Poetry for a cause

There are two causes that I feel I should do something about. They are about helping and working towards women empowerment and disabled (specially abled ) people. I have been  helping these causes by some direct monetary contributions and indirectly by buying stuff from them. But that is not much in my opinion. In terms of doing on the ground work for them, I am not able to devote much time. Today I performed poetry in Cuckoo Club open mic  hosted by Sonali Kapoor talking about these causes.

The first poem talks from the point of view of a disabled person. A student who was rendered  wheelchair bound post an accident. A moment that changed his life and brought basic mobility to a standstill. How does he feel? How does he gather the courage to move ahead? How does he feel?

I am just "Differently" abled

 I was born to win or so it seemed
Until a car knocked down all my dreams
Trying to save a little boys life
I myself lost all my limbs that time

From a four-wheeler to a wheelchair
Life was cruel, it seemed so unfair
My brain and heart were still the same
Carrying all the same dreams with them
My limbs prevented me from moving forward quickly
My mind went into a train of negative thoughts quickly

Why was I feeling so bad?
Or were people's sympathetic looks making me feel so
I don't know
But someone would have definitely helped me when faced with a small stair or so
A small stair never seemed so big
Until I was wheelchair bound indeed
Was it the obstacle of the stairs
Or was it in my head again
I don't know
I decided to give my best shot to life again

Continuing with my studies as well as treatment
I promised myself to never feel let down again
I received help from a few well wishers
I was just differently abled they concurred

Diversity and Inclusion seem big words
We all can do a bit for such stuff
Today I want to tell you one thing
I am not disabled, I am differently abled
On behalf of all such people, I urge you one thing
Do not show sympathy , just help and show empathy

My next poem is on the topic of women empowerment. Women are taught to be perfect , because of which we overthink before taking any new venture. Women are also judged a lot ; sometimes also let down and judged by other women themselves. What should women do to not get carried away by negative thought? I think they just need to ask themselves " What would I do if I weren't afraid? Just have the right attitude. As Viktor Frankl has said "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way."

What would you do if you weren't afraid?

What would you do if you weren't afraid
Start  accepting you are not perfect instead

Its ok to take that plunge
When you are 90% sure of success

Some things will work
Some things won't
Let the disappointments not deter you
Or the successes flatter you
Keep working on the next big move
That you would do if you weren't afraid

Someone will be more talented
Someone will have more family support
Someone will be richer
But you are unique because of your attitude

For everything can be take away
But your attitude to respond in a given set of circumstances
Finally determines what you become
It is something that no one can take away from you
Go ahead dear in your fearless path
For what would you do if you were not afraid

-Dhanashree
https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

The Guilt Betaal

As Mrs Funnybones ( Twinkle Khanna)  puts it "Guilt is the Betaal sitting on every working mother’s back"

If you are in office, you are guilty about not spending enough time with your kid. When you are with  your kid, you worry about not giving it all to office. Or maybe not spending enough time with your better half.. and the list of guilt feelings goes on.
As a working mother , I too carry similar feelings.

Expressing through my poetry "The Guilt Betaal";  the guilt feeling about worrying of not  having given enough for mommy role

I wake up daily
And kiss my daughter goodbye
To only see her crying
"Mumma, why do you go to office, why?"
"Am I a good mumma ? " The Guilt Betaal haunts
While I rush to the office to finish my tasks

Waiting in the office are those unread emails
Actions items, tasks to be done , deadlines impending to be met
"When will you be back?" my little one calls
"Am I a good mumma ? " The Guilt Betaal haunts

I rush home after finishing my work
"Where are you mumma, come quickly and lets play here" she calls
A big tight hug and a kiss is how she welcomes me
"Why don't you come early?" She questions me
"Am I a good mumma ? " The Guilt Betaal haunts
" Why does she need to work for money?" An aunty taunts

My little one opens her colouring book
Colors as nicely as she should
" I want to study and go to office like you" she says
"Thats why I am practicing and not watching videos instead'

Somewhere I have done something right , my inner mind says
Guilt betaal, you go to hell instead !

