Karunya

  Sometimes, I find myself envying ancient humans - not the relatively recent ones, but those who lived long before history was written down, before civilizations rose, before kingdoms were built, before stories like Adam and Eve were ever spoken into existence. Not because their lives revolved merely around eating, sleeping, and surviving until the next meal, but because they seemed so deeply intertwined with nature. I cannot help but envy what they possessed and we seem to have lost. They did not wake up to alarm clocks. They did not rush through morning routines while mentally calculating deadlines. They did not worry about tuition fees, electricity bills, taxes, fuel prices, savings accounts, insurance plans, or monthly expenses. They did not spend days preparing resumes, attending interviews, building careers, or competing with strangers in endless races they never consciously chose to enter. No crowded metros. No traffic signals. No leather bags hanging from tired shoulders...

November 10, 2025 Yesterday was a wonderful day. It was Ram Anna’s viva voce, and all the big shots of the department showed up. Many even came by taking leave from their respective institutions, and that itself spoke volumes about Ram Anna, his kindness, his dedication, and the love he had earned from both students and the department. More than a formal viva voce, it felt like a grand get-together of the university alumni, the place that had once opened heavenly doors for many. It was around 10:30 when Suna and I met. That was supposed to be our meeting time, but Suna had arrived a little earlier than expected, so she waited for me on the stone bench near the entrance, after sipping on a juice as the morning air swayed lightly around. “Fountain kitta vandhuten” “En kannuku onnum therilaye” “Ippo gate kitta vandhuten” After we met, the two of us made our way to the department, assuming the viva had already begun. But as we went upstairs and passed the waiting room, we spotted a few fam...

 Ingesting food by foraging forever, Chitter-chattering gobs of yarn,  Wallowing in sorrow with a withered mind, Being a bane to others, Attaining the autumn of life, and Reaching the winter after turning into a prey Of people's curses - like the clowns,  Did you think I would fall off just like that? Translation of: தேடிச் சோறுநிதந் தின்று — பல   சின்னஞ் சிறுகதைகள் பேசி — மனம் வாடித் துன்பமிக உழன்று — பிறர்   வாடப் பலசெயல்கள் செய்து — நரை கூடிக் கிழப்பருவ மெய்தி — கொடுங்   கூற்றுக் கிரையெனப்பின் மாயும் — பல வேடிக்கை மனிதரைப் போலே — நான்    வீழ்வே னென்றுநினைத் தாயோ?

 இப்படியும் ஒருவன் இ ரு றந்தான் Like This Too, One Exi s ted  Arisimani was found dead in a crematorium as an unburnt cadaver beside a burned one. As the cremain-coated elflocks fell collapsed - flies preyed on the pits of crevices in the hard lips - moths frolicked on the bunch of brows that appeared gray but not so gray - a squinted eye that gave the impression that I am watching those people blameworthy for my death - hands tucked in the pockets of torn coat - legs as stiff as bamboo - a sunken scar on his thigh unveiled through the torn window of his pants - the thorns struck in the cracked heels wondered whether he was alive or lifeless - he laid dead like a truth without witness. Translation of:

It was eleven at night. The moon was as fresh as a daisy, but her offspring were half asleep, yet they somehow opened their eyes to be a beautiful, dazzling sight to the lives below.   "Has everybody slept?". There was no response from the other side. "Hello? Can you hear me?"   "Hey! Y... Yeah! I just made sure that everyone was asleep."   They both unzipped their lips while the night was still.   "It was a twelve-hour hectic day. I had to carry so much weight, and it feels like heaven after finally letting them down."   "I hope you realize that I had to go through the same thing today."   "Oh really? Our bad!"   "I know."   After a while, "you know what? I want to talk to you."   "Everybody is asleep. This is the right time for us to talk. Shoot!"   "It feels sad to realize that we will never see each other."   "The wall in between us will never let us. I tried breaking it once, a...

It was an empty bound with a couple of trains on either platform. A beautiful family of a couple of crows and their to-be-hatched hatchlings seemed to live happily in their nest on the shelter of the railway station. The trees concerned the stressed people of a busy city and shook their heads to provide them with a fresh breeze. There were vacant seats on the platform except one, which was occupied by a teenager, Zara, wearing baggy jeans and a tucked-in pale yellow high neck top, carrying a cross-body bag. Tick-Tick-Tick! The clock had hit ten. A clown with a dejected look seemed to dance inside her. She appeared as a sombre sky. Was it a terrible nightmare? No. Didn't she have enough food? No. She appeared as if the sun had dawned in the west and an apple had struck the air due to zero gravity. She looked as if Beauty and the Beast never held hands, and Rapunzel had her hair cut short. She looked so different. The problem wasn't known yet, but it was clear that her mind was u...