A Purple Stem (Nature Poem)

A purple stem

To
Many it’s just a cut flower
Just a stem of gladiolus
But, for me
It has been a friend
Of decades
Once our garden
Had a patch, nay
A crop of 30 – 40
Gladioli!
Mostly they were 
Of purple hue, with silky
Texture
They’d last there almost two months 
In the front yard
Next to the driveway
Dancing in the wind
Glistening with the pearly
Raindrops
Year after year
They blossomed without fail
In this freezing zone 5 -
Till a jealous friend
Cast her glance
With a sly comment:
“How come you get
such lovely long floral stems?
I never had luck with ‘em”
That’s it - killed them all.
Or it could be due my own neglect
They perpetually need fertile soil with good
Drainage. They don’t like getting
Their feet wet or cold during the heavy
Autumn downpours and severe
Snow storms.

But
Let’s leave it all aside for now.
Let me enjoy
This single stem from
This season, happily 
Ensconced in a porcelain vase
Last year we lost quite
A few to a pesky virus or thrips; the buds
Didn’t even open – a blackened bud or
A premature disfigured clump of dry petals
Is all we got
But we’re lucky this year
Got five or six stately lanterns
Of colorful gladioli 
Ranging from purple to pink
One even with crinkled petals
And a dose of central dark patch
Now I am transported to the
Carefree days of my college days
Oh, those freshman English lectures
From an elderly scholar with 
Utter devotion to the subject and
Deep love to the young students
He
Told us the meaning of “unheard melodies”
And what is beauty:
Still to this day
It rings in my mind the line,
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever”
This little six-inch stem of
Gladiolus proudly proclaims (confirms)
It. 

Copyright 2026 by the author

Furry Rodentia (Long Poem on Nature)

Furry Rodentia

I did not mind
Sharing our house
With you, your blind new born

We all need a place to dwell
A cozy shelter from the gnawing chilly winter
From the freezing rain
And the hot steamy summer sun
We endured your riotous
Goings, comings, scratchings,
Screeches, mild mumblings
For months, seasons, almost two years

I still remember
Your sudden startling entrance
It was a heavy snowstorm day
In mid December
I was lying down, taking
A brief nap, a much needed rest
For a full recuperation
I too was awfully cold inside
The hearth yet to be kindled
Rudely awakened by your 
Knock on the front porch

In a frenzied rush
I bolted out to seek the troublemaker
With a 1500 watt halogen flood lamp
Did I frighten you? I’m sorry
You had crawled into the little opening
In the eves on the front porch
Perhaps frantically searching
For a vacant apartment
For the hard winter

Maybe your leafy den got too wet
With heavy snow
Or inundated by the fall flash floods
Too late -
To build another nest atop the maple tree
Much of the foliage on ground trampled with snow

I tried, in vain, to scare you
You had your own emergencies
Life’s exigencies – we all have from time to time
An impending addition of 2,6, or 8
Little clasped-eyed naked babies

Then, on that summer afternoon
You were distraught
You tried your best 
To 
Save, retrieve, the fallen young
Perhaps a weakling 
The last one to
Learn walking, seeing.
Your frantic attempts
Desperate crawling vertically
Must have hurt your paws
Delicate toenails
All without success
What a Herculean effort?
You did the best
As a loving mother. 

It was then
We 
Decided 
You would be better off 
In our backyard, in the tall trees
In the midst of walnut, maple, willow
Groves next to the 
Murmuring cool cataract
With a house at the level 
Of our second floor
You too liked that sky view
A rare panoramic purview
Of peachy red sunsets
During the cool months

Sorry,
I did not give you enough notice
That is customary
For any decent landlord
It is due even for 
A free boarder, a freeloader, a delinquent tenant!
I felt bad when you
Hurt your mouth, incisors
In the cage, with only a black walnut to chew
If you were in my little village
You’d have gotten
Plenty of coconut trees
To play with
And all those tender coconut
Flowers, tiny acorn-sized
Green coconut fruits

