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Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu (Shravan 1423) Sankhya- July-august 2016
Shubho BIjoya
A little gift for you on Bijoya Dashami.
The first Issue of Agnijaat,
feel free to download it and read it, don’t forget to tell
me if you liked it or not.
2 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Contents
S. No. Title Category P. No.
1 Content Index Index 1,2
2 Agnijaat Digital painting 3
3 A few words welcome 4
4 Let the journey begin Digital painting 5
5 Fill my darkness with your light Digital painting 6
6 Vedas the story Cultural India 7
7 Open your eyes and see Digital painting 10
8 Famous men and their women Womanhood in India 11
9 As you wish Digital painting 13
10 Privacy @ in my private world Tech babble 14
11 Well done! Digital painting 16
12 Farmers of India Social India 17
13 Storks in evening sky Photograph 19
14 Nature @ Kolkata in Shravana nature 20
15 When it is not raining Photograph 21
16 Don’t trust that one Survival tips 22
17 Indian Subcontinent Historical India 24
18 Radha Krishna Digital painting 25
19 STORY TIME Digital painting 26
20 Apple tree New story 27
21 Monsoon rain in Kolkata photograph 28
22 Dawn Guard Tower Story from book 29
23 Oh rain! Photograph 31
24 Don’t look back Story from book 32
25 Pouring rain Photograph 34
26 Isle La femme Story from book 35
27 Portulaca in rain Photograph 37
28 Little kindness Story from book 38
29 Black palm tree in rain photograph 40
30 Payback Story from book 41
31 Crane photograph 43
32 Scarecrow Story from book 44
33 Portulaca bud in rain photograph 47
34 Secret lover Story from book 48
3 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
35 The prisoner of sandcastle Book details 49
36 Verses Digital painting 51
37 Power hungry Digital painting 52
38 Power hungry poetry 53
39 Fight alone Digital painting 54
40 Fight alone poetry 55
41 reflection Digital painting 56
42 reflection poetry 57
43 Galactic gypsy Digital painting 58
44 Galactic gypsy poetry 59
45 Green fairies Digital painting 60
46 Green fairies poetry 61
47 poetry Digital painting 62
48 poetry poetry 63
49 If only Digital painting 64
50 If only poetry 65
51 Agnishatdal Digital painting 66
52 Agnishatdal intro and contributors Bios 67
53 Fir milenge Digital painting 68
54 parting words Thoughts 69
55 Thank You Acknowledgements 70
56 Agnijaat Digital painting 71
4 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
5 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
A few words from the creator
Miss Sharmishtha Basu
Agni-Fire-though people very often think about its destructive
power when they think of it but fire not only burns or destroys it
gives light and warmth too.
If properly used it places food on our table, gives us warmth in
winter and light in darkness.
When we venture too close it first singers, then burns and finally if
we are too obstinate to understand its signs it reduces us to ash.
A little like knowledge, wisdom, truth and many other virtues- they
demand respect, understanding. Give them that and you will be
blessed, play with them and they will either become darkness or
destroy you.
Agnijaat is a journey to all these and more, making myself a better
person through my works and leaving my experience for you to
contemplate upon, if I am blessed then follow one or two.
6 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Let the journey begin
7 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Fill my darkness with your light
8 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Vedas The story
Well, anyone who has heard of Hinduism has heard of Vedas, the
four holy scriptures that content the soul of Hinduism. But, did you
knew that Vedas were not written down initially, they were
conveyed from generation to generation by hearing and
remembering? Wow!!! I can’t remember Gayatri Mantra properly all
the time!
The Vedas were written somewhere around 1500-1000 BCE,
Hindus believe that Vedas (origin word Vid or knowledge) were
preached by Brahma, the creator God himself by his four mouths at
a time, the face facing east preached Rigveda, that was received by
Sage Vashishtha. The face facing west preached Samveda, received
by Sage Gautam, the face facing north preached Atharva Veda,
received by Rishi Shaunak and the face facing south preached
Yajurveda received by Sage Yagnyavalkya.
The amazing part of Ved or Vedas is though they have been around
from 1500 BCE and Hinduism has been through all sorts of
changes ever since but that has not affected its revere status an
ounce. Even now, Vedas are the highest religious scriptures for all
Hindus and many Hindu rituals still follow Vedic instructions, like
the ones performed during birth, death, marriage.
Every Veda is again distributed into four parts- Sanhita, Brahman,
Aranyak and Upanishad.
