Kerala, with its blessed beauty of nature, long and silver-haired with colorful clips of fishes and a black mountain cap, standing in a green curly dress full of colorful butterflies and glowing flowers on it, mesmerizing eyes with calm and peaceful nature gifts us a pleasant world.

             In 1975, a new creation of God, his loving child came to this world. I cried as every child does but at the next moment I laughed because I have been born into God’s own country, The Paradise. Thanks to the Almighty for bringing me to this wonderful heaven. Oops! I forgot one special person. Slowly I turn towards that smiling face, the one who is holding me in her hands, my sweet Mother.

            Hi, I am Neha, the blessed child born into a loving and caring family. Our house too was not less than a paradise in a beautiful village which was full of greenery. It was a joint family with grandfather, grandmother, great grandmother, uncles, and aunts and especially with a dozen of cousins! After three years, being blessed with a younger sister.

          I was a shy and reserved character for strangers in the outer world but I was open with my family just because of the serenity they made me feel by giving the freedom to express my feelings and wishes. My childhood days gave me the most memorable and golden moments in my life. It was such great fun! In those days we used to play a lot of outdoor games, going for movies with our granny, fighting with brothers, walking on walls, sitting near the pond and chatting till our granny came running with a bamboo stick, competing with the cuckoo and making it angry and making fun of boys! My cousins and I never missed the regional movies on Doordharshan. I was passionate about listening to music on AIR, writing it down, memorizing it and singing along with the singer. When my mother finds me missing, she comes searching for me without a second thought to catch me red-handed with a radio.

         Then came the tape recorder which made it easier for me to listen to my favorite songs when I wish and record my own sweet voice... (giggling) Actually I love doing intoxicating things and have fun which I shouldn’t being doing! Isn’t it funny? But my grannies were too strict that I had to control all my mischievous behavior and be a very good girl. Got confused? Ha! Ha! There were about four grannies. There was always a unity in our family. I never had the feeling of being without a brother of my own as my cousins who were brothers always made me feel more like their own sister.

        One more thing about me friends, I am a great devotee of Lord Krishna, whom I believe is always with me as a friend, lover and well-wisher. Oh my God! I revealed the secret about my love and lover! Imagining Him as a lover, playing with Him, dancing with Him, enjoying happiness to the fullest with Him was my great dream. Please don’t shake with laughter but I really wish that to happen, a blessing to see the original form with His flute, the sky-blue colored Krishna and experience the love and lust transforming myself to Radha, making it a spiritual affair.

My father, who was a great artist, used to draw Krishna’s pictures especially for me, knowing my crazy love for Him.

            I did my schooling well as a normal child and scored average marks happily!

I felt that I was the luckiest person in this world. (smiling)

            Mmmm. Now it’s time for college. I got admission for BA English Literature, my favorite subject, my passion and one of my dreams.

            One of my cousins (sister) and I joined the college. We were in great excitement and were sure about having great fun because when we both were together, there was no doubt of pleasure and entertainment. Even though I was not so modern I was stylish and became a queen in everyone’s eyes!  We had a great time in college with our friends. There were boyfriends too.

One of our friends, a best friend, Nikhil was so special, caring and loving, always doing something exciting to make me fall hard into laughter.

         Hey! One more secret: I used to feel that I am playing with Krishna as a friend (Remember my wish?  ...LOL)

         Nikhil and I used to fight a lot on different topics but when it’s all over and we got tired, we were back together with more affection and fondness for each other. He was a very comfortable friend with whom I could share any of my feelings and viewpoints straight from the heart.

I was moving forward to the fourth month of my college, September, when the buds of beautiful flower forget-me-not blossom smiled at us.

       In this beautiful month, comes Onam, the day that welcomes the great King, Mahabali to Kerala. It was a month of celebration for me. A pookkalam would be drawn, decorated with different colorful flowers in front of each house till the day of Onam for ten days, which I really enjoyed during the festival.

