For the Glory of India

                   - By Vivek Pereira

India is my nation
As much as it’s yours;
Should a difference in ideologies
Lead to rioting and wars?

Having opposing views
Is certainly not sedition;
Too much of brainwashing
Has led to this condition.

All should come together:
The left and the right;
For the glory of India
We must all fight.

For our enemies desire
To see our country divided;
And this is being accomplished
By citizens who are misguided.

Never fear or envy
Folks different from you;
All colours are wonderful,
especially saffron, green and blue.

Don’t fall for political rhetoric
That’s intolerant and cheap;
Just for the sake of power,
A divisive agenda they’ll keep.

So let’s take a pledge
to counter such seeds of hate;
And strive for peace and unity;
That’ll make India ever so great.

'Twas The Night After Christmas

 (A Parody on X'mas written at the start of the Millennium)

'Twas the night after Christmas, when partying was done,
The world had got drained of all the laughter and fun,
Empty booze bottles lay scattered around,
Ambitious Christmas dreams had crashed on the ground .

The feelings of peace, love and goodwill had gone,
Men fought and quarrelled till the break of the dawn,
Sorrow and depression were replacing happiness and cheer,
This would be the trend until Christmas next year.

The shopping spree was over, the money had vanished,
The spirit of Christmas had been altogether banished,
The decorations so beautiful, no one admired them any more,
This joyous, merry season had become a bore.

I sat on the sofa, a frown on my face,
My world was in tatters, I was losing the race,
My wife had been crying, her eyes were quite red,
She cursed me so fiercely, I wished I was dead.

The children were sad, no smile did they give,
Their cheeks stained with tears, they were learning to live,
For their fantasy world had been smashed into parts,
The new gifts were broken, and so were their hearts.

I opened the door, and went for a stroll,
When I bumped into Santa, the legend from the North Pole,
His face was not merry, his shoulders drooped low,
This icon of Christmas had nowhere to go.

"I distributed no presents, my elves were on strike",
He told me very sadly, "They wanted a hike";
I left the poor creature alone in the cold,
There was no love for life but only for gold.

The warmth of the season, it had turned into ice,
Since mankind had forgotten the art of being nice,
'Twas the night after Christmas, when most of us sighed,
For the magic of Christmas had faded and died.

An Ode to a Lizard

O, pretty little lizard
Sitting on my wall,
Sometimes in my bedroom,
Sometimes in  my hall.

We don't require any pesticides
With you loitering about,
'Cause you kill all the cockroaches,
And make the ants move out.

People always admire cats and dogs
And neglect you the entire day,
But this doesn't bother you at all

As you crawl in search of prey.

Valentine’s Day Blues

(I present before you once again that lovely poem I wrote for Valentine's Day. I had composed it literally overnight for the Bandra Buzz, our local newspaper.)

Tears streamed down his face again

As Valentine’s Day approached;

For on that day a year ago

David’s heart had been crushed.



His Valentine had ditched him then

And mated with his foe;

It had taken him a really long time

To recover from this blow.



So, David vowed to shun this day

But Fate had other plans,

For he consented to a Blind Date theme:

A dinner and a dance.



And there she was in front of him

A damsel blessed with grace;

‘Twas her smile our hero loved the best

It beautified her face.



They strolled out together arm in arm,

Two strangers so in love;

He whispered sweet nothings to her

Then presented a clay dove.



“Take this bird and remember me,”

 David told his Valentine;

“For I shall be forever yours,

And, my dear, you shall be mine.”

An Ode to a Lizard

O, pretty little lizard
Sitting on my wall,
Sometimes in my bedroom,
Sometimes in  my hall.

We don't require any pesticides
With you loitering about,
'Cause you kill all the cockroaches,
And make the ants move out.

People always admire cats and dogs
And neglect you the entire day,
But this doesn't bother you at all
As you crawl in search of prey.

