kashmir

i wake up to the fears, of the drowning of the trembling tears in your eyes; i escape, and re-awake, the monster that had forever stayed inside; awaiting pain, smelling fear, i come near to you and looks you straight in the eyes; and there is no way to go, you give in and are […]

chale jao. ghar banao.

kabhi the to kabhi nahi jaise khuda jo guzar gayi vo guzar gayi sabr karte karte kabr ab kya kahoge yahan? chale jao. ghar banao. rahamat-e-tamaam tabah hai izm ke band-aa-ish main bin kaaran ki khwaahish bin meethe-taqalum ki baatain kaise reh paogi? chale jao. ghar banao. yaha bas ek insaan hai bin samaaj ki […]

revelation

you wake up one morning and everything makes sense you have the answers, in sync with the reality. you understand everything; the angels and the demons. the drive and the reasons. the freedom and the prison. you wake up and you are you again. consumed again. renewed again. letting go. hanging on. with insight. with […]

the book club

it was more than just reading: it was my first hindi literature for you it might be diagon alley, for me it will always be chu mantar gali. it was my first literal crush in hermoine my cramming of stats of professional wrestling my escape into silence the voice to not cause violence it was […]

khidki

betha hai dekh aaj yaar bhi mehfil me talaash me pyaasa tadpa jaaye bas paani ki aas me me khud me gum hun ya gum hun tujhme yehi to sawaal hai aankhein teri hi har paheli ka jawaab hai bheetar ghut ta aasmaan bhi baadalon ke jaal me bin baarish vo bhi sukha fas raha […]

sympathy for the devil

there are tornadoes in wisconsin uprooting trees and stories history remains stoic apathetic to lovers and poets a news flash, a heart attack, a gun clash, a breakdown there are wails that make no sound there are birds in aizwal that fly cascades in the forest that stand dry an old gun slinger that still […]

shikva

har saal pichle saal ki tarah nahi rehta kuch khayal nahi rehte kuch apne nahi rehte har samaa uss samay jaisa nahi hota vo bhi ek pal tha ye bhi ek pal hai aage bhi ek pal aaega shayad iss samay se behtar shayad kharaab shayad hum apne gile shikvo ko bhul ek nayi shuruat […]

therapy

there are birds that do not fly thieves that do not steal liars that preach truth believers that do not kneel there are songs that carry no words no music, no beats and no rhythm songs that carry silence taking a knee equivalent to violence oppressors masquerading as victims priests that commit sin there are […]

the story continues

The words are my escape from you It is a song for the freedom I seek The last call before the bar closes The last glance before we depart These thoughts are my anger at you The antithesis Of my values, principles and definitions Now the days and nights are the same I work hard […]

must be love

For her eyes are the end of me But also the beginning The sip of red wine The blues, soul and rhythm divine Must be love Kyunki harf aur alphabet ka antar bhool jaata hun Har bhasha me pyaar barsata hun Jitna dur jaata hun, utna kareeb tumhe paata hun Must be love For the […]

standing in the dark

When the darkness fights the light And the sun feels betrayed The cascade of bright merging streams All is not what it seems The truth screams The story of the vultures is apparent to all Only those that fight till the end stand tall. The darkness does not discriminate Knows only itself and does not […]

estranged

there are a few things that belong to me still kept in your wardrobe & memories kindly return them back to me let the unsaid still be a mystery a few books, a song or two, a couple of stolen lines, a trip together and the view of early morning sunshine chocolate bars, laughter & […]

no answers

i travelled beyond the time and stood on that spot again where our eyes first met and stared deep and long at her eyes for all i care and tried to unearth the truth the truth of our lives what was the honesty? what caused the delight? what were those fireworks, what were the burning […]

free

once i passed through the prism of me and got torn into different streams each cascade a prisoner in me of thoughts, doubts, emotions and dreams beyond the surface i opened up looked at the life in each layer a reminder of my now a reminder of why i am here the moments lived and […]

aabaad

os pighle, baal bheege, jism tharrae teri tadap me dil aur jaan dono tarsae dekh kahaani ka ye kaisa mod hai tu nahi hai par hai, dil se ye hodd hai tere liye jee ghabrae aa laut ke vaapas aaye ussi gali, ussi sheher, jaha tujhe dekha tha vo aankhein, vo hasi, vo bachche sa […]

destination: unknown & known.

