How often can you reset your life? While growing up, we’re all told to live a certain way. We were told that life had a linear path. Follow the rules. Do what everyone else has been doing for years – study hard, get a job, marry (the opposite sex), have kids, retire and die. Repeat….
Tag: LGBT
NUMB
There’s something creepy crawling inside me.No, it’s not a ghost. It’s worse.It’s slowly eating away at my emotions, empathy, and will to feel.I think it started small – a moment here, a moment there.A forgotten phone call. A hug that didn’t land. A message left on read. And now?I feel… NOTHING.Yes, I’m NUMB. No, I’m…
कभी फिर मिलेंगे
चलो, कभी फिर मिलेंगे।किसी और ज़िंदगी,किसी और दुनिया में। जहाँ मेरी गुस्ताखियाँ कम हों,जहाँ मेरी नादानियाँ कम हों। जहाँ शायद मैं हो पाऊं थोड़ा और ज़िम्मेदार,जहाँ शायद मैं ले पाऊं इन कंधों पे और थोड़ी भार। जहाँ दोस्ती में कोई शर्त न रखी जाए,जहाँ सच्चा प्यार मिल पाए। जहाँ दिल में थोड़ी कम हो खटास,जहाँ…
Window Shopping
Through virtual windows, I peer and swipe,A catalogue of men, each prototype.No vows, no bonds, no legal decree,Just endless aisles of “What could be.” Migrating birds, they flit and roam,No nesting hearts, no solid home.Loyalty? A fleeting disguise,Lost in the glare of pixelated skies. Grindr’s ping, a digital bell,Announces sales of lust to sell.Swipe left,…
The Year it Was: 2024
As 2024 draws to a close, I sit quietly with a cup of coffee. I reflect on the months gone by. If I had to summarize this year, it would be difficult to express everything openly. There’s a whirlwind of emotions, and my thoughts feel tangled, like fairy lights after a long year in storage….
All of Us Strangers
The idea of six degrees of separation is enchanting. This thought suggests any two people in the world are connected through just six acquaintances. It suggests that the world may feel vast. Still, we’re only a few handshakes away from one another. Yet, within this comforting notion lies a quiet question: what about the people…
Embracing Bad Luck: The Art of Pivoting
I once caught a line from a movie that really stuck with me: “It’s one of the benefits of bad luck. It teaches you to pivot.” There’s definitely some truth there. Life can throw us off track, and sometimes it feels like it does so over and over again. As a middle-aged Indian gay man,…
Frozen Gaze
I may look cold as ice,When I see in them nothing nice.With a gaze that could freeze,And a heart that’s hard to please. You may find me rude,But on good days, I’m the next-door dude.A familiar face with hidden grace,Waiting for a smile to light up this space. Behind the frost, there’s warmth untold,A story…
Born Free Yet Caged by the Society
Hey there, Awesome folks! I’m Ankur, a middle-aged guy from New Delhi. My life is all about making films, travelling, taking photos, telling stories, and irritating my partner. But beyond the cool pictures and exciting tales, there’s a deeper story—the journey of being gay in India. Today, I want to share a bit of that…
Happy Father’s Day!
Father’s Day brings on a whole jumble of feelings, each one a real mixed bag. My old man and I’ve had quite an unconventional relationship. It’s been a real rollercoaster ride – nothing like your typical father-son story. When I was a kid, my dad was my hero, someone I looked up to like he…
ANKUR MONDAL 