Asian Literary Society

Shimmery Navratri, then Sparkling Dusshera, Let's eradicate the evilness from our era. Let's ignite the lights of enlightenment, And remind us to celebrate women always with merriment. Let's keep our patriarchy aside, By burning the dummies of aplomb and pride. Beat the dhols to kill the anger, ego, and greed, You will get peace of mind, indeed. With little steps, the mother comes to our doors, Let's surround positivity and keeps the negativity ashore. The goddess represents different aspects, Also that women deserve some level of respect. Let's chant the sacred words in solidarity, Of love, passion, and equality! Let's celebrate Navratri in actual form, By correcting our blurred vision but keeping all the charms.

Decades have passed and today it seems like eons ago Everyone said Motherhood was not easy, someday I would know When you entered our lives we were absolutely ecstatic Your divine face was adorned with a smile that was enigmatic Delicately you curled your tiny hands around my finger As if seeking comfort and allowing the feeling to linger I recall your fearsome cries that often filled the nighttide As deftly I comforted you and allowed them to subside We indulged in inexplicable conversations, just you and me Those sleepless nights remain etched in my memory Every time you stirred in bed, I sat up with a start I don’t recall the times I have checked the beats of your heart On innumerable nights up and down the room I have paced Patting you to sleep as your angelic face my fingers gently traced Whenever you fell sick I have hardly slept a wink You’d instantly flash an innocent smile as tears welled up at the brink You often drew my attention with your whines whenever I was free And eve...

दिल में जगी रहती है इक उमंग  कोई न हो चाहे इस वक्त संग  प्रेम अपना है सागर सा गहरा  उठती उंमगों की तरंग ही तरंग  कुछ सुन्दर पंक्तियाँ क्या पढ़ ली  यूँ लगता जी ली इन विचारों के संग बुजुर्ग पिता के ठहाके जब जब सुना  लगा शिखर से कोई झरना है बहा। तमन्ना जब पूरी न होती   हौसला रख, कहता उंमग    तू हकदार हैं, बृहत खुशी की  उल्लास को भेज देता जी बहलाने को  जिन्दगी के कई रंग पहचानने को  गम को पास फटकने न देने को मटमैले आकाश को स्वच्छ नीला कर देने को  धरती को  प्रेम के पुष्पों से सुसज्जित कर  उमंगों की फुहारों से नम रखते हुए  इस जिन्दगी में विचरते रहे अपनी आयु तक।

It looks just like 'ordinary' as the word is... No shiny wraps to cover its face... Simple as it looks, But every page has a hook for taking another look. Be gentle when you flip its page You'll find some imperfect perfect moments at every stage.. Don't skip a few... for it bores you... You might miss  my  accomplishments, tucked away neatly in a line or two...   They say, ' Life  is not a bed of roses'  You'll see... Some lines are full of agony and bruises... Turn the corners delicately... For some fragile smiles may try to slip through, impatiently... Every line that you have read... ..Is the truth I have always dread... It's not me that you read... it's  my  soul that you've reached! That's not all!  You heard me right! The best is yet to arrive! Its the journey I have been through, Like a roller coaster ride,  This is, This is... "The  book  of  my   life ".     

The most awaited times are near... My dearest month of 'October' is here... The days have begun to shrink... And the nights would be longer than we think... The mornings now seem brighter, The heart has begun to feel lighter! The air around feels so' Pious' Every breath now feels joyous! The excitement is building up... And all the energies are gearing up... The mind would race against the time... Making plans and preps for the Divine'Nine!' The wardrobes will be topsy turvy... Mixing matching with fashion jewelry! 'Nine Days' have a different color each... Every color has a different significance to teach! 'Nine Nights' see shiny souls, enjoying the treat.. And dancing off their feet! It's this time of the year... Some fast, pray and meditate... Some sing, dance and celebrate... Ultimately, it's The 'Victory' of the 'Divine power' With 'Nine nights of Dance' round the corner!  

Life stands on the platform of death, Teaching me to live fearlessly. Winds swirl around my dreams Blow them far away; Life teaches me to weave new ones along my way. The sun scorches my hope, burning my aspirations Life says nothing is lost - Just wait! Along some cobbled path, I trip and fall, Lie broken, spirits low; Life lends me a hand, pulls me up, and says – there you go! When sorrow engulfs, tears flow, and the world seems hollow, Life fills it with rays of sunshine, spanning a rainbow.