       Knowing my wish to do this, permitting me to make pookkalam for those ten days.

      I got up early in the morning wandering everywhere to collect flowers from our house and of course our neighbor’s house (giggling).

       After making my art with flowers and admiring myself, I gave a pat on my back mentally as if I have won the first prize for pookkalam. The most interesting thing is, my cute great Grandmother joined me with a no tooth smile (imagine)

I enjoyed my holidays with my family in new clothes and Onam sadhya with my favorite Ada pradhaman ( payasam) ….yummy !!

       During those days there were only landline and it was strictly prohibited for us. Permitted to make only important calls if necessary and only girls could ring us, not boys (how sad, isn’t it?)


                        No mails! No Facebook! No Whatsapp!

      Still it was a great time because we were able to feel moment of celebrations, relationships and perceive the worth of feelings of our dear and near ones. Almost everyone was free of mental and emotional strain in our time. The only reason was many of them were able to solve the complications and pressure of their lives through direct communication, a joint family, a joint society. There was always a lot of helping hands.

         Children enjoyed each others company as they met daily by playing outdoor games, going to school by cycles, walking together and sharing their daily class sessions, their mischievous acts and how were they punished together by their teachers. They even shared their family issues and there was no need of counseling for children at that time.


         I was back to college after the Onam holidays and celebrations. You might be thinking why I didn’t mention about missing my friends and college.

Actually they were in my thoughts but I am the kind of person whose policy is to “Live in the Present” and not spoil the present happiness of oneself and others.


       I am sharing one more secret! I missed a special person among them. Guess who?

You were right! It’s none other than Nikhil, my Krishna.

       Reached college in my caravan, BSA SLR (my cycle) with my cousin sister. All our friends came running towards us and we contributed our love and affection for each other.

I lost my father when I was in college but my uncle never gave me a chance to mourn the loss and stood with me as a pillar filling absence of my father. I always believed that Krishna was with me in all my ups and downs in different forms to support me.

After my father’s death, I decided to take life in a methodical way with my credence in Krishna to overcome the trammels coming on my way.

I accomplished my graduation and joined for post-graduation. You might be wondering why I am not mentioning anything about Nikhil….hmmm….I read your mind….

The truth was that I was totally lost after the death of my father and my full concentration was to complete my graduation well.

        Hey! But his full support made me more ardent and to gain more will-power to face all ups and downs.

        Nikhil completed his B.com and then joined to do CA. As his father got transferred his family relocated to another state. That was a big shock for me but I consoled my mind and heart, requesting them not to make me weak.

Accomplished my post-graduation, did my Teachers Training and I am an English teacher now! Surprised? But happy for me, right?

       One thing friends, till now I have faith and belief in my Krishna.

I know what is going on in your mind. Did Nikhil and I communicate with each other after his father’s transfer? Did we meet again?

After leaving the city, we were in touch for few months till he flew to America.

Slowly I too stopped communicating with him and engaged myself in daily matters and family duties and took care of my mother and sister.

      All my cousins, one by one completed their academics, some got married and settled in their family life. But there was always a get together once in a month. Now my mother wanted me to get married and settled.

      Many alliances came and I was ready to shake my head like a goat to the one which my elders chose for me.

Ha! Ha! Just kidding…. They know what is good and bad for me. Actually that is what I believe.

Hmmm…. Anyway I made one promise to myself that if I give birth to a baby boy, I would surely name him “Nikhil”.

Now I am a wife and a mother of a one and a half-year old boy.

Excuse me, did you ask me something?

Oh! My son’s name?

One second please …. My baby is crying…

Nikhil…….

Please change the baby's diaper !