Modi Sarkar: A Disaster in the Making

Merely ten days have elapsed since Modi's swearing-in ceremony on 26 May, 2014 but the signs are ominous - Modi Sarkar is heading for disaster and may well drag India down with it. Many of us who did not vote in Modi and the BJP should ideally have the right to relax and not spend sleepless nights as our conscience is clear, but the fear of the future of our beloved nation is what haunts us - and the following actions, stances and declarations by the Modi Sarkar and its symbiotic supporters have only added fuel to the fire:

(1) The Hindu Rashtra Sena, reportedly a sister organisation of the BJP, brutally murdered a Muslim techie in Pune because of a derogatory Facebook post against Bal Thackeray and Shivaji. Many more people may have been injured in the riots in Pune and the rest of Maharashtra. The FB post seems to be the handiwork of Pakistan's ISI and seems to be working well for them as Indian fascists are both morally and intellectually bankrupt. Meanwhile, Narendra Modi and the entire Modi Sarkar's deafening silence on the issue exposes their fascist mentality and is reminiscent of Manmohan Singh's silence on crucial issues.
(2) The Cyber Crime cell of the Goa Police had booked Devu Chodankar, a young engineer, for an anti-Modi Facebook post by treating it as an offence under sections 153A, 295A of IPC, section 125 of representation of the people act and section 66-A of IT Act.The post claimed that the BJP would commit a holocaust against Christians if they came to power. The post was written when the radical Pramod Muthalik had been inducted into the BJP despite telling Hindus in Goa to keep swords in their houses and use them against non-Hindus if necessary! And the same Goan cyber cell was purported to be inactive a few weeks before when they needed to arrest Meenakshi Lekhi, the BJP leader, for revealing the name of the Tehelka rape victim online. What about the thousands of online comments by Parivar activists threatening secularists, liberals and minorities with murder and rape if Modi Sarkar came to power? Why are these fascists not booked by state cyber cells?
(3) BJP is all set to implement the Uniform Civil Code in India and they have got the mandate to do that. It was mentioned in the manifesto and so now it will be difficult for minorities to protest when they are asked to do the "sat phere" in their marriage rituals or are not able to have two wives or have no legal right to say "talak" (Well, there were many brainwashed Christians, Muslims & Sikhs who also voted for Modi Sarkar, weren't there?)
(4) On his first day in office, Jitendra Singh, BJP minister in the PMO, stated that discussions had already begun on abrogation of Article 370, which provides a special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The lack of sensitivity and poor knowledge of historical context is clearly evident in the BJP's push for the repealing of Article 370.
(5) The Ram Mandir agitation was the catalyst for the newly formed BJP (actually renamed and remodelled after the Jan Sangh and the RSS became political untouchables for their erstwhile Paswan-like allies) in the 1980s from their low of 2 LS seats in 1984 and now this controversial issue is back in their manifesto despite the court verdict.
(6) Subramaniam Swamy, the senior BJP leader, has told Christians and Muslims to leave India unless they acknowledge their Hindu ancestry. So much for Modi's "India First" policy.
(7) Online RSS activists continue to make blatant threats on major internet websites against minorities, liberals and secularists for not subscribing to the fascist views of the Sangh.
(8) In the first time in its history, India has elected someone accused of mass murder as its PM. What if Modi is found guilty of masterminding the 2002 riots, killing Haren Pandya for revealing his complicity, instigating the fake encounters in Gujarat and ordering acts of espionage - would he be arrested while in office? - And as PM couldn't he and his accomplice, Amit Shah, scuttle the probes?
(9) Yes, major media houses are controlled by Ambani and other well-wishers of Narendra Modi which didn't cover the stories of Ambani's son in a road accident and the Gujarat riots or didn't debate the controversial Article 370, the uniform civil code and Ram Mandir issues  that were in the BJP manifesto - and by ignoring these issues didn't they connive to usher in Modi Sarkar?

(10) The corporate businesses of Ambani and Adani group enterprises have grown manifold under Modi in Gujarat under Crony Capitalist schemes and they may grow even more - at the cost of the common man and the Indian tax payer. Meanwhile, IT companies and exports are under tremendous pressure as the Rupee value increases unrealistically.

(11) Full-scale saffronisation of school text books has begun under Smriti Irani, the HRD Minister who is following the footsteps of the previous BJP HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, who sought to overhaul the present education system and replace it with a saffronised curriculum. Smriti met with RSS pracharak Dinanath Batra, notorious for harassing Wendy Doniger before her book "The Hindus: An Alternative History" was recalled by Penguin.

 http://www.firstpost.com/politics/return-of-saffron-textbooks-whos-behind-smritis-plans-1557779.html
(12) Modi Sarkar is already blotted by a number of dubious appointments especially of  Smriti Irani who apparently misrepresented her educational qualifications in her affidavit with her Lok Sabha nomination papers. None of the major media houses are calling for propriety i.e. the removal of Smriti Irani for providing false information on LS nomination papers - and why are we not surprised by that....Then there was an appointment of Nripendra Misra through an ordinance adding to the string of controversies.