9 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Samhitas are verses, Rigveda has 1028 sootras, these are mantras
and praises of divine beings. Sam, Yajur and Atharva Vedas have
borrowed their Samhitas from Rigveda mostly. You can guess that
Rigveda is the first Veda, the oldest. The Samhitas Sootras of
Samveda were sung during Yagnyas. Yajurveda Samhita contained
the mantras for Yagnyas, the Samhita of Atharva Veda contains a
lot of mysterious mantras and skills other than the usual ones.
The Brahman is prose, it mostly contains the ways of performing
the yagnyas and other necessary suggestions, tips for the priests.
Aranyak and Upanishad are philosophy section of Vedas.
Aranyak handles the Vanprastha Ashram- in ancient India men and
women used to handover the charges of their family to their sons
and leave their home, to spend the rest of their lives worshipping
God, this was called Vanprastha.
Upanishads contain thorough discussions about different things
and often walks a few steps away from Vedic system. It discusses
about Karma, Maya, Mukti (salvation), mortal, celestial and such
topics.
Apart from Vedas Vedanga is also an intricate part of Veda,
Vedanga has six parts-
10 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Shiksha- the part that teaches the right spelling and pronunciation
plus way of chanting Vedas.
Chhanda- it discusses the style of Veda proses.
Byakaran, Nirukta-These two discuss the words used in Vedas.
Jyotish, Kalpa- these discuss the dictums of Vedic religion and the
astrological part.
Among the parts of Vedanga Kalpa is the one worth mentioning
first- it provides the infrastructure of Vedic family- from birth to
death the duties of Hindus and how to achieve them, the detailed
religious “to do” things in gist- on every aspect of human life.
Panikar said about it “It is this body of domestic ritual which makes
a Hindu.” These writings have been written over different periods
but they show a deep thinking process of very learned sages and an
attempt of building a society on strong infrastructure, maybe that is
why Hinduism is the oldest religion of the world that is still thriving
merrily.
Vedic Sahitya, literature was the basis of Indian literature.
11 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Open your eyes and see
12 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Famous men and their Women
Ever wondered how tough it is to be “that woman” who is “behind
every successful man”? Ha! Almost all successful men have a
woman who has been in the background, silent contributor to every
step of his success, some were obscure, who made a home for him
as a mother or wife. Others for some reason were thrown into
limelight.
Say for example Sita, her marital life started normally, a princess
married a prince and started living in a palace blah blah blah, but…
then fate took its turn and they landed in forest. Thereafter her
misery, plight became the foundation of Ramchandra becoming Sri
Ramchandra, she finally could no longer take the humiliation and
pain mostly caused by him and left earth. Though it is said that the
Goddess earth opened up for her took her away,
Then comes Draupadi, a princess, whose hand in marriage was won
by one of the Pandavas, Arjuna but to obey their mother’s command
she had to become wife of all five brothers. Now, having five mighty
warriors could not save her from humiliation in the hands of her
own brother in laws! Boy! That was one seriously disturbed family!
They humiliated her in open court, where her father in law’s brother
was sitting! The main culprit was Yudhisthir’s blind obsession to
gambling, he just did not knew when to quit! Boy! It sure makes
you wonder what actually went inside the heart of these two
women, who were princesses and habituated to respect! Draupadi’s
humiliation was one of the main reasons behind the epic battle of
13 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Mahabharata, which gave images of Pandavas a super hike as great
heroes, but Draupadi stayed the cursed one, her five sons from five
mighty warriors were slain.
There are so many examples of these women who have been
sacrificed on the altar of glorification of their husbands, or we
should justly say that their sacrifice has been the foundation of
their husband’s glorification! Harishchandra sold his wife Shaibya
and kid, a queen and prince to keep his promise. They went
through hell. He became synonymous to truth and commitment.
One truly feels happy that women are no longer owned by men,
don’t they?
But even now, once in a while these ghastly news items pop up
where husbands pimp off their wives to clear their debts in oh yes,
gambling!
14 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
AS YOU WISH…
15 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Privacy @ in my private world
We truly are living in a very seriously disturbed world these days,
created by some deranged mind and often funded by governments
using our own tax money to spy on us!
Now, I have often confided into my close friends and clearly told my
readers about how confident I am that my calls, smses, even emails
were once intercepted before they reached me, and after those five
years I am no longer sure that they reach me directly, I guess .
It all started after I met a specter from my past in somewhere
around 2007. This specter is quite a chameleon, she has various
identities in various towns and separate families in every town too, I
have come across two sets, so maybe now some more has been
added.
Now, when I look back I can clearly see that this office, and the
office I joined after it- both were connected without an inkling of
doubt- and so was the creepy landlord I was staying with back at
that time.
These three sets of ghouls most probably cyber-napped my actual
life, and used it against me. I first started to suspect when all my
friends started using same language of communication, same ways,
mannerisms, emails that I subscribed for did not showed up, emails
seemed tampered, so did smses.
