{This poem is a dedication to the cotton growing farmers of Vidharba, who were inundated by the natures fury that forced them to take loans which in connivance with the droughts further intensified their troubles until they found an arduous way out of this cursed circle of life….}
I did not see the monsoons;
I only saw the drought;
I saw the tree in front;
I found its branches long and twirled;
The cottons on which I cashed all my wealth,
Left me in dire straits gasping for its health;
That sent me in search for those vultures,
Who were willing to lend me for all my overtures;
I found in them the panacea for my misfortunes,
With a hope on the monsoons to deliver me good fortunes;
But as the days and nights came and went,
The debts usurped me leaving no vent;
I knew the rains had cheated me mercilessly;
Letting all the crops die down meticulously;
My hopes were dashed and my longings drained,
As the besotted relation with the vultures strained;
Those who used to come for their votes and funds,
Comforted me by showing the nations sordid trends;
They evinced for me curses on globalization,
But not even the slightest they were bothered of my demarcation;
I stood still as the world revolved around,
As the incessant vultures intensified their hound;
I found the tree in front,
With its branches resembling fingers blunt;
But I saw on it a curled rope,
That only remained my last thread of hope.
Shereen Vijayan Kottikkal
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
CAMPUS BLUES-1
{Today is karrikadakam 1, the moth of scarcity according to the calendars. Heavy rains pouring in and the scenic landscapes outside left me completely stupefied as my mind pondered on a rollicking journey through the twilight zone of my life. Yes the campus life…..}
It was not the first time I made this mistake. It was quite normal and most customary for me to commit the same over and over again. During my campus life, I found this my trade mark or most ostentatiously, one more episode went unnoticed, the most affirmative aptitude I presume had branched during my resplendent years of college life. When looking all over again, I wondered was not anyone of my professors frustrated at the flamboyancy I redeemed when they ran through that episode again and again. Or were they inured to my exhibitionism as they kept swiveling at times when I really stood on the dead end? How I entrenched a popular belief that professors are divine when it comes in equipping the most notorious students with a meticulous laxative disbursing their innocuous prudence.
Monday, the first day of the week usually was precedent. Sundays usually were entertaining redressing the stilt lifestyle carried out throughout the week. Games, partying remained the facets of the most ordinary Sundays, the imperturbable modulation only when a new movie had released in the nearby theatres. All the days work and sleepless Sunday nights resulted in cussed mornings. But surprisingly I was never late for the early university bell. Its not that I believed in early bird catches the worm but rather it was a hypothesis that only the early bird could occupy the last benches of the class before any incursions. Hiding in remote corners of the class room especially during the foot note long lecture hours remained a serene objective that was propelled from sheer boredom. Thus Once again it was the most usual Monday morning.
The class rooms, post the eight thirty bell, were tumultuous till the concerned professor steps in. Chats, chirps, yawns filled the air that stroke a hard resemblance to a market place especially on the opening day of the week. Romance, gossips, wean others on new subjects, film reviews and issues of peripheral importance found space in our discussions owing to the fact that we were off the college for an entire two days. On the contrary, the professors too had a lot to share as they prefer commencing the opening session only after a 15 minute interval after the university bell.
I was as usual the first to reach the class. Our department was on the topmost floor of the three storey building and there was a long flight of steps ascending to the classes. The ascent was a lethargic activity which really sucked up our entire ardor. Many a times I had pleaded to the college authorities to shift the lecture rooms of the other departments through the floors so that the others also enjoyed the hectic journey upstairs. But it always fell on deaf ears. I opened the door gingerly, so as not to disturb the ones who had been there before me by chance and that I don’t break their peaceful slumbers. The room was empty.
The lecture rooms were all similar. There was the raised dais and a meter long black board attached on the wall facing the benches and the chairs. On to the side of the blackboard was a cemented drawer entwined to it where the lecturers used to keep their dusters and chalks during their hour long lecture sessions. Being a professional college, there was a single bench and chair for each student, the bench and the chair were conjoined that instigated an insignia of peaceful slumber on it thanks to its specific design. I rushed to my most favorite seat, the one that was next to the window from where I could gaze at the trees outside, feel the breeze and bore no exhilarations during the sessions and no discomfiture for the professors.
As I sat on the chair impetuously, I noticed outside a few friends of mine standing next to the college hostel, the most appalling and contemptible locus in the college. I looked on to my watch that was gifted to me only a few weeks back but had already started showing signs of weariness and slowing down at certain times. I had one full hour before the university bell which made my heart beat in trepidation. Being the opening day of the week, there were a lot of assignments that had to be submitted before the first session. But drowsiness had preoccupied me, and I felt being pulled into a deep sleep. Late night film and ample time for the university bell envisaged my thoughts as I kept my head on the bench and positioned myself for a deep reverie.
