At Kesar Sweets and Fast Food Restaurant, AECS Layout Main, Bengaluru

Front View

                   

Restaurant on the first floor

 This restaurant is seen near Moriz Restaurant beside the AECS 

 Main Road, Kundalahalli, Brookefield where there are many

 shops, hotels, guesthouses. So this place is frequented by many

 people. In spite of limited space available the ambiance is good

 and neat. The large variety of dishes, sweets, chats and meals 

 attracts a lot of people to visit this place. There is no parking area

 and one has to park the vehicles on the side of the main road.

 As soon as one enters, one can see a row of glass cases filled

 with a variety of sweets and snacks. On the ground floor there

 is sweets section, Bakery section and chat section. On the upper

 floor there is dining section and above that there is a function hall. 

 Here north Indian, South Indian, Chinese and pure Jain 

refreshments along with sugarless sweets are available.

 Just near the entrance one can see fresh jalebis prepared

 and handed over to the customers.The ingredients are also 

of standard quality.  Pure ghee is used in preparing jalebis.

 This place is famous for freshly prepared jalebis, rasamalai,

 various types of burfis, chocolate rolls, dahi vada, samosas, and

 chole bature etc.The South Indian dishes like dosa, idli,vada, 

  and various kinds of rice and biryani are available. Eggless cakes

 and pastry are available in the bakery section. Though the prices

 are a little bit high, the sweets are very tasty and the serving staff

 are prompt and courteous. This restaurant is open from 8.000 a.m.

 to 11.00 p.m. on all days. Food items can be ordered through online

 and through food delivery apps.

                      *****************************************

           July 14, 2019                                          Somaseshu Gutala

THE TALE OF DR.RAJ, THE TEN-RUPEE DOCTOR

                              

           

                    He was known better as the ten-rupee doctor

                    Than by his name; he knew the pangs of poverty

                    A self-made person he found a chance

                    A goal to serve his neighbors poor

                    Who often fell ill and couldn’t afford to buy

                    The costly drugs or pay the doctor’s costly bill;

                    In making them happy he found a sense of thrill

                    And accomplishment of his long-cherished dreams;

                    Staying in a simple house he began to treat

                    His patients who flocked to him with thankful eyes;

                    His tall, stout body bespoke his rustic origin;

                    His palms though rough adept in healing touch;

                    His stern visage revealed his strength of will

                    Little he spoke, but his keen looks assess

                    The state of disease in a surprising way;

                    Never he let his patients explain too much

                    About their troubles ;”Enough”, he used to shout;

                    A few jottings on a slip he quickly wrote

                    None can decipher his mysterious script

                    Except the pharmacist beside, well-used to it;

                    Strict silence maintained whenever he came

                    He bowed before the portrait of God and stood

                    Closing his eyes for a moment and then began his work;

                   “ He is the ultimate healer, not I with mortal frame”,

                     He used to say with a philosophic smile ;

                     Never did he write a long  list of  medicines

                     He treated patients with minimum drugs

                     Unlike others who made huge profits

                     Colluding with drug-sellers who gave

                     A part of gains plundered from patients poor;

                     Drug-dependent slaves did he never make

                     His patients, but made them live in simple ways

                     Using natural, healthy food and nutritious drinks;

                     A harmonious style of life he always did advise

                     Without vain, wasteful and harmful habits;

                     His serious face with a commanding tone

                     Aroused in people a sense of respect with awe;

                     In his advice they found relief, no selfish flaw;

                     No lofty mansions did he build, no teeming wealth

                     No huge commissions did he require;

                     Content to live within his limited means

                     He did not yearn for undue profits or fame;

                    “Focus on your work; don’t crave for wealth and fame

                     Those small wisps of clouds in world’s changing game.”

                     He told his patients who came to praise his worth;  

                     He toured villages whenever free

                     To treat the poor without asking for fee;

                     Free medicines he gave to help the sick

                     True joy he found in other’s happiness and health

                     Still he did pursue in his noble line

                     Though old he was quite happy and fine

                      Reduced his working hours to suit his age

                      A dedicated doctor with no sense of craze

                      So many patients still remember his noble service

                      A true healer in him one always sees.

