Cooking Fish by Uma Gowrishankar (ONE GOOD MEMORY Series)

Cooking Fish
by Uma Gowrishankar

The scales of the fish
stick to my hands like silver coins

Feet pulled
                       up
my grandmother sits on a chair rolling prayer beads

Like scaleless fish soft flesh
of her inner thighs
                  quivers

The walls smeared with camphor
tempers the smell of fish
curry cooked in a mud pot

The doorway is rubbed vermilion:
the red mother wears on her forehead the red
of chilies from Hyderabad
she grinds for the gravy

IMAGE: Abstract fish scales by Vlad Vitek.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Memories bear a presence that bestows them a timeless quality.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Uma Gowrishankar is a writer and artist from Chennai, South India. Her poems have appeared in online and print journals, including Yearbook of Indian Poetry in English 2020-21, Poetry at Sangam, City: A Journal Of South Asian Literature, Well-Earned Poems, Qarrtsiluni, Vayavya, Hibiscus: Poems that Heal and Empower, Shimmer Spring, Buddhist Poetry Review, Silver Birch Press, Entropy, Feral: A Journal of Poetry and Art, Curio Poetry. Her full-length collection of poetry, Birthing History, was published by Leaky Boot Press.

The Pickle Factory by Pragya Bajpai (ONE GOOD MEMORY Series)

The Pickle Factory
by Pragya Bajpai

My grandfather owned a pickle factory
During my vacation, he took me along
That was his way of explaining the tough world

When I was six, he drove me through a trail of orchards
on the first morning of that winter to a village known for
great mango farming not far from the city
I played there by the riverside with the farmer aunty
She gifted me a pair of earrings and a bag of mangoes for my siblings
In the meantime, my grandfather made a deal
after an hour-long negotiation
then the truck was loaded with caution

He took me around the factory
Where the hall was full of huge oil drums lined up neatly
The spices were properly stacked in shelves
where the village men and women
were intently chopping raw mangoes for pickle
with the handmade iron cutter with wooden base
It wasn’t easy but he made me cut the smallest one carefully
to feel the labour involved in it
I was tired but my thrill remained intact
It was more exciting than going back
to doing mathematical calculations

PAINTING: Mango (watercolor) by Yevhen Verlen.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: My grandfather, an Ayurvedic expert, established a pickle factory sometime during 1970s. The factory was located in the outskirts of the city around sprawling agricultural land. My grandfather’s pickle recipe was a revolution in taste. Mango pickle is an important condiment in Indian cuisine with plenty of health benefits, and my grandfather’s product became popular and in high demand. Produced with a high level of hygiene, the product earned government certification. Pickles were made with mustard oil and spices before they were put aside for fermentation. The pickling involved various steps in the production process that required huge manpower; but, as the company progressed, high technology machines were procured to speed production. The aroma of raw mangoes and spices filled the factory so much that one could detect it from a distance. Visiting a factory, knowing the process, and understanding the whole business from the grassroots level have been a great learning experience since childhood, the memory of which keeps me grounded.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pragya Bajpai, Ph.D., is a mother and a Central Government Officer serving on the faculty of English at the National Defence Academy. She is a post graduate from Lucknow University and holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from Banaras Hindu University, India. Pragya published her debut book in 2021 titled A Potpourri of Proverbs, poems based on 51 English proverbs. She has co-edited four anthologies celebrating the armed forces. Her poetry has appeared in many anthologies and magazines.

Bombay Fish Market by Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca (ONE GOOD MEMORY Series)

Bombay Fish Market
by Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca

Here the entire sea
Comes in with the fish
Wet, Wet, Wet,
Everything is wet
The stench, indescribable!
Bell-bottoms and flip-flops
Not appropriate apparel
In a Bombay fish market.
Mother scolds me for making
Poor dress choices.

The fisherwomen loaded with gold ornaments
Jasmine flowers in their hair
Call out in raucous voices,
The fish wear sad expressions
Lying on stone slabs
In salt sea-water.

Mother bargains with her usual style
The fisherwoman says
“I’ll sell you the fish cheap
if you give your daughter’s hand in marriage to my son.’’
That was the last time
I went to the fish market with mother.
Fish curry at home erases
The fish market experience.
Still the enjoyment of the curry
Comes tinged with a bit of guilt
Sadness for the fish
On the stone slabs, their eyes follow me.

Father takes me to the Aquarium
A once-in-a-while treat.
A better place to admire fish.

Still my preference is to go down to the sea with him
Where I dream of writing a poem
like John Masefield’s Sea Fever.

