ONE POLICY - NO ONENESS

ONE NATION 

ONE CONSTITUTION 

ONE LANGUAGE

ONE RELIGION

ONE EDUCATION 

ONE PARTY 

ONE GENERAL

ONE CARD, 

ONE WAGE, 

ONE RATION CARD,

ONE DIGITAL PLATFORM

ONE POLL

But ONENESS ????

காலைக் கானங்கள்

  

சேவலின் கூவல் 

விழித்திட அழைக்கும் கானம்.

சிட்டுக் குருவியின் கீச்சொலி

சுறு சுறுப்பினை  கூட்டும் கானம்.

காகத்தின் கரைதல்

ஒற்றுமையை ஒலிக்கும் கானம்.

மயிலின் அகவுதல்

மனதை நெகிழ்விக்கும் கானம்.

குயிலின் கூவுதல்

செவிக்கினிய இசையுட்டும் கானம்.

பச்சைக் கிளியின் கொஞ்சும் மொழி

மழலையரை மகிழ்விக்கும் கானம்.

                பால்ராஜ் சாமுவேல் 

Listening Walk

Out in the green pastures, 

Set in for a listening walk 

Not of humans, machines 

But of nature's pep talks. 

 Soft rustling of the leaves, 

Whistles,chimes of winds, 

Hummings of busy bees, 

Tweets, Chirpings of birds.

'Squeak' of little squirrels, 

'Squawk' of pretty parrots, 

'Maa' of cows, 'Baa' of goats,

 'Caw' of crows, 'Coo' of pigeons.

Choir of nature chilled my ears,

Cheered my mind, heart and soul

Fuelled with sound energy 

Walked back to the machine life. 

 Paulraj Samuel

Nature

Love Nature

Yummy Palm Fruit

Roasting the Palm fruits at my friend Vasan Isaac's Estate at East Tambaram.  

The fragrant smell took me back to 50 years when we use to roast/boil palm fruits at our home. 

There is no word to describe the taste of this fruit - yummy and delicious. If you have not tasted this nature's gift, this is the season you can get one. 

My Travelogue -1 A nightmarish experience of my first Suburban Train travel in Chennai

Just after my graduation, I visited Chennai for the first time in the year 1977 to appear for the Income Tax Inspectors (UPSC) written Test at MCC School, Chetpet.

I reached a day before and stayed with my classmate, who was doing M. Com. at Loyola College.    With a great expectation to become an Income Tax Inspector, I had little time to enjoy the new environment and beauty of the Loyola College campus.

Next day morning, I stepped into the Nungambakkam Railway Station to take the suburban train to Chetpet.  I was a little bit nervous as the station was very crowded.   The electric train zoomed into the platform and all the passengers rushed to get into the jam-packed compartments. But I happily got into a compartment which was not so crowded. I felt I was so smart and lucky to get a seat. 

When the train reached the Chetpet station, I got down from the train and was wondering which side I need to proceed. Suddenly, one man put his hand on my shoulder; I thought God had sent an angel to guide me to the right direction. I innocently looked at him and asked him which side I should proceed to MCC School.  

Instead of guiding me, he asked me to show my train ticket, only then I realized that he was a Ticket Collector.  I showed my train ticket innocently.  He took me to the Station Master and asked me to pay a hefty fine for travelling in a First Class Compartment. My entire body started trembling and with tears pleaded my ignorance and allow  me to attend the UPSC Exam. I never knew about the First Class compartment as it was my first travel in a suburban electric train.

My tears did not reach his ears and my cry did not touch his heart.  He started behaving rudely and checked my pockets and could not find the penalty amount . He took hold of my Hall ticket and asked me to go to my friend and bring the balance cash.  With a confused state of mind, I rushed to Loyola College and  my friend came with me to the Station and paid the penalty.  My friend comforted me and came up to my Examination Hall and left.  What a true friend I had – unfortunately he is no more now.

My mind didn’t work and I could not attempt to write the exam, after an hour I gave back the answer sheet to the invigilator. My expectation of becoming IT Inspector faded away.

Though I was at fault, I felt the concerned authorities should have had the mind to differentiate between the innocent/ignorant and wilful defaulters before passing penalties. 

                                                              Paulraj Samuel