In a Rajasthan city
You got even a majestic temple
With silver bells and brass platters
Full of tasty sweet dishes
Why not?
You are the majestic carrier
Of Lord Ganesa
Thus, you too are 
Very dear to the Great Mother
The daughter of Silver Mountain
Annapurna – what a majestic peak
What a celestial abode
Of the First Couple

Strange, you too got
Gradations of color
Like all humans
Most surprising
Some of your kin
Have coal-dark coats
And some, even red haired tails

Sri Rama blessed you with
Three stripes on your back
A gesture of gratitude
For helping with the bridge construction
To Lanka

I am just a simple friend -
Like two good neighbors
We look at each other
Across the 
Double pane glass window – 
You munching on a baby walnut
With a curled tail, 
Basking in the morning sunshine on a sumac twig
A rare visual greeting on a wintry day

On hot summer days
You play around my potted
Mango and hibiscuses, on our deck
Strange friends, we are
Yet, perhaps we are part of
The same Brahman!
In the garden of
Brahma’s creation!

Copyright 2026 by the author

With Affection and Respect (To Mother)

With Affection and Respect (To Mother)

मात्रु देवो भव (तैत्तरीय उपनिषद) How do we remember the bygones? With time we lose precious siblings, relatives,  and close companions; thus we are deprived of a veritable source of fact checking. Whatever we remember is at the mercy of time and the fallible human brain cells (see Daniel L Schacter); the lucky few with extraordinary memory traits can still weave a reliable painted cloth of the yesteryears. Still we must feel privileged and fortunate to hold a bouquet of colorful blooms - of pleasant memories associated with our parents. Adi Sankara had extraordinary memory according to his disciples’ notes; in college we came to know about Lord Macaulay’s photographic memory feats of recalling long passages. 

In the village we needed to buy only a few items for the daily meals. Our kitchen garden was a rich provider of many vegetables: snake gourd, coconut, amaranthus, gongura, banana, white pumpkin, beans, bitter gourd, and others. In the cold winter months (November through January) we used to get bumper crops of beans on the vine. Mother had a miraculous green thumb. Whatever she touched it would flower profusely and yield basketfuls of vegetables or fruits. Sometimes we would experience heavy infestation with pests on the beans (Lablab, Val papdi, చిక్కుడు). Mother did not want any pesticide spray on the vegetable crops; often she would ask me just to write our gotra(m) (గోత్రము) name and hang it on the creeper to ward off the bugs. Come to think of it, I could’ve sprayed forceful water and washed off the pests at the earliest appearance – but there was no running (piped) water or spray bottle in the village then!

With severe budget constraints mother would prepare a variety of dishes (curries) with the homegrown beans. In one sense she was absolutely an expert in providing a nourishing protein rich food for her growing children. But I was barely in the teens and had the usual moodiness of a naughty child. Often I would come home for lunch with voracious appetite after brain straining morning classes (Telugu, English, Math, Sciences). Inevitably I used to fight with mom for a different course of lunch – may be brinjal, potato, or some other vegetable anything other than the ubiquitous organic homegrown “bean”. Her cooking was superb; she tried several variations with the beans with spices, tamarind, or jaggery. Then in the middle school I could not fathom the depth of our financial troubles. Somehow father was able to arrange for rice and those were the pre-ration card days in the village. Luckily our parents never had to seek ration from the state despite enormous insurmountable difficulties. In such difficult afternoons mother would cuddle me in her lap and gently caress my face with her rough hands while adjusting my curly hair. That sweet gesture would communicate her profound affection; soon I would forget about the whole issue, quickly gobble a few bytes, and get ready for the afternoon classes in a jiffy.

Mother often had to bear the brunt of her children’s sicknesses. She nursed our dear sister through a double dose of typhoid infection. Those were the days of severe antibiotics shortages and exorbitant drug prices in India; it was the pre-liberation time and the (modern) pharmaceutical industry was still nascent. Now the country can produce large doses of antibiotics, cardiac drugs, and a host of vaccines including Covid.

