A celebration of previously rejected and unpublished pieces.
This piece was rejected by other publications and platforms that found it “interesting but not good enough to be published.” The author …
This piece “A Pandemic of Pretense” was rejected by The Print, The Wire and Jacobin. Humanity has been serving its penance without …
Our top picks featuring the best of produce and people.
Apart from the aesthetics, I got interested in miniature paintings because of the historical and political questions related …
We’re doing four exciting workshops this April. Curated by passionate instructors across diverse fields, these workshops offer a …
(1) In junior school, they would give us ‘holiday homework’ for the summer, so that the iced lollies and sliced mangoes would …
कोई आज़ाद पंछी नहींना ही उसका कोई पंख मैं तो वह छत पर बंधेतार पर टंगा कपड़ा हूँजिस पर क्लिपलगाए जाते हैं …
Disclaimer: The writer of this piece is a cis het man. Is it so hard to live in a decent society, free …
You can read this piece in Assamese, translated by Dimpi Sarma here. Whenever I am asked “Why are you a feminist?”, my …
In this piece ‘Playing Wordle With My Friend ‘ the author writes about her fun experience of playing Wordle with her friend …
#Poetry Cultivated by English the isles, they soughtO Albion your sea-encircled coast.What an interpreter of the maps visualisesTo the feet, hands never …
When we think we’re multitasking we’re actually multi switching. That is what the brain is very good at doing – quickly diverting …
Mirrors lie every time; I do not look into mirrors for weeks or months at a stretch. If your authenticity is an …
A hay-ven for sheepy readers.
#YoungAdultFiction The Suicide Pact is a confessional journal of a young girl in a boarding school in South India and her ultimately …
In this personal essay titled “Why I Read Classics,” the author discusses the works of Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and Thomas Hardy …
Showcasing first time writers and fellow blahcksheep whose nouveau ideas need to be herd.
“Good morning, Sanya!” I received a Whatsapp text from Dharam, my account manager. I have five missed calls from him. The text,
Emotions, especially those with negative connotations, refuse to leave. They are like stubborn long term head-aches which keep coming back until you
As the sun rose to a new Sunday, she found it blissful to remain wrapped in the sheets for a little longer.
Versatile genres of Music tweaking, nudging the right and left of the virile brain, and the chalice of the Heart dancing along,
These days writing is becoming more and more of a glamorous profession. It’s kind of cool, you might say, to become an
I watch a lady bug crawl across the ground as my neighbourRecounts the death of his brother to my mother.The pain in
In this piece titled “The Dirty Me” the author says she is ashamed to show herself. She is ashamed to show them.
#LoveMonth romance (n.) /rə(ʊ)ˈmans,ˈrəʊmans/definition: a quality or feeling of mystery, excitement, and remoteness from everyday life. Romance is a thrill, not necessarily
The artist uses mud to make toys only he can make, He is satisfied with his premature work Sitting back, he wipes
You took my hand and you placed it on your soul you let me wander around your brain in search of something
Understanding the sexualisation of bodies through the story of Sarah Baartman How is rape culture not absurd? Why is the sexualisation of
We met at a sleazy dating app or a neon basement bar party. We kissed a few times and exchanged a few
The door closes behind me And I breathe a sigh of relief Finally all alone I like it here, would you believe ?
“My mother believes that hanging a dead clock brings bad luck.” He said removing the clock from the wall. He successfully changed
Practicing acceptance for a journey towards complete consciousness The word acceptance in common parlance would mean passive state or inactive human psychology.
