Chanchal Sarin: Poetry (Life, Cognition and Creativity)

Chanchal Sarin
ONE WITH NATURE

Standing on the seashore I realise
The sea has no boundaries
It supports the unlimited flora and fauna
The grass around is in bounty
For the sheep grazing endlessly

Guarding the sea are countless trees that bind the soil together
Their branches entangled with neighbouring trees
Weave a carpet with fine gather
That holds the rain drops
For the birds to soak in warm weather
The wind blowing, a cool breeze
that shakes the whole canvass crease
swinging all together
The nature is vast and full
In perfect harmony, all joyful
Heaven and earth merging together

I feel like a bamboo
Hollow inside
My lips tight
The tongue dry
No voice coming
But I hear my own voice
The voice of my soul, rejoice
I feel abundance around me
Limitless potentialities
Infinite choices

The hollowness of my body
Gets filled with divine energy
The hollowness disappears
The bamboo becomes a flute
Resonates a serene music
A meditative state

I am desireless now
I am liberated now
I have shed the layers of ego
The entangled soul is free
Detached from all false shadow

The mind washed and pure
By tranquil vibes
Like the dusted sea shells
Washed by last night’s
Waves of high tides
The true moments of happiness
That no earthy possessions provide

It is a moonlit night
I leisurely sprawl in its cool shine
My soul engrossed in nature’s glory
I am part of this whole story
It is a festival.
***


DONA PAULA BEACH, GOA

The harsh water hitting the rocks
Like an artist shaping the sculpture tops
I can imagine different shapes
Of Gods and Goddesses originating from the sea
as the wave stops
High waves come
The shapes disappear
Sea is calm, the shapes reappear
The cycle goes on

Countless times have passed
There was water everywhere
Then the earth made its appearance
A chance interaction of gases in the air
The sun energy, the fire
Easing the process to clear
And the first living cell in water did appear

Living cell multiplied
Many cells produced
As the environment slowly changed
Some cells got evolved
Adjusting to the new conditions that prevailed
More forms of life took shape
Some shifted to the earth’s face

The earth and sea, happy together
The perfect abode of all living forms that gathered
All living together
Water quenching their thirst
Mother Earth happily providing its girth
To all plants and animals living in water and on earth

The process of evolution continued
The evolution of environment too took place
And the man appeared on the earth with grace

Years passed by
All happily living together
Then the man became greedy
Exploited the existing conditions speedy

The water got angry
Buried the earth with floods and Tsunami
The sky too turned black
Angry , shouted with a loud thunder attack
The rains as uncontrolled drops
That filled the sea to top
Then the fire appeared
Dried the water to lessen its cover
The wind helped the fire in its endeavour

One day, the water may engulf all life
Or the death of living may take place
Because of scarcity of water
Or the wrath of fire
The fierce winds
And the Mother Earth overloaded, parched
Shakes with earthquake
The sky weeps, a thunder is produced
As the balance of all five elements is disturbed 
By human intervention and too much of take
By all creatures of all forms and shape

Another element
The one with all elegance
The soul, that gives the righteous direction
Will keep all the elements in control and action.
***


A HIGHWAY OF JOY

Hills on the sides
Of a narrow lane
Many twists and turns
And I took the wrong turn

Windows of the mind
Opened with a thunder
The fresh breeze entered
The past flew away

The mind now raw and vacant
Fully awakened
The fires of hell
The chains of betrayal
I have crossed all

Recreated
Recharged
Invincible
A new version of myself
Not a toy of others’ shelf
I am free now

Walking alone
No one ahead
No one behind
On the moist earth
I leave my footprints behind
Walking along the path I preferred

My mind a strainer
Picks up only the joyous memories of the past
With a glitter in my eyes
I leave the crooked road behind
I walk on path of my choice

No more opinions of others
No more judgments
Right or wrong
Between the sheets of green grass
No turns, no hurdles
I have discovered my path
On which I walk

The moon round and calm
In the sky vast
My mind too is calm
With inner deep thoughts
I have discovered my path

Glad I took the wrong turn
On the narrow lane
Entered the wider road
Found a fountain of joy
A paradise full of love
I discovered my soul.
***


