Oh you saviour, of the rags and riches alike
The favourite of students, labourers, executives and wise
The in between of a mattress like loaf
Easy on the teeth, pocket, and hope
The staple of Bombay, the vada pav stop

In the city of Mumbai
When you want food and now
You reach out to grab
The glorious vada pao

A round golden ball
Filled of potatoes n spice
You have one and you are reminded
Of all things good & nice

The great Equalizer
Liked by all, big or small
Have it with chutney or chili
Whether you live in a bunglow or a chawl

Dip it in sambar
or stuff it in a pao
Have it any way
You will only say "wow"

I had one today
I ate it with glee
I have realised like all mumbaikars
The vada pao is meant for me!

i spread like butter on the sidewalk.
sessile;
like the moss that took root in the cracks
in the pavement

i decide too late i want a little girl.
i'll name her vada jane,
and you can kiss her when im gone instead

metal screeches
drivers stop to
rubberneck.

they don't see me.
they see my vada jane.
she's kneeling over me-
she's beautiful, right?
she shines like oil on asphalt

im dull like blood on moss

(when i think of you
i can breathe
you are real)

2. She died a few days ago. I went to the funeral, saw all her terrible friends with all their moon sized pupils and cracked teeth. The body didn’t even look like her—I wouldn’t have known it was her if it wasn’t for the scars. They didn’t cover them.

Mosses persist, despite their size, because of their biological resilience. They are structured to survive in the most extreme climates, able to retain enough water to keep them alive even for years of drought. Even a 50-year-old dried moss can be revived with just a splash of water. She reminds me of moss. I kept thinking, if I could just sprinkle a little bit of coke in the casket her carcass would soften and shoot up like a tulip in spring.

This whole thing has made me realize that humans are not as resilient as I’ve come to believe. Things are different when you bleed. The last drought killed her. Once you dry out, you are dry forever.

Some place
Some time
There was a tea shop.
Open not just in the mornings,
But at noon and the evenings too.

Mornings, the menu read
Uzhunnuvada, idli,dosa,
Uppuma, vellayappam,idiyappam,
Sambar, payaru curry,kadala
And several chatnis.

Noon, the menu read
Aviyal,achinga,pachadi,
Kichadi,pulisseri,thoran,achar,
And several kinds of buttermilk.

Evenings, the menu read
Sukhiyan, bonda,
Pazhampori, parippu vada, mulaguvada,
Diluted milk, black coffee
And several forms of tea.

There was a cook in that tea shop.
There was an owner for that tea shop.
Both had a son each.
Those boys went to the same school.
They studied in the same class.
They sat on the same bench.

Whenever he was hungry,
One of the boys thought of
The owner of that tea shop.
Eyes widening with admiration for
The great man that he was!
He could eat anything
Whenever he was hungry,
Reaching for it in the container
Or poking his head into the food shelf
Or entering the kitchen itself.
He could take anything,
The boy salivated.

To the query “What do you want to be?”,
He even replied once that
He wanted to be that man.

But, whenever he was hungry,
The other boy thought of
The cook in that tea shop.
He lauded him in awe of
the great man that he was.
He could cook and eat
Anything any time any quantity,
He imagined jealously.

To the query “What do you want to be?”,
He even replied once that
He wanted to be that man.

Wait, don’t leave yet,
Dusting off your bottom
After reading an average poem.
Sighing indepthly
Or grunting lazily
Or belching sourly.

You are free to leave after
Answering a few questions.


Who owns this tea shop actually?
These schoolboys from the tea shop,
Whose sons are they actually?

There is another boy
Besides these two
In this poem!

Who is he?

you remember his lips on
yours, how they felt like tar and you knew he was something
you did not want to stick to. the aftermath was like climbing out of a
net while covered in honey, he told you, smiling, how sweet you
were but you’re clenching your fists waiting for the
bees. sting me here and here and here and
here, cut off my hands so i never have to know what
losing your child before it’s fourth
birthday feels like.

when you were little, your
mother used to read you bedtime
stories about princes and dragons and lots of happy ever
afters. but where is the ‘after’ when your best friend
hates you? where is the
‘before?’

your therapist is reading you an
eliot poem in hopes it’ll calm you
down, in hopes you’ll replace memories of that
boy with bob
dylan and that couch with thoughts of empty
fields. every time it comes into your
head, bob won’t write songs about
you and the field screams ‘i am not
empty, i am
open.’

