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Ex- Senior corporate- writer, author and social activist currently working for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases.

Poem: The World within Books … by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Poem: The World within Books

Kamlesh Tripathi

*

Between heaven and humankind,
There stands a quiet respite,
The boundless world of books,
Where dreams get aligned.

*

A place of fascinating legends,
Of stories yet untold,
Where ink turns into magic,
And pages to gold.

*

Between God and mankind,

There exists the world of books,

A world of fairy tales,

That takes you to the realm of space.

*

Books whisper stories,

Books narrate episodes,

A treasure trove is hidden,

Between those tacit pages.

*

They speak in silent voices,
Yet thunder upon your soul,
They carry hidden treasures,
That brightens the life’s goal.

*

Within their illustrious pages,
Lie secrets of the past,
The present finds its meaning,
And the future is foretold.

*

The one who reads awakens,
To live a thousand lives,
Through grief and joy and wonder,
The searching spirit thrives.

*

But one who shuns their wisdom,
And let their pages sleep,

May wander through existence,
In slumber dark and deep.

*

Just as, once in Arden’s forest,

In … As You Like It,
Lover Orlando carved his plea,

Where trees became his books,

And their bark his thoughts to feel.

*

Words blooming on the branches,
Of longing’s living tree.

So too we write our journeys,
In the margins of the mind.

*

Books are living forests,
Where truth and beauty unite.

It’s like the old man sensing in the sea,

The dawn beyond the night.

*
A reader feels the morning,
Before the birth of light.

The world of quiet pages,
A sanctuary so bright.
Between the dust of earth and stars,
Books are our lamp of light.

**

Books are your best friends that live with you all your life.

***

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet & Columnist

*

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

***

SHIVA’S RATRI … MAHASHIVRATRI … by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Shiva’s Ratri … MahaShivratri

Kamlesh Tripathi

    Maha Shivratri means The Towering Night of Shiva. It is one of the most sacred festivals in the Hindu tradition. It is dedicated to Lord God Shiva, the Supreme Soul, and is celebrated annually on the 14th day of the waning moon in the month of Phalguna (February–March). The festival symbolises the triumph of light over darkness, wisdom over ignorance, and spiritual awakening over worldly illusion.

    One of the most popular legends associated with Maha Shivratri is the burning of Kamadeva, the god of desire, to ashes. When Kamadeva attempted to disturb Shiva, while he was in meditation with his arrows of attraction, Shiva opened his third eye and reduced him to ashes. This act doesn’t symbolise the rejection of love, but the abstinence from worldly craving. Shiva’s third eye represents spiritual insight. It is the awakening of inner vision that burns away ignorance. Maha Shivratri, therefore, becomes an archetypal night of self-purification and awakening.

    Maha Shivratri commemorates the divine wedding of Lord Shiva with Parvati. It symbolises the union of masculine and feminine energies, which maintains the balance of the universe. Additionally, it highlights Shiva’s cosmic dance, the Tandava, representing the eternal cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction. The dance also signifies the natural rhythm of the universe and reminds devotees of the importance of aligning with the flow of life. Shiva’s Trishul (Trident) represents several trinities such as: creation, preservation, and destruction; past, present, and future; body, mind and the atman.

    On this day, devotees engage in spiritual practices such as fasting, chanting of mantras, and staying awake through the night. These rituals help individuals transcend material distractions and focus on the divine. These devotional activities symbolise vigilance and spiritual discipline. They include chanting “Om Namah Shivaya” and reciting hymns like the Shiva Chalisa to purify the mind and body. These practices are meant to deepen the connection with Lord Shiva and guide devotees towards spiritual enlightenment.    

    At the centre of Maha Shivratri’s celebration is the aradhana of Lord Shiva. In Hinduism, ignorance (avidya) is considered the root cause of suffering. Suffering commences when individuals get attached to unwanted worldly desires. Shiva, the great yogi seated in deep meditation, represents mastery over these impulses. His stillness and detachment reflect the ideal of self-control and higher awareness.

               The festival also emphasises the renewal of righteousness. According to the Bhagavad Gita, when righteousness declines, the Supreme Being manifests to restore balance. Lord Shiva’s role as the destroyer of evil and protector of the righteous is central to this. Maha Shivratri encourages individuals to purify themselves, embrace virtues like honesty, charity, and forgiveness, and reaffirm their commitment to righteousness.

    The worship of Lord Shiva is often performed through the Shiva Lingam, a representation of Shiva’s formless nature. Temples such as Somnath, Kashi-Vishwanath, Mahakaleshwar, and Rameshwar are important pilgrimage sites, attracting millions of devotees. Maha Shivratri is celebrated in various forms across India and the world.