Yes, Bure din aa gaye for India, the BJP and Delhi within just ten days of the formation of Modi Sarkar: The Badaun rape/murder, spates of rapes and murders across the nation, Maharashtra riots, Delhi power cuts and dust storm, countrywide heat wave, the accidental death of Gopinath Munde, the murder of BJP leader Vijay Pandit and the sidelining of experienced, scheming leaders like Advani-M.M.Joshi-Swamy and all this in the first ten days of assuming power - Yes, Hum sabko Maar, Modi Sarkar!

Jitendra Singh dented the sheen of the new government’s first day in office by stating the process of discussion had begun on abrogation of Article 370, which provides a special status to Jammu and Kashmir. - See more at: http://www.theindianrepublic.com/tbp/reflecting-pm-modis-first-week-office-100037978.html#sthash.0Tk8guUf.dpuf

A Patriotic Poem

THE DREAM FUTURE OF INDIA

(An Excerpt from my book, Rose Gardens and Minefields)

When all the world weeps in sorrow
India can wake up to a new tomorrow

She can rise steadily from the dumps
Travelling to prosperity without any bumps.

Her people can struggle to attain their goals
All of them excelling in their specific roles

Then from a period of almost certain doom
Her economy will attain an everlasting bloom

Unemployment and poverty will be forgotten terms
Success will be familiar with her companies and firms

Mechanisation and industry will scale new peaks
Thus India shall begin her winning streaks

Her army will be the most feared force
Although it shall pursue a peaceful course

The conceited nations she shall humble
From their mighty pedestals they shall tumble

Let us drink to that joyous day
When Indian policies the world shall obey

Her designs for humanity will then unfold
Even mud will shine as bright as gold

The earth shall represent a beautiful dream
Every human face will have a beam

No tears will ever flow down again
For gone will be human suffering and pain,

If such a revolution ever takes place
We shall become an admired race.

Rose Gardens and Minefields - A Critical Review

My book "Rose Gardens and Minefields" had received critical acclaim from a top book review site, Indian Book Reviews. I had submitted my book for the review over a year ago and hundreds of books were reviewed in that period. Didn't know what it would turn out like, but I was thoroughly pleased with the outcome. Check out this fabulous review at http://www.indianbookreviews.com/2012/07/16/a-little-bit-of-this-and-that/

For the uninitiated, "Rose Gardens and Minefields" is a compilation of poems, short stories and essays that cover a plethora of topics. It was published by Leadstart Publishers under their Frogbooks/Virgin Leaf imprint a couple of years ago. This book can be purchased at a sum below Rs 100 or $2 at various book stores across India including some Landmark outlets, Happy Book Store (Bandra) and Granth (Juhu). You can even purchase it online at Amazon and Flipkart.com. Happy Reading!!!

An Ode to a Lizard

Hi,

I just thought of composing an ode to a lizard. Here it is:

An Ode to a Lizard


   -   Vivek Pereira


O, pretty little lizard
Sitting on my wall,
Sometimes in my bedroom,
Sometimes in  my hall.

We don't require any pesticides
With you loitering about,
'Cause you kill all the cockroaches,
And make the ants move out.


People always admire cats and dogs
And neglect you the entire day,
But this doesn't bother you at all
As you crawl in search of prey.

The Husband

The Husband is the family head
The brains are his wife,
He is the one who earns the bread
Which she ruins with her knife.

The husband works hard all day
And when he returns home,
His wife will look up and say
"Here comes the dirty Gnome".

Taking the Hint, he has his bath
And sits down for some leisure,
From nowhere her naggings suddenly start
Then they vanish with his pleasure.

He wears his clothes with wounded sulks
As they go on a shopping spree,
She keeps on purchasing objects in bulks
Till they finally run out of money.

His wallet empty, he inserts the key
And dumps the cargo in
Then they settle for a cup of tea
She expresses her satisfaction with a grin.

He switches on the idiot box
While she prepares their dinner,
She changes the channel with defensive talks
Without a struggle, she emerges winner.

The husband slumps to sleep at last
Till the dawn eventually breaks,
He encounters her once more at breakfast
Funny looking faces she makes.

