Poetic Stories

Dear Didi,

Today is Rakhi Bandhan,
Today is the day you used to pray for my protection
But no one was there to protect you.
I’m not crying…
Trust me I am not…
Okay maybe a little…
Yes, my pillow is soaked.
Look what a fine mess you’ve created.
Look what you have done to us.

We’re supposed to celebrate today.
But we’re crying, we’re angry!
We’re angry at the people in power.
The power that took you away.
They thought they could kill you.
The thought we wouldn’t notice.
They thought we won’t lay our lives in the line.
They thought we won’t fight.

But they were wrong!
Oh! They couldn’t be more wrong!
Look, Didi! Look!
Look at us!
We are here with our heart in our palm.
We’ll throw them away (if we must).

Do you remember them?
The men who followed you
Every night you went outside.
those who tried to stop you,
those who said “Don’t go out late!”,
those who never wanted you to grow.
they tried to scare you.
But you dared.

Dear Didi, my most loving Didi,
My daring Didi,
You proved them wrong.
They couldn’t silence you.
So they had to  rape you.
The even dreaded your dead body.
They are afraid of the room where they raped you.
They are terrified of the building.
Heck, they are even scared of this city.
They’re petrified that we will come for them.
And so we will.

See! Didi, See!
My notebook is wet.
But I am no longer sad.
Don’t you be sad too.
You have millions of brothers and sisters today.
They can’t hide this time,
As we have seen all their lairs.
We have seen all the faces under the masks.
We will go to hell to find them.
Will bring them in front of you.
So you can ask them, right into their face
“Why? And now, do you still think you’re stronger than me?”
This is what I promise on the Rakhi of your name.

Your loving brothers and sisters.

May this Rakhi give you the power to fight because protection is a fool's paradise.