A Belonging, Being, Becoming

About the Author:
Prahlad Singh Shekhawat is an ex-associate Fellow of the Institute of Development Studies, Jaipur. He did his M.A. in International Development from the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague. He also studied Creative Writing at Exeter College, University of Oxford. He has authored three books: Aspects of Human Development and Culture, Anand Model of Cooperative Dairy Development and Human Development, Wellbeing and Globalization. His articles have been published in national and international newspapers and journals such as The Hindu, The Times of India, Tehelka, Resurgence, New Quest, Seeds of Peace (Bangkok) and Indian Philosophical Quarterly. Shekhawat has presented papers at several international conferences and has lectured on Indian culture and civil society in Europe and Japan. At present, he is the director of the Alternative Development and Research Centre, Jaipur, an NGO concerned with the education of disadvantaged children and the vocational training and empowerment of disadvantaged women.

Teaser:

To a Global Guru

Dalai Lama means ocean of wisdom, not just a name.
Westerners call you His Holiness,
Sounds a bit solemn like the Pope
Indians may call you Shanti Karuna Dood
Official China calls you wolf in monk’s clothes,
More they abuse you, more you shine
Like a lotus above the dirty pond.
Tibetan civilization will prevail, if not the nation,
That you have ensured
You deny miracles, boons or special blessings
We will prove you wrong for once
That you can touch hearts and move great minds,
With simple broken words, That is a miracle
That so many sided wisdom resides in a single person
To transform a human into a true human being,
That is a boon
That you can give hope and dignity without god,
Sometimes without hope,
A twinkling eye of smiling compassion, beyond divinity,
That is a special blessing
Thank you for being the finest global Dharam Guru
For residing in an Indian Dharam-shala
Salaam, Sholom, Om Shanti;
May peace be on you and all of us of Earth family
Long may you live, stringing moments into pearls of wisdom
Stretching into eternity.

Contents:
Poetry Intelligence / 9
Poem Is More / 10
Solitary Secret / 11
Correct Despair / 12
Grown Worn / 13
The Village Bus / 14
Pushkar Square / 15
An Indian Doubter / 16
Is Buddha Smiling? / 17
To a Global Guru / 18
Nothing to Do / 19
Big Fear / 20
Worth More / 21
Notes to My Other Self / 22
Traveller / 23
Belonging / 24
Other Side Mirror / 25
Working Child’s Eyes / 26
Half Monsoon / 27
Monsoon Union / 28
Good Rain Good Life / 29
Peace Commune / 30
Poetry at Oxford / 31
Oxford College Quadr-angles / 32