'KOPILI' IMMORTALIZED

Kopili Kopili rangdhali suwali...

Lovely verses flowed through his pen
When he stayed in an inspection bungalow
Thirty three years back on July ten.

His artistic insight captured the beauty

Of meandering Kopili gushing down the hills,
Her changing moods, her fascinating youth,
Immortal lyrics composed with finest skills.

His inspiring rendition enthralled Umrongso,

Each and everyone that loved his golden voice,
With a heavy heart Kopili today pays her tribute
And she shall ever cherish the song and rejoice.

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 13 November 2011]

Short note: On 10th July 1978, Dr Bhupen Hazarika came to Umrongso in Assam for a performance and during his stay in the NEEPCO I.B. of Kopili Hydro Electric Project, he composed the lyrics of the Assamese song ‘Kopili Kopili Rangdhali Suwali’. The river Kopili is a tributary of the mighty river Brahmaputra but through the artistic eyes of the legend, the enchanting river has been personified as a lively girl whose mood changes as the monsoon arrives. She remains restless but her beauty lies in her fascinating youth and she appears bright having the shine of numerous suns. Dr Hazarika’s song has inspired all and this piece is a tribute to his immortal contribution. I, on behalf of the people of Kopili Project in Umrongso, pray to God for the eternal peace of the noble soul.

CHILD LABOUR

Whoever he may be,

Tom, Dick or Harry,
Wretched poverty stares,
Sternly at his face,
Compelling him to toil,
With exertion and foil,
Losing childhood joy,
Discarding shame and coy,
Deprived of learning,
In course of earning,
To contribute for the family
And get rid of scarcity.
Little did he know,
The world thinks for him so,
Dedicating a day every year,
As World Day Against Child Labour,
Observing it on June 12,
By creating awareness and a wave,
To ban child labour
And protecting him forever.

 

[Published in the following:
(1) 'feelings' column of 'Horizon', the Saturday supplement of 'The Assam Tribune' on 11 June 2011
(2) 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 26 June 2011]
 

SAGA OF FRIENDSHIP

The words shattered

His countless dreams
And he could imagine
His sand castles being
Knocked down by waves.
Remaining days could be
Counted on his fingers...
Alas! So much left undone.
Being stable was
His sole shield.
Wise proverbs instilled hope
To his flickering mind -
'A friend in need
Is a friend indeed.'
And amazing indeed!
His friend stood beside,
With smiles of gratitude,
To donate an organ,
To shower love and charity,
To a helpful soul-mate,
Whom he owed his life,
His humble effort,
To save his friend,
To save a precious life.

 

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 15 May 2011]

NIGHT QUEEN

She appears bright as ever

At the onset of night,
Steadily wades across the canopy
Amidst the twinkling stars.
Her phases attract the star-gazers
And elegance fascinates the composers,
I stare at her mesmerized,
Admire her queenly grace.
She reigns in the dark hours,
Sprinkles silvery light around...
But her shine fades down
As her benefactor arises -
Majestically from the eastern horizon
To sustain life all around.
She's no match with the reverend,
But in shape and shine during the nights;
Oh! She has some moments though
To outshine and prove her might.
She shuns her majesty's brilliance,
Casts a shadow to form a night,
Displays her feat to myriad spectators
Watching the eclipse, a celestial sight.

 

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 12 December 2010]

A SONG FOR 'MELANGE'

Can I not sing a song

In appreciation for 'Melange'?
My journey started
With the magnificent magazine -
The issue on every Sunday,
On one fine day,
When I picked up the weekly,
Browsed the pages that
My eyes fell upon,
Read quite a few features,
Admired the beautiful compositions,
Usage of English language
And began to learn...
Facts about our motherland -
Culture, communities, civilization,
Little things about little ones,
Informative titbits, counselling tips,
Contributions of illustrious personalities,
Significance of festive proceedings.
My experience...'twas truly inspiring.
So, can I not sing a song
In praise of 'Melange'?

