I emerge like a tree from a dirty seed;

Joy She steps out of the restaurant loo to find her Sunglasses missing And with it, those pretty paper towels carefully tucked under too Her eyes sweep the room once And, then she breaks into a smile. Losing can be liberating One less junk to care for One less residue of her vanity One less space in her memory She had packed two for the trip Those glasses from a 'buy 1 get 1 free' deal Blue, the color of the sky And, brown, the color of the earth She felt like the sky that day But the brown, beautiful earth beckons still -Sajithra

There is joy in giving The warmth you send from the fire of your heart The smiles you get to chisel And, the frowns that you erase There is also pain The kind that is concealed in a room with no key Givers are invisible Givers are taken for granted Givers don't get thank you notes Their hugs go unreturned So, the Universe hugs them under its wings Everyday, the sun sends down love with its rays Scattered into tiny bits for them to find They find that in a stranger's kindness A child's innocence A beautiful feather the wind brings in Some days, it's the question 'Have you eaten' Or the store clerk offering to carry your bag The role might not change That's okay Their cisterns are filled again -Sajithra

There is an invisible spark in every crowd Powerful enough to create a new life It takes the shape of an animal And, it keeps the mortals caged inside Sometimes, it is a Lion The generous spirit that respects even its kill enough to carefully cover the leftovers with twigs An offering, a gift, left behind for the hungry beasts Sometimes, it is a sheep They bleat about the generous master And, his gift - new shearing scissors Sometimes, it is a squirrel Well, all it does is squirreling No one knows what they want And, they don't care to find out where they want to go Sometimes it can be a hyena And, everyone becomes no one No one lynched him No one raped the girl No one bullied him to suicide Let's teach our children The secret of the crowd That will help them to live without masks Masters of their fate and slaves to none Children, if you are in a crowd Be the ones who add more light Speak out even when it seems to matter little Stand up and ra...

Grief I choose to be your friend, for it is in the deepest of grief that you find the secret of joy. I choose to make you my muse, for a memory of you is all it takes to touch God. I choose to hold your hands, for there is no difference between the most intense pain and pleasure. The weightessness bubbling at the edge of both. I choose you as my teacher, for it is destruction that makes things anew. Grief and I, We are old friends And, we always meet with our companion Joy. This Trinity is yours too But only if you learn to choose. -Sajithra

Lois Sofia, a 28 year old student was arrested and sent to jail because she shouted #fascistbjpdowndown onboard a flight in the presence of TN BJP Chief Tamilisai. Tamilisai, how do you expect her to react after your government gunned down people from her neighborhood when they peacefully protested against a company that consistantly flouted environmental laws. The BJP government used disproportionate force when ordinary people took to the streets protest against Sterlite. They had acted like a bunch of friendly campus security force during the Ram Rahim fiasco. When Ram Rahim was arrested on rape charges, his supporters went on a rampage. Public properties were damaged. Lives lost. And, yet Police limited their 'force' to lathi charge and fired bullets in the air. Tuticorin protests were against a company that had a bio leak in the past and is infamous for its disregard for pollution laws. Protesters were fighting for their right to live. Police killed 13 people wi...

I drink from this cup of pain Because someone has to I bear my Cross Because someone has to I fold my rags in a mahogany wardrobe Right next to my garb of splendor I pour the bitter myrrh in my finest Crystal And, I will say cheers to you when you drink your Cognac Surrender to accept what doesn't change Surrender to take away its power to break you Surrender to remember who you are Surrender, because you will rise from the ashes -Sajithra

Traditionally, the path of enlightenment and remaining in a state of bliss is associated with hibernation or leaving the material world far behind. It is possible to get to that stage without leaving anything behind. Jesus called it 'being in the world but not of the world' When you decide to give your focus on people, you are completely present. Then, you are not. Your emotions are directed to causes because people look too fragile. There is absolutely nothing to prove or clarify. You can easily find rules to exercise anger because it's important to keep the emotional intelligence intact. Your intuition is on over drive. Effectively, you are the architect of your matrix. You see the world as an illusion and you have found a way to rig it. There is no guilt. You enjoy the trappings of life but can also do without it. You make meaningful relationships but when they walk out, you say goodbye with a smile. And, then you shut the door. There comes a time when you feel co...

