It was just pure coincidence that I’m currently reading Vikram Seth’s From Heaven Lake, and I received this lovely poem by the same author from a friend who’s far, far away in another continent right now.
All You who Sleep Tonight
All you who sleep tonight
Far from the ones you love,
No hand to left or right
And emptiness above -
Know that you aren’t alone
The whole world shares your tears,
Some for two nights or one,
And some for all their years.
(*photograph of two sleeping children taken at Gandhinagar market).
When I was about 12–13, my school uniform was a shirt like this, and I would often wear it with a checked lungi, just like this.
I remember that when I got my first kid-lungi, I felt all grown up.
This picture also reminds me of my brother.
Posted by Kingsley Joseph | September 8, 2006, 10:35 amGreat pic.
Posted by Venky Krishnamoorthy | September 8, 2006, 10:42 pmI myself read the same poem last evening. But now that I read it here accompanied by the picture, I seem to understand those lines a little better.
Posted by pranabk | September 10, 2006, 3:46 pmPerfect moment captured for the perfect poem
Posted by Rebus | September 11, 2006, 9:35 amAh, Nice!
Isn’t he magical?
I love the “The Style of Loving” poem too!
Great picture, BOra!
rEEna
Posted by rEEna | September 14, 2006, 11:51 amI am an IT professional working in US for the last 10 years and came to know about you thru your blogs. Most of your postings are quite interesting. I happened to come across some of the greatest photographs in your blog which are real visual treats. You are undoubtedly one of a very few who is gifted with extraordinary creativity expressed thru your articles and photographs. Many of us wish we are as good as you are in terms of time management to do enough number of things that we love to do.
This photo and the poem renewed my interest in writing to you to ask for the 2 favors, leveraging the wide readership your blog enjoys.
Favor # 1: I will be glad if you can write about a charity such as Udavum Karangal (Helping Hands) http://www.udavumkarangal.org engaged in helping less fortunate children and adults to make it . This I am sure with your writing magic will help motivate many of your readers to do more do help similar causes, in whatever way that suits them.
Favor # 2: Popularize the concept of payroll giving for charitable causes.
Payroll giving campaigns such as United Way Campaigns are quite popular and extremely effective in US for raising contributions for great causes from employees on a recurring basis.
Even if 10 % of employees elect to participate in a 2000 employee organization and are willing to set aside a couple of hundred rupees per month (less than cost of dinner for 2 in a good restaurant) for a good cause to a charity of their choice, the potential annual contributions can be 1/10 times 2000 times 200 times 12 = 4.8 laces INR. With some matching employer contribution it can be even more.
Being a very successful and quite compassionate person you are, I thought would definitely consider popularizing this idea. You are in a position to influence the lives of so many deserving, under privileged and less fortunate in society by popularizing the Payroll giving for charitable causes.
From the Organization’s standpoint, this may also prove to be a good opportunity to positively project the image of one’s organization / business to media, public, their employees and clients, as one that cares and helps the local community and actively involved in corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Feel free to edit the comments as appropriate
Keep up your great work!
Best Regards
Ganesh
Posted by Ganesh | October 5, 2006, 7:15 pmYour posts are amazing and you must be proud of your creativity. Well done.
Posted by Ram Krishna wagle | April 22, 2007, 4:42 pm