The fish are at home in the ocean
That travels the shores of my city.
I wish for everything Masefield desires
Unlike him, I am afraid of the sea.

First published in Verse-Virtual, August 2021.

IMAGE: Fish fairytale by CDD20.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This poem is based on my memory of going to a fish market in Bombay with my mother, as a young girl. It was interesting and unnerving experience at the same time, especially in the company of my mother. The poem also refers to the memorable experience of going to the Bombay Aquarium with my poet father, and for walks to the seashore with him, both of which were always fun and enjoyable. John Masefield’s poem “Sea Fever,” has remained one of my favorite poems to this day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca has been a teacher of English, French, and Spanish for over four decades in colleges in India and private schools overseas. She is a widely published poet, with poems featured in various journals and anthologies, including the Yearbook of Indian Poetry in English, the Journal of Indian Poetry in English by Sahitya Akademi, SETU magazine, Harbinger Asylum, and Verse-Virtual. Her debut collection Family Sunday and other Poems was published in 1989. Her chapbook Light of the Sabbath was published in September 2021. Kavita is the daughter of the late poet Nissim Ezekiel. Visit her on her author site and on Facebook.

Mother Ganga by Feroza Jussawalla (HOW TO HEAL THE EARTH Series)

Mother Ganga
by Feroza Jussawalla

If only we could—
             treat you as the goddess
we say you are.

I sprinkle Ganges water on myself
to purify myself, every morning,
when I suspect an evil eye
has been cast.

I do not ask, if—
The water is pure, clean, bacteria-free.
I take the word of the seers that
Mother Ganga purifies herself
mysteriously—

But I cannot help wonder,
as I see images of the Covid dead
floating, fully clothed, abandoned—
not even cremated.
How do we love thee,
let me count the ways,
in the number of bodies abandoned
in your bosom, to do as you may have done,
for aeons?—But at least then,
they were ashes, not clothed in plastic
body bags.

How can we save thee—Ganga, Jamuna?
Let us start: by using the ghats,
by cleaning the burning pyres
that burn the heart of Mother Earth,
but most of all, just by respecting thee,
O ancient rocks and rivers, the sacred Himalayas,
by really seeing the sacred holy ones, reincarnated,
from Kashi to Comorin, resplendent in the flowers,
our Mother, Gaia, grows out of them, and not,
the ones we cast adrift in waters turning to sludge.

Let the goddesses dwell in pristine waters
clean snow-clad mountains,
not in our castaways, offered as holy offerings.

Let us worship the goddesses
as they would want,
in their own clean abodes.

PHOTO: A new day on the River Ganga (Ganges River) by ImHR111 (2021).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Feroza Jussawalla is Emerita Professor of English at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Originally from India, she is the author and or editor, and co-editor of several scholarly works, in postcolonial literature. Her collection of poetry, Chiffon Saris, was published by Toronto South Asian Review Press and The Writer’s Workshop, Kolkotta (2002).

My Grande Dame by Ranjith Sivaraman (HOW TO HEAL THE EARTH Series)

My Grande Dame
by Ranjith Sivaraman

I never felt my legs since six,
And ever loved my lake since then
My boat was my cradle
And my lake was my Grande Dame.

I remember those greener days,
When my lake was pure
And my oar was free
from the floating bottles.

I never felt my legs since six
And ever loved my lake since then.
My boat became my last hope
And bottles became my close friends.

I saved them from my lake
And rowed them to shore
And they told me their story,
Poor fellows were born to be abandoned.

PHOTO: Vembanad Lake by Simianwolverine (2013).

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This poem is dedicated to a poor old man, paralyzed below his knees, who collects plastic waste from the Vembanad Lake and other streams of Kumarakom, in Kerala, India. Every day, early in the morning, he hires a small country boat and ventures out to collect plastic, maneuvering using a stick or his oar. He mainly collects plastic bottles that were dumped in the waters. Read about him here.

PHOTO: NS Rajappan, who cleans Vembanad Lake each day to make a living and save the environment. Photo by Nandu KS.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ranjith Sivaraman is an upcoming poet from Kerala, a beautiful state in India. His poems merge nature imagery, human emotions, and human psychology. Sivaraman’s poems in English have been published in international literature magazines and journals from various locations, including Alberta, Budapest, Essex, London, New York, Indiana, Lisbon, Colorado, California, New Jersey, Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc, Kerala, Texas, Chennai, and Toronto. He was a finalist in the The Voice of Peace anthology competition 2021, organized by the League of Poets. Visit him at ranjithsivaraman.com.

