yet again ... getting lost ... then enjoying self-discovery ...

After crossing the the Gomti we enter Ghazipur, from Banaras, Bhitari in Saidpur, where these ancient structures lie, is not very far once we touch Ghazipur, It is hard to imagine that many of the non descript monuments (and sites) that are protected by the ASI today were demarcated few hundred years ago by people from foreign lands - to save history from the massacre of the railway lines (and other actions) being taken up then. Demarcated due to efforts of a few extra-ordinary people. The conversations as we sought directions to the exact spots were fun. We realized people (in the vicinity) referred to the ASI as the Khudai Vibhaag and to the pillar as Ashok Laat. Two sites, lie a few hundred meters from one another. The site adjacent to the market is in a relatively better state. The other, next to the river, is spread over a larger area. Recalled reading that one reason why we possibly do not value history enough could be that there is so much of it around!

Moving in eastern Uttar Pradesh has been an experience, One which has taught me to be ever ready for surprises and encouraged me to explore more. This trip also made me aware to the existence of multiple Chakias (the one I talk of lies in Chandauli). Latif Shah Latif Shah dargah stands not far from the dam's massive walls The dam is referred to as one of the older ones in the country An old Dargah and a 'temple of new India' together have not convinced us to keep the place clean! Musakhand This dam too is on the Karam-nasha One where I finally plunged into the waters Gurahupur Not far from where Chandauli and Kaimur meet Rock paintings, Buddha and silences

Day trips around Banaras are fun They bring out the eastern Uttar Pradesh beyond the towns and one that is far from the clichés. . .  Jargo Dam How we missed carrying additional clothes and towels here!  Khoya Mandi  I had no idea that Khoya could be available in such a range of shades!  The fun part was having it right there.  Fort It boasts of a rich history. A range of people from Governor General Warren Hastings to Rani Jindan Kaur are associated.  Today, however, it is a disappointment - only a small area is accessible to visitors and this too lies in a sad state.  Cemetery  The structures are crumbling. Inscriptions, however, are intact.  Dargah Here I saw a wall held with ropes.  I also wished that religions would ban plastic. 

  Beginning the morning at school with poetry  Nimesh Ved and Anshumalika Rai. Published at Deccan Herald on 7th December, 2021.  Warm thanks to the team at Deccan Herald.  Covid times had only the teachers attend school. After the confusions during the initial days the school focused on augmenting the capacities of the teachers. As the teachers began coming the question on how they would begin the days arose. It was agreed upon poetry. Two teachers, by rotation, would recite a poem each, to commence the activities of the day. This we initiated without too much fuss and like it happens many a time when we do not worry – things worked out well.   So, how did it go? Over a period of time the teachers moved from relatively simple poems to heavily metaphorical, from religious poetry to imager, from classical poems to those that are experimental and fresh. Similarly, the teachers focused on Hindi poetry initially but slowly also included Sanskrit, Bhojpuri...

  Few months with your creations Thank you for teaching me Hindi over these past months. Many evenings I recite your poems aloud – for mumi and I – after, of course, reading them multiple times. Despite your poems conveying so much they contained few words that I had to seek the dictionary for. This despite my abysmal levels of awareness in Hindi. You helped remove my fear of the language. Emboldened me to go deeper. This way you enabled me to take up another journey with Hindi. A language I love to converse in but for long time have been wary of the written form. As I write I recall going for Gujarati instead of Hindi during school days as well. You made me realise that poetry could be simply written. That poetry can be close to life, life around us, and not just an intellectual pursuit. Poetry was not only about love, epics, flowers, loss but also about day to day lives. Lives of people around us, trees, and others. Lives perhaps not much talked about. This simplicity made...

The endearing presence of Pakhad trees A slightly edited version of this piece finds place in Spectrum here . Thanks are due to the team at Deccan Herald. Dheeraj Rathore, Kiran Keswani and Swati shared of the species over emails. Scindhia and Shatrughan heard me on the species on multiple occasions and at strange times.   Don’t you tire talking about them? Asked a colleague as I expressed my awe and love – yet again - for the Pakhad trees. No, I responded. For, when around them I become a child and they my super heroes. The friend and I continued our late evening walk.   These Pakhad trees at the campus I stay on – Banaras, Uttar Pradesh – are a delight to the senses. Their size coupled with graceful presence often reminds me of elephants. The branches spread out like open arms – like godess Durga – only these are more. Branches, large yet gentle, and wrapped with leaves.   These trees were planted few decades ago, by someone wiser, to provide shade for...

Why do we assume that the other person knows less? Two lines that I came across during a recent election have stayed with me since. A newspaper article which reported that ‘ intellectuals have asked people to vote for the betterment of society and vote for a particular party ’ and a friend who commented, after listening to couple of crowd pulling netas, ‘ Six year olds; that is what our political leaders take us to be ’. Both the scenarios highlight that a few (politicians, intellectuals) thought they were more intelligent than many. They knew; the others did not. What is it that has many of us believe that the other person knows less? That we know more. Many of us also have a tendency to explain, proffer clarifications in scenarios where the receiver is rather better off without them. Wonder what drives these – the opportunity to feel more intelligent and smart than others? This is a domain where otherwise lax individuals turn out to be overzealous human beings. Texts which accompany...

