Safe on the train without a mishap,

London, the bombs, a fainting memory

Wars and restless times

Paris burning, Moroccans singing

the Marseilliese For Visas

To write –

Write What?

Pune: a mandatory stop

few mandatory hours

visit another friend

of a friend and to hand over a gift and

have tea with the Gandhis lurking by

Aga Khan's Palace

The Man: reading a Thesaurus practicing

English with his arm and his golden Rolex

in my face.

He tossed his paper cup of coffee

on the floor

– a dexterous flick

– the liquid is too dry

Perhaps I should be

Writing about the

History of Stains

How they congeal

Coagulate, mix with others

forming enticing landscapes

Do I have to be concerned?

Whether there was any heart left

Whether this chore was adequate

Whether there was time to sense this

overwhelming tryst

And making it just in time to write about a shrinking world?

I don't see the Essence

I just observe the residues

Summits “crowned with verdant forests”

Crowds, bustle and streets

Passepartout: although I am

concerned,

should I perchance sir, ever be

Bothered?

I see her restlessness

Can't see her reveries

“I have feelings you know

What is the point of this if you cannot

touch – you just go and look at Pune

Be careful, don't reach or touch

Anyone, Anything.

I’ll stay at the station and read.”

– Come on, do me a favour

Go to Osholand!

Meditate, get tickled

Drink

Karma Cola.

Had tea, delightful company

Saw the residues of Gandhi

– spotted him pruning roses

in the gardens

He kept talking to me all

The way back:

“We see the residues

Because we

Strive for the Essence

which does not exist.

Because it is infinitely unreadable

We see its residues

Its Cycles

So we attune…to that”

One Great Darned Pujastan

Passepartout was one great darned giggle –

Osho was one Zorba the Hind!

– So did you centre your inner being and innard properly?

– Had some body work done

and meditation: 550 rupees

But 1 450 rupees for entrance sticker, photo and HIV/AIDS test?

– Why HIV/Test?