Quarantine Anthem

Running straight up at the first sneeze

Smelling the deo till nose agrees

Dreading the rain, cursing the cold breeze

No more horrible life experiences

Oh pretty please!

-Abhishikta

Mohaloya 2020 and How!

 Mahalaya!

In 2012, I woke up shivering from a consistent 10-day long fever on a Mahalaya morning. I remember the huge weight loss and consecutive hair loss that had come in. I remember Maa not allowing me to sleep in my room which is on a different floor than hers, and doctors advising me to sleep separate. My taste, appetite and zeal were an all time low. Khichdi and mosquito nets were my consistent partners and my usual ami-r-bachbona thoughts, everyday. My bed was made in the hall, right beside my mother’s room so that she could check on me every 2 hours, even in the night. I do not think any phase of my life had made me so weak physically. I cursed the epic Kellogs K diet I had taken just to look slim and the corresponding series of fevers, vitamin deficit, immunity loss, tests and the likes.

Maa woke me up at 4, I thought she would do the usual fever check, but she asked if I would want to give Mahalaya a miss that year and sleep. I of course said no, she of course knew it. Next, the radio was kept between the rooms, tuned to Akashbani Kolkata, and “Aswiner Shaarodo Praate” filled in the house! It was one of my earliest introductions to goosebumps where suddenly, for one full hour, I felt happy!
“Maa ashchhe, ami morbona”- well I have always been dramatic like that!

Today, after 5 years, I had the privilege to actually tune into a radio to listen to Mahalaya and not the usual Youtube. Today, for the first time ever in my life I woke Maa up at 4. Today, like every Mahalaya morning, I felt happy.

Maa ashchhe :)
As long as I don’t jinx myself again that is -_-

দমবন্ধ

দমবন্ধ ভীষণ দমবন্ধ। নানা, সারা বিশ্ব জোড়া দমবন্ধ না, বটে, তবুও দমবন্ধ, ভীষণ দমবন্ধ।
আবার? সব জেনেও?
মশাই, লজ্জা দেবেন না 

তখন সময় থমকে দাঁড়ায়

Sitting at the last floor of Acropolis, A heard a bus conductor shout "Ruby Ruby Ruby". Covid scare, even though has brought life to a standstill, A was so glad for these comfort noises which are clearer now.

O kept talking about the rights and wrongs of life, the fairs and mostly unfairs that they face, cry and eventually give up on. S gave occasional nods to it, mostly acknowledging the new decade of life. Three unclear lines of smoke made their turn towards the sky that pointed towards Gariahat. The sky looked orange and yellow on that side, west is it? The other side still had an Autumn blue to it. The city had a trademark humid evening air almost making A feel guilty of not wanting to settle here immediately. Almost consoling, 'someday when you're at a better place, someday!'. By now S had shifted to the dreamscape that is on the cards and all for good; O approved of the domestication that would save most of their wreckage, almost blocking A-s sky viewing. In the dying light A noticed, how there are darker worry lines on their foreheads. Were they always there? Or are these age lines? A must have had them too then. When did they get so old? When did they get so calm? When did they start to form clear sentences that made clear sense without inviting immediate retaliation? What is this life full of incomplete stories and unknown impossibilities. What have they become? 

In the silence of the evening, A could hear some other bus conductor shout "Ruby Ruby Ruby". Noises, comforting noises. This will do. This is enough.

To Be

Some people feel like sunshine
Some people feel like storm
Some people would take your breath away
Some people would choke your song
Some people talk of dark nights
Some people talk of dawns
Some people are ice cold
Some people are blanket warm

Oh to be
The sunshine song
Oh to be
The warm dawn
Oh to be.

But to get?
But to have?
Poem for another life !

-Abhishikta

Viraah

 Woke up to a storm. Just when I ranted to my heart's content on how I am going to die if the gorom remains this way throughout yesterday, without ANY exaggeration since I almost felt feverish, woke up to a storm.

It is funny how my life has always been blessed only at the point beyond which I wouldn't survive without them. Just as I was discussing with N the other day whether to be thankful or angry about it. And, and it's raining. Could it get any better? :)

The pessimist prays for the networks to not die. It could be an awesome day otherwise. Pretty please!

Current favorite song on loop and rains for now :')