The Bubble Gum Effect by Vandita Dharni (PRIME MOVERS Series)

The Bubble Gum Effect
by Vandita Dharni

Relentless efforts of the caregiver have spawned atoms of resilience and kept dad sprightly and positive despite battling with the immobilizing Parkinson’s disease. This short-statured, unassuming lad regales his patient by administering tidal waves of laughter to combat the avalanches of depression that would have otherwise surfaced.

Raj can heave up a patient almost five inches taller than him like a professional WWF wrestler. He is a true companion, taking dad for regular walks within the periphery of our home and keeping him well-groomed with a meticulous sense of hygiene. He keeps a track of his doctor’s appointments, medication schedules, and physiotherapy despite Dad’s restricted movement due to his age, the Parkinson’s disease, and now the fear of contracting the ghost virus that stalks us.

Since the onslaught of Covid-19 in April, Raj has voluntarily taken up lodgings at our home as commuting everyday would put the family at risk, especially our 80-year-old dad who has low immunity and a B-12 deficiency, the result of his strict vegetarianism. Our Man Friday ensures that the diet contains adequate nutrients to prevent osteoporosis and further complications. Fruits, salads, and cheese have fostered Dad’s immunity and kept the doctor away and depression at bay so far. Raj’s comforting presence soothes Dad’s irritability that often stems from dementia and childish stubbornness, particularly his insistence on wanting to venture out despite the hazards of the deadly virus.

I often find them laughing at ludicrous jokes on the phone or when our handy man is tickling a funny bone that erupts in guffaws. Seeing Dad happy, evokes a sense of relief that in these challenging times, we still have love and laughter sticking to us like bubble gum.

PHOTO: Selfie snapped by Raj.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Covid-19 has crippled the lifestyle of people across the globe, including the city of Chandigarh, India. However, we are blessed to have a wonderful and compassionate caregiver for our dad. Our dad is an 80-year-old army veteran grappling with Parkinson’s disease. Raj has been a constant companion who keeps motivating dad to be positive, and so far we have been able to ward off the threat of the virus. Raj has worked as a Patient Care Assistant at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), a medical and research institution in Chandigarh, a leading tertiary care hospital of the region that caters to patients from all over Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Vandita Dharni is an acclaimed poet, scholar and, a gold medalist from the University of Allahabad, India. She has a Ph.D.  degree in American Literature from the same university. Her articles, poems, and stories have been published in many journals, including Criterion, Ruminations, GNOSIS, HellBound Publishing House, as well as International magazines such as Immagine, Poessia, Synchronised Chaos, Poleart Albani, Sipay, Fasihi, Guido Gozzano. Her books include The Oyster of Love,  Rippling Overtures, and Quintessential Outpourings, and she is the proud recipient of the Poetic Galaxy Award 2018, the World Poetic Star Award 2019, and the Rabindranath Tagore Award 2020. Her work recently appeared in Our Poetry Archive.

Crossing the Rubicon by Vandita Dharni (PRIME MOVERS Series)

Crossing the Rubicon
by Vandita Dharni

The lockdown happened quite unexpectedly
however, it has impacted our lives
making us rethink and restructure our lifestyle
so that we can perceive the intricacies of life and people
around us that make a difference.
There have also emerged
philanthropists fortuitously who strive
to create a positive atmosphere,
to serve and serve wholeheartedly
and render help and emotional support to families
sans jobs, sans homes and sans health services.

Pascal, a dear colleague of mine has brought relief to hundreds,
He is undeterred by the green, orange and red areas
that cause a clear divide—
between certainties and uncertainties
between faith and doubt
and between indifference and compassion.

Igniting hope amidst adversity,
he serves tirelessly in the farrago of
rehabilitating the less fortunate,
replacing grief with cheery smiles
and all this is done in his inimitable style.

Every conceivable area in Mohali is mapped
for mass distribution of food, medicine and masks,
jobs are procured for those with
no means of sustenance let alone safety gear.

Finally, there’s hope and a reason to smile
albeit Covid-19 that is still rampant
and it is heartwarming to know that
life will go on with a bang and not a whimper
as the tireless Samaritan crosses the rubicon
only a few would attempt

AUTHOR’S PHOTO CAPTION: Pascal Daniel’s photograph was clicked outside Phase 7 Mohali by a co-worker and is used by permission. 