Lost in his thoughts
With her eyes closed
Waking up from her fancy
By the call of a pigeon
With a message from him
Conveying to meet him
Near the river side
Of the Gulmohar tree
Hearing the trumpet of
The evening conch

With an acceptable smile
Ready in his favourite
Shining peach fruit dress
Wide eyes with black kajal
Long black hair decorated
With magical fragrance
Of buds of jasmine flowers
Colourful bangles filling
Her soft wheatish hands
With musical bands

Sitting under the flame tree
Decorated with beautiful
Orange-red Gulmohar petals
Waiting for her beloved
Lasting the wait till dawn
But never did he come
Flowing kajal with her tears
Turning her to black cheeks
Back to her despondency
Like a broken soul

Comes again the pigeon
With a message on its body
Written by human blood
Dear, move on in your life
I am, no more in this life
Jasmines giving an odour
Bangles becoming colourless
Kajal, blurring her vision
Falling down on the floor
With her eyes closing !

Perceived by five senses
In a stable and solid form
Facilitating shape and smell
Representing muscles and
Bones of a physical body
Earth, the first element

Perceived by four senses
In a cool and liquid form
Facilitating taste and fluidity
Representing blood and
Fluid of a physical body
Water, the second element

Perceived by three senses
In a hot and sharp form
Facilitating color and spicy
Representing temperature and
Intestines of a physical body
Fire, the third element

Perceived by two senses
In a subtle and dry form
Facilitating touch and vibration
Representing oxygen and
Carbon dioxide of a physical body
Air, the fourth element

Inaccessible by other senses
In an abundant and soft form
Facilitating non-resistance
Representing the space,
The soul of a physical body
Sky, the fifth element

Survived by five elements
In all kinds of forms
The greedy human body
Forgetting that one day
It becomes a dead body
Under a six feet of mud !

Don't look back but keep moving
The ghost, your past is following
To stop you from moving forward

Keep going with your dreams
The guide, your present is guiding
To take you to reach your goals

Follow your guide to reach the destination
Your goal, your future is waiting
For you to reach without turning back !

On the seashore I stand
With my legs in the sand
There comes the waves
Wipe away my grieves
With positive vibes
Through the narrow veins
Touching me with a smile
Waving back to a mile !

Welcoming the Rain
The Peacock dances
Opening its feathers
With beautiful colours
Attracting the peahen
Expressing his love
Blue and green feathers
Open like an umbrella
Make the peahen
Fall in love with him !

A dream when I was a kid
House made of my favourite biscuits
Like a normal brick house
There was a door and windows
Can have one when I wish
Filling the gap with another one
Only me, the owner can have
The innumerable biscuits of my wish
Hot coffee, the best friend of biscuits
Was given permission to
Join me in my biscuit house
Sitting on a chair with a plate of biscuits
Dipping one by one in my cup of coffee
Admiring my biscuit house with a twinkle !

Life is like a recipe
Each one lives it
With a different taste
Some might be too hot
Like green chillies
Some might be too sweet
Like gulab jamoons
Some might be too red
Like Kashmiri chilli
Some might be too sour
Like tamarind
Some might be hot n sweet
Like hot tomato ketchup
Some might be sweet n sour
Like mixed chat
Whatever flavours added
It is in our tongue
To enjoy the Recipe !!

Some sweet memories of my Village and childhood days :-)

My village, is an Evergreen Heaven, full of singing birds, the crystal clear river with a non-stop flow of water.
A graceful temple of the powerful Goddess, with it attached the sacred Banyan tree. And a beautiful swing by rope for the kids to enjoy their evening.

Men sit chatting under the Banyan tree. Women washing clothes and gossiping near the river side. My village, being a part of God's own country is calm and peaceful for both the old ones and the young ones.

Enchanting festivals happen, specially during summer. The best part of my life is my childhood days in my village. It is blessed by nature with full of greenery on all its sides with paddy fields, coconut,tamarind,mango, neem and the list goes on.

I enjoyed my childhood with my cousins playing Hide and Seek, Lock and Key, Making mud pots which are never allowed to play by the kids nowadays.Those days are filled with pleasure and entertainment.