Scabrous; talons, fangs and prongs Beautiful, fabled though it were not Colossal, it was that which i wish hadn’t espied Mutinous, cunning,
How you spot me in every crowd Is it written on my face I don’t fit in here The South It rejects
October rushes inside with mourning petals, losing its freshness due to the shrill emptiness melting parallely over my mother’s ‘maang’ Tiredness slept
I penned this poem at the time I was feeling extremely vulnerable. I was going through a phase where I was made
Horror was never my genre of choice. I struggled with the concept of genre for the longest time, as science fiction seemed
I’m feeling worried because I don’t exactly fit in. I realise I’m different from the rest. I don’t know if people will
She smiled at Sam, and a moment later planted a kiss on the corner of his mouth. I already wanted to cover
First encountered 21 July 2000. My mother held me in her cottony robed arms and stood at the balcony doorway. She said
The world has often told me that being delicate and understanding are feminine traits I must have because from the day my
I breathe the air they provide,I see what they make me aim at.I believe what they think is true.I let them speak
Hitherto Conversations with you were never satisfying. There’s less to do. Less to be. In the ancient sorcery that lies beyond the
The steps to the destinedfaults were easy.The never seen springsof my pleasure,the molten glaciers like tearsof my aimless fate,the dexterityof my wild
When wasps and grasshoppers occasionally visit my bed sheet,I treat them with kindness by picking and leaving them outside my doorBuzzing creatures
When the Dead poet’s society asked, what will your verse be,I stumbled on thin air, with nothing to trod upon.I fumbled for
your anxiety surpasses mineas my silence screamsand I lose you,every passing day to ideologuesto ideologies warring within patience,I tell myselfas bits of
Found poetry is a type of poetry created by taking words, phrases, and sometimes whole passages from other sources and reframing them
Racism is a monster carrying an enormous amount of hate with it. When one encounters it, there seems to be no end
Growing up in India is not easy. Most of what is discussed abroad is spoken about in code with any explanation. Parents further
I was sitting in one of the most comfortable chairs in the waiting hall surrounded by strangers, mostly aunties and uncles. My
double standards on one handour proud menreveal themselvesfreely on the wallsclearly stating‘𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’‘𝘺𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘢𝘣 𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘪’ is a terrible wonder
TW/ CW: mental health, social anxiety. My anxiety knocks at points of silences in a conversation,I might not show up,At social events,
Ever lost a favorite thing and found it again? How does that feel? A lost and found love is no different. Love
This piece “She Will Keep Writing” is written in solidarity with the women in Afghanistan. How is a young girl in her
So, it’s been a year since I began my journey with mySELF. I highlight the word because, well, she matters. And as
Trapped in the 2×2 bathroom stallOf my 4 storey office building,I wipe my tears.“Tap! Tap!” someone knocks the doorI gather my thoughts
A fertilizer factory in Durgapur facing political tensions, abruptly shuts down one day. Small quarters are provided by the association to factory-employees
Service,For the Greater GoodKill, for your nationShed blood to be rememberedOnly when you are in your eternal sleepFight, till you perishFrosty cold
#1 Slut, Bitch, Whore and Many More If a woman sleeps with a manwhen she’s unmarriedshe is a slutwho has no value
His beige worn out shirt,with patches of “accidents”marked by paint strokesand the touch of sadnesshanging by the hem of the sides of
#1 I want my last words to be“Please switch off the lights.”I want to die a slow whisper like death.I want grief
I can tell you that growing up queer in an orthodox household has not been a walk in the park. Yes, I
Once upon a time in the Equinea poor stallion and a mare dinegrass hay and corn; play football, a foal was bornthat
This is a poem about someone Shanaya lost. Sometimes, I’d be strolling around some place,My own ignorance would hit me in the
Ghosh woke up in a haste. He rushed to his right and turned on the lamp. “Was that your stupid dream again?”
In the year of 2002, much to the delight of a young elephant called Bholu, a letter of appointment with the familiar
We were born within perfect wallsWashed in lime, sanctionedBy wild rainsThat fell mad upon our houses of stone,Lashing bluebirdsIn the drowning juniper
Meet me, somewhereIn the middle of nowhereAnd we’ll talkAbout the sun and the moonAnd the stars, and howThey lined up in perfect
8 am, you wake up with the feeling inside your bones that something is going to crush you today until you are
The beginning of longer days and cerulean sky, marking the passing of the winter solstice. With this also comes one of the
You can read the Gujarati translation of this piece by Aarohi Vaidya here. The author details her three year long live-in relationship
It was 8:30 in the night, the smell of Maggi that was cooking in the kitchen had already found its way to
In Indian weddings and birthdays, it is common to see a person dressed up as any famous personality/character from a popular comic
Exploring all things lifestyle.
