Writing this essay was challenging due to the difficult and sensitive nature of the topic. Addressing issues of violence, misogyny, and the systemic failures that perpetuate these injustices require a careful balance of empathy and critical analysis. It was not easy to confront the harsh realities that many endure, nor was it simple to articulate the deep frustrations that arise from witnessing a world that too often turns insensitive to the suffering of others. Every word was chosen with the weight of these realities in mind, as I navigated the complexity of expressing pain and outrage while advocating for meaningful change. The emotional toll of reflecting on such grim subjects cannot be understated, yet I felt compelled to write this essay in the hope that it might contribute to the broader conversation and inspire action toward a more just and compassionate society.

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The first essay of the Nilgiris series is already prepared for publication, but I want to hold off on sharing it for another day because today, I wish to share my stream of consciousness. I often do not allow myself to write from a place of vulnerability; I am too protective of my inner space and guarded against being too soft or emotional. So, reaching this point where I could allow myself to flow between the pen and paper, between you and me, was a long journey, and you enabled me to walk it with courage. I am grateful to exist, to be able to write, and to you for reading through my stories and experiences in this world. They may mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, but you care, and I care that you do, and that means everything to me. For that, I thank you.

Many years ago, on cold winter evenings like this particular one today, my father would sit us down with one warm tumbler of malted milk and delve into vivid details, almost re-enacting the strange encounter…

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Welcome to Berkana’s Macabre Museum - a place to achieve stories of deliberate pain that humans inflict on each other. This is not a bright place I admit, but it harbors truth with as much ease as these grim stories allow. These stories can be told because of their redeemable quality, a flicker of human courage and resilience shining through the darkest of circumstances that one could fathom. For those of you who joined me recently on this journey, this section used to be the primary section of Berkana. I tell these stories as much to myself as I do to you, to be able to comprehend the bizarre and dark truth about the world around us, the truth that is often lost through cultural appropriation and retellings by the people whose prime motive was to push the truth as far away into the shadows as possible. However, truth is a powerful force of nature, I say so because time and again it has stood relentless to confront people on their wicked deeds. Truth is my only ally on t…

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Horrors come in many shades of black and grey, and the horrors faced by the Native American children in the boarding schools of the United States from the mid-17th to the early 20th centuries were that of the darkest shade of black. The idea was to ‘civilize’ the indigenous children. They were stolen from the cradles of their hopeful childhood and subjected to the center of the world's disdain. The ideal of systematic assimilation, “Kill the Indian, save the man”, was shamelessly preached by Richard Henry Pratt. Pratt's greedy father abandoned his family to get rich quickly in the California Gold Rush. Maybe it is the outcome of having an unreliable father that turned Pratt into such a monster, or maybe he was born that way - cruel and calculative. The evil mastermind behind Carlisle Indian Industrial School, a practical concentration camp to imprison indigenous children and obliterate their cultural identity. These innocent children were kept in overcrow…

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Welcome to Berkana, your cultural mirror to everything obscure and hidden in the shadows of the past. The last few weeks have been toiling for me in terms of personal commitments and duty calls. I have been searching for the steadfast mast of creativity in midst of chaos. I have asked this question to my friend Renee Faber, in response to which she wrote this beautiful meditation on finding courage holding the torch of compassion. 

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So, after a long spell of creative block, I am finally able to push through. I am gradually bringing back the discipline to write despite disruptive mental noise. The next goal is to stay in practice and not lose momentum. I want to thank you all for supporting and being with me on this journey because it is you dear reader, who pull me back to my center of creative power. Your encouragement has inspired me to create some of my best works. I am grateful and hopeful that you will hold on till I navigate through this difficult phase of block and s…

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Welcome back to Berkana! Brace yourself, because today we need to navigate through some difficult stuff. I started Berkana with a promise that I would not only write about inspiring and uplifting stories but also about gut-wrenching ones. The ones that confront us face-on about the painful truths of some harsh human conditions and culture at large. After all, it is on the tip of a writer's pen that the titanic weight of truth waits to get revealed. Therefore, I must tell the truth, even if the truth is tragic. 

Disclaimer: This is not a feel-good article. It is not about inspiring cultural motifs, languages, or theology. This specific write-up is about human suffering and neglect. It is a response to our collective indifference to the pain of a minority. It is a harrowing and heartbreaking tale set in the backdrop of a reality worse than any dystopia. It is my attempt here to wake you up to the broken shards of this world and awaken your intention to fix it. If you desire …

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If you have missed my previous post check it out in the link below:

Berkana

Bold and Brazen: Verses are Mightier than Villains

Dear subscribers, Berkana is a place where you will find obscure and forgotten stories from different corners of the world. I truly believe that the bare-bones storytelling style has a magical power to catalyze change. Now, you too are a part of this community. What change do you want to bring? Let me know in the comment section…

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5 years ago · 1 like · Swarnali Mukherjee

Join the community. Tell me what you think.

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Now let’s jump into today’s discussion.

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