Kaushal Kishore

They say, “All is well. Keep quiet, mute, stand still,  

Close your eyes, bend your thoughts to their will... 

Why stir the waters? Why question the tide? 

Your voice changes nothing, only storms abide...”

Your words won’t matte only storms abide.”

.

They plead for peace by sealing every tongue,  

While all my hopes are chained and left unsung...  

Though wrongs grow bolder in the dark, unseen,  

And freedom withers where fear reigns supreme...

.

But I won’t join the meek and shrinking crowd,  

Whose fear is silence, whose gaze stays bowed...  

I’ll speak the truth, though tremors take my speech,  

For truth needs not a shout, a whisper can reach...

.

And deep within that throng are souls untold,  

Brave seeds asleep beneath the winter’s cold...  

Give them a chance, a purpose, or a spark,  

They’ll split the granite, rising from the dark...

.

For history has shown the truth made clear:  

All change was forged by will, not might or fear...  

No shackle ever fell through any mute stone,  

No right was won when truth stood all alone...

.

And history itself has coldly and firmly judged,  

All those who truth and justice  once smudged...

While those who stood firm, though battered and few, 

Became the bright torches that carried us through...

.

So let my voice rise, though faint it may seem,  

For mighty oceans begin as one small stream...  

When one heart dares, then others will draw nigh,  

And joined as one, their call can shake the sky...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

नभ छूने को पंखों की, क्यों आस लगाए कोई,

दृढ़ कदमों से चल जब, वही ऊँचाई पाए कोई?

जो धरती पर एक उद्देश्य लिए बढ़ते हैं लगातार,

वे भी कर लेते हैं अपने सारे सपनों को साकार... 

🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽🪽

Why search for wings to touch the sky above, 

When steady feet can climb with strength and love? 

Those who walk the earth with purpose in their schemes, 

Can also rise just as high and fulfill their dreams...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

An elderly gentleman called the hospital and asked, “Could you please tell me how the patient Ramsunder in Room No. 405 is doing?”

The nurse checked the records and replied cheerfully, “Mr. Ramsunder is doing very well. He had his first solid meal today, his blood pressure is stable, and although his glucose levels still need some attention, if he continues to improve, he may be discharged in a couple of days.”

“Thank God!” exclaimed the man. “That's wonderful news!”

The nurse smiled and asked, “You must be a family member or a close friend?”

“Neither,” came the reply. “I am Ramsunder myself! Nobody tells me anything around here, so I thought I'd call and find out!”

It is often said that doctors and nurses are reluctant to share alarming details with elderly patients. Yet many patients, armed with curiosity, imagination, and sometimes Google and AI, bombard medical staff with questions ranging from sensible to spectacularly absurd. The responses, whether born of exhaustion, wit, or self-preservation, can be priceless. Here are some of them:

1.

Patient: Why is heart surgery called a "bypass"?

Surgeon: Because if it goes well, it's a "PASS." Otherwise... "BYE."

2.

Just before an operation, a surgeon utters:

Surgeon: Don't worry, Pandey, it's a very minor operation.

Patient: Thank you, Doctor, but my name isn't Pandey.

Surgeon: I know. Pandey is my name.

3.

Patient: Doctor, why do we call it an "operating theatre"?

Surgeon: Because when we're done, there's either applause or tragedy. Patient: Ah, that's why you wear a mask, so nobody recognises you if it goes wrong!

4.

Patient: Doctor, will I be able to play the violin after surgery?

Doctor: Absolutely.

Patient: Wonderful! I've never been able to play it before.

5.

Patient: Doctor, I keep seeing spots before my eyes.

Doctor: Didn't the new glasses help?

Patient: They did. Now I can see the spots much more clearly.

6.

Patient: How much will this appendix removal cost?

Surgeon: ₹5,00,000.

Patient: ₹5,00,000 for twenty minutes of work?!

Surgeon: I can do it slower if you'd prefer.