I woke up to find a lot of fresh faces with their eyes bulging out, with smiles and howls surrounded on all my side. As I ran my eyes sturdily on them, a familiar face eased my tension that rose to an all time high which was enough to keep a pot boiling. It was my professor and his sturdy look was more than enough for me to grasp the situation I was entangled in. I got up, took a stretched yawn, smiled at my professor and slowly walked out of the room. I was quite happy that the last time I slept in a different room conceiving it to be the one where I had to spend that day; I woke up to find a different professor; But really it was a travesty of my enthusiasm in being the early bird to catch the worm although the worm i dont think is a matter of big concern.
Shereen Vijayan Kottikkal
It was not the first time I made this mistake. It was quite normal and most customary for me to commit the same over and over again. During my campus life, I found this my trade mark or most ostentatiously, one more episode went unnoticed, the most affirmative aptitude I presume had branched during my resplendent years of college life. When looking all over again, I wondered was not anyone of my professors frustrated at the flamboyancy I redeemed when they ran through that episode again and again. Or were they inured to my exhibitionism as they kept swiveling at times when I really stood on the dead end? How I entrenched a popular belief that professors are divine when it comes in equipping the most notorious students with a meticulous laxative disbursing their innocuous prudence.
Monday, the first day of the week usually was precedent. Sundays usually were entertaining redressing the stilt lifestyle carried out throughout the week. Games, partying remained the facets of the most ordinary Sundays, the imperturbable modulation only when a new movie had released in the nearby theatres. All the days work and sleepless Sunday nights resulted in cussed mornings. But surprisingly I was never late for the early university bell. Its not that I believed in early bird catches the worm but rather it was a hypothesis that only the early bird could occupy the last benches of the class before any incursions. Hiding in remote corners of the class room especially during the foot note long lecture hours remained a serene objective that was propelled from sheer boredom. Thus Once again it was the most usual Monday morning.
The class rooms, post the eight thirty bell, were tumultuous till the concerned professor steps in. Chats, chirps, yawns filled the air that stroke a hard resemblance to a market place especially on the opening day of the week. Romance, gossips, wean others on new subjects, film reviews and issues of peripheral importance found space in our discussions owing to the fact that we were off the college for an entire two days. On the contrary, the professors too had a lot to share as they prefer commencing the opening session only after a 15 minute interval after the university bell.
I was as usual the first to reach the class. Our department was on the topmost floor of the three storey building and there was a long flight of steps ascending to the classes. The ascent was a lethargic activity which really sucked up our entire ardor. Many a times I had pleaded to the college authorities to shift the lecture rooms of the other departments through the floors so that the others also enjoyed the hectic journey upstairs. But it always fell on deaf ears. I opened the door gingerly, so as not to disturb the ones who had been there before me by chance and that I don’t break their peaceful slumbers. The room was empty.
The lecture rooms were all similar. There was the raised dais and a meter long black board attached on the wall facing the benches and the chairs. On to the side of the blackboard was a cemented drawer entwined to it where the lecturers used to keep their dusters and chalks during their hour long lecture sessions. Being a professional college, there was a single bench and chair for each student, the bench and the chair were conjoined that instigated an insignia of peaceful slumber on it thanks to its specific design. I rushed to my most favorite seat, the one that was next to the window from where I could gaze at the trees outside, feel the breeze and bore no exhilarations during the sessions and no discomfiture for the professors.
As I sat on the chair impetuously, I noticed outside a few friends of mine standing next to the college hostel, the most appalling and contemptible locus in the college. I looked on to my watch that was gifted to me only a few weeks back but had already started showing signs of weariness and slowing down at certain times. I had one full hour before the university bell which made my heart beat in trepidation. Being the opening day of the week, there were a lot of assignments that had to be submitted before the first session. But drowsiness had preoccupied me, and I felt being pulled into a deep sleep. Late night film and ample time for the university bell envisaged my thoughts as I kept my head on the bench and positioned myself for a deep reverie.
I woke up to find a lot of fresh faces with their eyes bulging out, with smiles and howls surrounded on all my side. As I ran my eyes sturdily on them, a familiar face eased my tension that rose to an all time high which was enough to keep a pot boiling. It was my professor and his sturdy look was more than enough for me to grasp the situation I was entangled in. I got up, took a stretched yawn, smiled at my professor and slowly walked out of the room. I was quite happy that the last time I slept in a different room conceiving it to be the one where I had to spend that day; I woke up to find a different professor; But really it was a travesty of my enthusiasm in being the early bird to catch the worm although the worm i dont think is a matter of big concern.
Shereen Vijayan Kottikkal
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