DeepSojourns

It was Maha Shivaratri, the sacred night that commemorates the divine union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. A day celebrated enthusiastically throughout the country when devotees, early in the morning, bathe and visit Shiva temples to serve Shiva’s favorites and obtain his blessings. It was a quite sunny and cheerful Sunday morning on 15th February 2026. The same essence of festivity had enveloped our campus. Enthusiastic devotees, all bathed and loaded with offerings for Shiva, were seen traversing the roads. The temples, too, were significantly livelier and much more surrounded than usual. A Sunday morning like this would otherwise have felt unbelievable. We too had gone to a nearby temple and offered our routine prayers. After which we returned home to briefly start preparing for another sacred sojourn. This was to an ancient temple, located inside a prohibited area, where entry of visitors is allowed only once a year on this venerated festival. Much like the previous year,...

The tools that I used For years, carving my effigy I see them now Still cutting flawlessly Yet, the details that I carved Piercing my skin hard They now question me back…   “Was it really what you desired? A perfection attained through scars Were the people actually pleased? By your dutiful gesture Or do they still demand More of your soul to be pierced.”   “Do you see it now? Or you are still blind Was it your conscience Or you acquired a few dictators? Well, may I ask… When and how did they become The proprietors when you were achieving When they could barely carry The weight of you crumbling"   "Do you see it now? Or do you still wish to act blind? Could you recall what you had envisioned? And how you’ve let things unwind You are your own slayer That uncompromising, unforgiving self-evaluator Who happily allowed herself to be ruled Give all of you and yet never be valued."   "Well, now you stand free To delve into theories you buried underneath What you felt and ...

From the depths Of fears that were carved Piercing my skin Through the pain Given by those Whom I belong to  And I also call them mine I hate to confront What I had once witnessed How I perceived my world How effortlessly I let myself fade Now it feels so safe Safer away from myself  For no such betrayal  Would again decorate my shelf.                                                 - VAISHALI

I was surrounded With love and care By people I called mine By people who adored My genuine nature I was blessed. With a God who bestowed on me With values and beliefs I was one who was Carved with tough discipline I had people To count on In every situation Those who possessed My trust and devotion So I used to envision A galaxy of dreams Where no one wished ill for others Where truth and virtue Were the greatest masters. Years go by. Countless people appear The one and only that would stay till the end Is you, your values, your integrity, and your discipline.                                                                    - VAISHALI

Don't fall in love with me For you, my dear, Are a mere impersonate And what dives deeper To uncover true love Is a theory You can never interpret Don't fall in love with me As you are unaware How I root my love Deeper than my breath And if I ever played unfair I shall own the blame to death Don't fall in love with me As you don't know The promises I make How sincerely I keep As the level of loyalty That I am used to carry You could not even begin To walk half way towards me Don't fall in love with me Do not shower me With favors and your pity What I fairly earned I will certainly receive I am no one's duty Solo as I was, solo I can be                                                        - VAISHALI

What if you were Just as perfect and flawless As I predicted, Hoped and I wanted you to be   What if you filled up? the spaces that I missed. Yet you never exclaimed, so As if you owned me. What if you unchained Me from mine, Buried fears  and  engulfing beliefs Though never seize my heart For pleasure of thine.   What if you were Answer to all of my prayers. Yet I choose to let you go. And reserve all of me for me.                                               - VAISHALI 

Did you ever consider, How much affection  Within you will remain  For when the time arrives  To tend to the heart,  Which could heal yours?  You kept tending  Pretentious fledgelings,  Claiming that they  Needed to be mended.  Gently attended. And perhaps, If you may have overlooked, Did you mean Those bewildered hearts  Needed to be A little offended?   Your years of practiced charm  And sorceress flattery  May have comforted some  And drowned Many  Magic was indeed  Your secret weapon,  Yet, you must know  You kept on fixing  What was never broken.                                                    - VAISHALI  ~DENOTATION~ 1. Pretentious : attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed. 2. Fledgling :  A p...