civilized sections of the society. Gender discrimination too is observed in our surroundings. As responsible members of the society, is it not our duty to make people aware of how unjust and wrong it is. This too is a part of social awareness campaign, according to the crusader Sadhana. Very symbolically she has shown a tear drop from a female eye. This tear drop is the womb of the foetus and a scissors is touching the umbilical cord. An imbalanced, lopsided  weighing scale apperas with the message that her tears will not correct the imbalance. Timely action is necessary to save the girl child. What a message and the day on which it was delivered! Simply awesome timing.

In her next social endeavour, she sheds light on the epicurean life style of people.People are becoming more materialistic and addicted. In this rangoli, she mentions smoking.A cigarette is depicted as a man with a yellow butt end as a cap and hands on its waist and is shown smoking a man. The caption reads as 'Kill Smoking or It Will Kill You." In an informative comment, Dr. Anita (an erudite scholar) said that deaddiction from smoking requires immense will power and moral strength. She pointed out that the percentage of smokers is on the decline in the West due to its evil effects and in India, the young are falling prey to it "just for thrill." Another alarming fact in India is the increase in the number of female smokers in India. The rangoli unknowingly became a platform for dissemination of information and exchange of ideas. This kind of give and take is noticed in almost all the mesage rangoli posts.

to be continued . . . 

Watch out for more tomorrow . . .

More on TV Commercials and Human Relationships

It is Rakhi time in India. The festival celebrating the bond of siblings, brothers and sisters is to be celebrated on 29^th August 2015. A precocious brother says that the sister ties Rakhi so that the brother can/ should protect her. The sister tells him with a twinkle in her eyes that she knows how to protect herself. She ties a Rakhi so that he can gift her Cadbury Celebration sweets that he has bought for her by saving money from his pocket money. She ties the Rakhi and the bother gifts the box to her. She open and eats one and loves its yummy taste. The brother tries to snatch away the box from her hands. She pushes his hand aside and tells him with a laugh that she knows how to protect her sweets as well. This commercial is very simple and yet very touching. The love, warmth and camaraderie shared by the duo finds an echo in every heart and is very appealing.  The commercial also projects how confident and strong and yet sensitive the present day Indian girls are.

Another commercial that holds immense appeal is that of the Lloyd Washing Machine. A couple visits a showroom to purchase a washing machine. On entering the Showroom, the husband tells the salesperson to show washing machines to ‘Madam’. He stands aside and starts fiddling with his Mobile phone as if he has nothing to do with the purchase. The lady with a glint in her eyes and a mischievous smile asks to be shown ‘Unisex’ washing machine. Both men are flummoxed. She points out that the husband has never used the previous machine and hence she would like to go in for a ‘unisex’ machine. The salesman shows her a machine with a touch screen menu which the husband can use easily and effortlessly. The commercial shows the changing nature of the society and how the stereotypes are being broken every day. It shows equality and equal distribution of work in a home. "It's so easy, that even Sir can do the washing," says the wife in Lloyd's latest commercial for its washing machine range, before a male voice-over goes on to highlight the "easy swipe touch panel" and other cool technology. Nipun Singhal, Director, Lloyd Electric & Engineering says, “The campaign targets urban women and at the same time inspires men to stop taking women for granted. Men tend to abdicate their responsibility towards helping their wives out in this chore.”

Now days, taboo products and subjects like Sanitary Napkins, Condoms and Pregnancy Test kids are being advertised on Radio as well as TV to increase sales and enhance public awareness. Balika Vadhu Star and Shilpa Shetty have featured in Pregnancy Test Kits. One TV Commercial highlights the emotional, mental and moral support rendered by a husband in a very friendly, supportive manner by a husband to his expecting wife. The wife has learnt that she is pregnant and hence is a little jittery and nervous. She is a little reluctant as she feels she would become fat/ obese and would face mood swings. The husband says that he too would become fat with her and they would be together. The ad shows the openness, warmth and sharing cum concern of the partner for his wife.

The Rin ‘Chamkate Rahana’ adv commercial deals with the relationship of a father and daughter. On the day one of daughter’s job in a bank, the father, an auto-rickshaw driver drops her to her workplace- a bank, in his auto. She meets her boss outside the bank and he compliments her on her white blouse and skirt and says she looks a perfect professional in her outfit. Then he notices the auto and asks her as to why she has come in an auto. The girl, Shreya Pilgaonkar, hugs the auto driver and with immense pride declares that he is her father and puts her ahnd round his shoulders. The boss’s embarrassment is obvious and he is flummoxed. He does not know how to respond. He regains his composure and shakes hand with the auto driver father. The daughter walks with pride to the entrance of her workplace. I love this commercial for its frank and realistic portrayal of the father-daughter duo bond and pride in each other’s achievements.

The nature of the commercials is changing so fast and to maintain simulacrum, they are now focused on the projection of human relationships.

 

आज मला असे वाटतंय 

      आज मला असे वाटतंय -

     गवताच्या पात्यासारखे आनंदाने डोलावे 

    उमलणाऱ्या कळीसारखे हळूच लाजावे 

   टवटवीत गुलाबासारखे धुंदीत हसावे 

  भिरभिरणाऱ्या फुलपाखरासारखे बागडावे 

  इवल्या चिमण्यांसारखे चिवचिव करावे 

 आम्रवृक्षावर झुलत कोकिळेसारखे गावे 

 वसंत ऋतूत निसर्गात रमून जावे. 

  आज मला असे वाटतंय -

 बकुळीच्या फुलासारखे शुभ्र फुलावे 

मोगऱ्याच्या गंधासारखे धुंद दरवळावे 

कृष्णकमळासारखे नाजूक हेलकावे घ्यावे 

इवल्याशा जांभळ्या केन्यासारखे अलगद लपावे 

दवाच्या टपोऱ्या थेंबासारखे रंग झळकवावे 

निंबोणीसारखे कुठेही सहज मजेत रुजावे 

डेरेदार वटवृक्षासारखे पाराम्ब्यांसह जगावे . 

आज मला असे वाटतंय -   

बाल्यांच्या जगात मी मनसोक्त रमावे 

वृद्धांच्या असहायतेला अलगद झेलावे 

चंचल निर्झरासारखे अवखळ वहावे 

छोट्या मास्यांसारखे मुक्त विहरावे 

रातराणीसारखे दृष्टीस न पडता बहरावे 

प्राजक्तासारखे  गालीचा होवून मोहित करावे.   