-Dhanashree

Link to referred Mrs Funnybones blog - https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/mrsfunnybones/fifty-shades-of-bigotry/

Reservations

Poem in the light of the Bandh today for demanding reservations..

Reservations for caste X
Reservations for caste Y
Why no reservations for caste Z?

We want reservations too
Why should we be excluded in this too?

Reservations for caste can be demanded
Those demands might be met

What about reservation in heart for compassion, love and empathy
I hope the schools open today teach these to students
Help to raise citizens full of humanity
For all what we need is human beings having empathy, with no reservations but full of compassion

-Dhanashree
#dsaidso #reservations
https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

My Daily Date

I don't remember when I first met you
But it was love at first sight
When you first touched my lips
I was infused with new energy instantly

The more we met for dates
The more I longed for them
I was feeling like forever in love
You were so hot

Tall dark and strong
You had all that I longed
I want to be with you forever
I so love you my dear

I feel so enthusiastic coz of you
You are the reason for my success
Because behind every successful woman there is definitely a hot tall dark and strong masala chai!.

Dear Chai, what would I do without you?

Dedicated to all tea lovers!

-Dhanashree

Baarish Wala Shuddh desi romance

Baarish Wala Shuddh Desi Romance( over the years..)

First year of Marriage---
Oh it's raining, so romantic.. Totally feeling Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua wala feeling.. Going out using only one umbrella with hubby and giving those oh - so- cheesily- romantic looks to each other

Second year of marriage --

It's raining .. Having the chai pakora feeling..DH( Dear Husband) saying - Can you make some pakoras please

Darling wife agrees  says , "Yes darl"
 30 mins later , DH and DW sitting in the balcony  and having chai pakoras

Fast forward to 5 years post marriage..

It's raining. DH has lost his umbrella. Pleads to DW to give her umbrella.
DW- You can't even buy a new umbrella. How can we go in one umbrella? We will get drenched. Don't be filmy and use only one umbrella for us.

It's evening. Husband is back from work hungry.. 'Pls make some pakoras darl" he tells his DW.

But 5 years of marriage have made the DW smart, the pakoras have already been ordered from swiggy. While now the DW watches a movie on her lappie.

Five years hence, romance is still literally in the air- and the song Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua is playing on Radio....

-Dhanashree
#dsaidso #kahaanighargharki #marriedlife #rains

Ugich Kashala

I was looking at myntra sale the other day. I showed a purse on sale to my mum and told her I am buying it. " Ugich kashala?" she asked. " You already have so many purses " she said.

Quite literally translated Ugich Kashala means unnecessarily why. Anyone who has grown up in a middle class maharashtrian household cannot not be familiar with "ugich kashala?" Ugich kashala has been my optimization algorithm. For some it seems like a risk averse mindset. But for me it is the logic thats defies FOMO( Fear of missing out).

As a kid, I remember the only time we took cabs/ autos for long distance travel was when we went out with aaji. It was not like my parents couldn't have afforded but then why take a rick when we could save money by using public transport. Ugich kashala? you know..

It was never always about money.Ugich kashala was also about optimization of time, resources. In school days, my building friends decided to enroll for dance class. I was never too interested in dance, but since all my friends were going, I wanted to go too. That time too my mum said , "Are you really interested in dance? Otherwise, ugich kashala ?" This helped me focus .

Thinking the "ugich kashala" way still helps me focus. It helps me say no to things that don't deserve my attention. It helps me in optimization of time , money and resources. It helps to lead a way of life independent of peer pressue.

As Anita Bhogle and Harsha Bhogle have said in their book The Winning Way - "If you have grown up in a family with few means at its disposal, you will still eat the last corner slice of bread or vigorously shake the bottle of ketchup to extract the last drop even if you can easily afford another one."

Do I really need to watch that movie? Or I should not, ugich kashala?
Should I go out in the rain ? Or just stay safe indoors , ugich kashala go out?
Should I buy the latest phone? Or let it be, ugich kashala?
Should I spend this evening partying or let me write something, ugich kashala waste time?