    It is a night of inner transformation. By fasting, devotion, and meditation, devotees purify their minds, bodies, and souls, creating space for the divine light. This sacred night serves as an annual reminder that Lord Shiva’s wisdom illuminates the path to spiritual awakening, guiding individuals from ignorance to divine knowledge.

    Shiva is known by a thousand names, which reflect his multifaceted roles as creator, destroyer, and a supreme yogi. His key names are Mahadev (The Great God), Shankara (Benefactor), Rudra (The Roarer), and Bholenath (Kind-hearted). Other prominent names are Mahesh, Shambhu, Neelakanta (Blue-throated), and Nataraja (The King of Dance), highlighting his various attributes and cosmic roles.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet & Columnist

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

*

Like it and Share it

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

***

Reader’s Rewind: I dreamt of Utopia … by Kamlesh Tripathi

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READER’S REWIND: I DREAMT OF UTOPIA

    The world has become colourful. But the ‘Happy Prince’ is no longer alive to see it. So is the swallow, who carried out his last orders, but died in the frost, at his feet, before he could escape to Egypt. The lead metal statue of the ‘Happy Prince’ cracks in agony, but his leaden heart still beats for his kingdom and his subjects. But are there any such rulers left, anymore? Well, they are practically extinct or very rare. Perhaps you might remember the name of the author who wrote the story ‘The Happy Prince.’ I’m forgetting his name. Oh! I remember now. It was Oscar Wilde. But “What’s in a name? Wrote Shakespeare. “That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.” Maybe Oscar Wilde would like to rewrite the story ‘Happy Prince’ in the context of the present day while residing in heaven. But does a happy man without a shirt exist anymore, as told in the Italian tale ‘The Happy Man’s Shirt’? A quintessential example in recent times was India’s Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, whose simple attire—a loincloth and shawl (without shirt) during the 1930s, particularly around the 1931 Round Table Conference- was given the abrasive title of ‘half-naked fakir’ by the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, to mock him. I’m more than sure there isn’t a happy man without a shirt anymore because the man now wears not only shirts but also colourful shirts, yet he remains unhappy.

    Utopia is now seized of polarising colours, such as red, blue, green and saffron, and certain adamant tenets and philosophies that rule the roost, along with the so-called isms, the right wing and the left wing, in the central pillar of democracy. Have we gone back in time? Are we proving the Greek epic poem Hesiod’s Theogony correct, which propagated the initial theory that dense darkness covered everything until the earth was born out of chaos? With Earth came the mountains, the sea, the sky and Uranus. Uranus and Earth came together and gave birth to the Titans. Later, the Titans and Gods, both from the same lineage and class, fought for supremacy, in which the Greek God Zeus won, just like Lord Krishna.

    But halt there. Take time off to think because the world leaders of today suffer from the same fear as Uranus, Cronus or the Kansa Mama of Mathura, who killed their would-be adversaries. Even Nigas tried to swallow Lord Vishnu in a television series, but that was in a different context. Ajatashatru killed his father Bimbisara to ascend the throne of the Magadha Empire, and in return, his son too killed him for the same throne. The Robinhoods are extinct now. The two biggest democracies are always in the news, but at times for the wrong reasons. The world is full of Brutus in present times, which may put the original Brutus to shame and the Bard into a wonder, ‘to be or not to be’.

    One can say goodness has eclipsed and is rarely seen and experienced. Much has evolved, but more is yet to come. So wait and watch. Be on the lookout for that happy man without a shirt, and the happy prince, with a lead heart that beats for the public even now. Fortunately, I dreamt, Utopia shall remain Utopia and not become a Dystopia.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

*

Like it and Share it

*

Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

***

READER’S REWIND: I DREAMT OF UTOPIA

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READER’S REWIND: I DREAMT OF UTOPIA

Kamlesh Tripathi

    The world has become colourful. But the ‘Happy Prince’ is no longer alive to see it. So is the swallow, who carried out his last orders, but died in the frost, at his feet, before he could escape to Egypt. The lead metal statue of the ‘Happy Prince’ cracks in agony, but his leaden heart still beats for his kingdom and his subjects. But are there any such rulers left, anymore? Well, they are practically extinct or very rare. Perhaps you might remember the name of the author who wrote the story ‘The Happy Prince.’ I’m forgetting his name. Oh! I remember now. It was Oscar Wilde. But “What’s in a name? Wrote Shakespeare. “That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.” Maybe Oscar Wilde would like to rewrite the story ‘Happy Prince’ in the context of the present day while residing in heaven. But does a happy man without a shirt exist anymore, as told in the Italian tale ‘The Happy Man’s Shirt’? A quintessential example in recent times was India’s Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, whose simple attire—a loincloth and shawl (without shirt) during the 1930s, particularly around the 1931 Round Table Conference- was given the abrasive title of ‘half-naked fakir’ by the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, to mock him. I’m more than sure there isn’t a happy man without a shirt anymore because the man now wears not only shirts but also colourful shirts, yet he remains unhappy.