आज मला असे वाटतंय -   

प्रकृतीकडून  बरेच काही अनायास शिकावे 

स्वार्थीपणाचे, ढोंगीपणाचे मुखवटे टाकून द्यावे 

कमळासारखे भुंग्याला अलवार कवेत घ्यावे 

वृक्षांसारखी सर्वांना शांत सुखद सावली  द्यावे  

इंद्रधनुसमान सर्वांना  हर्षाने मंत्रमुग्ध करावे  

आणि बरसणाऱ्या मेघाप्रमाणे तृषार्थाना शमवावे . 

वंदना पाठक 

  

                                                        साधन होईन मी देवाचे 

जिथे जिथे वेदना आहे; औषध तिथेच लागते ;

जिथे जिथे गरिबी आहे; मदत तिथेच लागते.

मानव या जगात पूर्णपणे अवलंबून आहे देवाच्या इच्छेवर:

जर तो करेल मला प्याला, मी होईन प्याला,

आणि जर तो करेल मला कट्यार , मी होईन कट्यार,

जर तो करेल मला झरा,  मी देईन पाणी ,

जर तो करेल मला अग्नी, मी देईन उष्णता,

जर तो करेल मला पाऊस, मी उगवेन पीक, 

आणि जर तो करेल मला बाण, मी शिरेन शरीरात ,

आणि जर तो करेल मला साप, मी ओकेन विष,

आणि जर तो करेल मला मित्र, मी करीन सेवा .  

(रुमी, स्वैर भाषांतर )

वंदना पाठक   

TV Commercials and Relationships: Appealing Ads

This summer (2015) while watching the Idiot Box, certain advertisements caught my attention and appealed to my heart. The first was the advertisement of Mother's Day of Tanishq featuring Deepika Padukone with her mom Ujjwala Padukone. Deepika is shownn trying on different ornaments in the Tanishq showroom and then she returns home. The mother is laying the table and seems a little put off. Deepika is shown muttering to herself about how even in spite of being a celebrity, she can not leave any food on her plate and how her mother scolds her on reaching home late. Her mother wants her to arrange and tidy up her bedroom first thing in the morning. She can not stand it even if a single light remains on in her daughter's room (a true disciplinarian). In these 28 years of togetherness, she has never thanked her mother for being with her. She looks gorgeous and dazzling in white. She gifts a beautiful necklace to her mother who too again is in white. The daughter puts the necklace round her mother's neck and hugs her with moist eyes. The expressions and body language convey something about their bond which is beyond words. This bond is as precious and adorable as the Tanishq jwellery is and both the bonds, that of the mother daughter duo, and a woman's love for ornaments, are priceless and treasurable. The piece of jwellery is as pure as the love of a mother for whom the daughter would always be a little one. A daughter, is a daughter, first and foremost, even if she is a celebrity. The ad beautifully encapsulates their relationship as " timeless" and adds further," Somethings never change with time." The situations depicted are a daily occurrence in most of the families and experienced by everyone and hence immensely identifiable. These odd every day incidents are instrumental in moulding a persona and how well it has been projected in Deepika's monologue, "Socha tha famous hone ka kuchh to fayda hoga." The mother treats her daughter as an ordinary girl. The mother has kept the daughter rooted to her values. Christina Perry's “A Thousand Years” has been employed as the background score and enhances effectively the emotional appeal of the advertisement. The song declares, " I have loved you for a thousand years/ I 'll love you for a thousand more." I love the soulful song-

How can I love when I’m afraid to fall

But watching you stand alone

All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow...
Now another hair oil commercial featuring Alisha Bhat and her mother Soni Razdaan is being telecast. Yet it lacks the magic and emotional appeal of the Deepika -Tanishq commercial.

Usually, I don't like soft drink ads and soft drinks too. Given a choice, I would not recommend them as well from the point of view of language or Sociology. These ads are endorsed by celebrities most of the times to attract masses and lure them. This summer's Coke ad appealed to me for its depiction of relationships. The ad features Siddartha Malhotra and Alia Bhatt as newly weds. The couple is not yet very close and maintain distance and quietness while travelling in a car. Alisha as a bride is still in her bridal red. The groom turned husband, still in his sherwani and red pagree, tells her that she can tell him about anything that she wants and likes. She demurely tells that she loves the taste of Coke. The car halts and the  'new' hubby gives her a bottle of Coke and she offers it to him. He is taken aback and says that she had said that she liked it. She coyly says that she likes him too. So he first takes a sip and then gives it to her. The ice is broken. The way in which this delicate relationship has been projected makes the ad more appealing and human. The couple looks adorable and Alia is the perfect coy, shy bride, trying to overcome her inhibitions.

 One more advertisement that focuses on human relationships is that of Tata Salt Lite. father and his little daughter are on the dining table eating together. The father is coaxing his daughter to share at least one bite from her plate with him. The daughter firmly says no to him. The father then tries to cajole her by offering/ bribing her with an evening out. The daughter firmly says no and calls her mother. The mother then offers the same delicacies to the husband by using Tata Salt lite instead of depriving him. The entire family is happy and contented. Health and happiness are topmost priorities in any family and no compromise can be made with it at any cost. The husband and wife relationship and its changing facets are depicted in yet another commercial ad. The girl Iliana has to shift to London for her work and is concerned about the reaction of her beloved and how he would take it or react to it. The husband after listening to her remains silent for sometime. This pause is a pregnant pause and then declares that he too has been hunting for new headquarters and does not mind shifting it to London. Of course, the sweet lingering fragrance of the talc has been the motivating factor for him. This seems a little unbelievable but the very fact that a man is ready to shift with his wife willingly to promote her career is amazing and perhaps will be instrumental in changing male psyche in patriarchal India where a woman's decision, economic independence, and career have always taken a back seat.

Watched Wahida Rehman Cadbury Ad? The family has just finished dinner. Wahida is the granny in the family. The dessert dish is kept at the center of the dining table. There are  pieces or cubes of Cadbury in the plate. One small last piece remains in the dish. The father says he should have it as he has worked the entire day and the child wants it as he has studied for the whole day. The granny, sitting quietly, opens her mouth and says that she does not know for how long she would live. The atmosphere becomes a little serious and everyone is distracted. The granny, with a twinkle in her eyes and a naughty smile, like a precocious child, grabs and eats the last piece.
The 'Wish' advertisement of Flipkart is an amazing advertisement based on human relationships. It ushers in a chain reaction and the relationships unfold in an excellent manner. The advertisement of Dalmiya Cement is also very touching. The first time I viewed it I remembered Sudha Murthy's quotation from Gently Calls the Bakula that a house is a structure and home is a place of feelings and relationships. We see a father and a son talking to each other outside their home. The son points out that he would shift some where else as the existing house is now small and due to the size of the family, all members could not live in comfortably. The father suggests that instead of shifting somewhere else, he should demolish the old house and construct a new one. The son is taken aback and says the home is the legacy of his grandfather and the father would not be able stand it. The father's reply is just heart touching. He says that he would be destroying the structure and not the home. He adds that if he shifts elsewhere he would be destroying the home. He is ready to grant permission on the condition that Dalmia Cement should be used for the purpose of construction.

