Roses, candle light dinner, gifts and a romantic ambiance. A perfect picture to upload on social media. She was lost in the daze of the likes, comments and envy the valentine special picture would evoke from her online friends. She only hoped that the people would remain oblivious of the charade they were putting up to maintain their social status and fail to see the widening rift in their relationship.
beneath the façade
empty hearts bereft of love
cosmetic pretense
The gusty wind flutters pages of the scattered books,
a sepia toned picture falls out of an old dusty diary.
I glance at it, and my mind travels back in timeline,
a nostalgic smile creeps up, as I recall
the gang of famous three musketeers that we were,
bosom pals, partners in crime, inseparable!
Seasons changed, but not our friendship,
passage of time cemented our bond…
And then she fell in love, and hell broke loose,
for he belonged to another caste
thus shaming her family.
Being truly in love, they eloped to marry,
furiously tracked down by her clan,
for her alleged impropriety had to be punished.
Brutal death wiped their innocent souls
all in the name of honor…..
Shell shocked with no words to describe the ghastly act
my heart shattered into a million shards….
Jolted to the present by a gentle nudge,
I look up to see my mom all excited,
to show me some new bridal outfits.
Gratitude fills my heart
for, I am blessed with parents
who approve of my choice
of a life partner!
It is shameful that in spite of calling ourselves a progressive country, we still get to read about such brutal murders, here in India and many other countries. Honor killing is a homicide of a member of a family (usually the woman), by her own family. It is believed that she has disgraced the family by digressing from their tradition, religion and social norms. They are killed for supposed ‘illicit’ relationships, for marrying men of their choice, for divorcing abusive husbands, dressing in ways which are deemed inappropriate, engaging in non-heterosexual relations or renouncing a faith. They are even murdered by their kin if they are raped as they are thereby deemed to have brought shame on their family. The truth of the suspicion does not matter — merely the allegation is enough to bring dishonor on the family and therefore justifies the slaying.
Theme – ** Kaleidoscope of thoughts**
Hooray! Its holiday season and we are off on vacation. Don’t we all very eagerly wait for them? Vacations give us a break from our routine and help us refresh ourselves. For kids there are no rules for getting up early in the morning, going to school, to complete their homework or study. For parents there is no 9 o’clock call or meeting 😉
Oh, what fun it is to be able to spend time according to one’s wish! A holiday is a perfect time to feel as snug as a bug in a rug!
Vacations have a charm to it. Hearing the name itself lights up one’s face. The excitement on deciding the place, where to stay, how to travel makes it to the rounds of discussions. But these days thanks to the plethora of information and options available at the press of a few keys, the task is a child’s play. Then packing, what to take and what not, actually takes up more of our time 😉
Exploring the place, hanging out with friends, tasting the local cuisines, clicking infinite pictures, buying souvenirs and shopping, the list just doesn’t end.
There is magic to explore. Be it the mesmerising mountains, or the beauty of the warm beaches, the adrenaline high for the adventure lovers, the serenity for the mystical spiritual seekers, the walk through the forest for those who want to be close to nature and wildlife. No matter what place you choose, a vacation always helps you detox, destress and rejuvenate.
Taking unlimited pictures are definitely the highlight of any vacation. Outdoor, indoors, in different moods and poses, ever ready for that Kodak moment. Many seasons later those beautiful pictures narrate a nostalgic story bringing us many smiles and memories!
Which has been your best vacation so far?
radhikasreflection 