Paani Paani re !

Two of my FB friends posted photos of monkeys drinking water. Sharvari Paranjape posted a photograph of a vanar monkey drinking water with his hands, while Indrani Ghose posted a picture of a monkey imbibing from a glass.

Once upon a time,
rivers flowed
without human interference
and belonged to all,
and
you partook
and quenched your thirst
in nature's glass,
at leisure..

Now with
dirty water coming
in pipes,
at a great cost
in money,plastics
and environment,
and always in short supply, you must grab what you get
and gulp it down,
even
it is in
a half empty glass.

As one simian said to another,
"These bipeds
say they have evolved ?"

Someone's labour, someone else's fruit.....

My Blog  and FB friend Bhavesh Chhatbar potsed some amazing pictures of the monkeys of Jaipur.  With an intriguing title "Monkeys of Jaipur - Funny Terror"....

He also  describes in great detail how they run wild across houses, walls and fences, marauding food at will, and troubling people. So much so, that people are very wary and always keep their doors and windows tightly shut (monkeys can open windows), when there is a monkey gang in the vicinity.

Just remembered some others who actually do the same, but sadly, ordinary law abiding folks have no way to protect themselves there.   And then it also came to mind, that so many young folks , look up to, and follow the elders. 

Just saying. ....

(all photographs by Bhavesh Chhatbar)

 

Looking on
intrigued
at the different
modus operandi
for different folks,
the little one wonders
if
he is cut out for it.

False Bravado
Cunning,
Polite threats
Lies masquerading as truths,
Showing muscle,
and grabbing the goodies.

He scratches,
contemplating an internship.
A rustle of leaves
and fur,
and the leader arrives,
on the stage
beside him,
craving hot action,
and stretches,
mobilizing muscles and thoughts.

Watch me , young fellow,
and learn,
how to be an intimidating leader,
grabbing at will
what isn't his,
marauding dwellings
and people,
striding with a fake sense of
importance,
and when
the investigators come,
stand watching from a distance
with a look of concern....

No education, no degrees,
no appraisals, no retirements,
just enjoying the fruits
of the labour

It's just that
it is someone else's labour.

Nishkaam karma ...
I work
without expectation
of the fruit of my labour....

What to do ?
It simply falls into my hands.

Monkeying with Education

Another  amazing capture by Prasad Ganesh Paranjape  from a trip to the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve near Nagpur in central India.  He has a series of photographs of the langurs/monkeys , in what look like very human traumatic life situations.

Have a look at his photos here.

She clutched her mother
desperately
around the waist,
deaf to their entreaties.

"I don't want
to go to school
in the new woods....

There are these
strange cousins
with 2 legs missing
and they come there
in contraptions
that spew gas
and throw things around.

The only lake in the new woods
is getting silted up
and there isn't much water to drink.

I see buildings
in the distance
and hear shots sometimes.

And then
there is just too many of us,
with not enough trees..."

And the father,
patting
the angry little one
said,
"Kya karein,
Only the Tigers and Lions
have reservations,
get benefits,
radio tags,
and really count.

As for us
forget Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan***,
its not even Sarva Vruksha***** Abhiyan yet....."


*** Education for all (national project)
*****Vruksha : trees

Royal leaps....

A very versatile lady, , trained scientist,  urban rail transport commentator, advertising professional in a very comprehensive way, blogger friend Anuradha Khanna Pentapalli,  blogs across a wide variety of subjects, including  a blog dedicated to , hold your breath, the Mumbai "local trains ",  photography , vegetarian recipes , movie madness,  shopping  etc.

This is from  her  recent photo blogpost.

She has an eye for small  things, like little monkeys enjoying themselves , foraging amidst the stately memorials, and palaces in Rajasthan, which  she just visited. 

(photograph by Anuradha Khanna Pentapalli)

Build me
no memorials,
Construct
no Chhatris for me,
as I
wander in wonder
through houses
and places of worship in
red sandstone,
cool marble,
under a sharp midday Sun.

I've lived here
before them,
and seen it all;
the wars,
the intrigues,
the celebrations,
the prayers,
and heavy lidded glances
by delicate folks
through intricate jharokas
gracing the mahals.

As for me,
although
the trees are my palace,
and
the leaves my jharokas,
sometimes,
just sometimes,
I love practicing jumps
in royal surroundings.