In this article, I have enlisted some advertisement commercials close to my heart. I think advertisements make us aware not only of a particular product or brand  but also of culture, traditions, human relationships and language. I will discuss few more ads in my next write up.

प्रेम 

प्रत्येक प्राणी जाणतो प्रेम काय आहे,

लांडगा, कोंबडा,आणि सिंह ;

तो जो आंधळा आहे प्रेमासाठी 

तो निम्न आहे कुत्र्यापेक्षा.  

रूमी 

वंदना पाठक 

प्रेम 

प्रेमाचे पूर्ण वर्णन अजूनही अकथित
जरी निर्णयाचे दिन- शेकडो येवोत व जावोत
कारण व्यापकता निर्णयाच्या दिनाची  ठरली आहे
पण कमी कसे होईल वर्णन देवाचे?

प्रेम  पकडता किंवा जकडता येत येत नाहीं शब्दात
प्रेम समुद्र आहे अगणित खोलीचा
तरी सात समुद्र , छोटे , प्रेमापुढे.

रूमी  

वंदना पाठक 

Life's Express Way

I am travelling on the Express Way

On this fresh, pleasant, windy day,

Admiring the sylvan greenery all around,

wishing to continue  beyond bound.

Gray clouds throng the sky all around

Wind scatters them like hay in mound.

Goats and sheep graze on the meadow,

Farmers sowed seeds in the dark shadow.

Women,  covered with sacks, bent double,

Planting paddy, smeared with mud till ankle.

Their colourful rows look simply amazing,

Moving, dancing bodies rhythmically swaying.

The  green hill gives thumbs up to the sky

as if offering tributes to  the almighty high.

The wild flowers enhance aesthetic appeal,

Vivid hues, shades of green my heart steal.

In mind's camera I capture this image  beautiful 

As I go farther it  multiplies being immutable.

The  undulating Express Way is the way of life

Its charm increases in spite of mutable strife.

Vandana Pathak

मन ते ओले 

काल धो धो सतत पाऊस  पडला
आणि आम्हाला उगाच उपास घडला
बाईक वरून हिंडली मुले चिंब भिजत
भजे , पकोडे , भुट्टे, चहा, मस्ती करत. 

माय पण पाण्याने घरातच अडकली
गळणारे पाणी उपसून खूप थकली
रद्दीचा धंदा मला करता नाही आला
घरात शिल्लक नाही पैका खायला.

माझा बाप दारू पिऊन धिंगाणा घाले
मायच्या तोंडपट्टा मात्र चुरूचुरू चाले
मी व बारकी भावंडे चिंब  व उपाशी  
बसून होतो ओलेते हातपाय पोटाशी.

सर्वत्र दिसते नजरेला माझ्या तफावत
काही भिजतात उगाच हसत खिदळत
काही बसतात उपाशी थंडीने कुडकुडत
फुटक्या आयुष्यातील दु:खे उपसत .

वंदना पाठक 

The Overcast Mind

The sky is overcast

So is the mind

A number of stray thoughts

My mind binds.

This spell is momentary, I know,

The clouds will fly and drift

A shower may feel like a treat.

This dark night would soon be over

The golden rays will be a magical shower,

A rainbow will brighten the sky.

The cool breeze  slowly dispels the clouds

The blue sky my life surrounds.

The sun and clouds play hide and seek

Why should I then remain bleak?

These clouds teach me a lesson

to get rid of deep and dark sessions.

Vandana Pathak

उड्डाण छुप्या आकाशाकडे

मुक्त व्हा तुमच्या चिन्तांपासून 

आणि व्हा पूर्णपणे नितळ 

जणू आरसपानी  . 

ज्यात दिसत नाही एकही प्रतिमा. 

जेव्हा तो रिक्त असतो आकारांशिवाय 

सर्व आकार सामावलेले असतात त्यातच. 

एकाही चेहऱ्याला वाटणार नाही लाज 

असण्याची इतके नितळ. 

हे प्रेम करणे आहे: उड्डाण एका छुप्या आकाशाकडे,

ज्या मुळे गळून पडतात हजारो आच्छादने प्रत्येक क्षणाला 

प्रथमतः, मुक्त व्हा जीवनापासून 

अखेरीला, उचलण्याकरिता  एक पाऊल पावलांशिवाय. 

विचार करा ह्या जगाचा अदृश्य म्हणून 

आणि दुर्लक्ष करा त्याकडे जे वाटते आहे मी व माझे. 

(रुमी : सिलेक्टेड पोएम्स, ccxiii , स्वैर भाषांतर )  

वंदना पाठक 

   

 अतिथीगृह 

 हे मानवी शरीर एक अतिथीगृह 

रोज सकाळी एक नवीन पाहुणा. 

आनंद ,निराशा किंवा स्वार्थीपणा 

जणू एखादा अनपेक्षित येणारा पाहुणा. 

काही क्षणभंगूर होणारी जाणीव:

स्वागत आणि आदरातिथ्य करा त्या सर्वांचे;

जरी तो असेल जमाव दु:खांचा 

जे भीषणपणे पाडतील तुमचे घर 

रिकामे करतील  त्यातील फर्निचर 

तरीही व्यवहार करा प्रत्येक पाहुण्याशी सन्मानाने

तो तयार करत असेल तुम्हाला एखाद्या नवीन आनंदासाठी. 

काळेकुट्ट विचार, शरम , द्वेष, 

भेटा  त्यांना दारातच हसत हसत. 

आणि आमंत्रण द्या त्यांना आत येण्याचे. 

कारण प्रत्येकाला आले आहे पाठविण्यात 

मार्गदर्शक म्हणून पलिकडून .         

( रुमी : सिलेक्टेड  पोएम्स, ccxiii ,  स्वैर भाषांतर )

वंदना पाठक 

   

माझे नागपूर 

हरवली आहे माझी आवडती एक न्यारी व्यक्ती

माझ्या रोमरोमात वसते तिची  तीच आकृती.

