Anjali Roongta

~Anjali. ~Bookworm ~Fangirl ~Publisher. ~Author.

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The Food Court

What will you do when visited by a god while sitting in the food court?

“I need to get out. I need to get out. I need to get out.” Have you ever been trapped in an empty food court? After the mall has been closed? Because that’s where my story starts. Not with finding out that a mobster was turning my town into a prison. Not with fire nation attacks. No. My story begins on a drab weekend where I decided to go to the food court. I was craving a Subway, okay, and…

The Food Court

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Sunshine, Starlight

A very happy festive season if you celebrate!

Photo by Rahul Pandit on Pexels.com It’s the festival of wealth,Of lights, and deepaks burning bright,Where the city shines-Tell you a secret?I want to invite the Goddess LaxmiInto my heart, into my home,Forevermore.But I don’t want her for just me.No. I pray the goddess blesses me,And of course, my community,My family,But more so than anyone else(Other than those in need)I pray she blesses the…

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Home Is Where...

Just some feelings on what makes a place home.

They told me home is where the heart is. I agree. Home is where the people of my heart, the person I love is. So, that’s enough? You can build a home anywhere, anytime, Why yes, madam, you can… Except that’s a missing ingrident, It’s called autonomy, and oh! What a wild thing it is, Ruffling feathers left and right, It truly is like brick and mortar for a home mine, For at home, I am…

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An Ode to Millennial Women

An ode to millennial women...

We are those that girl-bossed too close to the sun,Internalized misogynyIn the guise of girl power,The patriarchy tightened its hold on us,While we fought for the freedom to earn and be independentWear what we wantSay what we desiredWe forgot to take off the heelsLet down our hairAnd ask for helpBecause I can do what he canTurned into toxic masculinity seeping into femininityWe would cook and…

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Fragility

Just a verse on trust.

Rahim had warned us against the frail bonds of love How once broken they can never again be without imperfections But how did we forget That love was just a placeholder For trust? And that once burned Trusting again is like pushing up that damned rock It’ll never truly stay.

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Home

What makes a place home...

What makes a house a homeIt’s that nebulous feeling of belongingSome say it’s the peopleBut I say it’s the relaxed shoulders, the lungs at easeThe way sleep softens and deepensBecause you know, you knowYou’re finally where you belong,You’re finally where you can call your own shotsYou’re finally where you can be unabashed yourselfAnd that’s when I sayYou’re home. Author’s Note: Hope this…

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How to make a sustainable lifestyle a reality for urban Indians: Realistically Sustainable

Sustainable buying can be inconvenient but who says that is the only way to live green?

1.5 degree lifestyle. Climate change. Eco -friendly.We are all hearing these terms but despite that and the LiFE mission, how much have we focused on making sustainability realistic and accessible? Yes, we have spoken about how convenient options are necessary for sustainable products to become a household name. We know marketing and lack of awareness, both of existing brands and also the…

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Lajja

The story of Lajja and the Earth Mother, in the era of climate change.

They say that when greedy kings were bleeding her dry, the Earth Mother went crying to the Savior. And so, he appeared and cleansed the soil of those with greed in their hearts. Entire lineages were removed. And then the Savior died. An age passed. Once again, mortals gave in to greed. They defined their worth were jewelry and clothing and status. Kindness was there, as it always is, but the…

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When It Ends

Just a poem about losing ones we love.

T/W- Mentions of death Every step you take is a step closer to our inevitable parting Every moment gained together is a moment closer to when it ends Who will be the first to go, I wonder, to that final road? Sometimes I hope it is me, The thought of a world without you tearing Me apart like a pair of shears to clothing, And yet love makes me pray It is you who goes first to the final…

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You Can Take the Girl From Omelas

A thought on how far should we take on the responsibility for others' actions.

T/W- Mentions of hurting children I walked away from Omelas, But Omelas didn’t let me go- Every time family called, or I saw them, The reality hit me to the bone Of the hurting child, hurting for their happiness, Yes, I had walked away, Yes, I played no part in that cruelty, But isn’t looking away and leaving Just clearing my conscience- Who helps the child, And how can they, Should…

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A Choice to Help?

Just a musing on solidarity, community, and the bystander effect.

where does the line lie,– you are not all knowing- yet you know when you’re part of a wholeyou know. the mass helps that makes a community, makes us humanity. so it’s okay to rest, right? of course it is, but when does it stop being solidarity and become blurry instead-becoming the bystander effect? yet, when does drive become a burnt-out husk? you are not all knowing, you just have…

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women in love

just a poem on how society forces women in love in certain molds

It’s tough to be a woman in love,Either you’re holding him backOr you’re giving up what you want for himMost can’t perceive a healthy relationshipEven if it smacks them in the face,Perhaps it should, like an upsleeve ace,Bam! Healthy relationship hits!Reminding you that you made choices that weren’t the bestAnd thus now you feel slightly like a dart-board?Younger people trying to do better,…

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Creating Culture for Your Character-First Romance Story: Writing with Anjali

Wondering how fictional or real-world cultures that your characters are from affect your romance novel. Let's see.

Hey Anj, how do I create culture in my world? Can my world have different cultures? What factors affect culture creation and how much can we borrow from real-world cultures without being disrespectful? These are questions that came to me when someone I know began crafting a story that involved multiple fictional cultures and how their interactions played into the story. Now, a wise person once…

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Floods

An unhappy yet hopeful poems on monsoons.

When the water fills the road,I wonder how the families on the street make it homeWho gives them shade from the torrentWho helps them shelter against the cold?I’ve done all I canI’ve helped to the best of meYet I often chafeWondering if I can do moreSo I lean on community, on humanityOn the idea of lending a handWhen you see someone in troubleAnd help you canThe monsoons will go,The floods will…

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How to Write the Second Act of a Romance

Here are some points I would consider to be important while writing Act 2 of a Romance.

Hey, Anjali, I have a plot, a start and an end but I don’t know how to write Act 2 of my romance! Well, you are at the right place. Now, I am no genius at writing the second act, especially in romances. From the first meeting to the happily ever after- renowned author Elisabeth Wheatly says all romances have a happy ending- there are quite a few stages. I have written a single romance novella…

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every table, I will save you a seat

as I prepare to take the final leap, fears clogs my throat, yet a belief I truly keep yes, I firmly believe that we are meant to be not because the divine ordained us to be together, not because we are perfectly suited to each other (we are in what we need, what we want can sometimes feel like another matter) but because we love each other so, we would hold up the sky, we would row down…

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How to Have a Realistically Eco-friendly and Ethical Cerebration- Part 2

Some more hacks on how to have an eco-friendly wedding or celebration.

For some time now, I have been planning an eco-concious wedding. Now, I couldn’t get innovative with it because we moved the date and suddenly I was on a time-crunch and because my family insisted on certain things, looking at you conventional decor, I tried to be sustainable as far as possible. For example, requesting that the decor vendor reuse the drapes from other celebrations, even though…