For Women’s March, FridayWall shares a power-packed poem “In the ‘Ladies Compartment’ of the Mumbai Local” by Sonali Rasal—-celebrating the strength and spirit of women through her bold and heartfelt voice.
Sonali Rasal is a celebrated poet and spoken word artist based in Pune, India, whose work spans English, Hindi, and Marathi languages. Since emerging on the poetry scene in 2017, Sonali has distinguished herself with a unique voice that resonates across diverse audiences. She is a feisty and full-of-spunk kind of soul, curious and deeply connected to people’s core emotions. Sonali is the founder of ‘The Literati,’ a thriving poetry circle in Pune, and co-founder of the Hindi-Urdu poetry community ‘Anjuman’ at Raah, a cultural hub in Pune.
Sonali’s poetry has earned her significant accolades, including winning both jury and popular choice awards at the Tata International Literature Festival 2023 and the Mumbai LitFest 2024. She has showcased her work at prestigious events such as the Pune International Literature Festival, Pune Book Fair, and Jashn-e-Adab, and was selected to perform at ‘Poetrystaan,’ an initiative spotlighting India’s best poets. Her contributions extend beyond performance; she has curated and moderated panels, sharing insights on poetry’s social impact.
Her English poetry collection, ‘#THE L WORD,’ has been well received at major book fairs across India including Pune, New Delhi, and Jaipur. Sonali’s commitment to community engagement shines through her collaborations with NGOs and themed poetry events promoting mental health awareness and women’s empowerment.
An active educator, Sonali has led workshops and judged poetry competitions at prominent educational institutions such as Symbiosis College and IIT Powai’s Mood Indigo festival. Her work continues to inspire both emerging poets and audiences, making her a vital presence in India’s contemporary literary landscape.
In the ‘Ladies Compartment’ of the Mumbai Local
The burkha-clad woman drowned in her phone,
the sikhni reciting hymns,
the fisherwoman with a shiny nose pin,
the girl with a cross tattooed on her skin
are all extensions of me.
We form a ‘ladies monster’.
Our shiny clips, good luck rings
hair tickling smacking our faces
Our perfumes – one heavy scent
of love, duties, responsibilities.
Looking forward to coffee with a friend,
dinner with a lover, confronting boss, meeting parents.
Our lipsticks, our eyebrows
our skin tone, our hair
our hearts, our silences
all speak one mother tongue.
No brands, no tags, no status, no religion.
We don’t hide our underarms or cellulite.
Sweaty love handles peek boldly
faces gather more frown lines.
We talk –
we talk about failed marriages
and miscarriages,
stock market hullabaloo,
misleading national policies
absolutely no taboos.
We share recipes and therapists,
forget names- remember faces
hang in doorways dropping defences,
scrolling life between homes and offices
We talk loud, we laugh loud,
we hum songs, we sit quiet
we become the rhythm – the order – the chaos
we become the silence – we become the noise
We are the multi armed, multi-faced,
multi-dimensional invincible Goddess,
this coach is our shrine.
You are welcome to pay your respects,
anytime.
– Sonali Rasal
