Yeh hai Mumbai Meri Jaan…

Was drenched in a wave of nostalgia, as I visited Mumbai last week after 16 long years….a city where I spent a good part of my growing up years! Nothing much had changed….only more people, more vehicles, more buildings…..but yet there is something magical about this city!

Weary feet tread along,

the wheels always on the move

carry the burdened shoulders, without a smirk

waves crash against the shore, with a sense of urgency

time and tide wait for none here.

 

Aspiring dreams find wings to soar

the glitz and glamour bedazzle the naked eye

there is a seamless amalgam of food, religion and people

the grandeur of festive celebrations is unparalleled.

 

Mafia and the underbelly, a dark reality

fragmented destinies lie scattered

rains and resilience flow together

sweaty brows overpower the fragrant scents

silhouettes stand tall against the swarm of slums.

 

A city that never sleeps

is defined by extreme contrasts

yet, boasts of a magnanimous character

as it embraces all into its fold!

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Mayhem!

Pillars, concrete, skyscrapers,

greens gobbled up by the greys

the natural rocky terrain

bulldozed recklessly,

fly overs crisscrossing

a congested mayhem prevails.

 

Erratic weather, hotter summers

whimsical moods of the rains

winters gone into hibernation,

the starry night sky enshrouded

under a perpetual veil of smog.

 

Commuters braving the

serpentine traffic lines

inching ahead at snails pace

blatant disregard to rules

patience a waning virtue

burdened by stress and chaos.

 

Calm and relaxed lifestyle

seems to be a dream of yore.

Where is my city heading to,

in the name of progress,

Can’t it see the deadly noose

waiting to choke it to death?

 

 

Please pardon my rant…..the result of getting stuck in a traffic jam for over 2 hours!

Beauty amidst chaos!

Sharing some pictures which define beauty amidst the concrete jungle of the urban landscape.

Summer Heat!

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In response to Secretkeeper’s writing challenge # 142,  to use the 5 prompt words below in a poem or fiction.

PLAY|CITY|RANT|GRASS|WATER

 

In the canvas of a molten mirror

the livid sun blazes like an inferno

reflecting on the city, with its intense ire

the green grass and blue water, all dry

under its harsh umbrage.

 

The mute trees stand still

thirsty birds circle under its canopy

the cicada’s rant echoes, as the mercury soars

sweaty humid brows drip into a rill

children indulge in indolent play indoors.

 

Scorched souls with sunburned faces

wait for the summer to wane

their imploring eyes fervently look up

for some wisps of grey clouds

to shower some pearly white gems!

Alphabet L – Lost!

A to Z Challenge

Day 14 – ** Theme : Kaleidoscope of thoughts**

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Bustling streets, screeching tyres,

blaring sirens, blinking lights,

blowing horns, choking voices,

smoky air, buildings galore

depleting trees, warmer days,

hooting trains, traffic snarls,

Lost in the chaotic city!

                ******

Malicious minds, venomous tongues

shattering dreams,  scattered feelings

illusionary happiness, tired souls,

heated infernos, eroding values

disconnected families, strained relationships,

Lost in the waves of emotional behaviour!

                ********

Mired in the mayhem of

turbulent perceptions,

in the mundane and humdrum,

in the anarchic lifestyle

the mind and  the soul

wander in search to emerge

out of the crooked maze

rambling like nomads,

Totally lost!

 

Weekly Photo Challenge – Wish

Amidst the tall silhouettes

the traffic and the noise,

a part and parcel

of everyday city life

I wish we pause for sometime

to soak in the nature’s beauty

a welcome sight

soothing the tired soul.

there are plenty amid the chaos

open your eyes and heart

to see and feel them!

IBMC #2- Freeze a Foto Challenge

For more on the challenge click here.

For the second challenge, you will pick up a photograph and describe the memories associated with it. You are welcome to do it on any kind of photograph. It could also be your thoughts on any random photograph. Your post will contain a photograph and a description to it. Add appropriate references if necessary. The length of the description can be wisely decided.

This is my submission for the challenge 🙂

The Burj Khalifa, in Dubai is the world’s tallest building. Towering, gleaming and majestic it appears eager to kiss the sky. On our Dubai holiday, the visit to this skyscraper was definitely on the list. So excited I was stepping into the elevator, that I could literally hear my own heartbeat. Words fail to describe the dazzling view from the top. The city landscape appeared to have been studded with a glittering array of sparkling gems and stones against the night sky. The bright lights of the vehicles zipping past, looked as if the twinkling stars descended on earth. The breath-taking view from atop this human marvel, is etched in memory till date. Truly on top of the world feeling 🙂