Zest

Last prompt of a month full of Haiku at Haiku heights.......

Zest

May this zest for life

Be alive and shine; my way

Through the dark tunnel

Orange lemon zest

Marvel they add to a cake

Bite in, lose your self

Picture taken from here

 P.S: Have been pretty pre-occupied, but made sure to join at the last day:) 

Body Speaks

Body speaks

There are two ways in which you can listen to your body. the first way is when it is in pain; it shouts, screams and the agony is felt, with tears in your eyes and voice that moans you know it is speaking to you. The other way is when you attend to it, happily, lovingly, with the knowledge that it will be there for you only when you’ll care for it.

I’ll talk about the second way. I listened to my body today. It’s been a while I did that : walking.

I’ll admit that one thing which kept me sane during my dissertation was Sudarshan Kriya. Sudarshan is a sandhi, combination of sundar + darshan, which makes it Sudarshan.  I learnt the art in the basic course of Art of Living. A friend of mine suggested me that her therapist told her to do it every day and it was of great help. I knew it already, and began following it. It’s a bliss focusing your attention on your breath: that which gives you life, that which makes you alive!

Today I attended to by breath as I brisk walked in the park. The heightened heartbeat, the blood-rushed feet, the sweat, added vitality within me. It was as if I was injecting my own happiness in my veins. Of course! The power lies in us to be happy or sad!

I write this post with a purpose, to share and to acknowledge how deeply our bodies need to be heard, felt and responded to. I have heard my body speak in both the ways, and the latter is more enlightening than the former.

                      

Oh! Breath of mine……….breathe

Oh! Skin of mine…………..sweat

My heart, and its heart beat………pump

Flow thy vitality in me……… live

I’m there to caress, to feel thy spirit

Together we will live ……….ALIVE!

Mulling over..

Mulling over……

It’s been a while I wrote something. Wrote something sub-stan-ti-al. Ah! I guess words seem more like syllables these days than words at all. Writing more than 32 thousand words for my dissertation took me to a land filled with the scent of Freud, Bollas, Mitchell; case study after case study; chapters after chapters, there was no end to it. And I brought an end. Surprisingly my dissertation has a poem too. I know it is a part of me, it has come from me and that what makes me feel content. Knowing, that I have contributed to the vast ocean of knowledge helps. It tells me I’m capable of a lot more and adjures me to follow my dreams.

But this post is not about me. It’s about something I have been noticing.

This blogosphere is all about ‘give and take’, I learnt. Bloggers wouldn’t visit you unless you visit them, which is sad. Why?

Something tells me that good enough writers need to be appreciated. Another thread of thought flows by and says “They are being read”. And then I think of myself, my words? What about them?

They are my first love and I recall saying that ‘they’ll always be’. Has the bond weakened? No. They know they’ll come to my aid when I need them the most. But there is a but. Ha! It always comes up, making the little empty space cramped.

I wonder, what makes bloggers come to my blog? Me? My writing? The words themselves? Or their love for reading? Some may think I’m modest when it comes to accepting appreciation. However, there is something else. I write with thoughts and emotions weaved into one another, the sweet compliments that come my way somehow feel distant. Why? It’s as if it passes through me.

I refrain from writing more, but yes I’m saddened. Yet my walk at the park today delighted me with beautiful views, and that brings a smile on my face. Girls hiding behind a bush waiting to be found by a friend in the game of hide-n- seek. A young father walking with his little toddler of two years old and swaying her on a swing. A group of old smart men sitting together singing ghazals or bhajans, like they do. What amused me the most was a lady who farted out loud right in front of me!! Life is sweet and words bitter-sweet!


P.S: Having been very busy lately I don not blame people for not coming by, for I know I haven't been able to do the same. And like the title says....it explains it all...i hope..

I trust You

If my trust brought me

To you my friend, I wonder

What my love will do

At the Seams

This post has been written after reading the splendid work of my fellow blogger friend Kunal. This poem is a 

reflection of his blog post titled "Or so it would Seem" . Before reading this one, perhaps dropping by at his place would be a good idea;) 

Thank You for writing it Kunal. It was a real pleasure. This poem, is to that voice and heart which is waiting to be found!.......

