How quickly the year has passed since the beginning of the most significant movements I have witnessed. The Bharat Jodo Yatra will always be special. The INC established a direct connect with the people bypassing the need for an increasingly partisan media. Its followers galvanised, its leaders motivated; one got…

Team of Rivals “Team of rivals” is a book that I have been attempting to complete reading for a fairly long time. On my reading stand, with a fair amount of stickies marking the interesting pages. …

matheran

raindrops streaking down my window myriad patterns formed grey the order of the day across the road beyond the metro a hill three quarters filled houses, a storey or two many stories propped on stilts a school a temple a church a mosque all accommodated a jigsaw puzzle can’t see…

sun rays bounce off her watch or mine unclasped in a hurry now domiciled on a table by the bedside few bookmarks unfinished work an ash tray the fire long quenched smoke sprawled on the pillow somewhere dust rises up to the ceiling the shadows complete their dance in silence

a woman disrobed paraded dignity violated by a mob drunk on evil bred on hate their reason consumed humanity abandoned that silence ever encouraging no god turned up abandoned in that throng of beings no longer deserving of being called human she stood deafened by that cacophony of whistles amplified by the silence of the complicit where have we reached where are we headed my tears though dried up must cry out my words though inadequate must cry out

the rain has paused clouds taking a rest the lightning too has gone dark the night outside my window is abuzz with crickets kicking up a storm an odd frog with a deep bass joins in occasionally mumbai has gone silent all its umbrellas have returned home for a weekend indoors

hey you wanna buy that house load up your mortgage and reduce leverage that SUV that shiny bauble you eyed in the mall all now within reach we got a loan for all hey you we know what you watch what songs move you what foods do not where you go and when you rise and fall our algorithms wait recording it all hey you like that hotel Don sang about you can only enter and never leave we got your number we see it all your reality and your illusion prisoners behind our wall

unfamiliar streets roads with names changed is it your city anymore if you have to depend on an app to get around you can’t even ask a passerby where what is is it your city anymore if everyone around is new everyone without a clue