Rahi Massom Raza - Scene 75 (A Novel)

Rahi Masoom Raza (1927-1992) was born in Ghazipur on the banks of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh. He studied at Aligarh Muslim University, where he did a doctorate in Hindustani literature and where he also taught for a while. One of the finest novelists and poets of his time, Rahi Masoom Raza was proficient in both Hindi and Urdu. His best-known work is Aadha Gaon, about rival Muslim landlord families in the village of Gangauli at the time of Partition. His other well-known works are Topi Shukla, Katra Bi Aarzo, Ka Ped and Os Ki Boond. He found fame as a dialogue writer in the Hindi film industry, and worked on movies like Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki, Gol Maal, Karz, Lamhe, etc. He also wrote the path-breaking dialogues for the 1980s TV epic, Mahabharat.

Poonam Saxena is the national weekend editor of the Hindustan Times. Before that, she launched and edited the newspaper's Sunday Magazine, Brunch, for twelve years. She has translated the great Hindi Writer Dharamvir Bharati's iconic 1949 novel Gunahon ka Devta into English (Chander & Sudha), and is the co-author of film-maker Karan Johar's Memoir, An Unsuitable Boy.

Whoever you see, Whoever you meet, They seem like someone else. In this neighbourhood It's as if no one has an identity.

On the stairs Once again, the sound of someone's footsteps. Once again, someone without a face, Gilt-tongued, stone-hearted. He will come, And smiling, Take away a sliver of my heart.