Abhimanyu

The sun rose blood red, as conch shells blew
The thirteenth day had come through.
His eyes shone, like the rays themselves, 
Son of the greatest, a fierce warrior himself
Father to the future he changed the course of war. 
He had entered the vicious circle 
Leaving the others behind by far.
Kins turned enemies, battle against blood, 
Away from his own even, alone, he stood. 
He pulled out the sword, arrow and knife, 
Picked up the wheel, refusing to give up his life.
Seven against one, how great was he? 
Laid down at sunset, lifeless at sixteen.
The darkest night followed, 
Broken rules, cruel killings. 
Blood shook the throne of Dharma, 
Or was it Adharma finally unveiling?
The darkest night is here again, 
To remind us of the thirteenth night, 
How a brave heart fought with honour, 
Against and for the people 
Who weren't just as brave.

~ Suranya

Uttara

I had waited from dawn to dusk 
Prayed for one more day. 
Will you please come back to me?
Just for another stay?
Instead of a murder of demons, 
Blood-soaked and silent, you lay.
You dreamt of a future, 
I have him in my womb.
Only now, he will never know his father 
And you will never guide him. 
Strange how this wheel of Dharma,
That you uplifted every day,
Where is my Justice?
Why am I its prey? 
Led to such a tragic injustice to us 
You left me here stranded 
Almost like a curse.

~ Suranya

Moon Child

The moon seems like my spirit in the universe. Some days I shine through the darkness of self-doubt; some days I am half lost, and on others I am engulfed in the shadow of my own overthinking.

Slowly, I come out of my own darkness. I often reflect on your behaviour toward yourself. But just like the moon, you know only a part of me; the other side, I carefully hide away for no one to see.

©SURANYA

Dreams

It's strange how in my dreams, places I have never been to look familiar. And places I have grown up in seem to grow an extra pair of rooms and secret passages. Like, there is a mystery even in the simplest thing you

That's the beauty of the mind. I became the child I was in my dreams. Eager yet afraid. Scared in my surroundings. Vulnerable to my feelings. I go back to the time I hadn't built a protective wall around my feelings. I keep going back to the same place. Unknown faces look familiar. And I often hide from them. I stealthily walk through a corridor, trying not to get spotted. And I end up standing under the sun in front of a door that has a large lock. I don't have the key. I use my knife in vain. And then people are alarmed. They shout and alert to intruders. I do not understand what they say. I stand fixed in my spot. Then I wake up in fear. Then, a few days later, I am back to the same dome-shaped roof and arched corridors. They have white marble jharokhas and colourful velvet curtains. I don't know what lies inside the locked door. Answer to my questions?

© Suranya

Mind & Universe

THE GREATEST MYSTERY IN THE UNIVERSE IS NOT THE UNIVERSE ITSELF. IT'S YOU. THAT PERSON IN YOUR HEAD AND HEART. DO YOU FEEL THAT AT TIMES? I SIT ALONE WITH A STORY PLOT IN MY HEAD, A JUMBLE OF WORDS IN MY HEART AND THE MAGIC OF IMAGINATION. I CLOSE MY EYES AND THERE I AM. IN THE MOON-LIT FOREST. THE ONLY SONG IS THE WATER FALLING IN THE BHIMLAT. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS SIGHT. BUT I HAVE BEEN THERE. IN MY DAY DREAMS. I STAND AND BREATHE IN THE FRESH AIR. THE WIND PLAYS IN MY HAIR. YOU'D ASK, DO I FEEL LONELY HERE? TELLING THE TALES OF HOW TWO LOVERS USED TO MEET EACH NIGHT IN THESE VERY FORESTS? I PLACE MY HAND ON THE HEART. IT'S BEATING IN RHYTHM WITH MY BREATH. SEE THAT'S THE THING ABOUT SOULS. ONCE YOU DISCOVER YOURSELF, YOU DON'T NEED ANOTHER TO VALIDATE YOU. THE KEY TO THE UNIVERSE ALWAYS LIES IN YOURSELF. DON'T YOU THINK?

© Suranya