पुरातन वारसा ल्यायलेली तिची अनोखी संस्कृती

सर्वांना एकत्र घेऊन नांदण्याची होती तिची वृत्ती.

तीनशे वर्षांचा अदभूत  अपूर्व इतिहास लाभलेली

कलागुणांच्या वारस्याने अमुलाग्र  ती नटलेली

तमाशा, जलसा, कुस्ती,  नृत्य, संगीत व मंत्र

सर्वांना आपलेसे करायचे अवगत होते तंत्र .

टेकडीचा गणपती, राजाबक्षा व  ताजबाग 

लाकडीपूल, चितार ओळ आणि केळीबाग

मोमिनपुरा, इतवारी, सीताबर्डी, सदर  भाग

अतिक्रमणाने व्यापली  दुकानांची रांग. 

अनोख्या  संस्कृतीने नटले आमचे नागपूर

काळी,  पिवळी मारबत,  शोभायात्रा  भरपूर

दिक्षाभूमी, किल्ला, तलाव, बगीचे,हिरवळ सर्वदूर 

ह्या संस्कृतीचा वारसा टिकेल का हीच  हुरहूर.  

हरवले आहे माझ्या मनातील नागपूर

लहानपणापासून हळूच होत होते दूर.

गांधींची उचलबांगडी जाहली एका कोपऱ्यात

व्हेरायटीची जागा  सिनेमेक्सने घेतली थाटात .

धनवटे रंगमंदीर व राणी झांशीचा पुतळा

सीताबर्डीची शान होता आगळा वेगळा

त्याच्या शेजारीच वसली होती संगम चाळ

मागे नदीकाठी जणू रचलेली मंदिरांची माळ .

बर्डीचे आता अमुलाग्र रूप स्वरूप  बदलले

भर रस्त्यावरून चालणे कठीण झाले

दुकानांची दुतर्फा  गर्दी झाली दाटीवाटीने

परिचित गायब होऊन आली नवीन स्थाने.

सर्वदूर झालेत मोट्ठे मोट्ठे उडानपूल  सुंदर

त्यावरील दिवे रात्रीचा पाडतात विसर.

दिवसरात्र अहर्निश  धाव धावते हे शहर

आता मेट्रो रेल त्यात पाडणार अजून  भर.

मिहानने फिरवली  जणू  छडी जादूची 

कमाल  व हद्द झाली तेथे कायापालटाची 

भर पडली अनेक नूतन उद्योग धंद्यांची 

पण वाट लागली त्यात कापड गिरण्यांची.  

उड्डाण पुलांनी  शहरात कमालच केली 

वेळेची व वेगाची गणिते बदलूनच गेली 

संत्रानगरी भारताचा  केंद्रबिंदू जाहली 

नागांची वसाहत  बहरली, फुलली, विकसली.  

परिवर्तन अपरिहार्य  ही काळाची वर्दी 

सुकते, प्रदूषित होते, तरीही  वाहते नागनदी 

संस्कृतीची सरमिसळ, लोकांची भाऊगर्दी 

मायमराठी आमुची नव्या-जुन्याची दर्दी .  

माझ्या नागपूरचा मला सार्थ अभिमान 

हीच कर्मभूमीच आहे माझे जन्मस्थान 

जुन्यानव्याची गुंफण ही  संस्कृतीची   खाण   

हरवलेल्या व्यक्तीला शोधायचे स्वीकारले वाण. 

वंदना पाठक  

माझी गाथा 

मी पडते 

उठते 

सावरते 

धडपडते 

धडपडताना 

मी घडते. 

मी घरी 

लहानशी परी 

लेक साजरी 

सर्वांची दुलारी 

मोदाच्या सरी  

दुनियाच  न्यारी . 

सरले बालपण 

तारुण्यात पदार्पण 

नवनवीन  आकर्षण 

विचारांचे संप्रेक्षण 

बंधनांचे कुंपण 

सखा फक्त दर्पण. 

सरलेत वर्ष  

शिक्षणाचा  हर्ष 

प्रेमाचा स्पर्श

मोरपिसाचा स्पर्श 

घरी विचारविमर्श  

नात्यांचा  संघर्ष.  

एक सर्ग नूतन 

हवेहवेसे बंधन 

नात्यांची गुंफण 

सुखांची पखरण 

बाळाचे आगमन 

सुखद जीवन.  

कमळातील भ्रमर 

करी हळूच जर्जर 

आजाराचा वावर 

सुरु झाली घरघर 

भविष्य दुर्धर 

हसू मात्र निर्झर.  

समोर भीषण छाया 

सोडवत नव्हती माया 

हात सुटले, कंपित काया, 

अस्तित्वाची जाणीव  द्याया

दोन टोकांची गाठ घालाया 

धडपडले मी, नको फुकाची दया.   

 मी  पडले,उठले,

सावरले, धडपडले, 

प्रयत्नांचे सार्थक केले 

धडपडताना मी घडले.  

मी घडता घडता  घडले

 व इतरांनाही घडविले.   

  वंदना पाठक 

काठी 

रोज फिरते तशी, त्या  एका दिवशी 

संध्याकाळी बसले होते बागेत जराशी 

शेजारीच बसला होता  समुह आजींचा

प्राणायाम, रामरक्षा व म्हणत होत्या परवचा. 

काही वेळाने एक आजी  अस्वस्थ झाल्या 

बसल्या जागेवर उगीचच वळवळू लागल्या 

निमिषातचं   मग त्या उभ्या जाहल्या 

घरी परतते असे वारंवार म्हणू लागल्या. 

"का ग सखे कसली घाई, जा काही वेळाने बाई",

"रात्रीचं मला दिसत नाही, यास्तव करते घाई

आज काठी आणायचे  विसरले मी  कशीच 

धडपडून हातपाय तोडून घ्यायची मीच."    

    

मिश्किलपणे एक आजी हसल्या  व वदल्या ,

"काठीची गरज कशाला  भासते ग तुजला ?

थांब थोडावेळ तुझी काठी येईल तुला शोधत,

त्यांना पण हवीशी आहे ना तुझी सोबत."

"म्हातारपणी  सर्वांनाच जरुरी काठीचा आधार,

कारणे वेगळी प्रत्येकाची, वयाचाच होतो भार. 

कान, दात, दृष्टी कमजोर, थरथरतात  हातपाय,

त्यांना  तुझी काळजी, आल्याशिवाय राहतील काय? "

" खरे आहे  प्रत्येकाला   जरुरी काठीचा आधार,

परंतु आमच्या बाबतीत सूत्रं बदलले थोडेफार ,

ज्यांनी  केली माझी सोबत दररोजअनेक वर्ष  , 

त्यांची काठी झाली आहे मी गेले काही दिन  सहर्ष." 