You know darling,

There are times,

When I wish to say so much to you,

And then I get lost……..

Lost, in love, fantasy,

A world which cures me

Of my insecurities deep within,

Yes I carry that smile all along,

It helps me spread cheer along the way,

And when I see in your eyes,

That alive deadness,

I see my self,

Are you me?

Or am I you?

Of the millions out there?

Like us, how many or few?

Do dead hearts strike?

Waiting to hear,

The other’s hush voice?

In the ‘no’s’, avert gazes,

                             If relationships could be built,

On this silent understanding,

I have of ‘we’,

I’d be the oyster to your pearl,

Can you trust or believe me?

©Aakriti

Dreamy Land #1: Venice

Dreamy land #1

Now that I have begun postcrossingJ I’ll be writing about places across the world and in India which are on my wishlist!:) Who doesn’t love travelling?

Courtesy my parents, I have travelled a great deal!

So, the first place I have been dreaming about for long is Venice: The city of Shylock, Portia, Antonio; Gondolas, splendour, sharm, exquisiteness, richness; with romance, architecture and history as it’s treasures. I happened to read VirSanghvi’s luxury post on Venice, in the issue of 15^th April in Brunch MagazineJ

So here is my love to thee :     

Venice

Thy charm breath taking

Lost in your waters; the rich

And the ancient

I know not of you

Yet somehow I do, Venice

May winds bring me there

©© Aakriti 

P.S: Those of you new here, do read about the Postcrossing Project:) It may just excite you! 

        Link given above:) 

The postcard crossing Project

The postcard crossing Project

Dear Lord of Mail Service

I hope my very first postcard reaches the coming week. Trust me it’ll make my day!:)

Love

Aakriti

Haloos Vanilla People!!

I gotta share something really exciting with all of you. Before that, a brief intro: I have always been a person who has loved writing. While learning Calligraphy is still on my list, I would often imagine myself writing letters to people on a beautiful crafted handmade paper with that gorgeous ink pen!

I happened to hop on this ‘postcrossing.com’ last year through an international blogger whose blog I follow. This site is basically a place where you send postcards to random people across the world and receive postcards from random people across the world!

Ofcourse it’s a hobby! I have already sent my first five postcards: one each to Netherlands,  Germany and Russia and two to USA.

The website keeps your address confidential and there is an option of ‘direct’ swapping, wherein once your first postcard gets delivered, people can write to you asking to write them without the website being involved in it. That is why it is called ‘direct’!

The best thing is that to maintain the authenticity of the member, you cannot go ahead sending people messages to ask for their address until and unless your first postcard gets delivered! So, I hope now you understand the reason for my letter above:P

It’s snail mail and one needs to be really patient. Me being a not so patient person is still involved in it, for the mere reason that it brings back the old world charm back to me!

I took my friend along to the Kashmere gate GPO and purchased some gorgeous stamps from the philately department. Stamped it and dropped it in the huge post box. She said “It’s been long since I saw a post box”. Oh yes babeh!;)

For all that I know this is going to be an exciting hobby for me! And yes you have the option to send postcards to people in your own country too. There are people out there who are ready to be your penpals or exchange gifts with you!:)

I’m definitely super excited!:)

Check out this postcard gallery on postcrossing!

What do you think about this idea?

PS: If any of you is willing to get a hand written letter from me, lemme knowJ I love writing and receiving themJ

PPS: I’ll definitely share my first postcard whenever it arrivesJ

An Ode to Titanic

Every night in my dreams

I see you, I feel you

That is how I know you

Go on..

It was the morning of 1997 when I, along with my family, entered the jam packed hall of Chanakya Puri Theatre. Who knew that at the age of eight years my first English movie would turn into a rendezvous of lifetime?

I love romantic movies. The dollops of love served with sweet caresses, honey dewy exchange of gazes and of course topped with crushed nuts of crispness.

Tomorrow, on 15^th April it will be 100 years since the huge luxury ship sank, with it the memories of fine dining, poise, and the riches of the crème de la crème ; amidst that the thousands of stories of love and romance.