                            ******************************************

            July 13, 2019                            Somaseshu Gutala

         

                           

                        

ON TRAVEL

     

     

                Some travelers bring solid joy or at least

               A curious shell or tales to tell;

               They love to go to new places and scenes

               Strain and stress they feel none at all.

               Some feel their trip a tiresome task

               Something unavoidable and too hard

               A plaintive load as if they left their heart

               On some blue rock and missed;

               The past like a retreating star

               Mocks at their falling state;

               For them no tales remain

               But vexing hours and disturbing strain.

               They leave their lonely heart

               Scalded like the stone under the scorching sun.

               For them to move means courting pains

               Nor can they stay lone like a tree

               A strange, strange mental state

               Hanging like a static cloud pushed by gales;

               For them no dynamic fleeting colors

               Ever echo within their hearts

               Which they had seen on the rim of sparkling waves

               Or yellow birds, green hills or sylvan rills.

                         *************************************

          3rd July, 2019                          Somaseshu Gutala

                 

AT PLAY ( A SONG )

 

                     

                  The marching train of geese

                   Beside the purling streams

                   The playful golden beams

                   The flying birds with ease.

                   The skating clouds like girls

                   Touching slowly each other’s curls;

                   The fisher’s tilting line

                   The dance of lilies fine.

                    I feel, I feel so gay

                   To see Nature at play;

                   To hear the song and sweep

                   Of wind and bleating sheep.

                   ***********************************

         29th June, 2019               Somaseshu Gutala

      

ODE ON SUMMER

                     

                             

                              ( I )

            

   After hot, hot summer noon-hours

   After wild western fiery showers

   When none dares to walk out

   When all in closed doors sigh out;

   Hot breaths feverish, lying below

   Fan’s hotter winds, pale faces yellow

   Wishing cool breeze and dreamy winks

   Cold water glassfuls every mouth drinks

   Yawning “Lord”, everybody sinks

    Mercury with a malicious blink

    Shoots up as fatigued people snore

    While people outside move out from doors

    Covering their heads with cloth to face the blazing sun;

    Even birds and beasts for cool shelter run;

                                ( I I ) 

    Summer-baked leaves fall down, nay summer-fried

    Huts, tents and houses burn and hay-stacks dried;

    Forge and furnace everyone seems to be

    Wild deserts in burning eyes you see;

    Rash-torn itchy skins, boils, sweat and sun strokes. 

    Dried up ponds, lakes and wells black as coke;

    Not a glimpse of shining cool waters in sight

    A long line of empty pitchers show people’s plight   

    Oh, is it Phaethon’s mismanagement!

    Or sun’s sudden orbital displacement!

    Houses hot like burning hot Arabian tents

    Earth so horribly cracked and shreds dry-rent!

                             ( I I I )

    Sings not cuckoo even in spring so hot

    Even birds can’t bear this steaming draught;

    Sweat-sodden faces crave for cooler nights

    Still hotter winds blow with pollution’s blight;

    Like burnt dome of coal the dark night seems now

    Even lakes seem hot like cauldrons on a stove;

    People search for swimming pools and lakes

    For juicy fruits and ice their thirst to slake;

    Water, sherbet, cold baths and fruits— our summer’s treat

    Cheer our sun-scorched faces in spite of heat.

                 ******************************************

     24th June, 2019                    Somaseshu Gutala


    Ref : Phaethon -- son of Helios, the Greek sun god. Challenged by his playmates to prove that he was the son of Helios, he insisted on being allowed to drive the sun chariot for a day. Phaethon was unable to control the sun horses. When the chariot scorched the earth by swinging too near, Zeus (the chief of Greek gods) hurled a thunderbolt to prevent the destruction of the earth. As a result Phaethon was thrown down to earth and was killed.

                         
                             

  Note : In this loose irregular ode, lines of varying length with couplet rhymes are used.The length of stanzas also vary in length. Generally in odes complicated rhyme scheme is used to deal with a complex theme.Here the simple couplet form is chosen and the woes of blazing summer in tropics is the main theme of this descriptive ode.