Delhiwale: His heap of broken images
This evocation from poet TS Eliot's Waste Land can get uncomfortably personal. After all, a substantial chunk of our lives consists of a heap of unfinished fragments. We rarely reach the end of things. Our incomplete endeavours are of many types—a broken New Year resolution, an aborted love affair, or even a thing as banal as the Uber driver cancelling the ride. Here are three of citizen Arjit Roy's many untitled verses that failed to find their end. This evening, the Rohini-based poet scrolls through his mobile phone, showing the poems he couldn't complete due to various reasons, despite his best attempts. (Judgmental readers must be gently told that Arijit has already published a book of completed poems! Brave of him to share his incomplete works, instead of the other way round.)
1.
The moon is cut
in two equal halves tonight
It is cut with such exactness
Such quality
Such precision
That I look at the moon and wonder
If a scale was used perhaps
So perfect it indeed seems
That the mind is forced to ask
Was it possible without human touch
Or is it so perfect
Because of its very absence
2.
Why is April
The National Poetry Writing Month
Is it because
No other month had a say
Or
Nothing is more lovely
Than a summer's day
But not in India though
Then why so
Is April given this status?
I think it's for the April's fool
And just to look a bit more cool
For only fools write poetry, that too in English in India
And that too for 30 days
Surely, these chaps didn't know of life's other ways
MBA, Civils, NET, SSC, IIT & GATE
Those who aren't really poets, can leave
You aren't late
3.
O Amaltas tree
If I touch your lowest flower
Will you also grow into me?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
32 minutes ago
- Mint
‘Never going back': Indian woman calls Eiffel Tower lunch her most ‘expensive' and ‘worst' meal
A dream lunch at the Eiffel Tower turned into a nightmare for one Indian woman, and her brutally honest review has sparked a debate online. Ishwarya, who runs the YouTube travel page Make Travel Easy with her UK-based Tamil husband, Sakthivel, recently shared a video about her expensive yet underwhelming meal at Le Jules Verne, the two-Michelin-star restaurant perched on the second floor of the iconic Paris monument. What was meant to be a luxurious foodie experience instead left her saying: 'The most expensive lunch of my life… and the worst. I'm never coming here again.' In her video, Ishwarya didn't hold back. She described the bread served as so hard it was 'impossible to chew.' The cold starter earned just 2/10, the main dish scraped a 7/10, and the dessert, 'overloaded with cream', got a dismal 1/10. Interestingly, she wasn't the only one disappointed. A senior tourist from New Zealand at the next table also struggled with the bread. When Ishwarya requested an alternative, the waiter simply shrugged. This was the only bread available. In a rather amusing twist, Ishwarya later accompanied the lady to a supermarket to buy biscuits! The review sparked a heated debate online. While many Indians sided with Ishwarya, calling it an 'overpriced tourist trap,' others defended the restaurant, pointing out that French bread is traditionally crusty and meant to be eaten with soup or dips. They suggested this might have been a cultural and culinary mismatch. A user wrote, 'European breads are supposed to be all breads are are so many different types of breads.' Another user wrote, 'You don't go to such a fine restaurant if you're not used to the French cuisine.' 'It's supposed to dip and eat in soup so it's usually hard,' the third user shared. The fourth user commented, 'It is tourist trap do you think locals will go to have lunch at eifel tower?' 'Paris is simply overrated,' the fifth wrote. Le Jules Verne isn't just about the food; it's about the experience. Sitting 125 metres above Paris, it boasts sweeping views of the city, a menu of modern French delicacies, and a wine list featuring over 430 French vintages. Signature dishes include langoustine ravioli, roasted pigeon, and intricately plated desserts. But luxury comes at a price; lunch tasting menus start at about €190 (around ₹ 17,000) per person, while dinner can set you back €255 or more, wine excluded.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Why quality mental health support is still some ways away for the LGBTQIA+ community
In recent times, we've had movies like Kaathal – The Core (Malayalam) and Gulmohar (Hindi) that had prominent actors like Mammootty and Sharmila Tagore play gay and lesbian characters, respectively. The mental struggle these characters face has been portrayed adeptly too– Mathew's resistance to divorce his wife and Kusum's eagerness to let go of the home her husband built, in their own way showcase denial and defiance. In reality, however, the LGBTQIA+ community continues to face difficulties when it comes to address mental health issues. Based on conversations Lounge has had with members from the community, 'accessibility" and 'sensitisation" seem to be the main problems here. 'Queerness continues to be pathologized here even by mental health practitioners. The idea that it is something that needs to be 'cured' or 'treated' is still prevalent. Can you imagine how difficult it then becomes to even take those initial steps for help when you realise that these so-called 'safe' spaces themselves can be dehumanising?" wonders Srishti Pandey, 26, who identifies herself as asexual. 'Queer people, especially outside the major metros, face glaringly hostile environments and harmful, violent and illegal attempts to 'cure' queer people. There is little safety available in mental healthcare institutes, and often, it is quasi-religious places that offer anything close to care and they can be very hurtful places," says Bengaluru-based counsellor Mahesh Natarajan who identifies as gay. Pandey, who has tried therapy and found it helpful, shares that while her family and friends have been supportive, she has received biased reactions from others. Currently residing in England, she also reveals that life as an asexual has been relatively easier for her in the UK. 'Everyone faces challenges, it is just that the intensity with which members from the community face them is more, and the resources available for us are less," notes Aryan Somaiya, a Goa-based psychotherapist who identifies as a transman. As 34-year-old scientist Soham (last name withheld upon request) from Bengaluru points out, therapy can be expensive and out of reach for several people in the queer community. Listing out the issues the LGBTQ+ community faces while seeking therapy, he says, 'There are many people who prefer online consultations because going in person would mean taking time off work. Then there's the question of whether the therapist you are seeing has knowledge about the queer community, knows people who belong to the community, and is sensitised to the issues faced by queer people." But that's not all. In a society where being comfortable in your skin is still a struggle for many, those belonging to the queer community have it doubly hard. 