trade in the childhood memories for the job now let there be no objections and no sound the time is ripe to go now the curtain will be closing soon, fade out. take a bow, soak in the applause kiss your goodbyes to the soap opera the phase of your life was long but now […]

alphabet

alive on the breathing cascade that defines the enormity of featherless & gargantuan highways that intersect the joints of kingdoms and lament the masquerade and needless to oppose the process of the quintessential & ruthless soul that is thinking of taking a u-turn to vindicate and be a winner for he has the x factor […]

tamanna

zindagi tujhe bhi shaunk ho gaya har ghari har mod imtehaan ka hume bhi aadat ho gayi, har waqt, har din intezaar ki wafa ke badle wafa na sahi, chah me rahe uski jo chah na saka dekhe nahi usko jo ruka raha, har masle me humare uljha raha ab dil uss be-dil ko diya […]

not about you

is this about you? lets sit together and find out what each post means none of them are about you, yet all are about you. none of them are about me and yet everything is me you knowing me for a second was enough to know me my whole life why do you search for […]

the phone

“i have answers now, ask the questions of the reason for the grimace, of the resignation of me losing patience, or the expected Armageddon ask me about the political landscape, i will give predictions or the lasting fragrance still on me of my lover she is sweet, just like lemonade i am the poison, full […]

maaya

jab lage doobne ko hai uski aankhon me, tab uski aankhon ne paar kar diya chaai jab khamoshi aur hone lage beghar uski sargoshi ne amaan kar diya hona hi tha muntjir to hume, yuhi kaatni thi zindagi uss bewafa ne aisa humara intezaam kar diya chalne lage jo hum madhushaala se, pyaase aur akele […]

accumulation/culmination

when he could not get to her he turned around and left but before he departed, he stated what needed to be said: “waited a long time for the flowers to bloom tried to stay dry in this heavy monsoon awaited water from this desert hid tears in this rain longed for your breast on […]

face off

pieces to the puzzle. the white canvas splattered with grotesque colors mixed, unique and alone. listening to empty words & emptier songs promises? more like sausages stuffed and dying on fat and oil & living off fake acknowledgments no offence but i got no defence and i might just throw you over the fence for […]

jaade ki thand

dekh to phir fuul khilne lage hai tu aur mai phir milne lage hai phir shikvoń aur giloń ki raat so rahi hai jaade ki thand khatam ho rahi hai kis muh se keh de tumhe ki tumse mohabbat nahi karte apne hi jahaan-e-ilm se nafrat ho rahi hai dekh to ki ab bhi tere […]

the labourer

trembling hands praying hoping for rains on parched lands as dry as their tears not a drop of water in years how do we expect solution of fears? from hearts that have not seen happiness, that do not recognise the feeling of strength strength is a privilege; a rich boy’s flex that sips on his […]

jwala

jo haala na jhalke to kya khaak peene vala aur jo sabke saath ho le to kya khaak vo matvala apna rasta khud bana tu; chalta ja rah paa jaega tapta jaa bas, rukna mat, ban jaega tu jwala. jhuka jo sar, gaya jo ghar, kabhi nahi uth paega vahi paata hai manzil apni jo […]

hubli 30th december 16:08

un/intentionally harrowing & bewildering the charades of the charlatans the escape of the convicts the ink of the writers the voice of the voiceless the hunger of the urchins the straits that lead home what is the homecoming that is often evoked: in words, in dreams and in hope. it is the last breath that […]

the truth of an incorrigible liar

Who killed the truth? Did it die with us growing up? When we realize that it is a friend too true and we don’t deserve it? Did we bully it into submission? Tormented it with us in its dreams? Did we leave it far behind because we accepted the reality as the new vehicle to […]

in the middle

we entered in the middle when the lives we lived had been there for a while when maybe what was the void in me was your smile and your void was the same though you didn’t know you were too scared to show and now shall i make my escape for i fear i have […]

the sky

labyrinth. an elaborate, unplanned maze that is life. with each passing sunset, with each passing night. ask yourself: where is the light? did it go down with the dusk on that playground you played when you were young did it pass out with your friends when we partied till dawn? did it fall with the […]

vo

khabar be-khabar thi zinda laasho ke vyaapar ki ankahi, ansuni, bikhari hui, lachaar si tanhai ke aalam me ghut-ti khushi andhere se lipti, bujhti roshni aakhir hua kya? sawaal reh gaye bas; zanjeero se bandhe kuch uske, kuch apne. sapne. sapne jo banaye the, uske bachchon ke saath khelne ke jaise usne hume bada kiya, […]

iss baar dilli

iss baar dilli murjha gayi hai vahi thand hai vahi saal hai vahi din hai vahi raat hai par iss baar; sawaalo ke jaal me dilli aa gayi hai pehle hasti thi, iss baar dilli murjha gayi hai dekhe jab aansu dilli ke to dil aisa toota ki jud na sake dekhi darti dilli jab […]

pehle mahila, phir maa.