7.

Patient: Doctor, I read on Google that this surgery is risky.

Surgeon: That's why I don't Google how to fly a plane before takeoff.

8.

Surgeon: This is going to be a textbook operation.

Resident: Which textbook?

Surgeon: The one I'm planning to write afterward.

9.

Patient: Will the scar show, Doctor?  

Surgeon: That’s up to your tailor, not me.

😂😂😂

Medicine may be a serious profession, but humour has always been one of its most effective painkillers. A witty remark can ease anxiety, lighten a tense atmosphere, and remind us that behind every white coat is a human being trying to keep both patients and spirits alive. After all, laughter may not appear on a prescription pad, but it often works wonders alongside the medicine.

😂😂😂

---Kaushal Kishore 

दीमक सेना अंदर ही अंदर करती रही प्रहार,

लकड़ी समझी बज रहा प्रेमिल मधुर सितार...

उनकी धीमी फुसफुसाहट लगी स्नेहिल तान, 

जान न पाई कि उसमें छुपा था मृत्यु का गान...

🪵 🪵 🪵 🪵 🪵 🪵 

The termites feasted deep beneath its skin,

While wood mistook destruction for a hymn...

Their whispered notes seemed soft, and warm,

Not knowing death disguised itself as charm...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

We all know about Rani Lakshmi Bai (1828–1858), the Queen of Jhansi, a legendary leader and one of the most prominent figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Celebrated as a national heroine, she became a powerful symbol of courage and resistance against British colonial rule.

But today, I would like to talk about a queen whom many may not know; a remarkable woman who waged war against the East India Company nearly 85 years before Rani Lakshmi Bai and emerged victorious.

She was Rani Velu Nachiyar (1730–1796) of the Sivaganga kingdom, the first Indian queen to fight the East India Company. Revered as Veeramangai (the Brave Woman), she reclaimed her kingdom in 1780 through strategic alliances, military acumen, and extraordinary courage.

Born on 3 January 1730 to King Chellamuthu Vijayaragunatha Sethupathy and Rani Sakandhi Muthathal of the Ramnad kingdom, Velu Nachiyar was their only child. Having no brothers, she was raised like a prince and received extensive training in warfare. She became highly skilled in horse riding, archery, Silambam (stick fighting), and Valari (a boomerang-like weapon). She was also a gifted polyglot, fluent in several languages, including Tamil, English, French, and Urdu.

At the age of sixteen, she was married to Muthu Vaduganatha Periya Vudaya Thevar, the King of Sivaganga. In 1772, British forces, allied with the Nawab of Arcot, attacked Sivaganga. Her husband was killed in the battle of Kalaiyar Kovil, forcing Velu Nachiyar to flee with her daughter, Vellacci. She spent the next eight years in exile under the protection of Palayakkarar Gopala Nayaker at Virupachi near Dindigul.

During this period, she meticulously planned her return. Leveraging her diplomatic and linguistic abilities, and with the support of the Marudhu Brothers (Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu), her trusted generals and administrators, she forged an alliance with Hyder Ali of Mysore, who provided troops, cavalry, and artillery.

At the same time, she raised an extraordinary all-women army. It was not composed of royal warriors or professionally trained soldiers, but of widows, mothers who had lost their sons, and other women whose lives had been scarred by conflict. More than a thousand strong, this force became a testament to resilience and collective determination.

In 1780, Velu Nachiyar marched on Sivaganga with her allied forces. Yet a major obstacle stood in her path: the British had concealed their entire ammunition stockpile within a fortified temple complex. Destroying it was crucial to victory. At this critical moment, her loyal commander, Kuyili, stepped forward. 