Major media houses except NDTV chose not to report on Arundhati Roy's press conference. I still cannot find the transcript for this. I loved how she opened with the Police's statement on the 5 (writers/lawyers/professors) arrested over a fudged letter. 'They are part of the anti-fascist front to overthrow the government'. Is that supposed to be a bad thing? Is the government owning the monicker 'fascist' regime with pride. Expect more arrests till the elections. Apparently, all it takes is 'finding' a letter that contains details about a maoist plot, peppered with names. Anyone who talks for the disenfranchised/Dalits/minorities and takes a stand against the government has a new name - 'Urban Naxal' How quiant.

There is compassion in destruction The flyaway ashes reveal an ancient fire The mirror that shows my ugly parts Becomes my guardian angel. Not long ago, staying high on bliss was home I found darkness a trace of sunlight, just painted black Now, crystalized scales fall off my eyes I wake up and panic in the abyss Should the choices remain the same? Well, what's your poison?, the voice asks A pleasing lie Or an ugly truth I ask for neither The truth was always there And, the lie was my set of blinkers Break those horse tacks But give me a new set of eyes I could go back to sleep Color nightmares into my personal rainbow. Make demons my dream-catchers And, when a skeleton lurks in the darkness Shout in jest 'Happy Halloween to you'. I could remain wide awake Burn hot in the embers of truth Hedge my bets Sharpen the spears Wage my battles from an unstable, bleeding, dark crevice. Or I could watch the battle but know it's futile Forgive myse...

Aug'17- 2 Muslim men lynched for transporting cattle   24 Muslims lynched, 124 attacked In Hindutva we trust, proclaim their tweets Protesters murdered, Farmers shot Just another hill of discarded meat Media is dead Bought or bled They gouged their eyes out but gave them a new mouth Slipped on with no teeth and they all look the same Reasons aplenty when the weak leads Roars are pitch-corrected to friendly bleats 500 people died in flood, we cry The sin against the Cow, they say Rupee at an all time low They laugh Congress in 1947 caused the fall We close our windows Keep blood out the doors It stinks still The flies buzz around They walk with sickles in hand Pied Pipers lay claim to our land Become a zombie or pretend to be one Don't talk, don't see, don't feel And, yet Heroes rise To pay the price With Love With Life They fall with a smile They are crushed into divine light We feel We see Crimson clouds everywhere! It ...

The internet is replete with a number of self-help gurus. Most have a predictable template that cults typically follow for mind-control, albeit with varying degrees. I am super cautious of people I listen to because the most dangerous factor that distracts us from following our path is bias. Bias primes us and can impact our decision making process and actions in every possible way. It's impossible to be free of bias but we can always try to limit its hold on us. 1) What is the 'hook'? What made you notice them? Marketers trade emotions. The easiest way to get someone's attention is working with their fear and guilt. If a self-help guru starts with your fear and build that to evoke guilt for doing something, run fast! Away, NOT towards them!! 2) How much freedom do you have? If they have figured out the finer details of how to live your life, their intention is to control you. Good teachers would only offer broad guidelines that can be broken down to granular ...

The violent counter part of this poem is  here The Sufi's notion of Love is seeing God as the beloved. More often than not, God is the lover in Rumi's poems. The earth kissed her feet Warm, Tender, Soft She slipped Slid into the belly of a wet, paddy field Its scent on her back Coarse sand on her neck She took a breath Hu! The sun touched her brows Draping its rays as a veil It dripped down Like a runnel of desire A thousand caresses Sieving through her breasts Her tummy squeezed out a breath Hu! She stretched out her hands Her fingers found the palm of wind It tip toed around her body And touched her tongue Slowly at first and then like a storm A blaze of sweet trickle pressed her mouth Her throat felt a ball of fire That stretched her body out Like a bow A breath sneaked in Hu! She saw the stars She saw Time The Universe She saw Love itself A song without words And, it covered her With a glimpse of an ancient memory She...