Thus, he spends his youthful years
In the above-mentioned routine manner,
When he retires, he sheds his tears
Carrying a ' Save me from wife' Banner .

City Wise Listing of Bookstores (From where you can buy "Rose Gardens and Minefields')

List of Book Stores


Bangalore

Gangaram's Book Bureau

72, Mahatma Gandhi Road,

Bangalore - 560 001.

Contact Person: Mr. Prakash Gangaram

Tel.2558-1617, 2558-1618, 25586189.



Puliani Book House

No.7, First Floor, 3rd Main,

Hotel Street, Below Bangalore Residency

Gandhinagar, Bangalore - 560 009.

Tel. No.42515151/22342121

Contact Person: Mr. Vinayak



Sairam Book Paradise

Sri Venktabri Arcade, 26,Gandhi Market,

Main Road, Between Vidyarati Bhavan,

& Rotiaghar, Basavanugdi, Bangalore - 56000

Contact Person: Mr Venkatesh Babu

Tel: 09341973854

Axis Books

330/9, 2nd Main,

Intermediate Ring Road, Ring Road,

Domlur Layout, Bangalore - 560 071.

Tel. No: +91 80 41526657/40383838



Mumbai

Book Lovers

'SNEHA' ,Shop No. 5, Lokhandwala Shopping

Opp. Sasural Restaurant, Andheri (W),

Mumbai - 400 058. Tel : 26324594

Contact Person: Mr. Rudramuni R. Biradar



Durai Book House

Shop No. 1, Patel Mahal,

Plot No. 373, King Circle, Matunga,

Mumbai- 400019

Contact Person: Mr. Vishwanathan

Tel: 9892109117



Giri Trading

Modi Niwas, Opp. Post Office,

Matunga, Mumbai - 400 019.

Contact Person: Miss. Suja

Tel: 24143140/24179735



Granth The Book Store

30/A, H.M. House,

Juhu Tara Road, Santacruz (W),

Mumbai - 400 049.

Tel.26609327/37

Contact Person: Mr. Hiren Modi



Happy Book Stall

8, Rizvi House, 34, R.N. Marg,

Bandra, Mumbai - 400 050.

Tel. No. 26400019

(M) : 9224426325



Paradises Books & More

Next To Otters Club,

Opp. Sunflower Building,

Carter Road, Bandra(West), Mumbai - 50.

Tel. No. 26431020

Contact Person: Mr. Chavan



People Book House

Meher House, 15 Cawasji,

Patel Street, Fort Mumbai - 400001.

Tel. No. 22873768

Contact Person: Mr. Gopal Pujari


Rayzyn Bookshop& Library

Shop No.3, Corner View, Opp. Bianca Tower,

Off Yari Road, Versova, Mumbai 400061.

Tel.:26329133, 65966137 Cell 9930880674

Contact Person: Miss. Reshma Sood

Readers & Paradise

63, Warden Road, Breach Candy,

Mumbai - 400 026.

Contact Person: Mr. Amrish Ved

Tel: 23644441


Sheetal Book Centre

416, Durlabh Niwas, Bhaudaji Road,

Opp. King Circle Garden, Matunga (C.R.)

Mumbai-400019 24015927

Contact Person: Mr. Dharmesh.

Tel: 9892009924.





New Delhi

Famous Book Store

25, Janpath Bhawan,

New Janpath Market,

New Delhi - 110001.

Tel. No. 23311510/23328275/23354900

Wordsworth

G-12, Janak Palace, Distt. Centre,

Janak Puri,

New Delhi - 110058.

Contact Person: Mr. Chetan Dhawan

Tel: 011-25527792/25527793



Paramount Book Store

88, M.M. JANPATH

NEW DELHI - 110 001



Standard Book Company

124-125, Municipal Market,

Super Bazar Compound, Connaught Palace,

P.O. Box 708, New Delhi - 110001.

Tel: 011-23413899/23413828



Kolkatta

Cosmos Book House

14, Free School Street,

Kolkata - 16.

P.C. Dutt

B-46, New Market,

Kolkata - 700087

Ph. 033-22520452



Chennai

Eswar Books

Archana Arcade, 27,Nateshan Street,

T. Nagar, Chennai - 600017.

Tamil Nadu.

Contact Person: Mr. Periya Samy

Tel. No. 24345902, 24339591, 24335424.