jab bhi neend me koi purani baat satati hai ya koi na samjhe mujhe to koi baat adhuri reh jaati hai tab mujhe meri maa yaad aati hai jab kisi roothe ko mana na ho ya kahi apna sar jhukana ho to uski taakat ke liye jo angaar andar jalati hai vo bachpan ki naitik […]

baap

iss se takatvar koi ni iske barabar koi nahi neev bhi chaaya bhi iss se badhkar koi nahi balidaan deta garv se bachaav bhale hi chhal se mare kabhi na, maare das iski shiksha me jeevan ka ras durr hai khada ubaal se bhara zameen se juda hua aasmaan ko choota hua badi mahan chahvi […]

khamoshi

jabse paani se pyaas bujhi hai na jaane kaisi aag lagi hai chahiye aur nahin bhi mil jaye to tabah na mile to tadap dikh jaye to khuda chup jaye to chubhan aakhir ye khel hai kaisa sadiyon ke andher ke jaisa ki roshni hone par bhi andhere ko kaat ti nahi hai aur kitni […]

anon.

through the defeat of the righteousness and the burning of humanity by humans when the oppressed is conquered by the demons masquerading as gods when the earth is destroyed in the name of religion will you still care? or will you just stare? through following & joining groups just to feel like we belong and […]

final verdict

there is a maddening trance out in the air everyone is high and free dancing the nights away worries forgotten & promises betrayed out by the windy sea boarded on the ship that travels on, smoking strong and takes you nowhere and there is wisp of smoke on the hilly terrain its been years since […]

the train

each plank is a year visible at the break of dawn a curved turn and it disappears the path goes on. stones; laid out all over sharp enough to break skulls stones; creating foundation & segregation stones; that will lead home two endless parallel rails the necessary medium for the train the arrival creates reverbation […]

the song

i lost the song i used to get lost in i forget the words & what they stood for the roads that were reminiscent with the song are lost too maybe, just maybe, i took far too long and now i am a prisoner of my ways and i have to go on, though i […]

gambler’s reward

gambling, on its face value, seems excessive, unnecessary & unnatural. why would someone spend all their life’s fortunes & riches on a roll of a dice (no pun intended). but on a deeper understanding of the subject, it is anything but unnatural. it consists of logic; there is a mathematical system (that has voluminous books […]

the drifter

on a long desert road with no living soul a distant voice is heard of a machine that roars two wheels & black in color unafraid & unrestrained a hopeless lover; that refuses to give up. drifting along the scorching sun brighter than the sunshine darker than the night the drifter has no name & […]

what are we?

what are we? guns in the hands of children instead of pens tears in the eyes of the women instead of dreams hunger pangs in the stomach of youth instead of excitement drugs in the veins of the boys instead of adrenaline graveyards & cremation grounds instead of jungles borders instead of bridges silence instead […]

the times

crumbled on that piece of paper flying away in the wind was a to-do list of dreams once during a sleepless night he had thoughts, ideas and plans to achieve means now as he sits having sold his dreams for alcohol, racetracks, resorts and riches beyond hope he sees the material life, luxury are nothing […]

drug.

words are pouring out through the sieve of silence peace is crawling out from underneath the body count of violence no sound is loud enough to wake up the dreamers from the dreamless sleep the houses are full, contrasted by the empty streets blood, sweat, tears: give without expectations and realise the meaning of life […]

haiku

how to outlast this grief? falling leaves; drowning oceans foot soldiers retreat. why do we fall apart? past obsolete; nights dark. together a part. will the flying birds reach? the promised land; a far-away home or die on the streets. where is the light? those drowning eyes; those flowing hair that shine through the night. […]

it has been a minute

it has been a minute since the last few people that understood were in the room since the laughters that filled echoed off the walls in my afternoons since the moments of enlightenment tore away the gloom since i was in between maybe & soon. it has been a minute since the team of dozen […]

a paper boat called lifetime

ripples of rain drops on the street, a paper boat of past and future set by a child called lifetime concocted stories, flashing headlights, silent smiles, cocaine lines spray painted walls with words and pictures that contain frustration and hope amalgamation of promises, betrayal, stains of alcohol and dope rusted wheels of a red bicycle […]

23 till death

the night is up to its shenanigans again the alcohol is filled to the brim i taste it and your lips and casually put my hand around your waist is it a mistake? i’d rather remorse than regret life on the fast lane, full of laughter and bets do you not recognize me? this was […]

we; this generation

we are the generation that was promised that will hold our neighbours hands and break bread empower women and redefine the archaic & inane definitions/restrictions of identity & categorisation eschew preaching of tradition & culture that exploits our heartstrings at the price of our rationality & thought burn the books that have discriminated & pitted […]

mujh se hi

mujh me na bachcha mujhsa hi na laut paa raha mujh me hi khaamoshiyon ka sama chalta raha jalta raha khud me hi sulagti ja rahi intezaar ki aag dhua dhua hua mujh sa hi na dilasa, na panah, na jannat, na jahan tanha me bhi, tujh sa hi muqamal na ho jo vo khwahish […]