E d i t o r i a l N o t e
I have a confession to make - I was rather glad the year ended when it did. It was always conspicuous, the ending and the beginning, a staggering end ushering in a new-er dawn, I hoped. That, however, has not happened. I shall, perhaps, elaborate more later.
Urooj called me one evening as I was watering my roses. "Chandra you must, I was wondering, if you will, no let’s, let’s guest edit the final ‘Year’s End’ issue of DhoopBisscuit!" I was delighted, my dearest friend had once again somersaulted into my life with an exciting opportunity. So dear reader, I hope this issue brings you the kind of joy it brought me. Please, do sit with a steaming hot beverage, may your house fill with its delicious aroma while you dive head first into our little zine. “ U r o o j , p l e a s e d o n o t l a u g h , h o w d o y o u s a y i t ? D o I b r i n g u p m y l i p s , s c r u n c h e d f o r w a r d a n d s a y Z i n e l i k e w i n e ? O r s h a l l I r e l a x t h e l o w e r j a w , u n c l e n c h i t a n d s a y Z i n e e e , s o f t e r l i k e t h e m o r n i n g s w h e n I r e a d p o e t r y i n b e d ? T e l l n o . . . ”
From your guest editor, Chandrabali Majumder
C o n t e n t s
'22 by Priyal Binani tail end by Rhea Chauhan three photographs by Krishtee Barua notes on 365 days by Amarabati Bhattacharyya
Ofananimalorperson Basicallywherethetail mightbe Oritisusedtoreferto theconclusion Of t ti Weareallatthetailend Ofanotheryear Anotheryearwhere Wecelebratedourbirthday once Where some people got married Some left for a foreign country Bravingthecold Somefriendswerelost Someothersfellill Andrecovered Whilesomeothersneverdid ThereisatermcalledTailend Usedfortherearorthehindmostpart
Itisthetailend Whichmeansitisending Butthenitmeansthatitwill startagain Orlikeayearstarting withthe1stofJanuary Andmorepeoplemight find Themselvesmarried Andlivinginaforeign country Andcold Andillornotill Thenaftersometime, Wewillbeattailend again Likethebodyofananimal Munchingonhistail
Soifyoufeellikeyouarefallingoff Thetailendofananimalorayear Holdon, For there might be some hope For you to climb back on Because it starts all over again From mouth to tail or January to december. Tail End by Rhea Chauhan
Three photographs
by Krishtee Barua
notes on 365 days of finding purpose
amarabati bhattacharyya
it’sonceagaindecember andamidtheepiphaniesgalore irealisethati'vebeenliving thesamedayforyearafteryearafteryear asifi’mendlesslyspinningalongside thecircumferenceoflife everydayiopenmyeyestoa10amsunlight andibeginlifewithafight imustwork,imustworktillidie i'vebeensufferingfrom–asthenetizenssuggest extremeexistentialdread i'monlytwenty(plusfour)but mymindconspiresquestions thesizeoftheuniverse,constantlyremindedofmyterrifying transience, soimustwork,imustworktillidie
andiamcompletelyaware
beforeyoustruggletoremindme thatakintomeallofhumanity toilsforananswer unreceived i'vebeenreadingRilkefordays athisnascentstagehebreathlesslyquestsforagrandpurpose andtotheyoungpuzzledpoet thegreatoldsculptorAugusteRodinsays ilfauttoujourstravailler,jusqu'àtamort youmustwork,youmustworktillyoudie i'vebeendreaming allyearlongoftheFlowersinTaipei theNorthernLightsofNorway theillustriousMontegoBay howiwishtoviewtheworldlikeafilmlikeadream soimustwork,imustworktillidie andbeforeiendthispoemheretoday ihaveonesolitaryrequesttomake toGod–ifyouexist theanswer?youkeepwithyourself thepurpose?youhideitaway buttheworkyoumust,youmustprovidealways