Some of my best and pleasant times with mother: The weekly oil massages and shampoo baths with ritha (soapnut seed, కుంకుడు కాయలు). During those precious moments she would tell the stories of Harischandra, Savitri, Dhruva, and others. Without explicitly telling me about ethics she transferred the essentials of a “dharmic living” in this complex mundane world. That teaching was enough for me for a whole lifetime; I rarely needed the self-study of Hindu scriptures, as they were part of our Telugu curriculum in high school and college. 

Adi Sankara summed up aptly the essence of motherhood, be it the divine or the earthly manifestation thus: There is only an occasional bad son but no bad mother in the entire universe. I feel the same when dwelling upon our mother’s qualities. Never did she ever reproach me even when I accidentally spilled cooking oil or broke the glass thermometer. I do not know whether I accomplished all of her aspirations; that is between her insight and my own conscience. But she would have been in the seventh heaven upon knowing about my advanced studies, international travels, and other modest achievements. She was so joyful when I got a modest torchlight as a present for excelling in eighth grade exams. I certainly missed her when I received a silver cup in high school or when I aced in College with first rank. 

As I wistfully reminisce now I realize - I’ve been careless in not preserving her music books and rare silken clothes (Benarasi sari, woolen blouse, etc.). But, being a loyal son I did learn Carnatic music assiduously and practice some of her favorite songs and kirtanas. We daily use and preserve her cooking utensils with love – often they remind us about her extraordinary culinary skills. Her ingenuity in creating delicious tasty dishes (tamarind rice, coconut-dal, gongura chutney) from scratch still makes me salivate. 

To me our mother is like a gandharva maiden who came down to the earth to teach us what is real music, tasty cooking, gardening, and other fine arts. She achieved all she had aspired despite challenging circumstances. In the most elemental sense what can a son or daughter really pay a mother? Except heartfelt gratitude and simple honest living according to her noble ideals. A mother simply gives abundantly to her children without asking – that she always did, readily with a sweet smile. I conclude with these simple incidents: often we would spontaneously cry in the movie theater watching emotional scenes in Satya Harischandra. Such tender moments taught me about art; much more than a whole year of Shakespeare plays in College. Often she used to see me off on the roadside for success in exams; that was a gesture of good omen, it always filled me with confidence before the annual exams (board). We never lose loving parents; they always reside in the deep recesses of our tender hearts. I feel privileged to be her son and I try to endeavor to earn her blessings every day and receive her “biksha”. Here in US Mother's Day falls on May 10th. Copyright 2026 by the author

New Year Musings (Poem)

New Year Musings

 

As a charming lad

Crooning songs atop the

Almond tree

Singing like the koel – is no big deal

In the youthful brimming days

Penning poems on Gul mohar

On the hopping hoopoe and straddling lapwings

And extemporaneously writing

Short haiku-like poems

Is no big thing either

 

During the unbearable wintry

Months

Trekking in minus 40 degree F

Standing erect like the emperor penguin

In the freezing snow showers

And blizzards

 

While

Being hit uninterruptedly

On the face with snowflakes

Daily walking for forty-five minutes

Then you come to know;

Or intimations

Of

What is Brahman, what ‘s ecstasy,

What’s Advaita

That is possible for only

A

Rajayogi Narendra,

Acharya Sri Rama Sarma, or Padmakar – only

They can unfathom it

Poets like me

People like myself swing

In the cradle of nature

Meditating on the essence of

The conglomerate embodiment of

The Eight entities (Copyright 2026 by the author)

(Translated from the Telugu original poem penned on the

eve of Telugu New Year)

ఉగాది స్వరాలు

 