Then I got some clear hints from one of the human beings in my ex
abode, that someone indeed was controlling my phone calls and
smses. But by then I was heckled to go indoors by some mysterious
bastards and accidents that stalked me whenever, wherever I went.
16 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
After a while I started to suspect my phone that it gave up my
location, and you will be quite intrigued to know that when I was in
Hyderabad it was partly proved to, during the first few months I
went out and always left my phones in home because that was the
only house where I had locked cabinets, so I could leave my phones
at home without being stalked through them.
Then for unavoidable reasons I had to carry them and voila! The
stalking started instantly, everywhere I went and passed more than
fifteen minutes my stalker announced its presence. How that creep
was cheeky enough to use my once used ringtone, which I stopped
using when I heard that someone in my landlord’s house was using
that ringtone, right after I started using it, but that ringtone
followed me from Kolkata to Hyderabad and back to this housing. A
woman (the only one) sitting opposite me used the same ringtone
when I returned from Hyderabad on 31.10.15, basically these
bastards want me to know that they are stalking me.
After much study I have learned one thing, that in today’s world our
phones can be used to screw up our lives real bad, all you will need
is a tech savvy depraved at your heel, forget about my case, I had at
least a dozen of them.
Come on we live in a society formed by creatures who think it is
“ethical” to read someone’s private mails, smses, overhear his/her
conversations, watch him/her via hidden webcameras! What else do
you expect? Privacy in your home? Bah! Come again?
17 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Well done!
18 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Farmers of India
Half a century or so earlier one of the Indian Prime Ministers, Lal
Bahadur Shastri uttered a legendary slogan, “Jay jawan jay kisan.”
That is “Salutes to the army men and the farmers!” honestly
speaking, both categories are quite abused in India, the army is
spared a bit by their own infrastructure like cheap canteen etc.
which makes up for the meager amount of money they get as
salary, then I have heard that those who guard the border live in
hell, they are left in drastic natural condition on the mercy of
nature, that is without much heating arrangement in ice or cooling
arrangement in desert.
The farmers deprived of that infrastructure live in hell, bang in the
middle of the country, without any outside threat! There are so
many excuses given by the governments why they commit suicide
by dozens every year, but are those problems solved? Does the
government earnestly tries? Answer to both is no. Is it possible to
solve majority of the problems that cause these people commit
suicide? The answer is yes. Only if… only if the government
earnestly tried!
The reasons I read in my economics books up-to graduation level
were more or less these-
1. Nature’s whimsical ways- that is something which is inevitable
in nature, right? She will do whatever she wants to do, but if a
farmer has enough to suffer one or two years of absolute
rotten weather then he may pull through! All he will need is
food and other necessary things for his family. Now, when the
19 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
weather is favorable, if his crop is sold at a fair price he will
certainly be able to save for rainy days!
2. Loan Sharks- this is one thing the governments can solve with
a snap of finger, so no excuses are acceptable on this ground
from authorities, these sharks loan money to farmers and then
squeeze out their last drop of blood, well, the governments
should control them! This is something they can do period.
3. Small pieces of lands, too small to be precise, maybe they
should be taught to grow something that will give them
enough return at least enough to feed their own families, that
will do I guess...
4. Illiteracy- how about governments giving some money to the
children of farmers who after completing graduation or better,
higher studies, decide to help their fathers/neighbors with
agriculture instead of wasting time in job queues or working
for peanuts in cities? Just because they have wasted too much
money on education and can’t go back to village without a job?
That may not only improve the condition in villages but solve
the unemployment problem a wee bit too!
5. The middlemen who swallow the crop and spit out pits for the
farmers! This is another big problem like loansharks that is
destroying the farmers of India, these people sweet-talk or
wrangle the crops away from the farmers, sell them at
fantastic price and then usurp the profit, the farmer gets a
meager amount of money.
Now say, had the farmers been a bit affluent, and the roads
from villages to cities were actual roads, then after a little
training from government authorities a group of farmers might
have rented a small building and sold their products there,
directly to the customers, how fantastic it would have been for
both parties? I think amazing! Buying fresh, clean stuffs at a
good price would have been dream bargain for a customer in
India.
20 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Storks in evening sky
21 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Nature @Kolkata in Shravana
After a spell of hair-raising heat in March and April the weather is
just like West Bengal weather this year, after quite a long gap!
For last few years Kolkata summer has turned dry, instead of the
stuffy, unbearable summer it was becoming really dry, without
much sweat or rain. Well, at least for this year we have been
suffering the classic West Bengal summer, either rain, or waterfall
of sweat trickling down the body!