On Vijayadashami, when the heavily guarded fort was opened to local women, Kuyili infiltrated the stronghold with fellow fighters. Having drenched herself in oil and ghee, she set herself ablaze and leapt into the British ammunition depot, triggering a massive explosion that destroyed the enemy's arsenal. Her act is widely regarded as one of the earliest recorded suicide missions in resistance history.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Velu Nachiyar and the Marudhu Brothers launched a coordinated assault from all sides. The British forces were routed, and Sivaganga was successfully reclaimed. Velu Nachiyar ruled for another decade before entrusting the administration to her daughter and the Marudhu Brothers. She passed away peacefully on 25 December 1796 at the age of sixty-six.

The story of Rani Velu Nachiyar deserves far greater recognition in India's historical narrative. Long before the names of later freedom fighters echoed across the nation, she demonstrated that courage, leadership, and an unyielding love for one's homeland could overcome even the mightiest of adversaries. Her life reminds us that history is filled with unsung heroes whose sacrifices paved the way for future generations.

Remembering Velu Nachiyar is not merely an act of paying tribute to a forgotten queen; it is a celebration of the indomitable spirit of resistance that has always been a part of India's soul.

---Kaushal Kishore 

नभ के तारे यूँ ही सारी रात नहीं झिलमिलाते,

रजत-सी उनकी चमक प्रेमगीत बन गुनगुनाते...

ऊपर बैठे चाँद को अपनी ओर रिझाते रहते हैं,

नभ की शाश्वत प्रेरणा, जिससे प्रेम वे करते हैं...

✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ 

Stars do not twinkle through the night in vain,

Their silver shimmer is like a lover's refrain...

They gleam to captivate the moon above,

The sky's timeless muse, their only love...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

I have returned today 

to my ancestral home.

And without meaning to, 

my eyes start searching 

for my father's eyes,

those familiar eyes 

that once looked at the world 

from above the folded edge 

of a newspaper, 

while he sat quietly in his chair, 

or reclining in silent thought...

.

He was never a man of many words.

He neither scolded 

nor raised a hand.

Yet his presence alone was enough 

to keep the household in order.

Some people lead with commands; 

he led with quietness...

.

Years have passed. 

Decades, in fact.

Yet the fragrance of his affection 

still lingers in these rooms, 

as though time itself 

has refused to carry it away...

.

Sometimes I feel 

he is still sitting there, 

turning the pages of his newspaper,

pausing for a moment to ask,

"Why have you come after so long?

Don't you miss home?"

And I remain silent.

Just as I did when I was a child.

For I never really learned 

how to answer my father...

.

I walk through the house.

Room after room.

And everywhere, 

I feel the shadow of his gaze.

Twelve years of living with him 

was not a long time.

Yet those years 

were enough to teach me 

the tenderness of a father’s love. 

Not through speeches.

Not through embraces.

But through attention.

The kind of attention 

that noticed everything.

Who needed new shoes.

Whose socks had worn thin.

Who required books, notebooks, 

or a school bag...

.

Love, in his hands, 

was never a declaration.

It was care, quietly performed.

He would inspect our school bags, 

turn the pages of our diaries, 

examine homework and classwork 

with the seriousness of a scholar.

Every day, each of us had to write 

a page in Hindi and a page in English.

Back then, it felt like discipline.

Today, it feels like love.

The neat handwriting 

we take pride in even now 

bears his unseen signature...

.

As I wander through the house, 

an unexpected peace 

settles over me.

It feels as though his blessings 

have entered each pore of my being.

As though somewhere beyond sight, 

he still watches, still protects, 

still cares...

.

In every doorway, I find a memory.

In every corner, a trace of him.

People say that no house 

truly belongs to anyone.

That walls remain 

while people come and go.

Perhaps that is true.

But this house refuses 

to be merely a house.

It's my father's presence given shape, 

a living repository of his love.

His values in brick and mortar.

His love resting quietly 

between these walls...

.

Perhaps that is why my mother 

never left it until her final breath.

Because she knew, as I know now,

that some people never really leave.

Their voices fade, 

their footsteps disappear, 

their chairs remain empty;

yet they continue to live 

in the spaces they loved, 

and also in the hearts 

they helped create...

