Anirudh Bhardwaj - The official blog | Poems | Short Stories | Articles

She was standing there at the Jetty. Looking at a distant ship, she hoped to be on one. So she could just run away from all the trouble this life had been giving her lately. She was looking for an escape. And that's probably the reason why she had come thousands of miles away from her hometown, hoping to leave her worries behind. But that didn’t seem to help either. In a city full of strangers, she felt vulnerable. And why not? She had never been anywhere alone after all. And this unplanned trip to Goa was never on her bucket list. Of course, she wanted to come here, but not like this. Not as a loner who was looking for a peace of mind. But the turn of events that took place lately changed everything. And after all that happened, she wanted to get as far away from that place as possible and landed up here in Goa. Yashasvi had just completed her post graduation and in the weeks that followed, she found herself surrounded by sorrow and trepidation. At the age of 26, Yashasvi ha...

In the moonlit night she walks by the sea Searching for the gilded chest she once had concealed. The time has flown, the daddy's little princess has grown. In search of the forgotten teenage mire, She strives to leave past her lecherous desire. Staring at the surface, she prays for an Alchemy Turning lead into gold, transcendence is what she needs. Reflecting in the water, her teenage self smiles back Reminding of the talismanic evenings, she once had. Now as a woman, she is so consumed in her household chores Keeping others happy in spite of her immaterial woes. Her world has changed, in so many ways She hardly remembers those carefree days. But searching for the gilded chest, she would never leave For it would unleash, the long lost Alchemy. And on a fine evening as the whole world sleeps Turning lead into gold, she would break free. - Anirudh Bhardwaj

Keeping my cell phone on the lower shelf of the counter, I took a step outside to admire the beautiful weather. Sensing the petrichor that scented up the surroundings, I could tell that a thunderstorm was fast approaching. The arrival of monsoon in Pune is a moment to rejoice. Tiny raindrops embracing your face like a gentle breeze, it’s something you can’t experience anywhere else. Standing on the front porch outside my cafe, I could see people enjoying the moment. Seeing their smiling faces, I felt intoxicated all of a sudden. Like all my worries were fading into thin air. Soon enough, the dark blue skies started pouring rain, and I stepped inside. As I sat on the executive chair, my eyes scanned the interior to know the current occupancy. The cafe was almost empty. Except for a girl who drew my attention the moment I saw her. It wasn’t really the girl who drew my attention, but the book she was reading. Partly because the book was all I could see, for her face was right be...