Watch the Palate Trekker’s latest Episode 3: Table in the Hills here: Table in the Hills was shot in South Goa with …
How are first impressions made? Shoes? The way people talk? Their hair? Mobile phone models? While it’s different for different people, I …
TW: Death by Suicide, Self harm, Drugs, Grief In this piece “Black Goo in the Falling Man: A Reflection on Bereavement,” the …
#LoveMonth You can also read this piece in Nepali, translated by Anshu Chhetri here. My family often makes me wonder if the …
#LoveMonth when i was eighteen i thought I’d marry the first person i’d say i love you to i thought i’ll fall …
Let the world in on your guilty pleasures and quirky interests.
You can also read this piece in Marathi here. There seemed to be an inexplicable tendency to deny one’s presence on dating …
Carelessly flipping through the pages I came across something that revolutionised masturbation and unknowingly admitted me to LWPSA
You can read the original piece in English by Maitreya Sanghvi titled "Growing Up with ADHD: A 4 Part Series" here. This is a translation in Gujarati.
#Translation #Assamese You can read the original piece in English by Urvi Khaitan titled ‘History, Hallowed Halls, and a Hangover: An Oxford …
धर्म से मेरा सामना
#Translation #Marathi You can read the original piece in English by Pritika Datta titled ‘Courting through Covid: A Confession’ here. इथे एखाद्याच्या …
Rethinking Marriage
ਵਿਦਿਆ ਦੇਵੀ: ਮੇਰੀ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਦਾਦੀ ਦੀ ਕਹਾਣੀ
कार्यक्षेत्र पर जाति: क्यों व्यापरसंधों का जाति के प्रति सचेत होना अनिवार्य हो
#Translation #Gujarati You can read the original piece in English by Sayali Ranadive titled ‘Being in a Live-in Relationship During the Pandemic’ …
#Translation #Nepali #LadyWank (without being caught) You can read the original piece in English titled “4 Public Places You Can Lady-Wank In: …
#Translation #Assamese You can read the original piece in English by Anjali Agarwal titled ‘Patriarchy: The Oldest and Deadliest Virus that Claimed …
“मी स्वतःला एक संशोधक आणि कार्यकर्ता चित्रपट निर्माता म्हणून पाहतो. चित्रपट निर्मिती ही माझ्यासाठी वेदनादायक प्रक्रिया आहे.”
#Translation #Punjabi You can read the original piece in English titled “Separated Siblings” by Manushree Swami here. This is a translation in …
#Translation #Korean You can read the original piece in English titled “Insta-Poetry: A Culture of Feelings” by Prithvi Sharma here. This is …
#YoungAdultFiction The Suicide Pact is a confessional journal of a young girl in a boarding school in South India and her ultimately …
We’re doing four exciting workshops this April. Curated by passionate instructors across diverse fields, these workshops offer a fun way to learn …
This poem is my search for answers as 19-year-old Noor sits on the stool chanting “qubool hai,” her body trying to breathe, …
This experimental fiction story titled “Death of a Body” is narrated by three wandering souls, each bearing a tragic story, connected by a …
This collage series explores the concepts of censorship, control, propaganda, cancel culture, and the manipulation of the media and social networks. The …
In this personal essay “The Structural Integrity of the Foundations of Being,” the author reflects on the concepts of development and growth, …
In this satirical piece, the author rewrites excerpts from Jayadev’s ‘Gita Govinda,’ a 12th century love poem about Radha and Krishna to …
Mom has a love-hate relationship with bras: she loves them during the day and detests them at night. When she was working, …
Inspired by an unexpected note from a cat lady in Pondicherry, this piece “All Along You Were Blooming” is about yogurt, mental …
The author (a teenager) talks about her lingering childhood memory and what God means to her. I perfectly remember those days of …
I have been led to believe that God resides in temples and mosques, that they live in monasteries and gurudwaras. God was …
thousands and thousands of years ago began an intricate system of faith thousands and thousands of years later the reasonable fine lines …
I follow the orthodox religion in Russia. I like going to church. I like feeling the energy of people there. Religion, for …
Outside the Masjid, I see a pool of footwear. And I recall the feet of men and women in them. The grey …
[This article by Ananya Narain Tyagi first appeared in a blog, Law and Other Things. It has been co-edited and coordinated by …