Little creatures of nature impart big lessons The gargantuan and mighty may take the limelight Be it the sun and the moon or the man, Yet, the puny frames are exemplars too Teaching life’s biggest lessons in the simplest ways!   I observe the ants marching with sugar granules How these natural self-starters put a man to shame! When I befriend a caterpillar on my way It surprises me with its enormous wisdom Of constant and incremental evolution.   The bees, snails or earthworms splash colossal colors But, only when we pause, bend down, and observe We can discern their exceptional zeal and strength! How can I even forget a child younger to me? He’s winning the world with his innocence and simplicity.   Age often fails to teach the right attitude to living Look at these tiny creatures, apparently insignificant Yet practicing what they preach in their ways! O! Men of the world! Mock not these minuscule beings But, humbly learn a lesson one or two from them!

She was like undeterred pristine arbor,  Whose goliath shade was my indubitable harbor.  I crept into the light for she was my torchbearer And her cryptic maneuvering of life enriched me with all power.  The pliable feel of her fringe sentineled my reflective sky,  She spawned in me the norms of life, that shall never die.  She wielded me to be a human and convivial being,  Attaining intimate aspirations,  should not be my only dream.  She draped me with the solidarity of clemency and tradition So as to pursue the rooted lineage and indigenous pattern.  She nurtured renunciation to intromit peace and poise in the domestic hearth,  The warmth of her aura and self-complacency vanquished all homy dearth.

Right from the comfy cradle, to the days discernible,  Life is like a graduated jar of lessons invaluable. Parents taught me many lessons mostly through their behavior,  A gripping anchorage, a guaranteed shelter, to unwind in rough weather.  Virtues of love and sacrifice, help and respect, trust and confidence,  Are the supreme heirlooms I am entitled to, as a rich inheritance.  Teachers of standards primary to high school and beyond, Have their glorious imprints of influences, still profound. They kindled the flame of Education, the steadfast precursory, To maneuver my life's voyage, with a meaningful trajectory. Genuine friends were  true counsels at the stage of frivolity, They ensured fun and competition healthy, saving incongruity. Family and relations are the best optic reflectors, If I have learned discretion or I am a snobbish trumpeter.  To top it all, Life itself is a shrewd taskmaster, Tossing me in tempests and coved shores in equal measur...

Life, we should realize, is a game of chess. A KING is important, and a QUEEN is no less. The BLACKS and the WHITES have equal space, Success makes the noise, no matter the race. Irrevocable it is, when you make a MOVE, Choices make the difference, you have to prove. STALEMATE is just life's another phase, RESIGN with dignity, accept it with grace. The ROOK says, focus on your way, Do not worry about, what people will say. The KNIGHT can help you realize your limitations, Work upon them with perseverance and patience. Opportunity seldom knocks twice, Learn from the BISHOP to grab it without compromise. The PAWN may be of a lesser rank and reward, Remember, a needle's work can not be done by the sword. Pawn in us will reach the other side for WINNING, Face the hardships, for the goal, is to be QUEENING. Though the King is most important of the lot. But is it most powerful? No, it is not! So, when you are on cloud nine, Do not be pretentious, stay benign. When trouble comes your ...

Chiseled through the forest a pathway Marking human progress with a four-lane highway A hundred trees sighed as they fell Carrying in their hearts a thousand tale Birds search for lost homes Squirrels wonder where hidden nuts are gone Monkeys stare  at the skies looking for branches to swing Crickets forgot how to sing Grasses lie dead and buried A million lives under concrete Fireflies no longer search the woods in the nights For the highway is lit with so many moving lights I travel my way along the highway My destination a national symposium Save Nature in Every Way 

  4 AM - It’s been a long night Heavy trucks thundering up and down I think I need to stretch my back In a lighter vein- I am quite a stretch you know!   6 AM – The stubble burning smoke has formed a thick screen There’s a drunk maniac tearing up my North side And a speed junky coming from the Southern end Aaaah! As I feared…….   6. 30 AM -A pile-up now! Twenty-eight vehicles in all!! I am strewn with shards of glass and spatters of blood There’s a child screaming for his mother, while a motorcycle is burning Do you think these people are carrying valid licenses?   12 Noon – The sun is shining hard on my face Myriad patterns of hot air melt my surface I need more trees I shout… An empty bag of chips is hurled out of a window to muffle my voice!   5 PM - I spot my favorite kind of travelers A family singing merrily. What bliss! It gives me hope that the night to follow   Will not be filled with horrors of senseless deaths. ...

