Sunday, August 30, 2009

In thy Madness My lord


Let me be mad in the things that I am,
Let me be MAD!
Let me be mad in the music that is the Lord
And things that strike a chord-
When madness is but sanity
And things too simple, yet deep
Let me be MAD O Lord
For then I am bold....
To live a life of cowards, let me not be told
Save me from the serinity
And let the madness unfold.
If kindness and hapiness of MINE be mad,
Then let me be mad once more-
For a life without depth and passion are assylum bound
And in such madness Lord
Let me not be bound!
To touch the hearts, to visit a soul, of things mundane and free
Let me be MAD in all my songs
That speak of thy eternity...
If keeping quiet, were sanity as PEOPLE sayest
Let me not be sane,
I'll just be MAD and love loud instead!


© 2009 Maitreyee Bhattacharjee Chowdhury

Saturday, August 29, 2009

In madness I belong


In times of creativity, bounding on relativity,
My mind hovers over the infinite-
In the inferno that boils within,
sometimes placating, sometimes bizarre,

What is it about the search?

Is craziness this, is love this,
and then I think again...
In serenity I want madness, In tranquility I find no peace
A face that eludes the soul,
A smile not brazen enough-
What is this madness that I seek
Of demons and angels that co- exist?

When Passion makes its flights of fancy,
And encompasses the zeal to see the naked-
The 'MOULD' then turns a mere fancy for things that lie within,
The spoken word of love and peace juggle in vain-

A pair of eyes with their questions, try my heart strings again.
A gesture, a word at times don't suffice
For love that burns within-

A madness in the soul I seek,
Not tepid words herein-
'I love u' s and 'Muaah's are just so passe...
Where's the feeling I say
If love were to life
As life were to love
Then let the madness begin.

In the dance of the Lord, that mourned his wife and tore to bits herself,
Of falling parts and embers deep-
Places of worship they become
Aye that's the madness that love begets, and a passion that is FELT!
For madness and worship are words that bring
Sense to sanity and insanity within....

Thus in the madness thou shalt find,
An inferno raging 'PEACE'
And then shall they the 'eyes' tell of the story within.

Of a love and life that of madness only sing
And a peace therein that flows, now tepid, silent and unassuming......


© 2009 Maitreyee Bhattacharjee Chowdhury

Saturday, August 22, 2009

The 'Bai' syndrome, a compulsive disorder?


The 'bai' syndrome a compulsive disorder?

There's something common amongst all of us so called hi flier women. Amidst the balance sheets, nail biting, tooth clenching, catty meaos & droolls galore, we all face what I call the 'Bai' syndrome! An elusive breed an exclusive lot they are our Kam wali bais as we know them to be. But no 'ghar ki mulis here'.. lemme point that out, nor 'dal barabar'..oh they are a swish set. Come to think of it they are so integral to our lives, that I wonder what we would do without them. Just about yesterday..the kitchen was a mess, the house a friendly scatter, work beckoned me, yet the mind was ellusive after all it was 2 minutes past 10! The official come time gone which had passed away... what was i to do amidst this nail biting loss of concentration. Tried some songs & then decided to plunge headlong into a bit here and a bit there salvaging my home so that i might find some semblance of sanity. Amidst the turmoil & Rashid Khan's baritone, suddenly a merry chime.. my feet rushed to the door, a happy smile, wide eyes....the Bai was here at last! My welcoming smile fell on a moustace, a lappy & tired eyes as I heard myself exclaim You! The pensive oh! was welcome enough for a hubby returned home post his 3 day tour & was i happy...nah, he wasn't the Bai you see. Composure regained, smile intact, i welcomed him back of course, but the lovers eyes saught the bai..had she really taken a gallop? A trifle late but full of importance she marched in while I was nail biting yet again, should I be composed & strict & show her , HER place you know.. but then i relented it's ok yaar she's just 30 mins late( 30 mins late! its half an hour but shhhh.... in Bai dom thats quite chalable I guess)
For all us exclusive breed of women, of finishing schools and univs that rock, nothing prepared us for one of life's exclusive anxieties 'The Bai syndrome'. A recent trip to my sisters home once again I witnessed the same. Polished, careerist, feminist little birdie she couldn't find freedom from the bai syndrome too. Mornings pre teas were.." has the Bai come?" and after she left it was inspection and ladies club time.."last time i had one she was punctual but too smart", mom pitched in her chime..."I am so tired of their one minute guest appearances!" And then again ladies it Bai time, come evening the same exclusive lot, we wear our smiles & welcome her home, all woes forgotten, just so happy to see her intact, whole & commable!
To such exclusive GIRL power.. Here's to Baidom!

© 2009 Maitreyee Bhattacharjee Chowdhury