Of course one of the fictional stories the world was showcased to, by none other than James Cameron,  was that of Rose and Jack. Ah! The charm, elegance, sophistication topped with passion, love, fun, creativity and true love. Need I say more? I gave my heart to this 'perfect looking couple' ( till date they make a great pair!) 

Even today my favorite song remains “ My heart will go on” by Celine Dion from Titanic. 

I have watched this movie n number of times. Every time it brought the very first moment to me. What will an eight year old girl, who saw such a passionate and a heart rendering  story of love and romance grow up to be? :P A hopeless romantic :D haha!!

Reminiscing titanic, and with it all the grand memories…….  

Now for some facts:

RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after colliding with an iceberg during its maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City. The sinking of Titanic caused the deaths of 1,514 people in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. It was the largest ship afloat at the time of its maiden voyage. One of three Olympic class ocean liners operated by the White Star Line, it was built between 1909–11 by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. It carried 2,223 people.

Its passengers included some of the wealthiest people in the world, as well as over a thousand emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland, Scandinavia and elsewhere seeking a new life in North America. The ship was designed to be the last word in comfort and luxury, with an on-board gymnasium, swimming pool, libraries, high-class restaurants and opulent cabins. It also had a powerful wireless telegraph provided for the convenience of passengers as well as for operational use. Though it had advanced safety features such as watertight compartments and remotely activated watertight doors, it lacked enough lifeboats to accommodate all of those aboard.

After leaving Southampton on 10 April 1912, Titanic called at Cherbourg in France and Queenstown (now Cobh) in Ireland before heading westwards towards New York. On 14 April 1912, four days into the crossing and about 375 miles (600 km) south of Newfoundland, it hit an iceberg at 11:40 pm (ship's time; GMT−3). The glancing collision caused Titanic's hull plates to buckle inwards in a number of locations on its starboard side and opened five of its sixteen watertight compartments to the sea. Over the next two and a half hours, the ship gradually filled with water and sank. Just before 2:20 am Titanic broke up and sank bow-first with over a thousand people still on board. Those in the water died within minutes from hypothermia caused by immersion in the freezing ocean. The 710 survivors were taken aboard from the lifeboats by the RMS Carpathia a few hours later.

he A La Carte restaurant on B Deck, run as a concession by Italian-born chef Gaspare Gatti.

Remember this? The grand staircase where Rose comes down in her gorgeous gown only to be
be escorted by Jack?

Titanic's gymnasium on the Boat Deck, which was equipped with the latest exercise machines.

Near, far

Wherever you are

I believe that the heart does go on..

 And the best way to end could have been: This:)

reference: Wikipedia

New Delhi: The New Crime Capital!

I’m furious, enraged and flabbergasted to see how newspaper reports of rapes happening in the capital have almost normalised the issue that New Delhi- yeah the capital of India, also the very capital which hosted the ‘Common wealth Games’ in 2010 – has been DEEMED as the CRIME CITY of India.

I’m not here to blame anyone. This post comes from a girl who hardly reads ‘The News paper’. I ask “what is there to read about?” You may say “What is there not to read about?” Huh! Sure, when the main page and the next two pages boast about the crimes that are happening in the city, I wonder what then makes people pick up the newspaper and read the same events ‘not even on an occasional basis’ but that which happen DAILY! ( Let’s not get into this, at the moment!)

I recall that the Hindustan Times newspaper began a campaign recently to protect the women of Delhi and apparently gave tips providing women with Self defence classes and ways they could protect themselves when caught in difficult situations. I ask: By doing this, isn’t it already being presumed that the Police and the Media alike have accepted, perhaps even internalised the fact, that there is no possible way that men in the capital would stop raping women. Bastards! Satyriatic men! Castrate their organ, and then see how the rate of rape falls!

And then there are laws which say that is ‘the woman’ and the kind of clothes she wears that invite men! Yeah? What about development? Our Supreme ‘democratic’ Government has already taken ages to give women their share of seats in the parliament. And of course who can forget, the old lady who has been in seat forever, our very own Ms. Shiela Dixit who openly claimed that women should stop travelling alone after what 8pm? ( I don’t even clearly recall!)

