Dominant drugs: Humans and Separation

 At times goodbyes are not necessarily needed. Yet at times we wish for that one last conversation, one last proper closure. To know what could have been done or why this ended the way it was never meant to.

 Memories have a strong impact on us. Memories are something we live for or live with. People become your habit, a part of your routine, and have that fixed time slot in your daily life. They become a part of you. And when you're in love it makes sense. They cross your mind now and then. You come across their favorite song or a phrase they use or the food they love, everything makes you feel connected to your love.

 And as they leave somewhere it creates a void inside your heart. The soul which had this habit of constantly relating to things and making the other the topmost priority. And suddenly, out of the blues this separation strikes making you go all numb. The body suffers through serious withdrawal symptoms, as such in the case of drugs or alcohol. Humans too are the strongest drugs. They leave us miserable. They are miserable. 

And I think when it comes to love 

You can never really unlove someone. 

Even the hate is on level 10 on the scale but somewhere there is this, a tiny part inside you that still belongs to the one that left, with the one you once loved. It carries all the memories, laughter, tears, moments, and everything deep within. Then when you see them after ages or days or months that cover over the parts slightly tears up and everything starts accumulating within and then you are back on the track.

I feel that there is a strong difference between loving someone and loving the idea of being with someone. And we often confuse it with love. So did I. And I was the one who loved. And still do. Just a matter of acceptance.

-S. Aishwarya

Way to forever till our last breaths.

My idea of love is quite extraordinary and a bit complicated. I have spent my entire life thinking that some days I will have someone who will love me the way I love. I need that "someone" who will love every inch, every corner of me without getting bored. 

If on days I feel like not stepping out, or if I am having serious mood swings, you shall stay with me, pampering me, cuddling with me, and will hug me the tightest so that whatever I have been holding on I'll cry it out. 

My idea of love is simple. There is no place for materialistic things. I just need love. Only love. I crave love. But I need reassurance now and then so you better tell me that you love me, twice a day.

 I need you to hold my hands while we are walking on beaches, on roads, at the mall, everywhere possible. I repeat everywhere possible.

 

  I know it sounds a bit clingy but all I need is this clinginess and you. So why waste a single moment.

  

 I need your shoulders to lean on when we are on our way, be it on cabs, trains, buses, planes. I'll stick to your hands like an adhesive. You better bear that. I want to eat ice cream with you at 2 AM while teasing each other with our exes.

 I want you to dance with me while we are cooking and cleaning or doing anything. On some days I want you to kiss me till the roti gets charred and the cooker whistles.

I also want you to kiss me in the middle of the argument, I'll forgive you soon.

  I'll call out names to you only when we are together and it will be anything baby, Shona, Bacchu, betu, mamma everything that I love better; do not judge me okay. 

  

Hug me whenever possible. Hold on to me forever. 

If I fall all I will be needing you there to hold me, pick me up, and tell me that you love me and make me believe in my own potential.

If I am sick you better be there and care for me like your own child. 

And in return, I'll promise to only love you and love you more with each passing day till my last breath and till death do us apart.

-S. Aishwarya

Are we really celebrating the true essence of the colorful festival ?

Take a look at the festival from a different perspective; embrace and adapt the real hues of it.

 

The weather has become warmer, the sun sets a bit late, the birds can be heard chirping and you can't go out wearing yellow without attracting those tiny buzzing singers – it's that time of the year again when the "festival of colors" is nearing; spring is knocking at our doors.

 

Every year during holi we're reminded why we celebrate colors and why we should save water; amid all these reminders and selective wokeness we're still not able to understand the true meaning behind celebrating hues.

 

Every Holi we wish to clear the darks and color them gulaal but are we really able to do so which somewhere weaves inside our beings? Can gulaal really help with being the facade while we continue to wash it away with water just hours later?

 

As the festival of colors mark the beginning of the beautiful flower blooming season, let this also mark the beginning of something new in you, in your life. Talk to an old friend, clear the bad blood, text your dad, start a new book, forgive a wrong doer or take a step towards your own well-being. Endings are always beautiful when seen as a beginning to something new.

 

This Holi, drench yourself in colors of love, compassion and unity and celebrate the festival in its true sense – after all it's a celebration of triumph of good over evil, of gulaal over pastes. Don't let the waters of ego wash away the colors of forgiveness. Celebrate holi in it's true hues, embrace the essence of it in form of values and take a step towards picking the gulaal over the shiny silvery pastes.

 

Drink a glass of 'bhaang' and let your mind lose itself to the feeling of being free. Savor the taste of happiness in the form of a drink and embrace the various colors of the festival, of your life.

-Sanjana Pincha 

सुनो ना।

सुनो ना, 

उसके जाने का ग़म तो आज भी है पर इस बात का ज़िक्र मैं किसी से नहीं करता, 

क्या फ़ायदा जब उसे ही फर्क नहीं पड़ता ।

सुनो ना,

उसकी याद तो मुझे आज भी आती है और हर पल हर लम्हा मेरे दिल को सताती है,

पर क्या फ़ायदा इन यादों का भी जो सिर्फ मुझे ही उसकी आती हैं ।

सुनो ना, 

रातों को नींद तो आज भी आती है पर बिना पूछे वो भी मेरे ख्वाबों में चली आती है,

पर क्या फ़ायदा इन ख्वाबों का जिसमें वो मुझे मिल ही नहीं पाती ।

सुनो ना

उसको देखने का मन तो आज भी बहुत करता है, जी करता है वहीं पहले की तरह उसके सामने बैठ कर उसे निहारूं,

