The Fulfilling Silence

It was a bad day for her. The usual chores, work, people around her, the weather, everything irritated​ her.

She finally left the office,not telling anyone why she wanted to leave early.

After a stroll alone on a deserted road, she dialed a number. The phone was picked up after the second ring.

"Hey!" "Where have you been?? I've been worried sick. Couldn't get a chance to talk to you since morning"

A voice that had recently become her favorite, replied from the other end.

" I don't feel very elevated. Could you come and collect me from..You know where..?" She asked.

"O'course dear. I'll be there in 10 minutes."

She had butterflies in her stomach, her heart had already started beating fast but somehow she composed herself.

There he was after 10 minutes,in ragged blue jeans and a pistachio green button down shirt. 

She was dazzled even by this simple appearance. She could only stand there and admire him for a minute. He finally broke the silence. "What happened to you? Are you alright?"

"Not really" she said in a small voice. "Let's just go somewhere I don't wanna talk about it."

She sat behind him on his bike and without another question, he drove. They did not speak a word for a long time. She was happy to be around him, that alone calmed her down. 

She then realized that the weather was pleasant. The wind was slightly cold but she closed her eyes and felt it on her face.

Amidst all this, he was thinking a lot of things but he did not utter a word. The streets were quiet. He adjusted the rear view mirror so that he could see her reflection. Her eyes closed, arms outstretched, slight smile on the corner of her lips, hair blown by the wind. She looked angelic. 

As they went farther from the town, the air started to grow colder. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his back.

She had never held him like that before, they had never really gotten that close, physically. But something about this gesture felt comfortable. Her body was relaxed. She basked in the warmth of his body.

After driving a few minutes, he stopped the bike on a bridge, which was his favorite place. It was adorned with fairy lights along the edges. The lamp posts installed were carved with floral designs, and lavender trees did nothing but added elegance to the road. Almost the entire town could be seen from up there, lights twinkling in distance.

She got down without asking any questions and stood leaning on the railing.

The moon looked majestic, with an orange tinge.

He walked up to her and took her hand.

"You know you can share anything with me right?"

"Yea, I know" her voice was a little shaky.

" But I don't want to talk about it now. Let's just sit here for a while"

"As you wish" he said, toying with a smile, his lips quirked up a bit.

Both sat facing the town, lost in the moment. None of them felt the need to speak.

 

He turned towards​ her and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. She smiled, the most comely smile he had ever seen. He adored the dimple on her right cheek, the shape of her eyes, when she smiled. She looked at him from under her lashes, her heart now racing. His eyes held hers, for what seemed like an eternity.

 

" I love you, dear one" he spoke at last. 

She entwined her fingers into his, closed her eyes, leaned in and kissed him...

Title Courtesy- Advaya Andhare

A thing called "woman"

She was not pure,no!

She was defiled by her own people!

Whenever no one was around, she was pulled in a dark corner by a familiar hand,

Hushed by a familiar voice.. it's okay dear, no-one will come to know about it.

You just need to do as I say, and anything you want is yours.

My little princess, come closer, let me touch you, let me feel your skin,

Then the torment would begin.

Being touched against her will,

A body holding her down, a firm grip preventing her from escaping.

But there was nothing she could've done,

She had to endure it, endure the lascivious look in "his" eyes.

Her skin burned where ever "he" would touch her, but she lay there, helpless and exposed.

This was done to her not just once, but countless times, by a myriad known and unknown faces, all dissembled in the charade of belongingness.

She was tired of being vulnerable and being used as a puppet.

She was tired of being a tool of satisfaction, albeit she uttered not a word to anyone..

Ripped bare off her soul and beaten by the abuse disguised in chivalry, she left.

Left forever this time... into the river of her sorrows..Never to emerge again...

Title courtesy- Advaya Andhare

The love voyage

Assaulted by Myriad reasons,
Assuaged by one voice.

Unwavering in catastrophes,
Ebbing away emotions,
Yet a lot there was to come.
How long could the sentiments be hidden?
Impassioned, fervent with a boost of tranquility!

Impeccably swaggering,
Flare beaconing in the dark,
Ambulating indubitably!
Crossing every encumbrance,
There could be seen the destination!
Just a few strides afar..

But driven by heart,
No advancement could be made,
Turning around and retracing the steps,
Reaching for the love that seemed so far..

Recuperating what all was lost,
Voyaging to find his better half,
With a smile set on his lips,
Finally finding her,
It had the power,
Like nothing he had felt before!!

Title courtesy- Harshit Mishra

गुनहगार बिटिया

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
अपने ही समाज से क्यों कर दिया जाता है बेदखल
बिना सूरत देखे ही असल।
कहीं समझा जाता है पवित्रता की मूरत
कहीं तिरस्कार कर दिया जाता है देखते ही सूरत!

