'People-work'

Well finally, let’s just be truly honest and admit it. This whole ‘unity in diversity’ fairy tale is going horribly wrong.  We have to be one of those societies in the world that is most prone to discriminatory behavior. We must be a country that is totally committed to keeping the ‘other’ at bay, constantly harping at the ‘separateness’ of people, and manifesting this in small and big ways, subtle and overt actions, and sometimes in ugly, inhuman and violent ways.  Mumbai and its recent display of brute politics cannot have us believe any other way. We’ve just had enough of this feel good sloganeering that we are a tolerant society. Are we, really? And I’d go a step further, tolerance is hardly enough; it is a word that is built upon difference rather than sameness and stinks of being on the brink of tipping over into intolerance.  One tolerates pain, because there is nothing else one can do about it. Tolerate the pain till it leaves your body. Grin and be...

And Nisha... To wear a condom when with her, Did make it feel incomplete? A bit odd? Several times, it was. But I wanted to sink neck deep into life. So To wear a condom I invented the 'lovedance'. You think all this is a bit crazy? I am sharing these memories with you because Maybe what was between Nisha and me - That lovedance - May be useful for someone out there.

On April 15 2008, sex workers' homes in Sitamarhi district in North Bihar were yet again targeted, attacked, and subsequently torched and looted. 12 sex workers and 4 children were brunt alive. Several other sex workers were taken away by the police, some of whom are still missing; several people were booked under the anti-trafficking act. The administration took no interest in protecting the basic citizenship rights of the displaced and victimized sex workers. The camp where the sex workers were housed in the interim did not have food and water, those burnt in the incident did not get access to proper medical care; several people died. Subsequently, after local groups advocated for their return to their dwelling under full administrative protection, the sex workers were allowed to go back to their burnt down homes – but without adequate food and medicine supplies and protection from further harassment. While the local administration is clearly not inclined to make any special...

Just enough Of a quiet crackle. The phone line Held on To the voices With the desperation Of a nest So threatened By the wind. The gulp of air Through dry leaves And their memories Of hair on the pillow By a broken ashtray So full of stains Of decaying passion So carelessly stubbed To stain and linger.