Monsoon in West Bengal means lot of rain, song of crickets and
Kadamba Flowers, now I can’t share the song of crickets, which is
quite heard here, they sometimes start their choir at noon, in
evening it is mandatory. Sometimes they sing so loudly that you will
think that there are thousands out there having a blast!
So, a few shots from Kolkata monsoon scattered all over this issue
will tell you Kolkata story for this month.
22 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
When it is not raining
23 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Don’t trust that one….
Skills of survival by happysoul
Skill 1 : Beware of the person who says “I will do anything for….”
Even if it’s the word “you” that fills up that blank.
That person cannot be trusted much, because if s/he means those
words then s/he will crush his/her “conscience” for “that
person/thing” no matter what it is! Different people have different
words to fill up that blank- parents, family, God, country!
Now those of us who have some values we do have some “things” we
don’t compromise with, like our ambition, our values, our families,
God, country, principles… the list will go on and on. Have not met
anyone yet who does not have at-least one word in this list. Most
have multiple. Like I too have one or two, I don’t compromise with
my own conscience, nor do I allow others to make me do it. I avoid
such persons and walk away from them if I can. If I can’t then I put
a guard against them. They do win once in a while but I utterly
detest that.
But I won’t do “everything” for my “conscience” because I know very
well that though my intentions maybe best I can be wrong, so, aay
today I do something extreme to keep my conscience clean and end
up cursing myself tomorrow for dragging things that far- that is not
a good option for me. So I do allow things, people, circumstances to
cross their limit a bit, till I assure myself that I should rather not
allow them further intrusion in my comfort zone.
24 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
I still believe in mutual respect rule for everyone, including myself.
But, in this world infested with garbage cans you may follow that
principle, others may not, actually the numbers of “may not” are
more than “may” here. There was a time when cowboys drew blood
when they met these dustbins, even though I don’t forgive these
dustbins but I don’t believe in “drawing blood” or the cheaper trick
“settling scores later”, instead of that I believe in keeping these
vermins out of my life and believing in the old saying, time settles
every score. In gist though my dignity means more to me than I will
tell you but I won’t do “everything” for it, at the maximum I may kill
you if you push me too far, but I won’t do anything that my
conscience won’t allow. So will do a lot but “Everything” no!
So I really don’t count on those people who are ready to shun their
conscience for something, no matter how beautiful that thing is,
how holy or revered.
25 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Indian Subcontinent….
Glimpses of Indian History
History is story of man in society, as per historians, and there are
many factors that decide man’s actions, by which the action of the
society in which he lives is determined. One of the important factors
is the geographical natural conditions of the country in which he
lives. So, before we indulge ourselves with the history of India let’s
talk about geography.
Indian subcontinent was once separated from the rest of the world
by mountains like Himalayas and oceans, therefore giving the
subcontinent the scope to grow its own unique civilization.
Historians argue sometimes that Indian subcontinent should be
called a continent and its states as countries like Britain or France
because each state of India has its own unique culture, often
extremely different from each other.
Indian subcontinent was not only separated from rest of the world,
inside it was again divided into three parts, which due to natural
characteristics developed unique cultures. The plateaus of middle
and southern India discouraged powerful emperors, kings of north
from invading Southern parts and Bengal for a long, long time.
That is the reason behind the very clear distinction between the
cultures of Southern and Northern India, the actual residents of
India, the Dravidians took shelter in the plateaus after being
26 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
defeated by the Aryan Invaders and slowly laid foundations to some
of the mightiest dynasties of India, Chola, Pandya etc. The culture
of Southern India thus is highly influenced by Dravidians, though
later with time and aggression Northern Indian kings started
invading and conquering Southern parts of Indian subcontinent
and blending the cultures.
India was always prosperous, and as nature stood guard to
invaders it grew a beautiful culture that preferred spiritualism over
materialism.
27 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
IT IS STORY TIME
28 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Apple tree
The chirping of birds woke her up. She was sleeping like a child, it
has been so long since she last slept so deeply! Age has robbed her
of this priceless gift too, deep slumber! Now sleep if comes comes in
fits and snatches!
“What are you so happy about in this freezing winter little fellas!”
she muttered.
A soft breeze sneaked into her room, through a small crack and
kissed her forehead, it was not freezing, it was not even cold, it was
warm like spring.
She opened the door and came out in the garden. All the trees were
blooming! Spring has conquered her garden overnight! Last night
she fell asleep listening to the soft sound of snowflakes and shrieks
of winter gale.
Now, each and every tree that gave flowers in spring summer was
filled with flowers, butterflies and bees.
Sound of horse’s hooves drew her attention to the white chariot,
pulled by white majestic horses that pulled in. A girl in white frock
opened its door, “Come mommy!”