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
होती है अपने ही घर में चंद दिनों की मेहमान
सुहाग संग कहा जाता सम्मान।
हर कदम पर मुश्किलें सहती है
लेकिन "रहो अडिग" स्वयं से यह कहती है!

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
अनमोल, अद्वितीय है उसकी मुस्कान।
परंतु कड़वा घूँट पी जाती सह कर अपमान
समझ लेती है औरों की भावनाओं को
मगर क्या कोई समाझ पाया है उसके आंसुओ को??

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
लेकर निकली है फूलों सा कोमल दिल
जिसे समझने वाला कोई जाए उसे मिल।
हज़ारों दुःख दफनाये हैं एक हँसी मुस्कान तले
उसकी इस मुस्कान से न जाने कितने दिल खिले।

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
स्वयं सहेगी दुःख ताकि अपनों पर आंच ना आन पड़े
बावजूद इसके, उसी के अपने उसके विरुद्ध खड़े!
क्या मिलेगी उसे मुक्ति अपनी इस व्यथा से?
कितनी परिपक्वता से कह जाति सबकुछ अपनी कथा से।

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
नाम दे दिया जाता है उसकी इस पीड़ा को "तथाकथित दुःख" का
क्या कभी वह भी निगल पायेगी एक भी निवाला सुख का?
क्या अपनी भावनाएं व्यक्त करने का नहीं है उसे अधिकार?
मत जाने बिना ही दिया जाता है धिक्कार!

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
दिखाकर सुन्दर सपने,
धराशायि कर देते हैं उन्हें उसी के अपने।
उड़ान भरने से पहले ही छीन लिए जाते हैं पंख
जन्म से पहले ही सूनी कर दी जाती है जननी की अंक।

उसकी है ही क्या गलती
जो इतना बोझा ढो कर वह चलती।
देवी कहकर सिर आँखों पर बैठाया
फिर उसी को मिट्टी में मिलाया!!..
क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?

Dil Karta hai Ud Jane ko..!

Band kar yaadon ki kitaab fir, sir utha ke jine ko,
Mann ki dhuno ko aur dimaag ki taalo ka sangam baithane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Na rok sake koi, kuch aisa kar jaane ko,
Aapni manzilo ko dhundte hue wahin pohoch jaane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Na tu hai bhagwan na me hu,
Bas apni kamiyo ko apnane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Sawar jaye jo kisi ki zindagi,
Ek hi jhalak se meri
Aisi hasti ban jane ko
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Akele safar ka maza hi kya,
Jahan ho na apne hasi batne ko,
Wahin leke apne sabhi yaaro ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Hai jo seeney me kaid darr
Kabhi to aaye ubhar
Saari bhawanayen vyakta kr jane ko
Chandni ki chadar odhe, khushiyo ki godd me so jaane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Har chehre ko muskaan se sajaane ko
Dosto ki khushiyo pe sab haar jaane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Chalte chalte sabhi bandhan tod jane ko,
Undekhi ek misaal ban jane ko
Koshish jiski pehle kabhi na ki ho,
Har wo kaam kar jane ko
Gir ke hi sahi, phir sambhal jaane ko,
Rag Rag me ik junoon jo daudta h
Usi me ghul jane ko
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Baarish ki bundo me nachne gaane ko,
Raaton ki ubasiyo ke beech panchi ban jaane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Chilchilaati dhoop me thandi hawa ban jane ko,
Taqdeer ki rekhaon ko azmaane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Hold me High

Want you to embrace me and hold me high
coz m not strong enough, I don't deny
Now that I owe you my heart,
Never will I want to part..
Tender care is what I mean,
Hope,distress never be seen.
"We" have been through a lot,
No matter what the situation, we fought!
Will I ever be able to repay the debt??..
Now that I have nothing left.
How will I live without you?
Together, the happiness always grew.
If ever did I fail,
You were there to take me out of the hail
Did not have the strength to stand,you never let go off my hand.
Missing you badly,
Anything makes sense hardly..
I need you.. Want to embrace me and hold me high,
coz m not strong enough, I don't deny...

She Moved On..

Incarcerated behind the bars of time,
Marked by the allegations of the society
Chained in shackles
Buried deep in a masquerade,
Tears of helplessness beneath.

Shrieking but no one to listen
Yet a smile on her face,
She moved on..

She moved on so she could inspire,
She moved on so she could help those in need,
She moved on so nobody could see her vulnerability
She moved on, strong as ever, unwavering.

She moved on alone, in the dark,
She moved on not coz she didn't need anyone,
But coz she was tired, tired of trying, tired of being let down.

She moved on, to set her soul free
She moved on to breathe again,
She moved on to live again.

She moved on, with a smile on her face,
To create her own destiny!