'I know of quite a few people, myself included, who tend to, at times, lead double lives," says Edwin Daniel, a Bengaluru-based entrepreneur who is gay. 'I have been lucky, because most of my colleagues and co-workers are comfortable with my identity. But, when there's a business meeting or I am meeting someone new for work-related purposes, I tend to do 'straight acting' or regulate the way I behave to meet heteronormative roles. But, for a lot of my counterparts, it is one kind of life from 10-7, and another life after 7pm," he adds. HAMPERED BY THE LACK OF A STABLE SOCIAL STRUCTURE According to Daniel, one of the main problems the LGBTQ+ community in India faces is the absence of a stable social structure. 'Since same-sex marriages aren't legal in India, unlike heterosexual people, we don't have milestones like getting married and having kids. This tends to take a huge toll on our mental health," he says. Soham concurs. 'Since these milestones are absent for us, the onus of creating a structure falls on us," he says. He also resonates with Daniel when he says that it is quite difficult, yet important, to find a therapist who is queer-sensitised and understands problems of the community. Finding that therapist, as Daniel notes, is not easy. 'One goes through numerous therapists, before landing on someone who understands you and suits your needs." After seeking therapy for five years, he reveals that he's only recently found a counsellor who 'understands me, what I am going through and helps me accordingly." Bengaluru-based entrepreneur Prasenjit Chaudhari, 41, knew he was gay right from childhood but chose to hide it in a bid to belong, fit in. 'This attempt to hide your identity takes a toll on your mental health and the scars remain for a long time," he confesses. This is precisely why finding the right therapist becomes crucial, he says, but in a city where the community is small that can pose a problem. 'I came to Bengaluru in 2007 and have literally watched the community grow. I know nearly everyone in the community, and so, even if I do find a therapist who is queer, I know them on a personal level and that is something I try to avoid." As a therapist, Natarajan says that he chooses to not counsel members from the community who are closely connected to his personal life. But for those who are strictly his clients, he says, 'We protect the client's privacy and confidentiality as fully as possible. It helps for the client to know that we are part of the community and not too distant from their realities." According to Natarajan, a typical green flag when seeking a therapist from within the community is to check if they are well regarded for their general ethical practice. It's a big no-no if they have in any way breached client confidentiality or canvassed for influence. A good way to verify a therapist's ability is to reach out to (other members from the community) who have previously sought help from the said therapist, Natarajan advises. The conversations do get louder every year during Pride Month in June but they barely scratch the surface. Issues like chem sex that can prove fatal to queer members are not explored in depth. 'While chem sex is common for everyone, it is a deeper issue for the queer community. It is not just loneliness that makes it a problem. Lack of safe resources, worries of being outed, health concerns, abandonment by family and other issues are all part of the problem," Natarajan says. There's a lot of distance to be covered for sure, but every individual Lounge spoke to clings to glimmers of hope. 'The main thing that affects mental health for the LGBTQ community is social stigma and the feeling of being 'othered'. With greater integration and community building, people will flourish," Natarajan says. 'Broadly speaking, I want therapy to be easily accessible and destigmatized. And most importantly, I want (more) resources for patients and counsellors who are catering to LGBTQ folks because our struggles are widely different," says Daniel. Sumitra Nair is an independent journalist based in Kochi.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Indian Woman's Scathing Review Of "Expensive" Eiffel Tower Lunch Sparks Debate
An Indian woman shared a video criticising her expensive lunch at Le Jules Verne, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant on the Eiffel Tower's second floor. In the video, Ishwarya described the bread as "impossible to chew," the starter as cold (rating it 2/10), the main dish as average (7/10), and the dessert as overly creamy (1/10), calling it her "most expensive" and worst meal. An elderly New Zealander seated nearby echoed her complaints about the bread. When Ishwarya asked about alternatives, the waiter said it was the only option. She later noted that while the meal was edible, it was average and didn't meet her expectations, especially given the high price and prestigious location. Ishwarya later helped the woman get biscuits from a supermarket due to her struggle with the food. The video was shared by Make Travel Easy, a page run by Ishwarya and her UK-based Tamil husband, Sakthivel. "I will never go here again. The most expensive lunch i had turned out like this," the video was captioned. The video has sparked debate online. Some users called the restaurant a "tourist trap," while others defended the hard bread as typical European fare, meant for dipping in soup, and accused Ishwarya of not understanding French cuisine. One user wrote, "You don't go to such a fine restaurant if you're not used to the French cuisine." Another commented, "European breads are supposed to be all breads are are so many different types of breads." A third said, "You me, whenever you go restaurant, and 1st you check the bread, it's show you the real quality of a place..." A fourth added, "It is a tourist trap, do you think locals will go to have lunch at the Eiffel Tower?" Notably, Le Jules Verne is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant located on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, at an elevation of 125 meters. Named after the famed French author, it offers a fine-dining experience with panoramic views of Paris. The restaurant serves modern French cuisine, emphasising seasonal ingredients and artistic presentation. Its menu includes dishes like langoustine ravioli, roasted pigeon, and intricate desserts. The restaurant offers lunch and dinner services, with tasting menus starting at around 190 Euros for lunch and 255 Euros for dinner, complemented by an extensive wine list featuring over 430 French vintages.
