Oh! The surreptitious vogue of Bansuriwala,

Enchanting the mortals with his melodious strain.

Enlivening the morbid hearts dissimulated in the canopy of mist

As he nonchalantly moves across the lane.

For full reading of the poem, you can request a copy by sending your query to editorialmagazinecc@gmail.com

Indrani Chatterjee is a perfective homemaker and mother of an only autistic child. Even from the barred layer of felicity, her emotions occasionally well up to inundate the white in blue. Nothing is ceremonial in her revelation and approach, purely self motivated. She only wishes her readers to glide along with the rhythmic undulations of her penmanship. She's a co-author of the Shiva anthology titled 'Aniconic Cosmic Dancer', and another anthology based on the theme of love which has been published in the Anniversary Edition of 2022. Both are initiatives of the House of Chrysanthemum Chronicles.

She is also an ardent music lover specializing in Rabindra Sangeet (songs composed by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore). Currently she is pursuing a Senior Diploma in the same. She also pursues Karaoke singing and performs on social media platforms. Her son also shares the same love for music. It shapes the bonding between them.

Bzzt...bzzt the phone vibrates on the side table of your bed. The light impedes your eyes and you pick the device up with eyes half open, half closed; but the number that is reflecting on the screen takes you with surprise, brings you back to senses and you are still in awe. It’s a call from beyond, will you answer it? What would be your first feeling, joy, excitement, or fear? Because that place called ‘beyond’ is where earth finishes and so does life.

Chrysanthemum Chronicles: A Contemporary Publishing House brings to you an audio poetry book entitled ‘A Call from Beyond’ made by love from Cc and with the voices given by the poets themselves who wrote their poems for this theme. This audiobook is a gift from all of us here at Cc and from the contributing poets for this Christmas season. Let there be love light and blessings. Stay till the end to listen to some of the brilliant poetry by the collaborative efforts of some of the greatest women poets of the time. The poets' names in order who have given their voices are  Sheerin Shahab, Gowri Bhargav,  Shristee Singh, Soumya Bharathi, Jyoti Nair, Daisy Bala, Dr. Paromita Mukherjee Ojha, Chandrika R. Krishnan, Nandita De nee Chatterjee and Dr. Shweta Mathur Lall.

All the different music credit rests to varied artists at Pixabay Royalty Free Music Website. 

Fortunate are the ones who can take a call for themselves, unlike Shubhadra who had grown up on borrowed grains. She looked resplendent, dressed head to toe in bridal finery. A bride who shall be envied for being a ‘SadaSuhagan’ for time immemorial. A bride who will be revered and plundered simultaneously. A bride who shall be a concubine to many but a companion to none. Lady of the Lord; married to the Gods- A Devadasi!

Every night she dressed as a bride and consummated her marriage. Her heart sang the song of distress, knowing well that no one would reply....

‘Always remember the bride, you cursed,

Shattered within, plundered on earth.

Her soul is parched, her eyes a dried well,

Alas! I am a bride, who didn’t cry, but died within.’

The author has chosen through her story a tribute to all the women who suffered in silence, this abominable custom of DEVADASI. It was practised extensively in South-East Asia and Southern states of India, for centuries. Though it’s now banned it’s still practiced in its contorted version.

#About the Author

Dr Shweta Mathur Lall is a practicing dentist by profession and a writer at heart. She explicitly expresses herself through words and loves to pen down her thoughts. She has excellent oratory skills and has diligently compered many functions. She loves to travel, explore places and nature in its simplicity.

Background Score/ Music by :Music by GoodBMusic from Pixabay