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Pascal Daniel is a colleague and works as an educator at St. Stephen’s School in Chandigarh (India). His relentless effort at rehabilitating people during these perilous times has been remarkable and praiseworthy. He along with the “Mohali Helpers,” a voluntary organization focused and engaged in rehabilitation of the downtrodden, started their mission on March 21, 2020. They were instrumental in each day distributing 500 packs of cooked meals and 200 packs of rations. They covered areas like Jagatpura, Burali, and Kambali villages and Phases 1, 5, and 7 in Mohali. They also delivered medicine to people with health issues who contacted them, as they were afraid to venture out of their homes for fear that they might contract the virus. AT the Mohali Railway Station, they  distributed more than 1000 packages of food to laborers boarding trains to return to their villages. These laborers were bereft of livelihood, as they had been retrenched by their employers who could not offer remuneration due to lack of funds.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Vandita Dharni is an acclaimed poet, scholar and, a gold medalist from the University of Allahabad, India. She has a Ph.D.  degree in American Literature from the same university. Her articles, poems, and stories have been published in many journals, including Criterion, Ruminations, GNOSIS, HellBound Publishing House, as well as International magazines such as Immagine, Poessia, Synchronised Chaos, Poleart Albani, Sipay, Fasihi, and Guido Gozzano. Her books include The Oyster of Love,  Rippling Overtures, and Quintessential Outpourings, and she is the proud recipient of the Poetic Galaxy Award 2018, the World Poetic Star Award 2019, and the Rabindranath Tagore Award 2020. Her work recently appeared in Our Poetry Archive.

Behind the Iron Bars by Vandita Dharni (PRIME MOVERS Series)

Behind the Iron Bars
by Vandita Dharni

Every morning I wake up to a familiar clattering sound. It’s the sanitation worker with the black mask. I wince—he always arrives a tad early to collect the garbage.

I flinch at the iron bars that distance me from the macrocosm as I watch him, and yet I don’t, vanishing into its folds. Then in a fleeting second, he reappears, offering biscuits to a black stray dog that eyes them hungrily—well, so do the ravens that perch on a tree above him every day. I know why he does this, for black is always lucky. The garbage van trundles towards the B-2 block where the road forks near the containment zone of our sector. The containment and non-containment zones are distinguished by yellow and black bags used for waste disposal, later transported to a compost yard in Sector 38. Pending electricity bills and crumpled clothes peer at me while I pour a cup of black coffee that has been brewing with my musings.

I often peer into the black bag he carries from a neighbour’s yard each day—the same vegetable peels, crunched paper balls, and household trash. I hear him instructing co-workers about safety guidelines and black bags that must be handpicked from collection bins and yellow bags which contain biomedical waste that needs to be segregated.

Our area has now reported twenty positive cases. The fences frown with boards restricting entry. He also collects trash from these locations. A week later, I notice him coughing incessantly. The iron bars of my heart bleed into ink that reads: “Two sanitation workers in the yellow bag area have tested positive.” My black coffee brews with thoughts whether black is still lucky or not.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: There has been an escalation of Covid-19 cases in the city of Chandigarh, with the toll rising to 1092 active cases, according to today’s statistics. Twenty-two cases in my sector have been reported so far, and no fresh cases have been detected for a few days. We adhere to the norms of social distancing and venture out only if it’s really necessary. During these challenging times, I have been confined to my home most of the time and do my work online. A lot of people who provide us with essential services have impacted me, and one such worker is Charanjeet. ¶ This particular sanitation worker has always been very positive and does his duty with a smile. He picks up refuse every day without fail, as do the other sanitation workers in Chandigarh. His family lives with him in Derrabassi, a tiny village on the outskirts of Chandigarh, and he has to support them financially. India is a progressive, yet poverty-stricken country, and Charanjeet is making both ends meet to give his family a respectable life. He had a bout of viral fever recently, but thankfully it was not Covid-19, and is he is back on his feet now, which is a relief for all of us who really salute front-line workers such as him.

AUTHOR’S PHOTO CAPTION: Charanjeet’s photograph was clicked outside my gate by me and is used by permission.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Vandita Dharni is an acclaimed poet, scholar and, a gold medalist from the University of Allahabad, India. She has a Ph.D.  degree in American Literature from the same university. Her articles, poems, and stories have been published in many journals, including Criterion, Ruminations, GNOSIS, HellBound Publishing House, as well as International magazines such as Immagine, Poessia, Synchronised Chaos, Poleart Albani, Sipay, Fasihi, and Guido Gozzano. Her books include The Oyster of Love,  Rippling Overtures, and Quintessential Outpourings, and she is the proud recipient of the Poetic Galaxy Award 2018, the World Poetic Star Award 2019, and the Rabindranath Tagore Award 2020. Her work recently appeared in Our Poetry Archive.

