London At Night....

Memories of the bustling city from the dark corners of my mind....



The Big Ben, standing tall & handsome, overlooking the teeming millions gliding past it, no time to admire its uniqueness & beauty.

The old double-decker, the heart of London, an experience on its own, though there are double-deckers in Kolkata also, this was a completely new enriching experience I had, treasured in my cerebrum.






The majestic Thames, the soul of the capital, slithering on at her own pace, ignorant of the happenings of the city, the people who worship here, love her, adore her & depend on her for their livelihood.






The famous red telephone booths, witnesses of innumerable movies, stand alone beckoning the visitors to have their own "moments of fame."

The road-side benches, a perfect place for lovers, sitting in the dark & utter words of romance, the trees shielding them from the voyeurs who haunt the streets at night.



A perfect blend of every element of Earth, a visitor's paradise in terms of sight-seeing, shopping, enjoyment, you name it, you will get it!

Bhutan

(I went to Bhutan on 22nd May,1997. First, I stayed at Paro & then went to Thimpu. I was overwhelmed to see the scenic beauty & the visit left a permanent impression on my mind.)

All around mountains, soaring their heads high-
As if they are rulers of the great wide Earth;
Streams flowing down them with swift winding courses,
The green plants & shrubs fluttering from side to side.
Slowly, the sun rises with its sparkling red flames
And makes the surrounding an antique precious gem,
Where on Earth can you come across such a place?
Mother Nature displaying all her might.

The trees of the forest like pillars of rocks,
Standing firmly for a million years,
And where the sun has little effect on the moist brown soil
Experiencing the sight-it proved to be very dear.
Where the life is hanging on in the ancient times
The age old belief in powerful historic shrines;
Truly worth a lifetime’s visit-
Can’t tell if it may come again, for I’m not a seer.

The local people here, the Masalis & Scebes,
Are affectionate & caring like their mother,
They treated me with utmost respect,
I’m a far off stranger-they just don’t bother.
Though I couldn’t catch what they said
For, to learn their language-would mean bringing back the dead
The ever smiling faces, they have little to regret;
Unlike the cruel life, every man is a brother.

The deep, wide lakes with their rippling waters:
The sun’s rays gleaming like a silver glass,
The fishes playing joyfully-aware of nothing
The birds perched on the branches, singing in mass.
And all day long I sat by the shore
The desire arising to see more & more
The time elapsed by, I didn’t have a clue
Only to find its strong picture, which couldn’t easily be crushed!

A Journey By Boat

(I was traveling by boat on the Bagmoti river. While journeying, I noticed some beautiful scenes which have remained in my mind since then. Also portrayed are some of my beautiful experiences. On the other side of the river is a little forest with mainly some deciduous trees.)



The weeds on the river anchoring the soil below,
No one knows how they had been sown
The black waters resemble some deadly night,
Stretching on enormously till end of sight.
Only the little boats have some lively forms-
Carrying off passengers, defying the wind & storm.

The green fields onside- all watered & tilled,
What bond have they already sealed?
The cows standing lonely like a child,
With ploughs on their back, they really look wild,
The farmers waving their hands to us all-
I could hear their siren call!

The skies above all clad with white & blue,
Black rainy weather doesn’t have a clue,
The birds chirping as they fly by;
I don’t have wings- I greatly sighed!
The clouds smiling, showing all their teeth,
Prepared for battle, like some worthy, ancient fleet!

Far along, the mountains stand in shadows
Spreading before them are eternal meadows.
The sun, with its red ball of fire-
Dominating the sky, attracting admirers,
The cold breeze making the branches creak,
One can hear the distant squirrel’s squeak.

The village women bathing in the river,
Cold water making their bare skins shiver,
Children playing with little balls & toys-
It reminded me of my old days of joy.
The busy carts carrying heavy roads to the mills
Winding their way along, up to the hills.

And as our boat rounded near the shore,
I could feel the excitement rising as before,
Stepping onto the land, I ran towards the woods-
For to me, this material world is of no good!
Thus my journey came to a close
Those exotic moments I just can’t disclose.