Competing with the Cuckoo's Coooo making it angry ! Walking on the walls, eating ripe mangoes, climbing on trees..waow ! It was fun :-)

A mischievous chat with Grandma, Grandpa and great Grandma who loved me more than they do themselves.

Making compulsory our afternoon nap, punishing us with his love and care, my Big uncle. He punishes us with his Hand fan or 50 - 100 sit ups holding our ears! But at this moment I realise he did that because he loves us a lot!

Craving to hear songs from the radio and singing along with it, writing it down and learning it by heart :-P

Going for movies with Grandma, it was really a great fun ! Ours was a Joint family system with uncles, aunts,cousins and there was love, understanding, sharing, caring for one another. Having breakfast, lunch and dinner together with the family where there were always laughter and only laughter :-)

Wish all those sweet and golden moments to come back !!!

Tolerating character
Amaranthine with a smile
Uniqueness in everything
Radiant feminism
Uttering voice of nightingale
Sincerely delicate heart

I am a **Taurus woman !

A Beautiful Landlady,
A Wonderful House Owner,
Who Gives Shade And Shelter
For The One Who Is In Need
Without Collecting Any Rent.

A Kind Hearted Shopkeeper,
A Sweet Hearted Fruit seller,
Who Gives Fruits And Nuts                                                
For The One Who Is Hungry;
Without Collecting Any Price.
                                                          ­                                              
The One Who Gives Himself,
Who Gives Herself,
Without Expecting Anything;
But Giving Everything With A Smile!
So Never Faces Any Disappointments!!!

With torn clothes of poverty
Lasting days of hunger
The stomach remains empty
Locking yearn for education
Standing for a single penny
With a ***** face and bowl
Near academic opening
Sold to rich owners for
Retail Pay to their fathers
To Work for their mistress
Like a machine without salary
Crushing the buds before
They Bloom to become flowers
Forgetting their childhood
Making them a child labour
In houses, shops, hotels and
Making them a begger too
Why it happens in this world
Where children are
The God's greatest gifts !

When you can see the Moon
Why wasting your time counting
The uncountable stars
When you can see your present
Why wasting your time analysing
The incurable past
Living a life of contentment is
Accepting the intellectual truth
Live in Present !

Standing under a waterfall fully wet
Mind was upset, now totally set
Drained all my tears with the water that fall
Now nothing can make me feel small
Fresh water falling from my head to toe
Cleaning my body and mind from the woe
Promising never to give up my dreams
For the sake of some bootless screams
Walking forward with perseverance
Leaving backward all my indolence !

In her white dress with black spots
She looks cute with a black bow
Her eyes are green so beguiling
The way she walks is so fascinating
Always known as a rival of rats
Which helps human to kick them out of hats
There are some who keep hating
Still she try to stay friendly
Playing with us with her silky hair
Licking our legs as a sign of love
Roars like a cub when angry
So sweet she sings when comes to love
And that's always a MEOW..MEOW!

Walking through the sides of a busy pond
Where fishes,frogs,snakes playing hide and seek
Collecting sweet tamarind and small mangoes
In the duppatta of yellow salwar Kameez
Sitting under the shade of a giant banyan tree
Sinking in the flavour of tamarind with mangoes
With an innocent exuberant smile
Vision of people and vehicles passing by
Ringing of the Pooja bell heard from the temple
Jumping out running towards the temple with a banyan leaf bowl
Filling it with mouth-watering rice pudding
Walking home vigilantly in a thought of sharing with siblings
Followed by a black kitten to get a share crying meow-meow!

Hurtling to make money
Brawling for the seats
Competing for the fame
Shrieking out loud for religious violence
Selfish and greedy humans
Killing brotherhood using
Vengeance and acrimony
Sharper than the weapons
Earth floating like a paper boat
In the pool of human blood
What do they take with them
To the graveyard ?
Bonehead people not knowing
Nothing but a dead body are they
Leaving alone with no money,
No fame, no seats, no religion
Not even their own body !

