October Issue of Pothiz

Dear Readers,

Festival season is on and we are back with a new issue of Pothiz! We hope the words contained in these stories and poems weave their magic on you and make this time even more enjoyable. Here is a little sneak peak into what the issue has to offer.

The featured story "Almost", talking about a disturbing reality with the protagonist and his background, makes for an interesting reading with a personal twist thrown in. "A Friend in Need" will make our urban, working youth go LOL (laugh out loud). Stories "31 B", "Heat, Hatred and Retribution" and "Roommate (in Hindi)" have a common theme of womanhood and explore different aspects of it. The common theme is a mere coincidence but they make a great bunch to be read together. There are also poems for you to read and experience. Also check out the entries in "Other Entries" section.

As always, we look forward to your feedback for us as well as for all the authors. Do let us know what you liked, didn't like and how can we do better. Here is wishing all of you a very happy festival season!

Regards
Pothi.com Team

31 B

The brown-and-yellow steel snake slithered to a screechy stop at the Churchgate dock. Madhuri Phatke stood taut-poised, flawlessly aligned with the ladies second-class compartment at the marked spot on Platform 1. She was surrounded by a similar dozen or more testosterone-pumped toads ready for the gravity-defying sprint that belied their vada-pau-distended amorphous bodies. These willing victims with their starched-sari-covered, hirsute legs slightly apart and kohl-lined, vigilant eyes assessing the competition, strapped their Rexine bags firmly above the ribs, flaring gold-studded nostrils and croaking with the anticipation of their imminent fate in the mass-consuming reptile before them.

Twenty-three years of an unyielding routine incarcerated by the vile moor of time had ensured many things for Madhuri Phatke. 5:40 a.m. ensured that the provisional trickle of water broke its way into her reveries, making her dash into the bathroom to secure the three plastic buckets full, crutches for an otherwise handicapped survival through the day. 6 a.m. would ensure that, ablutions executed, she chopped and sweated in the kitchen-cum-living-and-dining-room packing five lunchboxes of homemade succour for her hormone-deficient husband, hormone-affluent children and her hormone-mystified self. 6:45 a.m. ensured that she swathed herself with yards of modesty from her exclusive selection of five (Read full article)

रूममेट

"मेरा नाम असीमा है, असीमा कॉन्ट्रैक्टर। नाम से हिंदू लगती हूं, लेकिन हूं मुस्लिम। पांचों वक्त की नमाज़ पढ़ती हूं और रोज़े रखती हूं। क्या किसी को मेरे यहां रहने से कोई परेशानी है?"

असीमा ने ऐसे अपना परिचय दिया था पहली बार। मुंबई के अंधेरी के चार बंगला इलाके की कोठी के एक कमरे में चार लड़कियों को पेइंग गेस्ट बनाकर रखने की जगह थी। तीन तो पहले से थे। कमरे में वो चौथी रूममेट बनने के लिए घुसी थी।

दो मिनट तक असीमा के सवाल पर सब चुप्पी साधे बैठे रहे, अपने-अपने बिस्तरों पर, अपनी-अपनी दुनिया में। एकबारगी नफ़ीज़ा ने चुप्पी तोड़ी।

"मैं नफ़ीज़ा डीसूज़ा हूं। डीसूज़ा हूं तो ज़ाहिर है, क्रिश्चियन हूं। खिड़की के बगल वाली बिस्तर पर जो मैडम बैठी हैं, उनका नाम है लिली पांडे। अब लिली जी पांडे कैसे हैं, ये तो उन्हीं से पूछिए। लिली के बगल वाले बिस्तर पर हैं विशाखा पटेल। नैरोबी से मुंबई आई हैं भरतनाट्यम सीखने। इनकी धर्म, जाति का हमें पता नहीं। कभी ये फोन पर गुजराती बोलते मिलती हैं, कभी मलयालम। बॉयफ्रेंड जर्मन है। हममें से किसी को तो एक-दूसरे से परेशानी नहीं। ना नाम से, ना टाइटिल से और ना जाति-धर्म से। आप अपनी बात बताएं (Read full article)

You

It is always the you
that we write about
the you that begins
with our first breath
that hears the sighs
we emit
foetus-like in the night.

I have always
searched for you
that first moment
when I slip-slid out
from my mother
wrapped in my blood
was it you
who scraped
my first skin?

In the near horizons
of sleep
I look for you beyond
the overextending shadows
only to see you tattooed
on my eyelashes.

Foe or Friend

The boy gaped at the flitting beauties glamorously decked,
Marvelling at the early birds as they busily pecked.
On that pleasant morning he hopped and skipped,
In a frenzy of excitement, he tripped and slipped.
He rubbed his eyes and savoured the morning breeze
Ah, life was fun! But suddenly his brows did crease.
As the fluttering jewels in the morning sun pirouetted
To the spot he suddenly stood rooted.
The bright morning sun grew suddenly dark
And a dog, in dread, let out a piercing bark.
With mortal fear, the boy was gripped
Would his secure world be cruelly ripped?
The school bag quivered in his hand
Alas, what was happening in his land?

Tridents in hands, tilaks on foreheads broad
On their lips, the name of their belov’d God,
The furious mob surged forward
The boy started shaking, though he was no coward.
With a passion great the wind howled
With vehemence strong its dissent it growled.
Was it a giant dragon gone haywire?
No, they were merely people spewing fire.
He cringed in fear, as the mob drew nigh
He watched as they pounced on a passer-by.
They poured kerosene over his head
The little boy started shaking (Read full article)

ये उनका शहर है!

भोपाल स्थित यूनियन कार्बाइड कम्पनी के कारखाने से एक हानिकारक गैस का रिसाव हुआ जिससे लगभग 15000 से अधिक लोगो की जान गई तथा बहुत सारे लोग अंधापन के शिकार हुए. भोपाल गैस काण्ड विश्व इतिहास का ऐसा नासूर है जो हर दिसम्बर मे बहुत बुरी टीस देता है. हालाँकि, इस घटना से पीड़ित लोगो की संख्या लाखो मे है और वहाँ जन्म लेने वाले बच्चे अब भी अपंग पैदा होते है. मुझे ये नहीं जानना की किसकी गलती है है.....मुझे बस 26 सालो के दर्द की दवा और उन करोडो आंसुओ को पोछने वाले हाथ चाहिए जिनसे सत्ता और पैसे की गंध ना आये.

जब भोपाल गैस काण्ड के दोषियों की बात होती है तो ऐसा लगता है हर चीज़ उन्होंने खरीद ली है...शायद ये शहर भी!

ये ग़ज़ल भोपाल गैस त्रासदी पर लिखी है.

ये उनका शहर है! -

कातिल आँधियों मे किसका ये असर है?
दिखता क्यों नहीं है हवा मे जो ज़हर है?
चीखें सूखती सी कहाँ मेरा बशर है?
ये उनका शहर है....

धुँधला आसमां क्यों शाम-ओ-सहर है?
आदमखोर जैसा लगता क्यों सफ़र है?
ढलता क्यों नहीं है ये कैसा पहर है?
ये उनका शहर है....

जानें लीलती है ख़ूनी जो नहर है.
माझी क्यों ना समझे कश्ती पर (Read full article)