చిన్నారి పొన్నారి చిఱుత కూకటి నాడు -

నాడు బాదం  చెట్టుపై నుంచి 

కోయిలలా  గీతములు పాడుట గొప్ప కాదు

నూనూగు మీసాల పాల పొంగు 

యౌవనములో తురాయి, రేల పూలపై

హూపుల మీద, తీతిర పిట్టల పై  

కొంగ్రొత్త

నానీలు వ్రాయటం పెద్ద గొప్ప కాదు 

కాదు,

తీవ్ర దుర్భర హేమంత, శిశిర ఋతువుల్లో  

సున్నాకి దిగువ, క్రింద నలభై డిగ్రీల 

ఫారెన్ హీట్ లో బిగిసిపోయే చలిలో 

స్థాణువులా చక్రవర్తి పెన్ గ్విన్ లా 

ముఖము మీద బరఫ్ 

ఎడతెరపి లేకుండా పడ్తుంటే 

నిర్భరముగా ప్రతిరోజు దినదినము

నలభై నిమిషాలు నడిచివెళ్తుంటే 

తెలుస్తుంది 

బ్రహ్మమేమిటో, ఆనందమేమిటో, అద్వైతమంటే 

ఏమిటో - అది కొందరికే సాధ్యం 

ఆచర్య శ్రీ రామ శర్మ, రాజయోగి  

నరేంద్ర, పద్మాకర్ లాంటి వాళ్ళకి -

నాలాంటి వాళ్ళు ప్రకృతి ఒడిలో 

ఓలలాడుతూ 

అష్టమూర్తిని ధ్యానిస్తూ …  అత్రి Copyright 2026 by the author

 

Lyrics of "he sarade ma" song in Telugu script

హే శారదే మా , హే శారదే మా

అజ్ఞానతా సే హమే తారదే మా 

తూ స్వర్ కీ దేవీ, యే సంగీత్ తుఝసే

హర్ సబ్ద్ తేరా, యే హర్ గీత్ తుఝసే

హమ్  హై అకేలే, హమ్  హై అధూరే

తేరీ శరణ్ హమ్, హమె ప్యార్ దే మా

మునియో(న్ సమఝే గుని(ణి)యోన్ జానీ

వేదోం కీ  భాషా, పురాణోం కీ  వాణి 

హమ్ భీ తో సమఝే(, హమ్ భీ తో జానే( 

విద్యా కా హమ్ కో తూ అధికార్ దే మా 

తూ శ్వేత వర్ణి, కమల్ పే విరాజే 

హాథో( మె వీణా, ముకుట్ సిర్ పె సాజా 

మన్ సే హమారే మిటా దో అంథేరీ 

ఉజాలోం కా  హమకో తూ సంసార్ దే మా( 

hae Saaradae maa , hae Saaradae maa aj~naanataa sae hamae taaradae maa too svar^ kee daevee, yae saMgeet^ tujhasae har^ sabd^ taeraa, yae har^ geet^ tujhasae ham^ hai akaelae, ham^ hai adhoorae taeree SaraN^ ham^, hame pyaar^ dae maa muniyO(n^ samajhae guni(Ni)yOn^ jaanee vaedOM kee bhaashaa, puraaNOM kee vaaNi ham^ bhee tO samajhae(, ham^ bhee tO jaanae( vidyaa kaa ham^ kO too adhikaar^ dae maa too Svaeta varNi, kamal^ pae viraajae haathO( me veeNaa, mukuT^ sir^ pe saajaa man^ sae hamaarae miTaa dO aMthaeree ujaalOM kaa hamakO too saMsaar^ dae maa(

(I want to present this devotional song to Telugu singers on the eve of Vasant Panchami (వసంత పంచమి). The day is celebrated with Saraswathi puja. Many devotees are familiar with Sarada mata and the elements of Devi upasana (ఉపాసన): White flowers (తెల్ల తామర, మల్లి, నాగమల్లి), devotional songs, and offerings of milk or payasam (పాయసము). I heard this song several times but did not pay attention to the lyrics till now. Through sheer serendipity or fortuitous searching on the Internet I discovered its author as "Nirala". Many springs back I received a book of Nirala (Sri Suryakant Tripathi) as a gift. A scientist friend from Roorkee used to visit me and discuss several topics: Inorganic Chemistry, Jiddu Krishnamurti and spiritual matters. Dr. A. B introduced me to Nirala's lyrical poetry. With time I think I gained better appreciation of Hindi and Hindustani music. We can only ask the Devi for one thing:  "uplift us from the morass of ignorance and make us 'eligible' for wisdom, knowledge, science, and fine arts." Sri Anup Jalota  gave an excellent rendition of this song. Errors if any will be edited later.)