“Naked and like a raisin, a wrinkled knob of our imagining…” a poem on God by Mitra Visveswaran My friends and I …
Most atheists turn to atheism after having had some exposure to the ideas of religion and God. But the vice versa isn’t true …
[ April 5 21:00 “Sarva Shaktimate Parmaatmane Sri Ramaaya Namaha.”] She stresses on the ‘Sri. Shi-ree. She’s said it 25, now 26, …
Having grown up in a Sikh family, the author opens up on her encounters with Sikhism and draws a distinction between organised …
This piece is a Creative Nonfiction (CNF), part biography of my grandma, womanhood and fire, and part mythology. Religion walking next to …
“A belief is a belief – there is no better belief, truer belief or higher form of belief. Different situations and circumstances …
The author, a non-believer, talks about his relation with his grandmother, Vidya Devi and her relationship with God. You can also read …
कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं, संसारसारम् भुजगेन्द्रहारम्। सदावसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे, भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि॥ You see him there– Dancing, In the sky of the enlightened mind Amidst …
Viewing religion through the lens of a queer artist I grew up a Christian. The baptist church proved to be toxic and …
‘Bikaner Junction’ is a collection of 4 short stories. Lucky is one of them. Lucky was a swift young man. He had …
Dressed in vibrant colours, these pages daily thrust upon me the idea of how all love is love. Do they know of …
An open letter to my school best friend: Dear Sai, if you’re reading this (and I hope you are), please forgive me. …
strawberry smoothie swirling with syrupy lies, quenches her tempting thirst, as she jogs 9 rounds around the queen’s necklace, now lined with …
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been trying hard to make sense of the fragility of connections. I’ve brought down my …
Your fate is written on your spine,even more than it iscontrived on your palms.Because everytime,you lift what isn’t destined for you,more than …
You can read the #Korean translation of this piece by Diya Kapoor here I would firstly like to start by appreciating Instagram …
The landfills if it never stopped raining? $40 a month for cowboys in the 1880’storn grass flower crumbs plastic driftwood cupsaround the …
Chennai, Tamil Nadu 2004: Mr. T. Sunami 15 years old. Two streets away from the Coromandel Coast was our home. An uncle …
(Who Doesn’t Keep a Diary) 8th of August – Stranger Shelter The lightning and thunder were overlapping, but I needed a carton …
Artist Statement: My artwork consists of photographic collages with graphic elements and typography. I am interested in photographing aspects of my surroundings …
‘Not a penny’s worth,’ ‘Thoroughbred’ are some of the phrases my granddad and his peers often used. For people of his generation, …
This essay chronicles the author and her family’s relationship with animals and how it has evolved in the last three generations. She …
The author of this piece lost all memory of a girl he used to be in love with after undergoing 12 ECTs …
“Non-fiction stories nourish me,Crime thrillers keep me going” This piece is from an experimental independent album of visual poems called ‘VOETRY’. It …
‘The New World is coming. How can we make it loving and kind?’ This opinion piece talks about my issue with finance …
For many years I was confused. My ideals and expressions were ridiculed. I did not know myself. I lived my life in …
People imagine me to be gainfully and happily occupied, editing and re-writing submissions most of the time. But I struggle with a …
This short story mocks the famous ‘Mumbai Darshan’, and cynically subverts what it means to be a resident of Mumbai, with a …
Women in India are exposed to a triple whammy. The politics of birth that is deeply influenced by patriarchal notions puts enormous …
You’re no mother. Yes, you gave birth to me (which you reminded me of on each of my birthdays, always wanting to …
In my current work, I find myself drawn to the use of metallic, iridescent, and fluorescent colors in combination with textures that …
“I think art must always be innovative, it is a mental process so it is always in constant transformation.” For a few …
I’ll tell ’em what I like, what I want, and what I don’tBut every time I do, I stand correctedThings that I’ve …
You can read this piece in Assamese, translated by Dimpi Sarma here. It’s been nearly four years since I started studying at …
