Dear Readers, thses are my few old memories of Calcutta from my early childhood days, after having reached the milestone on the road side reading 77.  Hope you like it ! Best wishes, - Raj, New Delhi.

REMINISCENCE OF A SENIOR SEPTUAGENARIAN
I was born in the early forties during those black and
white days,
When those big old valve radios and gramophones
records played.
The British flag was flying over Calcutta, the city of
my birth.
That first old capital of British India with its horse
and buggy, crowded buses, and tram cars.
The main streets got washed with water hoses from  
high pressured hydrants every morning,
And the lamplighter with his ladder lighted the
street gas lights every evening.
Radiograms were a status symbol, and transistor
radios had come decades later.
With rickshaws pulled manually by poor old
rickshaw pullers!
Juke Box played popular songs (during our school
days in the fifties) in ice cream parlors.
Whoever even thought of a TV or a mobile phone,
during those happy hours!
For the Bongs the theatres of north Calcutta was a
classical source of entertainment.
Eye ball contact was meaningful with a hug and a
hand shake, - life remained fully extroverted.
Unlike our present highly advanced Corona days!
No wonder I love that great old South Indian serial
titled the ‘Malgudi Days’!
Like our old songs, those golden days shall forever
remain cherished and nostalgic;
And as a part of a senior citizen’s waking dream!
Now please smile, take a selfie with your I-phone,
and go to sleep!
                                       -Raj Nandy, New Delhi.

THE CAT AND MOUSE GAME*
Walt Disney’s ‘Tom & Jerry’ cartoons are popular
even to this day.
Cat’s stealth-like pursuits with near captures,
and the mouse’s repeated escapes, -
Is the very essence of the Cat and Mouse Game!
A test of patience and perseverance for the Cat,
But that Mouse usually manages to escape the
paws of the Cat!

The serious game our Doctors with patience
and dedication have continued to play,
Ever since that elusive Chinese virus has come
our way, deserves our Commendation!
As with sprays, hand sanitizers, and a mask we
try to prevent Corona’s inhalation.
Fighting an unseen enemy which continues to
haunt and escape detection!
Wish there was ‘a game plan’ for its destruction!

A rat poison can be more effective than the Cat,
But only an anti-dote or a vaccine can **** our Rat!
Let us pray that soon a vaccine comes to light,
To drive away our gloom and make the future
look Bright!
                                       -Raj Nandy, New Delhi.

(Dear Friends, reacting to the latest TV Report about China’s claim
of the Himalayan Range this verse got composed. Hope you like it.)

CHINA’S  VAULTING  HIMALAYAN  AMBITION !
                           By Raj Nandy
From Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’: “vaulting ambition,
which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other.”
……………………………………………………………………….
China, having infected the entire world by unleashing
the deadly Corona virus,
Have now started to measure the height of the mighty
Himalayas!
Having begun a dispute with Nepal, her peaceful
southern neighbor,
By trying to claim that entire Himalayan range as  
part of China!
Ignorant about Macbeth’s ‘vaulting ambition’, -
which led to his downfall and destruction!
In the Tibetan portion of this mountain range,
An unmanned radar device was earlier set up by
China for air surveillance.
Now under the pretext of monitoring air traffic
over Tibet,
Two more radars devices are being set up on the
Himalayas once again,
Which will also act as snooping devices upon her
peaceful southern neighbors!
China already has her jaundiced eye upon India’s
Arunachal Pradesh,
Not forgetting her earlier illegal occupation of India’s
Aksai-Chin region.
She also has full co-operation from her ‘boot-licking  
friend’ present across India’s western borders.
Unfortunately, only Historians remember the rise
and fall of ambitious Empires.
China too shall one day realize her Himalayan
Blunder!  
                                      -Raj Nandy, New Delhi; 16 May 2020

BEHIND  THE  MASK
               By Raj Nandy

That Clinical Mask which covers our face,
As a screen between that Chinese virus and
the human race.
Along with sanitizers and hand wash now
life becomes worth living.
But God has also to be kind and forgiving!

But even without a mask a face can be a
total fake.
And a double faked face even the underworld
goons dread!
Like the double agent in a spy thriller with a
double fake face.
Playing a dangerous double game with his
mask-less, faked, yet a known face!

But our mask-less Chinese virus is an invisible
enemy unseen.
Lurking in open and closed spaces, and in public
gatherings.
So better to have even a double faked face,
To hoodwink that virus and save the Human
Race!                    
                - Raj Nandy, New Delhi, 11 May 2020.

Even under lockdown and quarantine,
The Poet's mind forever remains free.
Free of all earthly ******* and takes flight, -
To that ethereal land of poetry!
Nothing lasts forever in this world of
change and flux.
But poetry tingles my mind, gladdens my heart,
and elevates my soul,
Free from all our earthly virus!
                                       - Raj Nandy, New Delhi

The Greek Gods of Ancient Days  – by Raj Nandy
PART- ONE.
Those Greek gods loved to throw dice,
With their mind cold as ice,
Playing with human lives, -
Shaping their destiny!
So they had to be kept appeased
perpetually!
They treated humans as toys,
As pawns on a chess board of
their choice.
To escape from the wrath of Gods
The Greeks visited the Oracle at Delphi,
Apollo sacred sanctuary;
Where Pythia, the high priestess, in her
moments of trance,
Revealed their destiny!
PART-TWO.
These mythological stories of bygone days,
Are no longer relevant in our present day.
People are more self reliant today, and believe
in their own prowess all the way.
But we have yet to learn how to live with
tolerance, peace, and love,
And banish all Hatred from this World!
I know all this is easier said than done.
Especially when one hears the speeches of the
political parties, -
For the coming Assembly Elections scheduled for the
Eighth of Feb. in New Delhi;
With these parties constantly abusing one another
to gain victory, most unfortunately!
Let the People of Delhi be the better Judge surely!
Jai Hind!
                                   -Raj Nandy, 05 Feb 2020.
UPDATE:- THE People of Delhi voted correctly & rejected the Govt. which provides lip-service to Women Security!! JAI HIND!

Dear Poet friends, I composed this one as a  
lighthearted entertainment. Yet many a true word is often
spoken in a jest. Hope you like it. Best wishes, - Raj Nandy, New Delhi.        

                ON READING OF BOOKS
Presented Books are seldom read, purchased ones
have better luck instead.
History books with its weight of years, are usually
avoided to save some tears!
Romantic novels are much loved indeed, especially
those with a happy ending.
Detective novels are avidly read, to discover the
murderer one quickly gets to the end.
Syllabus books are bargained with, ten selected lucky
questions is all that you need!
These syllabus books finally land up in a second hand
book stall,
Why bother yourself with reading when there are
many PVRs and Malls?
Mobile phone is a better company these days,
Smile, take a selfie, and go to bed!
                              - Raj Nandy.