Asian Literary Society

What a homecoming it was!! My dad checked my temperature. 100°F. "Have a paracetamol and take rest", he advised me. I nodded. Had it been a mistake to return home? No, this must be a figment of my hyperactive imagination. Just then, granny came with a bowl of piping hot chicken soup. I took it gratefully. That soothed my throat. But why was I missing something? "I have prepared your bed, dear", granny smiled at me. I looked at her. A pregnant pause followed. It was now or never! "Granny. I will sleep in mom's room." My dad opened his mouth to say something, but a fierce glare from granny made him stop. "As you wish, Freya." I opened the door to her room. A pristine white bedsheet had been draped over the cot. I recognized the floral pattern. Her hands indeed possessed magic. I lay down on the bed and drew the quilt over my hot body. I closed my eyes. How many hours passed? Or was it minutes? That unmistakable soft touch of her hand. Caressing...

Every pristine dawn, the sun tries to wake before her. But she always beats him. She nestled herself in the lush field with her shimmering sickle. Nurturing her beloved's golden dreams.   At dusk with her children, she sings, cooks. Dressing like the vermilion sky for her beloved. Inspire all of them to see beyond the clouds. And the whole day she smiles like a rainbow. At night her eyes are fresh as nectarine dew. As her mind has no muddles. At night she sleeps peacefully. Unaware that nights are melancholic. She  doesn't know  what is a restless night   Far away from her, from the skyscraper, I loitered around in my gallery. My mind swings to and fro... The tussle with my disarray minds full of if's, and why's Looking at the moon, I beseech  "oh! bring some sleep to my weary eyes."   Need both war and peace. War to fight against vices so that peace and happiness prevail. Not for dominance, and let 'I' replace forever by' us' and 'we',...

The faint twilight hues paint in the sky an aura of tranquility, Wrapping the land with a mystic veil of equanimity, Standing transfixed I hear the symphony of the waves of solitude. The petals of flowers in the bush swirl in cadence, With the orchestra of lazy crickets' carillon. Ah! What a blessed juncture betwixt I'm standing! What the hills are saying yonder? The ballad of love they are singing, When the busy breezes whisper something into their ears. The night befalls with its velvet curtain, Wrapping itself around the moon, Singing lullaby until she sleeps with the sweet tune. This music in the air as if reverberates into my soul, Making it dance on the rhythm of  a blessed heart, A divine serenity this is; a blissful trend. Oh nature, be my solace! I wanna lie on your bosom like a lotus-eater,  With your poetry resonating into my ears.

  The drifting clouds tease the moon in this enticing night  As the ravenous waves hit the forlorn shore Numbing breeze carries with it a melody sweet Tonight’s special as the galaxy of stars shine galore   Graceful palms dance to the tune of the playful wind Darkness is in love with the chastity of moonlight Silence is broken with sounds of night birds It’s such a healing and soothing sight I walk on the irriguous sand, my thoughts wandering Just don't want this enchanting magic to end yet My loneliness needs no companion tonight As my inimitable soul mate, here I have met The rough sea calms my thirsty soul  As the vehement passions are taken care of It understands and fulfils my yearning for you Only this breath - taking phenomena can ever dare of This place offers a haven of peace and serenity  In solitude as my thoughts seem to drift away  In my two arms I passionately embrace all your memories  Before my indomitable emotions conspire to betr...

Exhausted with the pressing life in a bustling clamorous city On a heavy day I fled far away from the  humdrum of humanity In search of peace, directed my weary steps towards a spacious alley Engrossed in thoughts I reached a lonely spot near a valley Pursued by the  beckoning of the serene rivulet and melodious songs of birds I stood entertaining my thirsty soul and my parched heart All was silent save the.  waterfall, in the cool shadows calm, rested on the  stream The best of life was mine with inner peace extreme Calm, quiet, joy and peace I found wherever I rested my eyes What serenity I felt standing under the open skies Serene was the breeze over a field of luscious lavender on a spring day Spreading its pulchritudinous scent of the  lovely flowers wafting far away In the haven of rest and tranquility, my spirits were sailing the firmament Suddenly stood by me a wondrous beauty, to my astonishment Graceful was she, her life sustained by the beauty What bl...