    Utopia is now seized of polarising colours, such as red, blue, green and saffron, and certain adamant tenets and philosophies that rule the roost, along with the so-called isms, the right wing and the left wing, in the central pillar of democracy. Have we gone back in time? Are we proving the Greek epic poem Hesiod’s Theogony correct, which propagated the initial theory that dense darkness covered everything until the earth was born out of chaos? With Earth came the mountains, the sea, the sky and Uranus. Uranus and Earth came together and gave birth to the Titans. Later, the Titans and Gods, both from the same lineage and class, fought for supremacy, in which the Greek God Zeus won, just like Lord Krishna.

    But halt there. Take time off to think because the world leaders of today suffer from the same fear as Uranus, Cronus or the Kansa Mama of Mathura, who killed their would-be adversaries. Even Nigas tried to swallow Lord Vishnu in a television series, but that was in a different context. Ajatashatru killed his father Bimbisara to ascend the throne of the Magadha Empire, and in return, his son too killed him for the same throne. The Robinhoods are extinct now. The two biggest democracies are always in the news, but at times for the wrong reasons. The world is full of Brutus in present times, which may put the original Brutus to shame and the Bard into a wonder, ‘to be or not to be’.

    One can say goodness has eclipsed and is rarely seen and experienced. Much has evolved, but more is yet to come. So wait and watch. Be on the lookout for that happy man without a shirt, and the happy prince, with a lead heart that beats for the public even now. Fortunately, I dreamt, Utopia shall remain Utopia and not become a Dystopia.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

*

Like it and Share it

*

Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

***

Poem: A Happy Republic Day 2026 to Indians

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A Happy Republic Day to Indians

*

Kamlesh Tripathi

**
The twenty-sixth of January dawns
a morning stitched with memory and resolve,
When time salutes the nation,
That chose law over power,
And conscience over crown.

*

In nineteen fifty,
The ink became destiny.
The Constitution awoke,

As a commemoration of independence,
With pages breathing justice, liberty,
equality and fraternity.

*
And India rose… not merely free,
But self-governing,
From Kashmir to Kanyakumari,

From Arunachal to Kutch.

A republic by her own word.

*

The long shadow of the Raj fell away,
Chains melted into clauses,
Subjects transformed into citizens,
Power flowed downward.

*
Into the hands of many,
Where ballots replaced commands,
And democracy learned to speak,
In a hundred tongues.

*

The Republic Day reminds you of more,
The cry of Purna-Swaraj in nineteen thirty,
When freedom was first declared in spirit,
Long before it arrived, in fact.

Hope marched ahead of history,
and history followed to cement the victory.

*

Along Kartavya Path—earlier Raj Path,
Boots strike the earth in measured pride,

The mighty Indian Army and para-forces march in style,

With tanks and guns galore,

The mighty Air Force’s flypast on the fore,
Where tableaux bloom with colour and culture,

The bands play melodious tunes,
And folk songs dance beside steel resolve.

*
The Tricolour rises,
The President salutes,
Where sacrifice is honoured,
In silence louder than drums.

*

Across the land,
Homes pause, hearts reflect.
A nation remembers its duties
as much as its rights.

*

The final notes of Beating Retreat,
Fade into the night,
Leaving behind a promise renewed,

That India is on the move.

*

Republic Day is not just a day or a date,
It is a vow repeated every year:
To guard the Constitution,
To deepen democracy,
And to keep India, always,
A Republic of the people.

Jai Hind.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

*

Like it and Share it

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

***

THE FAMOUS FIVE … FIVE ON FINNISTON FARM by Enid Blyton

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    The Famous Five spend their summer holidays at Finniston Farm as paying guests. On arrival, they are greeted by the pleasant Mrs Philpot and her identical twins, Henry and Harriet. The twins seem to take an instant dislike to the Five, who also meet two fellow paying guests: an American, Mr Henning and his son, Junior. Mr Henning plans to buy antique pieces from the farm and sell them in America. Mr and Mrs Philpot agree to sell their farm treasures as they need the money. However, the family’s hot-tempered Great Granddad feels the antiques should remain in England.

    Mr Henning and his son Junior prove themselves a nuisance to the household by rudely ordering Mrs Philpot around. Sympathetic to her, the Five offer to help with farm chores. When Junior demands breakfast in bed, George teaches him a lesson, making him agree to be more pleasant. This wins the hearts of the twins, and they make friends with the Five.

    Anne and George visit a nearby antique shop, owned by a Mr Finniston, who tells them about a secret passage from Finniston Castle to an old chapel and cellars where royal treasure might be hidden. The girls excitedly reveal the news to the boys and the twins. Together, they plan to hunt for the cellars on the farm. They come across the castle’s kitchen midden and realise they are close to finding the treasure.

