The Bermuda Triangle

A verbal tribute - written in January 2019 Salute to the selfless soldiers Salute to the armed forces on sea Salute to the fearless fighters in the sky The life of a soldier is worth to follow,  Discipline, Dedication and Daring- Ever-ready, Ever-giving and ever-willing. From the sound of the morning alarm  Till the last of the engines returns Or even without knowing the moon has come up They are constantly on the move, ready to charge. The nation's security, the need of the hour- Whether an attack at the border- Or a flood or fallen bridge- These brave lads reach to the aid Save, defend, attack, mend, rescue and build. Kanyakumari to Kashmir, Gujarat to Guwahati Camped in unknown lands- in the  Arid deserts and the bleak winter cold- The heavy monsoons and the fierce tsunami winds. Can we breathe freely in our own comfort zones without their sacrifices and services? Can we move and travel about freely and safely without their undivided attention?

Writen during the last week of our tenure in Jagaddal Mission, Kolkata...a posting which will always be dear to my heart...an experience like no other... That’s been my feeling for the past several months. As the year advances that gut feeling is just deeper and more painful. It’s exactly the emotion any mother would feel if you take away her child ‘for a good reason’, but leave her in tears and a lifetime of regret. Kolkata-the land of Mother Teresa-that’s how I knew it. Okay, I can add Netaji and Tagore too. Oh ya- and Ganguly; and I also had a maternal aunt here (and she still is!). Otherwise, Kolkata was just a point on the map of India- a place I never thought I’d visit-nevertheless, LIVE for six and a half years. For all these years, our pin code was Kolkata-700151 – so you see, we were quite far from the city-yet occasionally enjoyed its perks and bumps. The old capital of the British Raj-many areas still show that grandeur and architecture even after so many d

Add caption Posted on Facebook the day we got to know about the demise of a dear KJMTC senior...Dedicated to Rejina chechi... 7th July, 2019 Does anybody know the right time to die? Even if we do, do we have any control over it? It's one last thing man has to invent right. Thousands and ten thousands of people die every day- accidents, natural calamities, old age, terminal illness, heart attacks- there's no end to the causes of how people 'go'- not to forget the numerous murders and suicides increasing by the day. There are even people who go to sleep as usual but never wake up from bed -no prior symptoms whatsoever. Death's ways. Every single being on this earth-once born, you just have to die one fine day. I remember a quotation of Mahatma Gandhi I used to use in autograph books long back: "Live as if you were to die tomorrow...." We do keep living for sure, but without thinking about death. Everyone has dreams and aspirations- after school you want

A YULETIDE MUSICAL MEMOIR- For all music lovers (Edited from the original published in the Quarterly of Delhi Diocese- Darshan; October -December 2016 Issue) White Christmas, Tropical Christmas, Misty Christmas- I’ve experienced it all. But more than all the stars, lights and trees, the Christmas Carols have been dearer to me. Over the years, many teachers, schools, colleges, choirs, choir masters and churches have moulded me to be a music lover and just like many of you, Christmas is my most favourite season of all. Childhood memories bring me back the chimes of bells ‘Ding dong merrily on high’, the cute story song of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ and the great sacrifice of the ‘Little Drummer Boy’. I remember my brother enacting as the drummer boy twice in school. Psalty’s Christmas album was one cassette I used to hear over and over again (even in the middle of the year!). In that, one song I loved the most is ‘Christmas is a time to love’. It gives an endearing message to j

Dedicated to my Alma Mater- Mar Thoma Residential School  Published in the 40th edition of Spectrum in 2015 Remya Rachel Thomas ISC 2003 Department of English 2010-2012 If I were to think of you as a person I would have made you my best friend. If I could have seen you I would have given you my best smile. If I could have heard you I would have listened to all your worries and joys. If I could have touched you I would have hugged you every day morning and evening. If you were my best friend you would have known How much you mean to me, How much you have moulded me, How much you cared for me. You have given me music, You have given me love, You have given me tears, You have given me my pupils. I have never spent more time with anybody else- Other than my folks at home. Even they have complained How much I spent time with you more; For you have been there for me Even when I left you. You will always be there Whenever I

(Published in Kolkata MTC Souvenir 2019) “ Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ in front of others, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven .”      Matthew 6:1 Every single race and religion on the face of this earth encourages and practices charity, obviously to the poor and needy. From the beginning of community rich and poor; and it has increased only over the centuries and millenniums. Even in the great metropolitan cities like Los Angeles, Seoul, London or Paris, there would be a noticeable percentage of people in some corner with zero or low income and depending on some shelter or institution for food or shelter. Kolkata-the City of Joy-once the capital of the British Raj- a metropolitan city-How many thousands are sleeping under the flyovers and on the pavements? We can’t forget the number of slums all over the city either, right? There are over 6 lakhs villages in India, of which lakhs of people still

(Published in Facebook on 5th September, 2018) TEACHERS' DAY SPECIAL 💖 Std. VII B- the class next to the Physics Lab back in 1997. What a class it was! With all the ‘great fellows’ of our batch- friendships, quarrels, ‘paaraas’, competition, what not. I have no idea who taught us English when school started, but if my memory is clear, we were waiting for someone to come. I don’t remember how long we waited, but soon enough as we looked down from our class, we saw a lady with two children standing in front of our main building. Somehow we were sure-SHE IS THE ONE!! Within a day or two, I believe, our doubts were cleared. Yes, that very same person-our dear Annie Cherian Miss- joined our school along with her two younger children-Koruth and Mary. And guess what?? WE got the privilege to get her first class ever in MTRS!!! Who knew that she would later become the most loved and inspiring teacher for many young souls! Anyways, Annie Miss was always a BANG and a ZING; alwa

I miss its resonance-the unified voices singing; I miss the smell of incense-the wisps of smoke filled with prayerful petitions and proving the omnipresent Lord; I miss the presence of people surrounding me- that strong circle of God’s people coming together with one mind of worship. And it’s never been like this ever before-closed churches and closed roads-unable to reach out and to reach in. The virtual replacements and attempts are of no comparison to the real deal. That feeling of Church. CHURCH: FOR ME Church has always been a staple necessity in my life. That’s how I was brought up. Initially, we used to worship in a makeshift church-with a priest coming only once in three months-the humble beginning of the Mar Thoma Church in Seattle. So, at that young age itself, I unconsciously knew that Church is much more than a building. Church is a home for all to come together, be a bigger family, regardless of talents, time or testimony. I was not aware of the tradi