Copyright 2026 by the author

Zz Plant, Jasmine, and Pan Leaf (Some Rooting Successes) - II

Jasmine

We lost several large jasmine container plants due to the harsh winter. Once we had Jasminum sambac (Grand Duke of Tuscany), Jasminum (creeper), and a jasmine bush. All withered due to lack of care (gardener’s absence) and a brutal cold winter. I should have saved small cuttings in the fridge for subsequent rooting (of new plants). Alas, wisdom dawns only after terrible losses.  Last summer I procured a jasmine cutting. Though I took all the routine precautions the cuttings did not grow rapidly; but a cutting with a single leaf did survive the intervening winter. Now it is growing healthily with new shoots. It may develop flower buds any day.  Jasmine (officianale) (common Jasmine) gives blooms even during the cold months indoors. With sufficient light (either from sunny windows or artificial lighting) it produces intoxicating fragrant flowers. This is often observed during the springtime. Pinching the tips soon after the drying of flowers will produce fresh shoots with more branching; in turn it leads to a new set of flower buds in the process. Even a few freshly opened jasmine white blooms brighten the room with sweet aroma. Jasmine flowers are in great demand in Asian countries for a number of uses: garlands for religious festivals, marriages, and decorations. The flowers are highly prized for their perfume and they are utilized for making “attar” in India and other Asian countries.

On the medicinal side, all the parts (roots, leaves, flowers) of jasmine are valuable. They are used for eye diseases, control of lice in hair, and even for cancerous tumors. Of course their use as aphrodisiac is well known, hence the popularity of fresh jasmine blooms and jasmine garlands, especially during marriage seasons.  

Pan Leaf Plant (Piper betle)

This plant has many medicinal uses. The leaves are useful in controlling cough, phlegm (mucous), bad breath, and throat hoarseness. Musicians (vocal singers) use it to keep vocal cords and throat in good condition. The plant’s root and stem are also useful. Much of the information at Wikipedia is focused on its deleterious effects on the body - particularly the plant’s cancer causing properties. But here we are considering its use in carefully controlled Ayurvedic practice. Ayurveda and the Indian Materia Medica consider Pan as a very valuable item for treating or managing several symptoms: excessive saliva in the mouth, thick mucous, bad breath (halitosis), phlegm, indigestion, and hoarseness of throat/voice.  Before the advent of modern Calcium supplements (ex: Caltrate) expecting mothers used to chew one pan with a bit of lime daily; usually it would follow midday lunch to provide much needed calcium for the ladies. In the college hostels we too indulged in this type of mild pan chewing after a heavy lunch or feast, to aid digestion.   

Initially I just slipped the cutting in a glass of water with a bit of cinnamon or aspirin. After seeing some small root growth the cutting was transferred to loose fertile soil. Later I left the betel leaf plant on the deck in full sunlight area; later I moved the plant to semi-shaded area. With a bamboo stake support and occasional liquid fertilizer (Miracle Grow, cow manure) doses the plant exhibited vigorous growth with side shoots. It also bloomed once (small white filamentary flower). (Dedicated to a dear friend of plants - V G B) Copyright 2026 by the author

Zz Plant, Jasmine, and Pan Leaf (Some Rooting Successes)

 Z z plant, Jasmine, and Pan Leaf (Some Rooting Successes)

We got a leaf of this plant accidentally from a garden store. Initially we did not know much about this unique plant (ZZ plant, Zanzibar gem). I picked up the broken leaf and brought home to make a live plant out of it. In earlier posts here and elsewhere I outlined the technique of rooting, growing from a single stem, or leaf. But this plant taught me a lot about rooting – it required lot of patience.