“June!” She rushed to the little child with open arms, forgetting that
she has cremated her fifteen years ago.
Next morning a neighbor discovered her, under an apple tree,
covered with snowflakes, sleeping the final slumber. A bright smile
and joyous expression on her otherwise tired, withered face.
29 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Monsoon rain in Kolkata
30 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Dawn Guard Tower
Mridul stopped his jeep after pulling it to a side of the dusty road.
Chinmayee stepped out of the jeep. She untied the scarf she has
tied on her head like a helmet to save her hair from getting all
dusty.
“The brown powder is looking pretty on your face.” Mridul grinned.
“Ha ha… are we funny or what!” she smirked, pretending to be
annoyed was next to impossible for her, she was so cheerful by
nature.
The ocean was rolling in front of them, its turquoise blue body
rippling in white foamy waves and gently patting the shores before
rolling back again, as if tempting them to run with them into the
chest of the mighty ocean.
“What is that?” she pointed her finger at an old building that looked
like a deserted lighthouse.
“That’s dawn guard tower!” Mridul answered.
“Dawn what?” Chinmayee asked again to confirm she has heard it
right.
“There is a story that has been told from generations….. Sun fell in
love with a young woman of a village that was situated near the
ocean.”
31 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
“He used to hide his celestial power in a robe and come down to
meet her in the pre-dawn hours, after spending some time with her
he used to pick up his robes from there…” he pointed his finger at
the tower, “It was not a tower back then, it was sun temple.”
“Without that robe he was a mere mortal, and with that robe
anyone could earn his celestial powers…”
“A demon saw the deity in love and decided that he will use the
chance to steal the robe.”
“He entered the temple with the intention of stealing the robe but
the priest saw him, he died defending the robe and the demon
failed.”
“The grateful deity created that tower. They say the first rays of the
sun hit that tower every morning before touching anything else….”
32 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Oh rain!
33 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Don’t look back
A gust of wind hit her straight on face, the only place it could hit
actually remaining body was covered by a mountain of woolens. She
quickened her pace to cross the distance from bus stop to her flat.
All of a sudden she felt that someone was following her, she turned
and saw a figure walking in the same direction at a distance he or
she was not clearly visible because of the fog.
She looked around her, there was no one else visible on the street,
it was late and sane people were relaxing in their warm rooms.
She had no one else to blame but herself, she stayed late to finish
the note her coaching class tutor has given. She might have done it
tomorrow, by reaching there early, but no, she had to do it today so
she could study it during the night.
She quickened her pace more, to avoid the person who might be
following her, and turned back after a while to test, the shadow too
stopped and bent down, pretending to do something as she watched
it, the distance was same just enough to make recognition
impossible but enough to pounce on her at first chance.
“Hello Sweetie.” A voice rang real close to her and made her almost
jump, he hissed in a malicious voice.
Her limbs froze, she knew who he was, a notorious gangster of the
area, infamous for his preying on women. She realized that on one
side of the road was a small park apparently from there Kalu has
stepped out and on the other side was thirty feet high wall of a
factory.
34 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
He was reeking of country liquor and a half empty bottle was
dangling from his hand.
He reached out to grab her hand and then froze, his eyes started to
bulge out of his face, he was staring right behind her and then he
dropped there, unconscious. Whoever was behind her certainly had
some effect on that drunkard!
She was about to turn instinctively when she heard a voice, the
voice of a woman, “Don’t turn back child! Just walk towards your
home, go home. I will be following you.”
35 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Pouring rain
36 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Isle la femme
They were tired.
All the exploitation and warmongering nature of men has finally
exhausted them, pushed them to the limit. It seemed men will never
change, alter their nature. They will just wipe each other and the
rest of the world out with them.
So they decided they will create a world of their own, without men.
A group of them isolated themselves in an island in middle of
nowhere and started to worship Mother Goddess Kali; decades
passed by before the goddess was pleased and she appeared before
them.
She granted them their wish and a boon.
Thus the island was formed.
She blessed them that only women and men who respected them as
equals and shared their views of a peaceful life will be able to put
their feet in that island, to others that island will be invisible, they
will just walk through it without seeing it, feeling it.
And she blessed that if men outside their small world succeed into
killing each other they won’t be able to destroy the earth and other
inhabitants of earth, or this island.
So while the world around them squabbled and fought they lived a
peaceful life.
37 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Those pure-minded souls that could see them told about them to
others, and when greedy people tried to win that island filled with
gorgeous women they saw nothing. Only blue ocean greeted them,
his waves churning, as if laughing at them.
Thus started the stories of mermaids and sirens; gorgeous phantom
women who misguided sailors. Everyone talked about their beauty,
lusted after them but never had the chance of having one or
touching one.
