The Little Meanings

The little bluebells, that live a few days,
endeared more than sunflower's searching rays,
 
Those little rivers, with meandering paths,
sound subtly soother than the tireless falls.
                            
Inceptive little drops of monsoon rain,
are ever more comforting than the hurricanes,
 
And the little smiles that honestly rejoice,
remain fonder than laughter, that will others choice.
 
 
 
Although life's strands of facts and prophecies, 
lay without a cohesive summary.
 
But, little conception's in us queer beings, 
whilst striving for new ventures and beginnings,
  
Add the little memoirs into our strides,

assembling as beads to the strings of time.
                           
With these little meanings, we create our verse,
adding to the proses of the Universe.

Subharthi Guha , 17 April 2024

Under the Colourful Umbrella : Marine Drive, Mumbai

Public Promenade, Marine Drive, Mumbai

Under the colouful Umbrella, 

Queens Necklace, Marine Drive

She sat serene under the colourful umbrella that brightens up a gloomy day at the Queen’s Necklace. Perhaps as a precaution against sudden heavy showers or to shut out the background noise of the developments and the innumerable people of Mumbai behind her. I sat next to her along the edge, listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the foot of the promenade with other strangers nearby – lovers, tourists, families, policemen, the haves and the have nots. There's a sense of calm that surrounds each of us on Marine Drive. Even now, 15 years after I last strolled here, it still remains the city’s best public space.

The sound of the ocean relieves you of the city’s chaos, the disparity and poverty. People living under the poverty line were recognised in many proposals, with efforts to reorganise and improve the lives of hawkers and slum dwellers. Those have been thrown over the bridge, replaced by signs shouting ‘Don’t Encourage Hawkers!’ These minor changes give a glimpse of how the city’s powerful see the have-nots, even as plot after plot of land is giving way to yet another unimaginative, high-rise, square-foot package. However, there’s still some goodness left in all this. It is there in the city’s constant effort to keep this promenade neat and tidy with well-proportioned tree lines for everyone to enjoy. 

It feels Sacred.

The natural and the Un-Natural, Mumbai

From the ocean’s perspective, it doesn't matter if few new towers emerge. These boxes add little or no iconic value to one of the busiest metropolises on earth. The successful long-lasting legacy of this necklace promenade was conceived back in 1915, a brainchild of Sir Phiroze Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, who was no urban planner or politician, but a businessman. I wonder how he managed to get it done. There is a fundamental need for public spaces such as this and less of vertically-stacked square footage. But the poor and homeless probably hope for the opposite – roof over their heads, a place to sleep at night.

Within five minutes after an abrupt shower – so typical of Mumbai – the granite edge is dry again and people immediately gather back here. With slick drain details and questionable construction tidiness of its curved edges which have been upgraded many times. The ample land and sea breeze provides much-needed fresh air to drive away the stench of fish cultivation in the city’s rear harbour. This smell is more overpowering now than I remember. One can never forget the 5 am trucks arriving to clean up the Fort area. They had the power to wake me up gasping for fresh air.

 
                    Gateway for India (left), Mutton Chap Masala, Olympyia(right)

However, the very same harbour is home to joints such as Mahesh Lunch Home, Bade Miya and Olympia, offering delightful local delicacies. These look exactly the same – run with the typical half-polite-but-professional ‘Mumbaikar’ attitude. Should these have changed to become more corporate? Why should they? They are set apart from the luxurious five-star Taj Palace just around the corner and have survived the shooting in 2008. Could they have spruced up the place with new set of seats and tables? Perhaps, yes. Should they have changed the menu? Absolutely not! Serving and welcoming all levels of society, they hold on to their invention without giving themselves away as corporate franchise. They bring to us the true essence of Mumbai, working tirelessly day and night, to serve its people with unmatched quality and most importantly, at reasonable prices.

Mumbai beats …. with a different pulse. After all these years, the waves of technology haven’t stolen the charm of its people. The city refuses to change, perhaps for its own good. People come here from far-off villages with the hope of achieving their dreams, to find success. There are many urban legends of people moving into this city without a home and going on to become great stars in its thriving film, financial and other industries. 