"सोडून त्यांना मंदिरात, येते मी रोज येथे बागेत ,

तेथे  मित्रांसोबत राहतात ते काही काळ मजेत. 

जाताना मी  त्यांना हात देऊन सोबत नेते घरी,

मी झाले काठी त्यांची , हीच या नात्यातील गमंत  खरी." 

वंदना पाठक 

Of Childhood Games

That day being a holiday, I was free and heard a lot of noise being made by kids in my apartment scheme. It was 8.30 am and they had all gathered together and wanted to play games. They created a lot of furor and made noise. Yet they were not able to select any game as the kids seemed fussy. These kids were in the age group of five to twelve. Some one was carrying a cricket kit (not only the bat as we did and I remember our bat was never  a branded product but a crude one, made by the local carpenter and the ball would always be a plastic or a rubber ball and stumps were always makeshift, mostly the rear or front wheel of a bicycle or a broken chair), or a hockey stick or a badminton racket, etc. The younger ones had small electronic cars or bikes in their hands. As the name of the game could not be decided, they decided to go to someone's home and play pool or watch a cartoon channel.

This made me think hard. What did we do as kids? What games did we play? And I realized that we would play a variety of games, boys and girls together. Summer vacation was a bonanza for all of us.  In those days, people would sleep either on the terrace or in the courtyard at night. The preparation would begin the moment the sun had set. The courtyard was watered so as to make it cooler and fresher. The sweet smell of the earth we all enjoyed.  At night, we, four of us siblings, would play carom or Bridge and many other card games for hours together.  Then after dinner,  was riddle and puzzle time. My father would narrate stories from English/ Roman and Latin literature. Cinderella,  Seven Dwarfs, Thumbelina, Hercules,  Samson,  Shakespeare, Arabian Nights, Panchtantra, Ramayan and Mahabharat,  Allaudin and Hatimtai, etc. We never had enough of these sessions.  These were listened to time and again. All kinds of poems, English, Hindi, Marathi and Sanskrit verses were recited with parents. I learnt Neeraj, Subhadrakumari, Sumitranandan, Maithilisharan, Govindagarj, Kusumagraj, Anil, Tambe and Balkavi informally in this manner and am able to recollect these even now. We were taught the names of various stars and constellations. We never slept before midnight. We felt " tender is the night, and happly the Queen -Moon is on her throne,/ Clustered around by all her starry Fays;".

Yet we would all get up early at daybreak. By 5.30 a m, it was time to leave home. 15 to 20 of us would walk to Maharajbagh Zoo, a distance of 2.5  Kms from our residence. We would sing and guess the names of birds, trees and flowers on our way. The birds would " singest of summer with full throat-ed ease". At times, the name of the flower had to be guessed with the help of its sweet fragrance. Now again  it reminds me of Keats:

I cannot see what flowers are at my feet,
Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs,
But, in embalmed darkness, guess each sweet
Wherewith the seasonable month endows
The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild;
White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine;
Fast fading violets cover’d up in leaves;
And mid-May’s eldest child,
The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine,
The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.

 There was a small lane near the zoo which would lead directly to the area where animals were kept. We all loved that lane as it was lined with karvand (Corinda) trees on one side. The trees had beautiful white flowers at the beginning of summer. In the month of June, we would collect and eat raw karvands and relish them. Near the cages of the monkeys was a huge tamarind tree. Stones were flung  at it to get those juicy  tamarinds. Boys would carry their catapults/ slingshots with them. Then would come the Chijebilais. Those red fruits would be very tempting. Another fruit, called Kamarak, rarely seen now-a-days, was relished by all of us. After snacking on all these 'Ran meva', we would go round all the cages and enjoy the sight of the animals with a lot of bantering and comments. We would collect all kinds of wild flowers, bushes and Monkey's Pillows. These Monkey's Pillows were the fruits of a huge tree, many such trees were in Maharajbagh, plump and big in size like a white pumpkin. Playing in the children's area was fun and enjoyable. All swings, slides, see-saws and horizontal bars  were an absolute delight. Then we would play games like hide and seek and catch me if you can,  All of us enjoyed 'Chikat Mavashi' and 'Visha Amrut'. By 8'O clock, it was time to go back home. As I am penning all these memories, I feel happy. Wish I could go back to my childhood.  I think, all kids are missing this fun and physical sports now-a-days. In those days, there were no mobiles, TV sets and laptops, CD/DVD players, music Players, and Video games. So there was an exemplary comradery and sharing in spite of bickering. In those days, none of us had the fear of falling ill. We would drink water from the tap directly time and again and eat all these fruits without washing our hands and fruits. Now children seem to have lost immunity and resistance power.
After a bath and some breakfast, we would all assemble in the street. In summer, 'Surkandi' was very popular. Small , long and sleek bamboo sticks or branches of trees were required. Each would come with a stick and then the game would begin. Another game played often was vitti dandu. Most of these games were team games and required no money. While we played all these games, the younger lot would play marbles or with cycle tubes or rings. At times, Lagoree or Hide and Seek was played. No one got tired or exhausted.
In the post lunch noon, everyone assembled in some one's home and played in a room.  Andhali Koshimbir was often played. Ludo, Carrom, Scrabble, Snakes and Ladder and various card games were played. Then we would go out and climbed up on the Jamun tree. Jamuns, pomegranates, lemons, raw summer guavas and other small fruits were plucked from the trees and eaten. Then we all dispersed and in my family, till the sunset and evening bath, we read books. How as siblings  we  fought for books to read it first. Abridged Shakespeare, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christi, Dickens, Kipling, O. Henry, Maugham, Panchtantra, Arabian Nights, Aesop's Fables among many other Indian writers like Gadkari, Shirwadkar, Khandekar and Aapte, etc were devoured. We had joined two libraries and would read, rather devour,  all books recommended by parents.
In the evening,  after swimming,  we played Gada gadi, Queen and King, Dabba Express,  Nadi ki Pahad and Aati Pati. In the garden in front of our house, we played Aaicha Patra and Aai Mala Poli De  and Bone in the Manger along with other games. Very rarely did the girls played on their own. As such being the only girl with two elder and one younger brother, I played with boys and spent my time with them. Girls would play Tikkar Billa, Lagori, Kach Paani, Sagargote or bittya, etc. Most of the Girls often played Bhatukali and cooked meals with puffed rice and other small tit-bits. Bahula -Bahulicha Lagna was played on a grand scale in which children got married male and female dolls emulating the adults.  As an adult, I feel that it was a very good way to perpetrate patriarchy by initiating girls into domestic chores and stereotyped work and gender roles. At the time of Ashwin Pournima, the girls would sing songs of Bhulabai in the evening after moon rise. One close look at these songs and their meanings shows how cathartic these songs were. Women would share all their woes and miseries of being with the in laws. These songs were sung only for nine days.
Now due to technology and modern gadgets, we rarely see children playing all these games. Most of them lead a hectic life with day boarding, tuitions and extra coaching, etc. Then they are sent to various camps and coaching for Cricket, Football, Badminton, Basketball, Table Tennis, etc. All parents wish their children to be either Sachin, Virat or Sania or Saina. Then due to the telecast of so many Reality shows like Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Indian Idol, or Raw Star and Naach Baliye and Dance India Dance, children are sent for Music, Singing and Dancing classes. The importance of games is being forgotten, These games increase not only stamina and build fitness,  develop immunity and resistance power, but  also help in enhancing social as well as emotional intelligence and quotient. They inculcate a spirit of team work, sharing, give and take as well as  in forgetting and forgiving. They hone communication skills too. None of us knew what stress or tension. A five year old child in my neighbourhood uses words like tension, load, stress and boredom every now and then. Our games were indeed very therapeutic.
It is as if the kids have lost their childhood, a childhood we enjoyed so much, being free and careless, stress free and healthy. Science and Technology, are no doubt a boon, but it has for sure, taken its toll on our children.  In India, like abroad, children are seen playing games at Gaming Zones, on Mobiles, Lap Tops, Tabs, Video games, etc. They are enjoying these activities as well. Most of the games I played or we played as kids, have been forgotten. All our childhood games were the games of the soil, deeply rooted in Indian culture and tradition. Can we restore their childhood is a serious issue which needs to be tackled at once and on war footing.