पर क्या फ़ायदा जब वो तो मेरा साया भी अपने आस पास नहीं चाहती है। 

सुनो ना,

मुलाकातें मैं आज भी बहुत लोगों से करता हूं कभी अकेले तो कभी उनके साथ चलता हूं,

पर क्या फ़ायदा साथ चलने का, उनसे भी तो तेरी ही बातें करता हूं ।

सुनो ना,

मैं दुनिया से आज भी तेरे लिए लड़ जाता हूं , कहीं ना कहीं तेरी परछाई को देखकर ही खुश हो जाता हूं,

पर क्या फ़ायदा इन खुशियों का भी जो मैं तेरे साथ नहीं बाट पाता हूं ।

सुनो ना,

इस दिल में तेरे लिए जगह आज भी खाली है, तू ही मेरे लिए सब कुछ थी ये बात मैंने मानी है,

पर क्या फ़ायदा जब तू इस बात से अनजान नहीं फिर भी मुझसे दूर है।

सुनो ना,

आज भी सुबह उठते ही उसका नाम दिमाग में आता है, रात को सोने से पहले उस से बात करने को दिल चाहता है,

पर क्या फ़ायदा जब इन अरमानों को दिल में रखने का जब मैं जानता हूं वो जा चुकी है।

दिलों दिमाग से उसे और उसकी यादों को निकालने की ठानी है, उसे भुला देने की कसम भी तो खाई है,

लेकिन क्या फ़ायदा, आज फिर अकेले में और सबके साथ बैठ कर भी वही ज़हन में आई है ।

अब कहां उसे मेरी याद आती होगी,

मेरी तरह एक दूसरे के साथ होने की कमी सताती होगी,

अब कहां वो मुझसे मिलना चाहती होगी ।

.

.

अब तो जितना दिया खुदा ने उतना ही मुकम्मल लगता है,

उसके साथ बिताया दिन मुझे जिंदगी लगता है। 

.

.

शायद अब यादें ही उसके साथ रहने का एक ज़रिया है,

उसे दूर रह कर भी ना देख सकूं, इतना दूर उसने कर दिया है।

सुनो ना,

उस से पूछना ना, क्या कभी मेरा खयाल उसके मन में भी आया, क्या मेरी ही तरह उसने कभी मुझे चहाया ?

- देवेश तिवारी

बस एक फौजी हूं ।

मैं एक फौजी हूं।

एक फौजी जिसके लिए मां का दिल तोड़कर मां की रक्षा करना ज़रूरी है,

एक फौजी जिसके लिए बाप का सहारा बनने से ज़्यादा अपना देश बचाना ज़रूरी है,

वो फौजी जिसने अपने छोटे भाई को वापस लौटने के भ्रम में रखा है और अपनी बहन की शादी में नाचने का झूठा वादा किया है।

मैं वो फौजी हूं जिसके लिए ये देश जान से प्यारा है

मगर कभी सोचता हूं,

इस देश के अंदर ही एक जंग है छिड़ी ।

हर वासी की अपनी अलग एक जात है, अपना अलग एक धर्म है।

इस देश को बचाने का क्या फायदा जब ये देश एक होना ही नहीं चाहता ।

मगर, मैं तो बस एक फौजी हूं 

ना हिन्दू ना ईसाई ना मुसलमान ना सिख,

हूं तो बस भारतीय और ये मातृभूमि ही मेरा धर्म है।

-निशांत भारतीय

तुम्हें भूलना, खुदको खोना ।

तुम्हें भूलने के लिए, कुछ करना पड़ेगा

लगता है शहर छोड़, गाँव जाना पड़ेगा ।

 

रास्ते जो तेरे शहर को जाते हैं,

उन रास्तों को भूलना पड़ेगा ।

 

अलमारी में जो तस्वीरें हैं हमारी 

उन्हें भी जलाना पड़ेगा ।

 

तकिये तले जो ख़त तुम्हारे पड़े हैं,

उन खतों को भी मिटाना पड़ेगा ।

 

किताब के 106 पन्ने पर जो गुलाब पड़ा है,

उसकी खुशबू तक को उड़ाना पड़ेगा ।

 

जो सिर्फ तुम्हारे ही बारे में लिखती हैं

उस स्याही को भी मिटाना पड़ेगा ।

 

तुम्हें भूल जाने के लिए लगता है,

खुद को कहीं दफनाना पड़ेगा।

 

 

 

- देवेश तिवारी

Smile that will make you cry !

Their laughter will make your heart melt, their strength will make a tough person cry, if you once see a person fighting Cancer, it will change your life forever.

For many Cancer patients and their families the experience of this disease is a painful one. It bring up a wide range of feelings they are not easy to deal with. The feelings of pain and sorrow become more intense with time. While our larger cultural conversation around Cancer focuses on survivors and miracles, we don’t hear the stories of dying Cancer patients. Cancer impact lives physically, emotionally and socially.

Talking about depression, is a common reaction associated with Cancer. We don’t even know what a patient go through while fighting for life against it. For people it is easy to write their thoughts and feeling down on paper but their loss and grief cannot be explained. Cancer being an emotional disease more than just physical pain, we should support the sufferers in every way possible. It will be helpful for them in coping with loss and grief as it is in celebrating the gains and successes.

To show our togetherness we celebrate Cancer day today in support with all those who are in their crucial time of life. We can work together to improve cancer control and achieve global targets to reduce premature mortality from Cancer. Donating our hairs for free to them is a big step itself. Showing our care, helping them or just simply making them smile can add to some minutes, hours or days to their life. 

- Amisha Yadav