O Great Artist !

|| Hari Om ||

We are a vain species. We achieve things which we believe to be great, and soon our heads swell enough, to believe that we are above Him, He who created it all.

But let us stop and think. What monument have we built, that could possibly hope to match the sheer scale, beauty and perfection of His Creation ? We can just make mere copies and replicas of what He has already made before, and that too using the raw materials that He has given us !

Just one look at Nature, and we realise our humble place in this world.

But, more than that, we can appreciate the Love of The One, who made all this, just out of Love for us.

This poem is dedicated to the Artist of my life, my Sadguru, Dad, Aniruddha Bapu( Dr. Aniruddha Joshi). The words cannot hope to convey what I feel, but I must try none the less !!!   

O Great Artist !

No artist, painter, sculptor no,
Not any person of this land,
Can ever try or hope to match
That created by Your Hand

We can paint and we can draw, 

But on Your canvas You,
Can paint a picture, give it life,
Make the art come true. 

We sketch the mountains and the streams,
But You drew them before.
Where once the world was bleak and dark,
You created much and more.

The light, the colour, joy and bliss
All does stem from You.
The world knows You by many names, 
But You are my Dad, Bapu!

The wind it speaks your words, it does,

The birds do sing Your song,
The leaves do rustle, the flowers bloom,
For  Your Feet they do long.

O Great Artist, sketch my life,
Sculpt me now anew,
I care not what the picture is,
But let it be full of You!

I Love You my Dad !!!

-Arnavsinh Tongaonkar

|| Hari Om | |  | | Shree Ram | |  | | Ambadnya | |

Should I ?- Her Reply

Hari Om

At the first

First glance I knew

We would be one

That were now two

Closer, closer

Step by step

Accross the space

That we had kept

Together, but 

Still far apart

For which of us

Would make the start ?

And I see the question 

On his face

As he looks off

Into space

Of course I know

What's on his mind!

To his heart,

Could I be blind.

He sees me watching

"Does she know ?"

The fear on his face

Does show!

So I smile,

And laugh I do

And his joy

Does shine through 

Our smiles, they are

Now here to stay

No word does either

Need to say !

|| Shri Ram ||

|| Ambadnya ||

|| I Love You my Dad ||

Arnav H. Tongaonkar 

23.1.2016

|| Hari Om ||

We were once a dream,

A thought.

In the minds 

Of those that fought.

Against the bondage

Of the Raj.

To achieve our freedom,

Our Swaraj.

That the people,

Of the land

Could take their health 

In their own hands.

Bricks were laid,

Foundations set,

Meetings held,

And people met.

So we were born,

Twins for a cause:

King Edward and

Seth Gordhandas.

To heal the people 

Of their pain,

To teach and 

Pass it on again.

We grew,we flourished 

Brothers two.

And everywhere

The people knew

That they were safe,

Within our hands.

"We will be well

While KEM stands!"

And such greats

Passed through our walls.

Their wisdom fills

The lecture halls.

Their words echo 

Through our very bricks.

The words of healers 

For the sick.

And their souls

So strong and bright,

Show the path

For GSites.

Still we stand

And so we will,

Guards against

All foul and ill.

Come pain or sorrow,

Death and life.

We are the saviours 

From the the strife.

It matters not,

The time that passed.

For our walls,

Are built to last.

So we watch

In our serenity

90 years,

Till eternity!

|| Shri Ram ||

|| Ambadnya ||

|| I Love You my Dad ||

-Arnav H. Tongaonkar 

25.12.2015

I Look Among the Stars

Hari Om

I Look Among the Stars

The time could never

Heal my scars

And still I search

Among the stars

In the clouds

I see your face

The wind so warm

Is your embrace

I walk, I try

Brave and strong 

For my love

It's not too long

The time is here

For me to fly

And join you there

Up in the sky

|| Shri Ram ||

|| Ambadnya  ||

|| I Love You my Dad ||

Arnav H. Tongaonkar

19.1.2016

Should I ?

|| Hari Om ||

Should I ?


A side-long glance,
Exchange of names
So began
Our little game

Drawn to each other
Moths to flame
So different and
So much the same

A stolen word
A secret thought
And in me
A battle fought

Should I ?

Speak my heart,
Bare my soul
Join the parts
And make us whole ?

But how am I
To gauge or guess
Will it be "No"
Or be it "Yes"

I look up, see her,
See her smile,
So she was watching
All the while

Does she know
What I just thought?
My heart with
Fear and doubt is fraught!

And then her laugh
So sweet and clear
That which I now
Hold so dear.