Once in a while a pure-hearted soul left the remaining world behind
and joined them the stories got few extra mighty gusts of wind
behind their sail.
Their world thrived under the veil of mysterious armour.
One sad day they realized that human beings have destroyed the
rest of the human population. They stepped out of their invisible
island to make the earth habitable again. Hoping and praying their
children will follow the path of peace and sharing.
38 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Portulaca (Nine O Clock) in rain
39 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Little Kindness
It was twisting and twitching helplessly on the rocks when he first
saw it. Silver sparkles of its scales caught his attention as he was
walking cautiously on the rocky banks of the mountain river.
The river was roaring and foaming as it dived to the valley below.
He quickly reached it; it was a small fish that somehow landed on
the rocks.
He picked it up and released it in water.
He was standing in the valley below half an hour later; a little
distance away the river has formed a calm pool. The water was
absolutely still and tempting. He has discovered this spot yesterday
during trekking.
His friends were sleeping in the camp, too tired to move, as per
their repeated complains so he decided that he will utilize the time
they wasted sleeping.
He quickly changed into his shorts and slipped into the water.
The water was truly refreshing. He stayed close to the shore
because he did not know swimming.
All of a sudden he felt something tugging at his leg, it was a violent
pull and he lost balance, he saw a mysterious creature, it had tail of
a fish and torso of a man, its eyes were like fish and had claws in
its hands.
It started to drag him deeper and deeper, he tried to tear free but it
was far stronger.
40 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Suddenly he saw a shoal of fish attacking the creature. They started
to hit it from all directions, soon his leg slipped from its claws.
A pair of big fishes gently nudged him to the shore. He scampered
outside and ran as far as he could and then crashed on the ground.
“What are you doing here babu (Sir)?” a voice startled him out of his
exhaustion.
“I was trying to take a bath in that pool, something… pulled me
under!” he said, trying to gather his senses together.
“Did you enter that pool? Thank God you are alive. That pool is
cursed. It kills anyone who dares to enter its water.” The little
shepherd boy said gravely.
41 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Black palm tree in rain
42 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Payback
Binky tapped Sacky on shoulder Sacky stepped forth after a quick
exchange of glances.
There he was, a small child, barely four or five years old, playing
under the tree. Sacky approached him as Binky quickly glanced
around him. There was no one in sight. Dusk was gathering, so
they will have the whole night.
He watched as Sacky coaxed the child into the woods, he confirmed
for a while that no one is noticing them then quickly followed.They
loved small babies; their flesh was irresistible to them. Old Binky
and young Sacky moved in pair, like all members of their tribes did.
One lured the prey the other stood on guard.
The wood was dark; the big trees have blocked the feeble sunlight,
casting shadow all over the place.
“Sack! Where are you?” He called out in a low voice.
He heard a muffled cry – it came from a clump of thick bushes.
“I hope you are not cheating me!” he chuckled as he quickly covered
the distance.
43 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
He froze in his track! Sack was lying on the forest floor- dead! A
mother werewolf was teaching her boy how to eat. She lifted her
head, their eyes met and then she sprang.
“This one is all bone and skin baby but we will have to kill it too,
otherwise it will run to its tribe and warn them against us.” The
wolf growled before lunging.
44 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Crane or Stork
45 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Scarecrow
It was early dawn. The field was filled with green paddy plants
waving their heads and creating a scene of perfect peace and
tranquility.
He stood there breathing heavily. His old lungs were too feeble to
feel the sweet fragrance of young plants. The aroma of wet soil or
the sweet fragrance the air was carrying, the fragrance of champak
flowers blooming somewhere close.
There was a scarecrow in the field. An unknown bird was sitting on
one of its stick hands. It was wearing a purple tee shirt. That shirt
looked familiar.
He just could not recollect the place or how he got there. He went
near the scarecrow cautiously, the soil was loose; the farmer has
irrigated it last night it seemed. But that shirt was drawing him like
a magnet.
He peered at the shirt through his hazy vision, “Why did I left my
glasses at home!” he muttered. Then he recognized the shirt. It was
her favourite shirt.
She! Her thought dried his mouth! A deep sigh left his old lungs
and slowly stirred the shirt. He straightened his back with a little
46 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
trouble. He looked at the scarecrow with his hands on his aching
hips and grimaced a bit.
He still recollects when he first saw her. A lovely girl, a few years
older than his son; his son loved her, wanted to marry her. He fell
in love with her too and decided that she was right for him, not his
son.
He tricked his son into believing that she was in love with him. He
had convincing methods of course. He requested one of his
employees to help him and promised him a huge promotion. The
greedy man agreed and met the girl pretending to be him, just for
once and then never show his face to her.