Krishna, the Lord, my Beloved
Took me to a world of yours
Where only you and me
Made me forget the outer world
Deviating me to other priorities
Slowly made me forget you
To see how much I love you
You are the Maya, Magician
Came to me to awaken my love
Showing your innocent face
Sobbing like a missing child
As I left you and your thoughts
Deeply immersed in another world
Craving back for your love now
Realising that you are my only world
Leaving me alone in this world
Where you made me responsible
Never knowing my love for you!

Suffering are many
To ample their
Hunger for a day
Lying are many
On platforms with
Bare paunch all day
Spending our money
On burgers and pizzas
On a single day
Why not a charity
A penny a day ?

Were they children of
A loving Joint family
In a small village of
Of God's own country
Were they twelve in
Numbers of boys and girls
Making it a festival
In times of togetherness
Not a single day
They make a war
Having together
Their all day food
In a small dining room
Filling it with loud
Crackers of laughter
Enjoying even a
A watery porridge with
Fried coconut chutney
Together they slept
In an open night hall
Sharing their beds
And pillows with love
Seeing them sleeping
With their innocence
Standing the moon
With a sweet smile !

Met her on a rainy day
Day, that changed my life
Walking to my bus stop
With my umbrella open
Waiting for my bus to come
That happened in a second
Clashing with someone's
Umbrella of rainbow colour
Putting my head out
Looking for the owner
Twirled a typhoon above
Up above my head
A moon in a sky blue Saree
Came out of her umbrella
Turning to me with a smile
Of shining diamond tooth
Her eyes blinking like
Fishes swimming in a sea
Opening her mouth like
A singing of a cuckoo
Apologising with a sorry
Before I speak a word out
Of my unconsciousness
Left behind only rain and me!

School, nearby his house
Where she teaches English
Present in front of his house
Seeing her passing by
In the morning and evening

Slim and beauty was she
Looking attractive in a Saree
Eyes drawn with black kajal
Where eyebrows are like a bow
And a small black dot on her forehead

Like a painting slipped out of a canvas
Walking on the road
Crossing his eyes all the way
Perplexed was he about
The black eyes noticing him

Waiting to express his love
In his usual stand of gate
Highly strung to make his attempt
To the girl who impressed him first
Making him madly fall for her

Like a thunderbolt did she
Walking towards him
Looking into his confused eyes
Opening her rose petal lips
Dropped some pearl like words
I Too Love You Dear !

Walking through the streets
Of my beautiful village
Decorated with lights
Of rainbow colours
Breathing natural fresh air
Stopping by the banyan tree
Seeing men sitting under it
In their mundu and shirts
With thin and thick golden lines
Engaged in their louder chat
Boys in their new dress
Busy with their activities
Girls in full skirt and blouse
Of different golden designs
Sitting in the temple veranda
Tying garlands of flowers
Laughing out louder for
Jokes of their own world
Inside the temple kitchen
Busy preparing his sweet rice pudding
The priest, joining the
Girls wit with a simple smile
A group of women looking
Traditional in their Kerala Saree
Tied hair with jasmine flowers
It was a day of festival
Comes every year with a delight
Pleasing the Deities, for
The divine blessings of
Prosperity and happiness
In this village of togetherness !

Ormayude thanalil

Oru  pidi chiriyude pookkalkkai

Njan mizhigalude vaadhil

Thurannu vechu

Pranayathinte ormayil

Oru pidi snehathinte vakkugalkkai
              Njan chevigalude vaadhil

Thurannu vechu

Prananathante pranayathil

Oru pidi choodinte sparshanathinai
             Njan hridhaya vaadhil

Thurannu vechu

Natha! Ennu varum nee

Enne ninnil thalolikkaan

Maranathe aashrayikkenamo  njan
             Ninnil aliyan.......

Your possessiveness is just.....
Taming me how to love you...
Teaching me how much you love yourself...
Preparing my mind to hate you...
Please don't feel bad my love...
Inch by inch you are ....

Killing ME !!