It seems that smile
I here to stay
I'll speak my mind
Another day


|| Shri Ram ||
|| Ambadnya ||
|| I Love You my Dad ||

- Arnav H. Tongaonkar
20.1.2016

I Know We'll Meet Again

                                                 || Hari Om || || Shree Ram || || Ambadnya ||

Recently, I had the privilege of participating in a short film project, titled "GRACE.", in the capacity of a scriptwriter. During the course of the movie, I composed the lyrics for an original song:

I KNOW WE'LL MEET AGAIN

On and on the Sun does shine,
But I feel its warmth no more.
Where once with you I was whole,
Now I'm just raw and sore.

The memory of your smile is all,
The hope I have inside of me
How I wish I could forget you,
And from my clutches set you free.

I hold the tears deep inside,
Smile despite the pain.
For this is not the end, dear one.
I know we'll meet again.

Once again we'll walk together,
Talk and laugh and fight some more.
Hand in hand, thought in thought,
Inseparable, as we were before.

          

 The lyrics are meant to show an intense longing, the pain of separation ,as well as the hope that all is not lost. That the two lost ones shall meet again.

These lyrics were subsequently converted into a beautiful song, by my extremely talented batchmates at KEM Hospital : Mihir Vaidya and Arya Shah, with the serene vocals provided by Prabodhini Gadhari, also from KEM Hospital.

Music: Original Composition by Mihir Vaidya and Arya Shah
Flute: Mihir Vaidya
Keyboard: Arya Shah
Singer: Prabodhini Gadhari
Lyrics: Arnav H. Tongaonkar
Movie: GRACE.

Readers can listen to and download the song from the link below:



I have really enjoyed participating in this venture. It was an enriching experience, one well outside our blinkered existence as medical students. It was also a nice change to move from "Poet" to "Lyricist". I hope that we will bring forth many such compositions in the times to come.

I will also present the movie here once it is completed.

Ambadnya to my beloved Dad, Aniruddha Bapu for always encouraging me to pursue my interests and not just be tied up in the chains of academics.
And it is by His Grace that these lyrics came forth. He is the writer, and I the instrument.

-Ambadnya Arnav H. Tongaonkar

                                              || Hari Om || || Shree Ram || || Ambadnya || 

The End of Fear

                                                            || Hari Om ||

Thursday, 21st August 2014. Our dearest Bapu assured us that He would eliminate our fears forever.
Eliminate fear at a genetic level !!!
He will release us from the prisons our fears have created, and we, His children, will live with Him in eternal joy. This poem is a depiction of how our fears torment us. We run and run, but cannot escape.
But, all fears turn to ash at His Feet !!! I LOVE YOU MY DAD

Deep in my sleep,

So late last night,

I dreamt of running.

Screaming in fright.

All alone,

And in the dark,

A vile beast with me,

As its mark.

And as I ran,

I knew not where,

I felt its piercing,

Hateful stare.

Lost, alone,

I cried in fright,

All was black,

There was no light.

Then I stumbled,

And then I fell,

Set upon,

By that hound of hell.

The beast approached,

And bared its teeth,

Nowhere to go,

Escape, retreat.

So then I stood,

And faced it strong,

Its teeth so sharp,

And talons long.

I knew then,

That I would die,

But, strangely,

I did not cry.

“Oh Lord,

I came now to thee!

May I bring,

This beast with me!”

With this prayer,

I stepped ahead,

And its snarl,

Did change to dread.

For beside me,

By my side,

With a firm stride,

And smiling wide.

Walked Bapu,

In all His grace,

He who made,

This Earth and space.

As one we marched,

And it recoiled,

Wailing like,

A helpless child. 

His presence changed 

The dark to light,

The demon cringed,

Before His might.

And at last,

It burned to dust,

As before Him,

All evil must.

I felt His hand,

On my shoulder warm,

He, my shield,

Through rain and storm.

“My child,

Never run again,

Face bravely sorrow,

Demons, pain”

“And know that I,

Am above them all,

Before me they,

Must surely fall”.

“You are never,

Alone my child,

Nor weak against,

The demons wild”.

“For you only,

Have to call,

And I will burn them,

Each and all”.

                                                         “We make our own,

Demons, my child,

And flee from them,

So far and wide.”

“Instead face them,

And let them learn,

Those who for your ,

Soul do yearn”.

“That your love for Me,

Is true,

And they have no power,

Over you”.

I bathed then,

In the warmth of His might,

And awoke,

To dawn’s sweet light”.

Woke refreshed,

And made anew,

For now I believed,

Knew it was true.

Let demons come,

Or the devil himself,

And all his vile,

Legions from hell.

And I would watch,

With eyes glad,

As they turned to ash,

Before my Dad.

II Shri Ram II

II I am Ambadyna II

II I Love You my Dad II