  Life is analogous to a game of chess, We are mere players along with others, Every move we make has consequences, We have to learn from the inferences.   Winning and losing are part of the game, Practice can help us attain fame, We have the power to decide a move, Concentration , introspection can help us improve.   Sometimes sacrifices are needed in order to gain, Temporary losses can cause us some pain, Let’s focus on the ultimate goal, Positive thinking will keep us under control.   The choices we make reflect our wisdom, Let’s be prudent, not make it random. Protect and build relationships with others, But let’s be cautious not to be ‘checked’ in the process.   The lessons taught by chess are numerous, We may be faced with problems precarious, But learning the nuances carefully,  Will enable us to lead our life successfully.

The serpentine highways melting into the horizon, Separated by a seam of contempt and derision, The tarred highway littered with gazillion stars, Those unending seams led to verbal wars. My wobbly gait at the left end of the road, While you languidly stand at the right to share the workload, Oh! Darling Why the societal regulation divided us? I still wail at the hemmed boundaries of the abandoned bus! The highway looks strenuous without your rapturous hand, The lines stretched into infinity into a hinterland, While I try to juxtapose my recondite emotions with happy moments, I wish I could overshadow the stirred foment.  Can we not crossover the dividing prejudices one last time? Etch a flowery tale with a mellifluous tune,  Can we not stitch the loose ends of life with endless love? Shorten the distance by glistening sunshine from above. Tethered to hope, I take the highway of life, With rapture, dissolving the internal strife. Hope this time you will cover the distance with ...

Lost!   Amid the temporalities  And the burgeoning impersonal spaces The weary man wanders… Over the horizon, the highway beckons Luxuriously spread out, The tarry siren awaits the dejected traveler  She bends, sways and curves,  To the rhythm of the city’s destitute.                                                                                                                                            Listen!  She calls out to you, To forget your wretched anger and miles of daily terror. The rugged terrain unfolds like a lover… Tempts the traveler, To risk it all and explore, With the silent oath of many unstru...

When the cupid's arrow hits you hard, When little tokens of adoration, take you off guard, There is acceptance and no reasons to fight, Love brings along the radiance of sleepless night. Sharing secrets till the break of dawn, No sign of sleep, yet never felt worn, And then we decided to meet by the lake, On tenterhooks,restive and sanguinely awake, We canvassed the meeting called clandestine, A gazebo of daises and roses would be fine! Alone,but not lonely, looked forward to the morning.. so bright, Love brings along the enthralling sleepless night. But when Satan casts an evil eye, Apprehensions replace faith, you cant deny, When the ways of the world, balked at our dealing, When words of love are no more healing, Nights are murky ,so gloomy and pining, Let love be audacious,try to look for the silver lining. Till then all we'll yearn for, is a reassuring embrace,right? Because love brings along the agony of sleepless night.

I lie awake in bed Night after despondent night Stringing dreams on a fragile thread Until the room is lit with morning light It’s not despair I feel, I know As my days are sanguine With an unhurried pace and mellow It’s the dusk that brings with it the din Nights are my propugnaculum; looming large Dwarfing my effort to sink into an abyssal Every tucked away memory does surge Borne out of another eventide so dull My burning eyes paint the ceiling with stars Gripped with an insurmountable loneliness Mulling over how life has become a farce Aimless, but trudging along nonetheless I will for the sweet release Of being cradled in the arms of sleep Where all thoughts will finally cease Leaving nothing to give and none to ke ep

  Life is like a game of chess, To win, you have to move, Think, ponder, make wise decisions, And understand the people around you. Chess, like life, is not just about winning, It is about training and learning, It requires patience and perseverance, Wisdom and inner peace. In chess and in life we learn The power of silent thought, We learn that every decision Will have an impact on the future. Confidence, self-belief are essential, Both in chess and in life, If you believe in yourself, You can perform miracles. In life and in chess, it's better To avoid the crowd, follow your heart And be self reliant, Self sufficient and independent. Both chess and life teach you lessons, Teach you concentration, Teach you how to solve problems, Teach you destiny is not chance but choice.