.

And so today, 

I have not simply returned 

once more to an old house.

I have returned to a part of my soul,

where my father still lives:

in silence, 

in memory, 

in blessing, 

and in love...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

पंख तो चिड़िया को देते हैं सुंदरता और उड़ान,

पर मनुष्य के सिर चढ़ते ही जगाते झूठी शान...

अहंकार और सत्ता से जन्मता अंधा अभिमान,

और उनके संग चले आते हैं विनाश के सामान... 

💸 💸 💸 💸 💸 💸 

Wings crown a bird with beauty and with flight,

But on human heads they kindle pride's delight...

From vanity and power, dark ambitions stride,

And destruction soon comes walking by their side...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

Last night, as I was about to sleep, my wife suddenly said, “Could you please check whether the gas switch is turned off? I have a feeling I may have forgotten to switch it off after using the stove.” I went to the kitchen and discovered that her suspicion was correct, the gas switch was not turned off. While I was there, I also noticed that a water tap had been left slightly open, allowing a steady drip of water to escape.

This is neither unusual nor necessarily a sign of forgetfulness or declining mental ability. It often happens when our body performs a task while our mind is occupied elsewhere. At times, we carry out routine activities so mechanically that we scarcely register them consciously. Tasks such as cycling, typing, or brushing our teeth gradually become automatic. 

The issue, therefore, is not that we forget; rather, the memory of the action was not properly recorded in the first place. In such situations, there is no harm in going back to check.

I once had a senior officer who would repeatedly inspect his cupboard before leaving the office to ensure that he had locked it properly. He was fully aware of this habit and never tried to hide it. He preferred a moment of embarrassment to lingering uncertainty. His simple philosophy was, “सावधानी हटी, दुर्घटना घटी (Lack of caution leads to accidents).”

Some of my colleagues interpreted such behavior as a sign of insecurity. I disagree. If a doubt arises and you return once to verify whether a lock is secured or a switch is turned off, and then feel reassured, that is perfectly normal human behavior. More often than not, it is merely the result of distraction. With a little mindfulness and awareness, such lapses can be significantly reduced.

There are, however, circumstances in which these tendencies may indicate something more serious. Frequently misplacing glasses, keys, or walking sticks, repeating the same task unnecessarily, remaining perpetually dissatisfied with completed work, or experiencing excessive anxiety may sometimes be associated with conditions such as dementia or OCD. These conditions are not uncommon, particularly in later years of life, though my purpose here is not to discuss geriatric or clinical issues.

The underlying lesson is simple: when we are not fully present in the moment, our experiences are not properly encoded in memory. This absence of mental presence gives rise to doubt, confusion, and needless worry. Life, therefore, should be lived with attentiveness rather than haste.

As for forgetting, perhaps there are some things we ought to forget deliberately. Every day we carry small hurts, disappointments, and grievances that serve no useful purpose except to burden the heart. Memory is precious, but not every memory deserves permanent residence within us. The pleasant moments, the kindness we receive, the affection we share, and the lessons that help us grow are the memories worth preserving. They nourish the spirit and keep the heart alive.

Perhaps the highest form of wisdom lies in learning what to remember and what to let go. A healthy mind is not one that remembers everything, but one that treasures what enriches life and gently releases what diminishes it. Complete amnesia may be undesirable, but a measure of selective forgetting can be a blessing, allowing us to move forward with greater peace, gratitude, and joy.

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

कोई तोड़ भी देता है यदि, विश्वास तुम्हारा कभी, 

मत संजोना अपने मन में, संशय की लहर सभी... 

किसी विश्वास का उत्तर, अविश्वास से जो देते हैं, 

अविश्वास के सतत चक्र को, वे और बढ़ा लेते हैं...

⛓️ ⛓️ ⛓️ ⛓️ ⛓️ ⛓️ 

If one breaks the trust you held so dear, 

Let not your heart repay with doubt or fear... 