                                                                                                                              Vandana Pathak

                                                                    मैत्रीचे लोणचे 

आपली मैत्री

मुरलेले लोणचं!

मनात येइल तेव्हा

कसंही चाखायचं.

लहान फोड , मोठी फोड ,

अख्खं किंवा केले  किसून .

त्याच्या चवीला नाही तोड,

सर्व  ऋतुत जाते मन जिंकून.   

लोणच्याचे आहे विविध प्रकार  ,

बरण्यांचे  ही वेधक रेखीव आकार.

स्वाद  नाना आंबट, गोड, तिखट,

खाताना होतात सर्वंच हावरट.

मिरचीचे लोणचे तिखट जहाल

जास्त खाल्यास होतात हाल.

दुरूनच  हालहवाल विचारावा,

लिंबाचा आधार अशावेळी घ्यावा.

कैरीचे लोणचे मस्त  चटकदार

कोणत्याही प्रसंगी आणते बहार.

मुरलेल्या लोणच्याची लज्जत न्यारी,

दिवसेंदिवस वाढते त्याची खुमारी.

मुरलेल्या मैत्रीत  चव लोणच्याची

कैरी, आवळा, लिंबू,  किंवा मिरची.

आवडेल त्याचा  मनसोक्त स्वाद घ्यावा,

प्रसंगानुरूप लोणच्याचा प्रकार बदलवावा.

आमची मैत्री मुरलेले लोणचं मस्त

सर्वच आवडीने करतात  मजेत फस्त.

मसाल्याचे स्वरूप बदलते थोडेफार

चाखण्यास चव आम्ही सदा तयार .

त्याच्या आठवणीनेच भूक लागते 

कोणत्याही प्रसंगाची लज्जत वाढते.  

 नुसत्या  सयीनेच मन ललचावते 

प्रत्यक्ष मिळाल्यास, अहाहा , मन खुलते. 

मी आहे खरेच  किती  बरे भाग्यवान 

मनाचा कल बदलणारे मित्र मिळाले छान. 

आमच्या मैत्रीचे लोणचे चटकदार

खूप मुरल्याने आता झालंय जास्त  मजेदार. 

वंदना पाठक  

     

सदाफुली 

 भर चौकात बागडत राहते ती 

जणु अवखळ, चंचल, छोटेसे फुलपाखरू. 

सावळी, कृश , टपोऱ्या डोळ्यांची ती,

आहे एक गोड इवलेसे लेकरू. 

सतत अनवाणी, विस्कटलेले केस,

लक्तरे झालेला, जुना पुराणा वेश. 

कोणताही ऋतु असो खेळते  सतत   

चिंध्यांचा चेंडू, तुटकी गाडी, बाहुली हसत. 

आपुल्या मुलांचे विश्व अनभिज्ञ तिला 

शाळा, पुस्तके, विडीओ गेम्स व इतर लीला. 

शिळे पाके अन्न, कोरडी भाकरी हा आहार 

केला नाही कधीही बिस्किट, चॉकोलेट  वा फलाहार. 

आडोशाला कापड बांधून उभारलेले घर 

सर्वदूर पसरलेले रस्ते आहे तिचे वावर. 

आई दिसायची सोबत, वडिलांचा नव्हता पत्ता 

सतत आनंदी राहायचा गिरविला जणू कित्ता. 

नव्हती गरज हिवाळ्यातही उबदार कपड्यांची 

उन्हाळ्यातही फुटपाथवर गादीसारखे झोपायची. 

गालावर पडायची तिच्या खळी सुंदर एक 

तिच्या बालरूपाचे कौतुक करत अनेक. 

रस्त्यावर नजर येणारे आकर्षक छोटे फूल 

परिस्थितीची, गरिबीची, जगाची, काहीच नाही चाहूल . 

कुठेही, कशीही, केव्हाही, कधीही सदाफुलीच उगवते 

कठिण  परिस्थितीतही तीच तग धरते , जगते.         

वंदना पाठक 

     

गर्भ 

मनात दडली आहेत माझ्या अनेक बीज कवितांची 

शब्द अपूरे  पडतील करायला व्यक्त  रूपे स्पंदनांची. 

अनेक कथानक घोंगावत आहेत माझिया मनात 

कागदांची भेंडोळी असमर्थ आहे  दर्शवायला प्रतिमा त्यात. 

प्रत्येकाच्या मनात उठते का असेच झंझावाती वादळ  

त्यांच्या हृदयालाही  कासावीस करते  का ही  जीवघेणी कळ ?

