Diwali During Pandemic

 So this Diwali is going to be unique..

will wish everybody online...

dress up,

wear only new t-shirt or new stole..

skirt or pants not important..

the upper body matters..

do nice make up,

(dont worry about grey hair...its trending)

wear jewellery (if u must)..

prepare sweets just for urself..

if u wish to send..

connect with home chefs..

make nice lunch...traditional if u must

but eat alone..or with ur family..

or with ur next door neighbors

(they r family now..too close perhaps)...

Gift yourself a diwali goodies..

spend quality time in every room...

enjoy fresh air from your balcony...

pamper self..

Hopefully there will be no crackers..

so it should be quiet.

.but u can meditate in peace...

praying is trending,

non stop instalive is trending.

Stay safe..

be happy..

its not going to last forever ..

take care of your health

and dont go under depression.

Drink a glass of wine

(if u must)

Happy Diwali...to u and ur family and.....ur next door neighbors

37Gitoo Shafizadah, Saloni Mirchandani Malkani and 35 others

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I Long To Go To The Seashore

 I so long to go to the seashore

To watch the birds dive above waters

The sun go slowly down to kiss the ocean

Leaving the blushing clouds behind

Hundreds of joggers walk on promenades

Seniors sit quietly as the wind caresses their cheeks

Children chirp and squeal, running to catch the rolling ball

Lovers find peace behind the rocks

Romacing the moments of eternal bliss.

Long time now

The memory fades

No one buys colorful wares

Vendors walk up and down the streets

Everywhere is virus scare

All Days Seems The Same

 All days seems the same

Morning wake up, 

night for sleep, 

hours between, 

home activities tweaked

Helper walks in to wash the dishes, 

clean the floor, 

dust the room. 

There is nothing much left for me to do

Except press keys on my phone

 to chat, 

to inquire 

if there will be some adventures to explore,

 or just watch 

visual, virtual, colorful images and endless shows

Is this new normal life?

Lost appetite,

 there is no taste

No more, 

all food tastes just the same..

sweet is sweet, 

sour is sour and

 bitter is oh so bitter

I long for travel

 to distant land

Capture the images of

Wind and sand

Meet new people

Shop new designs

But no incentive for such pleasures

Just black and white

 is new normal

Those who say their life is good

 are big liars

Too proud to admit 

that they are bored.

EveryBody Talks Of Shots Nowadays

 Everyone talks of shot nowadays

"Did you get fever"

"Did your arms ache"

They exchange notes, 

satisfied that they were not singled out.

Plans are made for travel to exotic places, 

just few night aft twenty eight days

Everyone dreams of perfect world

Where the world will come back to moving around. 

Will everybody walk free without a strip of mask, 

exchange greetings

With warmth and words?

Just two shots of vaccine will untie 

the knot of terror-a global virus..

do you really believe it so?

Inside Four Walls Of My House

 Time passes by

I have learnt to sit inside four walls of my house

The only long walk I take, no more in parks but on my 8th floor

From the window touching my bed, passing through my bathroom door, kitchen, living room, to lobby outside my main door, passing through three lift till the opposite closed room no 804 and back again.

Enough exercise for the day is to complete six rounds. Sometimes  might walk down to seventh floor and climb up again.

With me as my sole company, I  have learnt to argue with me,  i rest on my soft sofa close to the window and watch the sky change colors during the day from light blue to dark blue to pitch dark with twinkling diamonds on cloudless nights

Greedy crows visit me only if I have bread to share. On the days when I am generous I offer them mithai or crumbled fruit.

Friends I had once upon a time, I recognise them no more. 

Food has been my savior. My daily normal food has suddenly got exotic. English vocabulary puns behind my cheeks. Curd is now greek chilled yoghurt. Palak is local greens, chappattis are tortillas, fried potatoes -french fries, rolled up roti with left over food is wraps.

I buy fruits from farms all the way from Tons Valley at Uttrakhand, the hilly regions of north east India. I am supporting farmers who protest on the street. I tweet my support in 140 characters

My linen pyjamas with floral design are ordered from Surat. I invite my family to buy the same designs and we party on boothcamps, each one us chomping on same menu of samosas and mint chutney and cup of adrak wali chai.

Netflix and prime videos have replaced cable network, radio FM keeps the silence away, Endless podcast, instalives, zoom on, turn the needles of my wall clock I find no time to read, words overflow from pages of book begging for attention

Did you get Vaccine? Are you still alive? Next building is sealed with 13-15 new cases, the intelligent talk of the town are conversation on taking precautions, as if you dont know.

Time passes by

I have learnt to sit inside four walls of my house

To Eat Or Not To Eat

 To eat

or

not to eat??

Is the Question

 I ask thee.

In these Covid times,  

There are fines..

on even small things like puffed rice

Everybody Has Story To Tell

 Everybody has a story to tell

In this month of April

Droplets glide down the spine

Tingling every sensation

Mixed with words that weave a long tale

So although I sit by the window 

staring at blanket of sky twinkling with stars in row

I am transported to another world by poets

Awakened at Napowrimo.

Silence on Streets Are Back

 Silence is back on the streets 

After a brief moments of life

Of fresh air

Of happy smiles

Of hawkers selling their wares

Cutting chai

Batatawada

Samosas

Tempting aroma on busy streets

Even drove extra miles 

To a resort

To spend some happy hours

With friends

Laughter

Selfies

Potlucks

Those brief moments on rainbow canvas

Is now a dream

Till this deafening silences

Stops to shriek.

Home Haven

 Here I am in my home haven

It was delight to feel the calm within

But now the silence crowds inside out

I want to tear its folds and reach

The warmth of people, the smiles, the touch

The happy hours

Of chats and food

The naughty jokes

In between.