A nine-year-old saree grows up not to be wrinkled and crestfallen akin to humans, it passes on from almirahs to closets, and …
(1) In junior school, they would give us ‘holiday homework’ for the summer, so that the iced lollies and sliced …
#Poetry Cultivated by English the isles, they soughtO Albion your sea-encircled coast.What an interpreter of the maps visualisesTo the feet, …
कोई आज़ाद पंछी नहींना ही उसका कोई पंख मैं तो वह छत पर बंधेतार पर टंगा कपड़ा हूँजिस पर क्लिपलगाए …
Apart from the aesthetics, I got interested in miniature paintings because of the historical and political questions related to them. …
We’re doing four exciting workshops this April. Curated by passionate instructors across diverse fields, these workshops offer a fun way …
14th April, 2022: An update on the current situation in Sri Lanka by the author: • Appointment of a new …
In this reflective piece titled “Scattered Memories” the author journals her experiences and feelings on a diverse range of subjects …
This piece was rejected by other publications and platforms that found it “interesting but not good enough to be published.” …
This “Apology Letter” is addressed to all those suffering due to wars around the world today. In the grand scheme …
Author: Paulo CoelhoPublisher: Vintage InternationalYear of Publishing: 2017 “I am a woman who was born at the wrong time and …
This historical opinion piece titled “Separated Siblings” is the story of two nations, India and Pakistan. You can also read …
#LoveMonth when i was eighteen i thought I’d marry the first person i’d say i love you to i thought …
Language Lessons starring Mark Duplass and Natalie Morales is a wholesome pandemic classic that leaves you with a warm fuzzy …
The artist uses mud to make toys only he can make, He is satisfied with his premature work Sitting back, …
#LoveMonth (asha, do you hear me?) I am a pretty little liar covered up with the façade of bewitching mendacity …
#LoveMonth “On our final drags of air we agree, I was and you were happy.”- Josefien The evening sun adds …
#LoveMonth The newspaper slapped the table as it landed. Boldly, it read: “¾ PEOPLE IN FONTAINHAS DIE ON CHRISTMAS DAY …
This piece “A Pandemic of Pretense” was rejected by The Print, The Wire and Jacobin. Humanity has been serving its …
In this satirical piece, the author rewrites excerpts from Jayadev’s ‘Gita Govinda,’ a 12th century love poem about Radha and …
‘Be My Eyes’ is a free mobile application that connects visually impaired people with sighted volunteers around the world. With …
There will be no need for affirmative action if we nationalize all public resources and redistribute them in a proportionate …
Watch the Palate Trekker’s latest Episode 3: Table in the Hills here: Table in the Hills was shot in South …
An Honest Film Review of Spiderman: No Way Home Spiderman: No Way Home has been the talk of town since …
How you spot me in every crowd Is it written on my face I don’t fit in here The South …
A Series of 4 Poems Trigger Warning: abuse, suicide, self harm (This could be traumatising or disturbing to read.) (Maa, …
Flash fiction is a fictional work of extreme brevity that still offers character and plot development. Identified varieties, many of …
You can also read this piece in Gujarati here translated by Tejas Khandelwal. I was diagnosed with ADHD when I …
Part I Savita was folding socks when they announced the lockdown on the news. As she dropped each pair on …
This short story has been previously rejected by two platforms. It revolves around the Bombay plague epidemic of 1896. The …
This piece was rejected by Midnight Magazine, a literary magazine. I found myself helplesslyMaking out figures in the dark all …
Tracing the professional journey of our Livestock Rearer, Aditya Malhotra, voracious eater, alcohol enthusiast, sommelier and risk taker, AKA The …
August is celebrated in the literary world as Women In Translation Month, a much awaited time when book bloggers, publishers, passionate bookworms all get on board to talk about, promote and review works of translated.
Borrowing from his personal experience, Sumeet has penned this article for the benefit of youth/students. The Student Debt Crisis is …
“I see myself as a researcher and an activist filmmaker. Filmmaking is a painful process for me."
(This piece was rejected by Modern Love, Huffpost Personal, LongReads, AGNI and more…)
