Thatched House

  (A poem of consolation for those who tried) I may make the right moves Speak the timeliest words And present myself in the best way I can But I cannot make you want me I know Sometimes it just doesn’t happen JNU, 2008

He is my cousin She is my cousin My cousin called up I stayed over at my cousin's place I went to the movies with my cousin I went shopping with my cousin Yaar, we're just cousins JNU, 2008

‘Do not befriend any unknown person’ , the Delhi Metro dutifully announces. What is this? My parents taught me to talk to every one in the village. If I don’t, I’m rude. Everyone talks to everybody whether you know them personally or not, “How are you?” “What curry did you have this morning?” “Are you going to the paddy field today?” That culture is slowly vanishing in my village. It’s impossible to practice that culture in big towns or cities. Try it and I’m sure you’ll simply pass out!  The point here is that the world is increasingly becoming impersonal . I’m not trying to give a long speech on the importance of personal relationships, the effect of the cyber world etc. but share an experience. A friend invited me to watch a movie at the Select City Walk, arguably the biggest and one of the most happening malls in Delhi. He did not tell me the name of the movie or who else is coming with us, he is like that. I reached early and waited for sometime, and then he came with some...

We met suddenly We parted quickly Leaving me with memories: Enough to stir my mind Not enough to fall in love  ----x--- You are very alive in me, but why am I starting to forget how you look like?  ---x--- Why do we love to revise those few memories over and over and never grow tired of them? JNU, 2008

  After the church, people shook hands with her. “That was a very nice song and you sang so well”. Sure the song was meaningful and she put up a good show of emotions. But Oh! I know what she does on the week days. Please mercy me, somehow I am not blessed. RIMS, Imphal 2004

When I think I’m strong enough  I go about living on my own  ‘ntil I couldn’t take it anymore  Then I turn back to you  Why haven’t you moved?  Why are you still here?  Why are you so fond of me?  Alleluia, I’ve found love    RIMS,Imphal, 2005

It’s 8.15pm Saturday night   I look up for a sign  There’s no moon tonight  No shooting star to wish by  Dark clouds are gathering  There will be rain tonight  Some heart will break tonight    RIMS, Imphal, 2005

No own desire to thee I bring  All to do thy will I come  No shore amid the storm I see  Whose heard will faint when you're aboard?   RIMS, Imphal, 2004

A lone cloth clipper hangs on the rope alongside three towels overlapping. The two alarm clocks tick in succession as the wind brings some Indian music played far away outside the campus. On the almirah door facing me, Mickey Mouse waves happily; he has a bun on his other hand. Count two points, the ball is inside the basket, someone has scored. The saffron ventilator curtain looks old; it must have been there years before I came to this room. The ceiling fan is on a long winter break as the heater takes over to keep the room at the right temperature. The creeper has gone round its pot thrice and the gulmohor leaves have gone to sleep- after all, its 9: 35 pm already. The dusty red roses stare at the life-size mirror. They must be wondering why the owner does not clean them up. Maybe the owner does not need red roses or he is scared of them.   RIMS, Imphal, 2005

No sight or smell of Christmas  No sound of Christmas music  Just disco drums of boozers  As I spend my Christmas  Far away from home  Too busy to think of Bethlehem  The three wise men or the shepherds  With my nose between my book  As I spend my Christmas  Far away from home RIMS,  Imphal, 2004

Situation back home is very bad. Killing after killings, extortion and corruption go on and on. This is an email of hope and encouragement. I sound like the Bishop of Durham. Right?:-) A friend called up and when we were talking about the bad situation at home, I recollected the thing that you said. You said if we will experience peace again (something like that). All of us are sick and tired of the killings, extortion. There is an attitude of pessimism about the future and it demotivates us to do anything good. Maybe we have forgotten how to dream Maybe we have forgotten how to hope Has God fallen asleep or has He made a vertical take-off? Although very hard, we must realise that God has been with us all along, feeling what we feel, experiencing all that we are going through. Nothing has passed by that has not caught his attention. He who watches over the sparrow encourages us to just hang on, for joy is coming in the morning. Let us speak words of hope and comfort to one ...

The local expert in this saloon is a cousin and my school teacher. I remember he taught maths when I was in third standard. One day, we were asked to recite time table of 5 and those who succeeded were allowed to go home. I was making good progress 5X1=5, 5X2=10... until I fumbled at 5X9=__ and was detained. He took pity knowing I almost made it and allowed me a second chance. During class, he would ask me to go to the shop and buy paan for him. He is also a very good painter Iconic hair cutting saloon of Pfutsero, Nagaland.  Naga version of the saloon in the western cowboy novels. Who says we don't have it?

(DBF Central Pastor Jeremy Dawson in the recently concluded EMFI (Evangelical Medical Fellowship of India) conference gave 6 definitions of ministering by faith. Hebrews 11)  1. Believing when I don't see it (Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. V1)  2. Obeying when I don't understand it (By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. V8  3. Giving when I don't have it (By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did..V4)  4. Persisting when I don't feel like it (By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. V27)  5. Thanking God before I receive it (Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mk. 11 34)  6. Trusting even if I don't get it (Some faced jeers and flogging...