call you Vada, accuse you of being in
love with your teacher and killing your
mother; the first thing you ever ruined on
accident. you wish you were thomas
j, you wish you were genetically pre
dispositioned to crumble like a heart made of
sand when a bee sticks himself
into you.

your best friend won’t be your
best friend anymore and you’re ripping pages out of the
calendar and swallowing january
whole, there’s more ways to die than to stay
alive. suicides are their own
language, the suicidal are like
carpenters, they always ask ‘what
tools’ instead of
‘why build’.

you’re begging to the god your best
friend believes in to let you die
young. every minute of the
afterward feels like one more
tally on his list of worst
betrayals. satan is
smiling because you’re playing the game he
invented.

but what if the devil
doesn’t know he’s the devil?

it started out with a crash and a
blast and it ended in a mouthful of
bees.

Nel paese di mia madre v'è un campo quadrato, cinto di gelsi.
Di là da quel campo altri campi quadrati, cinti di gelsi.
Roggie scorrenti vi sono, fra alti argini, dritte, e non si sa dove vanno a finire.
La terra s'allarga a misura del cielo, e non si sa dove vada a finire.

Nel paese di mia madre v'han ponti di nebbia, che il vento solleva da placidi fiumi:
varca il sogno quei ponti di nebbia, mentre le rive si stellan di lumi.
Pioppi e betulle di tremula fronda accompagnan de l'acque il fluire:
quando nè rami s'impigliano gli astri, in quella pace vorrei morire.

Nel paese di mia madre un basso tugurio sonnecchia sul limite della risaia,
e ronzano mosche lucenti, ghiotte, intorno a un ammasso di concio.
Possanza di morte, possanza di vita, nell'odore del concio: ne gode
la terra dall'humus profondo, sotto la vampa d'agosto che immobile sta.

Nel paese di mia madre, quando il tramonto s'insaguina obliquio sui prati,
vien da presso, vien da lontano una canzone di lunga via:
la disser gli alari alle cune, gli aratri alle marre, le biche all'aie fiorite di lucciole,
vecchia canzone di gente lombarda: "La Violetta la vaaa la vaaaa... "

“Can miles truly separate you from friends? If you want to be with someone you love, aren’t you already there?”
A very good evening to one and all present here. Today Im  here in front of all of you as we approach the end of our schooling days.
But i believe half of my job is already done here because its not me but our scribbled stories on our school benches that will dive us into this beautiful journey of nostalgia.
Although walls cant speak but the doodles on walls of our school bathroom can surely make us reminisce those malicious scenes of crimes we have done there.

Little did we know how quick ten years would pass by just like that.We have bloomed into  flowers from tiny little saplings in this orchard of childrens Academy. And in no time, us bunch of flowers will be unveiled in front of the whole world.
I still remember in flashes, the days of our pre primary section where we would yearn for that one cup of hot chocolate milk that would be served to us at least once a week. The same craving, in the primary section transformed into love for shezwan vada pav which still continues to be our favourite. Maturity then peaked and we entered secondary section to disrupt the whole world and win the worst class award right in the beginning of sixth std.
For me Children’s Academy is not just a school- but a journey that all of us have endured for these past ten years. Living every moment as If there was no end to it because that’s how it exactly felt like ! But today im realizing how wrong I was. It ends! The journey sure does- but the bonds and the friendship is never going to end. I wish someone had warned me that more than the people, it’s those moments that I will miss the most. Now, we will never be able to dance in front of our friends classroom and make them laugh during an on going lecture while we were on our way to the washroom. Now reena miss will never nag us for using the word “abbey”. Those menacing threats by Suddha Shetty miss to apply the canteen oil on our hair if by chance we showed up with washed dry hair to  school instead can never be relived. Now nikita miss will never  ask you about your missing id card and ask u to tuck in your shirt. Whom will we have psychology sessions with if not our bhagayshree miss.Whom will we wish suprabhat guruji to now? Who will leave us discombobulated with their flabbergasting vocab if not our beloved English teachers madhavi miss and  sen gupta miss?  not even paresha miss’ chemical reactions could beat our instant change in  our demeanour from a loud noisy fish market to an attentive obedient class when rohit sir or mallya maam would be on rounds.  Its hard to believe that no matter what we do, no one will replace the void of affection of our teachers in this emancipation. Its hard to believe that how all of these annoying rules that have  been playing in the background of our life will suddenly just cease to exist. Its hard to believe that the building of children’s academy that we visited everyday will no  longer even be a part of our life. Its hard to believe that now we wont see Vipin sir laughing at his own jokes before we all start laughing… just by watching each other laugh.
The cherished and hallowed corridors of Children’s Academy will become our Alma Mater that one day will surely be revisted by us to share the pride of our collective success, one day. These golden memories and the fact mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell will never be forgotten by us. And for that I can’t thank bhakti miss and simi miss enough!