  Reassembling the Assembly   This piece appears in the Teacher Plus, August 2021 here .  Thanks are due to colleagues at the school and the team at Teacher Plus.   The past few months have seen only the teachers grace our school premises. This uninterrupted time, structured or otherwise, that teachers have had as a team, has presented a basket of opportunities and raised a host of questions.   One of these questions pertains to the morning assembly. Teachers,   not unlike students, were keen to move on from the ‘regular’ assembly -   singing from a prescribed set of songs.   The morning assembly had – during recent past - raised multiple questions with students as well. After deliberations, the school put in place a fresh schedule for the day’s initial interactions. It tried to make the mornings more fun and inclusive by bringing in activities like story-telling, book-reading, sharing experiences and exercises. Students welcomed t...

Tracing Roots: Stories about Trees Text: Mallika Ravikumar Illustrations: Swati Kharbanda Publishers: Karadi Tales First Print: December, 2020 ISBN: 978-81-9440-714-0 Number of pages: 80 Price: 499/-   Sometime ago keen to read more on the Peepal I had tried searching the web. My time with Google showed me how Peepal grew on walls and terraces and informed me of the myriad ways in which one could get rid of the species. This was not only strange but also sad. On the other hand were web pages that listed benefits of the Peepal. I ended up wondering why do we not look at trees ( nature ) beyond the perceived threats and purported uses?   This book does that. With its stories it also took me to the days when Amar Chitra Katha and Chandamama were an integral part of my life.   The illustrations here have an old time feel to them. A feel that is special - not jaded. They sync well with the text. They also gel with each other and do not try too hard t...

  The Book Title: A To Z of Indian Cities - Ahmedabad to Zunheboto Author: Rati Malaiya Illustrations: Bechain Nagri Studios Publishing: Harper Collins Children’s Books ISBN: 978-93-5422-003-6 Year of publication: 2021   Pluses Illustrations, lay-out and the colours captivate. The book size is appropriate. All of these gel wonderfully too. The theme is appealing. I believe that making younger people aware and sensitive to the diversity of our country is crucial and the book had me excited.       Minuses Books for younger ones have taken lofty steps during recent years. The text here appears to have missed the bus. It is high on clichés but could have done with more quality research, sensitivity, nuanced detailing and respect for reader’s intelligence. The book appears to cater primarily to the urban rich. There is also a strange fascination with wealth. A map depicting locations of these 26 places would have helped.

Of trees Rains led to a few trees falling As I walked around I saw and touched them. As I walked away from each tree I felt somewhat empty Somewhat less of me Were these only trees falling? Falling Select lines from poems suddenly came to mind Of poets I had read and re-read during recent months. Poetry has been a close friend, A friend, who has many a time, Saved me from falling. Naresh Saxena   चीज़ों के गिरने के नियम होते हैं मनुष्यों के गिरने के कोई नियम नहीं होते लेकिन चीज़ें कुछ भी तय नहीं कर सकतीं अपने गिरने के बारे में मनुष्य कर सकते हैं     Kunwar Narain   पत्तों पर पानी गिरने का अर्थ पानी पर पत्ते गिरने के अर्थ से भिन्न है जीवन को पूरी तरह पाने और पूरी तरह दे जाने के बीच एक पूरा मृत्यु-चिह्न है     Harivansh Rai Bachchan मदिरालय का आँगन देखो कितने प्याले हिल जाते हैं गिर मिट्टी में मिल जाते हैं जो गिरते हैं कब उठतें हैं पर बोलो टूटे प्यालों पर कब मदिरालय पछताता है   Kedar Nath Singh   मेरे बेटे ब...

Into the Wild  Big Cat Tales: Vintage Encounters and Stories Jim Corbett, J H Patterson, Mrs W W Baillie, Saki and Others Compiled and edited by: The Civil Junglees Collective Illustrations: Devashish Verma Publisher: Speaking Tiger Books Pages: 352 Price: 399/- Published at The Hindu .  Thanks are due to the team at The Hindu and Speaking Tiger Books. 22 ‘encounters’ and 6 ‘stories’ make up this anthology. The likes of F W Champion and EHA contribute to the ‘encounters’ while the line-up of the authors of the ‘stories’ include Saki and Alice Perrin. Majority of these writings are based in the Indian sub-continent; they talk of tigers and leopards. However, lions and the African wilderness also find space in few writings. The ‘Compilers and Editors’ have put in laudable efforts to bring this high quality natural history writing to the readers. They succinctly talk about the book – in the introduction – thus, “Our attempt in the collection has been to find humanity in a context...