THE MUMBAI LOCAL

It’s terrible- how we Indian women aren’t taught to negotiate assaults in public spaces. Oh yes- there’s the mandatory karate class in school, and there are feel-good sessions on women’s library at college- but why aren’t we taught to shake off the paralysis of shame? Why do we turn to self-flagellation after an ‘incident’? It…

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Memoirs of a ‘CHINKY’

“When I born, I Black, When I grow up, I Black, When I go in Sun, I Black, When I scared, I Black, When I sick, I Black, And when I die, I still black……. And you White fella, When you born, you Pink, When you grow up, you White, When you go in Sun,…

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A Poet’s Romance

You are far and yet so near, Disappointing at times but still my dear. True! Your smile is not merely a pretension, Without much creativity I wish I could hold your attention! Let me borrow your dryness For your heart could sing and the soul dance, Enough of remorse and dissolution, It’s time to celebrate…

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NOBEL PRIZE FOR IROM SHARMILA

Off late, I have witnessed a growing hysteria in India; especially among the North-Easterners voicing that Irom Sharmila should win the Nobel Peace Prize. Campaigns, emails and Facebook pages are created. Every day, I receive requests for signing the campaigns or liking the pages. I wonder what good it would do if she gets the…

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An Ode to a long lost friend

This blog might seem as something different from what I usually write about. But exceptions are always allowed. I was just browsing through my old notes today, and suddenly a rugged paper fell off from my old note book. I picked up the paper and it had a poem which was written by a friend…

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I AM WHO I CRITICIZE

He is in his mid thirties and works as a peon to the Director. He comes out with a filthy smile and slowly spreads his hands. And my colleague tucks in the blue note in his hand, while shaking his hand. He looks at the note and says it loud, “Dude this wont even buy…

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Migration: The Experience of a Mising youth

“Aipemenam, Its dark here and there is no electricity in my room and I am writing to you in the candle light. I miss you a lot but cannot afford to come home and see you as I have to earn lots of money so that I can marry you and we can have a…

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“YES TO TRIBAL; NO TO INDIGENOUS”

Sheikh Mujibur Rehman popularly known as ‘Bangabondhu’ had just returned victorious and Bangladesh had just won it’s independence from Pakistan under the leadership of Bangabondhu. The whole of Bangladesh was in joyous mood. Even the ‘Jummas’ (the tribes of Bangladesh) were also happy but only for a few days as their happiness was short-lived. A…

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THE AUTONOMY QUESTION

(ABSTRACT: The states in the North-eastern part of India are known for it’s anti Indian movements. Most of them are against the forced blanket concept of Indian Nationalism and are rising against the Pan-Indian state. And again there are smaller ethnic communities who are again fighting against their own states creating a multi-layered identity movements. Here,…

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