कागद लेखणी धरता हाती, शब्द सुचती झरझर झरझर 

भावनांचा धबधबा कोसळतो  अविरत मग खूप भरभर.  

या शब्दरूपी भावनांना कसा व कोणी बांध घालावा, 

दुसऱ्यांना उमगेल का माझ्या अस्वस्थतेचा खोलावा?   

मनाला संभ्रमित करतो हा भावनांचा असह्य कल्लोळ,

त्यातूनच स्फुरत जाते कवितेची ओळ आणि  ओळ . 

शब्दांना मग पाझर फुटतो, तुडुंब भरते मन जलाशय 

अर्थपूर्ण शब्दांनी साकार होतो सघन, सुंदर, समृध्द आशय. 

ही कविता प्रतीक त्याचे, शब्दांनी साकार मानस सरोवर,

मनातील बीजाला फुटलेले इवले इवले  कोवळे अंकुर. 

वादळ शमले, निरभ्र झाले क्षणातच विशाल मन गगन शुभ्र ,  

गोंडस रूप धारण करुनी प्रकट जाहला  माझा चिमुकला  गर्भ. 

वंदना पाठक  

, 
    

हॅम्लेट : नायक नवा 

आहे तसा दडलेला 

एक  हॅम्लेट प्रत्येकात 

करावे किंवा नाही या संभ्रमात. 

हा हॅम्लेट डोकं   काढतो  वर कधीही 

आणि जगणे अश्यक्य करतो क्षणातही. 

मनाची अवस्था असते  दोलायमान

कोणावर विश्वास ठेवावा नसते भान. 

नाते, संबंध, मित्र -दोस्त सर्वच जण  

कोण आपले वा परके, समोर ठाकले प्रश्न. 

सद्सद्विवेक बुद्धी टाकून जणू गहाण  

भीत भीत जगतो ठेवून मूठीत प्राण. 

दिवस महिने वर्षानुवर्षं चालते कालचक्र

निराशा मनात बाळगून दृष्टी करतो वक्र. 

जीवन मंचावर नकोत हॅम्लेट वा ऑफेलिया

काळोखाची नको कोणाही जीवावर छाया. 

नको आत्ममग्न, अनिश्चयी, अनिर्यणी युवा 

माणसाचा मनावर संपूर्ण ताबा जरूर  हवा.    

मनातील हॅम्लेटने करायला हवे पलायन 

प्रत्येकाला त्यासाठी शोधावे लागेल रसायन. 

मानसिक शांती, समाधान, प्रेम व मोकळेपणा

घडवू शकेल हमखास हॅम्लेट सकारात्मक   देखणा. 

नवीन ठाम कर्तृत्ववान  हॅम्लेट घडवायलाच हवा 

जुना नायक अवतरेल घेउनी गुणांचा साज नवा.  

   वंदना पाठक 

  

शेक्सपियर समजताना 

शेक्सपियर   चे विराट रूप स्वरूप  जाणवले आज
उत्तुंग शिखराचा ज्यांना लाभला अपूर्व साज
अनेक वर्षांपासून  सुरु होते  त्यांच्या अभ्यासाचे  काज
 तरीही त्यांच्या पायथ्याशी उभे राहण्याची वाटते लाज

अथांग वादळी सागरात जशी   डगमागते  एखादी नौका
प्रत्येक मोठ्या लाटेनंतर चुकतो काळजाचा  एकेक ठोका
स्थिरस्थावर होऊन पुढे जाण्याचा पत्करते मोठा धोका
तसाच अनुभव आला शेक्सपियर  अध्ययनाचा अनोखा

मुसळधार पावसात  चिमणा जीव शहारतो  भिजून
हळूच शोधतो उबेचा आसरा खिडकीतून डोकावून
पुस्तंकांच्या ढिगाऱ्यात किंवा आड बसतो दडून
कुठे ,काय, कसे, केव्हा मिळेल पाहतो चाचपडून  

तशीच थोडी फार  झाली होती माझी  दयनीय गत
अनेक स्त्रोतांमध्ये माझे मन होते पूर्ण रमत
 नाटके शोकान्तिका, सुखान्तिका, ऐतिहासिक व सुनीत
विविध समीक्षकांची नवनवीन मतांतरे आणि मत

मनामध्ये भ्रमांची व प्रश्नांची कोळीष्टके जमली
काय स्वीकारावे वा नाकारावे मती भ्रष्ट  झाली    
मग अचानक आंधळे व हत्तीची  कथा आठवली
संपूर्ण नाही पण थोडी बहुत शेक्सपियर गाथा उमगली

शेक्सपियरचे  संपूर्ण आकलन होणेच अश्यक्य
जेव्हढे पचनी पडेल  तेच ग्रहण करावे यावर मतैक्य
 मान लवून त्यांच्या अफाट उंचीचे दर्शनच संभाव मात्र 
म्हणूनच त्यांचे गुणगान  भूलोकी यत्र तत्र सर्वत्र .

 वंदना पाठक 

वादळी जीवन की जीवन वादळ 

ढगाळलेले आकाश काळवंडले   क्षणात ,

आणि सोसाट्याच्या वाऱ्यासोबत

सुरु झाला गारांचा वर्षाव वेगात

कोसळून पडल्या फांद्या जोरात।

लहान मोठ्या पडत होत्या गारा

पशु पक्षी कोणालाही नव्हता थारा 

भयानक होता तो  निसर्गाचा नजारा

पाहून जीव झाला होता कावरबावरा।

पळत होते लोग  रस्त्यावर सैरावैरा  

केविलावणे होऊन शोधत होते आसरा 

देखूनिया निसर्गाचा रूद्र चेहरामोहरा 

हतबल झाला मनुष्य -प्राणी  बिचारा।   

 निमिषातच मग  शुभ्र नभ खुलले

सूर्यदेव ही आनंदून   हसु लागले

इंद्रधनुष्यी तोरण मोहक सजले

पक्षी किलबिल बागडु लागले.