And lastly to end my speech i wish to quote no one. I wish to end my speech just by singing the first  two lines of our school song. Lets chime in for the last and final time and sing it in our heads.
“ the bells of our school, ring out far and wide
Their chimes make our childhood so happy and bright!”

Noi mentre il mondo va per la sua strada,
noi ci rodiamo, e in cuor doppio è l'affanno,
e perché vada, e perché lento vada.
Tal, quando passa il grave carro avanti
del casolare, che il rozzon normanno
stampa il suolo con zoccoli sonanti,
sbuca il can dalla fratta, come il vento;
lo precorre, rincorre; uggiola, abbaia.
Il carro è dilungato lento lento.
Il cane torna sternutando all'aia.

Dard-e-dil batao aapna
Saath Mei seh lenge .
Bs ek kadam badao apna,
Yeh fassle Kam Kar denge
Akele nahi ** is dard Mei tum
Dard Bata ke toh dekho
Humdard ban jayenge.
Thaam lo hath humara
Is muskil safar Mei Jana
Vada h hum fir se humsafar ban jayenge
Aur suno ,
Bihkare toh hum bhi h ,
Aankhe humari bhi dubi rehti h tumahri yaado Mei ,
Bs bataye bhi toh kise
Tanha tumhari tarh hum bhi toh h
Soch bhi kaise liya tumne ki
Dard tume ** aur
Fark Hume na pade!😥😥😥

tu da ve za sivi
va du vi za vada zo
veda ga va caduza
nevaga za du vo
badeva bada debu
yana ba va gada ze
remana ga redava
mada ga de bada ve

Suno,
Tumhari geet na sahi ,
Us geet ka sabd ban jao
Toh chalega Kya?

Tumhare saath na chal Pao
Parchayi ban jao
Toh chalega Kya?

Tumhari ragini na sahi
Swapan ban jao
Toh chalega Kya?

Umar bar saath na reh Pao
Ta Umar pyaar ka vada Karo
Toh chalega Kya?

Bolo,
Aise mohabbat Karo
Toh chalega Kya?

Vada-Paav, in Aamchi Mumbai, or Maharashtra entire, is definitely the most popular inexpensive dish.

But according to the circumstances that prevail here at  Bombay, been it should have Bhel-puri, I do wish.

There are Maharashtrians, Gujjus, South Indians, Sikhs, Bongs etc. and us Parsis, though very miniscule  

Similarly Bhel has sev, mamra, chevda, puris, onions, potatoes, coriander, chillies, chutneys, you can add more, there is no rule

Just like the ingredients of Bhel, the population mingles, mixes, blends, whatever you can call it,  to be called Bombayites

But but but!!! wait and watch, when they board a suburban local train, just watch their many big & small fights.

To see the Bhel Puri, in this city cosmopolitan, encounter you have to the fisher folk, giving "shivya, our popular Maushi baai"

In our Bhel-Puri population, there are Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jews, Parsis; but in Bombay they are lovingly addressed, Bhau n Taai.

Hope you liked my BHEL-PURI, please do taste and comment.

Armin Dutia Motashaw

Noi mentre il mondo va per la sua strada,
noi ci rodiamo, e in cuor doppio è l'affanno,
e perché vada, e perché lento vada.
Tal, quando passa il grave carro avanti
del casolare, che il rozzon normanno
stampa il suolo con zoccoli sonanti,
sbuca il can dalla fratta, come il vento;
lo precorre, rincorre; uggiola, abbaia.
Il carro è dilungato lento lento.
Il cane torna sternutando all'aia.

Suno ,
Saath Dene ka vada tumne kiya tha,
Nibha hum rahe hai😓
Jab man Kare toh vapas aa Jana ,
Kyu ki intazaar ab bhi tumhara hum
Kar rahe hai.

