Ghazal

    By Shahzeb Athar

    Ghazal
    After Umar

    A sense of wonder made plain, at Jamia
    Walls of resistance covered in vain, at Jamia

    Libraries shattered, dissent stifled
    and then the oppressed, blamed, at Jamia

    the body of revolution must hold space for empathy
    so witness a willed resistance, aflame, at Jamia

    My dreams are haunted by your not-being
    What you left behind we did reclaim at Jamia

    Architect and poet, Shahzeb Athar is currently studying Architectural and Cultural Heritage at Dessau, far away from his Beloved Delhi. When not working on his thesis, he is planning (read daydreaming about) walks in Delhi, or waxing poetic about whatever seemingly insignificant thing he lays eyes upon. He refers to himself as a Graveyard of Memories, but when asked to describe himself resorts to Ghalib couplets.

    Social Handles:
    Instagram: @atharshahzeb

    Subscribe to our newsletter To Recieve Updates

      The Latest
      • Inheritance Burnt Side Up

        Shrinking to Fit: Women, Buses, and the Gendered Commute in Bangalore

      • Bulldozed in the Bus

        Shrinking to Fit: Women, Buses, and the Gendered Commute in Bangalore

      • The Invisible Orientation

        Girls Who Stray: Anisha on Women, Desire & Rebellion

      • The Matchbox by Usawa #08

        Preparing Silence, Normalising Everydayness & More

      You May Also Like
      • The Three Witches’ Songs by Nabina Das

        Women talking, women together, women voicing their observations — one can safely

      • Spring Song (haibun) By Vidya Shankar

        It was the first time I was stepping out of the house after the hysterectomy

      • The Legend of Nagakanna by Aneeta Sundararaj

        Nandini stood inside the marquee and looked around at the business of

      • Smita Sahay Editor-in-Chief

        The first feminist was born the day patriarchy was created – Kamla Bhasin