Lonely silences
Stories Which needed to be Purged from my system To diminish the poison Which flows within, Lie unsaid— Frantically seeking A patient ear. Glances Heavy with meaning That went unread— Unload the weight of their tears In…
Emotionally barren
I was waiting in the gynecology ward. I had been suffering from heavy periods which were not responding to medication. My gynecologist wanted me to undergo a small operative procedure the next morning, where she could sample…
Their right of the way
Diwali, the festival of lights, has come and gone. One of the most memorable moments of this Diwali has been our encounter with the Hanuman langurs, who are an integral part of Sevagram. We had just finished…
Matters of the heart
The hundred-odd crowd is boisterous. There are arrangements for karaoke. Everyone is in a festive mood. He climbs up the stage and stands in a corner. The crowd expects him to sing to a thumping beat. He…
A tale of two cremations
I was very close to my father. We shared a bond which needed no words. My brother and my father, on the contrary, never got along. I never understood why. Sometimes it was quite silly, as my…
At crossroads
We are at the crossroads of our lives. The Class of 1989. All of us are on the right side of fifty. And as we gather in Goa for our reunion to celebrate three decades of our…
Missing colours
On some days Life’s brush strokes leave A kaleidoscope of colour. And yet there is That uncoloured space Which keeps me awake at night. On some days I feel Thrown out Of your masterpiece. On others, I…
The memory of touch
I stood by the hospital bed hopelessly waiting for the inevitable. I was watching my mother sink. Five days ago she had left my house, chirpy as usual. And then she had returned to Sevagram with this…
Once bitten, twice shy
My mother was being posted for her knee replacement surgery. Her anesthetists had proclaimed her fit for surgery. But I put my foot down. Her urine culture reports showed growth of some organisms. And I was worried…
