Asian Literary Society

The doorbell buzzed aloud marking the routine alarm. I kissed my little bundle of joy sleeping in all his innocence and shuffled to answer the door. As I retrieved the milk packets, the newspaper boy arrived. .. A teenager who supported his studies doing odd jobs filled me with a sense of pride. He wished me a good morning with a grin showing a crooked incisor reminding me of someone from years ago. Shaking my head I shut the door. Breakfast preparations done, I joined hubby dearest at the dining table with my cuppa. He was devouring the newspaper along with the stream of dosa s I laid before him... As I sipped the blissful filter Kaapi my eyes fell on the newspaper part facing me as he held it up… Two killed in Mumbai’s Dharavi gang war... ... Leathercamp witnessed prolonged gunfight…. Annadurai gang leader K. Shivanan succumbed… I dropped the cup on the saucer with a thud; hubby moved the paper and looked at me, concern in his deep brown eyes. “All Ok Srilata?” “Y...

खड़ी क्षितिज को दूर निहारती थी एक राजकुमारी ढूंढती अपना अस्तित्व अनुपम विशाल सृष्टि में सारी क्या है मेरा कोई टुकड़ा समस्त ब्रम्हांड सृजन में क्यों रहती हूँ मैं बंद सजीले महल भवन में नहीं स्वीकार मुझे हीरे मोती जड़ी ऊंची दीवारें सतरंगी आकाश झरोखों से हर क्षण पुकारे नहीं प्रतीक्षारत , न मैं चाहूँ सपनों का राज कुंवर तज परदे पहरेदार , ओढ़ ली है धूप की चादर सूरज की प्रचंड अग्नि , बुलाये दुर्गम पर्वत की प्राचीर मैं रचना चाहूँ नियम , क्यों न लिखूं खुद अपनी तक़दीर मैं पद्मिनी , मैं दुर्गा , मैं अन्नपूर्णा , मैं ही कल्याणी रज़िया मैं , सावित्री मैं , सीता भी मैं और मैं क्षत्राणी जीवन दायिनी माँ हूँ मैं और असुरों की संहारिणी पृथ्वी , नभ , सागर की सहचर , मैं चिर हिम - निवासिनी विचरूँ मैं पंख पसार उन्मुक्त नील गगन में आशाओं के अश्व चढूँ , फिरूं हर वन उपवन में न रोक सकेगा मुझको अब कोई रूढ़ि , धर्म , समाज तोड़ दिए सब बंधन पहन साहस का चोला आज लांघी लक्ष्मण र...

Left in the wilderness, darkness engulfs me. Your eyes haunt me and your shadow chases me, in your memory my heart becomes heavy. Drenched in tears, my eyes shed drops of blood. I search your hands to wipe them. I want your lap to place my head. In your absence, this world is of no use to me. Let the sun dip in the ocean forever, let all birds go mute henceforth, flowers lose all their fragrance. Oh, earth! Stop rotating! Days and nights have become meaningless to me. I see heaven illuminated to welcome you. Let petals of roses be dropped at your feet. I wash your tomb with my tears, and bless you with my hands that once embraced you. O God! Give me peace! Give me death! I lost my love!

*Vastara?* The lined face reflected the agony, her withered, arthritic afflicted fingers plucked her housecoat, the eyes that were practically white with un-corrected cataract peered at me, yet the words and the tears broke my heart in two. I stood helpless for I did not know the answer. I was one among the group trying to bring some balance in this extremely unfair world and we were visiting a home for the destitute women and here she managed to render a talkative me speechless. “Just tell her they will come!” A stentorian voice commanded me and I meekly said, “Vastunaaru.” She kissed my palm and again asked, “Vastara?” After pacifying her fifteen more times and getting kissed equal number of times, I walked away with a heavy heart and moist eyes wondering if the untold story was one of being alone or being abandoned by loved ones. Little way of knowing the answer, I drove out as the gate shut behind me to the world of women who must have played, dreamt, nurtured, hoped and mothe...