  Tears or smiles; rain or shine,  my mother’s love has been forever mine. On days dark and weary, her words made me cheery. In all of life’s ups and downs, she held my hands with never a frown. Rejoice or agonize, I'd turn to her for advice.   Tides of time have turned, bones frail, skin now wrinkled. Holding her hands, I count my blessings, gaining strength from love, the invisible strings. The mother once, is now a child, seeking support and comfort, with roles reversed. Thankful I am, for this chance, to shower her with love from my heart Tears or smiles; rain or shine,   my love has been my mother’s, since forever in time.

Joy of her life, a cherubic baby I was born She must’ve held me lovingly in her arms so strong Her very first touch I’m sure I didn’t understand But I wouldn’t have let go of my mother’s hand As a toddler daily when she walked me to school And it broke her heart to see my pleas tearful At the gate, for hours alone she would stand And I could feel the solace of my mother’s hands Through many heartaches during my teenage years With her gentle touch, she helped me sail through fears When nothing seemed to give me comfort and strength Through the nightmares, I recall holding my mother’s hands When I got married and crossed the threshold alone My soul stayed behind though I left her home When it seemed impossible to cover the huge distance In spirits, I held on to my mother’s secure hands When finally with motherhood I was blessed And began the journey of sleepless nights and distress I escaped into a retreat at the very first chance At that instance, my baby slept in my mother’s hands To...

The little amount of borrowed serenity Lasted for some time Gave a sense of relief to his distorted self From the guilt of his sins and transgress   But the face of the girl Whom he had raped and killed Haunted him in his dreams Memories of the past were not ready to depart   Money was thrown, power was shown He was liberated from the punishment of the law He and his family celebrated The system and its flaw   Under the sky wide and open He stood there, hiding his ashamed eyes from everyone Amnesty he got, though freedom was not his Within him danced chaos, not a trace of peace Self-hatred tormented his soul to the core Surrendering was the only way to reduce the grievance, so he did The final justice was served to the victim of rape   Which in turn, served him the serenity, he longed for so long.

Look! The sky embraces effulgent colors of the rainbow after the day of its tears is gone, The pearly dew drops dance on the leaves by the immaculate rays of the sun. The faucet runs with ups 'nd downs in ebb and tide, Behind every darkness, there's a day bright. So why the wait? Unchain your mind and go beyond the cloud, Live in freedom, make yourself proud. See, the flamingo or the pigeon fly o'er the clouds kissing the zephyrs, They know not to be caged, know not the fetters. Fly beyond the clouds like them for the sky is yours, Live every moment, life is yours. When life opens so many avenues despite oddity, Useless to write your fate in woe and misery. Even a sheaf of life lits the Stygian tunnel of pessimism, Look around and have the flavor of optimism. Soar beyond the clouds, give your wings a try, Know for sure your freedom can't be a lie. Break the bars of failure and embolden your soul to be free, Live to love and love to live your life spree.

After the iridescent colors of Autumn did fade The Winter landscape with a simple charcoal sketch was laid I shivered as the  breeze, a gust of cold, crispy, quivering air Caressed my wan face, tousled up my hair Then zipped past me this wisp of the winter breeze With rhythm and rustling sound it pirouetted in the  boughs of trees Sitting in our favorite haunt, I faintly heard the once familiar voice Of a couple who had walked through autumn, still, rejoice The man held the woman tightly with subtle nuance Their romantic, poetic love, now replaced by mutual dependence I gathered myself snugly as some captive moments with throbbing love Like a sleeping princess of a fairy tale, from slumber woke up It was the breeze of joy, youth, and love, the spirit of the new wakened heart How we cuddled together with a promise never to part As the wild, frosty wind rolled over us, we enjoyed the chill Drunk with delight, what a thrill we did feel Now moments hang like frozen icicles along t...

