My ancestors came from the snows of Kashmir
I drank the water of the Sangam
And have eaten the fish of Kolkata
I have seen the temples of Tamilnadu
And strolled on Marina beach
I have swam in the Narbada
And seen the taals of Bhopal and the Marble Rocks near Jabalpur
I have been to Khajuraho, and have lived near the Chambal Ghaati
I have seen the jauhar site of Chittor
I have marvelled at Konarak
And the Ajanta Ellora caves
The jathedaar presented a saropa to me in the Golden Temple
My eyes boggled on seeing the Jahaaz Mahal in Mandu
I have lived in Colaba and eaten bhel poori on Chaupati
I have driven on Marine Drive and enjoyed Juhu beach
I ate lobsters and sea fish at Colva and Calangute
I have been to God's Own Country several times
And have put a chaadar in the Ajmer and Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargahs
I have visited the Garden City of India several times
And have visited the Shringeri math, and conversed with the Shankaracharya there
I have seen the Bahubali statue, and Tipu Sultan's palace
I have sat on the Vivekanand rock in Kanyakumari
And have visited the Ibaadatkhana in Fatehpur Sikri several times as a pilgrim
I have played football, cricket, hockey, tennis, table tennis, badminton, and even boxed in my youth
I have conversed with monks, philosophers, mathematicians, scientists and poets
Maine sab ghadon ka paani pi liya hai
Now I only look upwards into the open sky
Waiting for the rains on my arid, parched land
Like a papeeha looking at the clouds
And waiting to see the stormy petrel
The harbinger and herald of the coming tempest