Growing up
once in a temple,
a lady came to us
asking to give her something,
and Dad gave. Mom displeased
said that the lady could work
why then beg...
I thought, yeah why not!

Dad once off earshot
said firmly that,
"To give is your choice,
to judge is not your place."

That day,
I remember giving that lady
handful of my biscuits.
And till date,
it's never been my place
to judge anybody
and he made sure
I'd never stand in that space.

-

September 18, 2015
7:35PM
My friend was on phone talking to my dad. "I'll take care, uncle" "okay, uncle" "I'll call you back, uncle" I heard it all vaguely like it was being said elsewhere and not in our room. I was frantically booting up her laptop that was lying in my reach. It wouldn't start to my speed. The screen blurred, my shaky hands typed my sister's name on Google search. I had to backspace a lot, I couldn't type anything that made sense. I nearly broke the enter key even. Finally an online news stream popped open. A news reporter was reciting my sister's suicide in a platonic tone. I let out a pained sob. My friend's hands came around me to hold me. I looked at her blankly. She'd dropped my phone, wiping my tears and was withholding hers. "She's really dead" I whispered pointing at the screen.

-

Fuzzy socks,
full hand shirts,
long nights,
a single roof - family times.
Remember?
Two sizes too big,
our rain coats.
Winters!
have meant cozy,
spent happy and spelt safe!

-

I miss how
the jasmine plant back home
With its scented flowers never failed
to announce the arrival of dusk
before the shadows crept in.

I miss how
my closet back home
with its stacked clothes and
mild floral scent of her favorite detergent
whispered "mom's here" when opened.

All these new scents,
different people and their accents,
even the sky doesn't look the same here.
I wrap myself with the pashmina from home,
yearning for a whiff of familiarity!

- Indhu.Sara.Writes

-

Dear 18th century,

There weren't any weddings with you, but you witnessed many marriages. Simply you had their difference defined so right. Perhaps we have it all in reverse now.
A man, a woman, a priest, the elements​ and the vows. That was it, there wasn't anything more needed to make it beautiful. And man! was it beautiful.
How good it must have been​ to step into a bond in belief that the other half is there to stay. To listen to "till death do us apart", uttered by a man in unwavering commitment.
How delightful must it have been to be with a man who's only worth his words!

Yours
21st century odd heart

-

Dear diary,
Oh God! This grocery shopping! I don't even know which oil we use in our house, ground nut or what? I don't even know the names. Lol.

Already my routine is soo tiring and now even sunday is wasted. My movie day transferred into a grocery shopping day! *Sigh*
7 months ago, me living in Pune, enjoying sunday dinner with my friends, and me now, oscillating between office, home, market. Now I don't even get time to paint my nails. Lol.

I need to go to see a doctor too, but damn its late. I have nightmares every night. I don't even remember my dreams, I just wake up every night, sweating and with a headache. I switch app on my phone till I get back to sleep. FB checked, Insta checked, Snapchat checked, YQ checked, now what? Lol.

Last dream I had was, I was in a hospital, and mamma came back to life and she was hugging me. See, even my dreams make fun of my life, showing me things that can't come too. Lol.

My life is full of big LOL moments. *Sigh*

-

If CID was named honestly,

It would be -

"Daya Darwaza Tod Carpenter ke bas ki nahi,
Fredrick tum zabardasti comedy na kiya karo aur
ACP Pradyumna Isse better aap Manzari ke baap
Ke role me lage the Nayak movie mein."

-

We were miles apart like strangers on a silent drive as I was not comfortable of holding him in public. He sensed me and by bluffing the directions, pulled me towards him. I ended resting my head on his shoulder when he grabbed my hand and said " i will never let you feel uneasy"
Suming her words and remembering her past she slept crawling in her bed.

-