 

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 7 November 2010]

SILENT SUFFERERS

Judgement day arrived to

Determine success and failure.
Festivity and celebration
Ruled the institutions...
Sense of pride glowed
In the faces of those
Who had expectations,
Glorious smile shone
On the cheeks of those
Who burnt midnight's oil;
Except for the bulk
Who remained unsuccessful...
Depression, fear, shame
Reigned the pale young faces,
Feelings of guilt reflected
In the eyes of those
Who whiled away time.
But, my heart pained for
Those unfortunate innocents -
Who just recovered from
Encephalitis or glaucoma,
And those puppets of fate
Who tried to cope with the loss
Of a parent or sibling.
Questions whirl in my mind
And I do wonder...
Can three hours judge the
Performance of tender brains -
Their intelligence, their brilliance?
The silent sufferers,
Tagged as failures,
Shed tears in solitude,
Their dreams being eclipsed -
Stare towards a bleak future.

 

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 31 October 2010]

A DREAM

I lost touch with you

For so many years,
But when I think of you,
It seems like -
Time is passing by
Yet, everything between us
Remain just the same.
Meeting you was
An unforgettable moment,
Meeting you again would be
The happiest moment.
I reminisce
Your care and attention,
Your association and deep bond.
My wish has
Turned into a dream
And I wish to
Realise my dream.

 

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 3 October 2010]

BOND WITH MUSIC

Fingers dance on the strings

Melodious tunes begin to flow
Sweet music soothes the ears
Ah! Relaxation simply serene.
Life's monotonous sans music,
Music, talent of the Divine
And language of the soul,
Bonds a person with God.
A communication beyond words...
Heals the deepest wound,
Intense emotions outpour gently
And feelings, so sensitive -
Like a tiny dew-drop
Glittering on a tender leaf.

 

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 15 August 2010]

FLY AWAY

As I opened the gate,

I heard a noise,
In the bush nearby.
I stopped and looked.
I found a little bird scuffle,
Between the fence and the bush.
I picked it up and
Brought it home.
The cute little bird was beautiful,
With green feathers, a blue neck
And a red patch on its head.
I tried to feed it,
But it looked sad.
It got hurt,
In one of its wings
And one of its legs.
I thought of putting it
In a cage and
Watching it everyday.
But then, I decided.
Little bird, fly away.

 

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 11 July 2010]

QUESTIONABLE

They hacked the horn of

An innocent wobbly denizen.
Alas! It's truly questionable -
Men of lame justification,
Whom are you hacking?
A mere animal for its horn
Or the State's glory
Nay, the world's pride?
Don't your hearts bleed
When you bleed it to death?
Perhaps, you possess
Wretched hands of cruelty,
But terribly lack
The most precious asset -
An inner voice.

 

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 4 July 2010]

VEIL OF DARKNESS

A sea of knowledge

Gradually switched over
To a sea of ignorance
And a veil of darkness
Prevailed in every
Nook and corner.
Desperate souls tried
Their level best
To lift the veil
But went in vain.
Seeking the Divine,
The source of light,
Every soul strived
To peel off -
Each powerful ruling vice
Attached to their bodies
And lo!
The veil of darkness
Drifted away and
Light began to flow.

 

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 30 May 2010]

REFLECTION

Mirror reflects light,

Mind reflects actions.
Wavering thoughts eclipse -
Peace of mind.
Thoughts converged -
Into an idea,
Conceives an art.
Creation becomes possible -
When two merge into one;
Mind and intellect -
When merge together,
Impression takes birth.
Thoughts, words, deeds -
If line-up perpendicular,
Integrity reflects Divinity.

 

[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 21 March 2010]

A BALLAD ON SELF-REALIZATION

A tale,

Of two pals,
Ego possessed the former,
Self-respect imbibed the latter.

The former faced problems, complained;

The latter solved problems, smiled.
One, choosy and demanding;
Other, suitable and acceptable.

Fortunately,
Acquiring jobs,
In a corporation,
Standing at the threshold
Of promising careers,
Days rolled on
And the day arrived
For promotion.

Self-respect surpassed,

Ego lagged behind.
Thoughts converted into self-realization,
Truth revealed.

Ego satisfied merely the senses

"I want this" and "I want that"
Self-respect implied acceptance
"I respect this and I accept that."

To further proceed,

To reach the summit,
'I' and 'my' be discarded,
'We' and 'ours' be adopted.


[Published in 'melange', the Sunday supplement of 'The Sentinel' on 28 February 2010]