Of course my agitated brain has a myriad of thoughts at the moment. It would be pointless to give all that out here. The only point I wish to make is that laws need to be changed to make the city a safer place for women. We all know how men openly roam about passing lewd remarks at women. I myself have been a victim of that. Over a period of time, we accept it to be a trait of these ‘dirty minded’ men! Yet, what happens when the police itself, oh yeah, they claim to protect you and blah blah, is involved in such vulgar acts? I recall HT went on a patrol at night in deserted areas of Delhi where rapes had already taken place, and yes there was no police vehicle in such areas!

Other than that, having read many comments by anonymous women, as reported in the newspaper, I remember how many of them admitted going to the police to report cases of eve teasing or molestation, and they were given no voice, leave alone their case being registered.

Who do we blame? Police department? For having men who are lazy asses and all they know is to eat money? The laws? These cheap men for raping like wild hounds desperate for their feed? And yes, women for being what they are?

I’m troubled, disturbed, perturbed. I had started an FB page which went by the name ‘India: One road leads to progress, the other one goes to drain’ and I still believe in that.

What’s development if the very citizens of the country cannot freely roam around freely in their own city? Leave terrorism, for we know India is known to extend things for decade’s altogether, now anyone and everyone can be a victim of a crime. People here roam around armed. One brush of your vehicle against his, and then we have a shootout! Bam! Your life is taken!

I ask in such a scenario, how will altruism last? As a kid I was taught to help people, but seeing the scene which started some ten years back, the teachings have been reversed, of course NOT for the good! It’s our life before and then someone else’s. There is this drive to flee away from the scene, for who would like to get involved as a witness to a case? It’s a never ending vicious circle.

Can we do something?

PS: These are my personal views opened up for discussion.

PPS: Yes, I’m not an avid reader of newspaper, yet I’m aware of the things which have lasted for years along now and they immensely bother me! 

Greatful for.. sweet things

It takes a lot of courage and hope to be greatful at the moment. But yes, I will not give up. Hope tries to burn in the wood in which flame is trying best to keep itself alive.

Warmth….Yes, I need loads of that.

Love and Hugs: That too

Motivation: Bags full of it

This week I’m greatful for:

·         My happy yesterday

·         My best friend, who lets me know its time I start acting like an adult!

·         My supervisors who trust me more than I myself do, for my research. I hope I can make myself proud

·         My dear friends who have been pulling me up

·         Rain: For making me write one of the best piece that is close to my heart. If you wish to read. It’s here

·         My mom: Who has been managing household chores in the absence of a maid. She has been doing a lot! 

To freedom: May you beckon me soon :)

Hoping the coming week is a rocking one!

Happy Weekend everyone!

Aakriti

A Trip 'Two- gether'

A Trip ‘Two-gether’

Lets fly like birds dear

Touch the peaks, swim like a fish

Together here

                          Your words make me dance

                           My eyes travel with yours, far away

                           They see a future

That of trips and hope

Of flying kites and swinging ropes

One smile two love lips

                                                As the smile lits bright

                               The seed shall shine of music we made

                                Moments intimate

The flowers shall bloom

The spring colourful; we shall

Age, life and hearts alive

And when time comes love

To bid goodbye; I'll kiss thy lips

Touch thy soul life times

by Donald Campbell

© Aakriti

P.S: The above poem is in Haiku, that makes it different;) 

Greatful for.....My pretty Shoes

Linking at Maxabella's place....my very fond blogger, who always gives us a reason to be grateful:)

Ah!!! A reason to make me happy amidst my ongoing work pressure and in- my- face deadline. Anyways....
I got something to share with you. Although I consider myself a jewelry person, I love good looking gorgeous shoes. Peeptoes, stilletoes, ballerinas and good comfy sandals all invite me. Yet I've never been able to spend as much money on shoes as I do on jewellery.
Today was a special day. I bought three pairs. One comfy white slips ons, a smart ballerina like shoe, and the best of the lot: A pretty pair of wedges! Ah, it's hott;)
here are the pics:P

The best thing: Bows at the back. Though they are cliched, but somehow, this shoe was so inviting.

