a different take on karvachauth

karvachauth
I will fast fast, I am savitri
may my patidev have a long, long life.

women chanting in bright saris
rising at early dawn
passing the lota of water
waitinng for the moon, praying

women's rituals
women among themselves
where are the men anyways???

Squeezed, squahsed, pushed and punctured
no place to stand on tiptoe
no place to fall down either
breathing scarce and difficult
elbows, bags, in my face
where to keep my hands
the most awkward question
Ridiculous! Hilarious!
the absurdity of life
of a crowded delhi metro ride
the end of the journey
the doors refuse to open
How can they??!!

heat, sweat, stickiness, grime
feeling out of place and time
irritated, disgruntled
an ice cream wallah at the corner
a chocobar stick
so sweet and
so cold
melts in my mouth.
savouring it to the end
earthly troubles fly away
a satisfied smile across my face
blissful and content.

The Pied piper pipes
a melody, quaint and strange
leads me to my secret place where my heart beats to dreams
hidden from the world
dancing to music from a newer world
discovering a truer me.
paper, pencil, a place of "my own"
and enough to live on
powerful tools, necessary tools
for a daughter of Woolf

Woman

My own truth
My destiny, My self
pull me, tug at me
out of the prison chains
I must follow
Let me be
Me.
Don't construct me, constrain me
in chains of femininity
But don't construe me either
in terms of antifemininity
I must be
what I was born to be
I must break free
Let me be
Me.

anonymity

car lights flash swiftly past
puddles glisten in the dark night
the long road winds, a black ribbon
faceless, nameless, shapeless people
the masses, the designated titles
I. nobody, anonymity
waiting to cross the dark road
shrouded in obscurity.

river rain

Raging, roaring
a creature possessed
breaking bounds
the river turns into ocean
the peepul tree dances, the sky comes alive.

sublime, awesome
ecstatic epiphany
rajghat river
river rain.