Pucha tha tumne ek sawal,
"Tumhare Dil ka darvaja humesha khula rehega n mere liye "

Toh sun lo javab abhi "Ha" hai
Kyuki tumhara intazaar abhi hai😥

Noi mentre il mondo va per la sua strada,
noi ci rodiamo, e in cuor doppio è l'affanno,
e perché vada, e perché lento vada.
Tal, quando passa il grave carro avanti
del casolare, che il rozzon normanno
stampa il suolo con zoccoli sonanti,
sbuca il can dalla fratta, come il vento;
lo precorre, rincorre; uggiola, abbaia.
Il carro è dilungato lento lento.
Il cane torna sternutando all'aia.

Nel paese di mia madre v'è un campo quadrato, cinto di gelsi.
Di là da quel campo altri campi quadrati, cinti di gelsi.
Roggie scorrenti vi sono, fra alti argini, dritte, e non si sa dove vanno a finire.
La terra s'allarga a misura del cielo, e non si sa dove vada a finire.

Nel paese di mia madre v'han ponti di nebbia, che il vento solleva da placidi fiumi:
varca il sogno quei ponti di nebbia, mentre le rive si stellan di lumi.
Pioppi e betulle di tremula fronda accompagnan de l'acque il fluire:
quando nè rami s'impigliano gli astri, in quella pace vorrei morire.

Nel paese di mia madre un basso tugurio sonnecchia sul limite della risaia,
e ronzano mosche lucenti, ghiotte, intorno a un ammasso di concio.
Possanza di morte, possanza di vita, nell'odore del concio: ne gode
la terra dall'humus profondo, sotto la vampa d'agosto che immobile sta.

Nel paese di mia madre, quando il tramonto s'insaguina obliquio sui prati,
vien da presso, vien da lontano una canzone di lunga via:
la disser gli alari alle cune, gli aratri alle marre, le biche all'aie fiorite di lucciole,
vecchia canzone di gente lombarda: "La Violetta la vaaa la vaaaa... "

🌳👩‍❤‍💋‍👩 🌴
MOST OF THE TIME, AAMCHI MUMBAI WELCOMES YOU WITH OPEN ARMS....

B- booming with buisness, it is.

O- overseas n within India, great economy

M- money n fortune spinner, this city is called

B- Bollywood is as famous here as bhelpuri n Vada pav is

A- always awake, never asleep, at any given time, people are working.

Y- you can always try your fortune, your future has  hope here.

Armin Dutia Motashaw

Nel paese di mia madre v'è un campo quadrato, cinto di gelsi.
Di là da quel campo altri campi quadrati, cinti di gelsi.
Roggie scorrenti vi sono, fra alti argini, dritte, e non si sa dove vanno a finire.
La terra s'allarga a misura del cielo, e non si sa dove vada a finire.

Nel paese di mia madre v'han ponti di nebbia, che il vento solleva da placidi fiumi:
varca il sogno quei ponti di nebbia, mentre le rive si stellan di lumi.
Pioppi e betulle di tremula fronda accompagnan de l'acque il fluire:
quando nè rami s'impigliano gli astri, in quella pace vorrei morire.

Nel paese di mia madre un basso tugurio sonnecchia sul limite della risaia,
e ronzano mosche lucenti, ghiotte, intorno a un ammasso di concio.
Possanza di morte, possanza di vita, nell'odore del concio: ne gode
la terra dall'humus profondo, sotto la vampa d'agosto che immobile sta.

Nel paese di mia madre, quando il tramonto s'insaguina obliquio sui prati,
vien da presso, vien da lontano una canzone di lunga via:
la disser gli alari alle cune, gli aratri alle marre, le biche all'aie fiorite di lucciole,
vecchia canzone di gente lombarda: "La Violetta la vaaa la vaaaa... "

The Phantom of Genoa

Along the docks of Genoa, a man with bent shoulder walks
he is thin and pale like he hides under his winter coat
it can be very cold in Genoa, for him the winter is everlasting.
Few people recognize him, those who do to avoid him
of this huddled figure of cowardice; they see in him themselves
the humiliation of weakness buried deep within their soul.
Once he had been a popular captain on a cruise liner, he
failed, shamed by his nation and worst of all himself.
“Vada a Bordo Cazzo.” Rings in his ears.
Shouted in his whenever he appears in public.
Unforgiven he walks the street night street; he is our ghost.