Initially I put it in water (room temperature) to see how it grows roots. I added a bit of cinnamon to stimulate root growth. To prevent dehydration (drying out) I enclosed the leaf in a plastic bag. The leaf stubbornly remained unchanged without any signs of roots or new growth. For several months it just survived, exhibiting healthy leaf color (pale yellowish green). There was no discoloration or drying out. The winter indoor heating did not disturb it; did not bother much. Finally I got a bit impatient and transferred the leaf to a small pot with fertile loose soil. Slowly I started reducing misting and removed the protective plastic bag (cover). Again the plant did not complain and it continued growing in the soil, away from people’s prying eyes.

Then suddenly out of curiosity I pulled gently the plant (now only a single leaf, a single stem) out of the soil to examine its bulbous root system (rhizome). There at the bottom of the stem I did find a bulbous bulging growth with a few short roots. I was surprised, excited to find a lively growing ZZ (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) Plant specimen. For several years I have been observing and watching this African plant in many offices. I noticed it in an outpatient medical building and in the garden sections of Lowes and Home Depot. Initially I was attracted to its glossy, waxy thick leaves. Like the usual succulents, cacti, and Aloe Vera, this plant also seems to require very little care. Once we pot it properly in a loose fertile soil medium, we can more or less forget it about for many months. A bit of low light conditions (indoors, office front desk spaces) or indirect sunlight through blinds and minimum watering is required to keep this plant alive and growing unattended. There is no need for misting even in dry conditions (heated indoors during winter) because it hardly loses water due to its waxy coating on the leaves. 

I do not notice any pests on this houseplant. Over watering is not recommended as it can lead to root (rhizome) rot. It is best to water once a month and let the water fully drain out of the container (pot). The plant comes in three colors: dark green (raven), pale yellow, and light green (yellowish). I’ll get other colors when I find them. There is plenty of valuable information at the Wiki site.

In principle I could have made (six or seven) plants out of this single leaf. You just make a sharp cut of each leaflet and insert the leaflet in a rooting medium and wait for several weeks. This is a slow growing plant and one needs lots of patience. But on the plus side the plant is very stubborn, it is very difficult to damage (lose) it.

Rooting Technique

Let’s review the rooting process. Most gardening hobbyists do not have fully climate controlled green houses. They just have to improvise in their limited indoor surroundings, porch area, or garden. For rapid rooting we need three or four things: a hormone to stimulate the rooting process, clean soil free of fungus and bacteria, controlled green house like ambience, proper temperature, and good illumination (preferably sunlight). There are lots of short videos on the Internet (YouTube) explaining the rooting processes. Experienced gardeners use a variety of substances to promote rooting: Cinnamon, Willow bark or stem, Aspirin (Salicylic Acid), and Aloe Vera, etc. Commercially rooting hormone is also available though it may be a bit expensive. Dr. Paulus (TN, India) showed me his rooting experiments in the Horticulture Department. All we need is clean sand (not too fine, just a bit coarse) and a little shade. He did successful experiments on mango, guava, bougainvillea, and a number of valuable plants. The researcher used a large pit in the ground to keep the plant cuttings a little bit on the cool side (there in the hot tropics); he would house fifty or sixty cuttings (tiny saplings) in sand filled polythene tubes and cover them with a thick transparent plastic sheet. With periodic misting and fresh aeration, Dr. Paulus was able to achieve fast rooting. He was able to achieve high rates of success with hardwood as well as softwood cuttings. The large pit in the ground provided ideal greenhouse conditions: In the nights the pit retained warmth for promoting rooting. During daytime it provided cooler ambience (~ 50 – 55 0F) for the nascent saplings. 

After many rooting trials and errors we notice one thing: a freshly cut (slanted cut at 450) stem starts developing a callous growth and new root. The whole process happens naturally and automatically without our deliberate intervention. If we fail in the rooting experiment, mostly it is due to either excessive drying or rotting due to bacteria, etc. A slightly warm (in the colder zones) temperature helps root growth. Drying out of the leaves is reduced with the help of a plastic cover or inverted glass bottle. (to be Continued) Copyright 2026 by the author