RichiPedia

For the first time in 23 years, I’m away from home on Diwali Thousands of miles away From the lights that adorn my home The marigold flowers that are suddenly more valuable than ever  So far away from the hustle-bustle in markets Away from that mild chill in the air that signals approaching winter Away from the constant chatter of nosy relatives From the madness in the streets So far away from the cheer of this season’s parties From the warmth of hugs and laughter Thousands of miles away from the thousands of calories I’d be happily taking in This Diwali, I’m so far away from my family From my home So far away that, The only lights I have are the ones on my study table The only hustle I know of is me carrying the weight of my groceries So far away that, The chilly winds here make Delhi weather seem like summer The only chatter I’m going to hear is the one in my dorm hallways The only form of madness I see is in the race for a job So far...

Nostalgia dropped by today, A sudden knock on my door at midnight I wasn't dressed I wasn't prepared I was startled  I was even afraid to an extent Who might it be at this hour, I wondered I mustered all the courage I could Stepped out of my bed, Stepped out of my comfort zone, As I walked towards the door, Seconds felt like hours Reached for the doorknob and looked through the peephole My stomach churned and knees wobbled I recognized the face almost instantly  The familiarity was uncanny I took a deep breath and pulled the door open  Strong winds gushed in and hit my face Memories gushed in and hit me in the gut At a pace faster than in Formula One I felt the ground shift under my feet I felt almost powerless Another gush of wind and memories  He steps inside and approaches me, uninvited Draws me closer and wraps me in his embrace His body pressed against mine as he plants a kiss on my cheek ...

Wind o' wind, carry my message, will you? Blow hard, blow fast,  Stop when you find him, Then hit him hard, and harder, Now, calm down a little, and some more, Relax around him, engulf him in your force, Hush now, settle down quietly, Let him breathe. Let him breathe the scent you carry, The scent that will remind him Of the beads of sweat that covered Our entwined bodies at 2 o'clock that night.  Oh wind, carry the scent of that night, And of lavender candles that burned  To keep us warm until we fell asleep, Asleep on the cold floor of my room Dear Wind, remind him of the heat From our bodies, kissing the floor beneath. And the shivers that ran through me, The goosebumps that rose on his skin, The feeling of him against me, His lips against mine,  Oh wind, remind him, tell him, hurt him Just like he hurt me. Touch his soul and leave him, just like he left me. Th...