Unbounded Randomness

I hear voices all the time, even though I live in one of the quietest places on this planet. It is quiet not just because its winter time in United Kingdom where the already miniscule population of this country vanishes under their blankets but mostly because I live alone at this moment. My Dolby stereo surround sound system of my husband, my son and in-laws that I was used to back in India is missing and with it the whole of my life surrounding them is missing. The voices that I hear now, are either the heaters turning on and off, light tapping of rain on roof at night, the ghostly steps of someone going up my staircase and my phone notifications. That’s it. None of these sounds really constitute to the world I ever imagined myself in. And yet I continue to live here. I continue to survive. But recently, I have started listening to much more dangerous voices than ever before. They never seem to leave me alone. Not in the day and not in night. These are the voices in...

As I sat on the white satin chair amongst many in a grand marriage ceremony, I suddenly realised I felt extremely lonely in the crowd of thousands of people. I wore the elegant red green Lehenga with a detailed golden work spreading through its length. It looked beautiful and so did all the people surrounding me. The sparkling glasses, glittering sarees, jingling bangles, overpowering suits, overwhelming perfumes and high-pitched laughter – it all sunk into me like a powerful   potion that was too strong to swallow. The sea of thousands of people, in front of me, was shouting on top of their voice ‘Look at me, I look the best’.   It wasn’t just obvious in their appearances and attitudes but was also part of the discussion for majority of women. I wondered, if they had forgotten who the bride was. The clothes and the bodies they carried were temporary, bound to change. And yet no one bothered to give a thought about what they really looked like. The beautiful fragra...