Breaking The Vicious Cycle

By Sabeeha Banu

Metal balls clanked and rattled

From the clutches of chain tags

Reverberating across the battlefield

Flashing, jingling metals resound

Maidens’ bare legs pounded in the sand

Marking trails of an imminent decision

Radiating discontent like a relentless Sun

Though reaping victory on the field without any toil

Havoc filled the air around

People gaped in wonder

Still, what the victors want even after the surrender

The matriarch roared like a tigress in vengeance

Silencing the crowd

Shattered the spell aloud

Demanded an end to age-old ritual 

Of exiling women to the cattle shed during the cycle

By Sabeeha Banu