Chess is played for a few hours or days Life is to be lived for a few decades Both need to be learned with training and mindfulness Irreversible moves to be made require thoughtfulness The chessboard is equally divided in squares white and black Life creates shades of grey if treated with slack All are beginners till a few become grandmasters Diligence and sacrifices draws life’s aesthetic pleasures Analyse the strength of Pieces and manoeuvre the moves Patience and perseverance help resonate with life’s grooves Opening moves at times decide the fate of the game Right values instilled in childhood propel us to fame Pawns the most understated form the game’s ‘soul’ happily Move ahead straight but capture the opponent diagonally The most insignificant steps need to be carefully tread Learn life’s basic principles as the game of chess When the King castles the Rook moves to shield Occasionally to step aside to increase life’s yield Prepare to jump over hindrances like a playful Knight Eff...

Life is a challenging game It is played in a fixed frame Which game? Can you guess? Oh! It’s a game of chess   The chess board is very odd and awful All the time you ought to be utmost watchful You’re given pieces either black or white You’ve to make moves sharp and bright   You’ve to judge opponent’s move Your intrinsic mettle you’ve to prove All the mind power properly you’ve to set Somehow you shouldn’t suffer checkmate!!   Even if the opponent moves a pawn You can’t take it casually and afford to yawn All your kingdom depends on the King and Queen For their protection always be keen   Watch the opponent’s shrewd knight Never commit a mistake slight With your bishop be positive Counteract opposite bishop’s inclined motive   In sixty-four squares, make judicious moves following regulations Otherwise you’re bound to suffer tribulations Use dashing rooks to bring the game in your ambit  Oh! You can easily win by strategies like King’s Gambit!! ...

Life is nothing but a complex game of chess Where there’s the rivalry between two opponents in black and white We identify potential threats and to safeguard our own interest A fire of revenge within, we allow to perennially ignite There’s a conflict between the good and evil And devil’s advocate is always played by the sinner Amidst myriad manipulations and scheming minds Eventually, it’s the brainiac who emerges a winner In life’s dilemmas when we land in situations tough We need to make important choices under pressure Setting perspicuous goals to achieve success We acquire the unthinkable by remaining focussed We are mere pawns in the hands of circumstances We strategize and cross various hindrances and roadblocks Despite the limitations and serious impediments We make the most of the opportunities that knock The game of chess teaches to create a perfect balance Between the vulnerable heart and the coherent mind And when we are in dilemma it’s difficult to decide If our thoughts a...

Fog and mist had blurred the vision, It was a beautiful morning of the winter season, I gazed out through the window of the car, The milestone read 50, we were still so far. After a wakeful night, I woke up before all the alarms, Adamant to stop the time, once I'd be in his arms. And so the highway seemed unceasingly long, If love was a movie, the distance was a sad song. The wind was mellifluous and smelled of togetherness, And yet there were tears, I couldn't suppress. Of my heart's elation, the highway was a witness, The boulevard and the trees danced no less. As soon as the milepost hit the 0 mark, There was iridescence after the pining dark. I could see him smile, through the dewdrop-clad glass, Reassuring, comforting, he brought me solace. Words fall scanty and some feelings are hard to share, All I can spell is glee on my face and love in the air. Distance dwindled, and lessened the unfathomable pain, And there were spectators- the trees, the towers, the wind, and th...

Press Release: Celebrating Assamese Art, Culture and Literature through  the Asian Literary Society's BHAASHA 2020  Program The Asian Literary Society (ALS) in association with the Journal of Asian Art, Culture, and Literature (JAACL) organized BHAASHA 2020 (Assamese) program on 29th November 2020  in which eminent literary luminaries and acclaimed artists participated. The day-long event began with a welcome note by Mr. Manoj Krishnan (Founder, Asian Literary Society). It was followed by a live session with Dr. Arupa Kalita Patangia (Eminent Assamese Writer & Sahitya Akademi Award Winner).  Later in the day, a panel discussion on Assamese art, culture, and literature was organized with eminent personalities - Dr. Kuladhar Saikia (President, Assam Sahitya Sabha & Sahitya Akademi Award Winner), Dr. Moushumi Kandali (Eminent Writer & Art Historian), and Mr. Arindam Borkataki (Eminent Writer & Akademi Youth Award Winner). This discussion about the richne...