‘Bhoot xupa ahili!’
(You ghosts have arrived)
His usual greeting, as
he peered out from under
the pile of blankets
come winter, come summer
Small in stature,
hairless as a newborn
almost harmless, you’d think
especially after you see
that charming smile,
those twinkling eyes.
He was known by many names
Damn Koka, a favourite
among the extended family
after his signature, the
reverberating, unforgettable
Damn Kahakar!
‘Angry Young Man’ was called he,
by editors of local newspapers
either patronizing, or envious
lauding praise upon praise.
After all, how often do you meet
an 80-year-old marathon runner,
who when not terrorizing
his innumerable family members,
proudly ploughed
through the city’s dirt
capturing and cataloguing
its eventual downfall
His anger, legendary
tiffs with wife of over 60 years
a daily occurrence, despite
his jovial nature they said
you could fry an egg clean
oh his shiny, bald head.
Tag: family
B’s pekoe
twenty-five chickens
fed a hundred people
twenty-five chickens
and two men on a rickshaw
pull into silpukhuri
the rolls could easily
beat calcutta’s nizam’s
and there was nothing
like the mutton singras
that was her specialty
every thing
had to meet Kaka’s exacting
impeccable standards,
(including this poem)
then, when you could’ve
try the afghan paratha
it’s secret is minced meat
another one of b’s tricks
something else she brought
for the people of 1976 gauhati
a pioneer of fast food,
innovation and creativity
no wonder the little tea retail centre
grew to be the beloved,
ever-memorable b’s pekoe.
four children and two parents
together, now a community of
strangers, familiars,
forever sharing a lost space.
Falling Somewhere, Anywhere 