जीवनात जर हे आक्रीत घडले 

जादुच्या छडीने सर्व काळे ढग हटले 

निसर्गाकडून जन थोड़ेबहुत शिकले 

झाले गेले ते सर्व वादळ विसरले,  

जीवनी इन्द्रधनुष्य मग झगमगू लागले 

दुःखीकष्टी चेहरे आनंदे हसू लागले 

सृष्टीचा  हा  कठिण  पाठ समजले 

प्रकाशाने आयुष्य उजळून, मोहरून  गेले। 

वंदना पाठक 

    

ते  पिवळेजर्द फूल

निवडुंगाच्या काटेरी झाडावर उमलले
सुंदर  पिवळेजर्द फूल
 तीक्ष्ण काट्यांनी वेढलेले
 ते मनाला घालते भूल

खडकाळ जमिनीत रुजलेले
जणू उपेक्षित गरीब मुल
हिरव्या रंगात सजलेले
दर्शविते जिजीविषेची चाहूल

मानवी जीवनाचे आगळे वेगळे
गुपित मज ला त्यात उमगले
खडतर परिस्थितीत लढले जगले
तरीही ते हसले, खुलले,  फुलले

ते निवडुंगाचे पिवळेजर्द फूल
मम मनाला घालते भूल 

बकुळ गंध 

शाळेतील आठवणीनां  दिला  होता पूर्णविराम

काही होत्या ठळक तर काहींना ठोकला होता सलाम  

काही खुणावत होते चेहेरे  हसत डोळे मिचकावत ढगाआडून

 काही विरुन गेले होते अस्पष्ट होत धुक्यामधून 

तरी बकुळ गंध स्मृतिंचा दरवळत होता आसपास 

मनाला ताजगी देत निरभ्र  करत होता तो विनासयास  

डोकावणारे चेहेरे  समोर येत कधी कधी बाजाराहाटात 

परंतु नाव आणि चेहऱ्यांची सोडवता नव्हती   येत  नीरगाठ। 

   अचानक आला शाळकरींना भेटण्याचा प्रस्ताव  एक दिनी 

   सर्व मित्रमैत्रिणींच्या पुनर्मिलनाचा  ठरवला होता बेत कोणी 

   सर्व आठवणीनां अचानक फुटले हिरवेकंच  कोवळे धुमारे 

   नजरेसमोर यायला लागले भूतकालातील दिवस साजरे  

  पुस्तकात सांभाळून ठेवलेल्या बकुळ सुमनांप्रमाणे 

  मनाला स्पर्श करून अलगद गोंजारणाऱ्या मोरपिसाप्रमाणे 

  झंकारून माझ्या तनमनाला एक एक चेहरा सामोरे आला 

  ई मेलच्या माध्यमातून  बकुळ गंध  परत दरवळून  गेला।  

पुनर्मिलनाने जादूची छड़ी फिरली, मनाला नवीन उभारी मिळाली 

व्हाट'स ऍप ने भावविश्वे फुलली , शुभ्र नवी   रम्य दालने  खुलली   

फेसबुकने घडवली कमाल, त्यात डी व्हीडी व छायाचित्रांची धमाल  

निर्मल मैत्रीचे भावबंध  गुंफले,  'पचपनचे  बचपन' पुनश्च सुरु जाहले। 

नृत्य वादन गायन साथ साथ , बालपणीचे खेळ रंगले घेवुनी हातात हात

रंगु लागले चर्चासत्र , राजकारण,क्रिकेट , साहित्य , नाही एकही विषय वर्ज्य 

वर्धु दे , फुलू  दे, खुलु दे,   गंधित होवू दे हे आमुचे प्रेमबंध निर्व्याज। 

वंदना पाठक 

,

मी आणि रांगोळी 

मी  रोज   सारवते  अंगण सकाळी  उठून 

काढायला जाते  रांगोळी  सडा शिंपुन 

मोडते ,पुसते , परत परत काढते 

मनासारखे त्यात मी   रंग भरते 

काढता काढता विचार करते 

कोणती रांगोळी काढायची मी ठरवते 

कशी काढायची मला माहिती असते 

त्यातील रंगसंगती माझीच असते 

मी तिला सुंदर , सुबक करते 

नीट  नेटकी प्रमाणबद्ध करते 

मी काढते व घडवते तिला 

मग मी का घडवत नाही स्वतःला 

का होते मी इतकी हतबल 

खरच आहे का मी पूर्ण निर्बल 

कोणीही मोडत, पुसत मला 

पायदळी तुडवत असतं मला 

त्याला विराम द्यायलाच  हवा 

रांगोळीचा धडा घ्यायलाच हवा . 

रांगोळीचा धडा घ्यायलाच हवा !

Suk gaye to kya gam hai

Khade to ham ab bhi hai

Hariyali chhayengi jarror

Aur loutega fir se noor hi noor.

In the midst of plenty I am left high and dry

Offering perch to the birds, I try to reach  the sky.

Mirror in translation

Mirror
Sylvia Plath

Today, once again I read Sylvia Plath's Mirror. One of my colleagues had a problem in comprehending the last two lines of the poem, especially the 'terrible fish' image. This poem has always been my favorite and now I feel an intense urge to translate it in Marathi. I do not know how successful I would be in this attempt  but believe that there is no harm in giving it a try.

आरसा 

मी  आहे  रूपेरी  आणि  तन्तोतन्त. माझे नाहीं पुर्वग्रह.

जे  काही  मी पाहतो ते दर्शवितो लगेचंच 

तसेचं  , न झाकोळता  प्रेमाने किंवा नावडीने.  

मी  नाही  निर्दय, फक्त सत्यवादी -

नेत्र  लहान देवाचा , चार  कोपरे असलेला .

बहुतेक  वेळी  मी चिंतन करतो समोरच्या  भिंतीचे .

ती आहे गुलाबी , ठिपकेदार . मी पाहिले आहे तिच्याकडे  इतक्या वेळा 

मला वाटते ती हिस्सा  आहे माझ्या हृदयाचा  . पण ती  विरून  जातें.  

चेहरे  आणि  काळोख वेगळे  करतात आम्हाला पुन्हा  पुन्हा.

आता मी आहे सरोवर . एक  स्त्री वाकून पाहते आहे माझ्यात ,

शोधते  आहे माझ्यात खोलवर , ती  जे आहे ते पाहण्यास .

नंतर ती  वळते त्या  खोतार्ड्यांकडे , मेणबत्त्या  किंवा चंद्र .

मी  पाहतो तिची पाठ , आणि प्रतिबिंबित करतो ती निष्ठेने .

ती पुरुस्कृत करते  मला  अश्रुंनी , आणि हातांच्या वळवळण्याने . 

मी  आहे महत्वपूर्ण  तिच्याकरिता . ती येते आणि जाते .

प्रत्येक  सकाळी  तिचा  चेहरा जागा घेतो अंधाराची .

माझ्यात  तिने  बुडविले आहे  एका  तरुण  मुलीला , आणि माझ्यात  एक वृध्द  स्त्री 

वाढते आहे  तिच्याकडे दिवंसेदिवस,  एका भयानक  मास्यासारखी.