Aryaman Kakkar's Archive

  Drip.  Drip. Drip. Drip.  Blood kept dripping into the porcelain sink, diluted in the water that turned it pink. She leaned against the rim, weight heavy, breathing anxiously. Slowly, she began to shake. A quiet snort, and then giggling, turning into a full maniacal peal of laughter. Black rivulets streak down her cheeks as she watched her blood-stained hands. Turning the tap on, she tries washing it off, to no avail. The stain remains. She settles down, the bathroom silent. She is just about to let loose another peal of laughter when- “Oyo Macbeth! Whatever scene you wanna do right now, now is not the time. This is our first Halloween on campus and you wanna spend it acting like a crazy person? Chal na!” “Fine! I was coming only. You should have seen it guys! I was soooooooo in character! I really felt like I was Lady Macbeth!” “Haan haan, we get it, she’s the love of your life, you couldn’t have been the woman you are today. Lets go party pleaseee!!” “Yes, yes coming....

‘Code Red’ by N.R. Walker focuses on Maddox and Roscoe - musician and manager exploring their pseudo-forbidden love and pining for each other as they embark on a tour with Artrous, the boy-band that Maddox has become the public face of. The story begins with and is told from Roscoe’s perspective throughout, who is the personal manager of Maddox, one of five men in the band Artrous.  Walker is usually quite innovative in her series: from a cattle rancher in Australia to architects in New York, she has written about men both in the wild and in metropolitan spaces. What’s not new here is how Walker explores the line between the personal and professional. There is great popularity in the trope where characters get involved in a professional context, especially when there’s a power dynamic involved. While this is no different, the story follows the development of a romantic relationship between two people who have already been friends for years beforehand, and are familiar with each oth...

To call Benjamin Alire Saenz’s “Aristotle and Dante Dive Into The Waters of The World” a romance would be a disservice to the book and the author. You should not read this book if you expect a no-nonsense happily ever after, or one laden with descriptions of sex. Aristotle and Dante turn a new leaf as they try to feel comfortable in their love for each other, and try to navigate the world beyond their little microcosm. Grief and pain are potent heartbeats that drive the narrative. The grief of loss is one that's deeply explored and given space to; loss of family, friends, and community. You will find yourself searching for your own grief as the many new faces that are introduced as days pass for Ari are populated with celebration and mourning. Saenz is not afraid to welcome stereotypically sensitive subjects into his home. He creates a world where each loss has a deep impact on the reader, no matter the period for which the character remained. Grief and Love are presences that are ...

“You’ve stepped far enough, Ta’al. It’s time to end this!” Lyra stepped forward on her bed and pushed her hands forward, full of imagined forced and power. Not seeing the pillow under her feet, she twisted and fell back on the mattress as her mother entered the room.  “Who were you talking to, bacha? On the phone with your friends?” She didn’t look at Lyra, making her way to the dressing room cupboards where the toilet paper and cleaners were kept.  “No one ma, just talking to myself.”, she groaned, not moving. She shifted around a bit to get comfortable, but the hurt in her lower back was stubborn.  “Ok. Remember that we need to go out tonight. Decide what you want to wear and let me know. I’m going to go get ready after this. Do you know where your dad is?” “No ma. He went to Model Town after lunch. Must be there only.” “Hmm, I’ll call him. You start getting ready in the meantime.” She sighed as soon as her mother closed the door behind her. Her fantasies were her own f...

A major point of difference among Ramayanas is the intensity of focus on a major character. Valmiki focuses on Rama and his history in his opening sections; Vimalasuri's Jaina Ramayana and the Thai epic focus not on Rama but on the genealogy and adventures of Ravana. In the latter [Jaina texts], Ravana is a noble hero fated by his karma to fall for Sita and bring death upon himself, while he is in other texts an overweening demon. I shall attempt to explore these three characterisations of Ravana in a three-part series.  Ramakien Ravana, or Totsakan as he is known in the Ramakien, is the Ramayana's main antagonist, who is depicted as immoral, amorous, and selfish on the surface. However, if you dig a little deeper, you'll see some interesting changes in how Ravana is portrayed in various retellings. Tosakanth / Thotsakan is the embodiment of the demon gatekeeper Nontuk, a ten-faced, twenty-armed demon king of Longka. He has a lot of power, but he uses it to destroy everyone...