Getting older I am told that I am getting older? Chuckling heartily I repeated the phrase in the bathroom! In the solitude of that place it wouldn't have hurt To dance a few steps either- Shall I start exercising to lose weight? Wear tight-fitting trousers? I laugh myself silly; in the afternoon I ask Neera, … Continue reading Getting older – a poem by Sunil Gangopadhyay
Lullaby
In my possession is a cassette which holds the last trace of your voice, which I can never play again. As I move from city to city, I carry it along with my meager belongings. I am not sure it even plays anymore. All the while, the magnetic tape gathers dust and rapidly disintegrates. There … Continue reading Lullaby
My fears, my son
At one point in my life I was practically fearless. At that time, because I was shielded from any real form of adversity, I arrived at the conclusion that I was invincible. I lived my life as if nothing could happen to me or to anyone I loved. Of course, I know that is not … Continue reading My fears, my son
My stereotype is better than yours
In case you were holed up in your cave for the last few days, here is a recap. Oprah Winfrey landed in India earlier this year to shoot a two-part documentary A few months later a TV channel aired the show in which she proceeded to display her ignorance of the country she had visited. … Continue reading My stereotype is better than yours
The distant nowhere
Someone loved you so much before you were born that she shed her inborn reticence to take a long journey through strange lands filled with unknown people to be with you. Tears were shed. Suitcases were lost. Flights were missed along the way. You will not remember. I distinctly recall how your grandmother cradled you … Continue reading The distant nowhere
Our power struggle
I called up the only hotel in a thirty-mile radius which had rooms available according to a popular online booking site. “Do you have electricity at your hotel?” “Yes, sir we do.” “Do you have any rooms available for tonight?” “I’m afraid not sir” I suspect that prospective boarders do not usually ask the Arlington … Continue reading Our power struggle
On sleeping like a baby
A month before my son was born, a very close acquaintance with two small children proclaimed with an exaggerated air of finality: “enjoy your last few days of uninterrupted sleep. I haven’t slept a full night in many years.” As expectant parents, up until that point my wife and I had heard about how our … Continue reading On sleeping like a baby
Discovery
I put up the Christmas lights for you in the middle of May. Some of the colored lights don’t work and they don’t do much for me anymore, but I put them up because I wanted you to see them. Actually, I wanted to look at you while you saw them. The day before that, … Continue reading Discovery
A father winces as his son is vaccinated.
I had been dreading the moment for weeks now. On the other hand, my two-month old son, who had no clue what was about to happen, smiled at me, trustingly. In a way, it made it even worse. “Just get it over with,” I thought as I sat in the lounge of the pediatrician’s office. … Continue reading A father winces as his son is vaccinated.
The taste of oranges
Dida bought oranges, but never ate any herself. “Have another one,” she would say, as she passed a plateful of peeled fruit to us. “Why don’t you eat one too, Dida?” I would ask, curious why she always gave them to us. “Oh, no. These oranges are not to my liking. They’re too sour and … Continue reading The taste of oranges
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