Creative Writings and Musings

Author: Dunija Rothschild It was the hot month of June, many many years back, days when I still used to wear frocks, still used to have bath in rain with all the girls and boys of my age. There was no TV, no fridge, and I am sure I never missed them! That summer an uncle of mine came to live with us. I was small, so was not told, but I heard my parents speaking that uncle is suffering from Leukemia and is here for treatment from AIIMS, the best medical Institute in Delhi. Blissfully unaware what is leukemia or AIIMs, I was having lot of fun, with uncle showering love on me, and parents,  busy in his care, scolding me less. That is all that matters. And then one day, he died. I  had no idea what death is, must be something interesting, he was lying on bed stationary like a statue.  All the furniture of the room was taken out, it was not much - a dressing table, one double bed, and an alimirah, and the whole room was cleaned with water. I enjoyed splashing water as adults were cleaning i

Revenge, tit for tat: our literature, movies are full of stories where these feelings are not only highlighted but also shown as heroic feelings. Whether it is Shakespeare, or the Sidney Sheldon, the best sellers are ones where the revenge is the main theme. A child has to avenge the killing of his father, if some one behaves badly with you it is ok to give him/her back piece of his/her own cake. It seems that teaching other a lesson is our favorite pastime. Let us explore what Buddha says about this. In Dhammapada, Yamakvagga verse3-6, Lord Buddha tells his disciples: Akkocchi mam avadhi mam  ajini mam ahasi me ye ca tam  upanayhanti  veram tesam na sammati. Akkocchi: abused, scolded; mam: me; avadhi: hurt, bound, limit; ajini: conquered; ahasi: taken something by force; me: me; ye: they; ca: and; tam: that;  upanayhanti: grumbles at;  veram:hatred, jealousy; tesam: their; na: not; sammati: cease, is appeased. "(He/She/They) abused me, hurt me, conquered me, stole things from me&

Yesterday evening, while coming back from office, very comfortable in the luxury of my car, I got stuck in a traffic jam. In front of me was a small tempo with a buffalo and perhaps her calf. The tempo was small for the majestic animal. With every jerk in traffic the buffalo either hurt her face or her back, despite her dark black skin, the red raw skin was clearly visible. Calf was equally uncomfortable, not even able to move, though it was trying again and again.   I could feel that two were very uncomfortable and only God knows for how long they had been standing in this tempo, in the same pose, without food or water. As usual my heart was filled with remorse for the actions of my species, we had been very careless and mean to all others. Not for once thinking about their comfort or their pain.  In my heart I asked the two for forgiveness, and expressed my inability that I cannot pay the owner and take you, as I have no place to keep you and look after you.  As I opened my eyes, I s