THE TIDES OF LIFE

A corner of the Arabian Sea
Calm prevails
I walk
Along the tree trails
Drowned in thoughts

The whales swimming
The eels, with slender bodies
Hungry, engrossed in food hunting
Dolphins, the smiling crazy mammals
Dancing around
Up and down
Sea horses, the sea turtles
Jellyfishes and the corals
Reefs and the kelps
Algae and the phytoplankton
A canvas of innumerable lives
Harmoniously living in the sea inside
My mind too harbours a sea of emotions
Deep as the Arabian ocean

The night falls
Clouds scatter
Stars shine
Moon rises
The whole constellation is alive

Moon in love with the sea
Sends attraction force
With the energy of the horse
Pulls the water
The harsh tides hit the shores
The turbulent sea not in control

In my turbulent mind
The hidden emotions
Rise at the surface
Like the violent storm
I drift away
Along the tides of life
Shore seems not in sight

The moon departs
The stars vanish
The day breaks
Waves recede
Take away the filth
The shores are swept clean

Hope arrives
The tides of despair in my mind
Recede
Life not just a span of time
But with heart and mind
Fires of desires
Snakes of attachments
A constant flow of emotions
Drifting in and out
Like the high and low tide
Rise and fall
Fall and rise
Fall with grace
Rise after fall is the way
Take things in stride
Or be tossed into the tide
Choice is mine I thought

Flow of sea water
From the tearful eyes
Washes the bleeding heart
Moments of joy in my thoughts
Sweet memories of the past
I weave new stories
The evolution inside
To rekindle myself
I arrive at the shore.
***


TREES, THE SPIRITUAL GIANTS

Buried deep into the earth
Longing for light
Warmth and love from sun’s rays
Moisture from falling rains
Food from the mud
Through my root veins
With the Gardner’s grace 
I sprout, because I am a seed
My DNA instructs me to lead

I grow into a tree
Facing the weather’s wrath
The extremes of cold and snow
The hot and humid days
I tolerate and grow

My roots penetrate deep into the earth’s chest
Suck minerals from it when she is at rest
My branches spread out like arms
Praying for God’s alms
I wear the attire of leaves green
A colour of peace, a perfect sheen
I bear flowers and fruits, to continue my race supreme

Food through leaves, stems and roots
All kinds of fruits
A place of shelter and rest to the wanderer
When his energies fail in harsh weathers
Eating my plums and fruits
When the hunger shoots
The birds live in nests

On top or on my branches 
According to their crests
An abode of hummingbirds
Crows and nightingales
Kangaroo, Orangutan, tree frogs and Chameleon
All love to cling to my chest

Medicines for the sick
Flowers for the Lord
All these the gifts from almighty
To the whole humanity

I am the soil binder
The soil stabiliser
Restricting erosion of the soil
Evaporation of moisture from my leaves 
Cools the climate
I filter the dust and foul gases 
To give life to all soul mates

Energy from the sun
Moisture from the soil
Animals’ exhaled foul air
Altogether, my green pigment
Makes food for one and all
In the process, I exhale oxygen
That gives life to all, small and tall

We, the greens are the producers
For all the creatures
Your every breath starts with me
I am your life’s bread and breath
I am not a mere tree
I am a whole story.
***

Bio: Dr Chanchal Sarin worked for her Ph.D. (Genetics) under the world-renowned Geneticist, the father of green revolution in India Prof. M. S. Swaminathan. She retired as Associate Professor from University of Delhi, India. She also worked at All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi during her sabbatical in 1984-86. Dr. Sarin had authored seven books on Genetics and Biology as well as several articles on research as well as popular science. She is the co-author of Anthology of poems “In All the Spaces: Diverse voices in Global Women’s Poetry” published in 2020.

Chanchal had been actively involved in various scientific and welfare organisations for promoting welfare of women and children. She was the Convenor of the Women and Science cell of Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA). During her teaching career she has always endeavoured to create interest among students and young generations to serve the community with the aim to eliminate ignorance and increase scientific temperament. Dr Sarin is settled with her husband in Gurgaon, near New Delhi. Her two children, a daughter and a son, are both medical doctors settled in U.K.

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