The Book Points (I) Pvt Ltd

160, Anna Salai,

Chennai - 600 002.

(T.N)

Tel. No.28523019

Contact Person: Mr. Ashok

Mobile: 9840794029



SRI VIDHYA BOOK CENTRE

C/o. Pusthak Bharati,

# 7, Sannathi Street,

Mylapore, Chennai - 600 004.

Tel.No.24611345/24511141

(M) 9940154105



Hyderabad

A. A. Husain & Co.

5-8-551, Arastu Trust Bldg,

Abid Road, Hyderabad, Andra Pradesh.

Tel. No. 040-23203724

Contact Person: Mr. Asif Hussein Ar



Akshara Book Shop

Plot No. 5, UBI Colony,

Police Station Road, Road No.3,

Banjara Hills, Hyderabad - 34.

Tel. No. 040-27804626

HO. 23554096

NEELKAMAL BOOK LINKS

1st Floor, Narayan Naik Complex,

Behind Gandhi Gyan Mandir,

Sultan Bazar, Hyderabad - 500 095.(A.P)

Tel. No. 040-2475140,24757197


Chandigarh

Atma Ram & Sons Book Sellers

57, University Campus, Sector -14,

Chandigarh - 160014.

Contact Person: Mr. Mukesh Sharma

Tel: 09870483361



The Book Shelf

Bay Shop No.399,

Sector 32-D,

Chandigarh.

Tel. No. 0172-5087686,

4655399



Bhopal

Avani Book House

LB-12, (Basement), Mansarovar Complex,

Near Habibganj Rly Stn,

Bhopal-462016.

0755-4202205



Chandna Book House

GF-19, Mansarovar Complex,

Near Habibganj Rly Station,

Hoshangabad Road, Bhopal-462016.

0755-2573061

International Book House

U-19-20, Thadaram Complex,

209-A, Zone-1, Maharana Pratap Nagar,

Bhopal -462011. (M.P)

PH-0755-2578331,2710562

The Book House

25-C Indrapuri, Raisen Road,

Bhopal - 21

0755-4235485



Gurgaon

Book N More

A-130, Supermart-I,

DLF Phase-4,

Gurgaon - 122001. (Haryana)

Contact Person: Ms. Anuva Saurabh

Tel: 124-4042187



New Midland Book Shop

C-102 , Shopping Mall, DLF

Phase -1, Arjun Marg,

Gurgaon (Haryana),

Tel. No.01924-4380599

(M) 9310523999



Ahmedabad

Book Plaza

Opp Navrangpura Telephone exchange,

B/h Raymond Store, Off. C.G Road,

Ahmedabad - 380006.

Tel - 079-26430386/30003249

Natraj Book Centre

GF - 10, National Chambers,

Ground Floor, City Multiplex Lane,

2nd Shop From V.I.P Luggage,

Ashram Road, Ahmedabad - 380009.

Readingtree

A1 Shivalik Plaza, Near AMA,

IIM Road, Vastrapur,

Ahmedabad - 380015

Tel No. (079) 64501308

Pocket Book Centre

Opp. Jyotisangh, Relife road,

Ahmedabad - 380001.

Tel - 079-25508732/25508328



Surat

Book Smart

214, Smarth Sarthi,

Beside Diraj Sons Market,

Parle Point, Surat - 7.

Tel - 0261-2223364/3992829



Chandigarh

Capital Book Depot

SCO 3 SECTOR 17 E

CHANDIGARH

Tel.No.0172 2702260, 2702594

Updated Links for Rose Gardens and Minefields

You can purchase Rose Gardens and Minefields online (at a reasonable price) by visiting the following sites:

http://www.bookvook.com/book/details/rose-gardens-and-minefields-23-99314.html#3


http://www.a1books.co.in/rose-gardens-minefields/itemdetail/9380154798/

http://www.flipkart.com/rose-gardens-minefields-vivek-pereira-book-9380154794

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http://www.infibeam.com/Books/rose-gardens-minefields-vivek-pereira/9789380154794.html

http://www.simplybooks.in/rose-gardens-minefields-vivek-pereira-book-isbn-9789380154794-98916

http://www.africanwriter.com/store/100-10313-9380154798-Rose_Gardens_and_Minefields.html

http://www.amazon.com/Rose-Gardens-Minefields-Vivek-Pereira/dp/9380154798/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295517055&sr=1-4