तुम्हारे सपनो के सोपानों पर चढ़कर मैं जितना भी ऊपर जाती हूँ, न जाने कितने हाथ खींचकर मुझे धरती पर ले आते है,पर मैं अडिग खड़ी हूं उस उमंग के साथ जो तुमने भरी है मेरे वजूद में! कभी तो तुम्हारा विश्वासरूपी बीज विशाल पेड़ बनेगा! और फिर, किसी के भी मजबूत हाथ इसकी जड़ें नही हिला पाएंगे हमारे सपने अपनी शाखाएं फैलाकर विकसित होंगे तुम्हारा वही मंत्र,मेरी "उन्नति",मेरी पहचान वाला हाँ मुझे गुलाब की तरह विकसित करेगा; जिस तरह अंधेरे को चीरती हुई आ रही है एक बेहद खुशगवार सुबह की किरणे और भरपूर उलीच रही है मेरे दामन में यकीन है उगने वाले दिन खूबसूरत होंगे यही तो है तुम्हारे उन्नति के मंत्र जो दिये है तुमने मुझे "उमंग "बनकर हर मुश्किल आसान कर देते हो जिंदगी मेरी आसान कर देते हो इसलिये मैंने तुम्हारा नाम ही रख दिया है "उमंग "

The life is a trip between the path of stones between the road by the sand between the forest of questions between the forest of answers those that with the silver rain wet the tracks of your feet that erases the sorrows and sorrows where the road of travel it's flashback it's stormy or the trip is loving between the silver moon with its rays of consolations that illuminates in roses the peace for the world in your journey.

A soul finds an empty body And is tasked to use it as a vehicle. For a new journey  Through a span of time, Lasting a few scores or Maybe more. A journey- Of crests and troughs, Of sailing and soaring, Of stops and starts, Of passing through the dark, Sometimes in company At times alone. Is this journey a destiny?  Driven by an invisible force? Or does one have the power to steer The course by sheer will force? Who decides the co-passengers? The station where it will terminate? Who decides the costs and expenses   That those on this journey have to bear? 

  भय से तुम भय न होना । जीवन में कभी धर्य न खोना । मन में जब डर घर करने लगे । आपा जब ये दिल खोने लगे । देखो यूँ हार न जाना । जग का यूँ तुम वार न सहना। अपने पराये जब दिल दुखाने लगे । बातों से सिर्फ काम आने लगे । तब तुम भय मन से निकालों। सब को एक समान बना लों । प्रेम का भय मन से निकालों । तन से ये अभिमान हटा दों। मृत्यु तो इक दिन है आनी । जग में सब हैं संगी सारथी । डर के मन का मान न मारों । जग में सब से साथ निभालों। मौत देखों जब भी आऐ । भय खड़ा होकर पछताऐं।

    मन का भय जब विचलित करता    सूनी  राह पर चलने से डरता ।    काला अंधेरा देख दिल घबराता     भयभीत जीव क्या कुछ सोच पाता?    मां के  शीतल आंचल मे जा    छिपने को व्याकुल हो जाता ।   कभी असफलता का भय    मुझे प्रतिपल सताता   ना हुआ सफल तो क्या होगा   लोग हसेंगे मेरी निंदा करेंगे   क्या प्रथम स्थान प्राप्त कर पाऊंगा ?   यही सोच मन घबरा जाता ,   यूं ही अनेक रूप ले भय मेरे द्वार पर खटखटाता ।   भय  की आशंका से मन निरुत्तर हो जाता,   हिचकिचाता  घबराता सहमकर पीछे हट जाता।   कैसे आगे इस कटीले पथ पर ,   भय साथ ले रक्त रंजित रहा पर,   क्या चल पाऊंगा मैं ?   दे प्रभु मुझे तू आज सहारा ,   जो भय मुक्त हो जाऊं मैं ।   तब शान्त मन और पूर्ण सुख को पाऊ मैं।

Each time I look up at the sky  I wonder at the stars and constellations above I knew that the universe is boundless And it's beauty is so splendid How it came to existence is unfathomable See the heavenly bodies, the solar system and the galaxies They move freely in complete harmony Mysteriously organized  Moving for the benefit of each other It's a vast universe, infinitely vast universe Our planet is just a tiny dot within And I am a speck of dust in it How would they know that I exist?