He ensured that by promoting and transferring him to the other end
of the country.
The girl thought that she loved a young man and in reality she was
being tricked by an old vulture with his feet dangling over grave. He
fooled her for years, trying to win her heart, he sucked her youth
dry. He did not meet her but kept the love alive through smses and
mails.
Then when his son gave up on her and got married, happily settled
he decided that he will take a chance. The day the girl came to
know the truth she committed suicide.
47 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Thank God his son did not get a whiff! After all, it was not entirely
his fault! He loved her. He would have married her if she was not so
conscious about her youth and his old age.
He sighed once more and turned back to go. Something moved. A
putrid stench filled his lungs. He felt a breath on his neck, freezing
cold air brushed past his nape.
A hand fell on his shoulder; a young woman’s decaying hand. It
gripped his shoulder firmly. “I have come back to stay with you
now!” a croaking voice said in a crooning tone.
“We will be together forever!”
48 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Porulaca (nine o clock) bud
49 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Secret lover
The river danced and gurgled under his feet, singing own song, as if
in tune with his flute. The moon was glowing above.
A soft wisp of wind touched his body, autumn was arriving.
He got up and started walking towards his bungalow, a few minutes
distance from there. He loved passing some time here before retiring
for the night.
She stood there watching him, without making a single sound. She
knew if he saw her he will either die out of fright or run away from
the bungalow, she will miss his flute’s music.
During day time he came to her little grocery shop to buy things,
she has seen his eyes full of yearning but have ignored him, the
vermillion in her forehead has told him that she was married, and
being a man of principles he has stayed within his limits even after
losing his heart completely.
She waited for him to close his door and bolt it and then lifted her
head to the moon and howled.
It was time for hunt!
He checked the doors and windows again after hearing the howling.
He has never seen the wolf but better be safe than sorry!
50 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
The prisoner of Sand Castle
These stories (excluding The Apple Tree) are from the book The prisoner of
Sand Castle published in Amazon. If you like these you may enjoy the book too.
It is in amazon kindle and createspace both.
Authored by Miss Sharmishtha Basu
Edition: 1
A collection of stories to stimulate the dreamer in you. To stir up your
imagination and make them explore the possible and impossible as you pull up
the covers and snuggle in your bed with the book.
Publication Date: Dec 04 2014
ISBN/EAN13: 1505309662 / 9781505309669
Page Count: 92
Binding Type: US Trade Paper
Trim Size: 6" x 9"
Language: English
Color: Black and White
Related Categories: Fiction / Fantasy / General
https://www.createspace.com/5141895
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QK1X4AG
51 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
52 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Verses
53 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Power hungry
54 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Power hungry
So many times
a cunning shrewd man
uses human ignorance, intolerance
to rise and grab the throne,
and scatter thorn
that bleeds those who follow him
and follow him not!
They always pick up the purest robes
to defile them by their soiled souls.
The robes of love, country and God
are their favorite covers
to hide their dark beings.
If you look through that white
you will see only darkness.
Follow them and you will
be engulfed by their darkness.
55 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Fight Alone
56 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Fight alone
All that spite and hatred,
that you have for others,
not for some justified reason
but for weird reasoning of your own.
Based on their skin colour or
food habit, or the way they talk,
walk, or love!
The big small differences that
your shallow mind can’t tolerate
are not reason enough to spill blood.
No matter how igniting your words are,
keep them to ignite yourself.
We won’t be following you to another bloodbath,
if you want to fight,
fight alone!
57 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
reflection
58 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
reflection
It’s so easy to walk into a reflection
an image created by your own perception
and then get lost in its deception.
Things that seem to be there
but are not truly there.
You just fumble about here and there.
The perfection of that place does blind
with Its dazzling ways like spider-web bind
till you forget what you actually had behind
the real you, your world hidden behind
that dazzling fake world and lose yourself or mind.
59 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Galactic Gypsy
60 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Galactic gypsy
Standing alone
in the absolute darkness
I watched
the mute symphony of stars,
rising and falling
in million colours and shades of light
without a sound.
I watched comets blazing by
their hundred hued tails
stretched from one end of that darkness
to the other end.
I watched
the universe at play.
61 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Green fairies
62 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Green fairies
Everybody has a favorite tree,
not me!
Why is it so hard for me
to pick one amongst you?
Who will I pick my sweet friends?
Which one of you is more to me?
The fragrant coral jasmine
carrying the memories of past sweet,
or the flaming petals of Krishnachura
which never fails to dazzle,
sweet gardenia, how can I not love
your divine presence, fragrance,
the simple flowerless, fruitless tree,
right outside my window,
giving shelter to birds… how can I
not love thee?