Threshold of dreams by Vijaya Gowrisankar (LANDMARKS Series)

Threshold of dreams
by Vijaya Gowrisankar

The blue Maravanthe Beach on one side
and beautiful Souparnika River on the other
We stopped on National Highway 66 and
I made my way down to see the scene
I stood looking at the boat moored
near the steps leading to the river

The shackles of comfort are the price for dreams

The river’s course disappeared
beyond my vision as I saw it bejeweled
with the tall coconut trees, leaning
to reflect their shadows in blue waters
Somewhere, beyond, the borders of distant
hills beckoned one to take risks with
a promise of adventure. I stood, taking
in nature’s beauty…and pondering over life

The shackles of comfort are the price for dreams

Like the boat, I had decisions to make
The comfort of excuses and fears had allowed
many a dream to go unexplored. The road to
dreams, though exciting, was also laden with
uncertainties like the river’s course and tides
Some journeys and decisions are mine to make…alone

The shackles of comfort are the price of dreams

PHOTO: Maravanthe Beach (left) and Souparnika River (right), Kundapura, Karnataka, India, by Amith Nag Photography, used by permission. Boulders have been placed on the beach to create a breakwater that protects the coast from the force of waves and prevents erosion of the shoreline.

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Maravanthe Beach is located on the coast of the Arabian Sea in southwestern India. National Highway 66 runs next to the beach and the Souparnika River flows on the other side of the road, creating spectacular scenery that is considered one of its kind in India.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Time spent amidst nature allows me to reflect on life, my fears, and decisions. Nature inspires me to embrace my unique self. It calms me and often, changes my perspective of life. When I travelled to Udipi via this highway, I was on threshold in life to make decisions. This time helped me in getting a better sense of direction. I wrote this poem using the bop form.

PHOTO: A boat on the Souparnika River near Kundapura, Karnataka, India. (Photo by Vijaya Gowrisankar)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Vijaya Gowrisankar is the author of the poetry collections Inspire, Reflect, Explore, Savour–Art and Poetry meet, Evolve, Shine, and Unlikely Friendships. Cherish is her eighth publication, a collection that captures a spectrum of moments using a variety of poetry forms, quotes, and conversations. Her blog Grow Together shares insights from the greatest influencers and focuses on personal growth. She has been published in over 40 anthologies, has been awarded the AZsacra International Poetry Award (December 2015), and was one of the winners of Inspire by Gandhi competition, organized by Sampad, a UK organization. Visit her blog, Facebook page, and Amazon Author page, and find her on Twitter.

PHOTO: The author during her travels.

Glorious Opulence by Munia Khan (LANDMARKS Series)

Glorious Opulence
by Munia Khan

It was all about the luxury of death
The tomb was the centerpiece of a 42-acre-complex
It was a massive mesmerizing marble structure on a square plinth
guarded by a symmetrical building with an arch-shaped doorway
topped by a moony finial and a large dome —

The eternal resting place
of the Mughal emperor’s favorite wife!

I was standing at one of the balconies
of that 16th century ivory white marble house
by the Southern bank of river Yamuna,
taking pictures of the river
not as a tourist, but as an avid thinker who came from another country
thinking about the cultural diversities of that land
where the murmuring vein-like rivers
glittered by the ashes of the leaders’ dead bodies
and at the same time decorated with the love story
of legendary ruler by framing his wife’s grave on the river bank.

Today we, the travelers from all over the world
are indebted to Shah Jahan for leaving behind
this magnificent architectural dynasty
which reminds us, the mortals, of the immortality of love

Photo of the Taj Majal, Agra, India, by Jovyn Chamb on Unsplash

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: During my first visit to India in March 2018, I traveled alone to see the Taj Mahal. This historical landmark is indeed one of the world’s architectural splendors — and this reminded me of the transitoriness of life, power, and wealth.

PHOTO: The author during her visit to the Taj Mahal in 2018.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Taj Mahal is a marble mausoleum on the southern bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. The monument was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who reigned from 1628 to 1658, to house the tomb of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. The construction project employed 20,000 artisans and cost 32 million rupees ($916 million in 2020 U.S. Dollars). In 1983, the Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as “one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage.” (Source: Wikipedia.)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Munia Khan is a poet, author, and editor of multiple books and anthologies. She has authored seven books, which include collections of short stories, articles, poetry, and a nonfiction inspirational book titled Attainable. Her works have been translated into many languages, including Japanese, Romanian, Urdu, Italian, Dutch, Croatian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Albanian, Finnish, Greek, Indonesian, Turkish, Hindi, Bengali, and Irish, and have been published in anthologies, literary journals, magazines, and newspapers around the world. Visit her Amazon author’s page and find her on goodreads.com.