Under this Colourful Umbrella of Hope, they soon realise that this path to success in contemporary society involves professional hustling, cutthroat competition and ruthless efficiency – moving them further away from calm and humanity. So, they come to the Marine drive to look far into the ocean in contemplation and hope, perhaps of another land, where quintessential needs are met more easily and where they can find time to love and be loved as humans again….

                                                    Lovers at Bay, Marine Drive

Subharthi Guha

27 Aug 2023

All pictures are copyright of conceptSG Ltd. Please request for permission

From Here On

 

As I go on…. 

I realise, days aren’t overlong

For often I've wondered astray,

At times from dusk to dawn.

As I look on…

I know, innocent loves long gone,

Perhaps a few we’d done wrong,

But that pain isn’t as strong.

As I move on…. 

I notice, only seconds hand on the clock’s long

whilst most reasons have had forgone.

And not all memories, haunt.

As I trot along…

I learn, to indulge in things 've longed,

Juggling memoirs are better than one held firm,

And in good company and will, life’s prolonged.

And as I hop back…

Cuz the ride is still on!

Fleetly joys to redeem,

This moment, and from here on…

- Subharthi Guha 20th April 2023

Forever Wonder

 

Ever wonder about the star,

That which twinkles from afar,

Sparkling diamonds in your eyes,

Ignites your heart and dreams Alike.

If you wished to touch the star,

'Cuz it shines bright as the tsar.

The closer you get, the hotter it'll set,

Through your bones, the skin,

And the soul Akin!

But if you wished to be that star,

Learn to combust and raise the bar.

Seize your duties, glow with infinite rays,

Inspire minds and light their ways.

For those travellers in rugged paths,

Who are often caught in desert storms,

Raise their heads for hope above,

To ponder if in each of us,

There's strength to find ingenious paths,

And discover the mysteries of the Universe.

And to those who don't seize to risk it all,

Nor push themselves beyond the radar,

Will Forever Wonder from lightyears afar,

For what it is, but just a Star.....

                              - Subharthi Guha 18th Aug 2022

A Touch of Human

So gentle a thing as water
Can cut through flesh when ice
The pleasingly rain in drought
Can anger n' wipe city’s throughout.

So pleasant the taste of honey
a risky sting disables you for day’s,
And the inspired merging of loved souls
Can leave heartache for decades.

So attained with reasons the intellect,
yet scant doubts impair friendships forever.
And young heartening ambitions,
those stern will, with time may fade.

So abundant are the earths resources
Yet hunger persists in every region,
And then beautiful life in itself,
often crumble to prosaic habits.

So in that very moment of discontent,
let your wisdom shine through,
And resist that eccentric revenge within, 
to add a touch of human in you.

- Subharthi Guha 30th April 2020

In times like corona

In times like corona,

worlds still from it’s routine.

We look both ways through windows gazing,

into empty roads, that we were once brazing,

But perhaps more into a search within,

for citation of anew beginning.

As age crosses us one more time,

all meticulous plans are put on arrest.

We bow our heads down to drawing board,

searching the pleasures of childhood known.

The treasures I find, lives in innovative work

of surgeons, thinkers, architects - the lot

And in this isolation of time, 

may one find the rejoice

Under the shelter of an inquisitive mind.

Subharthi Guha 

29 March 2020

If only

If only,

lies were all a mystery,

and truth was always history.

Wars were sold as fiction,

and compassion the daily news diction.

If only,

there was a currency of knowledge,

and an equation for peace.

Hunted treasures were lost souls,

and forgotten acts of kindnesses retold.

If only,

we fed on the power of sadness,

and dodged the dice of flattery.

We could imprison dogma,

and seize custody of dreams.

Perhaps, only then

we could register the wonders,

of this radiant earth so gleam.

                                                                                 Subharthi Guha, 15th Sept 2017