To Do or Not To Do

Yesterday night it rained heavily, the spirited raindrops lashing  against the window panes with an incredible verve kept creating a music which lulled me to sleep.

In the morning, a couple of sparrows went berserk knocking and pecking at my windowpane.

The manners of the birds are the same everywhere, be it Jaipur or Jammu. Even in Jaipur they had nudged me into going for my morning walk. So conceding to the insistent demands of the spunky sparrows, I ventured out on to the rain drenched lawn. Grey clouds still hung from the sky, waiting to burst open any moment, but in no time, a determined sun had nudged them away, and now looked down at the earthlings with a golden grin.

The naked trees fringing River Tawi seemed to be sending some esoteric message skywards, which I was not able to decipher. Even the bulbuls delicately perched  on slender branches, were twittering some message of hope, peace and goodwill.

As I stood facing the east, the early morning rays made golden patterns on my hair, infusing some gloss in them. Some rays fell on the bench in the lawn, some on the swing, some filtered through the luxuriant trees, cascading down on to the garden in heart-warming patterns. Crows and eagles cruised nonchalantly in the blue skies, oblivious to the pulsating world around them.

River Tawi, almost water-less and drab, roaring with all the gusto of River Lidder which brought a smile to my lips.

Hidden from view, a pigeon was yodelling away. The goats boldly scattered in different directions, refusing to listen to the goatherd’s call to come back into his fold. A couple of truck drivers were washing their trucks near the river, snatches of their conversation reaching up to me on the railing where I stood watching life unfold in variegated hues. A slight breeze played with the goatherd’s unkempt hair, bringing a smile to his lips, and the River Tawi roared on.

The keenu, lemon, mango trees swayed merrily, the petunias, pansies and zinias in the garden smiled dimpled smiles in my direction as I walked barefooted on the lawn.

This Jammu morning was different from my mornings in Jaipur, the terrain was different, the ambience was different.  There were no labourers around, no burgeoning concrete structures, but dogs aplenty. So armed with a stick, I left the lawn and went out of the gates. The moment I was on the road, I found myself in the middle of an interesting scene.

Morning Meanderings by Dr Santosh Bakaya

“No Bruno, no!”

“No, don’t do it, Oscar!”

“Tiger, stop it, will you?”

“No! Bullet! No.”

The masters of the above named dogs were hurling restraining orders at them in differing tones and inflexions. I realised that none of them was asking them to do something but stopping them from doing anything.

What were the poor dogs supposed to do? Don’t do this, don’t go there, don’t chase the butterflies….It appeared that they were in the midst of a dystopian dog world where everything that they attempted to do was  something which was not to be done!

Feeling sorry for them, I walked on, admiring the resilience of the spunky raindrops still clinging to the leaves and rivetted by the sight of a lone poppy shooting upwards in lone splendour, from the overgrowth of weeds all around.

“Don’t, Bruno, don’t!”

Bruno’s master was asking him not to chase a squirrel.

This was not a day for dogs, I concluded, as I saw a squirrel scurrying towards the bushes.

I walked further but could not ignore the angry spark of protest in Bruno’s eyes. Soon the sounds of another morning started creating a din – whelps, chirps, chattering of monkeys and a cock-a-doodle-do from a neighbouring house, filled the atmosphere.

In no time, I was back home, listening to the sounds of silence and humming to myself on behalf of the confused canines…
Jaayein to jaayein kahaan,
Samjhega kaun yahaan

(Pic: Pixabay)

Watch this space for more Morning Meanderings every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.😊

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About the Author

Santosh Bakaya ( 169 Posts)

Dr Santosh Bakaya is the author of three mystery novels for young adults, and a book of essays titled Flights From My Terrace, which was recently published as an e-book on Smashwords. Her poetic biography of Mahatma Gandhi, Ballad Of Bapu has been published by Vitasta Publishers, Delhi, India in May 2015 and has been receiving rave reviews from everywhere. Although a Political theorist, with a doctorate in political theory, it is literature which has been her first love. She was awarded the Reuel international award for language and literature 2014 for her long poem Oh Hark!, which forms part of the Significant Anthology. Many of her poems have figured in the highly commended category in Destiny Poets, a UK based website and many are part of international anthologies. Right now, she is giving the final touches to her satirical novel, tentatively titled Sanakpur Shenanigans.
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