A speck I am, and the humongous universe, I look up at the starry sky where my poetic mind intends to traverse, Treading the milky way, hovering around the galaxy, Repeatedly I come back to the vacuum being forced by the gravity, I continue asking myself " where am I"? A moment of epiphany then enlightens me and I open my inner eyes, The sun, the moon, the stars all are same, even am I, All are vibrated with the rhythm of life, And on this magnetic connection thrives the universe, My soul awakes and I find my name written somewhere in the space, I hear I see, I pour my heart on the earth, I wonder while I know the unknown as the result of my earnest search, Again I realize my soul awakens, And I find my place preordained, Amid the endlessness of the universe.

Looking up at the sky Trying to comprehend The vastness of the universe The eyes travel from star to star Where does the universe begin Where does it end …   The mind boggles by the infinity of it all With binoculars in hand The spectrum even widens Comets, black holes Fiery trails of falling stars Like signs from Heaven sent. The mystery of the universe Nobody will ever fully understand   Simply accepting its existence as God-sent.                         

  दरवाज़े पर जब भी दस्तक हुई ,छुई-मुई सी वो सिमट गई अपनी माँ के कंपकंपाते पैरो से वो नन्ही सी जान लिपट गई आख़िर कब तक ख़ौफ़ के साये में ,इन दोनों को जीना होगा पल पल होकर के अपमानित, खून का घूँट पीना होगा देखा है उन नन्ही आँखों ने, माँ पर जो अत्याचार हुए उन बंद दरवाज़ों के पीछे ना जाने, कैसे कैसे दुर्व्यवहार हुए हर चोट पर दिल टूटा उसका,पर ये कहानी जैसे अनंत है बदल जाएँ कितने भी मौसम उनके हिस्से में ना कोई बसंत है उसके कोमल हाथों का स्पर्श जैसे माँ के ज़ख़्मों का मरहम बन गया सो जाती थी आँखों में आँसू लेकर हर सुबह होता था फिर जन्म नया ना रोक सकी ना टोक सकी, कैसी इस रिश्ते की मर्यादा थी उसका अस्तित्व पूर्ण नहीं क्यूँ ,हिस्से में ख़ुशियाँ क्यूँ आधी थी भुला कर हर दर्द और पीढ़ा उसने ,रोज़ नए दिन का आग़ाज़ किया और सिर्फ़ अपनी बेटी की ख़ातिर, अपना आत्म-सम्मान भी त्याग दिया आख़िर क्यूँ नारी इतनी बेबस और लाचार हुई क्यूँ नहीं मिला उसको समाज में उपयुक्त स्थान कोई क्यूँ क़ुर्बानी के नाम पर बस उसकी ख़्वाहिशों की ही बली चढ़ी है क्यूँ तिल तिल मरकर वो ख़ौफ़ के चौखट पर सदा खड़ी है कब तक अबला बनकर सहे...

Often in my dreamland, I find myself with my beloved  It's a wonderful world of ecstasy Truly a magical place of glittering fantasy With him, my wanderlust soul flies merrily amidst the skies Beyond the brightest stars basking below the descending stardust The particles falling softly on my smiling radiant face Like a million minuscule love drops  I glide swiftly in a euphoric state of bliss  Dancing in the air to the mystical tunes of the universe Carried by the whistling love winds  The essence of love travels way beyond the cosmos Distinctly defined as the divinity in serenity Blessed are the ones, who are in love Pristine pure love, elevating their souls Soulmates are true mates, who promise to be together Supreme love, ecstasy in their hearts uniting them forever

  Inebriated with conflicts when the enemies encounter The outcome is a war which is an irrevocable disaster Nations take forever to rebuild and restore their peace As a war leads to nothing but profound grief They rave on incessantly but innocents pay the price Hatred overshadows the soldiers’ supreme sacrifice An everlasting impact is left behind by horrendous sights As wars remain an abuse to the victims’ human rights Bravehearts fall on battlefields and entire humanity mourns All that is left behind are tear stricken faces and jaded souls Grieving families are torn apart for reasons unknown As seeds of revenge in ingenuous hearts are sown Violence results in nothing but fear and anxiety One needs to advocate humaneness and make it a priority The world is in dire need of healing touch and harmony And make Peace the universal language of humanity Waiting for this humanity from shrouds of enmity to unveil To embrace compassion and allow peace to eventually prevail Any acts of viol...