Life Soaked in fire slides into calm waters It sizzles Ripples out And, fills the void with a thick, grey fog Fire and Water Laughter and Tears Yin and Yang Light and Darkness Life Caught between both Singed and ravaged I ts heart thrashed open And, then built back again Never to yield to flames Not there to quench its thirst Life Keep flowing Keep pacing Keep learning Keep destroying When the Fire flows quiet And the Water becomes Fire You will know You will be home -Sajithra

Kumar, a bright software engineer is at the center of a crisis facing the startup company that he works for. Their product is unable to sustain customers’ interest beyond initial trial. Their investors are threatening to pull the plug. Amidst all this, Kumar is facing a turmoil of his own. For the first time, he feels ill-equipped for the challenge facing him. His manager has asked him to step up and think innovatively. Nothing in his engineering training has showed him how to innovate. A chance meeting with a veteran mentor, Judith helps him turn things around. She guides him through a journey of innovation that could potentially save his company. The Innovation Imperative, a book on innovation, is written in the form of a Business fable with the four disciplines of innovation tailored into its storyline. The information age is rapidly morphing into the innovation age. Businesses that do not develop a culture of innovation will get disrupted. Professionals thus are increasingly b...

Nets  aimed  at  shooting  stars, Heart  lusting  its  glitter  and  spark, Naive  for  Greatness,  Glory,  and  Fame, Minions  march  to  make  a  name; Barbaric  hunters  with  a  pile  of  skulls, Artists  flaunting  mastered  skills, Emperors,  Cardinals  from  different  times Modern  entrepreneurs  hoarding  gains; The  world  looks  up  in  need  of  a  purpose, Craving  a  promise  of  dreams  in  surplus; Like  the  moon  drunk  on  the  light it  borrows, Aspires  to  be  the  sun  every  night  and  morrows; The  play  of  chance,  the  hand  of  times Distract  our  eyes  from...

There are conflicting theories. That only proves that there is no conclusive answer to this. Individuals respond differently to circumstances and their choices ultimately make them who they are. There is no formula in life that can tell us how exactly things would go down, tying cause and effect. That's the gift or challenge of human life, however we see it. An only child doesn't need to compete at home. This can go either way. The child could get extremely competitive outside to hoard attention to match the attention at home or be content and laid back because there is no need to overcompensate. A child with siblings could learn to fight at home or share and that again depends on the individual in question. There is no way to predetermine behaviors.  An only child could use the same opportunity outside home and appreciate friendships and co-operation more. I am an only child. I never missed siblings while growing up. But I do remember that my friendships were intense.  ...

Hope   It’s crazy how much I believe that everything happens for my own good. I see a silver lining in the direst of circumstances. I have been close to death and actually felt a surge of peace, accepting that death could prevail and that would be alright too.   I have never had a nightmare that ended badly.  Night terrors end with the ‘dream me’ praying and divine help lifting me from whatever that was.    //What do you like the most about yourself and why? What would happen to you if that particular attribute was taken away? // I wouldn’t recognize me if hope is taken away from me. I wouldn't have made the same choices that got me where I am.

The stork paid a visit with its twin on June 16th 2015. The babies share their birthday with the day of Magna Carta and this does open a new chapter in our lives.  They shall be called Castiel San-Saj (Cass) and Seraphim San - Saj(Raph). Castiel means Shield of God or God is my cover. It's been a while since I wanted to give a child this name.  Seraphims are angels that are closest to the throne of God. (Isaiah 6) Sanju chose this name.  Incidentally, Isaiah 6 was the Bible reading in all CSI churches in the Diocese the weekend they were born. Isaiah 6 is the only chapter in the Bible with a reference to Seraphims. What a cool coincidence! When we saw the babies for the first time, we instantly knew what to call them. Seraphim cannot lay still unless he is swaddled. Well, not even then - He turns  a complete circle like an arm on an imaginary clock. Castiel is grounded and has very few complaints in life.  This is Castiel ...

Most of us have heard of the Monkey, Banana, and Water spray experiment. Is there a chance of a better ending? How can companies transform employee behavior when caught in this vicious cycle? 1) Change the standards A major lesson from history is that no heroes are responsible for their success. Not entirely. The factor that governs what it means to be successful is the prevailing standards. The culture just follows suit. I wrote this poem a few months back. The play of chance, the hand of times Distracts our eyes from what it hides Hunter in an Industrial Age Writer facing the Dinosaur's rage Flip the centuries, the Heroes fall Yet the world is snared by illusion's trawl All we know is the scale of standards Pity what’s different, judge what threatens Fear the outlaws or discredit with slanders Worship the Heroes, scorn the strays And continue till time tilts the scales The crux is, the company is still in charge of introducing the variables into the exper...