The sacrificial Eid is yet months away Yet Ishmael is dangled on the cross The angels keep their censored silences and pour them into our hearts. It isn’t even Muharram But sisters wrap mourning over their torn cloaks, and wipe off sweat from the cold bullets settled in the brows … Read more →
Pashmina, Tombstones have names & Witness by Sayen Aich
There have been evenings When my grandmother would weave stories, from the pashmina threads of memory. That still kept her going. With such delicate threads one had to be careful. A little lie here, a little too much effort And a castle of stories would crumble down. She would … Read more →
The Calendar of Death by Zeeshan Ali
1 With the onset of Spring, Death comes seeking: in twos and threes in gold-plated pyramids in ogives, traced by thirsty hands (wounded by salt) by instinct. It slithers away with the smell of impunity. 2 In the midst of Summer, death comes seeking, again: in hundreds and thousands of … Read more →
Occupation by Tasim Zahid
Misery filled our lungs long before you, But then you came guns blazing and tear gas popping Shooting us, shouting, we come in peace, we come in love Fuck you and fuck your guns, I will be ready to die before you can even count to ten But how will … Read more →
The Exodus of a City by Ifsha Zehra and Samia Mehraj
Please note that the words in italics belong to Samia Mehraj & and the non-italicised ones to Ifsha Zehra It is 1990, I am not born. Someone peeks through the window of my mother’s house. In the vicinity, suitcases are being quietly packed with the essentials of olden days. Secrets of … Read more →
‘When Kashmir wept, I wrote a poem’ by Premjish
To the Kashmir I’ve never visited, not even in my dreams. I know you will understand, my fear for the uniforms, the masculine parades, the gun holding men who look like Indian gods with elongated genitals, who look like my father with their moustaches, you know I despise my father, … Read more →
Ghazal for February by Ananya Pandey
There is a dog on the road looking up at the city every day With eyes of a poem’s tireless wonder – I too try, every day On Rani Jhansi road, the houses have been half demolished for years Here, construction and livelihoods carry on every day At the chowk … Read more →
Hear me O Scribe!
Yogesh Mishra Following is a poem titled: ‘Hear me O scribe!’ that emerges out of my interactions with some young Kashmiris. It was a collective feeling amongst them that there was too much focus on the conflict, and as residents of the contested terrain, they became mere subjects for researchers. … Read more →
Under this Chinar
Nadeem Under this Chinar, where I lay dying—is dead my whole nation. My family and friends and all my dear ones. There, under this Chinar is the unmarked grave of my Shaheed Moul. Under this Chinar, deep there—is sleeping my half widow Mouj. There, buried are the tortured limbs of … Read more →
Post-Traumatic Hurriyet Disorder
More heads usually means better decisions. When the Hurriyat leaders put theirs together after decades of separation, one thought this basic rule would apply. But as always the Hurriyat leaders proved themselves what they are: a massive disappointment. And these are no ordinary times we are talking about. At one … Read more →
Kashmir Reader and the Journalism of Courage
Rouf Dar, Umar Lateef Misgar & Harun Lone Modern age is defined by media. Every epoch has a certain peculiarity, a marked distinction. The present epoch is characterized by a dominating incision of media and it’s round the clock surveillance of our political and social community. As a matter of … Read more →
Is Independent Kashmir Possible?
Bilal Hussain Over the decades, the people of Kashmir have expressed their desire to have an identity, a homeland, and a separate nation, in many forms at multiple times. However, the Indian state has so far successfully been able to convince the global community about the non-viability of an Independent … Read more →
At the Park
Tapan Mozumdar At the parkEarly morning,doing my health recovery walkin the neighbourhood park,I chanced upon this child.Safe in his mother’s lapon a newly painted bench,making noisesthat only mothers can understand. After a couple of lapsof my speed walking,I stopped and looked at the child.He, advised by his mother,Waived at me … Read more →
Elegy of a Pellet Victim
Abdul Azeem Now I cannot see the color of my clothes I clad everyday…. Now I cannot see how my brother looks as a groom!!! I find myself in a colorless world, as my eyes have stopped their main work!!! It is because I tilted my tongue for my Basic … Read more →
Kashmir under Curfew
Nusrat Bazaz It is summerMy garden is a riot of coloursSilver dewdrops sparkle on the green carpetAnd tall gladioli stand erectResplendent in red and yellowDemure balsams blush pinkHeads lowered like shy bridesYellow marigolds huddle in a cornerGlittering like the sunFragile spider lilies raise their crimson headsFlanked by tender tendrilsCheery periwinkles … Read more →
To beloved Kashmir
Manisha Manhas My love is betrothed to cloudshe sings of blooming shroudsI see withering vapours in his eyeshe sings of sorrows in snow lit dazzling ice his eyes speak up achings of disfigured blueswatching the nights and their darkest hueshe witnesses burning tulips in the flames of fireand takes me … Read more →
THREE POEMS ON PELLET VICTIMS OF KASHMIR
Muhammad Nadeem VULTURES AND DOVES ALL OVER AGAIN it’s apple seasonDoves are under curfew, againa filthy scenario all aroundfrom all quarters—(leftists, rightists,secularists, nationalists, cynics, critics andcrazed, nihilistic zealots)catch and killin the most highly militarized zone in the worldVultures and Doves all over againbullets, bombs, and bands of cowards hunt in … Read more →
Whose fault is it being a slave?
Muhammad Nadeem He was about to leave with his new cricket bat when his mother reminded him of tomorrow’s History test at school. ‘Tamim, I’ll break your legs if you take one more step towards the door’, his mother gave him the same ineffectual warning again, ‘Get your History textbook … Read more →
What you need to know about the current crisis in Kashmir
The Daily Vox The situation in Indian-administered Kashmir has worsened in recent weeks. Eighty-two people have people killed in clashes with Indian security forces, while thousands of civilians have been injured. Why the unrest though?Kashmir’s summer of discontent was stirred by the killing of a popular militant, Burhan Wani on 8 July. … Read more →
Poems: Metal of the night and Green lights of the Dawn
Ashfaq Saraf Metal of the night Metal of the night grows heavy with rust when evenings bathe in cold salt of stupor and wishes — those never tried, though, for their hazard. Wearing garments soaked in last decade’s rainfall (some delayed by months and more some early by days flooding … Read more →