Nine nights of gaiety and worship. Nine nights of dance and rhythm. Nine nights of uninhibited laughter, When all vibrant colors merge into one. The color of youth and festivity. The color of joy and reverence. The color of unity and traditions, These priceless moments behold ebullience. Moments of togetherness and ecstasy. Moments when devotion and love shines. These moments are truly priceless, Etched forever on the pages of time. This is the magical time of the year. The nights are more mystical than day. When all are seeped in traditional hues, And they dance their woes away. These nine nights might soon fade into oblivion. But they leave their essence behind. The fragrance of felicity and veneration, Lingers forever on our minds!

Wild in spirits, not bounded by rules,  Stilettos in legs,  Sometimes in hands,  What do you say, I don't care!  Messy bun or tendrils of hair Peeking from my ears,  A nose ring or dangling earrings, A pair of blue eyes or aquiline limbs,  Look she's so different, so what? I revel in my unique designs,  Conspicuous entry into the World of commons.  Bohemian they say,  Slaying with my unconventional ways!  A mis(fit) or fitting Into the grooves of my own tune, Lyrics spun into threads of Song that keeps me going. Love me or hate me but I bet  You can't ignore me!

Heavenly deep blue eyes... Met at the college entrance by chance They looked at each other at one glance. His eyes caught her deep blue eyes, This very first meeting left him mesmerized.   Shining and dazzling like the stars in the sky He saw paradise in those heavenly deep blue eyes. Like an avid reader who gets lost in the book, He was lost in her almond-shaped eyes when she looked.   She looked innocent with her eyeliner around the eyes  Her beauty was beyond words just like the morning sunrise. He kept gazing at her, but nothing he uttered Reluctant to talk, least he should stutter.   Every morning their eyes met, but they remained quiet As they marched ahead, he realized she was out of sight.   Incidentally met again in the same class His happiness knew no bounds, as he could see her at last.   Enthralled by her beauty, he gathered courage to propose His heart skipped a beat, when she smiled and accepted the rose. It was love-at-first-sight  ...

Stacked in the pile of books labeled “Wisdom and motivation”, you’ll a find a book gleaming with rainbow colours. A captivating cover embellishes the pages that have been deftly organized as a book. This is the book of my life. This is the book that captures the anecdotes of my life. Some pages are interesting, some insipid and colorless; some filled with laughter and joy while some will make your heart cry. There are words that could turn out to be truly mesmerizing and those that are thought provoking. Some chapters outline my love for life while others harp on my limitations and oversight. But there’s hope at the end of each page.  As you leaf through the pages, you’ll be lost in the world of words quilled by this little girl who always dreamt big and marched on with diligence and honesty, to chase her desires, to accomplish her dreams.   She lost herself many a times on the way, grappled to establish her individuality, but resilient she was, so she gathered herself and...

Under the lemon hued expanse of the  western skies For the first time I delved deep into a pair of  blue eyes Blue were they, like the autumn sky in the  distance With the light of pain and  passion , at me, looking askance Cerulean, as could be seen between the retreated moulding Of hills and woody slopes on a sunny morning She poured her whole soul out through those blue spray painted As if waiting to be replenished after they were sadly muted In them I saw also the  ruggedness of the  waves Foaming up, breaking, forming again, they did rave Staring at those aquamarines, sparkling, ravishing, enchanting and deep - I was mesmerized Drowning in the  intensity of the  pools of  beauty- I was hypnotized We have been together as soulmates for two decades now I still dive into her gaze sitting under a bough Of late, she has shades of grey, her cheeks have lost their hue But her eyes, unchangeable, retaining the same beautiful blue Whenever I gaze...

Those garrulous eyes, Filled with myriad emotions Glittering & Sparkling eyes. Expressive eyes, Innocent eyes, Spry like a child Few secrets were hidden in those eyes. Magical, bewitching eyes, Deep like an ocean & lively like a waterfall, Tears were concealed, always beaming eyes. They were madly in love with this world A pair of blue eyes, She donated to see this beautiful world forever & ever.