63 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Poetry
64 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Poetry
Oh you bring smile to my lips
when you open a window in my mind
to a faraway place, real or not
that depends on you.
You play with my words and take them
On a journey with you,
through the woods or city roads,
for a long long trip,
in the evening you retire with them
in a roadside tavern or under a tree.
Watch the moon shine in sky
through the branches of the tree.
Sometimes you hear stories from strangers
by the campfire or fireplace.
Sometimes you hear meadow lark
or fairies singing in the vale.
Then you take my words back home
and surrender them to me.
65 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
If only
66 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
if only
If only!
I had wings
or the wind
carried me!
So many places I have to see,
but tied to this tinsel town
I can’t flee!
My mornings would have
started by ocean, watching the sun
painting the world crimson.
Then on my wind stallion
I would have headed for some woods
to have my feast!
Next stop would have been mountains
in some fragrant valley
I would have laid myself down
and watched the butterflies flying.
Evening would have turned snowy peaks
blushing pink and the sky red.
When the stars would start twinkling
my stallion will take me to a desert
where I will lie under the night diamonds
losing myself in their company.
67 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Agnishatdal
Let her be, with time she will bloom like a magnificent lotus.
Spread her warmth, beauty and fragrance to those who will
know her, respect her, love her and try not to violate her.
Let her fire keep her, save and illuminate her, let her lotus spread beauty, fragrance all around her.
The warmth of love, light of wisdom, knowledge, beauty of
creativity and fragrance of peace become her more and more.
May her journey be blessed and divine.
68 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Agnishatdal
Agnishatdal is Agnijaat’s twin sister, she was the planned one, a group
magazine blessed by wisest persons by their creations. As it was overflowing
her little basket Agnijaat took birth, to help her. It will contain only my works,
that is the creator of these twins, Sharmishtha Basu.Hope they both will be
blessed by the world, the universe and readers!
The creative group of Agnishatdal :
Hemdiva Dev
http://momsprincesspari.wordpress.com
Brieuc Martin Onraet
https://equinoxio21.wordpress.com/
Carolyn Page
https://abcofspiritalk.net/
https://lightworkersoftheworld.net/
Troy David Loy
https://kestalusrealm.wordpress.com
Gayle Rose
https://bodhirose.wordpress.com
Lisa Ojanpera
Dominic S.Collucci
Arjo Dasgupta
https://bongstories.wordpress.com
Raghunandan Kuppuswamy
https://ksriranga.wordpress.com
https://tskraghu.wordpress.com
Sharmishtha Basu
https://mydomainpvt.wordpress.com
69 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
Fir Milenge (Till we meet again)
Fir Milenge (Till we meet again)
70 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
When we truly love something then only it’s condition effects us, we become
happy with its ascent and sad or mortified with its descent.
While reading Agnijaat you will read some negative words about Indians,
though I love India but I am not very fond of it’s present (post independence)
children, they have achieved some substantial good things but have forgotten
too many values, in unison, by the power of multitude they are dragging the
country down into a pit of darkness.
If we, those who love our motherland don’t protest now it will soon be too late,
unless of course, it is as the sages said is “Ghor kaliyug” when men will
become demons and then God will absolutely destroy the earth and rebuilt it.
But I believe in the words- God helps those who help themselves, so let us fight
against this darkness in our own ways!
So forgive some really harsh words uttered against Indians, they are the people
I see around me, you see! Can’t put them out of my words.
See you again on 1st Bhadra, 1423, that will be 18th August 2016, with another
bouquet of Indian flowers and thorns too…. Ignore the thorns and enjoy the
lotus.
Website
https://agnijaat.wordpress.com, official email id [email protected] but use [email protected] or [email protected] for prompter response.
71 | P a g e C r e a t o r M i s s S h a r m i s h t h a B a s u
A big thanks
I will love to thank these people/sites from heart before starting- My friends for sharing their priceless works (in Agnishatdal).
Wikipedia, vedpuran.wordpress.com for information.
Google for information and models for my illustrations (some).
My graduation history book writer Dr. Atul Chandra Roy for
writing that book which will be quite a study material for me as I create and develop my twins to their full glory.
Finally to the readers and readers to be, especially those who will join the team in Agnishatdal or honour the creator by subscribing.
https://daintypetals.wordpress.com
https://www.amazon.com/author/sharmishthabasu
https://www.facebook.com/sermistabasu
https://in.linkedin.com/in/authorsharmishthabasu
72 | P a g e Agnijaat by Sharmishtha Basu Shravan Sankhya 17.7.16 to 17.8.16
Agnijaat- Fireborn