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#For the Record: The Little Things
Someone recently reminded me to enjoy the little things in life- a reminder I believe many of us are in need of. It’s easy to get embroiled into the quotidian problems of life: deadlines, traffic, society, expectations, and the constant noise that fills the in-between. Somewhere between trying to rewrite our mistakes in the past…
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Do Nigahon Ke Darmiyan: A Poem
Lab khaamosh the dono ke,Phir bhi sab kuch keh diyaAankhon mai toofan tha,Par ab bhi faasla reh gaya… Waqt kuch tham sa gaya,Saans bhi ruk si gayi,Kaynaat ki palkein takTawaqqo mai band ho gayi. Ishq tha dono taraf,Magar tahammul ki deewar thi,Nigah jo takrayi dono ki,Wahi dil ki izhaar thi!
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Lives Beyond the Glass
Across my tower, at a clear viewing distance, stands a small, dull building in the neighbouring society. It has a slate grey facade with unassuming balconies cluttered with ordinary articles from daily life – a cherry red watering can, a battered lawn chair, a string of coruscating lights. I often find my eyes catching on…
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#For the Record: Versions of Me
I’ve been so many people that I’ve started losing track. Sometimes I believe that I am a mishmash of different personalities; a person carelessly sewn together from various characters. I’ve begun to notice how I mirror the space I occupy- smiling and cracking one-liners at family dinners, and nodding and laughing on cue at school.…
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#For the Record: How “Productivity Culture” Seeps Into Teenage Life Before We Even Have Jobs
I’m starting a new series on my blog – “For the Record”, addressing the more sombre, often overlooked aspects of teenage life. Keep an eye out for more upcoming posts! What it Means “Productivity culture” is the mindset that your value comes from how much you get done – how busy or “grind-focused” you are.…
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Book Review: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Synopsis The book is set in a small cafe called Funiculi Funicula in a Tokyo back alley which has been serving freshly brewed coffee for over a century. But the unassuming cafe serves far more than coffee – it offers its customers a chance to travel back in time, with the impediment of several strict…
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The Ceiling of Our Stories
I have stretched above you since the first dawn, silent and endless, a canvas for many of your stories. I am the sky; the boundless firmament that has seen millions of stories with every shift in the sands of time. My stars – some suspended, some descending towards the earth as my stalwart messengers –…
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Scribbles in the Margin
“Always carry a notebook.” A seemingly simple piece of advice has turned into an absolute lifesaver in the past year of my life. Whether it’s noting down half-thoughts, poems, or lines overheard from strangers, the notebook is a constant and stalwart companion. Here’s how I use my pocket-sized notebook everywhere: Poetry & Prose The world…
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Sargoshi: A Poem
Somewhere between scribbling into the margins of my notebook and staying up late in the company of words, I think I’ve fallen in love with the sentiment and intimate intonation Hindi and Urdu poetry. The following piece is an old, handwritten poem that I found written on a crumpled piece of notebook paper in the…
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An Ode to Paperclips
They’re tiny, inconspicuous instruments. Nobody remembers them until loose papers are scattered about like dried leaves on an autumn day. That’s when the humble paperclip steps in, uncomplainingly holding chaos together. Paperclips remind me of the people in life who aren’t the loud main characters but still keep everything from falling apart. The friend who…
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“There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.”
– Leo Tolstoy