    Junior spies on them and goes to break the news to his father and his father’s friend, Mr Durleston, who decide to excavate the castle site, find the fortune and sell the antique treasure in America. Mr and Mrs Philpot consent to the excavation, much to the dismay of the children. The children dig around the site, hoping to beat the men in finding the treasure. Initially, they are unsuccessful, but the twins’ dog, Snippet and their jacksaw, Nosey, lead them to a burrow, beneath which the secret passage stretches out.

    The children discover the cellars and the treasure, including old daggers, sword and gold, which are worth a fortune; only to become trapped inside the tunnel when the entrance caves in. They take another way and reach a trapdoor under the old chapel, which is now used as a storehouse. The farmhands, Bill and Jamie, hear their shouts and let them out. The children get back to the farm and tell their exciting story to the astonished adults. The next day, Mr Henning and Mr Durleston try to trick the Philpots into believing the site has no treasure and offer them a meagre amount. However, Mr Philpot, backed up by his granddad and Mr (William) Finniston, declines the offer, making it clear they will excavate the site themselves and no longer want the Americans to stay. The adventure ends with Julian, Dick, Anne and George, along with Timmy, planning to stay at the farm to observe the excavation of the treasure.

It is an interesting read, and I would give it eight out of ten.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

*

Like it and Share it

*

Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

***

Why Basant Panchami Still Matters

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Why Basant Panchami Still Matters

Kamlesh Tripathi

    Observed on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magha, usually in late January or early February, Basant Panchami anticipates spring nearly forty days before its official arrival. Traditional belief holds that seasons do not change overnight; rather, they unfold gradually. The festival, therefore, acts as a harbinger to spring, often called the ‘King of Seasons,’ symbolising hope, vitality, and regeneration after winter’s inertia.

    In an age dominated by speed and spectacle, the festival of Basant Panchami arrives discreetly, with lasting effects. It is also celebrated as Saraswati Puja. It serves as a benchmark for values that remain essential, for learning and creativity. Celebrated across the length and breadth of India, the festival announces the advent of spring while venerating Goddess Saraswati, the embodiment of knowledge, wisdom, music, and arts.

    Basant Panchami marks the turning point of the season. In northern India, the winter still lingers on, while central and western regions begin to experience a softer, spring-like weather. The festival captures this vivid moment of transition. This is when nature moves from dormancy toward growth, mirroring the human journey from inertia to wilful action.

    The prominence of yellow during Basant Panchami is deeply symbolic. Associated with Goddess Saraswati, the colour represents knowledge, clarity, and creativity. It also reflects the mustard fields that bloom across much of northern and central India during this time. The custom of wearing yellow and preparing yellow-coloured food expresses collective optimism and intellectual resumption.

    Education lies at the heart of Basant Panchami. Families traditionally encourage children to write their first letters on this day, marking the beginning of their learning. Music, learning, and artistic pursuits are considered auspicious during the festival. It reaffirms Goddess Saraswati’s central position in cultural consciousness, underscoring the belief that knowledge is both sacred and transformational.

    The fever of kite flying, especially popular in the north and west of India, adds to the festive celebrations of the day. Skies filled with colourful kites speak of the collective joy and shared celebration. It reminds communities of the simple pleasures that accompany the change of season.

    Mythology lends further fillip to the occasion. In several traditions, Basant Panchami is associated with Kamadeva, the god of love, and his consort Rati. The well-known episode of Kamadeva awakening Lord Shiva from deep meditation highlights the central philosophical theme, the tug-of-war between desire and discipline. Once, when Shiva’s third eye reduced Kamadeva to ashes at Umananda Islet in the River Brahmaputra at Guwahati, it highlighted the destructive potential of unchecked desire. Kamadeva’s revival later, following Shiva’s marriage to Parvati, represents the restoration of balance between worldly engagement and spiritual life-lessons. The lesson remains strikingly relevant in contemporary life.

    The festival is not only celebrated in the sub-continent of India but also in Nepal, Bali, Indonesia, and other continents of the world with a Hindu diaspora, thus transcending geography and religious boundaries. At its core, the festival reminds us that the renewal of seasons, ideas, and values requires patience, balance, and reverence for knowledge. In a rapidly changing world, this message remains as vital as ever.

    Basant Panchami also carries a historical significance beyond Hindu traditions, as Maharaja Ranjit Singh encouraged its observance as a day of social gathering within Sikh communities, particularly in gurdwaras. The day additionally commemorates the martyrdom of Haqiqat Rai, who was executed in 1741 for refusing religious conversion. His remembrance adds a solemn note to the festival.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

*

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

*

Like it and Share it

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Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life-threatening diseases, especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers, including children and adults, and have a huge variety of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate to the cause of cancer? The bank details are given below:

NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION

Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)

IFSC code: BKID0006805

***