For trust with distrust answered in disgust, 

Keeps perpetuating the endless fall of trust...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

When first we met at Hanging Gardens’ shade,  

A timid silence between us softly stayed...  

We stood and gazed, not knowing where to start,  

Till words, like cautious steps, found pace in heart...  

.

I spoke, she heard. She spoke, I gave my ear.  

We traded voices, slow, sincere, and clear...

Yet afterward, I weighed each word we'd said,

And felt some thoughts still lingered in my head...

.

Some words of mine never crossed the tongue,

Some words of hers faded before they were sung...

I wondered if her heart had felt the same,  

Those silent gaps, yet restless as a flame...

.

Those gaps pursued me, clouded every thought,

As though some hidden meaning stayed unsought...

The doubt stayed till we met beneath those trees,  

Where once again the gardens held the breeze... 

.

That day I shared the doubts I'd held inside,

She smiled and spoke, with starlight in her eyes:

"Some gaps aren’t meant to close or be made whole,  

They’re gifts from fate that tutor heart and soul... 

.

For if each road were smooth and free of bend,

What joy would there be in the journey’s end?

A life stretched flat from first breath to last day,

Would lose its wonder somewhere on the way...”

.

The years have passed like waters to the sea,

Yet those few words still echo deep in me...

I've come to see that gaps are not life's scars,

But bridges cast between ourselves and stars...

.

Some yield to toil and patience day by day,

Some through the souls who walk beside our way...

Some yield at last to fate’s mysterious art,

And still some remain forever set apart...

.

The Hanging Gardens on the hillside rise,

In layered grace beneath the changing skies...

Like our wishes hanging gently in the mind,

Neither fully lost of sight nor wholly defined...

.

It’s sweet awhile to linger, watch them sway,  

And dream upon the promise of a coming day...

Yet dreams find form when feet embrace the ground,

When hope and deed and purpose all are bound...

.

And life, thank God, provides that field to build.

Perhaps herein lies love’s most precious guild:

Do not lament the gaps that still remain,

They urge us on through wonder, loss, and gain...

.

If every space were filled, hope could not bloom,

Nor pathways open past the present room...

The gaps we bear are not creation’s mistake,

They are life’s invite to love, to live, to wake...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

आँखों में आँसू ठहरे हैं, न झरते हैं न सूखते,

मौन किनारे बैठे जैसे, रहते डरते नहीं बहते...

लगता है कोई आँधी, पास ही डेरा डाली है,

या कोई प्रलय-सी बाढ़ बस उमड़ने वाली है...

💧 💧 💧 💧 💧 💧 

The eyes brim with tears that neither break nor go, 

Suspended in silence, too timid for the flow...

It feels as if a tempest crouches very near, 

Or a mighty flood awaits its moment to appear...

.

They say, “You live but once,” with sure, brief tongue,  

Yet life leans close and sings a deeper song...  

We do not live just once beneath the sun,  

We live through many lives before we’re done...

.

For even now, the soul slips off its outer skin,  

And steps, unclasped, to let new selves begin...  

Like robes exchanged when autumn turns to frost,  

We leave behind the selves we once held close...  

.

Each thought a seed, each action softly sown,

Whose future harvest waits to be made known...

The child steps back as youth begins to rise,

Then age arrives with more wisdom in its eyes...  

.

A lover grows to spouse, then parent wise,

A worker rests when evening paints the skies...

With every turn upon life’s circling wheel,

One self departs, another learns to feel...

.

New friends, new hopes, new paths we embrace,

And scarcely know our former self’s old face...

“I changed,” we say, “when joy or grief was born.”  

“Retirement made me new,” we say at morn...  

.

And deeper still, a twinkling truth appears,

Each noble thought transcends the passing years...

Each deed refined by wisdom’s gentle light,

Gives birth to higher selves in upward flight...

.