In a FOMO and consumerism driven world, Ugich kashala helps me and reminds me of my priorities and constraints. And for this reason, I love ugich kashala. And now let me stop.Ugich kashala continue this chatter?

What are your ugich kashala memories? Maybe it has not worked for you. Maybe it is too old fashioned. Or maybe it has worked for you. Let me know in comments.

-Dhanashree

Mirror Mirror My Daughter

We are the doctor's clinic. My 3 year old daughter S is unwell - having the usual cough cold and fever. I am reading on the mobile.

S to me- Mumma, why are looking at mobile? Your eyes will get spoilt.

Me (embarassed) - Because I am reading something important.
( Now I close the mobile and start talking to S. Few mins later ,I am looking at the mobile again)

S to me- Mumma don't look at the mobile. Your eyes will get spoilt. You will get chasma.

( Now I am embarrassed like anything. S's tone was quite high this time. The people around wondered who is the mother and who is daughter. I closed my mobile and kept it in the purse. I thought I am done with my share of embarrassment for the day. But wait, hold on...)

S to me - Mumma , why have you put lipstick ?Your lips will become black

Ok, I am like facepalm again. Feel like can't even show my face around.
I can only say...
Mirror Mirror in front of you
Repeats everything you say on you

#dsaidso #yetanothermumstory #mydaughterismyteacher

- Dhanashree
https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

The modern day babysitters

Mostly all schools have started by now. Vacations are over . Wait - do kids nowadays have vacations? For namesake they do, but mostly are constantly engaged in one activity or other. As per an article last year by Manu Joseph in livemint " In the summers, city children are made to undertake so many recreational activities, it is as though they are inmates of Tihar jail. "

Summer camps is the new in thing. The glamorous babysitter nowadays that keeps city kids engaged in vacations.
Summer camps are not a new phenomenon per se.  They existed even when I was a kid( I was born around mid 80s so you can get an idea of the time I am talking about). But that time as far as I can remember mostly kids who were interested in a particular hobby were sent to respective camps. For rest of us, summer camp meant visiting nani, cousins and playing in the building. Nowadays I see every other kid going to summer camps in vacations and tuitions during school times. Lot of preschools and daycares have this summer camp things.Half the day in summer camps , rest  half of the day put kids to sleep, caregiving is easy and simple. If the kids are put in a creche, it does not have a fun quotient. Plus it becomes evident that nobody wants to look at home.As Manu Joseph puts it "Also that everything the child does has to be laced with the sugar of entertainment. As a result, children are constantly entertained, with only the degree changing, and they have come to expect life to be ceaselessly entertaining"

This is not to say that summer camps are bad. For some they might be a necessity.  To each his own. But to constantly justify them and create a feeling of FOMO to those who don't is basically not right.

I know so many parents who justify putting their kids to tuitions and discuss this with others how they are losing out by not sending their kids there. When mostly the reason is in that time all they want to do is watch TV and have a kid free time. My cousins who are teachers have told me such examples to the extent that some parents even pick up their kids late from tuitions so that they have more peace at home.

Thankfully my daughter is too small for a this. But when I look around and see all these things , I can't but help writing about them.
Check out Manu Joseph's awesome  article on the same here - https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/YCBTfOQKrQsUMVWJMTbH4H/Schools-out-what-should-our-children-do.html

- Dhanashree
Https://dsaidso.blogspot.com

On Rain..

Matching Matching

S -- Look what I am wearing, Mumma .. See my top is pink and pant is pink, matching matching. Why do you wear black pants all the time?

Me -- ( with the look of - ok, I know that I mostly wear black trousers these days but why do u remind me of same :P ) Because black goes with everything, I wear black pants. Wouldn't you do the same ? If you wanted to wear more tops wouldn't you have more black pants?

S -- No , with blank pants I will wear only black top or navy blue top, matching matching

Me -- ( facepalm)

- Dhanashree

P.S. S is Swara my 3 year old daughter