PS: the last time I went to this shop, I picked one in Beige, but had to return it coz of size problem. This time, I was lucky;) Got it a lil cheaper as well!!! Ah my mum made me buy it!!! I so love her:)<3
PPS: As much as I love stilletoes, my feet ache walking in them, so I find wedges the best! They balance your weight equally and look so chick;)
PPPS: For the guys out there, yes this was a 'up to the brim' girly post;) 

Doubt :A Haiku

April is on a roll with my  ideas being stylised into a Haiku:) Thanks to Leo at Haiku Heights:) Today's Prompt:

Doubt

 I doubted my very

Potential ; their trust so

Strong, made me believe

                             Doubt when turned into

Suspicion is lethal; it

Takes the joy of love.

You doubted my strength

To love and caress; I did

shower all on you

©©Aakriti

P.S: Dear all....Its been long since blogger has been troubling me. And its very very frustrating. I go to other blogger.com blogs, read posts, and just when i wish to comment, my comments dont get published:x:(:/ I do read ur blog posts, as and when I get time...just that its very disheartening to see my comments disappear into thin air!

Harbour: A Haiku

Linking up at Haiku Heights... Today's prompt is:

Harbour

Waves kiss me tonight

The day oh so bright; sails up

High, the spirit of work

This is a Harbor at Halong Bay, Vietnam. Gorgeous it is:)

Halong Bay: A place which never lets me forget what it was
to be there!

Pictures I've been wanting to share:)

halooo I 've been wanting to share soem of the pictures....I wish I had time to create something new, other than poems or haiku:P but for the time being...it's this:

This is a card I posted to a friend of mine who likes Ballerinas:)
Small surprises are best to make a close friend happy:)

This is a Chocolate Walnut Cake I baked for the first time
for a friend, that too on her birthday!!:) She was delighted
I was delighted by hearing that her bro loved it, for he never
really relished walnuts in his life...:P

That's All Folks;)

Aakriti

Beautiful I'm

haloooo! Linking at Blublubling on the second day of Awesome April!!:) Today's prompt, the pic below: 

You know darling,

I looked in the mirror,

Asked myself,

How much weight is fine?

How much flesh do I let dangle?

How much skin can I show?

My thighs screamed,

My legs, oh! so ugly,

My arms hanging with mass,

And then I looked at my picture,

In the frame I smiled,

My eyes gleamed with shimmer,

You know why?

Coz I know ‘I’m beautiful,

As I am,

With what I am!

©Aakriti

P.S: This poem was written with an Anorexic body in mind. As I have been learning about Anorexia in my Gender and Studies Psychology classes, I feel there's a lot we need to understand. 

It's sad that while the prevalent discourses have always been more oppressive for women viz a viz their body,its only NOW that men have begun to feel pressure with respect to their bodies. These words were just a small attempt to bring to notice how precious we people are regardless of what our body types and the ones we try to fit in. The truth is for a women there is no perfect body, it's an idea, almost an illusion which creates a havoc!

Broken

Something has happened to me today…just when my dissertation needs all my attention, I seem to be wandering all over the blogosphere either reading stuff, going through fab pictures or admiring the simple yet gorgeous styles to wrap a packet…Ah!! So here’s my another flavour of juice…yes creative juices on a high today!!!:P

I’m linking at Blu blub bling’s blog who plans to give prompts this entire April making it an Awesome April;) …and the prompt is this fab picture:

Chitter chatter the drops fell,

From the heavens above or my eyes?

The pools of earth opened up,

Me too big to hide,

The lightning struck, so did you,

The day we met and kissed,

And the thunderstorm created havoc,

You went, leaving me miffed

It rained and rained,

For hours and days,

No sun was seen in sight,

My eyes in mirror spoke no words,

The life inside had died.

©Aakriti 

Eager : A haiku

Hola everyone!!!

Happy Sunday and a Happy New Month to you all...

For the first time in the history of my blogging, I’m gonna participate in a month long event…and that is writing a haiku every day. Leo at Haiku heights    (you can click on the name to go to the link:) hosts the eventJ

The first prompt of the ist day of April is eager. I SO LOVE THIS WORD!

Eager is the wind

The sun to rise too; the waves

To touch their dreamt goals

picture taken from here

PS: As much as I’m eager to write every day, I got a huge submission to make. None the less, I’ll try my best to be active!!:)

PPS: check out Algo's fantastic captures of sun rays and rainbows here:)