When yesterday’s confinement we outgrow,

When love replaces bitterness and woe...

When growth is chosen over habit’s chain,

A new life blossoms within the heart again...

.

So fear not when old versions fade from sight,

They yield their place to newer forms of light...

Let your wrinkles tell the stories of your road,

While spirit broadens toward its bright abode...

.

For life’s true purpose is not years amassed,

But growth through joys and tears that have passed...

To shed the old, embrace what is yet-to-be,

And meet each role with grace and humility...

.

True rebirth waits not only past death’s door,

But it lives in every chance to become more:

To leave a little, yet rise a little higher still,

And greet each dawn with wonder and with will...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

मेरी है बस एक ही चाहत, सच्ची और प्यारी,

पूरी हों तुम्हारी हर इच्छा, हर चाहत तुम्हारी...

अपने सपने की राह में तुम आगे बढ़ते जाओ,

पर उसके किसी कोने में मुझको भी बसाओ...

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

I have but one wish, simple and true,

That all you desire may come to you...

And deep within that dream you pursue, 

May there be a little place for me too...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

My house now stands neat and still,

Each room arranged with quiet skill... 

No toys lie strewn across the floor, 

No energetic feet race door to door...

.

No playful battles to shake the air, 

No secret treasures hidden there... 

The silence lingers, a truth I trace, 

My boys' absence leaves a space...

.

I miss the clutter, the cheerful noise,

The wildfire hearts of cheeky boys...

Though each part’s swept and clean,  

My heart holds echoes, felt unseen...

.

For all is now so tidy, calm, and fair, 

Yet something precious is not there...

I’d trade this perfect, polished poise,  

For one more day of my unruly boys...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

मैंने बस करवट बदली थी, 

पल भर के लिए एक बार,

नींद की कोमल छांव तले; 

मौका मिल गया उसे 

मुस्कुरा के रुखसत होने का 

मेरे मधुर सपने से...

 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 😴 

I merely turned over in my sleep 

once for a fleeting while;

and she seized that moment 

to take her leave,

from my sweet dream 

with a smile...

.

---Kaushal Kishore 

A name that shines through time's page,

With her wisdom deep and spirit sage...

A queen whose soul endured the pain,  

Yet soared beyond both loss and strain...

.

Betrothed in youth, as custom bade,  

She met life’s stormy trials unafraid...  

When her hubby fell in battle's flame,

Grief arrived before fortune and fame...

.

Her only son too left early this sphere,  

Turning mirth and laughter into tears...  

Yet fate had scripted a grander role,  

For fearless fire dwelt  within her soul...

.

Trained in statecraft, calm yet strong,

She claimed the crown where she belonged...  

Thus dawned an era both just and fair,

Malwa's golden age beyond compare...

.

Her kingdom flourished under her gaze,

With wealth and peace through sunlit days...  

Fields grew green, trade routes thrived,

Justice prevailed and hope survived...

.

Artisans, tillers, traders alike could see,

The touch of her wisdom and humanity...

A guardian of faith and culture's light,

She restored what was lost from sight...

.

Grand temples, ghats, and wells remain,  

Her devotion carved in stone and grain...  

Spread across the land her noble deeds,

Became the answer to countless needs...

.

A warrior brave, and an archer skilled,

With power and mercy equally filled...

A ruler whose glory was never worn,

But grew brighter with every new dawn...

.

As Lokmata, Rajmata, Ma Ahilya hailed,  

She held the love of all that never failed...  

Centuries pass, yet her virtues stay,

Guiding hearts and lighting the way...

.

She taught the world that power is best,

When ruled with love and selfless quest...

For queens may reign a fleeting while,  

But souls like Ahilyabai forever beguile...

.

With folded hands and deepest respect, I offer my floral tribute to Punyashlok Rani Ahilyabai Holkar on her 301st birth anniversary!

🙏💐🙏💐🙏

---Kaushal Kishore