redletters

    Moderately abstract landscape, an oil on canvas, painting, painted by Vincent van Gogh just months before his tragic suicide, The Starry Night is perhaps one of his greatest masterpieces.  In the work, van Gogh portrays the view from the east-facing window of his asylum room at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence , just before sunrise, with the addition of a nameless, or probably an imaginary, European village amidst a dark wilderness, complete with dampened lights.   The painting is dominated by a night sky roiling with chromatic blue swirls, a glowing yellow crescent moon, and stars rendered as radiating orbs, and among the yellow glowing circles, one could miss the presence of Venus, probably signifying how close it was to the earth, centuries ago.   One or two cypress trees, often described as flame-like, tower over the foreground to the left, their dark branches curling and swaying to the movement of the sky that they partly obscure. Amid all this ani...

"I have lived a thousand lives and I have loved a thousand loves. I've walked on distant worlds and seen the end of time.                                  Because I read."   - George R. R. Martin Reading was something that I never really enjoyed as a child, it was during my pre-teen years that my interest in reading peaked. The first book that I ever read, outside the school syllabus of the course, was The Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling, when I was in the 5th grade.  As, over the years I kept on reading various books, my personality kept on diversifying with the traits of each and every book that I've read. It was never something great, no, it was the little things from in between those lines that my conscience picked without my knowledge. The one thing I learnt from reading those thick fat novels, is patience. Pa...

  “Man is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is” ― Bhagavad Gita I have always believed the history of my country to be fascinating. Indian history is so vast and divine that any connection with it leaves you with a complete sense of purity. From the Indus Valley Civilization and the coming of the Aryans before 2000 BC to India’s war of independence in the 19th century, Indian history is packed with events.  From the Golden era of the Gupta Dynasty to being called the Golden Bird before the British invasion, India was always a land of prosperity and divinity. From being the birthplace of Hindu Gods and Goddesses to giving birth to deiform soldiers, India was always the home of warriors.  The part of history that holds my attention the most is the time of the epics -  The Ramayana and The Mahabharata. Ramayana is about the cost of rule-upholding and Mahabharata is about the cost of rule-breaking. We all know that breaking the rules will have consequences but ab...

I've been running in circles, taking all the rights only to turn up at the wrong place. Only for this circle to be full of everything I want to run from.  Running so fast away from it, fearing falling back into it. The more I run, the more it tugs me back, pulling me in. The rope digs into my ankle skin and cuts through it like acid. But despite having the scissors in my hand I cannot cut it. Even if it cuts my skin, pulling me in, I can't do it. Even if it ruins me, holding me back, I can't do it. I don't know why I am doing this to myself, but I can't bring myself to cut it. It's hurting, paining, and burning, but it makes me run back to it. I don't know why I am doing this to myself, but I can't stop myself. Maybe I'm a moth drawn to fire, but I am still there, letting it burn me.

Holds liquids in a gogo Enough for what you need when you’re on the go. Easy to carry, easier than the weight of guilt, The contains, restores the appetency and quells it. Tears flowing down, quenches the thirst,  The dryness can be eased but not the pain from the hurt. Tears flowing down, wets the cheeks,  Lightens the heart, empties the contains in grief. You carry it around until the contains are no more, Just like the same guilt and heartsore.  But you have to be careful with this too,  Because sometimes this can also be made of glass, Just like your fragile heart. - Aditi Satwat

After all these months After all the battling After a year of surviving  After a year of fighting After trying all the possible dishes After a year of playing every credible indoor games After sleeping for long mornings and eating and repeating After all the attempts gone to flames After all the lockdowns and homemade cakes for birthdays After all the helpings and losses After struggling in all attainable ways We are back to square one. – Aditi Satwat